Operation: Congo

- 19 -

Banks and Wiggins made their breakthrough as the guards arrived above them. There was a second where they were sitting ducks. Banks expected that the last thing he’d hear was the whistle of a spear just before one thudded into his back but instead he heard the distinct, unmistakable retort of gunfire. The single shot was immediately followed by the sound of horns being sounded from where the area where the king had been sitting.

And louder even than the horns, an accompanying roar came from somewhere out in the jungle, a bellow that echoed around the arena and brought immediate mayhem in its wake.

The guards who had been so eager to be after Banks and Wiggins just seconds before had already turned around, racing back around an arena where the crowd was rapidly dispersing in something approaching a panic. Banks clambered over the rubble pile and turned to lend his hand to Wiggins to pull him up and out of the maze.

“I’m guessing that’s the sarge and the lads out there somewhere stirring the pot, Wiggo. It’s game on. Let’s get the hell out of here.”

They clambered over the rubble pile and down the other side, alert to a possible attack either from above or from the area ahead of them, but it appeared they were no longer the prime focus of attention. No one stopped them as they walked into what was obviously where they kept and trained the raptors. Cages lined either side of an alleyway; walking along it felt like they were on a zoo visit. The heavy odor that rose around them made that impression even stronger. They were watched every inch of the way by raptors of various sizes, from some less than waist-height to others, more sturdily caged, who looked down on the men as they passed.

The cheers in the arena behind them had changed to panicked wails and screams mingled with the barks and roars of raptors. The beasts in the cages cocked their ears at that and immediately began throwing their bodies against the bars of the pens as if eager to join in the mayhem.

Banks and Wiggins looked at each other and Wiggins smiled broadly.

“Seems a shame they’ll miss out on all the fun, Cap.”

“It does at that, Wiggo. But how to do it without becoming breakfast ourselves is the bit I’m having trouble with.”

“Look at them, Cap. They’re not bothered about us. They want to be running with the pack. Let’s start with one of the wee ones. We should be able to handle one of them between the two of us.”

They went to one of the smaller pens where a young raptor was throwing itself wildly against the bars. It already had flecks of blood at its mouth. Banks slid the locking bar to one side while Wiggins stood on guard with the spear. No backup was needed. As soon as the pen door opened, the beast was off and away at a loping run and quickly vanished out of sight into an alley that looked to head uphill towards the arena rim and the seating area. Seeing this, the rest of the raptors began to bark furiously.

Over the next five minutes, they opened every cage and not even the larger beasts paid them any notice. The raptors all went off at a run for the same alleyway.

The screams of terror from the arena above them had gotten much louder.

“Looks like we’ve let slip the dogs of war,” Wiggins said.

“Aye. And we don’t have a leash. I hope to fuck we did the right thing.”

More screaming echoed around them. And now it was mixed with the roars of raptors and the crack of gunfire. Banks led as they made for the alley. A long, curved, much-used set of stone steps led up towards the crater rim and beyond that through a high gateway that led into the arena.

There was no sign of any guards, just the sound of chaos and panic. Banks and Wiggins followed their hounds into battle.

Chaos was the right word for the sight that met them as they reached the gateway on the crater rim and looked over the arena. Most of the crowd had already fled but there was mob all trying to leave through a gate on the far side that was already crammed tight with bodies. The people nearer the front tried to push their way out. The people nearer the back tried to avoid getting eaten but the raptors had found a meal and were feasting.

Wiggins pointed down to the far end of the arena, to the gate where they’d entered the labyrinth. There were no people down there and no sign of any raptors.

“Looks like our best bet, Cap?”

“I agree,” he replied as the sound of more gunfire came from beyond the arena, somewhere in the town. “And it sounds like that’s where we need to be. Double-time again, Wiggo. The other lads might need us.”

They’d got halfway ’round the arena and about two-thirds of the way down the steps without interruption but they stopped when horns sounded above them. Four raptors with spear-carriers on their back came out from behind the throne; the king himself was on the lead beast, sitting up tall and imperious in his high feather headdress and long cloak. He locked eyes with Banks then turned away, leading his men to where the raptors were feeding on the townspeople.

The noise level went up a notch again as the trained raptors met the ones Banks and Wiggins had let out and a bloody fight ensued. Banks didn’t know much about that kind of fighting but he saw that the trained men and raptors were making short work of the escapees, working as a team to single out a quarry and take it down before moving on to the next one.

“That’ll be us next if we don’t hoof it,” he said. “Move it, Wiggo.”