The Prime Minister's Daughter

by William Manchee

  Chapter 12

   

  The next morning, Kevin didn't want to get out of bed. He was confused and scared about what was happening to him. He loved Kiran, at least he thought he did. He desperately wanted to make her his wife, but he didn't want her as a reward for saving Ahmad or, God forbid, payment for bearing false witness. He wondered if Kiran knew what was going on.

  Did she know that she was being used by her father for his political advantage? If she did know, would that knowledge turn her affections away from him? If he took her to be his bride, would she always wonder about his love?

  Kevin was sick. He almost wished he hadn't come to Trinidad.

  He put on a pair of jeans over his swimsuit and threw on a Super Bowl XXX T-shirt his father had bought in Phoenix when he went to the Super Bowl. Kevin wished his father was there now to give him some advice. Finally, he decided to confront Kiran and find out how she felt about him. He had to know. If she didn't have a strong interest in him, then he’d have to forget her and continue his search. Fate had not given him much time to win her love. His destiny may have already been sealed.

  The Prime Minister sent a half dozen security police with Kevin and his daughters. He didn't expect any trouble, but he wasn't about to take any chances. The small motorcade left Port of Spain and headed north on Saddle Road. The narrow highway wound its way up and over the coastal mountains. This part of Trinidad was a tropical rain forest, abounding in vegetation and wildlife. At the summit of the pass, there was a lookout that provided an incredible view of northwest Trinidad. Deviane insisted the motorcade stop to take a look. As they drove up, they saw a half dozen black men selling coconuts and various other tropical fruits. Another man held a small stringed instrument resembling a ukulele.

  "Come on, Kevin," Deviane said. "This will be fun.”

  “Have you heard any Calypso yet?" Kiran asked.

  “Well, just what Deviane was watching on TV the night I first got here.”

  Kiran gave Deviane a dirty look. Deviane ignored her and got out of the car. Kevin followed her and they were immediately surrounded by the men. Kevin was a little tense at first, but seeing Kiran and Deviane quite at ease made him feel better. The middle aged vocalist directed his attention at Kevin.

  "Welcome to Trinidad, have you heard the music of our land yet? The Calypso?"

  "No, not yet," Kevin said as he looked at Kiran and Deviane, who were laughing.

  "Well then, I will sing you a song about yourself and also reveal to you a glimpse of the future," the vocalist promised and then began singing;

   

  You're a wise young man from far away,

  Most certainly the USA,

  You love your country with all your soul,

  You live in Phoenix and you like to bowl.

   

  Kevin and Deviane began to laugh. Kiran smiled. The other men were dancing to the music with great rhythm. The security police were watching and looking around for anything out of the ordinary. The Calypso singer continued;

   

  With bright blue eyes, a pretty smile,

  Ladies, yes, they do beguile,

  Love abounds you as we speak,

  now's not the time to be meek.

   

  If innocence is the lure,

  Are you sure that she is pure?

  The road ahead is fraught with peril,

  It all began with a short black barrel.

   

  As you pray to the Lord above,

  You should look for peace and love,

  By your side your lover lies,

  Yet you fail to hear her cries.

   

  Now, if you liked this Calypso song,

  Then it certainly would not be wrong,

  To do something not so rash,

  Like leaving this poor soul, a little cash!

   

  Everyone laughed and gave the performers a round of applause. Kevin pulled out his wallet and handed the man a five dollar bill. He took the money, bowed and waved as Kevin and the girls got back in their cars to continue the drive to Blanchisseuse Bay. Kevin was intrigued by the song and asked one of the security guards for a piece of paper and a pencil so he could write it down before he forgot it.

  "That was really good. I'm glad we stopped," Kevin said. "What did you think, Kiran?"

  "It was cute."

  "Do you believe that he could see into the future?"

  "No, that's impossible."

  "I believe some people have that gift," Deviane said.

  "Yeah, how did he know it all started with a short black barrel?"

