Page 42 - Archangel

a week. He did it without complaint or hesitation. And having introduced
all of us to Layla months ago, he’s as heart-broken as we are.”
Fifteen seconds passed with the three holding their breath. They
were taken aback when Skye finally turned toward them with a relaxed
expression, and asked, “Can y’all handle things here, while I’m in
Benaco? What they ask will take about six, maybe seven days. Since
they’re motivated, I’ll make them cover my expenses from their
budgets. Maybe I can come back with a pallet or two remaining from the
20 pallets of antibiotics we gave them that y’all have been begging for since
our Bukavu refugee population doubled.”
Looking to Sergeant Ngetti for confirmation, Ndara answered, “We
studied the duty roster while you were asleep. It will be close, but we
think the public health outreach will be OK. Doctor?” Ndara said,
nodding at Collins.
“I think I can cover what’s in the queue and coming, maybe six- or
seven-days max. The antibiotics you might bring back would literally save
thousands, mate, as you know,” Collins admitted. “I can kidnap Dr. Fraser,
the WHO inspector physician here for a week, and make him scrub up. I
have compromising photos from his past.”
Skye smiled, nodded his head once and said, “I’ll give them six days in
camp. That is, if I can get there and back in timely fashion. I’ve worked
with several of those guys in Jack’s health sector. Ian and Marcel are some
of the best. I’ve never known either to cry wolf.”
In response, Ndara chimed in with, “A Kenyan UN charter flight lands
in Bukavu airport from Goma in three hours, onward to Benaco. The pilot
and crew members are my former Special Forces unit comrades.”
“Of course they are!“ Skye, joked. “Do we have wheels available to get
me there?”
Kenyatta said, “He’ll hold the flight long enough, if you leave within the
hour and get there in two. All of the Rovers are in the field; so I’ll take you
there in Sweet Chariot, mzungu.”
Skye started walking down the sand path and called over his shoulder,
“Well, what are we waiting for?” As Sean started to follow, Skye said,
“Whoa, not you, Leprechaun. I’m starving, and I ain’t leaving without Isa’s
red beans and rice. All they’ll have in Benaco is high energy biscuits which
taste like a week-old hash brown.”
Laughing, shaking his head, and changing course toward the canteen
as the Kenyans escorted MacIain to collect his backpack and meds bag,
Collins quipped, “Pog Mo Thoin [Kiss my ass, Gaelic]. I’ll fax Jack.

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