The Gems of Tsingy De Bemaraha Page 25

“And how do you explain the missing gems?”

  “I can't explain it. Maybe we miscounted.”

  “You’re a liar.”

  “You’re right. I got greedy. I did things I never imagined I would. I didn’t care about anyone or anything. But I didn’t steal from you. I left Madagascar. After what happened, I realized that nothing was worth all the killing that was going on. I’d gone way over to the dark side. But I can't change the past. All I can do is change myself and I've tried to do that.” Paul swallowed blood. “Kelly was planning to search for you alone if I didn't help her. I was trying to make up for my past, trying to help her and you.”

  “You’re pretty smooth, aren’t you?”

  “It's true,” Kelly said.

  Jawara lifted his gun and stepped forward. “If you two idiots want to bicker any longer, you can do it alone. I'm not standing around while Abu Bakr's men sneak up on us again.”

  “He's right,” Devin said.

  Ryan glared at him. “And who are you?”

  “He's my father,” Kelly said, avoiding eye contact.

  “Your what?”

  “I'm getting real tired of these Quinn family reunions,” Paul said. “A dozen of Abu Bakr's armed militants are right behind us. They've already killed several natives and I'm sure Abu Bakr can hardly wait to see you. I'm sure he hasn't forgotten the hatchet job you did to his forehead.”

  “Yeah,” Ryan sneered. “Let's get underground where you’ll feel more at home.”

  CHAPTER 53

  The cavern was darker than a moonless night and as big as a football field. A river with two waterfalls sliced the large space in half. The first waterfall cascaded into a kidney-shaped pool, thirty yards long and twenty wide. The second one crashed into a huge basin which was surrounded by a three foot high limestone wall. The wall rose above a swirling whirlpool that disappeared underground. The vortex made such a loud noise that it sounded like water going down a massive drain. The sucking sound bounced off the walls of the giant cavern reverberating like an otherworldly groan.

  Paul's flashlight lingered on the eddy for a moment. He'd never seen anything like it and wondered where it went. In the dark underground world he found himself in, he figured that it lead straight to hell. When Ryan walked past him it confirmed that thought. He watched as his friend led Kelly and Devin to the rear of the cavern. “Is this your mine?” Kelly asked him.

  Ryan nodded, then kissed Kelly and told her to stay put behind a limestone formation.

  “Please don’t leave me,” she said.

  “I’ll be back, Kelly. We will get out of this together. I love you.”

  Kelly whispered to herself as she crouched in the darkness.

  Ryan handed Devin a pistol and said, “You stay with her.”

  Devin nodded.

  Ryan walked up to Paul. “What’s the plan?”

  Paul shined his flashlight around the cavern trying to choose a favorable scenario for an ambush. “My guess is they'll move toward the creek,” Paul said. “You and Jawara take the right flank. Otto and I will take the left. We'll wait till they're well inside the cavern, say twenty-five yards or so. Then we'll hit them from both sides.”

  “And if they split up?” Ryan said.

  Paul raised his hand and switched his light off. “Quiet. I hear something.” For a moment the darkness became oppressive. Then the sound of voices filtered down the cave and into the big cavern. Paul switched on his light. “Move.”

  ***

  Kelly and Devin hid in a nook in the back of the cave behind a mammoth-sized stalagmite. Kelly crouched shivering with fear.

  “I'm going after these wackos,” Devin said in a hushed tone.

  She raised her flashlight. She mostly covered the light beam with her hand, but enough brightness escaped to illuminate him. “What are you talking about? They're killers.”

  “I've known several killers and they were all cowards with guns.” Devin sniffed. “Don't forget I survived Nam.”

  Kelly crouched down in the darkness.

  Devin gave her a hug. “I'm sorry about the things I’ve done.” He looked toward a dim glow of light floating from the cave into the big cavern. “I've got to go now. Stay here.” He hurried away.

  ***

  Ryan and Jawara went for their position. Paul led Otto to a large limestone formation. They took their positions behind it, and Paul switched off the light. A moment later, Ryan's light went out across the cavern. The sounds of kicked pebbles echoed down the cave into the big cavern, and a glow from the approaching lights illuminated the cave entrance.

  Before two minutes passed, six men with flashlights hiked into the big cavern. Just inside, they stopped and flashed their lights all around. A voice that sounded like Abu Bakr’s ordered them to split up. One group moved down the stream; the other swept the left flank, which would lead them behind Paul and Otto. Paul nudged the former terrorist. He aimed at the men going left, but aimed at the legs to wound, not kill. It was a dangerous move. He squeezed off a burst of gunfire that announced their position as clearly as a neon sign. Simultaneously, Otto did the same. Two of the men dropped like ducks at the county fair. The third ran and disappeared behind a large stalagmite.

