Amazon Burning (A James Acton Thriller, #10)

by J. Robert Kennedy

  Milton shook his head, a slight smile breaking out. “Yes, mom.”

  “Good. Now hug Daddy Laura then get your ass home.”

  Laura bent down and gave Milton a hug and a kiss, then while still bent over, said, “Take the plane right away. It barely costs me any more whether it’s in the air or on the runway waiting. You need to take care of yourself so you can come to the next World Cup.”

  Milton nodded and with a wry grin, said, “Not exactly the incentive to get better I was looking for, but I’ll take it.”

  They laughed and disembarked as the boat’s mooring lines were freed. It had been decided that it was safe now for the boat to travel back to Manaus now that they knew their enemy was based in the opposite direction. More help was on the way, and had been since yesterday when contact was lost with Colombo’s boat, so it was hoped they might meet-up by tomorrow morning. Acton was just happy to get Milton heading back toward civilization where he could tend to his back and not have to be worried about him being helplessly shot during an attack.

  Leather’s man, Trent, would also be making the journey back. He wasn’t a hundred percent yet and Leather wanted him to act as security for Milton should anything untoward happen and to file reports with the appropriate authorities should they not return.

  He was also accompanying Chester’s remains.

  Acton had left Reading to suggest Laura go with them then smiled as she shot the idea down quite abruptly. Reading himself hadn’t offered to leave, he fully intending to stay with his friends and, Acton was sure, happy to extend his time with Kinti, they spending the night together on the boat, enough noise made that he had turned bright red this morning as the Bravo Team gave him fist bumps and high fives until he finally told them to ‘bugger off!’.

  Which merely elicited a huge round of laughter.

  The Juliana pulled out of the inlet, everyone waving, and as soon as it was out of sight the loading of the two remaining boats resumed. Leather’s team along with Acton, Laura and Reading would take the captured boat, the Delta Team the boat they had arrived in. The villagers were moving inland to join several other villages until they received word it would be safe to return. Tuk and a group of the warriors were determined to help, and with Kinti translating it had been determined he intended to return to his village then track the enemy back to wherever they had taken his family.

  There was room on the boats for some of the warriors but they had all refused, the very thought terrifying them, which Acton thought was probably for the best. After all, they were going up against guns and body armor and all they had were spears and darts.

  By the time they reached their destination Acton was hoping everything would be long settled.

  He climbed aboard with Laura then watched out of the corner of his eye as Reading gave Kinti a long kiss goodbye, then with an obviously heavy heart, joined the others as she waved, calling his name the entire time the boat left the inlet.

  Acton joined his friend at the rear of the boat as he stared back toward the inlet. “You okay?” he asked quietly.

  Reading grunted. “Yeah, I guess. I just hope that Tuk and his group don’t make it before we’ve mopped up this operation. I’d hate to see anything happen to her.”

  “I hear ya. This has been one hell of a vacation.”

  Reading sighed. “Best damned one I’ve ever had.”

  Acton chuckled. “Not the characterization I would have chosen, but from your perspective, I’d wholeheartedly agree. She’s a beautiful woman.”

  “Smart too! She came up with the idea for making the rope glow so Leather’s team could see it. She speaks multiple languages. Great cook.”

  “She’ll make someone a great mate someday.”

  “Yeah, somebody. Somebody other than me.”

  “You had to know going in there never was a future.”

  “Oh, I knew that. I just didn’t know how quickly and how strongly these damned feelings would develop.”

  “It’s called love, my friend, and there’s no explaining it. Look at Laura and me. We were in love after less than twenty-four hours together, and most of that was under heavy fire. We didn’t get to spend hardly any alone time like you and Kinti. After several days together, I couldn’t imagine being without her.”

  “You’re not helping.”

  Acton laughed. “No, I guess not. My point is that there’s nothing wrong with feeling the way you do about her. But when we leave, it’s going to be one of the most necessary and hardest things you’ve ever done in your life. There’s no way she can come with us.”

