Fever by V. K. Powell Page A

represented for her.
    And this new turn of events was certainly challenging. She felt like she was in a time warp, living three years earlier. One corrupt man in a position of power was instrumental in her father’s death. It had never been proved, but she knew it in her gut. Now he wanted—what, to ban her from Kenya, to eliminate her entirely? And what of this competition for the land? Who was behind it and why? She’d fled the country before in deference to her mother’s wishes and her father’s memory. Was she willing to simply leave again?
    She was thankful that the decision to terminate her job with Sara hadn’t been related to this new development. It was best for the school project and for Sara personally if she wasn’t involved. She refused to place Sara in danger, so she couldn’t explain to Sara why she would be in jeopardy. Ben and her other contacts could keep an eye on Kamau and make sure he lived up to his obligations. She would have Stewart investigate the land issue and smooth the way for construction. It was best all around that she was leaving.
    When she rounded the backside of the camp, Zak detected movement inside the fence. She crouched behind a clump of thick thorn bushes and listened. Gagging and heaving sounds confirmed that Sara’s stomach was still upset. Zak allowed her privacy and when Sara returned to the hut, Zak buried the remnants so they wouldn’t attract animals. She was almost back at the entrance when a vehicle started and spun away, stirring up dust and rock. Watching the truck’s taillights disappear, Zak felt a sense of dread.

Chapter Six

    Cramps gnarled Sara’s legs and her stomach seized as she struggled to wake the next morning. She tried to straighten her legs but couldn’t in the confined space. A strange bouquet of manure, garbage, and smoke assaulted her. Then she remembered where she was and what she’d done last night. Her mouth tasted like the air smelled, rancid and unclean. She shivered at the recollection of the foul concoction she’d drunk and the unpleasant consequences. After that, she could handle anything.
    “He is gone. What will you do?” a man’s voice asked outside the hut.
    “It’s really not my problem anymore, Ben.” Sara’s body dimpled with goose flesh as she heard Zak’s husky voice. “Sara, are you awake?”
    She mouthed her reply but nothing came out. Her tongue seemed plastered to the roof of her mouth. She grunted, “Uh-huh.”
    “I’ve left some bathing and drinking water by your door. We need to talk, soon.”
    Sara listened as Zak and Ben walked away, then retrieved two bottles and the small bucket of lukewarm water from outside. She downed one of the bottles immediately, feeling like she might vomit again but needing the hydration. Choosing not to consider what might be living in the bucket, she splashed the murky liquid on her face and began to wake up. She used the second bottle to brush her teeth and tongue until they felt almost normal.
    The sun had just begun to finger the skyline as Sara threw back the skin opening of her hut. Muted shades of orange, pink, and lavender striated the eastern sky and bathed the camp in a gauzy film of light. The compound hummed like bees in a bottle. Sara wanted to watch as the seemingly unrelated activities transformed into the daily life of these industrious people. But Zak, her hair wet and wearing a fresh gray ninja outfit, was bearing down on her like an unstoppable freight train.
    She spoke as she walked. “You need to call and make arrangements for another guide.”
    “Good morning to you, too,” Sara replied.
    Zak stopped in front of her and stared, her azure gaze sweeping over her like the heated winds of Africa. “You’re pale and probably dehydrated from throwing up. Drink lots of water.”
    “You say the kindest things to a girl first thing in the morning.” Sara shook her head like she hadn’t heard Zak properly. “But back up. What do you mean I need another