Page 30 - Archangel

dehydration, but I helped my nurse lift the moaning man onto a cot with
gauze on the wound across his incredibly hard head.”
Sitting at the helm of his own bateau, the Kenyan captain looked up
and said, “Well, what are you waiting for? I’m not going in that tub you
piloted.” Ndara starting the Honda motor, Skye jumped in, untied the
remaining line, and barely found the bench before Kenyatta pulled away
from the dock with no running lights.
“You’re crazy! You know we could be walking into a trap.” Skye said,
shaking his head.
The Kenyan retorted, “I know! But the chances of survival or success for
my insane friend are nil by himself.” Rounding the bluff which protected
the reception center cove, Ndara gained more speed, looked back and said,
“Let’s get a few things straight, in the event we survive.”
Poorly hiding a smirk, Skye offered, “Okay, shoot.”
Ndara enumerated, “You are going to radio back and take full
responsibility for this unauthorized stunt if we’re discovered by the DRC
officials. And you are going to weather the storm from Dr. Collins if or
when we return. I, well actually everyone in camp, have seen and heard
him lose his Irish temper with you. He starts yelling in that gibberish you
two talk when he’s been drinking too much. Your laughing and calling
him ‘Leprechaun’ seldom helps. I had to ask another Irish friend at the
INGO Irish Aid what the hell a leprechaun was.” The muscled, 6’3” Kenyan
added, “He scares me when he’s like that.“
Smiling, Skye replied “The gibberish is called Gaelic. Scots speak it better
than the Irish. And the ‘wee man’ can be a handful sober or in Leprechaun
mode. But scarier than what you Kenyans all saw in peacekeeping
operations in Bosnia?” Skye quipped. “Anyway, anything else, Captain?” he
inquired, with eyes smiling.
“Yes. You’re buying all of my Tusker beers until I leave this place that
God forgot. And I don’t want to hear about your paltry wages as an excuse.
Are we clear?”
“Crystal,” MacIain agreed.
Sobering, Ndara finished, “I’ve known Layla longer than you, and know
of no better example of the God she believes in.”
“Done,”MacIain agreed. “Now turn around, and watch the channel
markers before you sink us even before we leave the harbor!” When he had
averted Ndara’s attention, Skye reached down into his all-weather black
captain’s bag and confirmed he had a few extra magazines for the illegal
Heckler & Koch 91 machine gun he had secured there--just in case.

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