dark night was created by the cab's headlights. By the time they were close to the expatriate compound, Dennis was starting to feel confident that he would escape from Batanga. The cabbie kept up a constant chatter and Dennis found himself talking too, because it helped him relieve his tension. When Dennis saw the wall that sealed off the expatriates from Batanga, he told the cabbie to go on for another two miles. The driver asked for more money and Dennis gave him five dollars as Charlie had instructed. The driver responded with a big grin and drove on. He almost missed the turnoff, but Dennis spotted it. The cab backed up and began to bounce as it moved slowly along the unpaved road.
Dennis began to worry when he didn't see anything that resembled an airstrip. Then the trees disappeared and Dennis spotted a Land Rover and Charlie's Volkswagen parked in the middle of an open field.
Stop here, Dennis said.
The cab stopped and Dennis handed the driver the fare and a big tip.
You want me to wait for you? the driver asked.
No, thanks. I've got a ride back to town.
Dennis got out and Charlie walked out of the shadows.
So you decided to come along on our little adventure, he said to Dennis.
I've never walked away from a story yet, Dennis said, trying to sound like a hard-as-nails veteran reporter.
Charlie started to say something else when he noticed that the taxi had not moved.
Did you tell him to go back to town? he asked just as the cabbie stepped out of the taxi with a gun in his hand.
Down on the ground, the driver commanded.
Who ? Dennis started to ask just as the cabbie clubbed him with the gun.
On the ground, the cabbie barked. Charlie dropped to the dirt and Dennis collapsed, dazed by the blow.
Is anyone else here? the cabbie asked as he scanned the darkness. Before Charlie could answer, the taxi driver's head exploded and red mist fanned out behind him.
Fuck! Charlie said as Chauncey Evers appeared, cradling a high-powered rifle outfitted with a night-vision scope.
Evers grabbed Dennis by the arm. As the mercenary pulled him to his feet, Dennis gawked at the dead cabbie. Then he threw up.
Get your shit together, Evers said, tightening the grip on Dennis's bicep. Baptiste's men will be here any moment.
Turn on the car lights and light the flares, Evers told Charlie. We don't know how close the other bastards are and our ride is on its approach.
Evers released Dennis's arm. Dennis staggered a few steps. He felt woozy from the blow to his head. Something trickled down his cheek. When he took his hand away, it was covered with blood.
I' m bleeding.
For Christ's sake, grow up. Do you want to die here?
Dennis stared at Evers.
Well, you' re going to if you don't get your ass in gear. There are a series of flares on either side of the runway and we've got to get them lit.
Charlie had already turned on the headlights of the Volkswagen and the Rover. He was lighting his second flare on one side of a narrow dirt airstrip when Dennis set off his first. Dennis was still nauseated from the blow to his head but he pushed through the pain and kept moving. Just after he set off the next flare he heard the faint sound of an aircraft approaching. Seconds after all the flares were lit, a small plane dropped out of the sky. It didn't look much bigger than a pickup truck, and Dennis, who had flown infrequently and always in a commercial airliner, had trouble believing that this toy would be able to fly four grown men out of the jungle.
The makeshift runway was about 2,000 feet long and the plane bounced along the ground when it hit the dirt. As soon as it reached the end of the strip it made a U-turn.
Headlights appeared from the direction of the main road and Dennis heard car engines racing.
Move, Evers barked. Dennis jumped into one of the two rear seats, next to Charlie. Seconds later, Evers was sitting next to the pilot and they were taxiing toward freedom.
Two black Mercedes burst onto the runway and followed
Dennis began to worry when he didn't see anything that resembled an airstrip. Then the trees disappeared and Dennis spotted a Land Rover and Charlie's Volkswagen parked in the middle of an open field.
Stop here, Dennis said.
The cab stopped and Dennis handed the driver the fare and a big tip.
You want me to wait for you? the driver asked.
No, thanks. I've got a ride back to town.
Dennis got out and Charlie walked out of the shadows.
So you decided to come along on our little adventure, he said to Dennis.
I've never walked away from a story yet, Dennis said, trying to sound like a hard-as-nails veteran reporter.
Charlie started to say something else when he noticed that the taxi had not moved.
Did you tell him to go back to town? he asked just as the cabbie stepped out of the taxi with a gun in his hand.
Down on the ground, the driver commanded.
Who ? Dennis started to ask just as the cabbie clubbed him with the gun.
On the ground, the cabbie barked. Charlie dropped to the dirt and Dennis collapsed, dazed by the blow.
Is anyone else here? the cabbie asked as he scanned the darkness. Before Charlie could answer, the taxi driver's head exploded and red mist fanned out behind him.
Fuck! Charlie said as Chauncey Evers appeared, cradling a high-powered rifle outfitted with a night-vision scope.
Evers grabbed Dennis by the arm. As the mercenary pulled him to his feet, Dennis gawked at the dead cabbie. Then he threw up.
Get your shit together, Evers said, tightening the grip on Dennis's bicep. Baptiste's men will be here any moment.
Turn on the car lights and light the flares, Evers told Charlie. We don't know how close the other bastards are and our ride is on its approach.
Evers released Dennis's arm. Dennis staggered a few steps. He felt woozy from the blow to his head. Something trickled down his cheek. When he took his hand away, it was covered with blood.
I' m bleeding.
For Christ's sake, grow up. Do you want to die here?
Dennis stared at Evers.
Well, you' re going to if you don't get your ass in gear. There are a series of flares on either side of the runway and we've got to get them lit.
Charlie had already turned on the headlights of the Volkswagen and the Rover. He was lighting his second flare on one side of a narrow dirt airstrip when Dennis set off his first. Dennis was still nauseated from the blow to his head but he pushed through the pain and kept moving. Just after he set off the next flare he heard the faint sound of an aircraft approaching. Seconds after all the flares were lit, a small plane dropped out of the sky. It didn't look much bigger than a pickup truck, and Dennis, who had flown infrequently and always in a commercial airliner, had trouble believing that this toy would be able to fly four grown men out of the jungle.
The makeshift runway was about 2,000 feet long and the plane bounced along the ground when it hit the dirt. As soon as it reached the end of the strip it made a U-turn.
Headlights appeared from the direction of the main road and Dennis heard car engines racing.
Move, Evers barked. Dennis jumped into one of the two rear seats, next to Charlie. Seconds later, Evers was sitting next to the pilot and they were taxiing toward freedom.
Two black Mercedes burst onto the runway and followed
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