by GoozX, T5 and I'm Not Mister Mxypltk
The Jeep Wrangler containing Sam Dawson, Lance Lorenzo, and Mick Harrison, slammed to a stop just before a dock, filling the air with smoke and dust. The water was a beautiful blend of green and blue, clear to the bottom.
Sam pulled a map from the glove compartment. "Okay, out of all the possible islands, the only one I could see this cult keeping hidden on would be this one." Sam pointed to the smallest island, almost shaped like a skull. "It is the most undeveloped island, or at least was a few years ago. It is also believed to be haunted, or some other urban legend like that."
"Cult? Haunted island? We did we decide to do this case alone, again?" Mick asked, only to be answered by Lance with a tilt of the head and open palms.
"You worry too much, man, let loose."
Mick shrugged. "Ahh, sure... M'XY!"
A pause.
"Howdy!" said M'xy.
Sam and Lance just shrugged their shoulders.
Sam consulted the map again. "Aha. A boat rental is located on the beach ahead. Should we try it? See if it's open?"
"We might as well, but tell the guy we're going for a diving cruise. That will keep him from asking too many questions we don't want to answer," said Lance calmly.
They all strolled happily down the steep stone stairs, still slippery from the night's rainfall. The rental place looked scruffy, but the boats seemed to be in good shape.
A small, dark man with a pot belly and a straw hat emerged from the hut with a glistening smile.
CNN News:
"A helicopter was shot down over the border to Canada today while it tried to illegally enter U.S. airspace. Strangely enough, no crew were to be found in the wreckage discovered by the search team. Local police say that they will co-ordinate with the border patrol to see if any members of the helicopters crew could have escaped on foot from the crash, even though they believe this to be almost impossible.
"In other news, a report from Italy released today shows that the crime rate in that country has decreased by almost forty-six percent over the past month. No explanation was offered, but several known criminals have suddenly seemed to turn over a new leaf and have turned themselves in. Maybe it's the country's wonderful pasta, or the nice beaches. Who knows?
"And that brings us to the weather..."
Later, Sam, Lance and M'xy took a rented boat and headed to the island where they suspected Biggins' sister was kept captive. Sam and Lance no longer had to put up with Mick's whining, but instead they now had to hear M'xy whistling madly as he rowed the boat.
"I don't know what's worse," Lance said.
"Hey, don't you think that guy back in the boat rental was kinda...?" Sam asked, unable to think of the right word.
"Kinda what?" Lance said. "Kinda spooky?"
"No, just... He looked mysterious, don't you think?"
"Mysterious? Oh, please. Don't you get whiny on me, too!"
"I'm not being -- I just--" Sam said. "Never mind. We're almost there, anyway."
As the boat left for the island, the short, dark man back at the boat rental place put his binoculars down and headed for his hut. Inside, he picked up the telephone and dialed a number.
"Kalunga was right," he said after a moment "They're almost there. It shouldn't be too hard to take 'em down."
The small boat touched ground, and they all disembarked. M'xy observed, "Hmmm, weird poles with faces carved in them. I don't like this."
They walked closer to one of the totem poles. At the foot of each of them, dried blood and a few bones could be seen.
"Voodoo rituals. Here, look," said Lance, digging out a chicken foot with dried beans tied to it. "It seems these guys sacrifice animals in their little games."
"Heh. Maybe this girl doesn't want to be saved. Maybe she's knee deep in a voodoo orgy right now," Sam said, winking.
Suddenly, a screaming red humanoid shape passed over their heads and into the thick, jungle-like woods.
Drums started to beat in a deep mystic rythm. People with mixed modern and purely ancient African clothes suddenly emerged from the forest, yelling, jumping, and dancing toward the three surprised heroes.