Hunted (9 page)

'Tessa says you are confident and knowledgeable around animals,' said Joe Chandler.

They were all in the lounge sitting around a large table, with Patrick and Gaston. They had eaten superb steaks, barbecued by Joe, and were now exploring a map of the lodge and surrounding area.

Tessa was on a large sofa, her bad leg propped up by cushions. 'They can come with us when we go out tomorrow morning on patrol,' she said. She sounded enthusiastic, but Amber caught that same tone in her voice that she had heard earlier - as though she was forcing herself to go on when she was very tired.

Before Amber could say anything, Joe was up and at Tessa's side. 'Are you all right, Tess?' he said. He put his hand to her forehead. Tessa protested, but only weakly. Joe stepped back. 'I think you're running a temperature. You ought to be in bed.'

'Oh no,' said Tessa. 'I'm just a bit tired.'

'You've been overdoing it,' said Joe. 'Come on, let's get you upstairs.' He took her gently by the elbow.

'I'm underdoing it, that's the problem,' muttered Tessa. But she allowed Joe to walk her to the door. Just before they reached it she turned round. 'Sorry, you guys,' she said to Alpha Force. 'But we'll be up bright and early tomorrow to do a patrol, OK?'

'OK,' agreed Paulo and Hex. 'Goodnight, Tessa.'

'Sleep tight,' said Alex.

'Take it easy,' added Amber.

'See you in the morning,' said Li.

Patrick's face was etched with concern as he watched them go down the corridor.

'Is she all right?' said Paulo. 'She looks quite ill.'

Patrick shrugged. 'The doctors said the drugs would make her feel bad but she should be all right. We just need to keep an eye on her. And Joe's right, she doesn't know the meaning of rest.'

Gaston nodded slowly, his compact features earnest. 'Before she did the race she used to train by running alongside me in the Jeep for the whole morning.'

'Wow,' said Alex. 'That's a pretty good workout.'

'She's just like her mother was,' said Gaston. 'She used to run marathons all the time.'

Patrick smiled. 'Full of energy, that's our Tessa. She wants to change the world, stamp out animal poaching and be a champion long-distance runner. This injury has been a big blow. She had a lot of competitions lined up.'

'Still, enough of such gloomy talk,' said Gaston. 'We're monitoring the elephants tomorrow, so you can tag along for the ride if you want. Or do you want to see some lions?'

Li and Paulo had the same thought going through their heads. Having had to avoid the lions during the race crisis, they were itching to study them at closer quarters. 'Lions,' they said together.

At almost the same moment Alex, Hex and Amber were thinking of the immense creature they'd seen at the gates. 'Elephants,' they chorused.

'Actually, both,' said Li.

'I think we can arrange that,' grinned Patrick.

7
LIONS

Joe's face looked drawn as he came down the stairs into the foyer the next morning. The sun wasn't yet up but Alpha Force were ready to go. Dawn was the best time to see the animals; it was when they visited the water holes or went hunting.

'Tessa's not coming down,' Joe told them. 'She's got a temperature so I've made her stay in bed. If she's no better by lunch time I'm going to call the doctor. She's really disappointed because she was looking forward to coming with you. She made me promise to let you come up and tell her about it when you're back.'

'Absolutely,' said Amber.

Outside on the veranda, they saw the Range Rover pulling up. The handbrake rasped. Patrick leaned out of the window. 'Who's for the lions?'

'That's us,' said Paulo, taking Li by the arm.

'See you later, guys,' said Li. 'Enjoy the elephants.'

Patrick drove them down the slope and out onto the plain. He slowed for a moment, his head cocked and listening. As the engine noise quietened he asked, 'Did you hear that?'

A roar sounded from the black sky. It was loud and long. Paulo caught Li's eye. 'Yes,' he said, 'and I feel a lot better than I did the last time I heard it.'

Patrick drove on for about ten minutes. From time to time, roars rumbled across the plain. Each time they heard them, Patrick would stop and listen, and check he was still heading in the right direction. Although they were safe in the Range Rover, it was still an eerie sound in the pre-dawn darkness.

'I think they're here,' said Patrick and halted again. He cut the engine, turned off the headlights and switched on a torch. As he swung it around, an acacia bush sprang into view, and with it the reflections of fifteen pairs of eyes.

Li and Paulo gasped softly. Lions. A whole family of them.

Patrick looked pleased at their reaction. 'OK, it's the same drill as it was with the elephant: no sudden movements. They're a safe distance away and we're going to get out and climb up into that hide there.' He flashed the torch in the direction of a tree. Metal struts had been hammered into the trunk to make a ladder. 'We should be safe because they're used to seeing people do this, and because they've got a kill. You know you should never under any circumstances attempt to feed a lion or put food out for them?'

Li nodded. 'It makes them lose their fear of humans.'

Patrick smiled. 'That's right. But you'd be amazed at the number of people who want to do it.' He got out of the Range Rover and shone the torch at the ladder. 'Li, you go up first.'

They climbed up. At the top, eight metres up the tree, was a hide like a tree house, with wooden benches and a thatched roof. A long slitted window ran horizontally all the way round, like in a pillbox, giving a 360-degree view of the plain.

