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The group stopped in their tracks. Rowan and Jean-René followed a moment later. Rowan was wheezing as he sunk to one knee, gasping for breath, wincing in agony.
Before them, one body lay broken and bleeding on the ground. Another cowered in abject horror beneath the cover of branches. Then there was Lauren. The researcher stood encircled in the embrace of the mythical monster. The creature looked up and gazed at them softly. Lauren turned too.
Rowan was unable to move. He folded and melted to the ground, panting in quick, shallow gasps
* * *
“Tsul’Kalu,” Lauren withdrew. She turned and stared at her friends, who all had the same blank expression on their faces. Rowan was the exception. He was too involved with trying to breathe. She was torn between wanting to tend to Tsul’Kalu or rush to his aid. “What did you do to them?” She took a few steps toward Rowan. Tsul’Kalu moved with her. As she knelt down to inspect him, Tsul’Kalu’s voice filled her head.
“There will be time for answers another day. The gods have come to warn us to flee from this place. You must do the same, little one. You must go, now. When the time is right, you will find me again. This is my promise to you.”
Lauren realized she had found the truth, but it was a truth she could never tell. She couldn’t risk it. The protection of the species was too important. Lauren leaned into the Sasquatch, He embraced her again. “This is my promise to you, Tsul’Kalu. Your secret is safe with me.”
His hand rested on the top of her head, his palm completely covering it, his long fingers cupping her head affectionately. “Be well.”
“Go, Tsul’Kalu, find somewhere safe.”
He nodded. “And you, Truth Seeker,” he patted her head. “Stay curious, always.”
The beast fled from the scene and Lauren bent over Rowan. It wasn’t until she started snapping her fingers that he seemed to focus on her. “What?”
“What the hell just happened?” Jean-René snapped out of his euphoria too.
“I don’t know,” Lauren said. She ran her hand down her frazzled braid. “Help me get him up. We have to get Rowan out of here.”
“My God. What could do something like this?” Miller asked. He walked over the broken body. “His neck is snapped.” He looked at the man in the Bigfoot suit, who was obviously in shock.
“He was like that when I found him,” Lauren said. No one gave any sign that they remembered seeing Tsul’Kalu.
The ground rumbled once again. Lauren looked up as the sound wave passed. A distant whir followed. She realized it was helicopter blades cutting through the air.
“We’ve got to go! The chopper’s back!” Katie shouted. “Come on! We have to go!”
The ash cloud that broke from the mountain’s peak was now black and ominous. The roar of it became deafening, as the eruption intensified. “Come on!” Lauren shouted, grabbing Rowan’s arm. She shoved him towards the rendezvous point. No one argued and everyone raced to meet their escape-craft.
“What about the dude in the Bigfoot costume?” Jean-René pointed at Billy.
“Bring him with us,” Lauren said as the helicopter door opened.
Lauren could see Bahati’s frightened eyes in the cockpit as they approached. She knew they couldn’t afford to wait any longer to get the hell out of here.
Lauren got Rowan on board carefully, then made sure everyone else was coming before she took the seat behind the co-pilot.
Bahati handed her a pair of headphones. “Where’s Joshua?” She asked, as soon as Lauren had them on.
“He didn’t make it,” Lauren responded. She hadn’t let herself think about it. She’d liked the fair-haired FBI agent. She wasn’t prepared to deal with the repercussions of his loss, or the details behind his death.
“Is everyone else okay?” Bahati asked.
Lauren glanced back, inspecting the team. “Minor injuries. Rowan has some broken ribs, but nothing life-threatening.” She took his hand
“We’ll get him to the base hospital,” Bahati said.
* * *
Jean-René had gotten Billy into the very back seat of the helicopter. He was grateful to have the back seat. The backpack full of diamonds had been dropped in the confusion. This time, no one saw him duck back for it. He was sure of it. He sat now, with it hidden in his camera bag.
Billy was still in a stupor. He wasn’t paying any attention to anything. Jean-René watched him for a moment, just to make sure. He opened the bag and stuck his hand into the midst. He relished the rugged feel of the stones against his skin. He knew they’d never be allowed to keep all of them. He pocketed a handful. He wasn’t sure what he’d do with them, but that wasn’t the point. Why shouldn’t he have a couple? No one would ever know.
* * *
Ben was on duty in the ER when the chopper arrived. This time, it was Rowan on the stretcher. “Lauren?” He looked puzzled. “What are you two doing back?”
“Rowan’s hurt,” she said.
“Let me guess, he got mugged by a Bigfoot too?”
“No,” Rowan grimaced as the gurney clipped the door jamb as they wheeled him into the exam room. The gurney came to an abrupt halt. “Just a hoax-monger in a monkey suit.”