Chapter 10
Running Out Of Time
Nigel offers to help Finn for a price. Ned runs into a familiar face in the jungle.
The very first time the feeling came over Veronica, she was listening to Caroline talk about how committed Nigel and she were to one another. Considering what Challenger had told her about Nigel and older women, Veronica highly doubted that Nigel felt the same for Caroline, as she apparently did for him.
Then the feeling came back, when she saw Roxton come back in to the room. She turned from Caroline abruptly and walked over to Challenger, who was telling Nigel some story about Summerlee. She touched his arm.
'We have to go, now!'
Challenger cut his eyes away from Nigel. Nigel gave her a curious look.
'What is it?' he asked.
'I have a feeling, don't ask me why, but a feeling that Ned is in trouble. We should try to get back before nightfall.'
Roxton walked over to them. Caroline hung back, but was clearly interested in their conversation.
'What is it?' Roxton asked as well.
Challenger looked at him. 'Veronica thinks that there may be trouble at the treehouse. And her intuition is rarely wrong.'
'I agree,' Roxton said shortly. 'I'll fetch Marguerite, then we'll get going.'
Nigel stared at Roxton. 'I don't think Marguerite should travel so soon after her harrowing experience. Maybe she should stay here.'
Roxton moved closer to him. 'We're not leaving her here alone.'
Caroline coughed. 'She really wouldn't be alone, I'd be here.'
'And I wouldn't,' Nigel smirked, 'if that's what you're concerned with. Caroline would see that she's looked after.'
Nigel then turned back to Challenger and Veronica. 'I would like to accompany you. Maybe I can help. It would also give me a chance to see where my father spent his last days.'
Challenger looked at Veronica. She sighed.
'I guess it would be alright. And if Ned or Finn are in trouble, we could use an extra body. What do you think, Roxton?'
Roxton was about to say something, when the sound of someone loudly clearing her throat, stopped them all. A smiling Marguerite walked into the room and approached the group.
'Thank you Nigel, Caroline, for your kindness. But I will be accompanying my friends back home.'
Roxton smiled at her, then gave Nigel a smug look. Nigel ignored Roxton and walked past him to get to Marguerite. He pulled her away from the group a bit. Caroline lifted a brow. Roxton began to follow, but Challenger pulled him back.
'Are you sure this is what you want to do?' Nigel asked Marguerite.
Marguerite nodded. 'You should come anyway. We still have most of your father's things. He also kept a journal. Maybe you can get to know him again through it.'
Nigel said nothing, but nodded.
'Marguerite? We should get going.' Roxton said. He began moving towards her.
'Alright, fine. Oh, I lost my pack in the jungle.'
'I have it.' Veronica answered. 'So, let's get going before it's too late.'
Nigel nodded. 'Let me get some supplies together. It won't take but a moment.' He then left the room. Caroline followed at his heels.
Roxton touched Marguerite's arm. 'Are you really feeling up to it?'
Marguerite gave him a faint smile. 'Of course...though I would've loved that bath!'
She then pulled away from him and walked over to Veronica.
'What do you think is wrong?' she asked her. Veronica just shook her head, looking more and more agitated.
'I don't know...it's just a sense. You know how you can feel something is off, when someone you love is in trouble?'
Marguerite snuck a peek at Roxton, who was already staring at her. They both smiled at one another briefly. Marguerite then turned her attention back to Veronica and Challenger.
'Alright then. As soon as Nigel is ready...'
She noted everyone's face fell when she mentioned his name. Marguerite folded her arms.
'What is the matter with everyone? This is Summerlee's son...our Summerlee! The least we can do is make sure that Nigel gets some kind of closure.'
'Marguerite,' Challenger began, 'There is much evidence that leads me to believe that young Mr. Summerlee's reasons for being on the plateau, are not what they seem.'
Roxton nodded. 'I agree with George. If he doesn't think something is right about the chap, then neither do I.'
Marguerite stared at both men in disbelief. She then looked at Veronica.
'And you feel the same way?'
'I don't know, Marguerite. I am reluctant to bring someone that gives off such bad vibes, back to the treehouse. But right now everything in me says that Ned needs us.'
Nigel came back in the room just then. Caroline followed. She had a disapproving look on her face. Challenger guessed that she had tried to talk Nigel out of accompanying them. He walked over to her.
'Don't worry my dear. We will return Nigel to you as soon as we can.'
Caroline half smiled. 'Oh, I'm not worried. I just hope Nigel can help with whatever is going on.'