  "It was just a coincidence," Kiran said. "If he's so perceptive, why did he think you lived in Phoenix."

  "True, he's obviously not a football fan. I guess the people of Trinidad don't follow the Cowboys," Kevin said.

  "No, but there are a lot of NBA fans here," Deviane said.

  "Cricket and soccer are the most popular sports."

  "Soccer is getting popular in the United States. I played a lot of soccer when I was younger."

  "So did I," Deviane said. "I love soccer."

  "Do you like any sports, Kiran?" Kevin asked.

  Kiran thought a moment and then replied.

  "Croquet is fun."

  "Hmm. I played that a couple times, with my dad, when I was really young. You might like horseshoes. That's big in certain parts of West Texas. Then there is buffalo chip throwing and watermelon seed spitting."

  Kiran looked at Kevin and frowned.

  "That's disgusting!"

  "Yeah, I guess it is. Actually, I've never done either of them."

  "I'm glad. I assumed you were civilized."

  Kevin laughed.

  "The people in Texas are a little crazy sometimes. Hey, we do have something in common. Isn't that an armadillo going across the road?"

  "Uh huh," Deviane replied. "We've got lots of them here."

  "Really? I thought only Texas had armadillos. See, you learn something new every day."

  Around eleven-thirty a.m., the motorcade arrived at Blanchisseuse Bay. As promised, the beach was beautiful and deserted. The temperature was a balmy eighty-two degrees. There was a light breeze from the north and the sky was clear. Deviane bolted out of the car, ran down to the water and started splashing around in it. Kevin watched her with great interest, but stayed back to help unload the trunk. Kiran grabbed her large beach purse and walked gingerly through the sand to the edge of the water. She looked around for the best spot and then began laying out a blanket. Kevin finally joined her with the picnic basket.

  "Isn't it wonderful out here?" Kiran said.

  "Yeah, it is," Kevin replied as he pulled off his shirt.

  Kiran took an approving look at Kevin's wide shoulders and hard stomach. Then she kicked off her shoes, untied the straps on her cotton dress and let it drop to the ground. Kevin felt a surge of excitement as he saw her exquisite body, covered only by a modest yellow bikini.

  "You want to go for a swim?" he asked smiling approvingly.

  "No, I don't like to swim that much, I just like to lay out."

  "Oh. How about a walk on the beach then?"

  "Sure, that would be fine."

  Kevin took Kiran's hand and began walking with her down the beach. Deviane walked by and said, "Come back soon, I'm hungry."

  Kevin didn't respond as his mind was on Kiran. For the first time, he was enjoying the warmth of her soft, slender hand. As they strolled down the beach, he looked over at her and spoke.

   "You know, Kiran, after we talked in the hospital I haven't been able to keep my mind off you."

  Kiran glanced over at Kevin to catch the expression on his face. "Really? Why? You must have had a dozen girls by now, if what I've seen on television is true."

  "Some guys, most guys take what they can get, but I'm not that way?"

  Kiran laughed. "Well, I must admit I have thought a lot about you as well–and not just because you saved my fat
her’s life. Even if that had happened you would have been hard to forget.”

  Kevin’s spirits soared. “Really. Are you just saying that to be nice?”

  “No. We connected somehow. I felt it. Then you trusted me with a secret, remember?”

  Kevin nodded. “Yes. About my sister’s death. I don’t know why I did that. It just came out.”

  “That meant a lot to me. I feel like you’re a man I can trust.”

  “Oh, yes. You can.”

  “But then I saw you kiss Uma Thurman on Leno.”

  “What. You saw that?”

  “Yes. We may be a third world country, but we do have American TV down here.”

  “Well, she kind of ambushed me.”

  “You didn’t seem upset about it.”

  Kevin blushed. “Right. Well, I had given up on ever seeing you again.”

  “Oh, so that’s your excuse.”

  Kevin looked away not knowing what to say.

  Kiran laughed. “Relax. I’m not mad–yet.”

  “Yet?”

