Darwin's Race by Brian Ullmann

Author:Brian Ullmann [Ullmann, Brian]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-1-60542-315-9
Publisher: Medallion Media Group
Published: 2009-01-15T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

Team North Face

Tsangpo Gorge

A few hours later, under a black Tibetan sky, the bellies of the members of Team North Face were filled with half-cooked spaghetti—the burners had run out of fuel—and the pots were cleaned and stowed. The racers had completed their final bathroom breaks for the evening. This was vital because it was a royal pain in the ass to climb out of the tent once everyone was tucked inside cozy sleeping bags. One person getting up invariably disrupted the sleep of everyone present, so as a general rule it was better to empty the bladder just before turning in for the night.

Wade Stanley stretched out atop his mummy bag, staring into the inky darkness. Inside the tent, the body warmth emanating from Tess and Blaine made the sleeping bags unnecessary. Not for long though. Once the ascent of Kuk Sur commenced, Wade knew the frigid cold would chase them inside their restrictive bags. Better to enjoy the freedom while he could.

One of Tess’s hands was resting on his leg, and he slowly removed it and rolled to his side. He hadn’t been happy to discover her alone in the jungle with her old boyfriend, but she had apologized profusely, saying she had no idea Providence had camped anywhere in the vicinity. Sounded reasonable, but the scene of the two of them huddled beside the creek still disturbed him. It wasn’t that he didn’t trust her. He did. Completely. But the lure of old love was a frighteningly strong current, and Conner Michaels, Wade was loathe to admit, was not a man without charm.

Wade closed his eyes, tried to push the thought from his mind.

Something scratched outside the tent.

By now, Wade had grown accustomed to the night sounds of the Tibetan jungle. The campsite practically squirmed with activity; nocturnal creatures skittering about in search of food. But this noise was different, more solid.

Closer.

Suddenly alert, Wade pitched himself up on his elbows and trained his ear to the sounds of the jungle. Beside him, Tess stirred.

“What are you doing?” she asked groggily.

“I thought I heard something.”

A light breeze wafted through the half-open tent flap, crafting an almost musical whine. Wade moved quickly to zip up the tent flap. The whistling stopped.

“Is that what you heard?” asked Tess.

“I didn’t think so.” He waited another moment, assuring himself, then settled back onto his bag. “I guess it was nothing.”

Suddenly an ear-splitting roar shook the tent upon its stakes. It sounded like an airplane was about to land on their tent—it was that close, that loud.

But this sound was animal.

The growl of something wild.

Blaine jolted awake. “What the hell was that?” he asked, bug-eyed.

“Something that needs to be scared off,” Wade said.

The sound seemed to come from everywhere, all around them, but Wade couldn’t tell if it was the roar of a single animal or an entire pack. He scrambled to retrieve his headlamp from his backpack.

“Don’t go out there,” Tess protested. “What if it’s another tiger?”

The growling outside the tent faded to silence.

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