  “I know.” He sucked in a deep breath. “Let’s go kill some bad guys so I can feel better.”

  Acton slapped him on the back as they turned to join the others. On the open water they were making excellent time north and in less than two hours were at the coordinates marked on a map Niner had found when he searched the captured boat.

  As they approached the coordinates Dawson, from the helm of the lead boat, motioned for both boats to go to the shore south of the position marked on the map. Acton held onto the rail with one hand, the other around Laura’s waist as the boat banked sharply, the engines cut. The two boats were quickly lashed to the shore and everyone disembarked in silence, heading inland about a hundred feet then turning north, Bravo Team taking point while Leather’s team, codenamed Charlie Team for the mission, covered their rear while protecting the three civilians.

  As they advanced, Acton began to see evidence of modern man among the trees, pointing it out silently to the others. Discarded cans, water bottles, wrappers. All signs of the wasteful modern ways.

  Would it kill you to put your garbage in your pack and dispose of it later?

  One good thing about the garbage however was that it left little doubt they were getting close to whatever it was they were looking for. Dawson froze as clenched fists shot up. Dawson was pointing at his eyes then ahead. He motioned for everyone to take a knee as he and Niner advanced.

  The jungle seemed quiet, as if whatever had lived here had been scared away at some point, the stench of fear keeping away new arrivals. Acton could feel his heart slamming against his chest as they waited, the breath held in his chest beginning to burn.

  He exhaled, slowly, making it worse as he then needed half a dozen breaths to get back to normal, all sounding extremely loud to him.

  No one seemed to notice.

  The rest of Bravo Team suddenly rose, advancing, Leather touching his earpiece.

  “Charlie Team hold,” he whispered.

  Acton looked down at the Glock 22 in his hand, his trigger finger resting along the barrel as he prepped himself for whatever lay ahead. He heard Laura breathing to his left, slightly faster than normal, Reading to his right, his breathing heavier though from exertion rather than fear. They had all been fairly sedentary the past month, though Acton and Laura had hit the treadmill daily during the World Cup. Reading had said a vacation meant a vacation from everything, including the treadmill. A month later he was complaining about the ten pounds he had gained and the fact he was winded after a flight of stairs.

  Now he was paying the price.

  Acton knew Reading hated being a burden, and when he wasn’t able to keep up with Acton when chasing after Laura, Acton knew the man had been embarrassed and humiliated. He had no doubt the gym was in Reading’s future as soon as he was back home in London.

  If I know him he’ll shape up after this.

  “All clear,” said Leather, everyone rising and walking toward the Bravo Team position. They still walked cautiously, all examining the ground and trees overhead. As they pushed through some brush Laura gasped.

  A large dirt road, hidden from above by the tree canopy, extended from the river to as far as the eye could see to the east, a near perfectly straight line. It was wide enough for two good sized trucks to pass each other, albeit carefully, and seemed well maintained, the foliage not allowed to creep back.

  “How would they have made this?” asked
Reading.

  “Some sort of Jungle Cutter like from Indiana Jones Four,” replied Acton. “That was based on a T-55 tank and fictional but the basic premise is sound. They basically have large spinning saws that cut at an angle so anything they cut drops off to the sides. Look.” He pointed to the previously unnoticed logs at near 45 degree angles along the path the road took. “A secondary set of blades on the same vehicle saws off any remaining stumps low enough so vehicles can pass without getting caught on them, an integrated wood chipper breaks down the stumps and spits it out to the side”—he pointed at the obvious debris—“then a final vehicle comes along with a grinding bit that tears apart the remainder of the stumps at ground level to make the ride smoother. They then fill in the holes with concrete and gravel where they find it too rough to drive on. Unfortunately human beings became far too efficient at knocking out roads in a hurry during the mid-twentieth century.”

  Reading frowned. “It looks like the techniques haven’t been lost to time.”

