Chapter 27
Chapter 27: Home Improvement
The three of us went back to the Quispe estate and packed up our things. Huayna called Pilar and the rest of the kids back. I didn't stick around to watch Isabel cry about her boss being dead. We just took our money and clothes, gave Huayna our goodbyes, and got a taxi to the airport. Our first flight--from Trujillo to Lima--went without incident.
Paul didn't know it, though, but I wasn't going to be on that connecting flight back to New York.
The three of us went back to the Quispe estate and packed up our things. Huayna called Pilar and the rest of the kids back. I didn't stick around to watch Isabel cry about her boss being dead. We just took our money and clothes, gave Huayna our goodbyes, and got a taxi to the airport. Our first flight--from Trujillo to Lima--went without incident.
Paul didn't know it, though, but I wasn't going to be on that connecting flight back to New York.
Chapter 12
Chapter 12: Q&A
After breakfast, Mr. Quispe wanted us to get familiar with his mining operation. Paul opted to stay behind and look after the family--our equipment was scheduled for delivery later that day, anyway, and he'd have to sign for it. So, Sag and I rode out east in a Jeep with Ignacio. Took about ninety minutes of bumpy, twisty driving through forests, mountains, and farmland to arrive at the mine. The Jeep kicked up a lot of dust in its wake, signaling our arrival.
After breakfast, Mr. Quispe wanted us to get familiar with his mining operation. Paul opted to stay behind and look after the family--our equipment was scheduled for delivery later that day, anyway, and he'd have to sign for it. So, Sag and I rode out east in a Jeep with Ignacio. Took about ninety minutes of bumpy, twisty driving through forests, mountains, and farmland to arrive at the mine. The Jeep kicked up a lot of dust in its wake, signaling our arrival.
Chapter 11
Chapter 11: Meet the Quispes
The housekeeper--her name was Isabel, I found out--woke me up with a knock at my door. "Breakfast is ready," she called. I heard her go and knock on the other two doors. I got up and slipped into some comfortable clothes: a white t-shirt and jeans. I put on socks and my boots just in case it was rude to walk through a rich guy's house barefoot. I mean, it was probably rude enough that I didn't dress up.
The housekeeper--her name was Isabel, I found out--woke me up with a knock at my door. "Breakfast is ready," she called. I heard her go and knock on the other two doors. I got up and slipped into some comfortable clothes: a white t-shirt and jeans. I put on socks and my boots just in case it was rude to walk through a rich guy's house barefoot. I mean, it was probably rude enough that I didn't dress up.
Chapter 26
Chapter 26: Fallout
Our first thought was to head to Aguas Calientes, the nearest town, so we headed down that way, through some more dense forest, and found our path blocked by the Urubamba River. It took some time for us to find the pair of bridges that crossed into Aguas Calientes. A couple dingy buses went by, and the passengers (mostly non-locals) gave us a strange look. Paul turned to me and realized before I did what the problem was. "Shit, Robert, your shirt is covered in blood!"
Our first thought was to head to Aguas Calientes, the nearest town, so we headed down that way, through some more dense forest, and found our path blocked by the Urubamba River. It took some time for us to find the pair of bridges that crossed into Aguas Calientes. A couple dingy buses went by, and the passengers (mostly non-locals) gave us a strange look. Paul turned to me and realized before I did what the problem was. "Shit, Robert, your shirt is covered in blood!"
Chapter 25
Chapter 25: Conductor
Huh. No ambush. At least, we didn't find one right away. The voice beckoned us again. "Please, exit the elevator."
"What choice do we have?" Sag asked, looking at me.
Huh. No ambush. At least, we didn't find one right away. The voice beckoned us again. "Please, exit the elevator."
"What choice do we have?" Sag asked, looking at me.
Chapter 24
Chapter 24: The Wall
The dark tunnel stretched high above us, but let in no light. Hidden among the trees, on a side of the mound I suppose hardly anyone explored, it made a good hiding place. I just wondered how the Shining Path made use of it. No light, no torches, no flashlights, no signs. I went to night vision and saw the tunnel widen slightly up ahead, with a couple connected hallways breaking off to the right. I heard Sag shuffling along behind me, and I could tell he began to lag behind.
The dark tunnel stretched high above us, but let in no light. Hidden among the trees, on a side of the mound I suppose hardly anyone explored, it made a good hiding place. I just wondered how the Shining Path made use of it. No light, no torches, no flashlights, no signs. I went to night vision and saw the tunnel widen slightly up ahead, with a couple connected hallways breaking off to the right. I heard Sag shuffling along behind me, and I could tell he began to lag behind.
Chapter 23
Chapter 23: These Fragments
Sag complained about his leg, which I suppose he sprained or twisted or something during our slightly imperfect landing. He didn't see any reason why we shouldn't just high-tail it out of Peru, given what we'd just been through.
"The boss is dead, mate. Where's our quid gonna come from? I say we make tracks."
Sag complained about his leg, which I suppose he sprained or twisted or something during our slightly imperfect landing. He didn't see any reason why we shouldn't just high-tail it out of Peru, given what we'd just been through.
"The boss is dead, mate. Where's our quid gonna come from? I say we make tracks."
Chapter 22
Chapter 22: Wreckage
Well, I was three for three in terms of surviving crashes. The Darrex cruiser, the Nova, and now this jet. Depending on how you looked at it, I was either very lucky or very unlucky. I leaned toward the latter at the time--why did the universe see fit to keep punishing me? Couldn't it just put me out of my misery already? I was getting too old to be banged up like this cosntantly.
Well, I was three for three in terms of surviving crashes. The Darrex cruiser, the Nova, and now this jet. Depending on how you looked at it, I was either very lucky or very unlucky. I leaned toward the latter at the time--why did the universe see fit to keep punishing me? Couldn't it just put me out of my misery already? I was getting too old to be banged up like this cosntantly.
