Murder on Easter Island (15 page)

“Sounds like a close call.”

“It was. Now you wonder why I have asked to speak with you?”

Daniel nodded.

“Dan-iel, as you know, I am the shaman for the Miru, and I work closely with our ‘ariki mau, Hotu Iti. While every shaman has different tasks, my main purpose is to assist with healing among my people and to protect my clan from evil.”

“Evil?” Daniel echoed.

“Yes,” Paoa confirmed, a concerned look on his face. “Which brings me to why I came to speak with you: Over the recent past I have detected a growing darkness on our island, which has become stronger with time. I have not been able to learn how this is so. I believe there is an akuaku, an ancient spirit, involved.”

Daniel hoped Paoa did not see his look of surprise.

“Which one, I don’t know, but I suspect it may be Hitirau.”

Daniel’s mouth dropped open, and he couldn’t stop himself from blurting out, “How do you know that?”

Paoa asked, “Do you know about akuaku?”

“A little.”

“Then you know that each usually stays in a certain area of the island. Hitirau’s domain is Puna Pau, and every time I come near there I sense his presence. More lately, it seems he is getting stronger and stronger. So much so, I dare not enter.”

Daniel thought: I understand completely.

“Another ability I have as a shaman is to know the truth,” Paoa explained. “I heard your words to our ‘ariki mau the other day, and I am certain that you were not honest with him.”

Daniel broke out in a cold sweat.

“I know what you said about how you got here were lies. But don’t be concerned, Dan-iel, I have no need to know where you are from. I do sense, though, that we have the same goal, and that is finding this evil and destroying it. Is that not so?”

Daniel again nodded his head.

“Good,” Paoa said. “Dan-iel, I believe we can help each other and there is strength in our union. I also suspect that once you have accomplished your goal, you will wish to go back where you came from, wherever that is. Yes?”

“Yes.”

“So, watch carefully for anything or anyone that seems suspicious,” Paoa urged, “and I will do the same.”

“I will,” Daniel replied as they both stood and headed back toward the village.

As they approached the small hut of Pakia and Uka’s, Paoa stopped and said, “Dan-iel — you should know that our ‘ariki mau is favorably impressed by you, as is his daughter, Mahina.”

Daniel caught his breath.

“But beware,” Paoa warned, “Atamu greatly desires Mahina, and I believe his interest puts you at great risk. I’m not sure when he will strike, but I am certain he will when he feels the time is right.”

“I’ll keep my eyes open,” Daniel promised. He hadn’t forgotten Atamu’s death threat.

“You’d better, if you want to live,” Paoa said as he parted company with Daniel and slowly walked toward ‘Anakena.

D
aniel stood on the shoreline fishing with Pakia, and his mind began to wander. His best guess was that it had been over two months since he had made the transition into the past, and to this point it had been a quiet, day-to-day existence. While the ‘ariki mau and his family resided just a short distance away at ‘Anakena, Daniel saw neither hide nor hair of them, and, in spite of what Paoa had said, he began to lose hope of somehow, someway, being with Mahina.

Some days Pakia allowed him to take breaks from his fishing chores to explore the surrounding area, and with each opportunity he tried to retrace his steps back to the time cave. But in spite of searching repeatedly, there was no sign of it. No doubt it was well concealed, like the entrance to the cave from present day Rapa Nui. While he badly wanted to find it, Daniel cringed at the thought of once again crawling through the narrow, tomb-like portion.

At some point he
had
to discover where it was — there was no other option. For now, though, Daniel still knew his main objective was to apprehend the killer, who resided somewhere on the island.

Daniel thought that, by now, the killer would have attempted to murder him. But perhaps he knew Daniel was becoming stronger and stronger. After a couple of weeks of soreness, Daniel’s feet had developed tough calluses on them, and he could run, walk or skip over the rocky ground without pain. And the daily, strenuous physical activity made his toned body even more muscular. Daniel could only guess that the killer was biding his time, waiting for the right moment.

Daniel was roused from his thoughts by a familiar voice.

“Lowly fishermen, the warriors who protect you would like some fresh fish for our evening meal.”

Daniel didn’t have to turn around to know who it was, he could tell by the venom in his voice. He turned to see Atamu at the front of around twenty warriors, the entire group walking toward them.