Challenger just nodded. It was strange, but it hurt him to watch Caroline pine after Nigel. Her facial expressions said it all. She was deeply in love with this man. And Challenger was sure that Nigel had not changed one bit. He would've even bet that it was Caroline's money that was paying for everything here.
Challenger turned away from Caroline. 'Marguerite, get your pack. Nigel, come on. Let's get going.'
****
Malone watched the raptor he shot, keel over and die, before he began running again. The Zanga village seemed so far away. Any ordinary day, it was no longer than a half an hour's trek.
He kept running, not wanting to think about what would happen to Finn if he didn't make it back with help on time. Where the hell had Marguerite run off to? It must've been way over a mountain top or something, if Challenger and the others were gone this long.
Malone's thoughts jumped from Finn to Royce's diary. Royce had hinted that the Countess and him had been on the plateau longer than they had indicated. Malone couldn't help but smell some sort of conspiracy, something bigger than they had all originally thought.
It was as he was thinking along those lines, that he suddenly stopped in his tracks. Something that had been bothering him from the beginning, now began to nag at him. Why were there any diaries at all?
Malone began running again, knowing that his thoughts were keeping him from spotting the dangers of the jungle. But he couldn't help but think how convenient this whole thing turned out to be. That one diary tells Roxton that his wife has died, the other hints of a 'back-up plan', and the presence of someone else, familiar to the Countess and Royce on the plateau.
Of course, the Countess and Royce might have just wanted to write down what they saw when they arrived on the plateau. But, from what Malone saw, there wasn't much about the scenery. Just their evil plans.
And with the close quarters in the treehouse, and Finn's curiosity, there was a chance that those diaries would've been found while they were both still alive, and plotting. Why write down anything of their plans at all?
As Malone ran past a tree, something or someone grabbed him around the throat, pulling him back and throwing him on to the ground. Malone, disoriented for a moment, looked up and sucked in his breath.
Ian Royce, disheveled and filthy, was glaring down at him. He was breathing quite hard and looking around wildly. He was also waving a pistol.
****
Veronica lead the way back to the treehouse, moving quickly. Challenger didn't dare ask her to slow down. Her hurried movements were beginning to make him panic. Had the treehouse been attacked? Were Malone and Finn captured by God knows who? Or was Malone the only one in trouble, and Finn alone, was trying to help him?
He could feel that Nigel was keeping up. Challenger was slightly disgusted with himself. He had allowed Nigel to waylay him with a lot of medical and scientific talk. But what he hadn't forgotten, was that not only were Nigel Summerlee's personal morals questionable, his medical ethics could use some cleaning up as well.
Summerlee had only mentioned the source of tension between his son and himself once. It was while Summerlee and himself, had been scouting for ways off of the plateau by air balloon. Challenger had joked about how jealous their colleagues would be, once they brought back proof of the lost world. Summerlee had said in a voice Challenger had never heard before, that he himself didn't have anything to be proud of.
Challenger had been using binoculars at the time, and had stopped looking through them to look over at Summerlee. He had questioned his friend and sometime adversary, about what he meant by that?
Of course, Challenger had known of Nigel's reputation for using older, wealthy women. But what Summerlee had confided was shocking beyond comprehension. Summerlee had told Challenger of Nigel's passion for the medical profession. Of how his son had been kicked out of all the good medical schools in Britain, and one in the United States.
Summerlee then confided that Nigel had obtained, what Summerlee considered to be some sort of 'bogus' medical degree from a third world country. But all of that in itself, was not enough to cause Arthur Summerlee to disown his only son.
Summerlee told Challenger, that Nigel had had some dream of curing illnesses, specifically cancer. It was Summerlee's belief, that his beloved wife, and Nigel's mother, died not from her own cancer, but from a some sort of experimental drug that Nigel had given to his mother, with the hopes, supposedly, of inventing a cure for the illness.
Challenger had gently asked Summerlee if he had seen Nigel give his mother the drug. Summerlee had looked down. No, he had not. He just knew that Nigel had been in to see his mother for what seemed like an interminable amount of time. After he left, her pain got ten times worse. Summerlee, who lived with the never ending guilt of not having been with his wife during her last moments, told Challenger that all he remembered was his wife crying about 'knives in her stomach'.
Summerlee had confronted Nigel, who only half denied it. Whatever that meant, Challenger could not be sure, for Summerlee decided to change the topic at that point. But he did add that Nigel's experiments for a cure for cancer, were always financed by playing on the affections of older, wealthy women, sometimes married, most times widowed.
