by Ciaran Nagle
Nancy noticed Andy looking perplexed, wanting to step in. 'Great Uncle…I mean Shai, this is my friend Andy. He drove me here. From Eilat.'
'He drove you? You don't drive yourself?'
'No.' He waited stubbornly for her answer. 'Well if you must know, a traffic warden stepped off the kerb one day and my wheel went over his foot. I got the blame. It was all so unfair. I haven't wanted to drive since then.'
'Oh, so they took away your licence? And you got hit by a bottle of gin before the nice traffic warden, who you didn't fall out with beforehand, put his foot in your way?'
Nancy was alarmed at how much Shai was finding out about her so quickly.
'Vodka.'
'Well, well.' But Shai had already moved on. He stepped back, looking Nancy up and down. 'You're a fine looking young woman. If I wasn't eighty and if I wasn't your relative I'd punch this guy on the nose and take you off somewhere.' He put his fists up playfully to Andy who reacted, but rather late. By the time Andy had his fists in front of him Shai had his arm around Nancy and was leading her to a table.
'Sit yourself down, young man,' he called over his shoulder. 'I need to talk to Nancy. My great niece.' He laughed loudly.
Nancy sat down and Shai pulled up a chair and sat close, looking directly into her eyes.
'Later, we'll all get some lunch together. But you're probably wondering why I asked you to come visit. So let's do that part first.'
'Of course. But first, Shai, I promised Andy I would try and get him a meeting with the former Head of Israeli Antiquities. Is that really your previous job? Andy's an archaeology student. Do you think you could help?'
'Are you trying to make a connection between me and some old Jewish ruins? Wherever did you learn your manners?' He laughed again but this time Nancy saw pain in his eyes.
'It's nothing,' said the old man who appeared not to miss anything. 'Just a space invader.'
'Space invader?'
'Cancer. But I'll kill it. Or at the very least I'll make sure it doesn't outlive me. Promise you.'
Nancy squeezed his hand and his energetic smile bounced back and lit up his face.
'Sure, you can tell your friend I'll dig out some bumbling old idiot who can bore him senseless about bones. And shards. But they're the stuff of stories, you know?'
'And lives,' said Nancy, surprised at herself.
'That's very true,' said Shai looking up at her with a note of respect in his eyes. 'Stories and lives. What's more important than that?'
They continued looking at each other for several seconds, like friends who had found each other too late. Eventually Shai looked down.
'So, where do I begin?' he said thoughtfully. 'At the end of course. 'Cause the present is over-rated and the past is gone so there's no time like the future. The thing is, Nancy,' he paused for a moment, squeezing her hand back, 'you're heading into danger. Don't ask me how I know that, I just do. It's all about your roots, and I don't mean your hair.'
Nancy wondered if Shai ever said anything serious without bringing humour into it.
He continued with his serious face. 'Some of your past is hoping to catch up with you, leap into the present with you and take over your future. And that part don't mean you any good.' He allowed that to sink in.
'And some of your past is ahead of you already and trying to put a halt to what's already over. And that part don't mean you any bad.' He was full of helpful pauses.
'And some of it's beneath you and some of it's above you, figuratively speaking. But all of it's around you. Even now. Are you with me so far?'
Nancy shook her head.
Shai laughed and held his chest as he wheezed. 'What do you mean?' he said. 'I've been as clear as I could be.'
He was laughing and wheezing so hard Nancy was genuinely worried for him. She stroked his arm.
'Shai. That sounds like a riddle. You surely didn't bring me here just to tell me that?'
'No, I didn't bring you here to tell you that. I brought you here to meet you. Because I haven't got much time left. I know that. And I got to thinking about Miriam and Mikey, your parents, and how you got cut off from the family. And that's why I got in touch with your Aunt Mary. Because family is important.'
'I'm glad you did.'
'Really? Well that's great because I thought to myself, Shai, you've got to make the effort. You've got to reach out to that girl. No matter what it costs her.'
Nancy looked into the bright twinkling eyes and felt that every penny put into this trip had been well spent.
