"Control the traffic? What does that mean?”
“ Avoid trafficking and exploitation of children and slavery.”
"Are you successful in that crusade?"
"No, it is a war that is being lost.”
"And why does the Army persist?"
Lian's new hesitation and new decision to trust the man.
"Because it serves another purpose in the area of military intelligence.”
“Explain yourself. What purpose is that?”
“ Recruit informers among the people who are being taken abroad.”
"That is, recruit spies."
"If you want to call them that. They are people who must obtain information from the places where they go to work and pass it on to the Chinese intelligence networks.”
"But what valuable information can slaves get?"
“ Microeconomic information about the countries and the companies in which they work.”
"And the women forced to work in brothels?"
"They are the ones who provide the most valuable information."
Ivo remained silent, having trouble assimilating all that sinister confession.
"Hey." Lian's voice sounded pitiful. "I do not want you to judge me with contempt for participating in that activity. I am serving my country and improving the condition of many unfortunates.”
The man kept a reserve and concentrated on driving the car on the difficult routes while Lian suffered from a strong anguish as she could understand the reasons for the negative reaction of the man she loved. Ivo's question brought her out of her abstraction.
"And where do I play? Were you ordered to accompany me for the same reasons?”
Lian felt a stabbing pain but continued to be sincere.
"At first, yes. It gave me a cover to go around the areas of interest without arousing suspicion.”
"So that's what I am. An excuse, a cover. And you lent yourself to that game? You've been cheating me all the time.”
Lian burst into tears; it was the first time Ivo saw her crying.
"I've told you all this because I do not want the relationship I want to build with you to be based on lies and concealment. That was the beginning, but I have loved you from the moment I saw you. I'm madly in love with you. The vast majority of Chinese women have no chance to experience romantic love, and whatever you think of me I consider myself fortunate to have met you.
Lian's bitter sentence had no impact on the kettle of feelings that raged inside Ivo, who had suffered a deep disappointment with the bitter confession of the woman he loved. Indeed the wound produced by feeling being used was bleeding inside him hindering his understanding.
Ivo continued to drive for a long time keeping an absolute mutism. He could not process what he had learned, and a deplorable grudge prevailed over the woman's words. At that moment both thought they had heard a muffled rumor coming from the outside, more precisely from the sky. Lian opened the window to determine the origin of the noise and could see on the southern sky a dark and distant silhouette that was approaching. She immediately identified it as a helicopter.
“This is the support I requested with the satellite phone. Stop the vehicle before we enter that gorge. It is necessary that they see us and perhaps they´ll get off the helicopter.”
Ivo did as requested and stopped the car about twenty yards before the valley narrowed. Lian got out of the truck and stood a short distance waving a jacket to make her more visible. Soon the helicopter showed signs of having spotted then and began a maneuver by putting its bow to the car. Lian frowned at something in the action of the aircraft that seemed unexpected to her. Without thinking twice she opened the door of the vehicle, grabbed hers things that were in the passenger seat and shouting urged Ivo.
" Get immediately out of the car and follow me."
The young man had quick reflexes and had already learned the hard way that he should follow Lian's instructions. They both ran to the nearest rocks that formed the mouth of the gorge, putting a small distance between the car and them.
The explosion was brutal. The shock wave lifted the bodies of Lian and Ivo sending them against the rock wall in the middle of an orange blaze followed by a dark cloud.
The woman was the first to react. In spite of the pains caused by the tearing wounds and the burns she stood up shaking the dust of the explosion off her body. After the initial daze she sought Ivo and grew in desperation when she did not find him until, upon seeing a shoeless foot beneath a pile of rocks, she rushed over them removing the stones that were covering the body of the man, who had an ugly wound on his head. Placing two fingers on the young man's throat, Lian realized with relief that he was still alive. It was possible that the curtain of stones and dust raised by the explosion had cover Ivo saving him from the effects of the detonation and flames. At that moment the woman heard again the sinister sound of the helicopter blades but now much louder. When she turned, Lian saw with terror that the aircraft was a few feet high with respect to the ground and not more than a hundred yards away. She looked around and realized that the crew would not give them time to run down the gorge, especially with Ivo unconscious. Lian took the two automatic weapons she had collected from the car seat, walked in direction of the helicopter, and without even aiming, opened fire.
The silhouette of the girl advancing amid the flames of the car still burning toward the airborne monster was what Ivo visualized when he managed to open his eyes only for an instant.
The new and formidable explosive wave faded again the young man, covering him with another layer of earth and stones.
The helicopter had been left uncontrolled as the two pilots were killed by the blasts of the fearsome Chinese automatic weapons fired by the woman. The ship's nose had hit the ground and the whole structure had bounced against the ground and then over the rocks causing a blast and burning and throwing the igneous pieces of metal in all directions. It was evident that the stored fuel had come into combustion producing the bursting of the rockets and other ammunition aboard the helicopter.