Challenger had not said anything aloud, but he was forced to wonder if Nigel had caused the illnesses in the Zanga, Warao and Piaroa tribes, then magically 'cured' them. If that was the case, then Nigel had obviously finally succeeded in his venture to cure cancer, if that is what these tribes had had. Or it could've just been some sort of poison?
'Is it much farther?'
Challenger shook himself out of his reverie and looked back at Nigel.
'Not much further.' he answered. Hopefully, Summerlee's doubts about his son were misplaced. Otherwise, they had made a mistake leading him to their home.
****
Marguerite walked in front of Roxton, while he brought up the rear. He pulled her back some from the rest of the group, so they could be alone.
'This may be our only chance to talk.' he said.
Marguerite gave him a clueless look. 'About what?'
'About Nigel, and your hopes of getting off of this plateau.'
Marguerite glanced up ahead at Veronica, Challenger and Nigel. At one point, Nigel had turned back to look at her. She had smiled at him.
She lowered her voice. 'What exactly is it that you don't trust about him, John? I mean, he is Arthur Summerlee's son. Do you really think that the man we all knew would produce a son that wasn't above reproach?'
'I'm sure Summerlee wanted a son above reproach as well. From the way Challenger tells it, that's not what he got. Like that woman he's living with for example....
Marguerite looked over at him. 'Caroline?'
'Yes, Caroline. Don't you think it's even the tiniest bit strange, that just in the last few days, all of these people that are known to us, start showing up here on the plateau?'
'No,' Marguerite said stubbornly, 'it just means that our time has come. We've been here long enough. And I don't see how Nigel's affinity for older, wealthy women, has anything to do with his getting us out of here?'
Roxton stared over at her in disbelief, keeping an eye on the party up ahead.
'Marguerite, for God's sakes, you almost sound as if you think what he's doing is alright!'
Veronica had turned her head to look back at them. Roxton realized his voice had carried. He lowered it, Marguerite rolled her eyes.
'I don't think that it's alright, John, but we don't know that he isn't in love with Caroline. And, I've made my share of mistakes in that area. So I can't really judge.'
'But you can judge me, right?'
Marguerite stopped walking and faced him. Roxton stopped as well. 'I don't love Nigel. So yes, maybe I can see his mistakes with a clear head. You lied to me. And part of my problem with that lie was that I don't think you would've ever told me the truth if the Countess hadn't done it for you. But I am past it, John. I just don't want to think about it right now. Malone and Finn could be in trouble.'
Marguerite started walking again, and had to skip lightly to catch up. Roxton slowed his pace a little. He had promised to give her time to work things through. But none of them, to his knowledge, had heard Nigel actually say he was going to take them back to civilization. After all, the man had Zangas still working on his compound. Roxton had no doubt that they weren't leaving anytime soon.
****
'I thought you had died...in the quicksand.' Malone said, getting up slowly with his hands up.
Royce continued to wave the gun wildly.
'Yes, that's what I wanted everyone to believe, especially the Countess. Where is the evil prig?'
'Dead.' Malone answered, lowering his hands. Wherever Royce had been these past few days had really taken a severe toll on him. His clothes were now filthy black, as if he had been rolling around in mud and God knows what else.
'We saw your hat, Finn and I.' Malone said.
'I almost died in that deathtrap. The Countess and I were on our way back to the treehouse, when she told me of an alternate route. I took the route, but soon the Countess and I were separated, though in reality, I'm sure she gave me the slip, since she was a good many feet behind me. I almost fell in and sank, and would have perished, if it had not been for a strong vine nearby. I pulled myself out and laid my hat a top of the slime. I then screamed, hoping for either the Countess, or you, to come by and bear witness to my untimely 'death'.
'But why?' Malone asked, shocked.
'Because once I fell in, I realized that the Countess had set me up. I told her that I would be representing Marguerite Von Bubrik when we returned to civilization. She never had any intention of taking any of you back with her.'
'We figured that out.'
'How did she die? Do tell me it was painful?'
Malone rolled his eyes. 'Look Mr. Royce, I don't know what you want, but I need to get help for Finn. She's sick.'
Royce lowered his gun. His eyes looked wild.
'Of course she is.' was all he said. Malone eased towards him.
'What do you mean by that? Tell me! Does Finn's illness have to do with what you talked about in the diaries?'
Royce gave Malone a look as if he had lost his mind!
'What diaries?' he hissed.
Malone's heart sank. 'The two diaries we found among your things.'
'Sir, I can assure you, I do not keep a diary.'