Pakia turned to face them. “Of course, brave warriors, we have plenty for all. Take what you need.”

Atamu spoke to a sullen, brawny man who stood next to him, “Rapahango, take their fish.” With that Rapahango stepped forward and grabbed the basket with their entire catch in it.

Daniel gritted his teeth and tried to stay calm.

Pakia said, “But fearless warriors, that leaves nothing for us to eat. Leave but a few.”

Atamu sneered and said, “There are rumors that our enemies from the eastern clans will soon come to invade us. We need food to fight far more than you who sit around all day and fish.” He smiled a wicked smile and added, “Don’t worry, there are plenty of rats around for you to eat.”

Daniel finally snapped. He walked up to Atamu and stood toe to toe with him. “How about if we share some rats with you?”

Suddenly the point of Atamu’s spear and spears of three of his warriors were at Daniel’s throat. Four tiny streams of blood oozed down his neck.

Rapahango said, as he twisted his spear a little deeper into Daniel’s neck, “Atamu, as your best warrior, I have earned the right to kill him.”

Atamu’s eyes blazed with anger. “You have, Rapahango. Dan-iel, the last time you were saved by our ‘ariki mau. Now he is at his home in ‘Anakena. There is no one here to protect you.”

“Please, no!” Pakia pleaded, falling to his knees.

Atamu said, “Ki — ”

Before Atamu could finish his command, the howl of a woman echoed from the east.

“Help!” she screamed. “We are being — ”

The warriors dropped their spears from Daniel’s neck and rushed to the sound of the scream, toward ‘Anakena, Daniel running along with them.

A short sprint later confirmed the worst. A horde of warriors from the eastern clans had swarmed over the village, and the first scream they heard was multiplied by manyfold. The Miru warriors were fighting valiantly but were hopelessly outnumbered, falling to the spears and thrown rocks of their enemy.

Daniel gave out a loud roar, and he and the group of warriors plunged into the fray. What a second ago were Daniel’s enemies were now his allies as together they tore into their common foes.

Daniel’s police training, combined with sheer force of will, made him a fearsome combatant. He killed the first four he faced by crushing their skulls with a large stone, but there were more — many more — to face.

Through the melee he saw Paoa, the shaman, and Hotu Iti himself directing a small group of Miru fighters around what appeared to be the ‘ariki mau’s home. To Daniel’s dismay, in the distance he discovered the enemy had ropes around the sole standing moai. It tottered from side to side as they pulled at it.

“Nooooooo!” Daniel screamed at the top of his lungs. He grabbed a spear from a fallen Miru and sprinted in that direction, killing with swift thrusts any who resisted. Seeing his bravery, a handful of Miru warriors rallied around him and cleared a swath to the moai. They quickly dispatched those who resisted.

The ancient moai was safe — for now.

Daniel heard a piercing scream above the chaos, which came from the area where he had previously seen the ‘ariki mau. In a few moments Daniel arrived there, and lying outside a charred home was the ‘ariki mau himself. He lay unconscious on the ground, his feather headdress knocked askew, with a large bruise on the top of his head. Next to him lay an attractive middle-aged woman with a broken right leg, the bone protruding through her thigh. She was weeping and pulling at her thick, dark-brown hair.

Daniel squatted down beside her. “Who are you?”

“I am Tavake, wife of Hotu Iti.”

“I am Daniel. Where is Mahina?”

Tavake screamed inconsolably, “They have taken her away!”

“Which direction?

She pointed to the east. “That way. Please help her!” Tavake tried to stand, and screamed again as the bone protruded even farther through her skin.

Paoa stumbled up to Daniel and Tavake, his face covered with blood and bruises. “I was dragged away by the enemy and beaten before I was able to slip away.” He grimaced as he looked at Tavake.

Paoa turned to Daniel. “I will care for Hotu Iti and his wife and will search for their sons.” He quickly surveyed the scene. “The battle is close to being won. But you must go for Mahina before it is too late.”

Daniel grabbed his spear and sprinted away to the east, barely making out the tracks of a very large man. When his prey hit a soft place in the ground, Daniel could
see that the indentions in the soil were deeper than he might have guessed, indicating that the man he pursed was not only huge, but also carrying someone, probably Mahina.

Shortly Daniel no longer needed to track, as he heard a voice screaming from the far distance, a voice imprinted in his brain.

