Chapter-23 Congo Basin, 0.600 S, 17.770 E Former Camp Golden Logging Timber Company

Cecilia bowed her head. Then spoke fluently in Pygmy.

"We didn't mean to intrude on your territory, gentlemen. We just wanted to go back to our camp and check if there were any survivors from the horrific incident the other day."

One of the Pygmies who might be the elders came forward and replied.

"I know you. You are the doctor who often does good by treating people. I trust you, but not the man who killed this leopard." The elder looked angrily at Andalas who already lowered his weapon.

"He did that because he wanted to save us, Elder. It looked like the leopard was hungry and was about to prey on us. The man killed the animal to save us."

The Pygmies nodded their heads.

"Then I forgive his murder. It's a law of nature. But really this leopard is in mourning. She lost her cup which was only a few days old. Not long ago the hunters captured his cub and brought it to town for sale."

Cecilia didn't need to pretend to be sad. Because she was saddened by the story.

"I need to ask you if the logging company camp is still down there, Elders?"

The elder shook his head. He appeared to be upset.

"We have burned everything down. Including all the dead bodies. If not burned, it can cause dangerous diseases because they died due to unnatural cause. We did warn them." Again, the Elder shook his head sadly.

Cecilia continued to talk to make sure there were no more people left in the camp. The elder said the camp was completely deserted. Everything was burned to the ground including heavy equipment. To prevent the Pygmies from the disease. Said the Elder.

At the end of the conversation, the Pygmies asked them to return to the city and forget about this forest.

"Even a beast as mighty as the leopard can be infected with the dangerous secrets of the forest." The Pygmies Elder ended the conversation and they walked back into the forest.

Cecilia was pondering for a moment hearing the Pygmies' last words. A horrific thought made her realize something. She waved at Akiko to come and bring a pathogen detector with her.

The two doctors stood around leopard's corpse and started scanning. The alarm sounded several times. The detector monitor screen showed a red dot. At the bottom of the detector was written; Basilus anthracis.

Dear God! It turned out that the infectious bacteria driving people crazy in the camp was Anthrax bacteria. That particular bacteria was still in its original genome. The two doctors' faces went pale. This African ground zero was no less dangerous than the Arctic's! The result from the detector was a proof to them that animals could also be infected by the deadly bacteria.

Cecilia and Akiko poured gasoline all over the leopard's body and then burned it. That was the safest way to keep the leopard's carcass from infecting other animals in the forest.

The two doctors watched sadly as the flames devoured the leopard's body. This impressive animal only killed out of need and instinct. What made the whole thing even more tragic was this leopard lost her cub recently.

Her cub! Cecilia sudden demeanor change drew Akiko to approach her and asked what was wrong. Cecilia told her what she had discussed with the Pygmies Elder earlier. Including that the leopard cub could be infected with the Anthrax bacteria, and it was brought by hunters to the city to be traded on the black market as pets.

Akiko's face turned pale. It was very likely that the baby leopard was also infected when it was still in its mother's womb!

Andalas stayed on guard and watched with alert eyes. After he was sure that the leopard's body had been consumed by fire completely, Andalas gave a signal for them to leave the area immediately.

He had observed the camp that Cecilia told him about. The story of the Pygmies was true. The camp was leveled to the ground completely. Not a single human or building remained. If anything was left, it was only the charred skeletons of dozens of heavy equipment that had also been burned.

The Anaconda was cruising the Zaire River at a high speed. Andalas did not want them to spend the night on the road. Staying in a river as dangerous as the River Zaire was out of the question. If there was no obstacles, they would arrive at Pointe Noire late afternoon.

Cecilia had asked Andalas to accompany them the next day to investigate where the baby leopard was sold. The cub could have been the source of a large-scale contagion in the city.

Andalas said he would assist them. His duty was to guard them according to Adli's orders. Doctor Aslan was his adoptive father who saved him from the malaria epidemic in the Sumatran Forest.