Gaia's Majesty_Mission Called

by Roger B. Burt

  She felt sadness for these young women. She knew that for some it was a way to get much-needed money. Some had hopes for a life as a companion of a wealthy man, but some would experience unforgivable abuse.

  Softly she moved forward and with a deft touch woke Evan. She had to be the graceful and gentle companion. “We’re here, darlin’.”

  Sometimes she feared the word darlin’ would catch in her throat. But she knew to use it and to dial up her Irish accent.

  As they left the El Prat airport, the train of vehicles for the participants in the conference looked like a presidential motorcade without the flags. They drove up the coast to a large villa complex, where they were instantly attended by efficient servants who gathered their luggage and ushered them to their rooms.

  Brigid stood on the balcony of their room to observe who was arriving. The unattached “girls” were taken to a villa of their own to prepare for their purpose at the meeting. She was pleased when she spotted Nicole. They had plans to make. Since they had both been at numerous other gatherings, she could wave a greeting without consequence. Nicole smiled and waved back. Despite their secrets and missions, both of them maintained a calm, collected attitude.

  Nicole was being appraised by the men around her. Her glowing, light mulatto skin was flawless, as were her beauty and grace of movement. Brigid knew the men envied Sergey for his companion.

  After dinner, the men withdrew and left the women to themselves. Just as in Saint Lucia, there was a strong business meeting component underlying the appearance of a holiday.

  The meeting that evening was primarily a session to set the agenda for the longer meeting the next day. There was growing concern that opposition to their various businesses was developing in a more organized fashion. Also raised was the matter of the odd communications they were monitoring with encrypted messages and peculiar sounds, which seemed to be another form of encryption. They would go more deeply into what was concerning them and the messages at the next session.

  Brigid had taken up station in the great room where coffee, tea, and dessert were being served to the female “attendees.” When Nicole entered, she went to talk to her.

  “So good to see you again. Is this your first trip to Barcelona?” Brigid displayed an engaging smile.

  “No, as a matter of fact, I’ve been here a few times before. Sergey likes the area. Much of the year it’s more pleasant than his Russia.”

  “Have you been back to Haiti recently?”

  “No, we’ve been traveling. I could use some other diversion. Perhaps we could go shopping tomorrow while the men are at their meeting.”

  “Grand idea. And I’d like to see the Gaudí cathedral,” said Brigid while thinking of how, when they were alone, they could exchange intelligence and make the necessary plans.

  Breakfast the next morning was a long social affair, often with the appearance of true couples’ relationships. The women were to day trip to the beach or sightsee. Brigid and Nicole left on their shopping trip when the men went into their meeting. They engaged in general chitchat in the car, knowing the driver was not all he seemed. There was a brief stop at the Gaudí cathedral and then on to shopping during which they bought little. They lunched at a restaurant on a back street at a very private table. At last they were completely alone and could talk.

  Brigid leaned in and began. “Evan’s corporation is up to its ears in weapons development. One of them is out of control.”

  “You mean the same one they’re developing to sell to both Russia and the United States?” said Nicole with a wry smile on her face.

  “Oh really? Yes, maybe that one. I also need to pass on that I firmly believe it was at Evan’s insistence that the woman in Paris was killed.”

  “I heard of that incident. They’re getting bold,” said Nicole.

  “And incautious. They’re more vulnerable than they think,” Brigid said. “Which leads me to the fact that the arrangements regarding Sergey’s business are complete. Your work with Sergey is over. Our research into his operations has given us a complete picture. We can’t undo everything, but we know where most of the women he’s preparing for servitude are held, and have identified the warehouses holding his arms shipments.”

  Nicole smiled. “I understand. Sergey’s health issues are to become urgent.”

  “Yes. As soon as we hear that the head of this monster has been removed, we’ll free the women and there will be inexplicable explosions at his warehouses.”

