After uploading a picture of what they found in the Chinese truck, Clay waited for the Admiral’s response. The picture was now onscreen and Langford’s reaction was exactly as Clay expected.
“You can’t be serious?!” exclaimed Langford. “A goddamn plant?!”
“Yes, sir.”
They could see Langford and Miller look at each other with disbelief.
“Are you saying,” Miller spoke up, with a look of incredulity, “that all of this is over some PLANTS?!” The other three officials on the screen simply looked on, speechless.
Clay replied again, simply. “Yes, sir.”
Langford shook his head and wrapped a hand over his mouth, while Griffith cut in. “All this time. All this secrecy. The black trucks, the midnight runs, everything…is over a bunch of plants.” His tone was rhetorical.
Lokke’s expression was the only one that had moved on from surprise to curiosity. “Commander,” she said to Clay. “Are you sure the rest of the crates had the same things in them?”
“I am. There were a few gaps, allowing me to see inside. They were all carrying the same contents as the one I opened: giant plants wrapped in plastic.”
Lokke raised her eyebrows. “How much of the plants were in plastic?”
“The whole plant, including the roots. It all appeared to be wrapped in some kind of special medium. As you can see from the one I retrieved, the plants are pretty large. I estimate they had about two dozen packed into each crate.”
The picture Clay had uploaded to the screen was of a very thick and very green section of leaf, appearing to come from a much larger sample. In truth, it seemed to everyone to be a big and otherwise ordinary looking leaf. They had all seen larger leaves before, particularly palms.
“What in the hell would they want with a bunch of plants?” Langford asked. The others remained silent until Langford addressed Krogstad. “Rog, we need to get your people to look at this, ASAP.”
“They already are. Clay gave the sample to our science team shortly after arriving back onboard.”
“Good,” replied Langford. “So far, I see two possibilities. One, there’s something unique about these plants. Two is that the plants are somehow not the main objective of our Chinese friends.”
“Or a ruse,” added Miller.
Langford turned to him. “What do you mean?”
“Maybe these plants are part of the objective and maybe they’re not.” He paused, thinking. “The Chinese know we’re here, and unless they’re idiots, they know that we’re here to find out what they’re doing. And there’s only one way to do that: get a look in those trucks.”
Langford nodded. “So they’re expecting us to show up, and instead of what they’re really bringing out of the mountains, they pack the crates full of plants as a ploy.”
“Exactly.”
Langford considered it.
“Except,” piped in Griffith, “they don’t know when we would sneak in. A lot of these shipments would then have to become ploys, not just one.” He spread his arms in a questioning manner. “And how long do they keep that up?”
“I agree,” added Bartman. “Whatever it is they have, they’re pretty serious about their extraction. I can’t imagine they would suddenly start packing all their trucks with plants, hoping to throw us off. They would have to know a ploy is the first thing we would suspect. It’s what we would do.”
“Okay,” replied Langford. “Scenario two then. The plants are only one of the things they’re after.” He noticed Clay shaking his head. “Clay?”
“It’s possible, sir. But that whole truck was filled with them. Even if it were only part of the extraction, a whole truck full would mean it’s a big part. It’s possible, but more often than not, the simplest answer is usually the right one.”
“That would mean these plants are, in fact, what they’re after.”
“Correct.”
Next to Clay, Will Borger cleared his throat. “If I may, sir. I think Clay is right. I’ve been studying the satellite video, and it’s clear to me, given how quickly they’re unloading these crates, that they don’t appear very heavy. It also supports the likelihood that all of the crates contain the same thing.”
“Dr. Lokke? Any thoughts?”
Lokke slowly shook her head. “I’m not sure. I’d have to confer with some of my staff, but on the surface, it’s certainly possible they found something of extreme interest. Taxonomy has arguably contributed more to modern society than anything else. Everything from glues to fabrics, to antibiotics, almost everything has roots back to…well, things with roots.”
“So what kind of plant-based discovery would warrant this kind of secrecy?” asked Miller.
Lokke blinked, thinking. “God, it could be almost anything. My first guess would be something medicinal or biological.”
“Or technological,” interjected Caesare.
Langford turned to him. “Technological?”
“Maybe?” Caesare shrugged. “What is China most dependent on? Oil. Maybe there’s a relationship.”
“Synthetics!” exclaimed Borger, seeing where Caesare was headed. He looked back to the monitor. “That is a possibility, sir. And it might explain why the Chinese are trying to grab it.”
“What are synthetics?”
“Synthetics are pretty much any compound that we’ve been able to duplicate from its original, organic source. Which, as Dr. Lokke pointed out, is usually some derivative of biology. “Synthetics” is mankind creating a superior product through more modern means, say through a chemical process. Oil is one of these products. In fact, synthetic oil goes all the way back to World War II. When the Nazis were running out of real oil, Hitler ordered an investigation into a synthetic alternative. And they found one. They were able to create huge amounts of oil and rubber synthetically to keep their armies moving. Even fuel. But the process wasn’t all that sophisticated and required much more energy to create than they got from it. Which, of course, can only go on for so long. We’ve come a long way since then.”
