Catalyst (Breakthrough Book 3)(76)
This good.
DeeAnn examined the tree and compared it to a small book that covered many of the indigenous species of the area.
“Is that one okay?” Juan asked.
“She certainly seems to think so.” DeeAnn picked one of the leaves and held it next to the book. “Ipomoea something. Says it’s a variant of a sweet potato.”
Juan frowned. “Are you supposed to eat the leaves?”
“They’re edible.” She took a bite. “Tastes a little like sweetened spinach. Here.”
“I’m good. Thanks.”
DeeAnn laughed and caught Juan peering at the airplane over a hundred yards away. Joe was beneath it, running his checks.
“You okay?”
“I guess so. I’m just worried.”
“About what?”
“Everything.” Juan struggled to understand what it was exactly that was bothering him. Maybe he was overly sensitive after their last trip. Maybe he was too exhausted to think clearly. Or maybe he was thinking clearly and his last trip had awakened a new level of paranoia in him, or perhaps common sense.
The two were interrupted by Dulce. Without warning, she sprang to her feet and ran between them toward an approaching Steve Caesare. He caught the gorilla in mid-leap and raised her up onto his shoulder.
“Everybody ready?”
“I think so. We were just doing a little foraging. In case we run out of food.”
“Good idea. How about you, Juan?”
“Yeah, I guess so.”
DeeAnn reached for Dulce. “We need another potty break. There’s no toilet on that plane.”
She lowered Dulce to the ground and headed back toward the hut. The structure was now clearly visible in the morning light, and completely covered in rust.
As he watched them leave, Caesare turned to Juan. “You okay?”
“Yeah, I’m fine.”
“Look, I know this isn’t easy. But I do appreciate you coming with us.”
“I guess I figured it would be better to volunteer before I was forced to come. That is what was going to happen, right?”
Caesare nodded. “More or less.”
“Then no thanks necessary.” He offered Caesare a meek smile.
Caesare stood, studying him. “Why did you volunteer, Juan?”
“I told you. It was better to-”
Caesare cut him off. “That’s not it. I can read people, kid, and there’s something else going on.”
Juan didn’t respond immediately. Instead, he looked back at the plane before answering. “It’s my little sister.”
“Your sister?”
“She’s only six. She was a surprise to my parents when I was fourteen…and she’s amazing. We have a big gap between us, but she looks up to me like I walk on water. She calls me her héroe.”
“I don’t think I’m following.”
“My parents worked a lot so I was the one who looked after her. You know, kept her safe and all. She looks up to me.”
“What’s her name?”
“Angelina.” Juan breathed in, struggling. “I came because she was diagnosed a few months ago with leukemia. And she’s showing accelerated symptoms.”
Caesare shook his head. “I’m sorry, Juan.”
“If you met her, you’d know why I volunteered. She’s the most incredible kid I’ve ever known. Always smiling. Always making everyone happy. Even when she gets disappointed, she just smiles and says it’s okay.” Juan’s trembling lips turned into a smile. “She says her favorite part of the day is when I get home.”
He glanced over Caesare’s shoulder at Tiewater, who was now crossing the small field toward them.
“DeeAnn told me what you guys found on the mountain, Mr. Caesare. So if there’s something out there that might help my sister, I’m willing to do whatever I can. After all, a hero doesn’t give up, right?”
With a sympathetic frown, Caesare nodded and turned as Tiewater reached them.
“Sir, we’re ready.”
Behind them, the large propellers of a 1952 Douglas DC-3 began to turn as one engine sputtered and roared to life, followed by the second. Black smoke coughed from the massive Rolls Royce Dark Mk. 510 engines, then quickly dissipated in the warm moist breeze blowing across the open field.
As the three men approached the aircraft, Joe swung around and met them near the tail, yelling over the deafening engines. “I have a local guy who helps me with the drops but figured you wanted to keep our party small.”
“The smaller, the better,” Caesare yelled back.
The older man nodded before grabbing the metal ladder and climbing into the fuselage.
When DeeAnn climbed aboard, she paused at the top of the ladder, still clutching Dulce in one arm. She glanced down the inside of the fuselage to find Juan and Anderson. Both were sitting on a long, padded metal bench near the opening of the plane’s cockpit where Joe was checking his instruments. Against the other wall, three large boxes were secured by orange nylon straps with giant balls of fabric on top.