Chapter Eleven

Part One

After a quick shower and donning some warmer clothes, Kate walked outside to find her world awash in a fantastic light. Already in shadow, and bathed in reflected hues of gold and red, everything around her looked magical and slightly surreal. Feeling like a stroll, Kate turned right on the ring road and was entranced by the constant colour changes of the surrounding landscape and the wispy high clouds.

Entering the clearing of the maloca after wandering up the steeper and thickly wooded slopes of the northern path, she was surprised to see only Maria, Paz and Dee in the cooking area, especially given the number of boats she’d seen headed for the island. Kate returned the waves from the villagers as Dee, looking relaxed and happy, met her half way across the short grass surrounding the maloca. In a joyous, wordless, pirouetting hug, Dee squeezed the air from Kate’s lungs as she whirled her around.

‘What’s going on with you?’

‘It’s this place and these people. Oh Katie!…   >> MORE <<

Part Two

‘The people of Alegria are originally from South America. Their village held ninety-two people and was a regular, thriving little jungle village, with a few added amenities. Dominique senior, Dom’s father, had been sponsoring the village for nearly four years at Edison’s behest. Edison had met Juanita, married her, and sired JC all within a year of arriving there, quite literally by accident. Juanita’s father, Carlos, found him still in his Jeep, hanging upside down in a tree and happily drunk, singing his lungs out, but that’s another story. Things were going along fine until an illegal gold mining interest started spilling mercury and cyanide into the river upstream. Without warning, the village’s river was barren and toxic. Eight people in total died from that contamination.

‘When the local drug cartel’s goons came a week later, it was pure coincidence that Dominique was there with Edison, working on…   >> MORE <<

Part Three

Pointing to Mason, she continued in a teasing tone, ‘Mason is a somewhat reformed version of indolent rich. After he got sick of jumping out of perfectly good aircraft, he became a praiseworthy entrepreneurial philanthropist, and he likes to play engineer at times. His official title is ‘Earl of Cool’, or something like that, and he’s possibly sixteenth in line for some throne or another.’

She flashed a cheeky and challenging grin at Mason. He answered with his pained-but-good-natured-suffering look, showing her that she’d have to do a lot better than that if she wanted a rise out of him tonight. Everyone laughed when it was clear that her bait wouldn’t be taken.

With her cheeky grin still in place, she continued. ‘Madison is the brains, and the looks, of the outfit. She won’t tell you, but she is responsible for the lives of many, many people around the world. Pandemic Epidemiologist is the official title. You already know Ricky’s story.’

‘Nat, what the hell is it that Dom does?’ Kate asked in a rush of frustration…   >> MORE <<

Part Four

Pointing to Mason, she continued in a teasing tone, ‘Mason is a somewhat reformed version of indolent rich. After he got sick of jumping out of perfectly good aircraft, he became a praiseworthy entrepreneurial philanthropist, and he likes to play engineer at times. His official title is ‘Earl of Cool’, or something like that, and he’s possibly sixteenth in line for some throne or another.’

She flashed a cheeky and challenging grin at Mason. He answered with his pained-but-good-natured-suffering look, showing her that she’d have to do a lot better than that if she wanted a rise out of him tonight. Everyone laughed when it was clear that her bait wouldn’t be taken.

With her cheeky grin still in place, she continued. ‘Madison is the brains, and the looks, of the outfit. She won’t tell you, but she is responsible for the lives of many, many people around the world. Pandemic Epidemiologist is the official title. You already know Ricky’s story.’

‘Nat, what the hell is it that Dom does?’ Kate asked in a rush of frustration…   >> MORE <<