The Source - Michael Cordy [60]
When the Discovery pulled alongside the other boats in Puerto Masusa, a couple of kilometres north of the city centre, Ross saw the influence of oil everywhere. Small children ran around in grubby oil-company T-shirts playing with logo-stamped tennis balls. A huge poster by the docks depicted a lush, idyllic jungle scene, complete with bright parrots, flowers and a cooling spring – not an ugly oil rig, pipeline or sump in sight. Beneath it was a discreet oil-company logo and the tag line Ayudamos Perú a utilizar sus recursos naturales. Helping Peru use its natural resources.
When the boat had docked, Hackett asked the group to gather in the galley. 'After what happened I realize some of you'll be nervous about going on. Iquitos is the last outpost of civilization from where you can board a plane back to Lima. Here, we'll take on final supplies and then we'll be on our own, in virgin jungle, for the next month or so. Once we leave no one will be able to return unless we all do. If you want to bail out, now's the time to do it.'
As Ross heard these words, his anxiety peaked. This was the point of no return, his last chance to fly back to Lauren. He looked around the group but no one raised a hand.
Except Juarez.
Hackett glared at him. 'We need you, Juarez. You're the only one of us who knows the jungle.'
'But why should I come with you, Señor Hackett?' Juarez asked. 'It is dangerous. People have tried to kill us. I don't even know what you're looking for.'
'The ruins of a lost civilization,' said Hackett.
'But I don't like ruins,' Juarez said mournfully.
'We're looking for gold,' Zeb said. 'Treasure.'
'How much?' asked Mendoza. He was rubbing his temples as if he was in pain.
'We don't know,' Ross said carefully. 'We're not sure what we'll find.'
'But you guys think there's something?' Mendoza said.
'I know it,' said Sister Chantal.
'That's good enough for me,' said Mendoza, shooting Juarez a meaningful look.
'Come on, Juarez,' said Zeb, with her most winning smile. 'You're a fit young man. You surely can't be scared when a girl like me and an old lady like Sister Chantal are prepared to go.'
Juarez reddened and shuffled uncomfortably in his chair. 'I'm not scared. I just want to know why I should go.'
'For glory and gold,' said Hackett. 'Come on, Juarez. You've always said you wanted to leave the jungle and visit the great cities of Europe and America. Well, with this gold, you could go to New York, Paris, London, wherever you want.'
'I only go if we share everything equally,' said Juarez.
'Agreed,' confirmed Ross, wondering how these people were going to react when they eventually discovered they hadn't been looking for gold but for a garden, which probably didn't exist. Sister Chantal didn't seem to worry about this, but he did. At that moment his GPS-enabled phone rang. When he heard his father's voice his pulse quickened. He walked out on deck. 'Hi, Dad. How's Lauren?'
'Stable. Her mother thought she saw something last night but it was nothing. I rang to ask about you. How's it going in Peru?'
'Early days,' said Ross. He decided against telling him about the attack. 'We're just about to head off into the jungle proper. The boat's got a radio but it'll be difficult to keep in touch.'
His father laughed. 'That may be no bad thing, son. Might stop you calling in every day.' He paused, as if hearing Ross's indecision. 'Son, whatever you think about what you're doing in Peru, you've got to choose. Either come home now and accept whatever happens,