  “Yes, if you like Uma Thurman’s kiss better than mine, then I’ll be mad.”

  Kevin’s eyes lit up like a fuse on a firecracker. Kiran turned and put her arms on his shoulders. He slid his hands behind her back and pulled her body to his. They kissed, tenderly at first, feeling each other’s breath, rubbing their lips together tentatively, until a sudden rush of passion exploded within them. With their lips firmly locked, their tongues frolicked joyfully as they pressed their bodies ever so close. They felt so exhilarated that neither could bear to bring the kiss to its inevitable conclusion. Finally Kiran pulled away. They stared at each other silently for a moment, both breathing heavily.

  "Well, whose kiss was better.”

  Kevin took a deep breath. "There’s no comparison. That was incredible. I've never experienced anything like it in my entire life."

  "I'm glad you liked it. It will make our marriage better if there's passion between us," Kiran said.

  Kevin swallowed. "Our marriage?"

  "Isn't that what you want? Didn't you ask my father for my hand?"

  "Well, yes. Kind of."

  "Then you've got your wish. I will marry you."

  "You will?"

  "Yes. On one condition."

  "What's that?"

  "I want to live in America. My father will try to convince you to live in Trinidad, but I want you to take me back to Texas."

  "That's it?"

  "Well, I want you to be a politician, not a doctor. I want so much to be like my mother, the wife of an important government official. Don't you think I'd make a good first lady?"

  "First lady?” Kevin laughed. “That’s kind of a long shot, don’t you think?”

  “Oh, you’re too modest, Kevin. The Ambassador said you could be President of the United States someday.”

  “He said that? Huh. . . . Well, if it's that important to you, I'll give politics a try. But, I may not be successful. Politics is very competitive in America."

  "You will be successful. I just know it."

  Kevin took a deep breath, trying to figure out if Kiran was for real. This should have been the happiest moment in his life, but he felt sick inside. He suddenly remembered something his father had said to him once–be careful what you ask for, you might just get it.

  His mind was racing as he continued to walk down the beach. He couldn't believe Kiran had consented to become his wife. It had all happened so fast, he was in a state of shock. After a few minutes of contemplation, however, the anticipation of marrying Kiran and spending the rest of his life with her dispelled all the anxiety he had been feeling. He knew he was a very lucky man. Don't look a gift horse in the mouth. This is what I wanted and now I've got it! Thank you, God.

  He turned and smiled at Kiran. "You've made me the happiest man alive, Kiran. I'll be a good husband, I promise!"

  Kiran smiled and laughed. "I know. That's why I agreed to marry you. I'm going to enjoy being your wife. But, we need more practice kissing, don't you think?"

  Kevin smiled gleefully, opened up his arms and embraced Kiran. They kissed passionately for several minutes, until Kiran finally broke away and spoke.

  "Umm. You're getting better and better each time. We could do this all afternoon, but, I’m afraid we better get back. Deviane won't eat without us and she'll be complaining all afternoon if we don't return soon. Besides, I think we've given the security police enough of a show for one day."

  Kevin smiled and reluctantly let go of Kiran. She turned and started walking back to where Deviane was waiting. Kevin followed her a few paces behind, still in a state of shock. When they finally made it back, Deviane was taking in some sun. She too, had on a bikini and looked quite exquisite. Kevin suddenly felt embarrassed to look at her, now that he had made a commitment to Kiran. He turned, looked out to sea and took a deep breath of the salty air.

  Kiran slipped her dress on and said, "I'm going to go to the ladies' room, Kevin. I'll be right back. We can eat then."

  He turned around and smiled. "Sure."

  Kiran left and headed for the bathhouse which was situated about two hundred yards down the beach. Kevin watched her lovingly as she walked away.

  "Kevin, will you rub some suntan lotion on my back? I can't reach it," Deviane said.

  “Huh?” Kevin said as he turned and made eye contact with Deviane.

  “Suntan lotion. I don’t want to get a burn.”

