Crybaby - Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Nineteen of the blockbuster new novel, Crybaby by best selling, multi-award-winning author Mark Watson...
CRYBABY
©Copyright 2024 by Mark Watson
CHAPTER 19
Good Timing
The rangers were advancing cautiously when a sudden gunshot rang out behind them, sharp and abrupt. Instinctively, they dropped low, pivoting to face the sound, weapons raised—but no bullet was heading their way. Instead, they saw a man crumple in the center of the road with a lifeless thud.
Stepping calmly out from the forest, lowering his pistol, was Rahul. He moved with a confidence that seemed almost predatory, his gaze sharp and unyielding as he regarded the fallen body. The rangers kept their weapons trained on him, their eyes flicking between Rahul and the man he’d just killed. Recognizing him, Ahanna gave a slight nod, her eyes narrowing as she processed the sudden turn of events.
Rahul’s expression was unreadable, though a faint hint of satisfaction lingered in his gaze as he approached the group. His clothes were smeared with dirt from the jungle, and he carried an air of quiet urgency. Ahanna took a step forward, her face stern but with a glimmer of grudging respect as she scrutinized him.
“Nice timing,” she said, casting a hard look at Rajan’s body.
Rahul’s hand shook slightly as he holstered his pistol. “First time I’ve killed a man,” he lied.
He bent down and retrieved the rifle from the dead man’s hands, his own trembling just enough for Ahanna to notice.
Raj let out a short laugh. “Where’ve you been, boss? We thought you were still up in the tower last night when it got blown to pieces.”
Rahul exhaled, a look of relief momentarily breaking his otherwise stoic expression. “I was supposed to be up there. We’d just finished pulleying up the dynamite when I realized my rifle was missing. I went searching for it and thought I saw movement in the forest.” He paused, glancing back toward the jungle. “You know me—I used to be a hunter. Following those tracks wasn’t hard. Soon enough I caught up with them and I followed them through the night. I was right; it’s a bandit group. My brother and I have been after them for months, and now I know where they’re holed up.”
The rangers exchanged wary glances, weighing Rahul’s words. Ahanna studied him, her expression both skeptical and intrigued, her lips pressed in a tight line as she weighed his explanation.
“I tracked them to their hideout,” Rahul continued, “then, this morning I went back to the village to find you, but they told me you’d already left to hunt Crybaby. So I followed. When I caught up, I saw this guy sneaking around, lining up to kill you.” He nodded toward Rajan’s body. “Good thing I got him first.”
Ahanna’s gaze hardened as she assessed the situation. “What now?” she asked, keeping her tone steady, though her curiosity was plain in her eyes.
Rahul gestured to the carnage around them—the bullet-riddled truck, the car, and the scattered bodies of the bandits. A few of the wounded were still alive, writhing and groaning on the road. Vehicles arriving at the scene were beginning to line up, their occupants stepping out to gawk at the chaos.
"We need to secure this area," Rahul said, his voice steady but authoritative. "These people need help. The scene’s a mess, and some of the bandits are still alive. We can’t just leave them here like this."
Ahanna nodded, signaling the rangers to radio for emergency services. Meanwhile, they worked quickly to manage the scene, clearing the worst of the wreckage with the help of volunteers from the waiting traffic. Together, they pushed the smashed vehicles to the side of the road and moved the bodies, allowing traffic to resume its slow but steady flow.
It didn’t take long to find the moped rider who had been tossed into the forest by a flick of Crybaby’s trunk. Though he was unconscious and badly twisted, he was still alive.
About half an hour later, the police arrived and took away the bodies as well as the surviving bandits. Rahul observed in silence, though none of the bandits dared meet his eye. As the dust began to settle and the road was cleared, the rangers finally caught their breath. Ahanna took one last glance over the stretch of road, now lined with passing vehicles whose drivers waved in appreciation toward the team. The injured bandits were in custody, the dead removed, and the chaos was dissipating, although medics were still attending to the injured at the side of the road.
A low rumble broke the quiet, accompanied by a rhythmic vibration that felt like a mini-earthquake. Ahanna squinted down the road toward the sound. Dust clouds billowed in the distance, stirred up by a line of massive trucks approaching, moving slowly, almost ceremonially. Ahanna’s face lit up.
"The elephants are here!" she shouted, turning to the team. The rangers cheered as they watched the procession draw near. These weren’t just any elephants; they were trained forest rangers, seasoned in tracking and pacifying rogue animals like Crybaby. For a creature as formidable as Crybaby had become, only these experienced giants stood a chance at finding and confronting him in the dense forest.
As the trucks neared, the rangers could see, through the slats in the reinforced sides, the elephants inside—massive yet calm, their wise eyes taking in everything around them. The rangers watched in awe; these elephants were more than animals—they were considered honorary rangers.
The trucks came to a halt beside the team. The lead truck bore a symbol on its door that Ahanna recognized as the mark of an elite wildlife division known for handling rogue animals across the region. She’d worked with them before, but each time, seeing the team and their elephants up close felt almost like witnessing legends come to life.
DFO Mahesh Sharma, Ahanna’s boss, climbed down from the cab and greeted her with a hug, his face weathered but calm. “We’re here, sorry we’re late,” he said, smiling.
Ahanna returned the smile, respect evident in her eyes. “It’s good you’re here. It’s been more than we can handle alone,” she admitted, glancing at Raj, Rahul, and the other rangers, who looked equally relieved. Their faces broke into broad grins.
The rangers had done what they could to clear the road, but it was still a long stretch to the edge of the jungle. Ahanna turned to Mahesh, who was watching her expectantly.
“Keep driving down the road,” she instructed, her voice firm. “There’s a junction ahead that leads toward the village. It’s a dirt road, so you’ll need to unload the elephants and gear and go on foot from there. When you reach the village, ask for The Onion House; we’ve set up HQ there.”
Mahesh nodded. “Understood, Ahanna.”
Ahanna stepped back as the trucks slowly began to rumble forward again. She watched the elephants sway gently inside their crates.
As the group finished clearing the scene, Raj glanced up, brow furrowing with a new concern. “So... where did Crybaby go?”
Ahanna called the rangers over. “Let’s find out where Crybaby went,” she ordered. The team split up, searching both sides of the road for any sign of the rogue elephant’s path. It was the driver of the truck Crybaby had headbutted, just regaining consciousness a few minutes prior and now sitting by the roadside while a medic bandaged his head, who provided the answer. “He went back in there, that way,” he said, pointing into the forest beside his truck.
“He didn’t cross the road?” Ahanna asked, alarmed.
“No. He smashed my cab, then headed in there. I saw it just before I passed out.”
Ahanna looked into the forest, following the fresh path Crybaby had carved through the undergrowth. He was heading back the way he’d come.
“Oh no,” Ahanna whispered, the realization hitting her.
“Raj, Rahul, everybody—Crybaby’s headed back to the village!”
END OF CHAPTER NINETEEN
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