Ben looked at Dane. “I’m going too. These are my friends as well. I can handle myself out there. We make a great team.”
Dane smiled. While he did appreciate the support from these guys, he was worried that he could be sending them to their death.
Ben interjected, “But first, should we report this mess to the authorities? It sounds like these Germans are a serious threat. The Brazilian government won’t take this incursion of their sovereignty lightly. They should be notified immediately… and the Americans.”
“I understand and fully agree,” started Dane. But we… ”
“How do we know they don’t already know about these guys?” interrupted Hugo. “History shows the Brazilians and others down here have had a soft spot for the Germans since the war. Some say a lot of high-up German officers fled to South America and Brazil. You ever see that movie, The Boys from Brazil?”
“I don’t know if the Brazilian government does or does not know about these guys, but Ben is right,” said Dane. “The government needs to be told, the quicker the better. However, we,” looking at Hugo and Ben, “are not going to wait on anyone. I plan to go back as soon as possible and get Dana and Randall.”
Lee stepped up to the table. “My vote is the government waits. At least until you can get Dana and Randall out. The government will muck it up.”
They all smiled. Ben rubbed his chin. “This will not be easy, Dane. You know they must know about our captives by now. It won’t take too long for them to swarm through the jungle looking for their asses. We need good planning and more firepower.”
“That’s exactly why we need to strike fast. I’ll bet they think this guy and girl just ran off. Hopefully they don’t know they were kidnapped.”
“Then let’s get started,” cracked Hugo, standing. “What do we need to storm the place?”
“First, we need to get in there unannounced,” said Dane. “We have to travel light, strike fast and get out like a bat out of hell.”
“Easier said than done,” said Ben, taking a swig from his beer. “But nothing we can’t handle,” he continued with a grin. “Let’s do it.”
Lee got the group a few more beers and they got serious with the planning. Even though they were dead tired, they brought the two captives up to the cabin and interrogated them. With that information, they worked on a plan until 1:00 a.m. with a noisy tropical thunderstorm outside.
The next morning the guys reassembled back at the table for breakfast. Even at seven in the morning the jungle heat was already building and the humidity was one hundred percent, thanks to the previous evening’s storms. A low haze hung over the vegetation. While the haze looked like smoke, it gave the early morning a freshness not seen back in Miami.
Again, Lee whipped up a fine breakfast of eggs, potatoes and local meats. The guys relished the meal while Lee enjoyed cooking for them.
“Okay. We need provisions for three or four days. We should be able to get that together here. Ben, what’s the quickest way to get some more guns and walkie-talkies?” asked Hugo. “And I know this is out of your box, but what about some explosives?”
Ben thought for a second. “We can go to the town several miles down the road. The town acts as a base for several other expeditions in the area. As far as quick, that will be our best possibility. There is a provisions store that has or can get almost everything. The guy who runs the place is known to delve into, let’s say, areas that are frowned upon by the government. He’s not the cleanest guy around, if you get my drift.”
Dane grinned widely. “Sounds exactly like the kind of guy we need. I’ll bet he requires cash as well. I think we can count on that!” They all laughed.
“Yeah, we know the type,” said Hugo. “He’s what the doctor ordered. When can we leave?”
“Give me ten minutes to get the jeep up here and we can take off,” said Ben, motioning to Tecal to go get the jeep.
“Great,” answered Dane as Hugo kept going down the list they had made the night before. “Looks like we have some of the ammo and guns we need but we could use some more. I do not want to get into a firefight with these folks. They will whip our butts very quickly. But I do want to be prepared. Stealth and quickness will get us what we want.”
“Agreed,” said Hugo. “If we can get some radios and explosives, I think we have a good chance. Silenced weapons would be a great help. Since we don’t count on that hatch being available again, I think our plan to go in through the heliport is best.”
“I agree,” said Dane. “Our two guests gave us a pretty good general layout of the complex. Dane pulled out a rough map he drew based on what they learned from the cook and technician last night. If we go in somewhere around here,” Dane said, pointing to the helicopter access port, “we are as close as we can get to the two stairways down to the lower levels and the captive cells in the subbasement.”
“If,” added Ben, “those two are telling us the truth.”
“Yes, and frankly, that’s a big if,” said Dane quietly. “But that’s all we have to go on right now. We know there is a helicopter landing area there. Hugo and I saw it for ourselves. There has to be a way in there. We go with what we know.”
The group continued to look over the diagram of the complex. As they studied, Tecal drove up in the jeep.
“Let’s go,” said Ben, bounding out of the door of the hut. Lee, Dane and Hugo followed.
“Oh,” Lee said, “the folks from Princeton should be here today or tomorrow. What should I do if they show up while you are gone?”
“Don’t tell them anything about our plans. Tell them we went into town to get some supplies. We should be back in several hours,” said Ben.
“Wait a sec,” cried Hugo as he turned and ran into the hut. After a few seconds he ran back to the jeep.
Dane looked at him curiously.
“I needed some spending cash,” grinned Hugo. “I don’t think this is the kind of guy to take a credit card.” Dane and Ben laughed.
“No, I don’t think so,” smiled Dane.
The guys piled into the jeep and drove off, leaving Tecal and Lee standing in the dust.
CHAPTER FORTY-THREE
What Ben called a town wasn’t much more than a clearing in the jungle near the road to Cotriguacu. It didn’t even have a name. Its dusty streets beckoned the natives from the forests into the land of civilization. At least in their eyes it was civilized. To those from the States or any other town or city in Brazil, this was the pits. As with most small, out-of-the-way places, the unsavory elements seemed to arrive first. They flourished until the town became big enough to require some semblance of law and authority. Here the unsavory still ruled.
There were only a dozen or so buildings gathered in three general areas. The first area was clearly the entertainment section of town. Here was the bar that looked like a U.S. southwestern saloon. There was a small café serving who knows what kind of food and a curious little hotel that advertised rooms, baths and women. There was also a barber shop/doctor.
About thirty yards away were several native dwellings. In the midst of the dwellings was a stable with several very nice horses in the corral outside. That caught Hugo’s eye immediately. He wondered if they should use horses to get back into the jungle. Dane could feel Hugo’s yearnings and put a stop to them right up front.
The most interesting area of the town was a large general store type of business. It was large; it was twice the size of other buildings. Dry goods, provisions and arms were advertised on big signs outside. This was the mecca that brought most people into the town. The bar and the women kept folks there.