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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

Now I open my mind up to the bats. I feel their hunger for blood, their joy at being part of the feeding swarm, the sonar that allows them to zero in on us. Instead of being repelled by them, I reach out to them and try to touch their essence.

The rain forest is their home. They have as much to lose if it vanishes as anyone. We are all part of the same web of life, and if it is frayed and destroyed no cave will be deep enough to shelter these bats, and no midnight will be dark enough to shield them from destruction.

For a moment I feel myself fractured into a thousand pieces, wheeling and darting around the dark chamber on thousands of tiny wings.

And then I’m Jack again, and the black cloud dissipates, like smoke blown away by a strong wind. Off they go, through the roof aperture, and P.J. whimpers in my arms.

“It’s okay. They’re gone,” I tell her. “And I’m taking you home.”

She cries out again, with words. “Jack, he’s here!”

A man enters the room through the blue hatch door, and pauses to shut and lock it. Then he turns to face us.

I recognize the colonel, even though he’s significantly altered. The shock of white hair is the same, and the muscular build, and he watches me with the same black eyes. But this is no librarian on steroids. This is unmistakably the Dark Lord!

“You did well with the bats,” he says, and his voice is mocking. “So the old charlatan taught you some tricks, and now you’re the sorcerer’s apprentice? If I were you I would make myself disappear.” His voice hardens. “I warned you not to find Kidah. I spared your life. I ordered you to leave the forest forever.”

“And then you sent your men to ambush us,” I remind him, stepping protectively in front of P.J.

He doesn’t appear to even hear me. “But you didn’t listen,” he continues, advancing toward me. He no longer walks like a man. He scuttles, and his arms and shoulders twitch as his legs move. “You found Kidah and revived him. For that you and your lady friend will pay in blood.” He’s more spider than man now, and he looks hungry.

I should be terrified, but I’m not. My knees should be knocking and my voice should be quaking, but anger comes to my rescue.