Nelson Demille - The Quest

Gann nodded. “Quite right.”

Vivian let Gann know, “They fired a machine gun at us. Frank was very brave. I was petrified.”

Mercado admitted, “I was a bit anxious myself.”

Gann thought about this, then asked, “Did you see any other aircraft?”

Purcell replied, “No.”

Gann said, “They’re probably looking for you on the way to the French territory.”

“We thought about heading there, instead of here. Or Sudan.”

“Well, good that you didn’t.” He informed them, “You wouldn’t have made it.” He let them know, “The Ethies don’t have many jets-just a few Mirages-but they are getting Russian helicopter gunships with Russian pilots, and you would probably have met them on your way to Somalia or Sudan.”

Purcell nodded, then said, “Sorry, though, if we’ve put you in a difficult situation.”

It was Miriam who said, “We are already in a difficult situation. You are most welcome here.”

“Thank you.”

Vivian assured her, “We won’t be here long.”

Miriam looked at Vivian and said, “You are welcome to stay, and you are welcome to leave for French Somaliland, and we can help you with that journey.” She continued, “But I would prefer if you did not go to the place where you wish to go.”

Vivian replied, “We have come a long way to find this place.” She assured Miriam, “We mean no harm to these monks, or to their religious objects.”

“I understand that from Edmund. I understand, too, that you think you have been chosen to find this place. And I respect your beliefs. But I can offer you no assistance with your search.”

Purcell asked, “Why not?”

She looked at him and replied, “We here in Shoan have a sacred covenant with the monks of the black monastery.”

Purcell reminded her, “You’re Jewish. They’re Copts.”

“That does not matter. We are of the same tradition for two thousand years.”

“Right. Well, all we’re asking then is a good night’s sleep and food to take on our journey.”

“I will gladly give you that, but I wish you would reconsider that journey.”

“Can’t do that.”

Miriam didn’t reply.

Purcell said, “And we may have to return here at some point.”

“You are welcome to do that, but we may not be here when you return.”

Purcell looked at Gann and reminded him, “You let us know you were here.” He asked, “Why?”

Gann hesitated, then replied, “I would like to go with you.” He explained, “I’ve spoken to Miriam, and she understands that we believe that the object you are looking for is in danger, and it must be taken to a safe place, though she believes the monks themselves could do that.”

“Maybe they can.” He asked, “But if we took it, where would we take it?”

Gann glanced at Mercado, then said, “It’s not my decision to make.” He let them know, “We need to discuss this.”

Purcell pointed out, “We don’t have it yet, and to be honest with you, we probably never will. So maybe this is moot.”

Vivian said, “When we find it, we will know what to do.”

Purcell thought that Henry had undoubtedly promised the Grail to the Vatican, and Gann may have promised it to the British Museum, to take the place of the Ethiopian royal crown the British had snatched and given back. But in either case, the Grail, if it existed, and if they found it, was to be held in custody until Ethiopia was free again. At least that was the promise.

Mercado asked Gann, “What is the situation in the countryside?”

“A bit unsettled.” He explained about the counterrevolutionaries, and the Royalist partisans, both of whom he was in touch with. He also said, “The Gallas have mostly gone east where the Eritreans are fighting for independence from Ethiopia. But there are some left to see if the fighting here resumes.”

Purcell told him, “We saw some Gallas from the air.” He said to Gann, “I meant to ask you-what do they do with all those balls?”

“They eat them, old boy.” He further explained, “Not the Christian or Muslim Gallas, of course. But the pagan Gallas.” He added, “Gives them courage.”

“Right. You’d need a lot of courage to do that.”

“Never thought of that.” Gann further addressed Mercado’s concerns and told them, “The Israelis have smuggled in some firearms for the Falashas, to be sure the exodus goes off without a problem.” He reached into an empty urn and retrieved an Uzi submachine gun. “Nice piece of goods.” He handed it to Purcell and told them, “We’ll take that with us.”

Purcell looked at the compact weapon with a magazine longer than the barrel. “This should scare the hell out of those monks.”

Gann smiled. “I was thinking more of the Gallas-or anyone else who we may meet in the jungle.” He also informed them, “Getachu has sent some units down this way, but they’ve gotten a bad reception from the Royalist partisans and the anti-Marxist counterrevolutionaries.”

“Good.” Purcell asked, “Do you have three more Uzis?”

“I’m afraid not.” He let them know, “The few men left here need them.”

Purcell passed the Uzi to Mercado, who said, “Reminds me of the old British Sten gun,” and gave it to Vivian.

Gann said to his guests, “It’s a simple weapon, and I’ll show you how to use it in the event… I’m not with you.”

Miriam looked at her lover, but said nothing.

Mercado asked Gann, “Is Shoan safe?”

“It is to the extent that the Provisional government has agreed to let the Jews leave, unhindered.” He added, “So far the exodus has gone well all over the country, though there have been a few incidents, and thus the Uzis.”

Purcell asked Gann, “How do you communicate with the Royalists here, and in Addis?”

“I have a shortwave radio. I keep it outside the village, so as not to compromise the people here.”

“Can you show it to us?”

“Of course. But my batteries have died, and I’m waiting for replacements.” He added, “My Kipling poem to you was my last transmission.”

“We would have brought batteries if they’d been left for us at the hotel.”

“If you’re found with a shortwave battery, you are shot. After being tortured.”

“Right.” Maps and photographs were maybe explainable. Shortwave radio batteries were as hard to explain as a gun. He’d rather have the gun, which could explain itself.

Gann took the gun from Vivian and said, “We should push off tomorrow.” He asked them, “Do you have any idea where you would like to look?”

Purcell replied, “I hoped you-or Miriam-could suggest something.”

“I’m afraid I can’t, old boy.” He said, “I thought perhaps you’d seen something from the air.”

“We did. But we don’t want to see all those places on the ground.”

“Well, we may have to do that.” Gann stayed silent for a moment, then glanced at Miriam and said to his guests, “As I mentioned to you in Rome, the people of Shoan have some contact with the monastery. However, those who had this contact are gone.”

Purcell looked at Miriam. She told them, “The secret is with the elders who have left, and they took their secret with them.”

Gann looked at his guests. “A relationship… a friendship, that has lasted four hundred years, since the monastery was built, is now severed.” He told them, “The last meeting took place two weeks ago, and the monks have been told.”

Purcell again had the feeling he’d slipped into an alternate universe. He asked Miriam, “When the people who went to this meeting place left, how long were they gone?”

She looked at him but did not reply.

He asked, “Which way did they go?”