location. “We could go there and ask around.”
BaKokwa, as it was labeled, seemed to be no more than a day’s travel down the road. “That sounds reasonable,” Alfred said with a nod.
Neither of them noticed Ike approaching until he stood right next to them. “Delani wishes to terminate his contract with H. Hurley International,” the Australian said.
Alfred looked up in surprise. “Come again?”
“Delani feels that after losing Kipwe and the Jeep, we’ve overstayed our welcome in the Ituri Forest,” Ike explained.
Alfred fought back sudden panic. They were suddenly—possibly—so close to their goal, but if Delani and his associates abandoned them now they’d have no way to move forward. They would be forced to hire someone else and procure more supplies. In that time there was no telling what could happen. Another war could break out, making finding the flower impossible.
Although Alfred fought it, his tone sounded desperate. “Ike, I am truly , very sorry about what happened to Kipwe. Nessa is as well—”
Ike shot a doubtful glare at the woman, but looked back to Alfred, allowing him to continue.
“I’m sure there’s nothing we can do to make up for his loss. I’m sure if you wanted to renegotiate, H. Hurley would be willing to throw in some sort of additional funds to be awarded to his family—and to help pay for your lost Jeep.”
Ike sighed and glanced back at Delani and Gilles. “This has nothing to do with money, Alfred.”
“I know, I wasn’t implying—”
“We just don’t feel that it’s worth it to further risk our lives out here so you can find your little flower.”
Alfred felt his face grow hot. “It just so happens that this ‘little flower’ is probably worth—”
Alfred felt a cool hand around his wrist. He looked over to Nessa, who shook her head.
“I understand your passion, mate,” Ike continued. “But we don’t share it. We’ll take you back to the closest town and give you time to contact Hurley.”
Alfred nodded. “Is that all?”
“That’s all.”
Ike nodded grimly to both of them and then headed back to the fire.
“Tomorrow morning we’ll ask them to take us to BaKokwa village,” Nessa said. “They won’t refuse, it’s not far and it’s in the opposite direction the militias came from.”
“And then what?”
“I’ll call Hurley on the sat phone. We’ll get them to give a higher offer. Not that they’ll need it mind you,” Nessa said with a sly wink. “These men are not strangers to brutality. They’re mercenaries. Give them time and then tell them all about Uya Kivuli again. Trust me; they prefer working for us over the journalists they’re used to babysitting.”
Alfred wasn’t so sure. “They seem worked up over Kipwe.”
“It will pass. At least I think so.”
Alfred studied Nessa. She was H. Hurley International. If she wanted to give the mercenaries more money, she could. If she wanted to hire a new crew, she could do that also. If she wanted to call the whole expedition off, she could do so with little more than a phone call.
Ike sprawled out on the ground, his back resting against a tree trunk. He held his Desert Eagle, his one remaining personal weapon, in his lap. He let his mind drift as he stared up at the jungle canopy. One or two stars dared to peek through the black leaves. Somewhere in the distance, he thought he heard the cough of a leopard. The sound gave him pause, but he did not feel fear. After all, he was resting in an armed encampment.
He hadn’t known Kipwe all that well. He had been just another man that Delani had picked up along the way—another man whose penchant for violence could be put to use earning a dollar. Kipwe hadn’t spoken about his life much, and as far as Ike knew he had no family. He imagined that Kipwe had been very much like Delani, orphaned at a young age and forced to adapt to a hostile world.
Although Ike knew little about Kipwe, he felt a strong attachment to the
BaKokwa, as it was labeled, seemed to be no more than a day’s travel down the road. “That sounds reasonable,” Alfred said with a nod.
Neither of them noticed Ike approaching until he stood right next to them. “Delani wishes to terminate his contract with H. Hurley International,” the Australian said.
Alfred looked up in surprise. “Come again?”
“Delani feels that after losing Kipwe and the Jeep, we’ve overstayed our welcome in the Ituri Forest,” Ike explained.
Alfred fought back sudden panic. They were suddenly—possibly—so close to their goal, but if Delani and his associates abandoned them now they’d have no way to move forward. They would be forced to hire someone else and procure more supplies. In that time there was no telling what could happen. Another war could break out, making finding the flower impossible.
Although Alfred fought it, his tone sounded desperate. “Ike, I am truly , very sorry about what happened to Kipwe. Nessa is as well—”
Ike shot a doubtful glare at the woman, but looked back to Alfred, allowing him to continue.
“I’m sure there’s nothing we can do to make up for his loss. I’m sure if you wanted to renegotiate, H. Hurley would be willing to throw in some sort of additional funds to be awarded to his family—and to help pay for your lost Jeep.”
Ike sighed and glanced back at Delani and Gilles. “This has nothing to do with money, Alfred.”
“I know, I wasn’t implying—”
“We just don’t feel that it’s worth it to further risk our lives out here so you can find your little flower.”
Alfred felt his face grow hot. “It just so happens that this ‘little flower’ is probably worth—”
Alfred felt a cool hand around his wrist. He looked over to Nessa, who shook her head.
“I understand your passion, mate,” Ike continued. “But we don’t share it. We’ll take you back to the closest town and give you time to contact Hurley.”
Alfred nodded. “Is that all?”
“That’s all.”
Ike nodded grimly to both of them and then headed back to the fire.
“Tomorrow morning we’ll ask them to take us to BaKokwa village,” Nessa said. “They won’t refuse, it’s not far and it’s in the opposite direction the militias came from.”
“And then what?”
“I’ll call Hurley on the sat phone. We’ll get them to give a higher offer. Not that they’ll need it mind you,” Nessa said with a sly wink. “These men are not strangers to brutality. They’re mercenaries. Give them time and then tell them all about Uya Kivuli again. Trust me; they prefer working for us over the journalists they’re used to babysitting.”
Alfred wasn’t so sure. “They seem worked up over Kipwe.”
“It will pass. At least I think so.”
Alfred studied Nessa. She was H. Hurley International. If she wanted to give the mercenaries more money, she could. If she wanted to hire a new crew, she could do that also. If she wanted to call the whole expedition off, she could do so with little more than a phone call.
Ike sprawled out on the ground, his back resting against a tree trunk. He held his Desert Eagle, his one remaining personal weapon, in his lap. He let his mind drift as he stared up at the jungle canopy. One or two stars dared to peek through the black leaves. Somewhere in the distance, he thought he heard the cough of a leopard. The sound gave him pause, but he did not feel fear. After all, he was resting in an armed encampment.
He hadn’t known Kipwe all that well. He had been just another man that Delani had picked up along the way—another man whose penchant for violence could be put to use earning a dollar. Kipwe hadn’t spoken about his life much, and as far as Ike knew he had no family. He imagined that Kipwe had been very much like Delani, orphaned at a young age and forced to adapt to a hostile world.
Although Ike knew little about Kipwe, he felt a strong attachment to the
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