twenty-four, then once daily. That should stabilize her so her other injuries can be addressed satisfactorily."
"Yes, Professor."
On the bed, Tama slowly blinked open her eyes. She stared at the strangers around her, confusion and fright clear in her face, then her eyes found Nathan's. "Jako Basho," she said weakly.
"Yes, Brother Monkey is here," he said in Yanomamo, patting her hand. "You're safe. Your papa is here, too."
One of the nurses fetched Takaho. When he saw his daughter awake and speaking, he fell to his knees. His stoic demeanor shattered, and he wept with relief.
"She'll be fine from here," Nate assured him.
Kouwe collected his fishing tackle box and retreated from the room. Nathan and Dr. O'Brien followed.
"What was in that powder?" the auburn-haired doctor asked.
"Desiccated ku-nah-ne-mah vine."
Nate answered the doctor's confused expression. "Climbing hempweed. The same plant the tribal shaman burned to revive the girl back at the village. Just like I told you before."
Kelly blushed. "I guess I owe you an apology. I didn't think...I mean I couldn't imagine..."
Kouwe patted her on her elbow. "Western ethnocentrism is a common rudeness out here. It's nothing to be embarrassed about." He winked at her. "Just outgrown."
Nate did not feel as courteous. "Next time," he said harshly, "listen with a more open mind."
She bit her lip and turned away.
Nathan instantly felt like a cad. His worry and fear throughout the day had worn his patience thin. The doctor had only been trying her best. Knowing he shouldn't have been so hard on her, he opened his mouth to apologize.
But before he could speak, the front door swung open and a tall redheaded man dressed in khakis and a beat-up Red Sox baseball cap stepped into the lobby. He spotted the doctor. "Kelly, if you've finished delivering the supplies, we need to be under way. We've a boat that's willing to take us upriver."
"Yes," she said. "I'm all done here."
She then glanced at Nathan and Kouwe. "Thank you."
Nathan recognized the similarities between this newcomer and the young doctor: the splash of freckles, the same crinkle around the eyes, even their voices had the same Boston lilt. Her brother, he guessed.
Nathan followed them out of the hospital and into the street. But what he found there caused him to take an involuntary step backward, bumping into Professor Kouwe.
Aligned across the road was a group of ten soldiers in full gear, including M-16s with collapsible butt stocks, holstered pistols, and heavy packs. Nate recognized the shoulder insignia common to them all. Army Rangers. One spoke into a radio and waved the group forward toward the waterfront. The pair of Americans joined the departing group.
"Wait!" someone called from beyond the line of Rangers.
The military wall parted, and a familiar face appeared. It was Manny Azevedo. The stocky black-haired man broke through the ranks. He wore scuffed trousers and the pocket of his shirt had been ripped to a hanging flap. His characteristic bullwhip was wound at his waist.
Nathan returned Manny's smile and crossed to him. They hugged briefly, patting each other on the back. Then Nathan flicked the torn bit of his khaki shirt. "Playing with Tor-tor again, I see."
Manny grinned. "The monster's gained ten kilos since the last time you saw him."
Nathan laughed. "Great. Like he wasn't big enough already." Noting that the Rangers had stopped and were staring at the pair, as were Kelly O'Brien and her brother, Nathan nodded to the military party and leaned closer. "So what's all this about? Where are they heading?"
Manny glanced at the group. By now, a large crowd of onlookers had gathered to gawk at the line of stiff Army Rangers. "It seems the U.S. government is financing a recon team for a deep-jungle expedition."
"Why? Are they after drug traffickers?"
By now, Kelly O'Brien had stepped back toward them.
Manny acknowledged her with a nod, then waved a hand to
"Yes, Professor."
On the bed, Tama slowly blinked open her eyes. She stared at the strangers around her, confusion and fright clear in her face, then her eyes found Nathan's. "Jako Basho," she said weakly.
"Yes, Brother Monkey is here," he said in Yanomamo, patting her hand. "You're safe. Your papa is here, too."
One of the nurses fetched Takaho. When he saw his daughter awake and speaking, he fell to his knees. His stoic demeanor shattered, and he wept with relief.
"She'll be fine from here," Nate assured him.
Kouwe collected his fishing tackle box and retreated from the room. Nathan and Dr. O'Brien followed.
"What was in that powder?" the auburn-haired doctor asked.
"Desiccated ku-nah-ne-mah vine."
Nate answered the doctor's confused expression. "Climbing hempweed. The same plant the tribal shaman burned to revive the girl back at the village. Just like I told you before."
Kelly blushed. "I guess I owe you an apology. I didn't think...I mean I couldn't imagine..."
Kouwe patted her on her elbow. "Western ethnocentrism is a common rudeness out here. It's nothing to be embarrassed about." He winked at her. "Just outgrown."
Nate did not feel as courteous. "Next time," he said harshly, "listen with a more open mind."
She bit her lip and turned away.
Nathan instantly felt like a cad. His worry and fear throughout the day had worn his patience thin. The doctor had only been trying her best. Knowing he shouldn't have been so hard on her, he opened his mouth to apologize.
But before he could speak, the front door swung open and a tall redheaded man dressed in khakis and a beat-up Red Sox baseball cap stepped into the lobby. He spotted the doctor. "Kelly, if you've finished delivering the supplies, we need to be under way. We've a boat that's willing to take us upriver."
"Yes," she said. "I'm all done here."
She then glanced at Nathan and Kouwe. "Thank you."
Nathan recognized the similarities between this newcomer and the young doctor: the splash of freckles, the same crinkle around the eyes, even their voices had the same Boston lilt. Her brother, he guessed.
Nathan followed them out of the hospital and into the street. But what he found there caused him to take an involuntary step backward, bumping into Professor Kouwe.
Aligned across the road was a group of ten soldiers in full gear, including M-16s with collapsible butt stocks, holstered pistols, and heavy packs. Nate recognized the shoulder insignia common to them all. Army Rangers. One spoke into a radio and waved the group forward toward the waterfront. The pair of Americans joined the departing group.
"Wait!" someone called from beyond the line of Rangers.
The military wall parted, and a familiar face appeared. It was Manny Azevedo. The stocky black-haired man broke through the ranks. He wore scuffed trousers and the pocket of his shirt had been ripped to a hanging flap. His characteristic bullwhip was wound at his waist.
Nathan returned Manny's smile and crossed to him. They hugged briefly, patting each other on the back. Then Nathan flicked the torn bit of his khaki shirt. "Playing with Tor-tor again, I see."
Manny grinned. "The monster's gained ten kilos since the last time you saw him."
Nathan laughed. "Great. Like he wasn't big enough already." Noting that the Rangers had stopped and were staring at the pair, as were Kelly O'Brien and her brother, Nathan nodded to the military party and leaned closer. "So what's all this about? Where are they heading?"
Manny glanced at the group. By now, a large crowd of onlookers had gathered to gawk at the line of stiff Army Rangers. "It seems the U.S. government is financing a recon team for a deep-jungle expedition."
"Why? Are they after drug traffickers?"
By now, Kelly O'Brien had stepped back toward them.
Manny acknowledged her with a nod, then waved a hand to
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