فصل 25

Chapter 25: Retribution

The plane landed in Rio de Janeiro to refuel, then quickly took off again, finally touching down at a small airfield near the Elgen’s Peruvian compound, in the town of Puerto Maldonado.

The asphalt runway was surrounded by walls of trees that spilled outward from the burgeoning forest. The jet taxied to a small hangar where a contingency of Elgen guards and a bus were waiting to transport the group to the compound.

The plane stopped and a stairway unfolded from its side. A guard climbed to the top of the stairs and knocked on the door.

Bryan was the first one out, followed by the rest of the youths.

“Whoa,” Bryan said. “It’s hot. Like a furnace hot.” “And humid,” Tara added. “My hair is going to be frizzy.” Torstyn rolled his eyes. “This is nothing. Wait until summer.” A moment later the guard walked out, followed by Hatch. The six Peruvian guards at the bottom of the stairs saluted Hatch as he emerged from the plane and descended the stairway. Hatch stopped at the bottom and returned the Elgen salute.

“Captain Figueroa,” he said.

“Yes, sir!”

He pointed to the guard from the plane, who was not standing at attention. “This man disobeyed a direct order. His inaction nearly cost us our lives. Put him under arrest.” “Yes, sir,” the captain snapped. “Guards at attention.” The Peruvian soldiers pointed their guns at the lone guard, who, in spite of his many years with the Elgen, was still caught off guard. He looked on in horror.

The captain stepped forward with his gun drawn, his other hand out. “Guard 247, surrender your gun. Slowly and by the barrel.” “Yes, sir,” he said, his voice trembling. He slowly removed his gun from its holster and, holding it by its barrel, handed it to the captain.

“Put your hands behind your back. Now!”

He quickly obeyed.

“Secure this man,” the captain barked.

“Sir, yes, sir.” One of the soldiers ran up behind the guard and handcuffed the man’s hands behind his back, fastening the metal belt through a buckle in the back of the guard’s uniform.

The captain turned to Hatch. “Prisoner is secured. What are your orders, sir?” Hatch scowled at the handcuffed guard. “Captain Figueroa, detain this man for now in maximum security. For the benefit of the visiting guards we’re going to make an example of him. We’re going to put him in the chute.” The condemned guard’s face turned pale. “No, please, sir. Not that. I beg you!” He fell to his knees, bowing his head to Hatch’s feet. “Please, sir. Anything but that! Shoot me. Please, shoot me.” Hatch sneered. “Show some dignity, man.” He kicked the guard away from him. “Captain, keep him alive until I give you further instructions.” “No!” the man screamed. He tried to get to his feet to run, but he was knocked down before he could stand.

The teens watched the exchange with amusement.

“What a wimp,” Torstyn said.

“What’s the chute?” Tara asked.

“It’s where they feed the rats,” Torstyn said.

“What rats?”

He looked at her with a snide grin. “They really don’t tell you much, do they?” Several guards carried Tanner’s gurney from the plane, escorted by Dr. Jung.

“Let’s go,” Hatch said to the captain. “Captain Figueroa.” “Yes, sir.”

“Also detain Tanner and the doctor in maximum security until further notice.” The doctor turned white. “But, Dr. Hatch—” “Don’t speak to me,” he said. “Or I’ll send you to the chute as well.” The doctor froze.

“To the bus, please,” Hatch said to the teens.

Tara said to Torstyn, “They’re going to feed him to rats?” “Yeah. It’s a cool thing to watch.”

“You’ve seen this before?” Quentin asked.

“Of course. Hundreds of times. Feeding time is better than the movies. I’ve seen the rats strip the meat off a two-thousand-pound bull in less than a minute.” “Awesome,” Bryan said.

“Yeah, this guy will be a snack for them.” As Hatch and the kids approached the bus, a man wearing a white jacket and Panama hat, holding a spider monkey, walked up to Torstyn. “Here is your mono, Señor Torstyn.” “Hey, Arana,” Torstyn said, taking his pet. He put the monkey on his shoulder, and it climbed up onto his head.

“Cute,” Tara said, reaching out her hand.

“Yeah, wait until she bites you,” Torstyn said.

Tara quickly pulled her hand back, and Torstyn laughed. Suddenly the monkey began screeching, then jumped off Torstyn’s head and ran off toward the jungle.

“Arana!” he shouted after it. When it had disappeared into the jungle he turned back to Tara. “What did you do?” Tara just smiled. “Nothing. You think I can get in an animal’s head?” “Yes,” he said.

Quentin grinned. “Bad news for you, Torstyn. You thought you were safe.” Torstyn glared at both of them. “That was my pet,” he said, turning away from them.

Quentin laughed. “We’re definitely going to have fun in the jungle.”