Black Rose

CHAPTER 35

Helmets, battle dress and MP-5s. Pistols and plenty of ammunition. Ronnie carried a separate pack with C4 and detonators, just in case. Tropical air blew through the open hatch of the C-130. With it came the smell of the Brazilian rain forest rushing by four thousand feet below. Nick waited for the green light that would signal it was time to jump. The voice of the jump master sounded in his headpiece.

"Get ready. Thirty seconds."

Behind Nick, Selena felt the first rush of adrenaline. This was her second jump since she'd joined the Project. The first had been a high altitude jump over the Himalayas from 23,000 feet. This looked like a piece of cake compared to that.

The light turned green. "Go!" Nick said.

He leapt from the plane, counted seconds and pulled his rip cord. The harness grabbed him hard in the groin and pulled as the chute blossomed open. The ground was coming up fast, a cleared field on the border between the rain forest and the Indian reservation. Nick pulled on the steering toggles and guided himself toward what looked like a soft spot. He looked up and saw the others above him.

So far, so good.

The landing zone wasn't as soft as it looked. Pain shot up his spine as he hit, a reminder of the last time he'd done this. He struggled to his feet and pulled the chute in. Five minutes later, everyone was gathered on the edge of the clearing.

"You're limping," Selena said.

"It's nothing." Nick took out a map.

He looked up and scanned the drop zone. "We're right where we wanted to be."

A fast running stream bordered the far edge of the clearing. Beyond, a narrow path disappeared into the trees. He pointed at the path.

"That's where we're going. It will take us close to the clinic. We won't know what we're up against until we've got eyes on it. The people living here have nothing to do with this, so don't assume everyone is hostile. But don't get careless either. It's a safe bet any Europeans you see could be part of Schmidt's group. If you see Schmidt, don't kill him. We want him alive."

"What about the plague?" Selena asked.

"Better put the masks on now. Anyone we meet could be infected. Make sure you're bloused up tight. There could be fleas and fleas carry plague."

Selena bent down and checked that her pants were pulled tight around the tops of her boots.

"If Schmidt's here, he must have heard the plane," Ronnie said. "He'll know something's up."

"He won't know what it is," Nick said. "Anyway there's nothing we can do about it. Let's get the masks on."

They pulled on the masks. Lamont helped Selena adjust the straps until the mask was tight against her face.

"All set." Lamont smiled at her.

"Whenever this is made of, it stinks."

Lamont laughed, the sound muffled behind the mask. "You'll get used to it."

"I feel like the creature from the black lagoon," she said.

"Yeah, you kind of look like it too. You like those old sci-fi movies?"

"I love them. All those tacky rubber creatures. My favorite is The Attack of the Crab Monsters."

"Mine's The Attack of the Giant Tomato," Lamont said. "It's gotta be the worst movie ever."

"The Blob," she said

"Attack of the 50 Foot Woman."

"How about The Incredible Shrinking Man?"

"That was cool," Lamont said. "The scene with the spider was really creepy."

"Are you guys about done with the film review?" Nick said.

His words were clear, with an odd mechanical quality caused by the voicemitter and mike on the front of the mask.

"Sorry," Lamont said.

"What's this indicator do?" Selena asked.

"If it turns blue it means the filter is no good anymore," Ronnie said. "We should be out of here long before that happens."

"Weapons hot," Nick said. The safeties on the MP-5s clicked off.

"Everyone ready? Let's go."

They set off along the edge of the trees toward the trail.