  Kevin hesitated as he felt a flurry of guilt come over him. He didn't know what to do. He didn't want to offend Deviane, but he didn't want to betray Kiran either.

  Deviane turned over and smiled.

  "She won't mind. Come on. I can't reach my back or I’d do it myself."

  Kevin shrugged and picked up the bottle of suntan lotion. He watched her as she unbuttoned the top to her bikini. He poured some lotion on his hand and began to rub it gently on her back. As he stroked her smooth, silky skin, he felt an excitement that shocked and embarrassed him. Suddenly Deviane turned over exposing her naked breasts. Kevin quickly turned away.

  “Deviane!”

  "Oops!" She laughed. “I’m sorry, I forgot I had unbuttoned it. Jesus, you must think I’m terrible. Please forgive me.”

  “It’s okay, I just don’t want Kiran to get the wrong idea. You won’t mention this to her will you?”

  “No, of course not.”

  "She just agreed to marry me. I really love her and I don’t want anything to come between us."

  "Marry you? No! You can't be serious.”

  Kevin frowned. “Yes, quite serious.”

  “But, she doesn't love you."

  "How would you know whether she loved me or not?"

  “She’s my sister. Believe me, I know. . . . I bet she made you promise to take her to America, didn’t she?"

  “Well, she did mention that, but that’s no big deal. I wouldn’t want to live in Trinidad anyway. . . . No offense to your fine country, but–”

  “What else does she want?”

  "Just that I be a politician rather than a doctor."

  "See, she doesn’t care about what you want—just about herself. She’s always been that way. If she loved you, she'd marry you without condition. You could live anywhere you like, and she wouldn't care what career you chose, as long as you were together."

  "I don’t care. I love her. So I’ll do whatever it takes to make her happy."

  "You just think you love her. She doesn't love you, I promise. She didn't tell you she loved you, did she?"

  "Well, not exactly."

  "Kiran is very honest. She won't lie to you. She may evade your questions, but she won't lie. If she loves you, she'll tell you so. You should ask her if she loves you."

  "I'm not going to play games with her. She wouldn't marry me if she didn't love me."

  "Oh, Kevin, you’re so naive. I'm not saying she won't be faithful to you, I'm sure she will, but you two don't have anything in common. You'll be living together, but
your minds will be apart. You won't be happy.”

  Kevin stared at Deviane, not knowing what to say to her. He was stunned by her opposition to the marriage and her apparent interest in him. It’s probably just gratitude for saving her father’s life. Why else would she care about me? I can’t let her distract me from Kiran. I’ve searched too long for the right woman to let anything get in my way.

  “Deviane, I’m in love with Kiran and I’m going to marry her. I’m sorry you’re against it, but I’m sure it will be a wonderful marriage.”

  When Kiran returned, they opened the picnic basket and began to consume the fare that had been provided them. Kevin felt badly knowing Deviane was so dead set against their marriage. After lunch, the three sunbathers sat and enjoyed the warm sunshine. A cool breeze coming in from the ocean made it quite pleasant. After a while, Deviane got up and looked toward the ocean.

  "Let's take a swim."

  Kevin got up eagerly and replied, "That sounds like fun."

  Kiran looked at them.

  "You two go ahead. I don't like to swim in the ocean. The salt hurts my eyes and it will take me a week to get my hair clean again."

  Deviane smiled and started running toward the water. Kevin wanted to swim, but he didn’t want to leave Kiran alone. He decided not to go. He watched her run toward the beach.

  “Aren’t you going, Kevin?” Kiran said. “She shouldn’t be out there alone.”

  Kevin knew she was right. He nodded to Kiran and started running after Deviane. When she reached the water she ran out as far as she could and then collapsed into the surf. Kevin quickly caught up to her and started swimming and playing in the water around her. Before long, they were having a water fight and laughing and giggling like a couple of children. Kiran seemed oblivious to what was going on. Her mind was obviously occupied by something of greater importance. When the two swimmers got tired, they returned and sat on the blanket next to Kiran to dry.