Lian could still lift her head and see the result of her action. Then she too lost consciousness.
Chapter 15
The pounding rattle of the old wagon rolling on the floor of the narrow gorge ended up awakening him. The man tried to get his head in but the pain persuaded him to leave it where it was. However his eyes were mobile and Ivo was exploring what he had in view by turning them at an angle of practically 360 degrees. The first thing he saw were the slopes and mountain tops that surrounded the canyon, and some large birds hovering in the airspace that the mountains exposed.
Seeing the outline of the gorge, the memories flocked to his memory. He suddenly remembered the burning car and with a sharp pain in the chest recalled the epic scene of Lian facing the powerful war machine. Spurred by the memory Ivo raised again his head, anticipating however the series of pains that this would carry him and saw that the girl lay in the very bottom of a cart where he was. The man could not guess if she was alive or dead, since her clothes were completely stained with blood but the fact that she was next to him comforted him in some way that he did not manage to explain. In addition, the fleeting glance had shown that someone had taken great pains to place her on a pile of rags to avoid the effects of the blows of the road, and also that unknown person had covered the torso and the girl's legs to protect her of the low temperatures of the declining afternoon. Raising his eyes trying to see beyond his eyebrows Ivo managed in turn distinguish the backs of two men dressed in almost rags, who presumably were directing the wagon. Time passed without any news and Ivo fell back asleep, or more properly, faded.
She felt the side of her head burn and that her hands and legs were about to explode, yet someone was covering the painful parts of her body with a liquid that had the property of momentarily calming the pain. In a state of semi-consciousness Lian was certain that someone was healing her body and that the man who was doing it was performing the task with dexterity. Despite the pai
n, a smile crossed her lips and she finally decided to open her eyes.
She was in the interior of a cottage typical of the area where she had been born. The occupants had laid her down on what was evidently the dining room table in the rustic dwelling, a piece of furniture that would surely fulfill other functions, including the present of a first-aid stretcher. Two men and a woman surrounded Lian. Their faces exhibited the features she knew so well. These were people of mixed Chinese and Mongolian descent, although the dresses resembled those of the later ethnic group.
The older man, no doubt the head of the small family approached and spoke calmly in a dialect that although not the same as that used by her family, was understandable for Lian. The girl asked him how she had gotten there, and the man, who said he was called Chingis, told her that they had heard a great rumbling behind the mountains, and when they went to ascertain the causes they found the destroyed remains of two apparatuses, obviously referring to the car in which Lian and Ivo were traveling and the helicopter she had shot down. Only the burnt remains of the five occupants were found.
Lian immediately inquired for Ivo and got relieved as she learned that although battered, he was alive and in one piece. As he had not yet awakened he was forced to drink water holding his head up.
Lian thanked Chingis for his kindness that had actually saved her and her friend's lives and through the old man's response he realized that shooting down a Chinese army helicopter made her sympathetic in the eyes of the villagers.
The woman helped Lian to get dressed and when they had finished the other old man came announcing that the young stranger had awakened.
After a while the villagers left Lian and Ivo alone. The girl informed the man of events whose details surprised him.
"You mean that those you called on the phone to ask for help sent the chopper to kill us?"
"I cannot draw a different conclusion.”
"But whose was the chopper?"
"It had the insignia of the Chinese People's Army.”
"What other conclusions do you draw?"
"That in this area there are pieces of the army that are out of control.”
"Then you do not think your boss wants to get rid of you?"
"I hope not."
“What are you going to do? Or rather what will we do?”
"We cannot stay indefinitely in this village, for if our pursuers are still looking for us, the first thing they will do is to rake the surroundings of the last position they have of the helicopter."
“What then?”
"My parents' village, where I was born, is not far from here. I already spoke with the old man and he confirmed that he is ready to take us in his cart.”
The old two-wheeled car was ready to go. Its large wooden wheels with numerous beams seemed to be prepared to support large weights, the beams that connected the wagon with the harness of the ox were simply two trunks of trees newer than the rest of the vehicle indicating that the owners changed them frequently. The wooly yak pulling the wagon was huge and looked patient. The primitive vehicle was covered in yak skins and straw which looked bad from the outside but provided shelter for the passengers. Lian and Ivo got into the cart and then Chingis piled before them some burlap bags containing various agricultural implements and some stinking fodder
"It's to hide our presence in case we find patrols on the road." Explained Lian.
“What if they try to search inside the cart?”
"I have prepared automatic weapons, but let´s pray that it will not happen."
When they left the hut, it was snowing copiously. The young people were able to see for the first time the village where they were. It was made up of six huts about the size of the one they had been in, with thatched roofs and adobe walls, narrow doors and windows to preserve the heat inside the houses. There was not a soul in the street around which the huts were grouped, no one went to farewell the travelers or witness their departure.
