Read Amazon Burning (A James Acton Thriller, #10) for Free Online

threatening to take over when he stopped and
took three deep, slow breaths, his finger held up to silence everyone around
him.
    He
opened his eyes.
    “Are
there any tribes here that could help us?”
    Fabricio
shrugged his shoulders. “Perhaps, but we won’t find them until morning, and by
then I fear it will be too late.”
    “What do
you mean?”
    “Whoever
took her knows the forest, he will not be found unless he wants to be found.”
    “Why
would he take her?”
    Again Fabricio
shrugged. “Any reason. He might want wife, trophy, food.”
    “Food?”
    “He
might want to eat her.”
    “There’s
cannibals here?”
    “There
are rumors.”
    Acton
growled in frustration as Reading ran down the ramp, two backpacks in hand. He
tossed one to Acton. “Everything you asked for is inside.”
    Acton
took a quick look to confirm, then disappeared into his tent, dressing in more
appropriate clothes to help protect him from the jungle, then threw a few extra
pairs of socks and underwear, along with his utility knife, in the bag. He
reemerged with Reading preparing to leave, Milton struggling to join them.
    “What
can I do?” he asked.
    “Stay on
that boat and make sure they don’t leave. Try to radio for help and tell them
cost is of no consequence. See if they can fly in a search team, task a
goddamned satellite if you have to.” He pointed to the satellite phone in
Milton’s hand. “Keep that on you at all times, and charged. We’ll check in
every hour if we can. Don’t call us just in case we need radio silence.”
    Milton
nodded, gripping their lifeline in both hands.
    Acton
turned to Fabricio. “From this point on you are all being paid triple.” He
pointed at Milton. “He’s in charge. You do as he says. In the morning I want
you to try and contact a local tribe to see if they can help.”
    Fabricio
looked terrified at the prospect but nodded, greed overcoming fear.
    “Are any
of your men willing to come with us?”
    Fabricio
translated and the other five men stepped back slightly, looking away.
    Cowards!
    “Very
well. You’ll hear from us in an hour.”
    He
turned toward Reading who was already pointing at the ground. “I see footprints
here.”
    Acton
stepped out of the light of the fire and into the inky black of the forest.
    “Let’s
go get her back.”
     
     

 
     

    Northern Amazon
Three days before the attack
     
    Tuk rushed as quickly as he could, dodging around the trees, his
deeply attuned eyes able to see sufficiently. The shouting in the distance had
faded to nothing, replaced by the nocturnal creatures of the forest, too many
of which were deadly. The safest course of action would be for him to find a
place to shelter for the night and begin the return to his village in the
morning, but unfortunately that wasn’t an option right now—he had to put
distance between him and the Spirit People.
    He had
taken their woman, their only woman. Whether the fact she was the only woman
was of significance, he had no idea, however the mere taking of her he was
certain was.
    But
she went willingly!
    Surely
they would know that? Surely they would realize that he, a mere man, could
never take or harm a Spirit Person.
    Unless
they think you somehow bewitched her.
    It was
true. They had no way of knowing whether or not he was a medicine man, capable
of manipulating the Spirit World. They would probably work under the assumption
she had been taken against her will, which meant they would do everything
within their power to get her back, or at least ask her if she were here
against her will.
    His
heart warmed with the knowledge that she had left willingly, had allowed his
dart, made by man, to penetrate her Spirit World skin, to allow the venom it
was laced with to take effect. He had been so shocked it had worked, for a
moment he had hesitated before actually carrying through with his plan.
    She had
been silent since her initial call, a call which had elicited an excited
response, of that there was no