by Clancy, Tom
“She nodded? I don’t understand,” Rodgers said.
“That was our signal,” Lebbard said. “I dropped her off to meet the man from the airport. Then I parked around the corner and sneaked back. I watched as she spoke with the man. If she had not nodded, I would have gone to the police station to report a kidnapping.”
“I see,” Rodgers said. The general experienced the same gut-burning fire he had felt in Kashmir. The one that told him he may have acted recklessly. The desire to get Maria on-site backup had gone from necessary to desperate.
“She told me you would be concerned, sir,” Lebbard added. “But I like her very much. And I know she has a husband who loves her. I also know she is trying to keep peace in Botswana. If I had any doubt about her safety, I would have gone for assistance at once.”
Rodgers was not entirely convinced. But the general had to take his cue from the people in the field. And right now, Paris Lebbard was the only person in contact from the field.
“Thank you, Mr. Lebbard,” Rodgers said. He swung toward his keyboard and prepared to type. “Can you tell me what the man looked like?”
“It was dark, and I was too far to see his face,” Lebbard said. “But he was dressed like a Christian clergyman.”
“Where did they go?” Rodgers asked.
“They walked to his truck, which was parked on Bath Street,” Lebbard said. “Then they drove away.”
“When did Maria leave with the man?” Rodgers asked.
“Less than five minutes ago,” Lebbard said.
“Can you describe the truck?” Rodgers asked.
“Yes,” the driver reported. “They drove right past me. It was a Chevrolet. Maybe ten years old. The cab looked olive green. It was dented, with a lot of rust. It had a canvas back and no markings on the side.”
“Were you able to get the license number?” Rodgers asked as he typed up the description.
“No,” Lebbard said. “It was covered with mud.”
“Do you have any idea where they went?” Rodgers asked.
“That is difficult to say,” Lebbard replied. “The truck did not get on the highway but took local roads.”
“Meaning?” Rodgers asked.
“The driver does not want to be followed,” Lebbard said. “At night, on the dirt roads, he will pass only villages. He will know if anyone is tailing him.”
“Which direction was the truck headed?” Rodgers asked.
“North,” Lebbard replied. “Though there is one thing.”
“What’s that?” Rodgers asked.
“It has not rained here for over a week,” the driver said. “There was not only mud on the license plate of the truck. It was also on the fender, tires, sides, and flaps. It was dark mud. That’s the kind of mud you find in and around the swamps to the north.”
Rodgers made a note of that. He immediately E-mailed the description of the truck, its location, its heading, and its possible destination to Stephen Viens at the National Reconnaissance Office. There was a chance the NRO might pick the truck up by satellite. He also sent a copy of the E-mail to Aideen Marley.
“This is very helpful,” Rodgers told him. “Was there anything else, Mr. Lebbard?”
“Yes,” the driver went on. “Maria gave me other instructions.”
That took Rodgers by surprise. He smiled slightly. The driver was very well organized. Rodgers also felt a flash of vindication. He had been right to select Maria for this assignment. She had obviously made a big impression on this man.
“Go ahead,” Rodgers said.
“She left me with a camera and a computer diskette,” the man said. “She said I should send you the photographs she took. She also said you might know where to find a computer.”
“I do,” Rodgers informed him. “Where are you now?”
“I am at a pay telephone at Nhabe, two blocks from the eastern bank of the Thamalakane River.”
Rodgers brought up the map of Maun. “That’s perfect,” Rodgers said. “Do you know the multifaith chapel in the center of Maun?”
“Of course,” Lebbard replied. “It’s to the west of the Mall. The Chapel of Grace.”
“Right,” Rodgers said. “Go there. I’m going to call someone who will get you access to a computer. Do you know how to use the software?”
“Maria told me to insert the diskette,” Lebbard said. “She said there would be instructions telling me what to do next. I have read maps for years. I am very good at following directions.”
“I’m sure you are,” Rodgers said. “Go there, Mr. Lebbard, while I make a few calls.”
“I will,” Lebbard replied. “Sir, Maria did not tell me who she works with. She is Spanish, but you sound American. Are you with the United Nations?”
Rodgers did not want to respond without knowing how his answer would be received. “What if we were?” Rodgers asked. “Would that make you happy?”
“It would make me very happy, sir,” Lebbard replied. “When I was a young child, nurses from the United Nations came to my village. They gave us injections against smallpox and polio. They gave us food. They gave me the first chocolate I ever tasted.”
Rodgers thought for a moment. He wanted Paris Lebbard to be happy. But he did not want to lie to an ally.
“We are not the United Nations, Mr. Lebbard. But we have worked with them,” Rodgers said.
That seemed to please the Botswanan. Rodgers was glad.
