‘Gabe,’ Reg added causing him to stop in his tracks. ‘Listen to what she has to say.’
‘You tell me my son is in danger,’ Gabe snapped. ‘What choice do I have? Come in and say your peace.’
Gabe stalked into the house with Reg and Nahem following behind him.
6
Unwillingly Back
Gabe glared at Nahem as she sat herself down on the far side of the table. Taking up his usual position Gabe hooked himself on the edge of the Belfast sink and crossed his arms across his chest. Whatever effect the wine had had on him was long gone, his senses were sharp.
‘Claudia,’ Gabe bellowed through the house, his raised voices startled Nahem. ‘Claudia I need you here.’
Gabe tried to soften his glare but the anger he felt towards the new arrival was hard to control.
Waiting for Claudia, he took in Nahem’s appearance. Black hair tied tight, her face was round but more than anything Gabe felt drawn to her eyes. Against her darker skin, they seemed at odds being so bright, so green and colourful.
‘What is it?’ Claudia asked as she stepped into the kitchen and took in the people in the room.
‘This woman has something I think we need to hear.’ Claudia stopped alongside the table and first looked at Reg and then the unfamiliar woman. ‘It’s about your brother.’
Although she tried to hide it, the look of concern that appeared on Claudia’s face gave her away. Composing herself, she moved across the kitchen and took her place a little to Gabe’s side. Lifting herself up, Claudia perched on the edge of the worktop and sat.
‘This is Nahem,’ Reg began. ‘She’s a relative of someone your great grandfather trusted a great deal.’
‘Why’s she here,’ Claudia interrupted and then shifted her attention to Nahem. ‘Let me rephrase myself, why are you here.’
There was an odd tension between the two women for a moment before Nahem answered.
‘I am the great-granddaughter of Shikekeh, the shamen charged with protecting Archy’s legacy until I delivered it to you.’ Her accent was hard to discern, a mix of many origins not least of all Indian. ‘Before I had the journal delivered to you they sent a man to our village on the banks of the Gandak River. That man murdered my great grandfather in cold blood along with most of my village.’
Nahem let the words hang for a moment, the gravity of her loss clear in her bright eyes. Holding back the tears welling in her eyes she cleared her throat before continuing.
‘The man who did this was a man you know all too well,’ Nahem removed a photograph and placed it down on the table. ‘Viktor Brunner a man I am aware has caused your family the same pain.’
‘He’s dead!’ Claudia declared.
‘I know that,’ Nahem retorted. ‘At the hands of your brother no less.’
‘It would appear she helped your brother find Viktor, she’s that one that made him kill.’ Gabe’s anger was clear in his words that passed through gritted teeth.
‘Part of that my dear is true,’ Nahem focused on Claudia and ignore Gabe’s bubbling anger. ‘I aided your brother in avenging your mother’s death, that I will not deny. The choice to end Viktor’s life was your brother’s and your brother’s alone.’
‘You don’t seem upset by it though.’
Claudia was much more controlled with her emotions. She knew this woman would play havoc with her father’s feeling. She knew he almost kept them in check most days and something as gargantuan as this was, without a doubt, going to unbalance him. Claudia felt relief that Nahem’s attention now focussed on her.
‘I will not deny the news of vengeance lessened the weight on my heart a little, but it does not come with consequence.’
Claudia twisted and lifted the letter from Logan she had placed behind the kettle. Opening it, Claudia tossed the letter onto the table and waited.
Nahem did not lift the letter. Instead, she removed her own and dropped it on top of the folded paper.
‘I expect it says much the same as the letter he sent after he had killed Viktor.’
‘He’s seventeen,’ Gabe snarled. ‘No age for a boy to be a killer.’
‘No age in your world perhaps,’ Nahem snapped. ‘In my culture, in the world, we inhabit with beasts and demons he has done well to keep his hands free from blood. Archy was the same age when he first destroyed a Nivag beneath the Roman Fort at Vercovicium was he not?’
