BooksBarbecue
Back Whirlwind
Chapters (95)
  1. Title Page
  2. 1
  3. 2
  4. 3
  5. 4
  6. 5
  7. 6
  8. 7
  9. 8
  10. 9
  11. 10
  12. 11
  13. 12
  14. 13
  15. 14
  16. 15
  17. 16
  18. 17
  19. 18
  20. 19
  21. 20
  22. 21
  23. 22
  24. 23
  25. 24
  26. 25
  27. 26
  28. 27
  29. 28
  30. 29
  31. 30
  32. 31
  33. 32
  34. 33
  35. 34
  36. 35
  37. 36
  38. 37
  39. 38
  40. 39
  41. 40
  42. 41
  43. 42
  44. 43
  45. 44
  46. 45
  47. 46
  48. 47
  49. 48
  50. 49
  51. 50
  52. 51
  53. 52
  54. 53
  55. 54
  56. 55
  57. 56
  58. 57
  59. 58
  60. 59
  61. 60
  62. 61
  63. 62
  64. 63
  65. 64
  66. 65
  67. 66
  68. 67
  69. 68
  70. 69
  71. 70
  72. 71
  73. 72
  74. 73
  75. 74
  76. 75
  77. 76
  78. 77
  79. 78
  80. 79
  81. 80
  82. 81
  83. 82
  84. 83
  85. 84
  86. 85
  87. 86
  88. 87
  89. 88
  90. 89
  91. 90
  92. 91
  93. 92
  94. Also by DAVID KLASS
  95. Copyright Page

I think he’s just sighted the canoes. He turns to wake his sleeping comrade, and sees me. He opens his mouth and at the same time hurls the cup out of his right hand as he raises his arm to ward off my knife thrust.

I step inside his guard and stab him in the throat. I feel the blade sink an inch deep into soft tissue. I must have sliced the carotid artery, because blood spurts. The soldier gapes at me in surprise, and his hands go up to his neck, as if he wants to take the knife out and cap the bleeding.

Our eyes meet. He’s as young as I am. He reaches a bloody hand toward me. Then he reels two steps sideways and collapses on the floor, making low gurgling sounds.

His comrade jumps up, but an Indian warrior has followed me into the hut and makes short work of him.

I stagger outside, sink to my knees, and vomit. My whole body begins shaking, and I suddenly feel weak.

I’ve killed before, but it was never like this. Dargon was an archfiend. The bat creatures were trying to rip out my jugular. But this was a fellow human being, just about my age, and his warm blood is all over me.

As I kneel in the grass, dizzy and weak, I remind myself that the guy I just killed was fighting for the colonel. He was aiming machine guns at people I love.

But even so, I can’t seem to stand up.

Luckily, the Indian warriors quickly finish what I started. Within seconds, and without a shot being fired, the colonel’s men are all blowgunned, knifed, or garroted.

Two of the warriors come over to check on me. When they see that I’m okay, they gently help me to my feet. They seem to understand what I’m going through. Perhaps they had similar reactions after their own first kills.

The other warriors are standing together, facing out toward the river and the oncoming canoes. They’re waving to the canoes, signaling that it’s now safe to come on. And Kidah is waving back from the second canoe.

I spot Eko paddling quickly, scanning the bank for me.

Mudinho spots me and raises a paddle in salute, and Gisco waves a proud paw.

And that’s when the guns open up at us, and the colonel’s real ambush begins.

84

84

They’re on the opposite bank, spaced well apart, and expertly hidden. Our own Indian warriors could not have concealed themselves any better. In fact, it wouldn’t surprise me if many of the men now attacking us turned out to be Indians from other parts of the Amazon. I’m sure for a fistful of money the colonel could buy himself some native manpower.