Maybe he had the makings of a diplomat after all.
FORTY-FIVE
Okavango Swamp, Botswana Friday, 6:20 P.M.
Father Bradbury had not bothered to turn on the lantern when the soldiers returned him to the room. The priest knelt by the foot of the cot and prayed. When he was done, he sat on the edge of the cot. He peered into the darkness. He let his mind move through the rich past and the uncertain future. Whichever way he looked, however, he came to the same place.
Life was about choices.
Years before, Father Bradbury had decided that the most dangerous thing in the world was to have a choice. When he was an altar boy, thirteen-year-old Powys Bradbury had found himself in a rectory fire. A spark had jumped from the fireplace while he was stoking it. An open Bible caught fire, a burning page fell on the rug, and within seconds, the room was ablaze. The youth looked around. There was no time for guilt or self-reproach. He tried to decide what Father Sleep would want saved.
Photographs? Books? Earthenware that had been dug up from Bethlehem? Black smoke began to cloud around the boy. Young Bradbury’s throat began to thicken. After a few strained breaths, it was nearly impossible to inhale. His eyes teared, and he could not see. That was when he found it easy to prioritize. Bradbury needed to get out.
Forty-nine years ago, Powys Bradbury had a choice whether to risk his life or not. Now he did not have that luxury. Yet there were still choices to make. In a way, they were more important than deciding what to take from a burning rectory. These choices were not about whether to escape. They were about how to accept his fate.
Neither Dhamballa nor the European had indicated that Bradbury’s life was in jeopardy, but the soldiers and their leaders were breaking camp. The priest had already seen people rushing about. Now they were shouting and hurrying about. The departure was going to be hasty.
He was excess baggage.
The shadows around Father Bradbury seemed especially deep. At a time when he should be contemplating spiritual matters, he found himself thinking about physical things. He would have all eternity to contemplate the spiritual. This was the time to savor the shell that God had given to him, to enjoy the wonder of the senses: the simple act of breathing, a gift passed from the nostrils of God Himself through Adam; the beauty of the heart working at its steady, dependable pace; all of it functioning in miraculous unison. It was, on reflection, a masterpiece of the Creator’s art. One that no man had the right to destroy.
Yet men kill and torture each other every day, he thought. That was why people such as Father Bradbury
were needed. Only the peace of God could stop violence.
The priest began to pity the cultists who might be ordered to kill him. They were indirectly causing the suffering of others the priest might have saved. Father Bradbury also forgave the soldiers. The men would not understand what they were doing. And not understanding, they could never sincerely repent. They could not be saved.
The priest moved from reflection to the world around him. As he contemplated what might be his last minutes, Father Bradbury had no trouble admitting that he did not want to die. He drank in the beauty of even these dismal surroundings and the wisdom God demonstrated by letting men grow old. God had designed humans so that their senses and bodies dimmed over time. The world became more and more selectively available to them. Aging, people could only savor what their dimming senses could see, hear, taste, smell, or feel. God made the choice for them. He showed people how to enjoy, even cherish the things close to them. But God did not intend for life to end all at once. That was why He had put in His Commandments that it was wrong to murder. Father Bradbury wanted to experience God’s choices over time.
The door of the hut flew open. The two soldiers had returned. He could only see their silhouettes framed by distant lantern light. Their posture was different than before. Their knees were bent slightly. Their shoulders were hunched. They were more aggressive.
They were holding their handguns.
One of the men came in. He released the priest’s ankle from its metal cuff. Then he poked Father Bradbury in the side with his gun. That was the only order the soldier gave.
The priest rose. His legs were unsteady, due to exhaustion and fear. He fell on the shoulder of the soldier. The man did not pull away.
“Thank you,” the priest said.
It took a moment for Father Bradbury to regain his footing. His knees were trembling, and his thighs felt weak, but he remained standing.
Choices, he thought. He could not think about the future. He thought about the moment. His heart was racing. The back of his neck was clammy. And his legs were like harp strings. But he was suddenly overwhelmed by the magnitude of God’s gift to humankind. As he walked from the hut, the soldier put a hand on his shoulder. He forced the priest to his knees. He stepped behind him.
Father Bradbury felt cold. He was aware of nothing else but his heart hammering high in his chest and the sudden flow of tears. He looked up at the early evening stars. He was grateful for his life, thankful for all life. If it were possible to have an out-of-body experience without leaving his body, the priest was experiencing one now. He felt entirely at peace. Perhaps this was God’s way of easing men into death.
“No!”
The shout broke the moment. Father Bradbury looked across the small island. Dhamballa was striding toward them. He had to have found out about the phone.
