Part 2: The Transformation

Chapter 18

"Meeting Monsieur Dumont"

Running to the sounds of gunshots ringing in the air, Tarzan grabbed his spear and with Jane not following far behind, found one of the men firing the shots and Tarzan grabbed his gun and threw far away. Jane found the other man and unlike Tarzan, tried to simply pull it away from him and what she got was a throw to the ground. The man grabbed a knife and was about to stab Jane when a voice came out far in the distance.

"That's enough!" called the voice and a man emerged from the building wearing a blue jacket, red tie and gray pants. His hair was black and he had a moustache and he spoke in a French Accent.

"Please," he said, walking towards Jane. "Why can't we all be friends here? Especially towards this beautiful young flower."

He raised out his hand and pulled Jane up to her feet as Tarzan ran over to keep her away. Jane gasped and pulled her arm out of Tarzan's grip.

"Tarzan!" she cried. "He means no harm!"

But all Tarzan did was stand there in cold silence and looked at the man like he was an invader of the jungle. Given the fact that the events of Clayton were still fresh in his mind, there was no question that he was becoming more and more protective of those closest to him. But, the man was amazed upon meeting Tarzan, admiring his towering strength and enterprise.

"So, you are Tarzan," he said. "I must admit I had heard many stories about you from all over Europe and I look forward to you being a regular here at Dumont's Trading Post."

"And where pray tell," asked Jane, folding her arms. "Exactly is Dumont's Trading Post?"

"Well, it's right here," said the man, showing off the building behind him. "Or its soon will be."

Tarzan looked at the building and then noticed a large cage sitting right next to one of the doors. This made him go all out and he looked back at the man.

"Cages," he said to himself.

"Do these interest you?" asked the man and with the memories of Clayton's invasion still fresh in his mind, he gave a cold answer.

"They do," he said and Tarzan grabbed the man's jacket and pulled him towards his face.

"Tarzan!" cried Jane.

"You will stay away from the gorillas in this valley," he snarled but all the man did was laugh.

"Why would I come all this way to capture gorillas?" asked the man. "I am not a poacher, I am a businessman."

He stepped back from Tarzan's grip and bowed to Tarzan and Jane.

"Renard Dumont, at your service," he said, bowing to them.

"I'm Jane Porter," said Jane. "And this is my husband, Tarzan."

Jane then walked over to Tarzan and calmed him down as she continued to look at Renard. Now that he had addressed his presence, Jane was a lot more comfortable about the man.

"My father and I recently decided to stay here in the jungle rather than go back to our home in England," explained Jane. "As long as you say who you are, I am sure we can get along somehow."

"Why of course Jane," replied Dumont. "I know that living in the jungle will be difficult to say the least, but I will have all the provisions you will need over time: canned food, tea, some new clothes, perhaps?"

"Did you say clothes?" asked Jane.

"I did," he said.

"I could use some new clothes," said Jane. "But we don't have any money."

"Why everything that you take from here is all free of charge," replied Dumont. "Because you live in the jungle, everything is complementary. The only ones who have to pay are the non-jungle residents."

Jane suddenly was starting to admire this Dumont character and as they walked back to the tree house, they were being carefully watched by a pair of eyes that shone in the sunlight.

"Enjoy your time now, Tarzan," hissed the creature. "For it will be the last time you will be with your mate."

A little while later, they made it back to the tree house where Archimedes was putting together some of the provisions that were left for them by Captain Gerard.

"Daddy," said Jane as they got back. "What are you doing?"

"Why, we are setting up this tree house," he replied. "Aren't we going to live here in civilization while we stay with our friends?"

"Yes, daddy," she said. "But what can we do about Tarzan? He should stay here with us too."

"It's all right," replied Tarzan sadly. "Jane stays here with father, I stay with gorillas."

Jane was suddenly taken aback by this comment and sat down next to Tarzan, realizing that just because she and her father were going to be here, doesn't mean that Tarzan was going to get the same treatment.

"Tarzan," remarked Jane. "Of course you can stay here with us. You are one of us now and that is all there is to it."

Tarzan instantly felt a sense of calmness upon hearing those words and at the same time, began to feel a sense of desire to be with Jane. In his mind, the decision that she and her father made on that row boat was perhaps the best decision that they had ever made and now he felt that he should confess his love for Jane right then and there, but the time was not right yet.

"Does that mean Jane and father now with gorilla family?" Tarzan asked.

"Yes," said Jane softly. "We are members of your family now."

"Tarzan is happy to hear that," replied Tarzan, gazing into her eyes. "Jane is member of family now."

This made Archimedes blush to an extent, for he always wanted to have Jane be happy and that he knew that her relationship with Bobby back in England was on the rocks. So, he decided to step out of the main living room of the tree house for a second to have Jane and Tarzan be alone.

Little did he know of the chemistry that was beginning to develop between them and that Jane was beginning to shred her civilized way of life for a life among apes in the jungles of Africa…