Malone got close enough to leap at him! He took advantage of Royce's obvious fatigue from having to deal with jungle life, and punched him in the stomach. Once Royce lowered to the ground, Malone snatched the gun from his hand and kicked him. Royce rolled around on the ground moaning. Malone pointed the gun down at him.
'Now, you answer a few of my questions! Do you, or have you ever kept a diary?'
All Royce could do was shake his head. Malone blew out a breath. That probably meant that...
'Is Lady Roxton dead?'
Royce tried to sit up. He looked Malone up and down.
'Not unless she died after we left. She was disfigured in a fire some months back.'
Great! Malone thought. So, when Marguerite and Roxton returned, their relationship patched up, Marguerite was going to have to hear that Roxton is indeed still married. Lovely!
'The Countess,' Royce whispered, 'was a cruel woman in that way. I'm not surprised that she planted diaries on my person.'
Malone stared at him for a moment. 'Then that part about someone else you knew being on the plateau...a rogue...that wasn't true either?'
Royce slowly stood up. He looked dead serious.
'If you know about him, then the Countess was planning to betray him too.'
Malone squinted at him, still pointing the pistol at him.
'Who? What is going on and what does all of this have to do with Finn? You know, never mind! Finn is practically dying back at home! Let's move! You're coming to the Zanga Village with me!'
'Ned!'
Malone and Royce turned around. Veronica and the others were coming towards him. Royce looked at them, then began to run in the opposite direction. Nigel ran forward, pulled out a pistol, and shot Royce in the back. Royce fell down, dead.
Marguerite stopped short, thoroughly shocked. Roxton held on to her.
'Are you alright?' he asked.
Marguerite stared up at him. 'Why would he do that?'
'Never mind, just stay back.' Roxton walked past Marguerite and joined Challenger and Veronica, who were now at Malone's side. Malone had lowered his gun. Roxton walked up to Nigel.
'What the bloody hell was that all about?'
Nigel gave them all cool looks.
'I saw he was causing your friend here trouble. I thought I could help.'
Challenger eye balled him. 'Yes, but Malone had the gun on Royce. How do you know that Royce wasn't the one in danger?'
Nigel took a deep breath. 'Because he ran, Professor.'
'Or he knew you.' Roxton said. He had seen the look in Royce's eyes as they came near. He was looking at Nigel. And Nigel was the reason he ran.
Malone interrupted. 'We don't have time for this. Finn is ill. Something in the garden poisoned her. I have the plate in my pack for you to analyze, Professor, but I think we need to get someone from the Zanga Village to help.'
'Ned, Veronica, you go to the Zanga's and get a doctor. The rest of us will go to Finn.'
'You won't need that doctor.' Nigel answered quietly. Everyone else stopped and looked at him. Marguerite was behind Nigel.
'Nigel, what do you mean?' she asked, not liking the feeling she was getting from all of this. How the hell did Ian Royce show back up alive anyhow?
Nigel half looked at her. 'What I mean, my dear, is that only I have the antidote to the special poison the Countess sprinkled on to your garden. Now, why don' t we all head back to this treehouse? And once there, I'll name my price for saving your friend. I'm sure she doesn't have much longer.'
'Name it now!' Roxton demanded. He was uncomfortable with the idea of Marguerite standing behind Nigel, while everyone else was in front of him. The man was clearly some sort of maniac!
Challenger spoke. 'Your father was right about you.'
Nigel gave them all a bittersweet expression. 'Unfortunately, I suppose he was.'
Marguerite tried to move past Nigel, but he caught her arm. She tried to keep from yiping, as Roxton, Malone, Veronica and Challenger sprang forward. Nigel was still holding his pistol with his other hand.
'I'll just keep her back here, for insurance. All of you, get moving...in front of me. Any funny business, and the lovely Ms. Krux and her unborn child die. And we wouldn't want that, would we?'
Challenger had to physically turn Roxton around.
'It will be alright. He doesn't dare do anything to her. He needs something from us.'
All Roxton could do was nod. But he had already decided that once Nigel cured Finn, if he cured her, he would not be leaving the treehouse alive.
Malone walked behind Veronica. Who was this psychopath that Veronica and the others had brought back with them? Why had they brought him back? He then briefly wondered if the Countess had been referring to this man, when she had wrote about a 'rogue'?
Malone didn't dare look back at Roxton or Marguerite. For when this was over, he would have to tell them the bad news that both diaries were not written by Ian Royce, and that Lady Emma Roxton was indeed very much alive.
