Humility

by Magdalene Hornbeam

  - Dr. Musa Ziyad and the cleric AlBukri can connect you with the owner of the production company - Nigel Eisenstein - explained BellX18.

  ***

  In the morning Anna was having breakfast with Dr. Ziyad and the old bearded Islamic cleric in the hotel restaurant.

  - The other participants in the reality game are still in the camp, right? - Anna was already informed that the whole group was rescued in the return flight of the helicopter to look for them.

  - Yes, their documents have disappeared. Very sorry. We were lucky that we found your passport and that of Baz. Obviously there are some local people who serve the interests of Fritz Müller. But others will wait. Today we’re flying to London.

  - We?!? I have to fly to Paris - Ana did not hide his astonishment.

  - Me, You and Baz. The cleric will return after two days in Algeria.

  - Musa, your direction is also France, or am I mistaken?

  - No, you are not, Ana. We will go back to France after the meet Nigel Eisenstein in London.

  - Did you say Nigel Eisenstein? Isn’t he the producer of the reality "Sahara"?

  - Exactly, how do you know? – The dark-skinned doctor was looking at her in surprise.

  AlBukri was throughout and silent and Anna avoided the question and commented:

  - In this case, you have rightly decided to go first to London.

  At that time the restaurant, in which there were only a few people at breakfast, entered Baz. He had shaved, trimmed, bathed and he looked great.

  - This is it - my eighteen years! As if I have never been not on the verge of exhaustion for the last two weeks! - Anna rejoiced from all her heart the young black man.

  She noticed how tense the doctor was, who sat opposite her at the table. She turned and saw that the bearded cleric was trembling. Then she realized that he was trying to say something, but no sound came out of his mouth.

  - Agha, people have counterparts on the Earth, don’t be amazed! - Dr. Ziyad said slowly.

  Baz had already come to the table, he raised the hand of AlBukri and kissed her following the Salafi custom.

  - God bless! - Said the cleric, but still trembling.

  - Baz, come and have breakfast with us. It is on me - he tried to smooth over embarrassing behavior of the Agha. - Baz, you look like AlBukri’s sons. They are twins, orphans. He cares for them and adopted them four years ago.

  The black handsome sat down and asked:

  -What are their names?

  - Hyulal and Illal.

  - Ah, finally… I found them! These are my elder brothers. My mother abandoned them fourteen years ago, when we were trying to run away from war - he smiled with a wide smile, revealing lined white teeth. – I’ve always told to my mother and sister that my brothers are alive. I was very small then, but I remember that Hyulal managed to find the way in every situation.

  Tears were falling down the cheeks of AlBukri and got soaked into his white beard.

  Anna was dressed in slacks and а sailcloth vest over a white shirt. The short haircut of her hair silhouetted a beautiful round skull and soft white skin was tanned and her tawny eyes were shining like headlights on her face. She was flat and thin and she looked like a beardless boy.

  - Agha, in Islam, are there angels? - She said to the white-bearded old man sitting right beside her on the table.

  Baz had already settled against him and was eating with great appetite some mixed jumble. AlBukri looked at her and met the calm eyes light of the failed Western woman looking and behaving as equal to the men seated at the table.

  - You are a mean, evil woman, and I do not want to talk to you, it is enough that I sit at the same table with such as you!

  Dr. Musa had gone to the bathroom and the Salafi cleric spoke in Arabic. Baz stiffened. There was no trace of his smile. He thought Anna did not understand what the old man was talking and therefore did not say anything.

  - Easy, Agha, I share your opinion. I also do not like myself – replied Anna in a nice-sounding French. - But it is not worth spoiling your relations with Moussa and Baz for me. - By the way my angels are two - white and black, if it hadn’t been for them, Baz and me and all of the group we'd have been dead. Because you are a spiritual leader, I think you would like to know.

  Baz did not understand French, but by the radiant face that Anna had, concluded that she did not understand what the cleric had said and calmed down.