“Meaning?”
“Biofuels,” Borger answered.
“Biofuels?”
Borger looked back and forth between Caesare and the screen. “Biofuels is a much more natural and cleaner process than synthetic fuels. There are all sorts of companies and governments working on it. The main problem is that even biofuels aren’t as efficient as we need them to be. The plants just don’t produce a high enough concentration of organic oil. What we really need is a plant source that produces at least twenty percent more to really achieve a self-sustaining biofuel.”
“Are you suggesting this plant the Chinese have found in Guyana has more oil in it?”
“It’s a possibility. If oil really is the focus here. But like Dr. Lokke said, it could be anything. Heck, maybe its photosynthesis.”
“You mean as in light absorption?”
“Yes.” Borger stopped to think and suddenly got an excited expression. “Actually, if it’s photosynthesis, that could be huge!”
“Will,” the Admiral said. “Focus. You’re losing us here.”
“Sorry, sir,” he replied sheepishly. “Photosynthesis, as you know, is a plant or tree’s ability to absorb sunlight and turn it into energy. It’s a biological process that is still far more efficient than we can achieve with things like solar panels.”
“And?”
“China just happens to be the largest manufacturer and exporter of solar products, by a long shot.”
Miller frowned. “So?”
“So,” continued Borger. “What if the Chinese found a plant whose photosynthesis is ultra-efficient? Better yet, what if it allows them to better understand or copy the organic process?! There would be no other solar product in the world that could compete with that.”
“Which might allow them to reduce their dependence on oil at the same time,” offered Caesare.
“Oil is a finite commodity,” agreed Lokke. “Some of the biggest oil wells in the world are be
ginning to run dry, like Cantarell in Mexico. The world is being forced to turn to shale. Eventually, the sources will either run dry or become so difficult to tap that only the richest countries will be able to afford it. And with a population of one and a half billion people, the Chinese are no doubt acutely aware of the importance of real, tangible resources.”
Langford frowned. Wars were fought over resources like these. When resources become scarce, the only predictable human reaction is to fight for what is still left. Energy is the lifeblood of modern society. Without it, any nation on the planet would perish. And whoever controlled it over the long term became the victors.
“So, oil or photosynthesis,” Langford said.
“Well, those are just possibilities, sir. To be honest, if it is some kind of biological discovery, it could be almost anything.”
Langford glanced at Miller before leaning back in his chair. “Okay,” he said, turning to Krogstad. “Roger, keep your people on this. We need some answers. We need to understand exactly what we’re talking about here. Mr. Borger, I want you to see if you can pinpoint where these trucks are going.” He then looked at Lokke’s image. “And Dr. Lokke, I’d like you to start getting a small team of experts together just in case we need a task force on the ground. Bring them in from wherever you need to but have them ready within a few days.”
Lokke nodded. “Absolutely.”
Langford and Miller looked at each other again. This time they shared the same weary expression. If this “discovery” were as important to anyone else as it apparently was to China, things could get very ugly. They hoped it wouldn’t, but their expressions were telling. If the simplest explanation was the right one, then the message was clear. The Chinese had gone to a lot of trouble and expense over these plants, which meant they were probably ready to fight for them too.
32
DeeAnn could feel a sense of worry growing within herself. Dulce wasn’t as talkative as usual, and she wasn’t sure if it was due to stress or nervousness, or whether a result of the increasing errors from the vest’s computer system. Juan had looked at it the night before and confirmed the frequency of errors was still increasing.
On top of it all, DeeAnn’s heart was sinking at the realization that the chance of finding the capuchin monkey was remote at best. Alves’ preserve was simply too big.
They had spent almost four hours in the field yesterday. Alves and his head of security Blanco had escorted them into areas of the preserve not yet searched. But the place was just too huge. They would never be able to cover the area, even in Alves’ giant four-wheel drive vehicle. But getting out and hiking through the jungle was the only way Dulce could listen for the monkey. Without at least some idea of where Dexter might be, it was quickly feeling hopeless.
DeeAnn watched as Dulce examined more trees. There were thousands of trees in the preserve, maybe tens of thousands.
DeeAnn had been quietly, yet reluctantly, thinking of an exit plan. What she was worried about the most was the vest. If she lost the ability to communicate with a frightened gorilla in the wild, things could get much worse for them.
She realized her mind had drifted off and looked back to find Dulce now watching her.
No monkey, Dulce said, matter-of-factly.
DeeAnn smiled and shook her head. “Not yet. Should we go look again today?”
Yes, Dulce replied, looking up at DeeAnn. Look more.
“Okay, we look more,” DeeAnn smiled, placing her chin gently on Dulce’s furry head and rubbing her back. “We look more.”
Upstairs on the top floor of the state-of-art facility, Alves and Blanco observed DeeAnn and Dulce from the inside, through a tall window.
“How long are we going to search?” asked Blanco. It was a difficult question but one that needed to be asked.
Alves answered without looking away from the window. “As long as necessary.”
Carolina, Alves’ assistant, approached and joined them. “Everything is ready.”