Running Out Of Time
Nigel offers to help Finn for a price. Ned runs into a familiar face in the jungle.
The very first time the feeling came over Veronica, she was listening to Caroline talk about how committed Nigel and she were to one another. Considering what Challenger had told her about Nigel and older women, Veronica highly doubted that Nigel felt the same for Caroline, as she apparently did for him.
Then the feeling came back, when she saw Roxton come back in to the room. She turned from Caroline abruptly and walked over to Challenger, who was telling Nigel some story about Summerlee. She touched his arm.
'We have to go, now!'
Challenger cut his eyes away from Nigel. Nigel gave her a curious look.
'What is it?' he asked.
'I have a feeling, don't ask me why, but a feeling that Ned is in trouble. We should try to get back before nightfall.'
Roxton walked over to them. Caroline hung back, but was clearly interested in their conversation.
'What is it?' Roxton asked as well.
Challenger looked at him. 'Veronica thinks that there may be trouble at the treehouse. And her intuition is rarely wrong.'
'I agree,' Roxton said shortly. 'I'll fetch Marguerite, then we'll get going.'
Nigel stared at Roxton. 'I don't think Marguerite should travel so soon after her harrowing experience. Maybe she should stay here.'
Roxton moved closer to him. 'We're not leaving her here alone.'
Caroline coughed. 'She really wouldn't be alone, I'd be here.'
'And I wouldn't,' Nigel smirked, 'if that's what you're concerned with. Caroline would see that she's looked after.'
Nigel then turned back to Challenger and Veronica. 'I would like to accompany you. Maybe I can help. It would also give me a chance to see where my father spent his last days.'
Challenger looked at Veronica. She sighed.
'I guess it would be alright. And if Ned or Finn are in trouble, we could use an extra body. What do you think, Roxton?'
Roxton was about to say something, when the sound of someone loudly clearing her throat, stopped them all. A smiling Marguerite walked into the room and approached the group.
'Thank you Nigel, Caroline, for your kindness. But I will be accompanying my friends back home.'
Roxton smiled at her, then gave Nigel a smug look. Nigel ignored Roxton and walked past him to get to Marguerite. He pulled her away from the group a bit. Caroline lifted a brow. Roxton began to follow, but Challenger pulled him back.
'Are you sure this is what you want to do?' Nigel asked Marguerite.
Marguerite nodded. 'You should come anyway. We still have most of your father's things. He also kept a journal. Maybe you can get to know him again through it.'
Nigel said nothing, but nodded.
'Marguerite? We should get going.' Roxton said. He began moving towards her.
'Alright, fine. Oh, I lost my pack in the jungle.'
'I have it.' Veronica answered. 'So, let's get going before it's too late.'
Nigel nodded. 'Let me get some supplies together. It won't take but a moment.' He then left the room. Caroline followed at his heels.
Roxton touched Marguerite's arm. 'Are you really feeling up to it?'
Marguerite gave him a faint smile. 'Of course...though I would've loved that bath!'
She then pulled away from him and walked over to Veronica.
'What do you think is wrong?' she asked her. Veronica just shook her head, looking more and more agitated.
'I don't know...it's just a sense. You know how you can feel something is off, when someone you love is in trouble?'
Marguerite snuck a peek at Roxton, who was already staring at her. They both smiled at one another briefly. Marguerite then turned her attention back to Veronica and Challenger.
'Alright then. As soon as Nigel is ready...'
She noted everyone's face fell when she mentioned his name. Marguerite folded her arms.
'What is the matter with everyone? This is Summerlee's son...our Summerlee! The least we can do is make sure that Nigel gets some kind of closure.'
'Marguerite,' Challenger began, 'There is much evidence that leads me to believe that young Mr. Summerlee's reasons for being on the plateau, are not what they seem.'
Roxton nodded. 'I agree with George. If he doesn't think something is right about the chap, then neither do I.'
Marguerite stared at both men in disbelief. She then looked at Veronica.
'And you feel the same way?'
'I don't know, Marguerite. I am reluctant to bring someone that gives off such bad vibes, back to the treehouse. But right now everything in me says that Ned needs us.'
Nigel came back in the room just then. Caroline followed. She had a disapproving look on her face. Challenger guessed that she had tried to talk Nigel out of accompanying them. He walked over to her.
'Don't worry my dear. We will return Nigel to you as soon as we can.'
Caroline half smiled. 'Oh, I'm not worried. I just hope Nigel can help with whatever is going on.'