  - If it was Musa save you, would you dead - emphatically told French old bearded man.

  Dr. Musa Ziyad came back from the toilet and their conversation ended.

  - Agha, you will have to stay two more days in Niamey, before your flight to Algeria. The three of us start in a little while. Thank you so much for everything - Moussa made the typical gestures of respect and kissed the hand of AlBukri.

  Nigel Eisenstein considered by the public to be dead, had sent a charter plane to take them. The old Salafi priest insisted that he see them off to the taxi. Anna said goodbye last. She made the same bows and kissed his hand in the same way as did the men before her. The old priest drew his hand ostentatiously. Rising, she said to the priest quietly in French:

  - Easy, I will not marry neither Musa, nor Baz, nor the precious Hyulal. I'll take a Jew! - And she winked.

  One could see how he became red with anger even under his white beard. At this moment Anna hugged him and kissed his wrinkled cheek. She turned away quickly and jumped in the taxi. Musa and Baz had already got in.

  - Stay! - Anna commanded the taxi driver who had already driven away - Musa, no need to come with us in London. You did enough, and we both Baz will cope, we are grown-up people.

  She looked Musa in the eyes and he realized that it was more appropriate to go directly to France. If something happened to them, something unpredictable, he could then come to the rescue. He got out of the car immediately.

  They drove. Anna did not turn, but Baz did. He commented:

  - I do not envy Dr. Ziyad. Agatha will take it out of him.

  His recent rival in the reality game «Sahara» was silent.

  Chapter 25

  Anna and Baz arrived with a special charter plane at a provincial airport in England. They were greeted by a frowning driver of Hindu origin, who barely spoke English, but knew how to drive well a car with a right steering wheel. They traveled longer by car than by air from Niger to the United Kingdom.

  They greeted them at a taxi piazza in London. It was late at night. Hyulal took care of Baz. They got into a taxi and departed. Anna could not see by the reactions of the black brothers (who were very similar in appearance) any emotions. While Nigel Eisenstein was getting into the back seat of the car, she did not hide her astonishment. Nor did his.

  - You're much skinny and uglier than you look at the photo - he said bluntly, looking at her.

  - And you, with that beard, you cannot fool anyone. Your bright eyes and freckles on your hands say a lot about your origin.

  - And what is my background?

  - A typical Englishman.

  He stopped suddenly. She paused too. They traveled a long time to reach some luxury suburbs. They got out of the car, Anna barely moved after her receiver, she was extremely tired and was already doing everything by the way. She even didn’t know what floor they went to. The apartment was brand new and functionally furnished. She leaned against the wall and almost collapsed already in the hall, but the host caught her and led to the bathroom. There she took a shower in a drowse, slipped in the hanging robe and went out, slapping with her bare, wet feet down the hall. She went into a huge living room and saw Nigel, sitting in the big armchair.

  - Are you hungry? - He asked.

  - No, I'm very tired.

  Her almost black hair, cut short, was still glistening wet.

  - That's good, because I haven’t entered this apartment for two months and there is nothing in the fridge. Tomorrow will be supplied with food. There are two bedrooms, but no women's clothing, so you'll have to be content with my
pajamas and tank top.

  - Well, where's the bedroom for me?

  He got closer and saw that her legs and arms were pretty sore. He said nothing. Only pointed to the door in the hallway. She shambled her feet to the room.

  ***

  "Anna, wake up! Put the pillows under the covers of the bedroom and go to the living room! Eisenstein is still sitting in the chair. Make him go into the bathroom and lock from inside. Do not go out of there until morning! "- The White angel was standing over her.

  "Thanks, Bell, but I'm so exhausted that I have no strength to open my eyes and stand up. "

  "Black will hold the murderers a bit more, but you have to make efforts. You’ve been through so serious mishaps and you overcame them! Get up, they think that there is one person in the apartment. They'll hurry and may not find you. Come on, Anna! You will make it!"