  "How was the water?" Kiran asked.

  "Very pleasant, you should have come with us," Kevin said.

  "I was thinking about our wedding. I would like to have it at the Royal Botanical Gardens. It is so beautiful there."

  Kevin felt an unpleasant sensation in the pit of his stomach. He was worried. What would his parents say when he told them he was getting married. It seemed so strange to have Kiran talking about their wedding. He hardly knew her. He twisted his neck slowly to release the tension that was rapidly working its way into a headache.

  "That would be nice, as long as it didn't rain," Deviane said.

  "True, that would be a worry, but if we have it during the dry season, we should be okay."

  "When is the dry season?" Kevin asked.

  "In January, usually," Kiran replied.

  "A January wedding, hmm. That will be okay, I guess. We’ll have to wait a year before we start college. After the wedding, we'll have eight months before the term begins. Wait until I tell my parents that they've got to come to Trinidad to see us get married. Oh, God, won't they be surprised."

  "How will you support me?" Kiran asked.

  "What?” Kevin said suddenly realizing he hadn’t even thought of that minor detail.

  “How will we live?”

  “Ah. . . . Well, unfortunately I'm not rich. I'm sure my parents will pay for my college. Do you think your parents will pay for yours?"

  "Yes, of course."

  "Good. Then all I'll have to do is get a part time job, so we'll have money for rent and food, right? If we come up short, I can always get a student loan."

  "We shouldn't borrow, I wouldn't like being in debt."

  "I agree. We'll just live on whatever we can scrape up. It will be fun."

  Kiran looked over at Deviane.

  "Deviane, will you be my maid of honor?"

  Deviane looked like she had been stung by a jelly fish. She looked away, then back at Kiran without saying a word. Then she got up, put on a T-shirt and slipped on some sandals. Kiran watched her, waiting for a response. After she regained her composure, she turned back and smiled.

  "If you actually do get married, I'll be your maid of honor,” she said and then looked at Kevin. Their eyes met. . . . “And when I get married, will you be mine, . . . no matter who I marry?"

  Kevin gasped under his breath. He turned away and took a deep breath.

  Kiran looked at him and frowned, "Of course, Deviane. Even if you marry some peasant, I’ll be there at your side."

  "Good, then it's settled."

  Kevin shook his head, then turned to Kiran and said, “Kiran, let's take another walk on the beach. I want to see the caves."

  Kiran looked down the beach to where Kevin wanted to go.

  "Okay, but we're not going in them."

  "I know. I just want to see where they are."

  "I'll take you, Kevin," Deviane said.

  "No, I'll take him," Kiran snapped. "Come on, Kevin."

  "You better put on some shoes, it's very rocky by the caves," Deviane advised. "Some of the rocks are razor sharp too. I've cut my feet on them before."

  "Oh, really? I guess I'll put on my sneakers then," Kevin said. "Where are your shoes, Kiran?"

  "In my bag, will you get them for me?"

  "Sure," Kevin said and then went over to the beach bag. He pulled out Kiran's sandals and handed them to her. After Kiran put them on, she got up and they began walking down the beach, hand in hand.

  "I feel like I'm dreaming," Kevin said.

  "What do you mean?" Kiran asked.

  "When I came here I wasn't– I didn't–"

  "What?"

  "I was hoping to spend some time with you, so you would get to know me. You know, so you might fall in love with me. Realistically, I didn't think it would happen, but I was determined to try. I'm so amazed that it happened so fast."

  "They don't have arranged marriages in America, do they?"

  "Huh?"

  "Arranged marriages. Your parents don't pick your wife, do they?"

  "No."

  "Well, we don't have arranged marriages exactly, but parents play an important role in deciding whom their children will marry."

  "Really?"

  "Yes, they choose a spouse for you, but you can reject their choice if it doesn't feel right."

  "Is that so?"

  "Uh huh."

  "You mean, your father decided you should marry me?"

  "Yes. He said it would be a good marriage and that I should seriously consider it. I thought about it and I think he's right. It will be good for us to be married."

