Chapter 35 Congo Basin, 4° 46′ 43″ S, 11° 51′ 49″ E, River Zaire

Sefu stopped struggling when he saw Cecilia. His fierce eyes stared at the doctor in silence. As if trying hard to remember something. But failed because then his burly and muscular body tried to break free from Lian Xi's ropes.

Akiko, who was worried that the speedboat would overturn, pointed the syringe she had prepared at Sefu's thigh. For a moment the man who had lost his sanity stiffened, then not long after that he lay unconscious. The tranquilizer was potent. Akiko turned to Cecilia with the look asking for the next step.

Cecilia, who was stunned and surprised to find Sefu so quickly, stuttered.

"Uhm. We must get back to town now. Lian Xi started the engine. Akiko, please contact The Kitchen. Say we have Sefu. I need to talk to our guides."

Cecilia got off the Anaconda and spoke quickly to the Pygmies. "Thank you very much for all your help and please tell your elder that we are really grateful." Cecilia gave two medicine boxes containing Malaria medicine to them and said this medicine was only for the same disease as the Elder suffered. Not for other illnesses.

After waving goodbye to each other, the Anaconda darted along the current of the River Zaire toward Pointe Noire. Cecilia felt that this trip would be more dangerous and a burden for them because now they brought suspect zero which was also targeted by many parties.

The organization and OWC have the same intention to eliminate Sefu. Pharmaceutical companies were also compete to get Sefu in order to have a sufficient database to make Tropical Bacteria serum which must be very expensive.

Cecilia was sure that Marc must be moving in silence with Pierre. Not to mention the other competitors scattered in many countries. They were like carrying a very valuable nugget of gold and pirates were waiting everywhere. Cecilia would only feel relieved if Sefu was in the Gobi Facility.

Akiko said that The Kitchen had received the news and Luigi was preparing something special at Pointe Noire. Neither of them understood what it meant. But Lian Xi jokingly said that Luigi would send at least a battalion of security forces.

A buzzing sound from the air made Akiko look up. Abazure! Armed drones! It was still quite far. Akiko told Lian Xi who was piloting the boat about the drone.

Lian Xi maneuvered left and right to shift the drone's focus so it wouldn't be easy to open fire or rockets. These female MSS agents were furious because they didn't have anything against drone.

Akiko kept her eyes on the drone that was keeping its distance from the Anaconda. They seemed to form and attack formation. Shit! There's another 1 at 3 o'clock! Fuck!

Cecilia turned pale after Akiko pointed out that another drone was chasing them. They were in grave danger!

The boat was swerving left and right at a high speed. The drone controllers also seemed to have difficulty launching an attack. Anaconda was a slender boat and it maneuvered superbly.

But one of the controllers was impatient. Two small rockets of high explosive flew towards the Anaconda.

Akiko screamed warning Lian Xi while cocking her M16. There was a continuous barrage of gunfire from the assault rifle in Akiko's hand. There was also a loud explosion in the air as one of the rockets was shot down. But one more rocket was approaching fast.

Just as the rocket was about to hit the Anaconda, Lian Xi turned the wheel to make a sharp u turn. The surface of the river rippled in an instant as the rocket exploded in the depths of the water. Lian Xi pressed the gas again and braved the wave with agility.

While holding on tight, Akiko continued to shoot M16s into the air behind them. The drone ran out of rockets and headed back upstream, but the next drone buzzed loudly toward them as it prepared to fire another rocket.

But before he could fire the rocket, a barrage of Akiko's bullets hit the drone's body which immediately shattered into pieces in the air. Cecilia breathed a sigh of relief. No more pesky drones.

Lian Xi admired Akiko's skill in using firearms. Akiko just smiled faintly while injecting another anesthetic because she saw Sefu glaring at them through his wild eyes.

The anaconda cruised along the River Zaire at its highest speed. Lian Xi didn't want to take the risk. She did not want to see another of those drones.

Pointe Noire was one hour away. There was no sign of the attack drone from upstream. But right after Lian Xi thought that an attack was looming, it materialized. She swore in Chinese repeatedly.

Three drones were hovering in front. They were preparing to fire rockets mounted on their bodies.

Cecilia and Akiko gasped. Holly shit! How can they escape from those drones?

Suddenly, a much louder hum was heard from the 9 o'clock direction. It was another drone which was much bigger! Lian Xi was busy thinking her escape route. She won't give up easily.

Instead the bigger drone started shooting large-caliber bullets towards the 3 interceptor drones. The three drones exploded one by one, and the pieces fell onto the river.

Akiko cheered happily. She almost took aim at the giant drone that suddenly appeared. But canceled her intention when she saw a large logo at the bottom of the drone. I-AA.

No one knew where the giant drone came from but what was clear was The Kitchen had done its job well.

The anaconda slowly moved following the Zaire River which was getting wider and flowing calmly. Soon they would arrive at the port of Pointe Noire. Cecilia was only worried that something even more dangerous was waiting for them in the city.

Cecilia's worries were instantly answered. From downstream, the body of the amphibious plane lowered and landed on the calm surface of the Zaire River.

Again Akiko cheered. The amphibious plane also bore the I-AA logo. The Kitchen sent the plane to pick up Sefu.

So that was special indeed.