  Anna rose painfully from the bed and tidied the pillows under the blankets. Then dragged into the living room. The Pajamas’ trousers were long and she stumbled into its legs, but she saw standing in the dark Nigel and got startled. She could not understand whether he was sleeping seated or watching at one point. But he did not move.

  - Nigel, are you sleeping’? - She said very quietly, almost whispering.

  - Why did you become, aren’t you groggy?

  - Punch-Drunk, yes, I am, but we must enter into the bathroom and lock into place. I sense that some killers are coming here.

  To her great surprise, he did not argue, but got up and walked to the bathroom. She followed him. They locked up. The room was large, but still wet. They did not light the lamp. She sat on the edge of the tub, and she fell to the floor. At that moment they heard the outer door of the apartment being unlocked and there entered two cautious visitors. First they rushed into the living room, then they became quieter. As if scanning the bedrooms. They left quickly. They did not forgot to lock the front door. They even took the elevator. Nigel got up to go, but Anna pulled him down.

  - Tonight we will spend here! Sit down next to me on the floor, you will be more comfortable.

  - They left, they will not return more.

  - We have to stay here! Once they’ve known there is a man in the apartment, but do not know that we are two, so the sensors are not cameras. Probably they didn’t have any specialized external thermal reporting cameras. Night time. I think so.

  He sat down again on the edge of the tub. She tugged and almost forced him sit beside her on the wet tiles. They propped their backs on the bathtub and he suddenly hugged her.

  - One day I'll tell you what I learned from the conquistadors.

  - You mean by the … ants.

  She continued:

  - I learned that the smaller and lower in spirit, the more gifted with immortality you are, too. Everyone can feel satisfied if they have inner peace. People on earth do not possess humility, which leads to balance and they are wasting their strength and energy. At least so far I've thrown a lot of strength to the wind, in vain. And because I’ve been endowed with many abilities, I’ve decided that I could make a cohesion and unite the parallel world of the spirit of this on Mother Nature.

  - You cannot compare yourself to me! My failure was spectacular ...

  - I cannot compare with you in pride of my talents. Even for the failure, you speak buzzwords. Your failure is shameful, but you also must have strength before shame to humble yourself, to feel humility.

  Anna suddenly put her head on him and fell asleep. She could no longer withstand. Nigel could not sleep. He had to think a lot. And Anna was so light, almost airy. She slept quietly and made him warm. Her hair was still wet. What was that girl talking about? Could he be humble? It seemed he had already made great strides in this direction ...

  ***

  Anna wake up at six o'clock in the morning. Nigel had just fallen asleep. She tugged at his red beard.

  - Let me move you in bed.

  He did not move, but compared to her, he was quite heavy. But when she slipped from his arms and stood up straight, he leaned, lost his balance and got awaken.

  - I haven’t slept for a week - he realized that he explains somehow informal, friendly, but it attributed it to the fatigue of the insomnia.

  They looked around the apartment. They found three bullets into the cushions. No shell casings.

  - Well, it’s just fine that very tightly you’ve pulled the curtains and they have not seen clear - his comment had its reason, but still, it was not appropriate.

  He watched her as a guardian angel. He took for granted her accurate premonitions.

  - Do you know a way to leave the apartment without leaving the main entrance past the doorman? - She asked.

  - There is no such way. I think we’ll spend another night in the bathroom.

  His eyes were laughing. She would not have guessed that those cold blue eyes can smile. Red and flashing from insomnia, but smiling.

  - I have not even imagined that you could be kidding - Anna was not beating about the bush

  Nigel said nothing but hurried out of the apartment and took the elevator. Short after that he came back.

  - I called the porter and ordered to bring me clothes for a whore. For you.

  She understood his idea. At this point the mobile left on his locker in the living room rang. Neither of them responded. He suggested that those who were watching the apartments do not know numbers and cannot eavesdrop, but it was not bad to be cautious.

  Nigel Eisenstein took a laptop from a beautiful cabinet and said:

  - I thought naively that they do not know about this apartment, but whether they have checked checking the laptop? – He was waiting for a response from her.