  "But what about love? Do you love me?"

  "I hardly know you, Kevin. I like you a lot. I feel good when I'm with you. I love kissing you, but I'm not exactly sure what love is."

  "I love you."

  "How do you know?"

  "I can just feel it. From the moment I first saw you, I just knew you were the woman I wanted to be with the rest of my life."

  Kiran laughed.

  "I'm glad you love me. I'm sure I'll grow to love you too. Maybe I do love you, but don't realize it. God, Kevin, I don't know. It doesn't matter, my mother didn't love Daddy at first, but she does now."

  Kevin stopped, sat down and stared out into the ocean. Kiran sat next to him and put her arm around him.

  "Do you still want to marry me?" Kiran asked.

  Kevin looked at Kiran and sighed.

  "Oh, God, yes! I love you. I just want you to love me as much as I love you."

  Kiran put her head on Kevin's shoulder.

  "It will come, I'm sure it will come. Don't worry," she whispered.

   

   

  After Kevin and Kiran left, Deviane laid back and took a long, frustrated breath. She grabbed a book and started thumbing through it. A minute later, she threw down the book and looked around for one of the security guards. She wanted to know the time. She scanned the beach, but no one was around. That’s odd. She stood up and put her hand above her eyes to shield them from the glare.
In the distance, she could see the three cars that had brought them to the beach, but there were no security guards to be seen. A sudden chill darted down her spine. She could sense that something was wrong.

  Then she heard it–the chilling sound of a helicopter gun ship. She whipped her head around toward the sound and saw it. Soldiers were dropping off the chopper and sliding to the ground on ropes.

  She started running down the beach to warn Kiran and Kevin when the helicopter opened fire and the first of the three government cars exploded. The jolt knocked her to the ground. As she was trying to get up, two more explosions rocked the beach. After a second, she looked up, only to see flaming debris falling to the ground. Panic-stricken, she began to run. Suddenly, three soldiers came out of nowhere and started chasing her. She shrieked in terror.

  Kevin and Kiran were standing, trying to figure out what was happening. Alarmed at seeing three men chasing Deviane, Kevin took off to help her. As he approached, he realized her pursuers were carrying guns. When she reached him, he grabbed her hand and started running with her. As they approached Kiran he yelled.

  "Run, Kiran, run!"

  Kiran started running along the beach as fast as she could. The men chasing them were tall, lean and obviously in good shape. They were getting closer and closer. Suddenly, several more men came at them from the main road.

  "Up ahead! The caves!" Deviane yelled. "Follow me and we can lose them in the darkness."

  Kevin was starting to tire and Kiran was already lagging behind. Only Deviane seemed to be up to the physical challenge confronting them. As they got to the entrance of the cave, she directed them to hold her hand. She would lead them safely through the cool darkness. Kevin and Kiran followed Deviane blindly into the depths of the earth. They could see nothing. The ground was rocky and they often stumbled.

  “Watch out for the stalactites hanging from the cave’s ceiling. Hit one of those and it could knock you out.”

  “I don’t know how I’m supposed to see them,” Kiran complained.

  After a while, Deviane stopped.

  “Why are we stopping?”

  "We're safe here for a while," she said.

  "Good." Kevin said. "But how are we going to get out of here?"

  "I don’t know.”

  “What?”

  “I know these caves pretty well, but I’ve never been this far back without a flashlight. One of the games we used to play was ‘bat eyes.’ We'd shut off our flashlights and see how far we could get without light.”

  "Wasn’t that a little dangerous?” Kevin asked.

  “I guess it was, but we always turned on our flashlights way before we got to the bottomless pit.”

  “The bottomless pit? . . . Oh, Jesus, where is that?”

  “I think it’s just ahead.”

  “How do we get around it?”

  “There’s a narrow path around its perimeter.”

  “Oh God, Deviane. Why did you take us in here?” Kiran said.

  “What choice did I have?”

