Azeman (eBook)

PART 2: “THE RIVER”

The two colectivos sat low in the water, weighed down by the weapons and explosives that were supplied courtesy of Colonel Alexander Bordi; one of the few men whom Dan Marsden considered a friend. The boats lay hidden from the main channel by a small inlet; produced when a giant tree, uprooted and carried downstream by flood waters, wedged itself into the river bank. Reeds had grown up all around, and live shoots grew off the dying tree, manufacturing a living screen that allowed the boats’ passengers to view the entire river without themselves being seen.

Dan looked across from himself at Elaine Santiago, eyes closed, leaning back against a case of medical supplies; her feet dangling dangerously into the Amazon. He decided that no matter how much she tried; she could never look lovelier than she did at this moment. He tried to think of who she reminded him of, finally settling on “Helen of Troy”, simply because he couldn’t imagine any woman being more beautiful. He quickly averted his gaze, fearing that she would open her eyes and see him staring at her.

Dan turned his attention to the river; the waters’ blackish green color hiding the dangers that swam at all its depths. A freighter, all the way from the Atlantic, was working its way up the channel, heading for Iquitos, Peru; while a host of river boats and colectivos carried both tourists and workers to various jungle resorts.

Staring down into the current, which was considerably stronger than it appeared on the surface, Dan thought back to the last time that he’d used this cove. He, and these same six men, had waited here until after dark; and then angled out into the powerful current, allowing the river to carry them rapidly eastward, and onto the Colombian side of the river. Their destination had been the port city of Leticia, Colombia; located only a few miles this side of what most people consider to be; the much more friendly, and safer city of Tabatinga, Brazil.

They had no problem releasing Colonel Bordi from the prison, and then blending in with the myriad of citizens who called the city their home. The whole thing had been planned so well that it went off without a hitch, even when they found out at the last minute, that Bordi had a cellmate, whom he insisted; had to be rescued as well. Making their way back to the boats, they even stopped to shop; buying new clothes for the prisoners; silencing the shop owners with fifty dollars apiece. Slowly, so as to attract a minimum of attention, they had made their way back to the boats and safely down river, to Tabatinga.

While in the boats, and speeding their way to safety, Dan recalled the surprise he felt, as the other prisoner slid over beside him. He then took a medallion from around his neck and placed it around Dan’s. “If you ever need anything senor,” the thin and badly anemic man rasped, “go into any business on the Southern side of the river; let it be known that “Zapatos Rojos” wants to see you and will be extremely grateful to whoever delivers the message to him. Show them this medallion senor; all my men will recognize it. Then just be patient; wait, and I will come to you. Do not be afraid to ask anything of me. I am a man of considerable wealth and influence, as the men who sold me into that living hell will soon find out. I beg you senor,” the man added, putting his cold bony hand on Dan’s bare arm, “por favor, give me an opportunity to repay you.”

Dan’s hand went involuntarily to one of the two medals that he wore around his neck. Squeezing it between his thumb and forefinger; he said to himself, “I hope this Zapatos Rojos guy has as much power as he thinks he does.”

While recalling his conversation with the man whom he only knew as “Red Shoes”, Dan missed the yellow eyes and elevated nostrils that soundlessly broke the surface of the water. The black caiman was huge, about twenty feet long, big even among the Amazon species. The creature wasn’t especially hungry, but was irresistibly drawn to the waves produced by the movement of Elaine’s feet. With a silent thrust of its powerful tail, the reptile sliced through the water, jaws open slightly; just enough to accommodate Elaine’s lower leg.

