A loud gasp resonated from the crowd in unison. Instantly afterwards, every person bowed before her. Elise watched as the only two people in the crowd who were now not on the floor bowing, was Genevieve and her captive. The captive fought against the sharp, Damascus steel, until Genevieve relinquished the fight and allowed her to bow.
Chapter Fifty-Two
Elise allowed the silence to carry on for thirty seconds, before she put an end to it. She smiled kindly. If at that moment any of her audience had any doubt that she was a Goddess it was suddenly removed when her sunglasses fell and they saw her purple eyes.
She said, “Who is in charge here?”
No response.
“Who speaks for your community?” she persisted.
A man at the back of the crowd removed his veil. “I do.”
Elise smiled, kindly. “What is your name?”
“Nayram.” The short man returned her smile and bowed. “And you must be Elise. The savior.”
“I’m Elise, but it’s the first time I’ve been called the savior.”
“It might be the first time, but I promise you, it won’t be the last.”
“How do you know who I am?”
“Because I grew up here. My father was born here, and so was his grandfather.” Nayram spoke as though everything he’d said justified it.
Elise said, “Thank you, everyone, for your warm welcome, but now I must speak with Mr. Nayram privately.”
Every person in the vicinity dissipated immediately. People returned to their daily tasks. Children played games at the edge of the town. Women picked dates from the trees which littered the oasis, and men set about cracking saline pots once more.
Elise watched Nayram look at Genevieve and then back at her. His eyes darting between the two and a worried crest formed between his brows. “Do you want me to get rid of her?”
“No. She can stay.”
He seemed uncertain about her decision, but nodded anyway.
“Thanks,” Genevieve said, in English.
Elise asked, “Do you know why I came here today?”
He smiled and spoke with a certainty she hadn’t seen in him before. “Why of course, you are here to repair the future.”
Elise laughed. “Okay, now I know you have me confused with someone else. Do you know how I fix the future? It sounds unlikely. I didn’t even know it was broken.”
“It’s broken. That’s for certain. Strange times have sent us down the wrong string.” He smiled cheerfully. “That is why you are here. To repair the event and keep the future where she belongs.”
“Sure,” Elise nodded with uncertainty. “We’re looking for two friends of ours. A big tall guy and one around average height. Both built like Sherman Tanks. Americans. Treasure hunters. Look uncomfortable as all hell on a pair of camels. They went missing a couple days ago. I don’t suppose you know anything about them?”
He shook his head. “I am afraid I know nothing about your friends. Where were they when you lost them?”
“North of here. Two days ago they were filling up on water in the mini-oasis of Bilma. That must be about sixty miles north-east of here?”
“Seventy.”
“They were heading south, so we assumed they passed through Bilma. Any chance they would have skipped Bilma and headed on to Mao?”
“No. Everyone stops here on their way through.” He shook his head. “But there was a raid on a dig a few hundred miles north of here.”
She asked, “An archeological dig?”
“Yes. A large archeological excavation site. There’s a camp to the northeast. They were looking for a sacred book. Many of our men went there for work. Three days ago it was attacked by a large group of warriors, carrying many weapons. AK-47s, big guns, an armored car. A lot of people died, you might want to look there. Your friends, if they were there, most likely were killed.”
Elise nodded. “I understand.”
“Is there anything else we can do for you?” he asked.
“We were told you could provide fuel for our helicopter?”
“Yes, of course. Right away, we’ll send the truck out to refuel your helicopter. My friends will provide you with refreshments and water for your journey.”
“Thank you.”
Nayram guided the two of them through the ancient desert city. Stopping briefly while three women gave them a small bowl of dried fruits and a flask of water. Elise and Genevieve thanked the women and gladly accepted the food as they walked.
Genevieve looked at her blankly, unable to follow the fast conversation in French. “What did you learn?”
“Not much. Nothing good. A camp was attacked north-east of here. He thinks our friends might have been caught up in the gunfight.”
Genevieve shrugged. “That sounds like something Sam and Tom might do, left alone without you or me to show them the error of their ways. What about you?”
Elise asked, “What about me?”
Genevieve smiled. “You’re not going to pretend we didn’t just witness these people turn you into their deity, are we?”
“It has to do with my eyes. I have naturally purple eyes.”
“Really? I always assumed those were contact lenses?”
“No. Purple’s my real color. I wear contacts only when I want to fool people.”
“Okay, so they don’t like purple?”
“There’s an ancient Egyptian legend about a bright light shooting across the horizon. It was the hand of God. Every person the light came into contact with became permanently scarred with bright purple eyes. They became immortal and highly intelligent. There was a group of travelers who witnessed the event. They were called the Six Hundred. They traveled the lands, living free and powerful lives. But most of them eventually got bored. Gods don’t like to remain friends with mere mortals. So most left. But legend has it, a few still roam the desert. Those are the throwbacks. The ones heaven and hell weren’t willing to see. Those were the fiends to be frightened of. They were hunted to extinction by the living until only the purest remained.”
“So what’s the truth?” Genevieve looked like she hadn’t bought a word that she’d said.
Elise grinned and stared at her. “What’s written on your blade?”
Genevieve paused and unsheathed her weapon. Despite its age, the blade shined like it had only been forged today. Her eyes stared at the blade and the word, but Elise could tell she wasn’t really looking at it. Instead, her mind was recalling something from a long time ago. From a world she’d fought hard to leave behind.
Genevieve looked up. Her eyes meeting Elise’s firm gaze. “Solntsevo.”
“What does it mean?”
“It’s a place.”
Elise asked, “In Russia?”
Genevieve nodded. “In the district of Kursk Oblast.”
Elise grinned in response, but remained silent. She’d been given a unique privilege in learning about Genevieve’s past. The crew of the Maria Helena had given up running a tipping bet on where she’d come from and what she used to do before joining. Instead, they simply accepted her as a wraith — a person with no past.
“What’s so important about Solntsevo?”
“It’s where my father was born. He was a prominent local businessman there. Very successful. Equally dangerous and mean when he had to be. In his business, that was always. We had a falling out, many years ago. I ran away and made sure he’d never find me again. My father wasn’t the sort of man you challenged and got to live. I leave the name here because I never want to forget where I came from — and what I have to lose.”
Elise listened in silence. Acknowledging that Genevieve didn’t have to explain it all. They all had a past somewhere. Some not very pleasant or as honorable as their present.