Alves nodded.
Carolina waited for a reply, but getting none, she continued. “And everyone is looking for you.”
Who cares? Alves thought. Business could wait. It would wait. The businesses could run themselves for a long time.
He continued watching DeeAnn and Dulce out in the grass. This was far more important. It was the most important thing he had ever done, and in the end, nothing else mattered. Nothing.
Blanco wasn’t convinced. He was sure there were other ways, but it wasn’t up to him. He would do as he was told. At least for now.
Standing behind Alves, Carolina looked at the hardened Blanco, who then glanced briefly at her. They would both do what they were told. For now.
Brazil’s unrelenting humidity made wearing the thick vest almost unbearable, especially through the peak heat of the afternoon. The only relief was the wind flowing over the open top of the vehicle. DeeAnn couldn’t tell what model it was, but it reminded her of the old military Jeeps she had seen as a girl. These, however, were much nicer.
She turned and looked at Dulce, who was sitting on the bench seat between her and Juan. Dulce was smiling the entire way. Bouncing up and down while they drove over the rough ground, Dulce loved every minute of the ride. It was a nice change. The young gorilla looked up to the open sky at a group of birds darting away from a nearby tree.
DeeAnn still held Dulce’s leash firmly in her hand, worried that a sudden movement or shift could result in her falling out. A motherly instinct that was never fostered through a child of her own, she clearly still had it.
Blanco slowed the vehicle and brought it to a stop in another open field. A vast sea of trees began a few hundred yards away and continued on, high into the mountains.
Juan promptly jumped out and helped Dulce down. DeeAnn followed closely behind, careful to keep extra slack in the leash. It took only seconds for her to feel the sweat return under her vest.
Alves hobbled around the back from the passenger’s seat. “This is another area Luke had taken Dexter to. They’d spent a few days out here last month.”
DeeAnn turned and scanned the area. Luke probably brought Dexter out periodically to keep him calm. Wild primates often became agitated with too much time in a captive environment, even one as nice as Alves’ facility. However, with Dulce, DeeAnn had the opposite challenge. She was born in captivity and now being outside her normal environment was causing her stress.
Together, they crossed the small field and passed into the edge of dark green forest. The group continued following Dulce as she knuckle-walked from place to place, looking and listening.
DeeAnn watched the others who were idly scanning the area. All except Alves, of course. He was intently watching Dulce as he had been all day. She had to admit it was beginning to feel a little odd. His interest was beginning to go beyond mere curiosity.
Juan checked his watch and gave DeeAnn a concerned look. He was forever thinking about the system and was no doubt estimating how much battery life they had left for the day. That and, of course, the errors. The vest still seemed to be working well, but he didn’t know for how much longer that would continue.
DeeAnn noticed Dulce examining something on the ground and walked up behind her to have a look. She frowned when she discovered that Dulce was looking at the remains of a bird nest. Four tiny pink bodies were lying next to it on a wide rock. DeeAnn looked up at the tall tree above them. The nest must have fallen, causing the hatchlings to tumble out. They were much too small to move about on their own, which meant they likely died on the rock.
Dulce used her rough brown finger and reached out to touch one of them. She poked the featherless pink body gently and waited. Nothing happened. She then poked the others one by one. Finally, she turned to DeeAnn with her lower lip drooping sadly. Babies die.
DeeAnn frowned and knelt next to her. “Yes, the babies died. It’s very sad.” She was surprised when Dulce turned back, gently picked up the four little bodies from the rock, and placed them in
to her palm. Using her free hand, Dulce then turned and dug her fingers into the soft earth, creating a small hole. She placed them all carefully into the cavity and laid a leaf on top. Finally, she began covering them with the dirt.
DeeAnn was awestruck. She couldn’t believe what she had just witnessed, on so many levels.
Me no like die.
DeeAnn shifted her eyes to look at the amazing little gorilla in front of her. “Me either.”
33
We here Alison.
Alison smiled and quickly stepped out of the salon, into the boat’s spacious cockpit. She trotted to the side and peeked over the starboard hull. Sally was waiting with her head poking out, gently batting the water with her fins to stay up. “Are we here?”
Dirk abruptly popped his head out of the water next to Sally. We here.
Kelly immediately killed the engine and allowed the boat to drift to a stop. “Thank goodness.”
Thank goodness, indeed, Alison thought. It was much further than they were expecting, repeatedly promised by Dirk and Sally to be just a little further. That “little” further had taken them well south of their expected location, almost within sight of the small island of Grenada. She knew that dolphins had a sharp understanding of distance, but they seemed almost purposefully vague this time. It was something they had never witnessed before with Dirk or Sally. Their conclusion was that the dolphins’ home wasn’t stationary. It moved.
Come Alison come.
“I’m coming,” she said, with a touch of sarcasm. “Just give us some time.”
In the time it took them to get set up, more dolphins began to arrive. Many more. Alison pulled the second fin onto her foot and wiggled it while she looked out over the water. There were hundreds of dolphins now.
“Chris, look at this,” she said, standing up.
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