Challenger just nodded. It was strange, but it hurt him to watch Caroline pine after Nigel. Her facial expressions said it all. She was deeply in love with this man. And Challenger was sure that Nigel had not changed one bit. He would've even bet that it was Caroline's money that was paying for everything here.
Challenger turned away from Caroline. 'Marguerite, get your pack. Nigel, come on. Let's get going.'
****
Malone watched the raptor he shot, keel over and die, before he began running again. The Zanga village seemed so far away. Any ordinary day, it was no longer than a half an hour's trek.
He kept running, not wanting to think about what would happen to Finn if he didn't make it back with help on time. Where the hell had Marguerite run off to? It must've been way over a mountain top or something, if Challenger and the others were gone this long.
Malone's thoughts jumped from Finn to Royce's diary. Royce had hinted that the Countess and him had been on the plateau longer than they had indicated. Malone couldn't help but smell some sort of conspiracy, something bigger than they had all originally thought.
It was as he was thinking along those lines, that he suddenly stopped in his tracks. Something that had been bothering him from the beginning, now began to nag at him. Why were there any diaries at all?
Malone began running again, knowing that his thoughts were keeping him from spotting the dangers of the jungle. But he couldn't help but think how convenient this whole thing turned out to be. That one diary tells Roxton that his wife has died, the other hints of a 'back-up plan', and the presence of someone else, familiar to the Countess and Royce on the plateau.
Of course, the Countess and Royce might have just wanted to write down what they saw when they arrived on the plateau. But, from what Malone saw, there wasn't much about the scenery. Just their evil plans.
And with the close quarters in the treehouse, and Finn's curiosity, there was a chance that those diaries would've been found while they were both still alive, and plotting. Why write down anything of their plans at all?
As Malone ran past a tree, something or someone grabbed him around the throat, pulling him back and throwing him on to the ground. Malone, disoriented for a moment, looked up and sucked in his breath.
Ian Royce, disheveled and filthy, was glaring down at him. He was breathing quite hard and looking around wildly. He was also waving a pistol.
****
Veronica lead the way back to the treehouse, moving quickly. Challenger didn't dare ask her to slow down. Her hurried movements were beginning to make him panic. Had the treehouse been attacked? Were Malone and Finn captured by God knows who? Or was Malone the only one in trouble, and Finn alone, was trying to help him?
He could feel that Nigel was keeping up. Challenger was slightly disgusted with himself. He had allowed Nigel to waylay him with a lot of medical and scientific talk. But what he hadn't forgotten, was that not only were Nigel Summerlee's personal morals questionable, his medical ethics could use some cleaning up as well.
Summerlee had only mentioned the source of tension between his son and himself once. It was while Summerlee and himself, had been scouting for ways off of the plateau by air balloon. Challenger had joked about how jealous their colleagues would be, once they brought back proof of the lost world. Summerlee had said in a voice Challenger had never heard before, that he himself didn't have anything to be proud of.
Challenger had been using binoculars at the time, and had stopped looking through them to look over at Summerlee. He had questioned his friend and sometime adversary, about what he meant by that?
Of course, Challenger had known of Nigel's reputation for using older, wealthy women. But what Summerlee had confided was shocking beyond comprehension. Summerlee had told Challenger of Nigel's passion for the medical profession. Of how his son had been kicked out of all the good medical schools in Britain, and one in the United States.
Summerlee then confided that Nigel had obtained, what Summerlee considered to be some sort of 'bogus' medical degree from a third world country. But all of that in itself, was not enough to cause Arthur Summerlee to disown his only son.
Summerlee told Challenger, that Nigel had had some dream of curing illnesses, specifically cancer. It was Summerlee's belief, that his beloved wife, and Nigel's mother, died not from her own cancer, but from a some sort of experimental drug that Nigel had given to his mother, with the hopes, supposedly, of inventing a cure for the illness.
Challenger had gently asked Summerlee if he had seen Nigel give his mother the drug. Summerlee had looked down. No, he had not. He just knew that Nigel had been in to see his mother for what seemed like an interminable amount of time. After he left, her pain got ten times worse. Summerlee, who lived with the never ending guilt of not having been with his wife during her last moments, told Challenger that all he remembered was his wife crying about 'knives in her stomach'.
Summerlee had confronted Nigel, who only half denied it. Whatever that meant, Challenger could not be sure, for Summerlee decided to change the topic at that point. But he did add that Nigel's experiments for a cure for cancer, were always financed by playing on the affections of older, wealthy women, sometimes married, most times widowed.
