The Solomon Key by Nick Thacker

Author:Nick Thacker [Thacker, Nick]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Conundrum Publishing
Published: 2023-03-12T16:00:00+00:00

FORTY

ANNA

Saturday | 2:30 pm

Kirakira, Solomon Islands

Brody, Anna, and Colin were walking quickly to the edge of the village, about to set off downstream, Neva huffing along behind them. Max, against their judgment and urging, had commandeered the local guide who had helped him get to the village, and together the pair had split off from the group. They were also heading toward the edge of the village on the higher side to the east, working their way to the waterfall.

He had hardly offered a rebuttal, simply stating that if they weren’t going to support him, he would get the shots with his phone by himself. He wanted to film himself building a shelter, and that was that.

It was a strange hill to die on, but who were they to fight him about it?

The guide had seemed torn as well, not wanting to leave the group but also not wanting to leave his charge alone in strange territory.

“You think he’ll be okay?” Anna asked.

Colin snorted. “He might be a prick, but he’s no idiot. He knows how to handle himself. He might be a little bit uncomfortable without a doting crew taking care of his every need, but —”

“I was talking about the guide. He seemed like a nice guy.”

Brody laughed. “I’m sure he can handle himself well out here, too. I mean, he is a local guide, right?”

Still, Anna felt the same sense of foreboding she had recognized earlier, and she wondered if the others felt that as well. She looked to Colin, who was wearing his characteristic stoic expression, hiking along with his face set forward. If he was sensing it as well, it didn’t show.

Neva brought the camera over and faced it in her direction. She saw that it was on. “Are you worried for their safety?” Neva asked, her voice shifting down a few pitches, likely trying to sound better for the tiny onboard microphone.

She shrugged as they walked. “I don’t know, something about him just… feels off.”

Neva flicked the record button, and the red light dimmed and died. She got the message: I can’t record that sort of stuff.

She continued regardless. “It’s like he doesn’t want to be here, or… he does, but he’s angry he’s not the lone star of the show.”

Neva laughed, still holding the camera up, pointing it at her even though she wasn’t recording. Does she think I don’t know?

“Well, he is an actor,” Neva said. “That’s sort of what we should expect, right?”

Brody spoke, rescuing her. “No, I’m understanding what she’s saying. Max has definitely been acting weird about this whole… thing. About everything, really. I don’t know him, but he’s definitely been standoffish and rude. Granted, I’ve never worked with him directly, but he seems a bit… Over the top about making sure he is in every shot.”

“Again, that’s pretty much to be expected, right?”

Suddenly Colin stopped and turned, facing Neva. He gently pushed the camera down, meeting Neva’s eyes. “I know you’ve picked up on it, as well,” Colin said.

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