"Merely another word for an African dragon. Perhaps it is a Zulu word. I am sure his bones are as efficacious as a Chinese dragon. If not more so."
"No chance."
"You are obviously prejudiced against African dragons. It's a terrible thing, racism. I will have to drum this white failing out of you once this assignment is over with."
"I give up."
Chiun smiled. "I knew you would."
Chapter 9
Nancy Derringer sat in the dirt around the makeshift campfire listening to the man who claimed to lead the Congress for a Green Africa. He had identified himself as Commander Malu.
The commander made a long, windy speech about African pride and the rape of the Continent by colonial powers, imperialist thieves, and business interests that put the squandering of natural resources before the land itself.
"What does any of that have to do with hijacking us?" Nancy asked pointedly.
King whispered, "Nancy, don't antagonize him!"
"I asked a question," Nancy repeated. "And I would like an answer."
Colonel Malu scratched his bushy beard. "Very well. Just as the elephant no longer runs in herds and must be protected in preserves, so too must this fine animal be protected from harm."
"Harm! You idiots threw enough lead around to kill us all twenty times over, and you talk about harm?"
"No one was hurt."
"Which is a miracle."
*And it was. Nancy still couldn't believe it. After the shooting had died down and they had been taken at gunpoint from the train and made to sit in a circle with the captured Burger Beret team, it was discovered that there had been no fatalities. In fact, no one had so much as been wounded. Unless one counted Skip King catching his ankle in a clump of nettles and drawing blood.
"I would like to examine the reptile for injuries, if you don't mind," Nancy said in a voice she had no trouble keeping steady.
"And why should I allow this?" Commander Malu asked.
"Because I am a trained herpetologist and responsible for keeping Jack-"
"Mokele m'bembe, please."
"Mokele m'bembe healthy," Nancy said tartly.
Commander Malu's eyes shifted away. His gaze fell on Skip King, who glared back. "I will allow this," he said slowly.
"Thank you," said Nancy. Two men came up and took her by the elbows. She was lifted to her feet and her bonds removed. Then they escorted her to the train.
King's stern voice floated after them.
"If anything should happen to Nancy, you bastards, there isn't a place on earth you can hide from Skip King."
"Oh please," Nancy said.
"He is very brave, for a white man," Commander Malu allowed.
"His jock strap must be cutting off circulation to his brain."
Malu's laugh shook his great body as if he were pudding. "Ha! You have spirit. A white woman with spirit is a rare thing, I think."
"You obviously don't know any white women," Nancy retorted.
Nancy was given a flashlight, and she walked around the flatcar. The Apatosaur lay torpid, his tiny head tucked into the locomotive cab. His orange lids were closed, and the black-ringed nostrils pulsed and quivered in time to the bellows rhythm of its great dappled body.
Nancy plucked out a few trank darts earlier sweeps had missed and touched the pulsing vein on the long neck. It was steady, like a surging garden hose. The skin was cool to the touch and rather dry.
She turned to the commander.
"Jack is used to having his skin moist. It could crack if he isn't watered down."
Malu beamed. He looked to the heavens. "Perhaps it will rain this night," he said.
"Look, can we cut a deal?"
Concern flicked across his face. "Deal? What sort of a deal?"
"You say you're interested in a green Africa."
"We are."
"There isn't a greener continent on the face of the earth, but I won't argue the point. The company that sponsored this expedition is Burger Triumph. Surely, you have heard of them."
Commander Malu made a face. "Yes. They lace their hamburgers with sawdust."
"I heard that, too. And they made a fortune selling that junk. I'm sure they'd pay a wonderful ransom for the dinosaur."
"And how will we get word of our demands to these people?"
"Send King."
Malu shook his head ponderously. "I cannot do that."
"Why not?"
"A man who is named King is obviously a leader of men," Malu explained. "He may be the most valuable white man we have ever captured. The hamburger people would pay more for him than they would for this fine animal who we would never give up anyway. For mokole m'bembe belongs to Africa. And how do I know that this hamburger company has not captured great mokole m'bembe just to grind him up to take the place of sawdust in their terrible hamburgers?"
"Oh, don't be-" Nancy frowned. She bit her tongue in frustration. There was no point in arguing. It was typically African logic, as logical as the importance of King's name, and therefore impossible to counter with reason, or even proof.
"So what's going to happen to us?" she asked in a voice she made calm.