The sun started to light the horizon; the sky was turning pale.

The lions were feeding on a zebra. They gave the visitors a moment's attention and returned to their meal, pulling at the flesh with their teeth. After they had stripped off the meat they licked the shafts of the long bones clean, purring as they worked.

From the hide the three watchers could smell the carcass; even at that distance it was strong and meaty. Paulo shuddered. 'That was nearly us,' he said to Li in a low voice.

'Makes you think, doesn't it?' said Li.

Patrick hadn't heard them. 'All the prides have names,' he said. 'This is Red Pride's territory. It has ten lionesses.'

'That makes it very strong,' said Li.

'You obviously know about lions, Li,' said Patrick. 'Have you worked with them?'

'My parents are zoologists. They did some research at the Lion Study Center in Minnesota a few years back.'

'Fascinating,' said Patrick. 'What was the project?'

'To find out whether lionesses preferred lions with light manes or dark ones.'

'And what was the answer?' said Paulo. 'Tall, dark and handsome?'

'No idea. I expect they spent the whole time wondering how to ask them.' She gave him a withering smile.

Paulo had a pair of binoculars around his neck. Now that it was light enough to use them, he put them to his eyes and focused. 'Do you monitor the lions as well as the elephants?' He handed the binoculars to Li.

Patrick shook his head. 'The lions are monitored by a separate reserve. But they make their own territories and roam all over. Which is good for when we have clients on safari.'

'Like giraffes,' said Li. She gave Paulo a pointed look before taking the binoculars and lifting them to her eyes.

'It's amazing what you can see when you're a giraffe,' replied Paulo with a twinkling smile. 'I can't wait for that film to be developed.' He gasped. 'Hey, look.'

Li was about to tell him sternly not to change the subject, but when she lowered the binoculars all such thoughts vanished from her head. Five cubs, overcome with curiosity, had sauntered over to investigate the Range Rover. They sniffed the tyres and bumpers, licking them and pulling faces. Two of them stood on their hind legs and tried to look into the vehicle. When they got down they left big paw prints in the dust on the bodywork. The other three started playing tag around the wheels.

'Wow,' breathed Paulo.

As the sun came up, the pride moved away from their meal to find a shady spot and stretched out for a sleep. Vultures immediately swooped on the remains and the carcass disappeared under their scrawny, feathered bodies.

'We can go down now,' said Patrick. 'They're far enough away.' He clambered out of the tree house.

'I'll go first,' said Li to Paulo, 'in case you've got another hidden camera.' She turned to step backwards off the platform. The rung had condensation on it from the morning dew and her foot slipped.

Paulo was having a last look through the binoculars. When he lowered them and turned round, he expected to see Li disappearing down the ladder. But she was still in the doorway, rooted to the spot. Her fingers clung to the wooden door-surround and her sleeveless top showed the muscles in her shoulders, rigid like ropes under tension. She had one foot still on the sill of the entrance, the other on the top rung.

'Li?' he said. 'Is there another lion down there?'

She shook her head. She couldn't speak.

Then Paulo remembered her reaction on the cliff face. Li had frozen then too. He hadn't thought any more about it until now; there were many odd, once-in-a-lifetime things that had happened because the team were exhausted. Like falling asleep while riding a bicycle. But for Li to freeze here and now was different.

Paulo moved cautiously towards her.

Her eyes widened, warning him not to come near. 'Don't,' she said. Her voice was harsh. Her pupils dilated so far they made her eyes look like hollow black circles.

Paulo's mind raced. What was going on? 'Li,' he asked gently, 'what do you want me to do? Shall I help you down?'

Her expression said
Keep away,
but a tear rolled out of one eye. She nodded.

'Can you give me your hand? I'll come and lie on the floor and hold onto you as you get onto the ladder. I won't let go until you're safely climbing down.' He walked carefully to the doorway, kneeled down in front of her and held out his hand.

She grabbed it as though she was grabbing a lifeline. Her grip was crushing. Bracing herself on the door frame, she lowered her foot carefully to the second rung. Her nails dug into Paulo's hand.

'It's OK, Li, I've got you,' he said. 'I'll keep holding until you say. And I promise there are no giraffes with cameras.'

She smiled, but it looked like a rictus of fear; it didn't make her relax. She stepped down onto the next rung. Paulo could feel her shaking. Something had transformed Li, the bravest, most talented climber he knew, into this nervous wreck. What had happened and when? Was it the abseil event?

Bit by bit, he lowered her down until she had both hands and feet on the ladder. She suddenly climbed down very fast, her face tight with concentration, until her feet touched firm ground - then he saw the tension drain out of her face. But it was replaced by anger. Again, Paulo remembered the cliff face. She had climbed down quickly and was furious afterwards, as if punishing herself.

He pattered quickly down the ladder. Should he say something?

Patrick was already in the Range Rover, the engine running.

Li touched Paulo on the arm. 'Don't say anything to the others,' she said. Her eyes were pleading. 'Promise?'

Paulo nodded gravely. 'I promise.'