Nahem looked at Reg who appeared uncomfortable.
‘A little different killing an already dead monster to killing a human.’ Gabe boomed.
Pushing himself away from the sink Gabe snatched Nahem’s letter from the table and scanned the contents.
‘Where is the other page?’ Gabe asked.
‘The contents of that page have no real bearing here.’
‘Transparent my arse.’ Gabe tossed the letter back down. ‘What don’t you want me to read?’
It was Nahem’s turn to feel uncomfortable. The air was palpable with tension, and it was Reg who interrupted the awkward silence.
‘As we all know, Logan has followed a new path because of something he learned from Viktor.’
‘And what would that be?’ Gabe bit. ‘All he said to us was that it was not as over as we thought it was. I assume that means something to you?’
‘It does.’ Nahem replied.
‘And?’
Much to Gabe’s annoyance Nahem turned away from him and looked at Reg. Placing her hand on the old man’s she looked at him and whispered.
‘They are not ready, they are both broken. I cannot ask more from them without risk of losing everything for them.’
‘They are descendants of Archy,’ Reg’s voice quivered a little. ‘They will do what they must with his blood in their veins.’
Nahem looked across at Claudia and Gabe for a second. She watched as Claudia dropped from the worktop and moved to her father’s side. With the touch of her hand, Gabe relaxed just a little but enough for Nahem to notice.
‘I’m afraid that is not enough this time.’ Nahem sighed. ‘They will fall if not led by the one man that can pull his ancestral lines together.’
‘With him, they have his journal and all of his legacy what more can they have.’
‘They need him, they need everything he can give them and more.’
Nahem raised from the table and released Reg’s hands.
‘Your son is on a path I forbade him to travel. He goes into a dark where I cannot follow or guide him.’
Walking towards the door, Nahem paused at the threshold and turned to look at the family and Reg sat at the table.
‘They have broken Your family, and I can see that. I know you brought me here hoping to bring them back together, but right now they will not survive without guidance and leadership.’
‘That is why I asked you to come.’ Reg pleaded.
‘They will need Archy’s guidance before they need me.’ Nahem returned to the table.
Removing another photograph she held it out for Reg to look at.
The photograph looked dogeared and faded. The sepia tone image still looked fresh, and Reg recognised one face on the picture. Archy stood, his arm wrapped around his wife Lily’s shoulder with the grand buildings of Vatican City behind them. In her arms Lily held a small baby boy to her chest, his young face upturned to his mother while a young girl held on to Archy’s leg.
‘Archy lost one family to this quest, let us see if we can stop this generation suffering the same fate.’
Leaving her words hanging Nahem returned to the door, stopping only to look at Nahem.
‘I am sorry for guiding your son but, I hope you understand, a guide in the dark is better than wandering blind. I hoped that once he had found his vengeance, he would return to you. All that has passed was something I had never expected. For that, I am sorry.’
Nahem’s words hit Gabe like a wall. Dumbfounded and unable to speak he watched the young woman disappear and could not fathom what she had just said. The anger
and resentment he had harboured for Nahem seemed to melt away in an instant, and he stood feeling nothing but confusion.
Reg held the picture between his wrinkled fingers and stared at the image. It showed a time when Archy had been with his family when he had kept them close with the hope of a future. Less than two years later that would all have changed, the family he had then would believe he was dead.
Looking at the photo stirred feelings of sorrow for Archy’s choices.
‘What’s the picture?’ Claudia asked as she moved to stand behind Reg.
‘It’s your great grandfather in a happier time.’
‘Who is that?’ Claudia pointed to Lily.
‘His wife,’ the words caught in Reg’s throat and his eyes welled with tears. ‘He loved her. Leaving her and the children is something no man should ever have to do. Not a day passed where he didn’t regret it.’
‘What did she mean we needed Archy to guide us?’ Gabe quizzed from across the room.
Reg seemed reluctant to answer, tearing his attention from the picture he placed it down on the table so he could not see the image.
