The Extinct

CHAPTER

1



Dr. Namdi Said sat in the Ministry of Medical Services swatting flies with a plastic swatter. At this time of year Hyderabad was hot and muggy, the air a thick wall of heat making any type of physical exertion laborious.

Namdi sat with his feet up on the desk. The office he’d been given was small and dirty but there was a window facing out to the busy street. There were no stop signs or traffic signals on this block and every few hours the metallic crash of a car accident could be heard.

“Dr. Said,” Phillip Reynolds said as he walked in and sat down across from him. He pushed his glasses up onto his forehead and rubbed the bridge of his nose with his thumb and forefinger. “Sorry I’m late. I’m new here. Still haven’t figured my way around. I thought Andhra Pradesh was mostly a more civilized part of India but it’s as wild as anything else I suppose.”

“What can I do for you, Mr. Reynolds?”



He pulled out a package of cigarettes and lit one. “Do you mind?”



“Yes, actually.”



“Oh,” he said as he took a large drag and then put the cigarette out on his shoe, stuffing the butt back into the pack. “I’m here about an American citizen that went missing couple months back; Davis Larson. His wife’s been bugging me damn near every day.”

“If you’re missing a person you should be talking to the police. There are gangs in the city that kidnap tourists for ransom and—”

“No, it’s not a gang,” he said, twirling the cigarette package in his hand.



“How do you know?”



“They weren’t in the city; they were out in the plains near the Eastern Ghats. I think you should talk to her.”



“Mr. Phillips, I’m a doctor for—”



“I know, not your specialty. But I was told you have another specialty in animal attacks.”



Namdi stared at him. “Who told you that?”



“Not important.”



“It’s a hobby; I have no official position or even training, other than treating victims of attacks.”



“Understood. But I promised this lady I’d have her talk with an expert and you’re the nearest thing to an expert I could find that speaks English. Myself, and the U.S. State Department, would consider it a personal favor if you could talk to her. Don’t have to do anything, just hear her out.”

He slammed his swatter down on the table, smashing a large fly and causing Reynolds to jump. Namdi smiled at his reaction and said, “Very well, I’ll speak with her.”