“Why him?” Bronko asked. “Why not Pedro or me or you?”
“Uhh.” She looked at Quint, taking his hand in hers and squeezing it. “Because KuTu believes that only a demon sent up fromXibalbahas a chance at stoppingCamazotzand his army of death.”
Pedro guffawed, frowning from Angélica to Quint. Then he snorted. “So, KuTu thinks big Bunyan is some kind of demon?”
“Basically, yeah.”
“Huh,” Bronko said, staring at Quint. “Shouldn’t he have horns or red glowing eyes?”
KuTu whistled, waving for them to follow as he headed for the wall.
Angélica blew out a breath and turned to Pedro. “Are you coming over the wall or heading back to camp?”
He took her by the shoulders and kissed her on the forehead. “It is silly for you to even ask,mi angelita.”
“What about you?” she asked Bronko.
He held up his pistol. “Armed and ready.”
“What do you say, Parker?” Angélica looked up at him. “You ready to save Dr. Fernel?”
And possibly give up his own life in exchange because the bastard wanted to live forever? Hell no. But to save everyone else? Well, there was no hesitation on that in his mind. “You think I can land an autograph from the great Maya bat god ofXibalbawhile we’re at it?”
“Most definitely. He might even carve it into your chest.”
He groaned. “That’s not funny, boss lady.”
“It might be if we make it out of this alive.” She grabbed his hand, tugging him along the road. “Come on, let’s go save the damned world.”
Chapter Twenty-Three
“In the silent darkness under the trees where the moon’s silver light can’t reach, the ravenous jungle relentlessly chews up the remains of the living, its breath reeking of rot and decay.”
Angélica stopped and spun around, shining her flashlight at Quint, who was shadowing her on the trail as they tried to keep up with KuTu in their search for Dr. Fernel.
“Knock it off, Parker,” she whispered. When he got closer, she threatened to sock him in the shoulder. “It’s creepy enough here in the dark without you narrating our journey in that sinister voice.”
He caught her fist, pulling her in for a hug. “Fine, I’ll shut up, but the dead silence is making me antsy.”
“Same here.” She rested her forehead on his shoulder.
After they’d climbed over the wall and began following KuTu on the path toward the bat-house, Angélica had noticed a lack of the typical caroling from the winged and four-legged nocturnal gadabouts. No screeching or chirping from high up in the branches. No snorting or the occasional growling from the scrub brush. Only the crunch of their boots on the dead leaves, vines, and branches underfoot.
Pedro came up behind them as she stepped back. Cursing under his breath, he swung his light wildly to the left and right. “Are you trying to scare our underwear off, Parker?”
“Who wears underwear?” Bronko asked, bringing up the rear of their conga line. “Shine your light behind me, Montañero. I thought I heard something moving around in the bushes back there.” He turned, holding his gun in one hand and a machete in the other ashe scanned the flashlight-lit path behind them.
Angélica saw no signs of life other than a single bobbing fern at knee level.
“I meant scare our panties off,” Pedro corrected.
“You meant scare thepantsoff us,” Quint clarified.
“That’s what I said,mi hermano.”
“No,” Bronko whispered. “You said underwear, which I go without when in the jungle.”
Quint chuckled. “Well, that paints a helluva picture.”