  Dawson strode over to Leather’s team surrounding the civilians. He pointed back toward the river. “There’s a landing there. I’d like to leave one of your men behind as a lookout, just in case we get some unwelcome guests.”

  Leather turned to his team, pointing at one of his men. “Donny, you’re up.”

  Another man stepped forward. “Sir, if you don’t mind, perhaps I better take it. I twisted my ankle back there a bit and it’s pretty tender.”

  Leather nodded. “Okay, Potts, you’re up. If you see anything, radio it in and get your ass out of there. Make your way back to where the boats are moored and if you’re able to, take one and get back to civilization. I don’t want you trying to reach us on that ankle.”

  “Yes, sir!”

  Potts headed for the shore, Dawson looking at the GPS. “We’ve got about three hours to those coordinates at a good pace. Let’s move while we’ve got daylight to burn.” He turned back to his team. “Niner, Mickey, you’re on point. Get about a mile ahead and maintain radio contact.”

  “Roger that, BD.” Niner and Mickey took off at a good jog, carefully watching the sides of the road for any signs of the enemy, while everyone else got in a staggered column with Acton, Laura and Reading in the middle. The pace was brisk but reasonable, the conversation light, and Acton soon forgot they were on their way to possibly die when Dawson held up his fist and everyone dropped to a knee, turning toward the jungle on either side. Acton shoved the earpiece that had fallen out unnoticed back into place.

  “Bravo Leader, Bravo One-One. We’ve spotted some sort of hardened checkpoint about half a klick ahead, over.”

  Dawson’s voice came over the earpiece, replying to Niner’s report. “Bravo One-One, Bravo Leader. Any sign of activity, over?”

  “Negative Bravo Leader. We’re in the bush, approaching the position. It appears…no, wait. I’ve got eyes on two hostiles. Doesn’t look like they’ve spotted us, over.”

  “Do you have a clear shot on both targets, over?”

  “Affirmative, Bravo Leader. Permission to engage, over?”

  “Permission granted. Take out the targets, over.”

  Two shots rang out from down the road, and only two shots.

  “Targets eliminated, outpost secure. They’ve got a radio here, BD. They’re probably supposed to check in at some point, over.”

  “Hold your position until we arrive, out.”

  Dawson looked at Leather. “I think we’ve lost our element of surprise.”

  Leather grimaced then shrugged. “Story of our lives?”

  Dawson chuckled. “Too true.” He circled his hand over his head. “Double-time!”

  Acton started to jog with the others, Laura in front of him, Reading behind, muttering to himself.

  “I should’ve gone with Greg, the lucky bastard.”

  Tuk looked over his shoulder and was impressed to see Kinti right beside him, the warriors of her tribe, along with several others, behind them. When they had delivered the women, children and elders to a neighboring village and told them of what was happening, the warriors there had been enraged as well and were determined to join them. Word was spreading as messengers were sent throughout the forest and at each point where they would rest, they were joined by an ever growing group of men determined to help the Spirit People who were going to fight on their behalf to free their imprisoned neighbors.

  Tuk had nearly cried when the first village’s warriors had asked to join them. To think that complete strangers who had never even heard of his tribe would be willing to fight the Panther People, who he knew now were merely Spirit People in strange coverings, warmed his heart and gave him hope. He just prayed that his family and friends were still alive.

  He also knew, from Kinti, that the Spirit People weren’t spirits, but men just like him from very far away. They spoke different languages than the tribes, they had different ways and different tools, but underneath their coverings they were human just like he was, therefore just as vulnerable.

  Which meant they could die in their attempt to help his village.

  “We should rest here,” he said, noticing Kinti beginning to tire. “It will give others time to join us.”

  Kinti nodded as they came to a halt, calling out the order in the languages she knew, it being spread amongst the hundreds now with them. Food and water was broken out, and the ragtag army sat in silence, catching their breaths as they had been running at a near sprint, some of them, like Tuk and Kinti’s people, for most of the day. The sun was getting low in the horizon, but Tuk was determined to travel through the night if necessary. They were making excellent time and should be at TikTik’s village not too long after nightfall where they could rest for a few hours then continue to his village where they would track the Panther People at the crack of dawn.

