ENCOUNTER by Hep Aldridge (bill gates books recommendations .txt) 📕

sense in letting them know we have access to high explosives. When we get to the road, we double-time it for as long as possible until we reach the new turnoff and follow our intersecting route to the trail that passes through Tamara’s village. Sound good?”

“Sounds like a plan to me,” Doc said, and everyone else agreed. We unloaded the mules, fed and watered them, and tried to get some sleep. First light came, and Reggie was going around waking everyone up; she had the last watch with no new movement at the last camera site.

I was surprised I had fallen asleep as I shook the cobwebs out of my head. Getting up and gathering my wits, I said, “All right, everyone, fruit juice and energy bars, no time for breakfast, we’ve got a plan to execute; let’s move.” And move we did.

Chapter Eleven

Two hours later, Joe called to me, “Colt, check this out; they just got to the last trail cam.”

I looked at the video, and sure enough, the Brotherhood guys were just passing by the camera.

“So, they’re at least two hours behind us, not moving all that fast. I’m surprised. I wonder how far behind them the Vatican mercs are.”

“I’ll keep an eye on the camera and let you know,” Joe said.

“Roger that, how far to the Inca Road?”

Joe consulted his tablet and said, “About an hour away.”

“Good, let’s hustle and find those choke points in the canyon. We’re going to burn up some of our lead setting the explosives.”

Fifteen minutes later, the track started to narrow. The first place we came to was not optimal for our plan. Ten minutes later, we came to a narrow section of the canyon, maybe ten to twelve feet wide, with vertical sides approximately seventy feet or so tall. I took out the binoculars and checked out the upper ridge. It was hard to see at this extreme angle, but it looked like there were loose boulders lining the top.

“Joe, break out the drone; we need to see what that topside ledge looks like. Dimitri, get a charge put together. Remember, not too big. The rest of you take the mules ahead and tie them off. Hustle, people; we’re on the clock.”

Everyone sprang into action, and in five minutes, Joe had the drone in the air. Within minutes, I had a clear view of the top of the gorge. Sure enough, there were boulders stacked up and lying around, from basketball to Volkswagen Beetle size.

“Dimitri, come here and check this out,” I handed him the tablet showing the video feed.

“Can you make all that come down and fill this gorge?”

He looked at the tablet and had Joe fly the drone around the edge twice, then turned and looked around the space where we were standing. After a few seconds and a second look at the drone video, he turned to me, grinning, and said, “Oh, hell yeah.”

“Good, now how do we get the charge up there and set? That’s about seventy feet of pretty sheer wall to get up?”

I hadn’t heard Eduardo come up; he had been standing behind me, listening to the conversation.

He spoke up, “Senor Colt, I can get up there.”

I looked at him and said, “No way, kid, this is way too dangerous; besides, that’s a hell of a climb.”

“No, Senor Colt, I can do it. I have been climbing rocks like this all my life, trees and buildings too. I can do this.”

Before I could stop him, he ran to the wall and was fifteen feet off the ground in a matter of seconds. He came back down and said, “See, Senor Colt, I can do this.”

“Climbing is only part of the problem, Eduardo. We have an explosive charge to set, and you have to get back down safely.” I stood there waiting as I tried to figure out another way to get up there. None came to mind. I turned to Dimitri, hoping he would have a solution, but he just stood there grinning.

“What the hell’s so funny, man? This is serious.”

“Oh, I know it’s serious; it’s just the expression you make when you get presented with the only solution to a problem, and it’s not the one you want to hear, that’s all.”

All three of us had done our share of mountaineering, climbing, and rappelling, and I think we all had come to the same conclusion. Eduardo was the answer.

“So, what do you propose, you crazy Cossack?”

“Joe, let me see that area again. Eduardo, dig into that pack and pull out the green climbing rope that will be one hundred and fifty feet.” I stepped back and let Joe stand next to Dimitri as he looked at the scene the drone was transmitting. Eduardo had gotten the rope and threw it over his head and across his chest. Dimitri was staring at the screen intently and having Joe make multiple passes over the rock-filled area above. After a couple of minutes, Dimitri had Eduardo come over and look at the screen.

“Okay, see that big rock there?” he said, pointing at the screen.

“Yes,” Eduardo replied.

“Joe, fly behind it and let me see the ground back there.” Joe obliged, and a minute later, Dimitri said, “Colt, here’s what we’re going to do. Eduardo, pay attention.”

We were all peering at the screen as Joe moved the drone at Dimitri’s command, and Dimitri pointed to the critical areas.

“Eduardo, see this rock? What you are going to do is place the charge right here at its base. Joe, take the drone higher; now, see this boulder field in front? With the right size charge, I can dislodge the big boulder and get it to roll into the boulder field in front of it.” Joe flew the drone right to the edge of the boulder field, and we could see ourselves below. The field of rocks came right to the rim of the gorge, directly over our heads.

“I’ll get enough rocks moving that it should make this whole area impassible,