  “Can we get by it?” Kevin asked.

  “Yes, just take my hand and stay close to the wall to your left.”

  They all got up and started to creep along the wall of the cave. Deviane led the way with Kiran in the middle. About half way across Kiran slipped on a wet rock and fell toward the pit.

  “Ah!” Kiran screamed as she tried to grab hold of Kevin for dear life. Kevin grabbed her arm and jerked her back toward him.

  “I’ve got you, Kiran, relax,” Kevin said. “Don’t make any sudden moves.”

  Kiran began to cry. “Get us out of here Deviane. I don’t like it in here.”

  “I will. It’s not too much farther. Just quit crying. It’s not going to help.”

  After they had made it around the bottomless pit safely, they stopped to rest.

  "Who were those men?" Kevin asked.

  "I don't know," Deviane said.

  "Did they kill our security police?" Kiran asked.

  "I'm afraid so," Deviane replied.

  "Don't you think they'll go find some flashlights and be back here to get us?" Kevin asked.

  "Right, but we'll be long gone by that time.”

  "Where are we going?"

  "After we rest a minute, we'll sneak out the back entrance to the cave and hide in the forest until someone comes looking for us."

  "What do you think they want with us, Deviane?" Kiran asked.

  "I don't know for sure. I suppose it could be a ransom."

  "Or it could be political," Kevin added. "They may be after me, to keep me from identifying Ray Mohammed. It wouldn't be the first time they tried."

  "What do you mean?" Deviane asked.

  "I didn't tell anyone before, but the reason I was missing on my first day in Trinidad was I had been kidnaped."

  "What?" Kiran said. "You were kidnaped? What do you mean? Why didn't you say something?"

  "The kidnapper was actually trying to save me from the NDC. They had intended to kill me. In fact, if it weren't for him, I'd be dead right now. He was such a good person. I didn't want him to get into trouble. So I kept my mouth shut about it."

  "I can't believe this," Kiran said. "That means, if they find us, they'll kill us!"

  "Maybe not. If they wanted us dead, they could have killed us on the beach." Kevin replied. "No, I think they want us as hostages."

  Suddenly there were voices in the distance and flashes of light. Deviane jumped up and said, "It's time to go. Just hold my hand and we'll be out of here in just a minute."

  Kevin grabbed Deviane's hand with one hand and Kiran's with the other. They made their way through the darkness slowly, until they could see a light in the distance and finally emerged into the forest. The sudden blast of sunlight blinded them. They shielded their eyes with their hands until they had adjusted to the light.

  "Follow me," Deviane said and then turned, hiking toward the foothills.

  Kevin and Kiran walked hand in hand behind Deviane. It wasn't easy walking through the rugged rain forest, particularly for the girls, who were in sandals. Before long, Kiran began to complain.

  "Slow down, Deviane. My feet are killing me."

  Deviane stopped to give Kiran a chance to adjust her sandals. After a minute, she started walking again. She led them inland, along a small stream, for several miles. It was beautiful country. Had the circumstances been different, it would have been a pleasant hike. They continued on until they came to a small clearing overlooking a waterfall. It appeared to be a popular camping site, judging from the scattered remnants of many campfires. The three weary travelers stopped to rest and discuss how they were going to avoid capture.

  "It's getting late. Before long, it's going to be dark. We better start thinking of how we're going to protect ourselves tonight," Kevin said.

  "We're going to have to sleep in the forest?" Kiran asked.

  "Unless someone rescues us real soon, I'm afraid so."

  "What about the animals?" Kiran asked.

  "I don't know. What kind of animals are out here?"

  "Oilbirds and armadillos, mostly," Deviane replied. "Maybe some agoutis and deer. Nothing too threatening."

  "Good, I'll make us a lean-to for protection from the rain," Kevin said. "You two gather some leaves or something soft for us to sleep on. Later on, I'll make a fire."

  "How are you going to do that?" Kiran asked. "We don't have any matches."