  ***

  Moments later, a thunderous rat-tat-tat-tat pumped out a stream of deadly slugs that peppered the brain-shaped formation in front of Paul. He ducked down, thankful that his own brain was still intact. When the barrage ended, he swung his gun over the rock and sent a burst of protest fire back at his would-be assassin. A tongue of flame leapt from his rifle, licking the darkness. At the same moment two other guns across the cavern lit up like flares as they fired at each other.

  A moment of silence followed, and Paul heard footsteps running for the rear of the cavern. He heard a body fall and the man swore in Arabic. Paul fired a burst in the general direction, but more cursing announced the man was still alive. Paul lit a flare and threw it into the area. He rose with his Uzi taking point, but saw nobody.

  The man was heading toward Kelly's hiding spot!

  Paul scrambled for cover behind a ten-foot stalagmite with a wide trunk. He peeked around the thick column. The stygian gloom revealed nothing of his quarry. The light from the flare played off the weird-shaped rock formations, casting eerie shadows all around.

  Footsteps padded a ways off. A running man fled into the open for a moment, but then found cover.

  Paul rose and made his way toward the militant.

  Across the cavern, a gun battle raged as two men pounded Ryan's position and he fought back vigorously.

  Moving from one limestone tree to another, Paul closed in on his target. He worked himself into a position behind a stalagmite where he would have a clear shot. He took a deep breath and swung around the big pillar.

  The man was gone!

  At that moment, a scampering of footsteps padded through the shadows. For a moment, Paul had an open shot, but the target vanished behind cover. With his ears ringing from all the gunfire, he moved in on his man again, seeking a new angle. He moved from one limestone tree to another until he thought he might have a shot. Slowly, he looked around the big pillar. He saw half of the man's foot poking out from behind a large mound. He watched the man rise from his position, panning his gun from left to right, hoping to find a victim.

  Here I am, Paul thought. You want me, you got me.

  He stepped out from behind the pillar just far enough to work his Uzi onto the mark. He fired a burst, the slugs cutting a line across the militant’s thighs. He screamed and twisted to his right, bringing his gun around.

  Rat-tat-tat-tat-tat! The man's gun barrel spit fire as he rolled to the ground. The gun hit the limestone floor with a thwack and slid free of the gunman's hand. Paul ran toward him, but the man reached for his weapon. Paul sprayed bullets at the reaching arm. A spasm hit the fingers. The man screamed. Paul grabbed the man’s rifle. As he turned, the militant reached for his handgun with his good arm. Paul remembered his soccer days as he bo
oted the man in the face. His steel-toed hiking boot connected with nose cartilage. Paul disarmed the man and left him behind in the fetus position, whimpering in misery.

  The shooting across the way stopped. Three more of them were hunting Ryan in the dark. Paul bent down and felt a dead man's face and forehead. He half expected the corpse to spring back to life at his touch, but he had to check for night vision equipment and it was too dark in the shadows to see. At least this one didn't have any.

  Moving from pillar to pillar, he worked his way across the cavern. He ignited another flare and tossed it in the area where he'd seen the shooting. He didn't draw any hostile fire. He saw nobody. He ran for another column ten feet away. When he got there he quickly surveyed the area from his new vantage point, spotting the shoulder of one of the attackers. He aimed and fired, watched the body drop out of sight. He drew his knife, but didn't go after the wounded man because he couldn't be sure where the other two were.

  He stayed behind the same pillar for nearly five minutes. The only sound echoed from the splash of waterfalls and the sucking of the whirlpool; the only light glowed from flares. Everywhere he looked the long, weird shadows played against the floor and the wall.

  A shuffling of feet.

  Paul swung his rifle around the pillar. He saw two men making for the back of the cavern. Had they gotten Ryan? Where was Ryan? While he wondered, a third gunman ran toward a large limestone outcropping at the side of the cavern. The man's gun was slung around his shoulder and his hand held a knife.

  “Ryan, watch out!” Paul yelled.

  He saw Ryan look up just in time to spot the man rush his position. The knife blade flashed in the crimson light.

  Hoping the wounded man was out of commission, Paul ran toward Ryan. When he got there, the militant had the advantage on his old partner. Ryan struggled to hold the knife at bay, but pinned in an awkward position, he watched the blade slowly bear down on him. The militant's knife moved toward Ryan's neck, and there was nothing he could do to stop it.

  Coming up from behind, Paul hammered the attacker in the side of the head with the butt of his rifle, knocking him off Ryan. But it was too late. The knife lay embedded in Ryan’s slashed throat. The man reached for something, so Paul hammered him again. This blow put him out of commission.

  Dropping to his knees, Paul hung his head in shame. He said, “I’m sorry, old friend. I’m sorry.”

