Area 51: The Sphinx-4 by Robert Doherty Page A
Authors: Robert Doherty
Tags: Fiction, General, Science-Fiction, Action & Adventure, Espionage, Political, High Tech, Area 51 (Nev.), Ark of the Covenant
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believe so."
"Worth our lives?"
"Yes."
"Even though you don't know what it is?" Bauru was surprised and interested in spite of his pain and the situation.
"1 have been tracking down . . ." Mualama paused. He'd never explained what he was doing to anyone, even his wife. "I have been searching for the truth."
"The truth?."
'"About the aliens. About our ... the human race's past. I think this"-- Mualama tapped the packet wrapped in oilskins --"is the next clue in a long line leading me to the ultimate truth."
"Ah." Bauru nodded. "That they destroyed the people of the great city of Tiahuanaco in ancient times."
Mualama nodded. "The Mission has been around for
-55-
a long time. It was behind the Black Death that killed many of your countrymen in Vilhena just recently."
There was silence for several minutes. Mualama kept pressure on the wounds as best he could, but the rips were too long and wide.
"I am going to die here," Bauru finally said.
"I will go and get help," Mualama said.
"You will die before you make twenty feet. And help where? We are over a hundred miles from the nearest help. Even if I get out of here, I am still a dead man."
Mualama didn't answer, because he knew what Bauru was saying was true.
"What religion are you?" Bauru asked unexpectedly.
"I was born Muslim."
Bauru laughed softly. "I am Catholic—will it make any difference if you pray for me?"
"I think we all look to the same God with different names." Mualama said.
Bauru looked down at his wound. "I am a dead man already. I will help you escape."
"How?"
When Bauru explained his plan, Mualama did not argue.
He knew that to protest would insult the other man's brave offer. And he knew it was the only chance he had to get out of the cave and away, alive with the packet.
"Are you ready?" Bauru asked.
Mualama nodded.
Bauru closed his eyes, and his lips moved in prayer. Mualama murmured his own prayer to Allah for his companion.
Bauru scooted over to the edge and looked down at the dark water. “I am ready.”
Mualama clasped the other man on the shoulder. “I thank you.”
-56-
"Use my gift well," Bauru said. Then he dove into the water and disappeared from sight.
Mualama slowly began counting to ten.
Bauru made it into the tunnel before the first piranha struck. They were of the Serrasalmus piraya species, the largest of the deadly fish, the biggest in the pack almost twenty inches long. They had a stocky body, with a large head, sporting a domed forehead, and were also among the most aggressive of the family of piranha. Their lower jaws opened wide, revealing rows of sharp, serrated teeth. They slammed into Bauru's body, teeth clamping down, ripping flesh free.
Still Bauru pulled and kicked, getting to the end of the tunnel, pushing free into the river, his body covered with predators. He continued kicking, a trail of blood bringing those that weren't already feasting in for the kill. Even though they traveled in a loose pack, there was no love lost among the fish, some even fighting each other to get at the meat. As Bauru splashed downstream, the pack followed him.
On the ridge above, those waiting saw the bloody struggle, and their eyes followed until the body stopped flailing and the feeding frenzy drifted downstream.
Mualama reached ten and dove into the water. He made it through the tunnel unscathed. Holding his breath, he angled left, heading for the far shore. His muscles were tight; at any moment he expected to feel teeth tearing into his flesh.
He bumped into a rock, then another, tumbled about in the current, pulled himself around a boulder, sheltering him from view from the far side, and surfaced.
Sucking in a lungful of oxygen, Mualama carefully peered around the boulder. He saw those on top of the gorge looking farther downstream at Bauru's fate.
Mualama pulled himself out of the water and onto a rocky ledge, still keeping the boulder between him and
-57-
the others. He waited until, after another
"Worth our lives?"
"Yes."
"Even though you don't know what it is?" Bauru was surprised and interested in spite of his pain and the situation.
"1 have been tracking down . . ." Mualama paused. He'd never explained what he was doing to anyone, even his wife. "I have been searching for the truth."
"The truth?."
'"About the aliens. About our ... the human race's past. I think this"-- Mualama tapped the packet wrapped in oilskins --"is the next clue in a long line leading me to the ultimate truth."
"Ah." Bauru nodded. "That they destroyed the people of the great city of Tiahuanaco in ancient times."
Mualama nodded. "The Mission has been around for
-55-
a long time. It was behind the Black Death that killed many of your countrymen in Vilhena just recently."
There was silence for several minutes. Mualama kept pressure on the wounds as best he could, but the rips were too long and wide.
"I am going to die here," Bauru finally said.
"I will go and get help," Mualama said.
"You will die before you make twenty feet. And help where? We are over a hundred miles from the nearest help. Even if I get out of here, I am still a dead man."
Mualama didn't answer, because he knew what Bauru was saying was true.
"What religion are you?" Bauru asked unexpectedly.
"I was born Muslim."
Bauru laughed softly. "I am Catholic—will it make any difference if you pray for me?"
"I think we all look to the same God with different names." Mualama said.
Bauru looked down at his wound. "I am a dead man already. I will help you escape."
"How?"
When Bauru explained his plan, Mualama did not argue.
He knew that to protest would insult the other man's brave offer. And he knew it was the only chance he had to get out of the cave and away, alive with the packet.
"Are you ready?" Bauru asked.
Mualama nodded.
Bauru closed his eyes, and his lips moved in prayer. Mualama murmured his own prayer to Allah for his companion.
Bauru scooted over to the edge and looked down at the dark water. “I am ready.”
Mualama clasped the other man on the shoulder. “I thank you.”
-56-
"Use my gift well," Bauru said. Then he dove into the water and disappeared from sight.
Mualama slowly began counting to ten.
Bauru made it into the tunnel before the first piranha struck. They were of the Serrasalmus piraya species, the largest of the deadly fish, the biggest in the pack almost twenty inches long. They had a stocky body, with a large head, sporting a domed forehead, and were also among the most aggressive of the family of piranha. Their lower jaws opened wide, revealing rows of sharp, serrated teeth. They slammed into Bauru's body, teeth clamping down, ripping flesh free.
Still Bauru pulled and kicked, getting to the end of the tunnel, pushing free into the river, his body covered with predators. He continued kicking, a trail of blood bringing those that weren't already feasting in for the kill. Even though they traveled in a loose pack, there was no love lost among the fish, some even fighting each other to get at the meat. As Bauru splashed downstream, the pack followed him.
On the ridge above, those waiting saw the bloody struggle, and their eyes followed until the body stopped flailing and the feeding frenzy drifted downstream.
Mualama reached ten and dove into the water. He made it through the tunnel unscathed. Holding his breath, he angled left, heading for the far shore. His muscles were tight; at any moment he expected to feel teeth tearing into his flesh.
He bumped into a rock, then another, tumbled about in the current, pulled himself around a boulder, sheltering him from view from the far side, and surfaced.
Sucking in a lungful of oxygen, Mualama carefully peered around the boulder. He saw those on top of the gorge looking farther downstream at Bauru's fate.
Mualama pulled himself out of the water and onto a rocky ledge, still keeping the boulder between him and
-57-
the others. He waited until, after another
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