  - They haven’t come so far in this accommodation. They have decided not to risk with entry twice. I did not know what surveillance system there was inside. But your mistake is that you have given key to the doorman. Rather, they were sure that you were dead and must remove and eliminate all associated with you. But why did not report that we were two? They would not have spent on who-knows-what sensors and have paid the doorman to call. We went last night, one after another. The doorman saw only me, you passed in a way so that he did not notice it.

  Nigel was about to say something, but the doorman rang the consignment was received and had again to come down to receive it.

  When an hour later Hyulal came to pick them up, he could not recognize her. Anna looked just like an expensive hooker. The Iron one was the same, but dressed in an elegant suit. He wore a laptop under his arm.

  The strangest thing was that they first went to a notary. There Nigel Eisenstein attributed the company and all his possessions to Anna Zanesheva from Bulgaria that made it a legal heir in case of death or permanent disability. Then the taxi drove them to a decent hotel room where they hired a room as lovers and Hyulal took the notary certificate and went away. By evening he brought them a forged document - the same which in the morning was signed by the notary, but dated a year ago. Then Anna rang in Bolivia, particularly in the camp, called "Anthill" and said she was the legal heir of the deceased Nigel Eisenstein. She sent the scanned document on the Internet. They informed her that at that moment, the current commandant Mueller was not in the camp and told her to call later.

  - Where is Baz? - She asked as they waited Fritz Muller to call.

  - I left him sleep in the dorm - Hyulal answered.

  - You did well - said Nigel. – Anna, ring again, Fritz will not easily accept the fact that I have a successor. Probably he will insist on the formal conclusion by the police for my death.

  She took back the new smartphone that Hyulal had brought her together with the fake power of attorney certificate. They put her through to some employee. It turned out to be the commandant Mrs. Hass. The woman absolutely formally informed her that Mr. Muller and Tsyoler had gone without letting her where and for how long. In the Department of “Reproduction” there was an emergency. The participant Illal Saadi took all the participants of the project and the medical staff -
doctors and nurses as hostage and wanted to negotiate with his brother Hyulal who had gone and they had no information about his whereabouts. The case had it that she, Mrs. Hass personally to negotiate with the terrorists. On top of that, form the sponsorship Corporation there was a representative who had arrived and wanted to be informed about everything. Unfortunately, most psychologists had already been dismissed and those who remained did not know Arabic, to negotiate with the aforementioned Illal Saadi.

  Hyulal reached to take his mobile, but Nigel stopped him. Anna said:

  - Yes, ma'am Hass, I basically got the situation. I'll call back in half an hour. Prepare a connection with the representative of the Corporation, I will be ready with a proposal to respond to the situation - and then immediately ended the line without giving the woman time to react.

  - My brother is in danger, a sniper will “erase” him it. I have to go.

  - You're not going anywhere - Anna interrupted before Nigel could react - You're dead along with director Eisenstein this Mrs. Hass probably also already knows this fact. Nigel, we are listening to your suggestion!

  Anna was wearing a black dress with bare back, extended at the back with some curls of thin silk and in front, the skirt was above the knees. The heavy makeup accentuated her short black hair, greased with something glistening. Because she was thin as a dummy or a model, the grotesque toilet suited unexpectedly well for her body.

  They stayed silent. They had to think. Hyulal broke the silence first:

  - Fritz and the Slouch had fled. They must have embezzled the money had to be paid to us.

  - The money that you need to be paid are in accounts of my company, so from now on they meet Anna, as trustee. They have taken only those amounts, pocket eight thousand dollars per person and ongoing maintenance of the camp.

  Suddenly Anna’s phone rang. It was less than half an hour, but the commandant was already calling:

  - As requested, you will be connected with the representative of the Corporation.

  - Hi - greeted Anna.

  - Hello, I realized that you are the heir of Mr. Eisenstein. I am a representative of the sponsoring corporation. You’ve wanted to talk to me.