Nelson Demille - The Quest

She replied, “They went in a different direction each time, and they were never gone for the same number of days.”

“Well, that narrows it down.”

Vivian said to him, “Frank, you are being rude.”

“Sorry.” He explained his rudeness. “I just want to find this place and get out of here.”

Miriam said to him, and to her other guests, “Let me think about what you have asked.”

“Thank you.”

Miriam said softly, “This is a difficult time for everyone. This civilization-Christian and Jewish-has come to an end. But we look to the future, which will be better. We must all leave here, but when we return, we must return as we were, with our customs and traditions, and our covenants unbroken.”

Purcell nodded. “I understand.”

Vivian said to Miriam, “We are here to do what you are doing. To take with us what cannot be left here. To keep things safe until this nightmare is over.”

Miriam replied, “You should let the monks do that.” She stood. “I must see to your comforts. I will return shortly.”

The gentlemen stood, and the princess left.

Gann said to his guests, “Miriam and I have had this conversation, as you can well imagine, and I assure you, she knows nothing more than she has told you.”

Mercado said, “I’m sure she’d have told you if she knew more.”

Purcell wondered if Henry really believed that women told their men everything. If he did, he’d be cuckolded every year.

Vivian told Gann, “Tomorrow, we’d like to go to the spa.” She explained that this was not a nostalgia trip, but a bone hunting expedition.

Gann replied, “Rather odd custom, don’t you think?”

Mercado, former atheist, now a believer working for the Vatican newspaper, explained, “This is very important to the Church of Rome when a person is proposed for sainthood.” He further explained, “A mortal remain is considered a first-class relic. A piece of a garment is second-class, other objects-”

“Yes, well, we can stop at the spa and look about for a bone or two.” He added, “Short walk. Half a day at most.”

Vivian continued, “And we’d like to see the fortress where Father Armano was imprisoned for forty years.”

Mercado told Gann, “We spotted incognita from the air and it was, indeed, Prince Theodore’s fortress.”

“Good recon.” He asked Vivian, “Is this part of the sainthood thing?”

She replied, “It is part of Father Armano’s story. It is something I need to see.”

“I see… Well, I’m sure it’s on the way to something.”

Mercado said, “Most of the suspected locations of the black monastery are a day or two walk from the fortress.”

Vivian added, “There may be a clue there.”

Gann nodded. “We’ll take a look.”

They had more fermented fruit juice as they discussed a few items on everyone’s agenda. They agreed they’d be gone a week-or less if they found what they were looking for. If not, they would return to Shoan, and as Colonel Gann said, “Regroup, refit, and strike out again.”

Vivian asked Gann, “Will anyone be here when we return?”

He didn’t reply for a moment, then said, “Everyone will be gone.” He told them, “Miriam and I will meet in Jerusalem.”

Vivian smiled. “That’s very nice.”

Mercado, who was again thinking about exit strategy, asked Purcell, “Could you get that aircraft out of here?”

“We could carry it out.”

“Why can’t you fly it out?”

“It has to take off first, Henry. That’s the hard part.”

“If you land, you can take off.”

“I may have blown the tires. I’ll look at it later.” He asked, “Where would you like to go?”

“French Somaliland.”

Gann interjected, “I think we will need to walk out of here.” He assured them, “A number of Royalist partisans have been to Somalia and back. I have a few chaps who will come along.”

Miriam returned and announced that dinner would be served in an hour, and she offered to show everyone to their rooms.

They all stood and Miriam led them to an arched loggia, along which were wooden doors. She indicated a door and said, “For Mr. Mercado.” Miriam thought she knew the sleeping arrangements and indicated another door. “For Mr. Purcell, and Miss Smith.” She added, “I hope we have gotten your luggage correctly placed.”

Gann pointed to the end of the loggia and said, “Bath down there.” He suggested, “Let’s say cocktails in one hour, on the patio.”

Purcell, Vivian, and Mercado thanked their hosts, and entered their rooms.

Purcell looked around the small, whitewashed room with a beamed ceiling. There were no windows, but narrow wooden louvers sat high in the wall to let in air and light, and to keep out wildlife and uninvited guests.

There were two gray steel beds against one wall that looked like they’d come from an institution. Against the opposite wall was a wooden table, on which sat their luggage and an oil lamp. In one corner was a chair, and in another was a washstand with a bowl and pitcher. He said, “Looks like a monk’s cell.”

“This will look good after a week in the jungle.”

“It will look like a palace.”

She asked him, “Are you all right with this?”

He didn’t reply.

“I can ask for a separate room.”

“Let me do that.”

“Frank. Look at me.”

He looked at her.

“I am sorry, and I love you.”

“We’ll discuss this in Gondar.”

“We are not going to Gondar.”

“Right.”

She changed the subject and said, “I didn’t think Sir Edmund had so much romance in his soul.”

Purcell admitted, “I was a bit surprised.”

“Love conquers all.”

“Any good news?”

“I’m going to find the bath.” She left.

He stood there awhile, then decided he needed a bath.

He found the door at the end of the loggia and went inside a roofless enclosure in which was a sunken pool against the far wall. The face of a black stone lion was embedded in the wall, and a stream of water poured from the lion’s mouth. Vivian’s clothes lay on a stone bench, and Vivian herself was floating full frontal nude in the pool.

He took off his clothes and slipped into the water, which was unheated but warm.

She said to him, “No one would believe a village of Jews in the middle of the Ethiopian jungle.” She added, “Or a Roman spa. Or a monastery of Coptic monks.”

“Don’t forget the Jewish princess.”

“Maybe this is a dream.”

With a bit of nightmare, for sure, he thought.

She stayed silent awhile, floating with her eyes closed. She said, “We’re very close.”

“Closer than I thought we’d get.”

“Do you think Miriam will help us?”

“She’s thinking about it.”

Neither of them spoke for a while, then Vivian said, “Thank you for staying with this.”

He didn’t reply.

“You could have left, and I wouldn’t have blamed you.”

“It’s a good story.”

The door opened, and Mercado said, “Oh… sorry…” He asked, “Mind if I join you?” He explained, “I’m a bit rushed for time.”

Vivian did not reply, but Purcell said, “You don’t need to ask. We’re all friends.”

Purcell, Vivian, and Mercado, all fresh from their communal bath, joined the princess and the colonel for cocktails on the patio. Vivian wore her best khaki pants and green T-shirt, and the two gentlemen wore khakis, top and bottom.

The sun was setting and the night had grown pleasantly cool. The purple African sky above the date palms was magnificent, Purcell thought, and if it wasn’t for Colonel Gann’s Uzi on the table, he could imagine he was someplace else.