Mahina . . .

Daniel followed the screams across the rocky terrain, moving swiftly through the fields of rocks. He was certain the eastern warrior and Mahina were very near.

The screaming abruptly stopped.

Daniel accelerated his already rapid pace, and when he rounded a hill he found a gigantic, muscular man, leaning over an unconscious Mahina with a large rock in his hand.

“That’ll teach you!” he said to Mahina in a gravelly, threatening voice.

Daniel could see a large scrape on her forehead.

But the giant looked even worse. One of his ears had nearly been torn off, and there were deep, bloody scratch marks all over his back. Carrying Mahina away was not the easy task he had thought it would be.

Daniel used all the skill he could muster as he surreptitiously moved in, silently weaving through the terrain. Just before Daniel was on him, the giant turned and faced Daniel. He was at least six and a half feet tall; his hair was long, black and hung past his shoulders. His physique reminded Daniel of The Incredible Hulk.

“Who are you?” the giant bellowed as he brandished a large rock in each hand.

“I am Daniel of the Miru. I have come for the woman!”

“You shall not have her. She is mine!” the giant said. He bared his teeth and hissed, “Come for her, if you dare.”

Daniel locked eyes with him and ordered, “Give her to me now!” He tightly gripped the spear in his hand and boldly advanced toward the giant.

The giant guffawed and said, “Come to your death, Dan-iel!”

Faster than Daniel’s eyes could follow, the giant threw the rock from his right hand, which hit Daniel’s spear and shattered the shaft. The obsidian point — the mata‘a — from the spear tumbled down into a nearby pile of rocks.

The giant then threw the one in his left hand with equal dexterity, hitting Daniel in the middle of his chest with a
thud,
knocking him off his feet onto his back.

Daniel gasped for breath; he felt like he’d been run over by a locomotive. Then he felt the giant’s weight on top of him, crushing him, his mammoth hands wrapped around Daniel’s neck, squeezing out the little air that was left.

At first Daniel tried to peel the giant’s hands off his neck. He quickly realized it was hopeless; the giant was far stronger than he was. He was about to be choked to death, but there was one last hope.

The point of the spear, where is it?

Daniel released his hands from the giant’s wrists and began feeling around the rocky ground to either side of him. The pressure on his neck increased.

The sharpened obsidian wasn’t there. He tried to grab one of the rocks beside him and strike the giant, but they were too large to pick up.

No luck. I’m going to die . . .

With one last-ditch effort, Daniel reached above his head as far as he could, hoping to find the tip of his spear.

There it is!

From between the rocks, Daniel grasped the obsidian point with his right hand and thrust it with all his might into his opponent’s throat.

The giant struggled to his feet and frantically pulled at the spear tip while blood spewed from his neck like a geyser. He sputtered, choked and fell first to his knees and then face forward onto the ground beside Daniel. He didn’t breathe or move.

“That’ll teach
you
!” Daniel exclaimed with satisfaction as he rose and unsteadily stood above the giant. He raised his arms over his head, clenched his fists and screamed in triumph.

Nearby, several eastern warriors witnessed the fight. When they saw the result, they quickened their sprint toward the east.

Daniel, almost exhausted, turned to Mahina, who was still unconscious but now moaning imperceptible words. He glanced down at his chest and saw a large bruise. He felt his breastbone pop every time he breathed or moved.

In spite of the pain, Daniel picked Mahina up and carried her back to ‘Anakena, one step at a time. She remained comatose as Daniel approached the home of the ‘ariki mau.

Hotu Iti saw them first.

“Tavake!” he yelled as he ran toward Daniel and Mahina. “Dan-iel has returned with Mahina!”

The ‘ariki mau took her from Daniel’s arms and walked over to where Tavake lay.

“My daughter!” Tavake cried out as Mahina was gently placed on the grass beside her. As Tavake cushioned her daughter’s head in her lap and stroked her head, Daniel could see that her leg had been splinted and the bone pulled back under the skin.

A moment later Paoa appeared with two wiry young boys, who looked like mirror images of their father. They were each holding a plank of wood with rongorongo script on it. Paoa still looked like he had been beaten to a pulp, but the boys seemed fine. Hotu Iti embraced them both. Tears of joy welled in Tavake’s eyes as she continued to caress her daughter.