Green Desert - Chapter 6.6.4 - Bhanar

“Did either of you see what happened back there? Why did the helicopter crash?” Gunshots, of course. But who? And why?

Umo ducked under a branch, holding it up with one hand. He lifted it for me to pass under. “Well, Your Royal Majesty, there was so much dirt kicked up that I didn’t really see what happened.” He dropped the branch to let Lango fend for himself, then started tracking Zhíno’s footprints again.

So he didn’t know any more than I did.

“But,” he continued, “I heard two gunshots, both from the same direction. Both from the same gun.” He hopped up on a small boulder, peering forward into the dusk. “They sounded identical, Your Majesty. Somebody wanted that helicopter down.” He stepped down and continued forward.

I crawled up on the rock, careful of my bare toes. “But surely it’s impossible to shoot down a helicopter with two bullets.”

“I’m sorry, Your Royal Majesty, but that is exactly what I believe happened.”

I jumped down onto the grassy soil. “Well, yeah. Me too.” I glanced up at the purple sky through the black branches. “But how did Zhíno get a gun?”

Umo stopped. Slowly, he turned to face me, but his eyes remained pointed at my feet. “I’m sorry, Your Royal Majesty, but I do not believe it was Zhíno Zhudıro who shot at the helicopter.”