Challenger had not said anything aloud, but he was forced to wonder if Nigel had caused the illnesses in the Zanga, Warao and Piaroa tribes, then magically 'cured' them. If that was the case, then Nigel had obviously finally succeeded in his venture to cure cancer, if that is what these tribes had had. Or it could've just been some sort of poison?
'Is it much farther?'
Challenger shook himself out of his reverie and looked back at Nigel.
'Not much further.' he answered. Hopefully, Summerlee's doubts about his son were misplaced. Otherwise, they had made a mistake leading him to their home.
****
Marguerite walked in front of Roxton, while he brought up the rear. He pulled her back some from the rest of the group, so they could be alone.
'This may be our only chance to talk.' he said.
Marguerite gave him a clueless look. 'About what?'
'About Nigel, and your hopes of getting off of this plateau.'
Marguerite glanced up ahead at Veronica, Challenger and Nigel. At one point, Nigel had turned back to look at her. She had smiled at him.
She lowered her voice. 'What exactly is it that you don't trust about him, John? I mean, he is Arthur Summerlee's son. Do you really think that the man we all knew would produce a son that wasn't above reproach?'
'I'm sure Summerlee wanted a son above reproach as well. From the way Challenger tells it, that's not what he got. Like that woman he's living with for example....
Marguerite looked over at him. 'Caroline?'
'Yes, Caroline. Don't you think it's even the tiniest bit strange, that just in the last few days, all of these people that are known to us, start showing up here on the plateau?'
'No,' Marguerite said stubbornly, 'it just means that our time has come. We've been here long enough. And I don't see how Nigel's affinity for older, wealthy women, has anything to do with his getting us out of here?'
Roxton stared over at her in disbelief, keeping an eye on the party up ahead.
'Marguerite, for God's sakes, you almost sound as if you think what he's doing is alright!'
Veronica had turned her head to look back at them. Roxton realized his voice had carried. He lowered it, Marguerite rolled her eyes.
'I don't think that it's alright, John, but we don't know that he isn't in love with Caroline. And, I've made my share of mistakes in that area. So I can't really judge.'
'But you can judge me, right?'
Marguerite stopped walking and faced him. Roxton stopped as well. 'I don't love Nigel. So yes, maybe I can see his mistakes with a clear head. You lied to me. And part of my problem with that lie was that I don't think you would've ever told me the truth if the Countess hadn't done it for you. But I am past it, John. I just don't want to think about it right now. Malone and Finn could be in trouble.'
Marguerite started walking again, and had to skip lightly to catch up. Roxton slowed his pace a little. He had promised to give her time to work things through. But none of them, to his knowledge, had heard Nigel actually say he was going to take them back to civilization. After all, the man had Zangas still working on his compound. Roxton had no doubt that they weren't leaving anytime soon.
****
'I thought you had died...in the quicksand.' Malone said, getting up slowly with his hands up.
Royce continued to wave the gun wildly.
'Yes, that's what I wanted everyone to believe, especially the Countess. Where is the evil prig?'
'Dead.' Malone answered, lowering his hands. Wherever Royce had been these past few days had really taken a severe toll on him. His clothes were now filthy black, as if he had been rolling around in mud and God knows what else.
'We saw your hat, Finn and I.' Malone said.
'I almost died in that deathtrap. The Countess and I were on our way back to the treehouse, when she told me of an alternate route. I took the route, but soon the Countess and I were separated, though in reality, I'm sure she gave me the slip, since she was a good many feet behind me. I almost fell in and sank, and would have perished, if it had not been for a strong vine nearby. I pulled myself out and laid my hat a top of the slime. I then screamed, hoping for either the Countess, or you, to come by and bear witness to my untimely 'death'.
'But why?' Malone asked, shocked.
'Because once I fell in, I realized that the Countess had set me up. I told her that I would be representing Marguerite Von Bubrik when we returned to civilization. She never had any intention of taking any of you back with her.'
'We figured that out.'
'How did she die? Do tell me it was painful?'
Malone rolled his eyes. 'Look Mr. Royce, I don't know what you want, but I need to get help for Finn. She's sick.'
Royce lowered his gun. His eyes looked wild.
'Of course she is.' was all he said. Malone eased towards him.
'What do you mean by that? Tell me! Does Finn's illness have to do with what you talked about in the diaries?'
Royce gave Malone a look as if he had lost his mind!
'What diaries?' he hissed.
Malone's heart sank. 'The two diaries we found among your things.'
'Sir, I can assure you, I do not keep a diary.'