Shai hadn't finished. 'But then I thought well, while she's here maybe I could talk to her about what's ahead, because…'
'Shai. Just a minute. You said I shouldn't ask how you know what you know. But how do you? Can you really see my future?'
'OK.' Shai summoned her with his fingers. 'Come here close, because I have to tell you something that few people are aware of. Actually, it would be embarrassing if my friends found out.'
Nancy was apprehensive but she bent forward so that Shai could whisper into her ear. 'In fact, I might get thrown out of the kibbutz as a loony if this becomes generally known.'
Nancy whispered even more softly. 'Shai. Are you going to tell me what it is? Or should I go for a walk and come back later?'
He smiled. 'OK. Here it is. I'm religious.'
'Oh, you are?'
'See. I knew you'd be shocked.' He looked around and behind him. 'Promise you won't tell anyone?'
'Yes of course. But why is that important?'
'You see, one day while I was praying you swam into my head. Not as pretty as you are in real life, of course.' He raised his thumbs in emphasis. 'And you really swam. Because you were in a whirlpool. And it sucked you in. Only the funny thing was, it didn't matter that you got sucked in. There were these great tree roots beside the whirlpool and you hung onto them and used them to climb out. And I knew it was a metaphor. You were safe, so long as you hung on to your roots.'
'My roots?'
'Yes, your roots. And anyone, even someone innocent, like me for instance, might be part of that whirlpool. Unwittingly.'
'What roots exactly?' Didn't Doreen say something like this?
'If you don't know, I can't tell you.' Shai was deadpan. No twinkle this time.
'Oh. I thought you were going to give me some answers.'
'The best answers are those you find for yourself. Some answers can't be given to you. But what I want to say to you is this. Whatever you're getting into, it's dangerous. And if that concerns you, you should back out now.'
A solitary magpie flew past the window, wings outstretched, braced to land. Nancy envied it the ability to fly off any moment it wanted to. Shai wasn't making her life any easier.
He squeezed her hand again to get her attention. 'We'll go for lunch now, in the canteen. But first, I've got something for you. I wanted to hand you this personally. I didn't want to put it in the post.'
Shai thrust his hand in his pocket and produced a small piece of folded pink gift-wrap paper. He held it in his upturned left palm and began to unfurl the corners.
'I'm sure she'd want you to have these.'
As Shai pulled back the last corner of paper Nancy's eyes opened wide. There in his palm lay two exquisite jade earrings.
Nancy picked one of them up and held it in front of her. The housing and clasp were of filigree gold but it was the perfect proportions and the slender tear drop cut of the precious stone that enchanted the eye. She turned it around, letting the light catch it.
'They're beautiful. Even I can see the workmanship is amazing.'
'Valuable too. If you ever need to sell them, they'll more than make up the cost of your trip to Israel. But they're a big part of why I asked you to come here. You see they were given to me when your mother died. For safe-keeping. You were young and the family were worried you might lose them. So they sent them to me because I was an archaeologist.'
Nancy looked at him curiously.
'Yeah, I know.
Odd choice. As though an Israeli ruin-hunter is going to know about jewellery that's come from Russia. But no-one in the family knew about antiques so they figured an archaeologist was the next best thing. Anyway, they didn't know if these were genuine or just picked off a market stall.'
'If these came from a market I'd love to visit it.'
'Exactly. Well I didn't know anything about eastern jewellery, obviously. All my work has been here in Israel. But I used some of my connections.'
'Mm hmm?'
'Well it turns out these earrings were made over three hundred years ago. In China. At the end of the Ming dynasty. How and when they got into our family I don't know. But this I can tell you. They once belonged to your great great grandmother.'
'It's a big car, Nancy. With a huge back seat. You know, you're looking particularly attractive right now. How about if we stop in a lay-by for a little while and…'
'No.'
'Oh, please Nancy. I've worked so hard for you today.'
'I'm just not in the mood alright? I've had a busy few days and I've got a lot to think about.'