‘Nahem comes from the same line as her ancestor. Filled with coded messages and confusing comments. That was just one of them I suppose.’
‘Maybe there’s something in the journal?’ Claudia added, and Reg seemed happy for the interruption.
‘Perhaps,’ Reg replied. ‘If it’s OK with you I think I will take my leave. An old man can only take so much excitement and emotion in a single day.’
Not waiting for an answer Reg sidled himself from the chair and with the aid of his canes made his way through the house and into his room. As the door closed, Claudia looked at Gabe.
‘I didn’t expect that response,’ Claudia confessed as she picked up the photograph of Archy and his family.
‘I can’t say I’m happy about any of this,’ Gabe intoned. ‘It feels like we are being dragged back into the world I promised I would leave behind when your mother died.’
‘Honestly,’ Claudia paused as she stared at Archy’s smiling face in the picture. ‘I don’t think we have a choice. This seems to be the only way we can get Logan back or at least keep him safe from whatever trouble he has got himself into.’
Gabe pondered their choices for a moment before he decided.
‘We sleep on it.’
Claudia looked at him in horror.
‘I’m not saying we won’t follow him back into that world, but I won’t decide based on how we are feeling now.’
‘I’m in.’ Claudia interjected. ‘I won’t leave Logan alone if he needs us.’
Gabe could not hold back the smile now. It was a smile of adoration and pride at his daughter who stood before him.
‘You know I won’t let you go alone,’ Gabe hushed as he placed his hand on his daughter's shoulder. ‘I need to be sure that what we do is right. In the morning I will get the journal and see what path Archy can set us on now.’
‘Ok.’
Kissing Claudia’s forehead Gabe could not deny right then she reminded him of her mother. Holding back the tears Gabe excused himself and retired to his room leaving Claudia alone in the kitchen.
Locking the door and turning off the light Claudia walked through the house in silence. Passing a large canvas mounted on the wall, she felt the same sorrow that had appeared on Reg’s face. Attached to the wall was an enlarged photograph of Claudia, Gabe, Logan and Sara.
Not saying a word Claudia offered her mother’s image a silent promise that somehow she would find her brother and bring him back.
Smiling at the picture Claudia left the living room and made her way to her bed and a night of uncomfortable and haunting sleep.
7
Road Trip
Gabe had not slept. His eyes were puffy as he rinsed away the tiredness in the shower. Towelling himself dry the lines of the tattoo on his arm was still raised and tender but was healing well. Admiring the delicate artwork of the image in the mirror Gabe talked himself through the meaning in his head.
Working the lotion into the skin, the literal meanings of the individual parts felt even more relevant in that moment.
‘Reg, Claudia?’ Gabe shouted down the stairs as he crossed the landing to dress.
With no reply from either of them, Gabe dressed and tossed a handful of clothes into a rucksack. Reaching beneath the bed, Gabe withdrew an ornate wooden box, a familiar wooden box.
Brushing off a thin layer of dust Gabe admired it before lifting the lid. It was the same chest, Gabe, Logan and Claudia had recovered from the cavern on Snowdon. Gabe had returned his own sword into the box while Claudia had stored hers elsewhere. The battered embossed journal sat leaning against the blade of the sword.
For a moment his hand hovered above the ornate handle of the sword as if he was thinking about taking it.
‘No need for that,’ Gabe scoffed as he snatched the journal and slammed the lid shut.
Pushing it back beneath the bed with his foot Gabe stalked out of the room and bounded down the stairs.
‘Reg, Claudia where are you guys?’
Gabe got his answer as he stormed into the kitchen to see his daughter and Reg sat at the table. Both had a packed bag resting on the floor beside them and an expectant look on their faces.
‘Bit presumptuous,’ Gabe remarked as he placed his own rucksack on the floor. ‘What if I had decided not to go?’
‘Then my boy,’ Reg began. ‘You’d have been staying in the house on your own!’
