MICHAEL CRICHTON

They found Malawi’s body just outside the compound. The porter had beengoing to the stream to get water when he had been killed; the collapsible bucketslay on the ground nearby. The bones of his skull had been crushed; the purple,swelling face was distorted, the mouth open.The group was repelled by the manner of death; Ross turned away,nauseated; the porters huddled with Kahega, who tried to reassure them; Munrobent to examine the injury. “You notice these flattened areas of compression, asif the head was squeezed between somethingMunro then called for the stone paddles that Elliot had found in the city the daybefore. He glanced back at Kahega.Kahega stood at his most erect and said, “We go home now, boss.”“That’s not possible,” Munro said.“We go home. We must go home, one of our brothers is dead, we must makeceremony for his wife and his children, boss.”“Kahega. .“Boss, we must go now.”“Kahega, we will talk.” Munro straightened, put his arm over Kahega and ledhim some distance away, across the clearing. They talked in low voices forseveral minutes.“It’s awful,” Ross said. She seemed genuinely affected with human feeling andinstinctively Elliot turned to comfort her, but she continued, “The whole expeditionis falling apart. Ifs awful. We have to hold it together somehow, or we’ll never findthe diamonds.”“Is that all you care about?”“Well, they do have insurance. . .“For Christ’s sake,” Elliot said.“You’re just upset because you’ve lost your damned monkey,” Ross said. “Nowget hold of yourself. They’re watching us.”The Kikuyu were indeed watching Ross and Elliot, trying to sense the drift ofsentiment. But they all knew that the real negotiations were between Munro andKahega, standing off to one side. Several minutes later Kahega returned, wipinghis eyes. He spoke quickly to his remaining brothers, and they nodded. Heturned back to Munro.185