Silence. The big Jaguar scooped up the miles and threw them behind. Pete had paid for the luxury car even though his aristocratic secret was out. He had no need to honour his commitment but he had chosen to do so. Nancy knew she had won him over. She had won them all over. She had kept their secrets even as she pulled them this way and that and made them play her game. They knew it and loved her for it.
They were already halfway back to Eilat. Nancy was tired and had almost fallen asleep.
'Anyway.' She was out of her reverie now. 'I want to hear about your chat with Shai. I wasn't paying much attention. What did he tell you? Was it worth talking to him?'
Andy became animated again. 'Yes, wasn't it incredible that your great uncle turned out to be an archaeologist?'
'Yes,' said Nancy. 'Incredible.'
Andy turned and laughed. 'Anyway, I just asked him a couple of questions and immediately he was off and running. I could barely write notes fast enough to keep up with him. He talked about the Assyrians and the Hittites and the Essenes and Idumeans. He talked about the evidence for King David in Jerusalem, which is not much, and the fortress at Masada. But mostly, he talked like all that stuff was real. He made it come alive. He's done more to light my fire on middle east history than hours of lectures at uni. I can't wait to read more. Shards and bones indeed. Those stories are so much more real than they were this morning. The people too. I've got to thank you Nancy, it was well worth giving up a day at the dig.'
He looked across at her. 'What about you, did you get what you wanted from Shai?'
Nancy gazed out of the side window for a long while. She watched the empty vastness of the desert roll by, its unrelenting harshness stretching out on all sides. Five minutes went past before she responded.
'He told me I'm in a whirlpool and I can still jump out,' she said eventually, so softly that Andy almost couldn't hear. She turned away from the window, unfurled her left hand and looked down at the two antique earrings that nestled comfortably in her palm. 'But if I jump out, I'll never know what was inside it. And I may never find my roots.'
Café Haifa, Eilat, Israel
'Maybe we have to kill you.' Habib faced Nancy sternly across the table. He stubbed his cigarette into the ashtray as two plumes of smoke vented from his nostrils and curled around her neck. 'But not today.'
'I'm pleased.' A revolving fan blew the smoke away.
He regarded her with a puzzled frown. Nancy's calm manner was frustrating him. She liked it that he had no idea how to handle her.
'I have checked out your story, Nancy, and it seems everything you told me is correct.' Habib took three packets of sugar, broke them open one by one and stirred them into his espresso. 'A man was killed two days ago by a mob at a fishing village near Banjul and a white woman was seen in the area. Our police contacts are not involved in child slavery themselves. But they say your story is believable. We have looked for the lorry but it has gone.'
'Sorry about the lorry.'
'No matter,' said Habib with a tilt of the face. 'It is our problem. We do not ask you to replace it.'
'You are magnanimous beyond measure.'
'Mag…what?'
'It..it means you have a big heart.'
Habib searched Nancy's face closely. He was looking for any sign of weakness or deceit but her continued gentle sarcasm combined with her willingness to look him straight in the eye, without apparent rancour, was surprising him. There was a long pause while Habib carefully selected his next words. In English, his third language.
'I can not use you in Israel,' he said finally. 'You know neither Arabic nor Hebrew. Likewise Africa. The fact of your skin colour maybe take people by surprise for a while. But long term your skin no good there. You would be like a deer swimming through a pool of crocodiles.'
He sipped his supersweet espresso. Nancy watched.
'But there is someone who maybe like to meet you.'
'Uh-huh.'
'But not here. Not Israel.'
'Uh-huh.'
'I have spoken about you. It is possible that my employer can use someone like you in England.' Nancy's heart sank. She didn't want to go back to boring England. 'But first you need to learn our ways, understand how we do things. You know the name of our organisation?'
'Brother. Lafi told me.'
'Do not speak the name often,' Habib instructed. 'Just say 'the company'.
'The company. Fine. Who wants to meet me?'
'I spoke to Mr Lo myself, yesterday. He is the boss of the company. The company is based in Hong Kong.' Nancy could feel her mouth go dry. This was more like it. 'He very pleased to have the medicine cargo back. He thank you for that.'
