"Surely the publicity value is less than the money it took to get the beast from the City of New York and bring it halfway around the world." Jayewardene dabbed at the corner of his mouth with a cloth napkin.
Danforth looked up, grinning. "Actually we got the ape for nothing. See, it gets loose every now and then and starts tearing things up. The city is up to its ass in lawsuits every time that happens. If it's not in New York, it can't do any damage. They almost paid us to take the thing off their hands. Of course we have to make sure nothing happens to it, or the zoo would lose one of its main attractions. That's what those boys in gray are for."
"And if the ape escapes here, your film company will be liable." Jayewardene took another bite.
"We've got it doped up all the time. And frankly it doesn't seem much interested in anything."
"Except blond women." Paula pointed to her short, brown hair. "Lucky for me." She looked back out the window. "What's that mountain?"
"Sri Pada. Adam's Peak. There is a footprint at the top said to be made by the Buddha himself. It is a very holy place." Jayewardene made the pilgrimage to the top every year. He planned to do so in the near future, as soon as his schedule allowed it. This time with hopes of cleansing himself spiritually so that there were no more visions.
"No kidding." Paula elbowed Danforth. "We going to have time to do any sight-seeing?"
"We'll see," Danforth said, reaching over for more rice. Jayewardene set his plate down. "Excuse me." He got up and walked to the rear of the car, slid the door open, and stepped out onto the platform.
The giant ape's head was only about twelve feet from where he stood. Its eyes fluttered, then stared up at the rounded top of Adam's Peak. The ape opened its mouth; lips pulled back, revealing the huge yellow-white teeth. There was a rumble, louder than the train engine, from the back of the monster's throat.
"It's waking up," he yelled at the security men riding at the back of the flatcar.
They walked forward carefully, steadying themselves on the car's side railing, avoiding the ape's manacled hands. One watched the monster, rifle centered on its head. The other changed the plastic bottle hooked up to the IV in the ape's arm.
"`Thanks." One of the guards waved at Jayewardene. "It'll be okay now. This stuff will put him out for hours."
The ape twisted its head and looked directly at him, then turned back to Adam's Peak. It sighed and closed its eyes. There was something in the monster's brown eyes that he couldn't identify. He paused, then went back into the car. The curry aftertaste was sour in the back of his throat.
They reached the camp at dusk. Actually it was more of a hastily thrown together city of tents and portable buildings. There was less activity than Jayewardene had expected. Most of the crew sat around talking or playing cards. Only the zoo security people were busy, carefully unloading the ape onto a broadbed truck. It was still unconscious from the drug.
Danforth told Paula to introduce Jayewardene around. The director, Roger Winters, was busy making changes in the shooting script. He wore a Frank S. Buck outfit, complete with pith helmet to hide his thinning hair. Paula guided Jayewardene away from the director.
"You wouldn't like him," she said. "Nobody does. At least nobody I know. But he can bring them in on schedule. Here's somebody you'll be more interested in. You're not married, are you?"
"Widowed."
"Oh, sorry" She waved at a blond woman sitting on the bare wooden steps of the camp's main building. The woman wore a black and red "King Pongo" T-shirt, tight blue jeans, and leather walking boots.
"Hi, Paula," said the blonde, tossing her hair. "Who's your friend?"
"Robyn Symmes, meet Mr. G. C. Jayewardene," Paula said. Robyn extended her hand. Jayewardene lightly shook it. "Nice to meet you, Miss Symmes." Jayewardene bowed, embarrassingly aware of the tightness of his shirt across his oversize stomach. He was flattered to be in the company of the only two women he'd seen in the camp. They were both attractive, in a foreign way. He wiped the sweat from his brow and wondered how they would look in saris.
"Look, I have to go settle Danforth in. Why don't you two entertain each other for a while." Paula was walking