  Somebody said something and Tuk looked up, not understanding the words. He rose as an imposing warrior approached with several others from his tribe, their markings not familiar. Kinti greeted them in several languages, their leader stopping her at her third attempt, clearly understanding. She translated for Tuk.

  “Is this your leader?” Even without the translation Tuk could hear the shock in the man’s voice that someone as pathetic and weak as he could be leading such a group. And in his mind, he wasn’t the leader. He had said he was going to go to his village and track the Panther People, then the others decided to join him. Everyone here he felt was merely following him through the forest, not following him.

  Kinti nodded. “Yes.” That word he at least understood without translating. And it shocked him. Others from her tribe gathered, all standing behind Tuk, as if supporting him. One of their warriors, Skip, spoke to the new warrior and Kinti translated for Tuk.

  “Yes, he is our leader.”

  “This, this small, puny man?”

  “His name is Tuk, and you would do well to show some respect,” said Skip, stepping forward and baring his teeth slightly as he gave a single shake of his spear. He held out his free hand, palm open toward Tuk. “This mighty warrior survived an attack by the Panther People, even managing to nearly pierce the skin of one with a perfectly thrown spear. He then was able to escape them, despite their magic, and find us!”

  Skip was telling a story now, a story that might well become legend, and Tuk could tell by the way Skip was holding himself, his voice raised for all to hear, that Tuk’s life would never be the same from this moment forward. Even if the tale being spun was exaggerated, he could feel his own chest swell as the words poured from this man’s mouth, a man who didn’t know him until yesterday, and a man who was now at his side, willing to die to help his family and friends, people who he had never even heard of before.

  “This mighty warrior, singlehandedly battled a female yakumama snake…and won!”

  Cheers erupted around them and spears were shaken in the air as the hundreds gathered, most hearing the stories for the first time, were emboldened with the courage of their new leader. Tuk muttered to
Kinti about Lau-ra being of great help but she merely squeezed his hand, signaling silence.

  “And for those who doubt this deed, I saw the carcass with my own eyes! Opened down the middle, its head cut off! Not only did he kill the beast himself, he then fed on it, sharing his kill with one of the Spirit People!”

  More cheers, even the new arrivals beginning to be infected.

  “And if this is not enough proof of his courage as a warrior, three days ago he captured and won the heart of a Spirit Woman, and took her to be his mate, then when he discovered his village had been destroyed, his people taken by the Panther People, he asked her people’s help, and they granted it!”

  Skip had to wait for the cheers to die, the crowd enraptured at the tale of bravery of this small warrior, Skip’s storytelling abilities even having Tuk convinced in the truth of the tale, at times forgetting it was his own exploits that were being embellished.

  “Right now, the Spirit People, who many of us have feared, and now know, thanks to the mighty Tuk, are human just like us, but from a land so far away they know not our ways, even right now, they are going into battle to help us. To help stop those who would destroy our villages, who would kill the great forest the Mother has provided us, who would enslave our people! Even right now they are going to fight, because this”—he grabbed Tuk’s hand and shoved it in the air—“this great warrior demanded it!”

  Tuk fought back the tears of pride he now felt, every fiber of his being wishing his mother and father could see him now, the elders who always insulted him, Pol and TikTik who could see the faith they had in him hadn’t been misplaced. But he knew tears right now would be the wrong thing to show. Strength was what was needed.

  And a show of contrition.

  He stepped toward the mighty warrior, who he knew with one swipe of his hand could probably fell him with ease, and extended both hands as a sign of friendship, Kinti at his side to translate.

  “I would be honored if the mighty warriors of your tribe would join us in our fight, a fight that we partake in not just for ourselves and our loved ones, but for the great Mother Herself!”