  Nicole nodded. “I’ll take care of it immediately.”

  ~~~

  Two days later the convoy returned to the airport. Brigid and Evan went on to spend a few days near Lisbon, and Nicole and Sergey left to return to Moscow. It was to be a rough flight for Sergey.

  As a Haitian, Nicole had been raised in the rich and dark traditions of Africa. She had both the high arts of healing and death at her command.

  Before a late dinner on the plane Nicole slipped a poison into Sergey’s food. In the morning, as she approached him, she could see his eyes were wide open and showed a terrible terror, but he could not speak nor move. And she knew he was not going to recover. This was how he was to be. She leaned in close and stroked his cheek. “On behalf of the girls you’ve imprisoned in hell, darling Sergey. Enjoy.”

  Nicole would have to seek other employment. She preferred that it would not be with a man who engaged in weapons sales, sex trafficking, and keeping young women in slavery. Now Sergey had his own form of slavery. And she had to disappear.

  Sergey’s security men, Viktor and Anatoly, were waiting at the airport. When the medical emergency was declared, they took up station to observe.

  In the confusion at the airport Nicole sought to escape unnoticed. As she cleared the plane, Viktor and Anatoly noticed that she slipped away rather than accompanying Sergey. Discreetly they followed her to the separate apartment she kept in Moscow.

  Nicole had prepared herself for this moment. In her apartment, she changed into more functional clothes. She donned jeans and slipped on a bulletproof vest and similar protection for her head concealed by a hoodie. She sent a coded message from her cell phone. When she emerged looking suitably nondescript, Viktor and Anatoly were hidden in the shadows across the street.

  Viktor’s cell vibrated. The circumstances and nature of Sergey’s illness were deemed highly suspicious. They knew what they were to do. In their world, conclusive proof was not necessary. No chances were taken. No excuses accepted. Guilt was assumed.

  Nicole boarded a train for Minsk. Her ultimate destination was the Vineta Tethys in the Baltic Sea. On the train, she was deep in thought as she watched the scenery and wondered about her future assignments. Or at least the assignments she hoped to have if she survived the trip to Vineta.

  As the train slowed for the first stop after Moscow, Viktor and Anatoly joined her in the compartment where she had sat alone.

  Nicole looked up and Viktor fixed her with his eyes. She knew what was coming.

  Victor could not perceive a dark force hovering and observing in the compartment.

  Nicole smiled. “You’re late, gentlemen. My job’s done.” She turned her head aside.

  There were two muffled shots. Viktor and Anatoly exited the car.

  As they left the train, two women were watching. They now knew Nicole’s probable location on the train. Once on board they began checking compartments. Finally, one of them hissed to the other, “Here.” She entered while the other woman stood guard.

  After examining the unconscious Nicole, she turned and smiled. Softly she said, “Our Nicole is alive. She was well prepared and the fools shot her only in the chest. She’s unconscious from the shock but it appears the bullets did not pierce the vest.”

  A coded message was sent by cell phone. The women stood guard over Nicole until they approached the next stop. Gently they roused her. The women were pleased to see she had enough strength to leave the train with their assistance. The
van waiting outside the station turned northwest toward the border with Latvia. Even then arrangements were being made with the border guards of both nations to ensure Nicole’s safe passage.

  Even before the van carrying Nicole reached the Latvian border, Brigid was informed of Nicole’s rescue. Their planning, and good fortune, along with assistance from Vineta, had combined to save her dear friend. And Sergey’s dark empire was on its way to being dismantled.

  Nicole and her rescuers spent a day in a safe house in Latvia before they again drove toward the coast. That night they embarked toward Vineta. The boat was powerful, but it was the next evening when they reached their destination.

  One of the rescuers approached Nicole. “It seems you are making a remarkable recovery.”

  Nicole smiled. “Anticipation of a future I thought I might not have is giving me strength. And my intuition tells me someone is waiting for me.”

  The other woman nodded and together they slipped into the sea.

  At the portal into the city Nicole donned the waiting cloak and walked toward the door. With seeming respect the other woman remained behind. As Nicole entered there was an imposing woman dressed in a dark cape waiting. She moved toward Nicole and drew her into a gentle embrace. Wordlessly Nicole looked up into her face.

  "It seems, my Nicole, that Gaia has graced us with your survival.” Her smile spoke other truths.

  Nicole scanned her face. “My time with the Vodun in Haiti tells me you are from the spirit world. Am I to be received into your world?”

  “Let me introduce myself. I am Freya, priestess of the Valkyrie.”

  “Was it you who saw to my salvation?” Nicole said.

  “You understand the mission of the Valkyrie, it seems.”

  “Yes, you decide who lives and dies in battle. And it seems I was to live.”

  “More than that Nicole. Your survival was important because of your connection with, and understanding of the spirit world.”

  “Then I’m curious. Have I entered the spirit world and left the corporeal world behind?”

  “No. You hold a special place for which you have been prepared. You may pass as needed through both worlds in the service of Gaia.”

