“What?” She was confused at the change of subject. “No, but I have no real idea what you can do with those drones. It wouldn’t surprise me.”

“You give me too much credit. That would be enormously difficult. To have that kind of capability it would have to be large, probably noisy, and yet ultra-complicated.”

Her gaze was narrowed on his face. “But you do have some other kind of fail-safe device set up?”

“Perhaps.” He smiled. “But the lash-blinking idea as an automatic signal has promise. I used something similar in a high-tech bank vault alarm in Paris, but I’m going to have to consider the drone application. With extreme miniaturization, it could be a challenge…”

It appeared the crisis was over. Thank goodness that brilliant mind of Korgan’s had spiraled to another “challenge.”

“Only a temporary reprieve,” he said quietly, his gaze zeroing in on her face. “We’re still teetering on the brink. But you’re right, I want Masenak bad enough to take almost any chance.” He turned away. “Now we’re going to get a cup of coffee from that thermos I brought with us. Then we’re going to look around this entire area and make certain there aren’t going to be any other surprises that drone didn’t pick up. And after your friend Margaret leaves, we’ll settle down for that long chat. Isn’t that a good plan?”

“Good enough. Since I’m limited for choices.”

“Excellent answer.” He strode back toward the helicopter. “Coffee, first…”

Chapter 3

Chapter
3

He might have reserved that “chat” for later, but that didn’t stop Korgan from firing off a multitude of questions while they were touring the surrounding area that included the plateau and jungle. He even went a mile or so along the bank of the lake before he turned back and strode back toward the plateau where they had landed. He noticed everything; his eyes were arrow sharp, and so were his questions. She’d thought he was finished almost forty minutes later, but it was only a temporary stop as his gaze fell on the dozen or so villagers beneath the canopy who were just finishing tucking foliage around the helicopter to hide it from above. “Those are villagers from northern Maldara. What are they doing this far south?”

“They agreed to come as far as the border as a favor.” She asked curiously, “How did you know they were from the north?”

“Those dashiki shirts they’re wearing have an identifying stripe common to the northern tribes. I studied Maldara while I was researching the Szarnar Jungle. I thought I might have to use it as an entry point.” He glanced at her. “Favor? To whom? You?”

“No, I don’t have any clout in Maldara. But I did do a job once for Jed Novak while the civil war was going on. He practically runs everything CIA in Maldara at the moment.”