The trip went on without alternatives for about six hours. To their surprise the two young men were relatively comfortable and warm in the car, and were only disturbed by the stink of forage accumulated in front of them. In a moment the wagon stopped unexpectedly. Lian peered out through the gaps between the leathers that covered the wagon and whispered with a hint of alarm in her voice.
"It's a patrol. I counted at least six soldiers.”
The two young men remained silent as several voices approached the car. There they heard the voice of Chingis speaking with the soldiers although Lian could not understand what they said. In an atmosphere of great tension they prepared the weapons to fire immediately if needed.
One of the soldiers thrust the barrel of his rifle into the straw to check the contents of the cart and then with a grunt ordered Chingis to continue his journey. Lian and Ivo only resumed breathing normally as the car had already cleared the area of the military checkpoint. Chingis began to hum a song of strange guttural melody, no doubt in an attempt to relieve his own anxiety.
It was already getting dark when they reached destination. In a voice of Chingis Lian rose and took off the straw and the implements blocking the passage to the outside. The girl's eyes were radiant as she finally returned home.
Chapter 16
The village in which Lian was born consisted of about thirty typical circular-shaped Mongol huts, randomly distributed on a medium-sized plain, located in the middle of the valley. Although the huts seemed all made according to a similar plan, the sizes and materials of which they were constructed were very diverse, including animal skins, adobe, fabrics and straw. There were no brick buildings due to the nomadic traditions of the Mongol peoples.
"When you see a brick dwelling, it's probably an official Chinese building. Mongols and Turkish people are very proud of their yurts as we call our huts." Explained Lian.
Since perhaps it was the event of the week or the month when one of them spotted the wagon in the distance all the inhabitants of the village gathered around it to see who had arrived. As they saw Lian and recognized her, some of the villagers gave the girl a noisy welcome which showed their true joy of receiving the prodigal daughter. Some of the women shouted in front of the largest hut until several people emerged from it.
"These are my parents and my brothers." Lian shouted with obvious excitement, as she descended from the cart with a jump, followed by Ivo, who was walking a few steps behind.
The young woman was received with great emotion by what turned out to be her mother and her sisters, and with a little circumspection that barely hid the emotion of the father. Once the festive moods had subsided, Lian proceeded to introduce Ivo to his relatives.
"My brother Bo is the only one who speaks a little English." Informed Lian. "You can talk to him later.”
As head of the Fang clan, the girl's father had the role of asking questions that Lian had been answering for a while. As they were alone for a moment Ivo asked what she had said.
"The first thing my father asked me is why we arrived in an old dirty cart, since last time I came in an official car.”
"And what did you answer?"
"The truth ... well, half of it. I told him that our car was destroyed in an attack by bandits and that these good people picked us up, took care of us and brought us here. My father must undoubtedly give them a reward, since you and I have little left.”
“Anything else? I saw you pointing me out.”
"Yes, my father asked me who you are."
"And what did you answer?" Ivo's voice revealed true interest.
"I told my parents that you are my fiancé and that our trip here was meant to introduce you. I also told them that we share professional interests. Do you mind if I told them you are my boyfriend?”
“Not at all. On the contrary. "Replied the young man with a hint of pride. “How did they react?”
"The Chinese classic story I've already told you. Beware the strangers who just try to seduce the local girls.”
"Do your parents think you're
a naive girl? They should have been seen you as you liquidated the two snipers or later advancing towards the helicopter firing with the two machine guns. Really a pretty dangerous shy girl. You killed seven men already.”
"And I saved your life. They would have killed us both. Do not forget that. Look, my mother invites us to get into her house, let's not make her wait.”
The house they entered was extremely spacious on the inside, which was somehow concealed by its circular base. The thick wooden door was richly decorated with typical designs, which were reproduced in the fabrics, which somehow made them appear as some sort of familiar design.
The roof was high, supported by an internal pole made with the trunk of a large tree and helped by other smaller poles. This set held the curved roof forming a hemisphere that prevented the accumulation of snow on top of it. In the center of the house two long metal chimneys located above the kitchen stove area and the heating salamander carried the smoke out of it. The circular walls consisted of a structure of interlaced tablets forming X upholstered internally by thick fabrics.
The furniture was surprisingly varied and comfortable, with a double bed and another couple of single beds covered by veils that gave them some privacy. The rest of the furniture surrounded the central area of kitchens and salamander so as to receive the radiant heat of the artifacts.
<< Actually very functional for this weather. You do not miss a calorie here >> Ivo thought.
Several armchairs and some cupboards and kitchen pieces completed the furniture. There was no doubt that except in winter much of the daily life passed outside the walls, but that day was very cold and Lian's parents offered them to sit inside in an armchair. Then the mother offered them a tea that was kept permanently warm in a samovar of indubitable Russian origin.
The talk was long and slow and in the first place Lian had to tell what had happened in her life since the previous time she had been in the house, a year and a half before. Afterwards, curiosity predictably moved to Ivo, who had to answer questions from his childhood onwards that were translated by Lian.
The Challenge of the Legion Page 7