  ~~~

  The next morning Evan received a call from Moscow. He sat in disbelief with one hand on his forehead. “So the woman has been taken care of. Good. How could this happen? Sergey had no idea about her. Were you not doing your job?”

  Evan listened to the excuses and the apologies coming from the person on the other end of the line. “I expected more!” he shouted, slamming the phone down. He went and stood by the window, staring at nothing. This was intolerable. They were powerful men and if this could happen to Sergey none of them were safe.

  Chapter 18

  Door to Her Future

  Alexandria, Egypt

  The trip to Laguna had clarified little, and even after Avery and Beck were back in Miami, Avery was still troubled by a movie of the chaos on the beach running in her head. She found herself mulling annoying intangibles while looking at pictures of the women in the surf now on the wall in her living room. She found herself drawn to these mysterious icons.

  Still puzzled by the enigmatic statement made by the blonde woman, Avery called Luma, who said she’d had no contact with anyone with blonde hair. How the woman knew Avery’s name remained a mystery.

  Gradually the impact of the tragedy faded as she became engrossed in her day-to-day work.

  ~~~

  Avery picked up her cell when it chirped. “Hey! It’s Ashley. You know, the one hanging in Egypt. We’ve discovered some neat stuff in the sea off the port in Alexandria. Have you kept up on your scuba diving? Do you want to come see?”

  Ashley was her best friend from boarding school. They shared devotion to the planet and commitment to international adventures. Their backgrounds were different. While Avery’s family had been involved with health ventures in Africa and the Middle East, Ashley’s family was absurdly wealthy and devoted to international finance. None of it mattered. When they met at school they bonded at once and now, because of their work, they only occasionally crossed paths on Facebook.

  Avery was intrigued and Ashley sounded so enthusiastic. She was caught up at work and Beck was tied up. She could probably take a few days. The money her parents had left her permitted her to fund an occasional non-work related trip.

  Avery turned it around in her head. “Okay, Ashley. I haven’t been in the water in a while but I think I can get it back fast. Your timing’s good. Let me check in at work and see what arrangements I can make.”

  Recollections of the time she had spent with her parents in Egypt flooded her mind. That in turn triggered reminiscences of boarding school in Massachusetts with other kids from the world community. Then there was college in New York. Happy and carefree days ended with the terrible phone call about the death of her parents. She remembered how alone she had felt.

  For no reason she could identify, she was gripped by fear.

  ~~~

  At the Cairo airport Ashley was waiting outside customs, smiling and waving. Ashley was bubbling. “Wait ’til you see! We thought Cleopatra’s palace might be in the harbor—and we think we’ve found it. It’s hard to be sure because the water is murky.”

  The next day Ashley roused Avery early and rushed her through breakfast. It was a glorious day on the sparkling Mediterranean, and Ashley already had the scuba gear loaded in her Range Rover.

