"He's fine, he's fine,"
Hannah quickly reassured the heartbroken mother. Some things are better clarified promptly. Little Nicholas was only slightly frightened. While he might need psychological counseling after returning home, he wasn't seriously injured.
After leading the group to the new camp, Elijah personally led the way throughout the day yesterday, participating in the painstaking work of building the camp fence.
They also held a lively party that evening. When the believers outside went wild after enjoying the drugs, Elijah, claiming the child required special care, took little Nicholas away from his mother, Rebecca, and moved him into the chapel. By
then, Rebecca had fallen into a hallucination brought on by the psychedelic mushrooms. Although she realized something was wrong, she was powerless to resist. In a flash, she was dragged into the tent by several men.
Fortunately, little Nicholas had just passed the incubation period for malaria. The intense vomiting and diarrhea had driven Elijah to a standstill. He simply rinsed him with cold water and locked him in a small iron cage before going to bed.
By the time Hannah found the poor child, little Nicholas was already showing signs of mild dehydration, running a high fever, and delirious.
Then the scene unfolded: Jack, having infiltrated the chapel, had thrown Elijah out. Hannah's kick had completely freed him from his worries, allowing him to focus on his saintly ways.
Before Elijah could continue his sermon, several women, now fully awake, had already pounced on him, assaulting and even biting him.
Honestly, the FBI agents struggled to sympathize with the women's plight. After all, the drugs and hallucinogenic mushrooms were merely triggers, and their use was not forced.
But these women had been tricked into coming here, and their ignorance and stupidity were not sins, nor could they mitigate the sins committed by Elijah and his followers.
"Don't let him get killed," Jack reminded Detective Pollino. The FBI had no law enforcement authority in this area; the perpetrators would ultimately be handed over to them.
As for extradition, that's a matter of communication between the two governments and judicial systems. There's no talk of the FBI directly bringing him back to the US, but dying in front of them would be difficult to explain.
Detective Pollino waved his hand, and two officers stepped forward to drag the already dying Elijah from the crowd.
"I've interviewed a few of those bastards, and they've confirmed that Elijah personally killed Jacob Bruce in front of two of them because they objected to taking seven-year-old Nicholas off the train.
There was an argument between the two, and Elijah, enraged, accidentally killed him and abandoned his body on Somali territory, hoping to disrupt the police investigation."
Hearing the black detective's words, Jubal sighed noncommittally. "Did Jacob Bruce have a change of heart? Perhaps."
"In any case, this case is closed. I heard your country has the death penalty, but it's no longer carried out in practice?" Jack asked deliberately.
Detective Pollino, perceiving the meaning, couldn't help but smile, his face, always maintaining a serious expression, now cracking with a smile.
"But Tanzania is a conservative country, and the medical care here isn't very good, let alone in prison."
"It would be a shame if this guy died in prison before extradition proceedings could be initiated," Aubrey chimed in, half-heartedly echoing the sentiment.
While the outcome of this case wasn't entirely happy, the innocent child was fortunately spared.
Even without Jack's treatment, little Nicholas's condition quickly improved after being admitted to the University of East Asia's African-African Hospital in Dar es Salaam.
Even more problematic were the remaining 20 American tourists, half male and half female. While the men were suspected of involvement, there was no solid evidence, and they were ultimately released. It's possible some of them were also victims, given the unusual arrangement of the tents, which was far too mathematically challenging for the FBI.
Besides the white American tourists, Elijah's recruits were all locals.
Tanzania's HIV infection rate is among the highest in Africa, with over 2.2 million people infected with the virus, out of a population of 67 million.
The situation after the tent was lifted revealed that while Tanzania is an exporter of natural rubber, condoms made from natural rubber are expensive imports.
Add to that the local black men's habits and their unpredictable appetites, and it's difficult to judge.
Ultimately, Jubal secured two shipments of HIV-blocking drugs. The first batch, for ten women, was administered promptly to the ten victims within the 24-hour expiration date.
The second shipment arrived just before the 72-hour expiration date, leaving it unclear how many of the American men actually took it.
After all, some of them remained steadfastly devoted to Elijah, convinced he was being persecuted. This was all a test. After leaving behind a pile of unused supplies and medication, such as long-lasting medicated bed nets, the FBI bid farewell to the always serious Detective Pollino and Old Muto, who always smiled only at Jack.
Well, after receiving the supplies, Old Muto solemnly referred to the FBI agents as "Comrade," completely baffling Jubal and the others.
But since it was a rare trip to Africa, and since the military transport plane was bound for Djibouti the next day, they decided to stay for a few days.
First, they headed to Kilimanjaro, a natural wonder that frequently appears in the Civilization series.
Although Africa's highest mountain, it's much more tourist-friendly than Mount Everest, Asia's tallest and the world's tallest. Seven routes lead to the summit, with successes recorded by people ranging from 85 to children as young as seven or eight.
Each route has its own advantages and disadvantages: some are longer but offer cabins, eliminating the need for camping; others offer scenic views but are often crowded and more challenging.
After considering factors such as the group's fitness and time, the FBI ultimately chose the oldest route, the Marangu Route.
It was peak climbing season on Kilimanjaro, and the group completed the trek, traversing from tropical rainforest to temperate coniferous forest, and then from alpine desert to glacial terrain, in three days. While not quite the fastest climb ever achieved by some professionals, the five climbers' speed far surpassed most, and they didn't even employ porters or professional guides.
After admiring the magnificent glaciers, they returned to the foot of the mountain to rest for a day before flying to Zanzibar Island.
Tanzania's full name is the United Republic of Tanzania. The "Sang" in its name, and the part it unites, refers to this world-famous archipelago.
This name also appears in the Civilization series; in Civilization VI, the trading city-state that provides players with both cloves and cinnamon, two luxury resources, is called Zanzibar.
Arriving here finally gave them the feeling of truly being in Africa. The hot, humid climate and intense sunshine gave Jubal and Aubrey, accustomed to city life, a breath of fresh air.
Although the city was small and run-down, it was finally a return to the city. There were no more fears of those dreaded malaria-carrying mosquitoes, working electrical outlets were readily available, and there was no need to worry about indigestion.
Jack took the group on a casual stroll and found a clean, affordable, and delicious Chinese restaurant. The fresh grouper, simply steamed, delighted everyone.
Compared to the natural wonders of Kilimanjaro, Zanzibar holds some resemblance to a cultural wonder. Though this ancient city-state is located far away in Africa, its presence is documented in historical records dating back to the Song and Yuan dynasties.
Song Dynasty copper coins and Yuan Dynasty blue and white porcelain have been unearthed here, and descendants of Zheng He's fleet still live on the island.
Snorkeling in the underwater ancient city, visiting a slave auction house, feasting on a variety of seafood and tropical fruits, and enduring Hannah's occasional night raids, Jack and the others reluctantly returned to the still-chilled New York City until an impatient call from Rosie.
"Since when did escorting prisoners become a job for our Most Wanted Unit?" Jack was stunned to receive the new assignment upon encountering Rosie, who had usurped Dana Moger's office.
For the next few days, I have to get up in the afternoon to buy groceries, cook, wash dishes, and do housework. I also help my son with his 3rd grade homework and try to get him to finish it before 9 pm. Only then can I start my own coding career. I have to finish two chapters before dawn and then go to bed. I feel like I will die.
(End of this chapter)