Gabe moved to the steaming kettle and poured himself a drink.
‘It’s fine we’ve all agreed we’re going somewhere,’ Gabe paused as he pulled the tea bag from the water and tossed it into the bin. ‘Any idea where it is we need to start this?’
‘Here!’ Claudia declared and waved the newspaper cutting at her father. ‘The last place Logan was is the best place to start. We’ve talked about it, and it makes the most sense.’
‘So you’ve planned everything while I’ve been sleeping?’
‘If that’s what you call sleep Gabe!’ Reg chuckled. ‘We all shared the same amount of sleep last night, but where you lay staring at the ceiling, we came up with a plan.’
‘If you knew I was up why didn’t you get me?’ It was difficult to feel annoyed when he was proud of Claudia’s temperament and determined frame of mind.
‘Because I know you well enough dad. You needed to make this choice on your own, no need for either of us to push you.’
‘Just like your mother.’ Gabe said as he kissed Claudia on the head. ‘As for you Reg, you’re in no fit state to be traipsing to, where is it?’
‘Poland.’
‘Poland, not a place for an old man who struggles to walk on his own.’
‘Try stopping me!’ Reg retorted and lifted out of the chair.
‘And how are we supposed to get?’
Claudia cut Gabe short and spun her laptop around and showed him a purchase screen.
‘Expensive?’ Gabe pressed as he peered at the three seats booked on a flight from East Midlands Airport to Krakow.
‘I paid.’ Reg declared. ‘It’s the least I could do seeing as I feel responsible for all of this.’
‘Don’t be silly, we can’t accept. It’s my family, my responsibility.’
Reg silenced Gabe with a stern glare.
‘There’s no point in arguing, I’ve paid and we’ve already booked in online. We need to get moving if we want to make the flight.’
Having replaced the crashed BMW Tourer, Gabe rolled his new F-Pace down the driveway. The drove to the airport in silence as Claudia poured over the pages of Archy’s journal and Reg peered out of the rear window.
Reg seemed preoccupied, his wrinkled brow furrowed and marked with concentration.
Gabe rumbled the car along the motorway and enjoyed the distraction of driving. In less than an hour, they pulled into the short-stay car park and found a space.
Mid-week the airport was quiet. A handfu
l of men dressed in garish outfits huddled around the main entrance talking about whatever secret plans they had for the clear stag doo. Brushing past the three of them made their way into the main building and passed through the security checks.
They passed through the terminal with ease and enough time to have a drink before the announcement boomed over the speakers their plane was ready form passengers to board. Everything about their journey was quick.
They arrived in the busier Polish airport before the sun set for the evening. Having no need to retrieve luggage, they found a wheelchair and hurried through the crowds and out into the chilling air.
‘Over there,’ Claudia declared and pointed towards the neon Hertz sign on the opposite side of the road.
Taking their chances with the throng of taxis and traffic they crossed the road and moved towards the prefab building.
‘You wait here, I’ll sort it.’ Gabe said and opened the email on his phone.
With Gabe inside Claudia and Reg waited outside on the pavement. They waited in silence watching the world go by until Gabe rolled up and parked in front.
‘Not quite the Jag!’ Reg chuckled as he looked over the compact hatchback they now had.
‘Tell me about it,’ Gabe joked as he wound down the window. ‘It’s bloody left-hand drive too!’
Claudia helped Reg into the back while Gabe filled out the paperwork. With everything sorted they set off on their journey.
‘Sat Nav says three hours drive,’ Claudia said as she programmed the address of the hotel into the device. ‘Should be there in time for the last check-in but I can ring ahead if it looks like we will be late.’
‘I’m glad we’ve got you to plan these things.’ Gabe smiled and pulled out of the airport and wound his way to the main road.
They drove through the evening. As night set in the world around them became dark and foreboding. There was little beyond the boundary of the road for many miles before the winding tarmac would pass alongside some town or another.
From The Dark Page 4