  “I thought I was a morning person, Ashley, but you have me beat. What’s the hurry? Is the Mediterranean going to disappear?”

  “Sorry. But you just have to see this.”

  At an isolated wharf, they donned their gear. Ashley gave Avery a few directions and they plunged in. The use of the gear came back to Avery immediately. It was intriguing and exciting, like looking into the legend of lost Atlantis. They had entered the water together, but there had been a recent storm and the waters were very dark. They got separated. Avery kept forging ahead. Suddenly, for no apparent reason, the water cleared and she saw twin pillars.

  She was seized by a feeling of disorientation and simultaneously sensed someone nearby. Someone was seeking contact. But it wasn’t Ashley. Someone—something different.

  Then, near one of the pillars, she saw the blurry form of a woman holding something. Her hair floated in the water, making Avery think of a corpse. But as she got closer, she could see luminous eyes vivid with life. The woman was holding a small child. Both were watching her intently. Avery locked eyes with the woman and felt an inquiry.

  A chirping sound came from the woman, who began to drift away. She turned and looked back at Avery. It was then Avery noticed the woman had a fish tail which was propelling her. The child had one, as well.

  Avery’s heart was pounding. She was seeing a mermaid! She wiped her face mask to make sure she was seeing clearly, but the woman and child were fading. Fearful, she propelled herself backward and then up. When she broke the surface, she popped off her headgear and gasped for breath. Looking around she tried to calm herself, wondering what she would say to her friend.

  Later in the day when she was back with Ashley, she considered sharing what had happened. But she had reservations, even with Ashley. In the end, she couldn’t resist saying something, but spoke only about the feeling of presence, not mentioning the woman and child.

  To her surprise, Ashley was not dismissive. “You mean,” Avery said, “something like that happened to you, too?”

  “Creepy, isn’t it,? I have the strangest feelings when I’m in the water there. It’s so alive, and I often think there’s someone nearby.”

  “That makes me feel better. I’m not totally loony. Are there any legends or reports about ghosts in the area?”

  Ashley laughed. “Avery! This is the Middle East. Everything hints of mystery or mysticism.”

  That night Avery had a long dream about the experience at the pillars. In the mo
rning she found herself reviewing not just what she had seen, but also what she had felt. She concluded there was so much more to it than what she saw. The feeling of life nearby was significant. And her friend seemed to validate her experience.

  The next evening she and Ashley attended a party for local and visiting dignitaries who were being supportive of their research and charitable efforts. It was a mixed affair, both glittering and casual. The evening was warm and the stars gave a brilliant display, adding to the glamour. Avery had brought one casual dress, which served, but, feeling a little out of place, she took herself aside on a balcony.

  At length Ashley found her. “You can’t be hiding. These people are very interested in our work.”

  “I’m not dressed very well, Ashley. I’m embarrassed.”

  Ashley laughed and placed her hand on Avery’s shoulder. “Look at me. This is Egypt and these are our supportive friends. Get over it and join us. Once people meet you they’re always so pleased. Come on. There’s someone you simply must meet.”

  Ashley took her by the arm and began to tow her back into the gathering. One woman was looking their way. Avery made immediate eye contact as Ashley led her directly to the woman. She looked familiar. Avery searched her memory for any previous contact, but found none.

  The woman extended her hand. “Good evening, Avery. Ashley has been telling me about her valued friend with such an interesting career.”

  As they were shaking hands, the woman said, “My name is Philippa Desrochers. I’m always so glad to meet promising young women like you who are doing such important work.”

  Not sure what to say Avery blurted, “Ashley told me I simply had to meet you. Why is that?”

  Philippa chuckled. “It’s because we have a common interest in women’s lives. Women are coming of age in this world, and my work is serving the interest of women’s health. We have so much work to do of all kinds, and I hear you share my interests on behalf of women and work in developing microloans.”