Free Area 51: The Mission-3 by Robert Doherty

aircraft, Turcotte climbed into the cab of the tractor. The other members of the party climbed on board and all grabbed on for dear life as the driver threw the tractor into gear and roared off toward the site of Scorpion Base.
    "Welcome to hell," the driver said.
    Turcotte didn't say anything. His gaze was focused on the thrust-up ice not far away.
    Ruiz buttoned his pants and threw several bills on the ground. The whore scooped them up and they disappeared into the robe she wore. She hadn't even bothered to take it off for their brief coupling, simply hitching it up at her waist. Prostitution was not exactly an art form this deep in the Amazon basin.
    Vilhena was the district headquarters for this province, an area bigger than the state of Texas in western Brazil. Ruiz had been very glad to see the small town, population of less than five thousand, appear earlier today after backtracking downstream all night from their gruesome discovery the previous day. Vilhena was remote, but it was the known world.
    Ruiz walked out of the house made of cast-off cardboard and squinted up at the sun. It was good to be out from underneath the gloom of the triple-canopy jungle.
    "There you are!" A man who had been on the boat

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    ran up. "The American wants to see you. He is at the governor's office."
    Ruiz frowned. "What for?"

    "How should I know?" The man pointed at the hut with a knowing smile. "How is she?" He didn't wait for an answer, disappearing into the black hole of the doorway, already tugging at his pants.
    Ruiz walked toward the provincial headquarters, wondering why the American would want him. A policeman lounging in the shade didn't even acknowledge Ruiz's approach. He walked down the hallway until a sign on the door indicated he was in the right place. He knocked once, then entered.
    Harrison was standing across the desk from the provincial governor, a slight, unkempt man whose primary responsibility was making sure taxes on river traffic were collected, taking his cut, then forwarding it downriver.
    "Senor Avilon." Ruiz nodded respectfully toward the governor.
    "Tell him!" Harrison yelled.
    Ruiz glanced at Avilon.
    Harrison grabbed Ruiz's arm. "Tell him what we saw!"
    "I don't—" Ruiz began.
    "The village. The dead people!" Harrison was shaking Ruiz's arm.
    "Mr. Harrison tells me you came across a village yesterday," Governor Avilon said. "He says everyone there was dead."
    "They were all dead," Ruiz acknowledged.
    "Indians?" Avilon asked, and Ruiz knew where this was headed.
    "Yes, senor."
    Avilon spread his hands on the top of his desk and gave a wide smile at Harrison. "My friend, many strange

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    things happen upriver. If I told you half the stories I hear every week, you would be amazed."
    "The village—" Harrison began, but the governor cut him off.
    "Is all dead, correct?"
    Harrison nodded.
    "Then there is nothing I can do."
    "Something killed those people!" Harrison sputtered.
    "Of course something killed them," Avilon agreed. "People die in this part of the world all the time. If you will excuse me, I have much work to get done."
    "Tell him about The Mission!" Harrison suddenly said.
    Avilon had stopped pretending to work. He was staring at the American with hard eyes. They flickered over to Ruiz, fixing him. "What of this Mission?"
    Ruiz spread his hands and put a stupid smile on his face. "I do not know what he is speaking of, Governor."
    The governor pointed at the door. "Go home, Mr. Harrison. There is nothing here for you."
    "You must block the river," Harrison said, "to keep this death from spreading."
    "No one goes up there except fools like you," the governor said.
    "You must quarantine this town," Harrison insisted.
    "I am very busy," the governor growled. "It is time for you to leave."
    Ruiz walked out the door, pulling the protesting American with him.
    "Why won't he do something?" Harrison demanded as they stepped out into the street.
    "Because he does not think they are people," Ruiz