  ***

  Kelly tensed when she saw the long shadow moving over her hiding spot. Her chest began to rise and fall more deeply. If it were Devin, he wouldn't sneak up on her like this. A man slowly stepped into view. Seeing her unarmed, he smiled. He motioned for her to stand up, which she did. He beckoned her to come closer to him. Feeling frozen with fear, she hesitated. Devin stepped out from behind a limestone formation and squeezed the trigger of his rifle as he ran at the militant. His shot staggered the terrorist, who swung his rifle around and fired a fired a burst of shots at Devin just before he slammed into him.

  The men hit the ground together. The weapon slid clear, and Kelly ran for it. She swung it around just as the wounded man got to his feet and crouched as if to pounce on her. Devin crawled to the side.

  “Move and you're dead,” she said to the militant.

  He lunged and she fired. The gun roared and the man screamed. He fell to the ground in a heap. Kelly crouched down at Devin's side.

  “I was a lousy father,” Devin said.

  “It’s not too late. We could start over.”

  He smiled.

  ***

  Paul saw movement behind a rock, but after that, nothing. Abu Bakr apparently had his back to the wall and wasn't moving until a target came in front of his gun. Paul withdrew his knife and crept toward the rock. He ran and dove over the rock, tackling Abu Bakr. The two men rolled, and Abu Bakr came out on top. Paul tried to use his knife, but Abu Bakr had the advantage. He slammed Paul's hand against the limestone floor until Paul dropped the weapon.

  Paul got a knee between them and arched his body, throwing Abu Bakr onto his back. Abu Bakr got to his feet and ran. Paul caught up with him, tackling him near the second waterfall. Paul struck Abu Bakr’s neck with his open palm. The blow, which failed to make solid contact, had little effect on Abu Bakr, who rammed a finger up Paul’s nostril. Paul screamed in pain, and Abu Bakr twisted free.

  He sprung up and started to run. Paul swung his legs around and tripped him. Abu Bakr fell and rolled. Diving at him, Paul caught his foot before the man plunged down into the pit where the whirlpool sucked the river underground. Hanging by one leg over this evil-sounding natural toilet bowl, Abu Bakr screamed and wailed in a pitiful outburst. Finally he gained a little control over his faculties.

  “Pull me up,” he said. “Please, I'll pay you whatever you want.”

  “I don't want your money,” Paul said.

  “Anything! I'll give you anything you want.”

  “Your sleeper cells. I want their identities and I want to know where the dirty bombs are.”

  “My yacht, Raashid,” he shrieked. “The master plan and my records are there.”

  “Where’s the yacht?”

  “Don’t let me fall.”

  “Tell me.”

  Abu Bakr grunted with fear. “Casa Blanca—now pull me up!”

  Holding up two hundred pounds by a foot strained Paul beyond his capacity. But he struggled to lift Abu Bakr.

  “No,” Kelly said.

  Paul turned his head. “What?”

  “He doesn’t deserve to live. He’ll go on killing.” She raised an AK assault rifle.

  “Kelly, don't shoot, you don't want to live with that.”

  Rage swam across her face. “They killed Ryan.”

  Abu Bakr screamed in unholy terror and twisted, wriggling desperately like a fish on a hook. The vigorous movements caused his foot to slip free of his boot. He plunged down into the pit. Paul crawled to the edge in time to see him burst through the surface of the water. He flailed like a swimming rat as the whirlpool pulled him in a circular motion.

  “Help me,” he screamed. “Help me.” The current pulled him into the center of the whirlpool and he dropped into the black depths of the earth.

  Water cascaded into the pit. The sucking sounds of the big whirlpool filled the cavern.

  Paul looked at Kelly, her red hair illuminated by the strange light of the flares.

  He got up and walked away.

  CHAPTER 54

  Paul called Otto out of his hiding spot and they found two militants who were still alive. Marwan wasn’t one of them. Jawara was also dead. They recovered Gabriel from the nook where they’d hidden him. Paul left the cavern, and using his Sat phone and a secure line, he called Ted Walker, his CIA contact and informed him that Abu Bakr had been neutralized.

  “Don’t forget about the million dollar bounty,” Ted said.

  “I lost his body,” Paul said.

  “You’ve got several witnesses. That might help. Are you sure about Otto Kroucher?”

  “He’ll tell you everything you ever wanted to know about Abu Bakr’s network. If you pay him well enough he might even go to work for you.”

  “We’ll have a chopper there within an hour,” Ted said. “We’ll secure the yacht in Casa Blanca. You’ve saved a lot of lives. Those dirty bombs would have created a mess. Why don’t you take a month off? I’ll see about your bounty and I may have a job for you.”

  “I have a lot to think about. I’ll talk to you later.” Paul hung up. He found Kelly sitting by Ryan’s body in the cave. Flares still illuminated the cavern. He sat down next to her. And listened to the river.

  THE END

  Thank you so much for reading The Handler. I am honored that you not only began the book but read it straight through to the end.

  Contact Roger Weston at RogerWeston7@gmail.com. He enjoys hearing from readers.

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