'Glad I could help.'
'But he also say a white face in Hong Kong may be good for him too. Or maybe not, who can say? Mr Lo is building a worldwide logistics operation. He needs more staff. It useful for him to have clever people without criminal record. Clever people like you maybe.'
Habib took another cigarette from his pack and lit it.
'But I take a big risk. If you work well with Mr Lo, it reflect on me. Maybe they give me some of Egypt to expand. Maybe Cairo itself.' He blew out a cloud of smoke. 'But if you fail, it will cost me.'
He looked at her, clearly trying to read her intentions.
'Anyway, I decide to take risk on you. You will go to Hong Kong. You will meet with Mr Lo. Perhaps he can use you. Hong Kong is a place where English is spoken, no? Many white people there. Tomorrow go to Tel Aviv airport. El Al airlines desk. There will be a ticket for you to New Delhi for a connecting flight to Hong Kong. Someone will meet you when you arrive there. Be discreet with your boy friends, make sure they know nothing.'
Nancy stared at Habib to make sure she could trust him. Was he just getting rid of her? Would she get to Tel Aviv airport only to find nothing there? But what did she expect, a contract of employment? A big handshake and a 'welcome to the company' smile?
'I never thought I'd say this, but 'thank you'', said Nancy with sincerity. She held out her hand before realising it was inappropriate and swiftly withdrew it.
Habib stood up, gave a slight bow and left.
Nancy played with the sugar packets in the bowl. Hong Kong was halfway around the world. She didn't know anyone there. It was crazy to believe she was going to a remote part of Asia - was Hong Kong in China or Japan? Or somewhere else? - and build a new life in a very dodgy company. How was that going to end well?
The sugar packets she stacked on top of each other fell over. What had she ever achieved in her life to make her think she could succeed in a dog eat dog world? She sighed. It was time to end the dream. Time to go back to being Nancy the small-time travel agent who'd made a big mistake with three stupid boys in Israel and a stupid trip to Africa and wouldn't do it again. She'd finish her holiday and then go back to Ealing and carry on where she'd left off. That was it.
'Shai was right,'
she said out loud. 'I'm in over my head. I'd better jump out of this whirlpool before I drown.'
She breathed a sigh of relief, stood up and pulled her handbag over her shoulder. Her beach shoes hardly made a sound as she waved her hand to the café owner and walked to the glass door. No-one else in the café paid her the slightest attention. She was just an insignificant little girl who nobody would miss when she'd gone.
A large capital S with Chinese dragons' heads at the beginning and end of its serpentine shape was clearly visible hanging in space several inches the other side of the glass. The body of the S glistened with scales like armour and it writhed with energy and power. The protruding eyes were penetrating and alive, awash with pools and swirls. In their watery depths Nancy saw promises of mysteries and mazes, of love and lanterns, of emperors and escapades. She pulled open the door, closed it again and saw the S slowly fade, the eyes last to disappear.
Nancy set off back to the apartment to pack. Her eyes were bright and her pace was brisk. She was wondering how she would explain to the boys that she was leaving Israel the next day.
Inferno
'This is my favourite place in all of Hades,' announced Bezejel in delight to Hideki and Kodrob.
As though they couldn't tell.
Bezejel had led them up the spiral stairway around the lower reaches of Husk Tower. Now she fairly sparkled in the reflected glow of all the orange and red hues that threw themselves over the yellow tower. She breathed in deeply. 'Smell that sulphur. Doesn't it fire up all the senses in your body and load you with lust? Doesn't it give you a thrill to kill and a desire to survive?'
Hideki, as ever, ignored her. Kodrob felt obliged to look at Bezejel and nod, albeit without much passion in his features.
'I've brought you both here today because I want to remind you of what Hell is about. What we stand for.' Bezejel was determined to display the power of her reason. The reason of the fanatic. 'Look out there and understand why Inferno is right and why our philosophy will succeed in the long term.'