Jolted from her rest, Elaine felt a tremendous pressure on her legs, and let out a scream as she was pulled over the side of the rocking colectivo. Her hands clutched at the side of the boat, making contact, but unable to maintain a hold as she was wrenched into the cold dark waters of the Amazon. Water drowned out her terror as her head disappeared into the depths. Flailing with her arms, she was able to get her upper body to the surface in time to witness the animal twist its fearsome head to the right, and pull her farther away from the boat. Then, in an effort to get a better grip, she saw the beast open its mouth a little wider, and slide its jaws higher up on her body. Waiting for the mouth to slam shut and end her life, she fixated on the flesh and feathers that she could see trapped between the horror’s teeth and wondered what kind of bird had suffered the same fate. Still fighting to keep her head above the murky, algae covered waters; she closed her eyes, not wanting to see the beast bite into her flesh and end her life. She said a silent prayer, surprising herself by not asking God to save her; but rather, asking Him to forgive her and to reunite her with her sister.

The sound of gunfire caused Elaine’s eyes to involuntarily open. Out of the corner of her eye, she was able to see a dark blur leap from the boat and onto the back of the monster. For a moment, she thought that a miracle would happen; that she was going to be saved, but that thought was short lived as she saw the animal’s jaw begin its descent once again into her flesh. She heard the gunfire again, close enough to it to this time see flashes of light before losing her strength, and sinking once again into the black liquid. She had no concept of how long she’d been under the water this time, but suddenly had the sensation of an arm going around her waist, pulling her to the surface, and then guiding her to the side of the colectivo. She hung on to the side tenuously, gasping for air; expecting the creature to seize her again in its jaws, and pull her under for the last time. Then a powerful hand, without any apology, she thought to herself angrily, gripped her bottom and pushed up with a strength that shot her up and out of the water; into the safety of the floating refuge. She remembered thanking God for her rescue; her lungs aching for oxygen; and then darkness.

When she came to, Elaine found herself lying on her stomach, naked, but covered by a blanket that went down to just below her posterior anatomy, as her mother used to call it. She remembered her mother telling her that it was her best feature and to always sashay when she walked. Chiding herself for having such a stupid thought while she was dying; she looked back to see Dan Marsden kneeling beside her, ready to stick an obnoxiously long needle into her already sore rear end. “What the devil do you think you’re going to do with that thing,” she demanded, more in the form of a statement than a question.

Without replying, Dan lifted the blanket and jammed the syringe, loaded with a powerful antibiotic, unceremoniously into the same part of her body that the caiman had just sampled.

“That’s it,” Dan said sarcastically. “Tighten your muscles; make it hurt more.” Then after withdrawing the empty needle from her flesh, he quickly slapped her bare bottom; then stood up and backed away, a satisfied smirk on his face.

“Did you enjoy that?” Elaine asked, looking back and clutching the blanket closer to her front.

“You’ve been a pain in my butt ever since we met,” Dan told the woman. “I just returned the favor. Give me anymore trouble, and I’ll throw you to the piranha.”

“Piranha don’t frighten me,” Elaine shot back with disdain.

“No, I don’t suppose they do,” Dan said. “But I’ll bet you scare the crap out of them.”

Turning to leave, Dan heard Elaine say. “Hey, Major Pain, before you go, and I most certainly want you to go; please tell me something. Do you treat all the women you meet this way; or am I someone special?”

Pausing to take a breath and think for a second, Dan said, “I suppose that you want an honest answer to that question?”

“I sincerely doubt sir; that someone like you is “gonna” be capable of grasping the concept of honesty; however, if you “wanna” try; well then, go for it. And then go sign up for a couple of “ESL” classes,” Elaine added in derision.

In an undertone, Dan mumbled to himself, “Step, I think I found one sharper than mom’s,” and then spoke aloud. “I assure you Ms. Santiago. There “ain’t” a man in the world who knows less about how to treat a woman than I do. Usually I greatly regret that fact; however, in your case, I find it to be immensely satisfying. Now you try not to move around a lot, and I’ll be back in later to check on those stitches. If you’re careful, they’ll hold.”

“I needed stitches! Drowning victims don’t need stitches,” Elaine gasped, not believing what she heard. And then, she remembered the monster. A shudder shook her whole body for a second but she recovered quickly, asking mockingly. “Are my legs “gonna” be...