Triple Threat - James Patterson Page 0,56

near Otsuki. One afternoon, they were outside, apparently repairing their well. Neighbors heard screaming. By the time the cops arrived, they were all dead. Police sealed off the scene and claimed the deaths were a religion-motivated murder-suicide. The handful of neighbors who claimed they saw a pack of filthy, screeching Japanese rushing back into the woods? Their stories were deliberately disregarded and buried, by direct order from the Japanese Ministry of Justice.”

Unbelievable. I supposed desperate times call for desperate, semi-illegal measures. But still. It’s a miracle that word of the human attacks hasn’t spread. Then again, the world is in such a state of chaos, maybe not.

Yusuke drives slowly and carefully along the narrow, winding roads that lead up the side of Mount Gangaharasuri, which I appreciate. But I’m mindful of how low the sun has slipped in the sky when we finally arrive at the missionaries’ former village.

We exit the van, duck under the blue-and-white Japanese police crime scene tape, and do a quick walkabout of the property. The wooden home is modest, even by local standards. The stone path surrounding the well is covered with dried blood.

“My best guess,” Professor Tanaka says, inspecting a topographical map on his iPhone and scanning the dense, hilly forest that starts just a few yards from the house, “is the pack went that way. The terrain is still steep, but less so. And in about twenty kilometers, there is a small cave beside a freshwater creek.”

“The perfect spot for a prehistoric human settlement,” Freitas says. “Let’s go.”

He starts marching toward the woods, but I hesitate. As do some of the others.

“Are you serious?” I say. “It’s already after five o’clock. Sundown’s in less than an hour. By the time we reach that cave, it’ll be pitch black. Just think about that.”

Tanaka answers instead. “Oz-san, there is a saying. Jinsei ga hikari o tsukuru hozon shimasu. Save a life, and your path will always have light.”

“That’s a nice proverb and all, Professor, but—”

“Proverb? No. I just made it up. Now let’s go.”

I can’t help but scoff as Tanaka and Yusuke head bravely into the woods. Freitas and the other scientists soon follow. Reluctantly, I do as well.

I’m all for saving a life. Just as long as it doesn’t cost my own.

Chapter 25

Night falls on Mount Gangaharasuri. In addition to our guns and gear, each member of our ten-man team is using a long-range, super-bright LED tactical flashlight to illuminate the way. But as the last rays of reddish-orange sunlight disappear behind the horizon, a cold and heavy darkness engulfs us for miles.

“We are nearly at the cave,” Tanaka says. With his eyes glued to the GPS program on his iPhone, he nearly trips on a hidden rock. “Just a few more kilometers.”

“Good. And remember,” Freitas says to the rest of us, “if those feral humans are there? You all know exactly what to do.”

He means that we’re to carry out the plan of attack we carefully crafted. We might not have learned much about what’s causing humans to turn rabid yet, but we’re certainly more prepared to sedate and capture one than we were outside Johannesburg. I’m feeling confident but also tingly with nerves.

Suddenly, Tanaka stops in his tracks. He holds up his palm for us to halt.

We all stand still as statues for a moment—until we hear a frantic rustling coming from some distant trees.

Instinctively, many of us, including myself, aim our flashlights in that direction. We can’t see anything yet through the branches, but whatever it is, it looks to be about five or six feet tall. It’s moving fast. And there’s more than one.

Looks like the feral humans are coming for us first.

As we start to spread out and get ready, I slowly reach behind me. Slung over my shoulder are two weapons I can choose from: one lethal, one not. Even though it goes against our plan, my assault rifle is sounding pretty tempting right about now.

The rustling gets louder and louder…until four upright creatures burst from the trees and stagger toward us—not feral humans but Asiatic black bears.

Our group flies into chaos. Tanaka, Yusuke, Freitas, and the scientists all drop their flashlights, scramble for cover, and grope for their real weapons.

Thankfully, I already have mine aimed and ready.

I pepper the approaching bears with bullets as best I can in the darkness. I think I’ve hit at least two, but they keep coming. They roar and prepare to charge, their first target apparently Tanaka…

When just as suddenly, they all