Malone got close enough to leap at him! He took advantage of Royce's obvious fatigue from having to deal with jungle life, and punched him in the stomach. Once Royce lowered to the ground, Malone snatched the gun from his hand and kicked him. Royce rolled around on the ground moaning. Malone pointed the gun down at him.
'Now, you answer a few of my questions! Do you, or have you ever kept a diary?'
All Royce could do was shake his head. Malone blew out a breath. That probably meant that...
'Is Lady Roxton dead?'
Royce tried to sit up. He looked Malone up and down.
'Not unless she died after we left. She was disfigured in a fire some months back.'
Great! Malone thought. So, when Marguerite and Roxton returned, their relationship patched up, Marguerite was going to have to hear that Roxton is indeed still married. Lovely!
'The Countess,' Royce whispered, 'was a cruel woman in that way. I'm not surprised that she planted diaries on my person.'
Malone stared at him for a moment. 'Then that part about someone else you knew being on the plateau...a rogue...that wasn't true either?'
Royce slowly stood up. He looked dead serious.
'If you know about him, then the Countess was planning to betray him too.'
Malone squinted at him, still pointing the pistol at him.
'Who? What is going on and what does all of this have to do with Finn? You know, never mind! Finn is practically dying back at home! Let's move! You're coming to the Zanga Village with me!'
'Ned!'
Malone and Royce turned around. Veronica and the others were coming towards him. Royce looked at them, then began to run in the opposite direction. Nigel ran forward, pulled out a pistol, and shot Royce in the back. Royce fell down, dead.
Marguerite stopped short, thoroughly shocked. Roxton held on to her.
'Are you alright?' he asked.
Marguerite stared up at him. 'Why would he do that?'
'Never mind, just stay back.' Roxton walked past Marguerite and joined Challenger and Veronica, who were now at Malone's side. Malone had lowered his gun. Roxton walked up to Nigel.
'What the bloody hell was that all about?'
Nigel gave them all cool looks.
'I saw he was causing your friend here trouble. I thought I could help.'
Challenger eye balled him. 'Yes, but Malone had the gun on Royce. How do you know that Royce wasn't the one in danger?'
Nigel took a deep breath. 'Because he ran, Professor.'
'Or he knew you.' Roxton said. He had seen the look in Royce's eyes as they came near. He was looking at Nigel. And Nigel was the reason he ran.
Malone interrupted. 'We don't have time for this. Finn is ill. Something in the garden poisoned her. I have the plate in my pack for you to analyze, Professor, but I think we need to get someone from the Zanga Village to help.'
'Ned, Veronica, you go to the Zanga's and get a doctor. The rest of us will go to Finn.'
'You won't need that doctor.' Nigel answered quietly. Everyone else stopped and looked at him. Marguerite was behind Nigel.
'Nigel, what do you mean?' she asked, not liking the feeling she was getting from all of this. How the hell did Ian Royce show back up alive anyhow?
Nigel half looked at her. 'What I mean, my dear, is that only I have the antidote to the special poison the Countess sprinkled on to your garden. Now, why don' t we all head back to this treehouse? And once there, I'll name my price for saving your friend. I'm sure she doesn't have much longer.'
'Name it now!' Roxton demanded. He was uncomfortable with the idea of Marguerite standing behind Nigel, while everyone else was in front of him. The man was clearly some sort of maniac!
Challenger spoke. 'Your father was right about you.'
Nigel gave them all a bittersweet expression. 'Unfortunately, I suppose he was.'
Marguerite tried to move past Nigel, but he caught her arm. She tried to keep from yiping, as Roxton, Malone, Veronica and Challenger sprang forward. Nigel was still holding his pistol with his other hand.
'I'll just keep her back here, for insurance. All of you, get moving...in front of me. Any funny business, and the lovely Ms. Krux and her unborn child die. And we wouldn't want that, would we?'
Challenger had to physically turn Roxton around.
'It will be alright. He doesn't dare do anything to her. He needs something from us.'
All Roxton could do was nod. But he had already decided that once Nigel cured Finn, if he cured her, he would not be leaving the treehouse alive.
Malone walked behind Veronica. Who was this psychopath that Veronica and the others had brought back with them? Why had they brought him back? He then briefly wondered if the Countess had been referring to this man, when she had wrote about a 'rogue'?
Malone didn't dare look back at Roxton or Marguerite. For when this was over, he would have to tell them the bad news that both diaries were not written by Ian Royce, and that Lady Emma Roxton was indeed very much alive.