Doctor Who_ Combat Rock - Mick Lewis [64]
‘We know what you like,’ he said with an awful attempt at bonding. ‘My friend say you like girl. I have girl.’
Pan grinned. He was really enjoying this. ‘What makes you think I want any disease-riddled whore you can provide?’
‘No. No. Not whore,’ the man said eagerly.
‘What then? Your wife? I can imagine what she looks like.’
The man touched Pan’s sleeveless combat jacket as if admiring the quality of the material. There was a sycophantic appeasing smile on his face.
‘My daughter.’
Pan snorted, and flashed a grin at Saw and Grave. Grave said nothing as usual, staring vacantly with devil eyes. Saw licked his greasy lips demonstratively. Pretty Boy cleared his throat.
‘I’m going back to the hotel,’ he said. ‘I got my standards.’
‘You got nothing,’ Pan said, dismissing him. He tapped the bar owner’s cheek with the barrel of his Luger. ‘Now why don’t you show me what you’ve got,’ he said.
‘He faints like woman,’ Tigus said, nudging Kepennis with his foot disdainfully.
The guide was recovering from his long bout of unconsciousness, and was now blearily trying to reorientate himself. The Doctor sat on a log watching the dawn rising thoughtfully. Drew and Ussman were snoring under the makeshift shelter the guerrillas had erected. Santi was waking up, the early morning chill affecting her more due to the brevity of her attire. She promptly elbowed Wina, who was spread out on her back like a starfish on the grass next to her.
When the Javee girl didn’t respond, Santi nudged her again, more sharply. Wina rolled over, rubbing her eyes, her hair tangled alluringly.
Wemus tore his gaze away guiltily when he noticed she had seen him. He was about to approach Kepennis when she called him over.
He knelt beside her and instinctively reached for both her hands. She accepted them with a smile. It was the first physical bond between them and it had been a natural one.
This was easy and right, Wemus thought, and couldn’t believe it even though she was smiling a lovely white smile, her perfect Indoni features shining in the first light of morning. He was obviously more handsome than he’d ever previously believed. Kepennis would have to stop his scoffing now.
‘Be careful of her.’ Santi said with a sour face. ‘She go with many men. I see her in bars. She do like this:’ and she interlaced her fingers and waggled them to demonstrate. It was an Indoni sign which alluded to promiscuousness.
Wemus frowned, but didn’t believe. Wina pulled a dismissive face at Santi’s vulgarity, as if Santi was beneath contempt, but the stockier girl hadn’t finished yet.
‘She go with man with skirt, friend of Doctor. Hey, Doctor!’ she called, and the strange little man with the expressive, child-old face looked up dreamily ‘Tell Wemus Wina no good. She go with your friend, now she want go with Wemus. She from Banuwang in Javee. Many women black magic there. Only way she can get man!’
‘Only way you get man is when they pay. No good man want girl with face like servant!’ Wina had been unable to restrain herself any longer.
The Doctor coughed with embarrassment. ‘Now then, shouldn’t we all be trying to get along, considering our predicament?’
Some of the guerrillas were laughing now, as they set about cooking breakfast. Tigus merely flashed the girls an irritated grimace. He was nervously smoking. The assault force should have returned by now. They were at the assigned meeting point, and had been for most of the night. What was keeping them? If the Indoni had them, would any of the men talk under torture? It was a frightening thought that soldiers could be approaching them even now, creeping through the jungle.
‘Hey! Santi not go with Papul man. You low girl!’
Poor old Wemus raised his hands appeasingly and decided he’d be better off talking to Kepennis after all, far away from the feminine war zone.
‘Not listen to working girl, Wemus.’ Wina retorted. ‘Her mouth place for rubbish!’
He left them bickering. Kepennis gave him a woozy