  "Luckily, I was a Boy Scout. If I can find the right kind of rock, I can strike it against my pocket knife and get a spark. Otherwise, I'll have to use a bow and a stick, which is much harder. It might take a while, but I'll have a fire started eventually."

  "I'll get us some coconuts to eat," Deviane said.

   "Where?" Kevin asked.

  "There are coconut trees everywhere. I'll just look around. Maybe I can find some on the ground."

  After an hour of hard work, the three campers had built a pretty credible shelter. Kiran was lying on a bed of leaves, watching
Kevin trying to make a fire. Deviane was sitting on a big rock at the edge of the stream eating some coconut. Kevin had prepared a pile of dry, shredded leaves and built a frame made of sticks and branches around it. He had found a suitable rock in the river. He struck the rock again and again against the edge of his knife. Sparks began to fly into the dry leaves but nothing happened.

  “Usually I have some charred cloth. Unbleached muslin works the best. A few strikes and the cloth begins to smolder. Then I wrap some frayed jute rope around it and in a few seconds I have a fire,” Kevin said.

  “Well, we don’t have any charred cloth or jute rope,” Deviane noted.

  “I can use one of these charred logs from a previous campfire in place of the charred cloth, but I need something to replace the jute rope.” He thought for a moment, then looked around. He stopped and focused on Kiran who was running her fingers through her hair.

  She said, “I wish I had a brush. My hair is a mess.”

  “That’s it,” Kevin said. “I’ll need some of your hair.”

  “My hair. Are you crazy?”

  He laughed. “No, it will replace the jute rope.”

  “Why my hair. Use Deviane’s.”

  “I need yours. Deviane went swimming. Her hair is damp plus I bet yours is full of hair spray. It will be very flammable.”

  “Oh, Jesus,” Kiran said, throwing up her hands in disgust. “Okay, do what you have to do.”

  Kevin got up, took his knife and trimmed two inches from Kiran’s hair. He wadded it together, put some charred bark in the center and began striking the rock against the back of the knife’s steel blade. Sparks flew everywhere and soon one began to smolder in the charred bark. He pressed Kiran’s hair around the smoldering bark and blew into it. Suddenly the hair burst into flames. He dropped the flaming hair into the pile of leaves and, before long, had a blazing fire. He got up and took a bow.

  "What did I tell you? Am I good or what?"

  "That was brilliant, Kevin," Deviane said. "Good job."

  "A match would have been much simpler," Kiran laughed.

  "Hey, I didn't know we were going camping or I would have brought some."

  "This is kind of fun," Deviane said. "We should do this more often."

  "I'm game," Kevin said.

  "I prefer dinner and the theater, thank you," Kiran noted.

  "I wonder if Daddy is out looking for us?" Deviane asked.

  "Of course he is," Kiran said. "He's probably got a thousand men out searching for us right now. Tomorrow we'll try to find a telephone so we can call him. There has to be someone living out here, somewhere.”

  "We'll have to be careful," Kevin said. "The NDC unit may still be out there looking for us. I imagine they're pretty pissed off that we got away."

  "Do you think it's safe for us to sleep tonight? What if they're looking for us right now?" Deviane asked.

  "You're right," Kevin replied. "We'll take turns sleeping. Someone needs to be awake at all times. You two go to sleep now. I'll wake Deviane at midnight and Kiran can take over at four. If you hear anything at all, wake up whoever's sleeping."

  "Do you think it's wise to keep a fire going?" Deviane asked.

  "Hmm. You're right. I thought it would keep the animals away, but we probably should douse it. It could lead the NDC to us. Damn, I'm not used to being stalked."

  "What are we going to do if they come? We don't have any weapons," Kiran noted.

  "We'll have to run," Kevin replied. "We can't let them catch us. If they killed our security police, they won't hesitate to kill us, too."

  As Kevin was about to throw water on the fire, the skies opened up and it started to pour down rain. The girls immediately scrambled under the lean-to, with Kevin close behind.

  "Wonderful," Kevin said. "This is all we need."