Aggressive tourist promoter Hillary Young brings in seniors to triple the tourism in Jayapura, West Papua on the largest Island in the world, New Guinea. The senior's and Hillary's son-in-law are kidnapped by Separatists resulting in a riveting, fast-paced resue attempt in a country rarely visited by Westerners.
The stage is set as Hillary Young, an overbearing Tourist Executive, arrives to modernize the Jayapura Tourist Bureau in West Papua on the Island of New Guinea. In the process her future son-in-law, Kiri and an entire seniors tour group are taken hostage by angry West Papuan tribesmen determined to spotlight injustices in their country. The result is a fast paced, riveting, adventure/romance novel set in a part of the world rarely visited by westerners.
Excerpt
Carmen feels like she is not going to make it this time as she clings precariously to Gus as he scales down a rock cliff. She goes over in her mind the harrowing run from the Bureau through back roads in the jungle in Gus's jeep and then the entrance into the rainforest jungle. Carmen realizes that Gus, her mother and her have been making their way through a series of jungle, swamp and mountains for two days. Carmen almost cries as she and Gus land at the bottom with a thud.
"I'll go back for your mother. We've made it. We're in Papua New Gunea but we're going to have to outsmart the Papuan New Guinean Border Patrol now. Jaro may have discovered our disappearance and put out a bulletin for our return."
Carmen braces herself as she waits by herself for Gus and her mother to return. She forces herself to withstand the despair that her mind seems to want to sink into over how long they have been traveling. For all they knew Kiri and the Seniors may have been intercepted and executed alredy. Carmen feels her heart do flip-flops at that thought. She bans it from her mind. There was no way of telling what was happening in the Balem Valley. Carmen knew that all news would be suppressed until the goverment carried out its plot. Another thump alerts Carmen that her mother and Gus are beside her. She turns to listen to their conversation.
"Thousands of West Papuans have made it over the Border. There's no where else for them to go."
"What about the United Nations?"
"They supply funds for the camps. But the whole thing is a mess."
Carmen freezes as the sound of dogs barking suddenly disturbs the ominous quiet.
"Dogs. Out here?"
"Border Patrol! We'll have to get into the stream. The dogs won't be able to smell us in there."
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