Chapter 3

"News From Europe"

Jane walked down to the Trading Post still trying to pull herself together of her sorrow for her father's missing presence. However, there was already a sense of disturbance in the air as Jane walked into the trading post for she could see Dumont and his staff with worried looks on their faces.

"Monsieur Dumont, is everything all right?" wondered Jane as she walked inside. "You all look like you have seen a ghost."

The Frenchman stepped away from his huddled group and walked over towards Jane, almost as if to tell her that there was something important that needed to be told to her.

"Well, my dear Jane," he said. "The world is preparing for war."

"What do you mean?" asked Jane, who was now flabbergasted at the situation. "What do you mean the world is preparing for war?"

"The archduke and the countess of Austria-Hungary has been assassinated," replied Dumont, walking back to the radio. "It came off the news this morning. I fear that the colonies of Africa will soon be joining the call to arms."

"It appears also," added Antoine. "That the man who killed the archduke and countess was influence by one of your father's books that he wrote."

Jane suddenly began to remember of the trip she and her father took to the Austria-Hungary Empire before they left for Africa. She began to also think back of the man who had a strong desire for her which was none other than Gaviro Princip, the man who shot the Archduke and his wife.

"You mean the book daddy and I presented in Sarajevo?" gasped Jane, shocked at what she had just heard. "That book about the growth of Gorilla colonies?"

"I'm afraid so," said Dumont, walking over to the counter. "The police in Sarajevo had discovered that Gaviro Princip had highlighted some parts of the book that dealt with exterminating the obstacles that prevent colonies from growing."

Jane could not believe what she had just heard and began to think of how her father's ideas could be used for something so vile as this. Her father had always treated his books with respect and sensitivity and for someone to do something like this, it sent chills down her spine.

"What can I do to respond to this?" wondered Jane as she sat down and ran her fingers through her hair. "This is not what my father wanted people to take his words for."

"Jane, you must calm down," cried Dumont, running over to her. "Remember, you just had a child."

Antoine then got up and gave Jane a glass of water which she drank along with an anxiety pill that immediately calmed her down.

"I know, but daddy wouldn't want his work…" Jane started to say, as Dumont continued to calm her down.

"Sit quietly, my dear," he said, rubbing his hand against her neck. "You must be calm. Perhaps maybe I could do something to cheer you up. Perhaps your child needs something for his baptism coming up?"

Dumont then walked over and handed Jane a baptism gown that babies wore at their baptism. This helped Jane brighten her spirits slightly and caused her to remember that Korak's baptism was coming up.

"Thank you, Monsieur, this should help me be calm," said Jane, sitting up from the chair.

Dumont then wiped a sweat from his brow and it seemed that everything would be calm, but at that moment, one of Dumont's employees came running into the trading post as fast as his legs would carry him.

"What's the matter with you?" grunted Dumont, who nearly fell to the ground. "You nearly hurt me, you idiot!"

"I'm sorry, monsieur," panted the employee. "But, I saw and heard some gunfire a few miles from here. They have joined the call to arms."

"Who joined the call to arms?" asked Jane worriedly. "Tell us, who?"

Dumont then lowered his head and beckoned the employee to come inside, ordering him to shut the door behind him. Once the door was closed, Dumont gathered his employees into a circle and he addressed them with a sound of concern.

"My friends," he began. "It appears that the German village not too far from here has answered the call to arms. Germany declared war on England and France this morning, vowing to destroy them. The Kaiser has ordered the colonies here to answer the call."

"What does that mean?" asked Jane.

"It means that the German colonies have been ordered to seek out and destroy anyone of English or French nationality in Africa, which means that we are all targets now."

A hushed silence fell on the trading post at that moment as everyone realized the severity of the situation.

"Are there any other countries joining Germany?" asked Antoine, who was starting to grow worried.

"I'm afraid the Ottoman Empire and Austria-Hungary itself has also heeded the call," replied Dumont, shrugging his shoulders. "But, its Germany that we have to fear. The German colony here has made a goal of expanding its territory into this part of the jungle and anyone who gets in its way will be put to death. I'm afraid that the only option we have is to leave the Trading Post and head for a safer location."

The employees all began to wonder of what was going to happen. They were being told to find safer ground and fast while Jane began to wonder of what to do next.

"How am I going to tell Tarzan of what needs to be done?" asked Jane, once again pacing around the room. "Korak's baptism is in a few days. We are having it in the Wazari village."

"Then you must have the baptism somewhere else," replied Dumont. "It's far too dangerous to stay here with these Germans stopping at nothing to achieve their goal."

Jane could not hear anymore and decided to leave at that moment, for she knew that Tarzan needed to be told of the situation and she wasn't sure of what needed to be done. But, there was one thing that she knew of and Jane could only think of the home that she and Tarzan had made in this jungle and that now it was being threatened not by any animal or encroaching human, but by an entire colony of a European country.

The Great War would soon be coming to Africa…