Or had something else happened? Something to distract him? His stride was quick, but it did not seem hostile.
“Put your weapon down,” the leader commanded. “The priest is coming with us.”
The soldier behind Father Bradbury backed away. The priest felt his heart drop from his throat. Blood began to subside from his temples and extremities. He stopped counting what was left of his life in breaths.
Dhamballa stopped beside Father Bradbury. “Why were you doing this?” he demanded.
“We were following instructions,” the soldier replied.
“Instructions from whom?” Dhamballa asked.
“Leon Seronga,” the soldier told him.
“Seronga?”
“Yes,” the soldier said.
“Is he here?” Dhamballa asked.
“No,” the soldier replied. “He called on the radio set five minutes ago.”
“He had the code word?” Dhamballa asked.
“Yes,” the soldier said.
“And he ordered you to execute the prisoner?” Dhamballa went on.
“He told me to do it personally, before we left,” the soldier said.
“Did he say why?” Dhamballa asked.
“No, houngan,” the man told him.
Even in the dark, the priest could see that Dhamballa was surprised. It was in his stiff posture, the way he stood still and silent for a long moment.
“But you did not think to check with me,” Dhamballa said.
“You are our religious leader,” the soldier said. “He is our military commander.” There was a hint of defiance in his voice.
“You did not question the order?” Dhamballa pressed.
“I asked him to repeat it, that is all,” the soldier said.
Dhamballa moved closer to the man. “Do you know what happened today in Maun?”
“Yes, houngan,” said the soldier. “Another Catholic holy man was killed.”
“He was shot in the back of the head, as you would have done,” Dhamballa said. “That changes things for us. When we move into Orapa, we must show the world that we are not murderers. This man must be with us.”
“I understand,” the soldier replied.
“You will see to it, then?” Dhamballa asked. “You will see that he arrives safely?”
“Yes, houngan.”
“If Seronga contacts you again, let me know,” Dhamballa added. “We leave within the hour.”
Dhamballa left, and the soldiers helped Father Bradbury to his feet.
As they walked toward the shore, the priest found it strange to be back in his body. He felt tired and hot again. Thirst and hunger returned. But whether it was to make him brave or more pious, Father Bradbury knew one thing.
God had showed him the edge of eternity for a reason.
FORTY-SIX
Okavango Swamp, Botswana Friday, 6:42 P.M.
Dhamballa shut the door of his hut. He was surprised to notice that his forearms were weak, his fingers shaking, as he turned on the lantern. He felt disoriented and alone.
The Vodun leader did not want to believe what the soldier had told him—that Leon Seronga had ordered the killing of the priest. The man Dhamballa knew would not give such a command. Not only was it bloodthirsty, it was against everything the peaceful revolution they had worked to achieve stood for.
Yet, do you really know Seronga? Dhamballa thought ruefully. He is an officer, and officers yearn for promotions, for power.
But Dhamballa must not think about that now. It was time to put the material world aside and let the gods speak.
Dhamballa removed a tiny chest from inside his desk. He set it down on the mat, knelt beside it, and raised the lid. Carefully, he removed a white cloth. He set it on the mat and unwrapped it. There were five chicken bones inside the cloth. A source of sustenance and fertility, the chicken was sacred to Vodunists. These were bones that Dhamballa had dried himself when he began studying the art of the houngan. He had baked them in the sun and in heated sand, drawing out all the moisture and making them hard, like ivory.
He reached into the chest and removed a pouch. He undid the drawstring and took out a pinch of cornmeal. This powder, known as ma-veve, represented a direct connection with the healthy and fertile earth. He spread the powder over the cloth, then steepled three of the bones on top of it. Only the largest of the bones was marked. It bore notches in the surface from top to bottom. Then he palmed two others and gently rolled them between his palms. He closed his eyes. The noise of the breaking camp seemed distant. The rolling of the bones often put the Vodunist in a trancelike state. Dhamballa’s own houngan mentor had once told him that the man was the real medium. The bones were simply a totem to focus and guide the spirit of the houngan. During this brief journey, they did not provide detailed information about the future. Rather, they read currents in the river of human endeavor. They foretold where the currents would lead. The details were for a houngan to discover through deed and meditation.
Dhamballa released the bones. While they were still airborne, the gods breathed upon them. The Vodun leader could feel the breath as it rushed past him. The two tossed bones struck the other three.
Dhamballa opened his eyes. He studied the pattern in which the bones fell. They confirmed his fears.
Until tonight, the bones had landed in patterns that suggested peaceful trials for himself and his adversaries. Trials of religious resolve, of philosophy, of endurance. They pointed to the moon or sun to tell whether the ordeals would come during the night or day. They pointed east, west, north, or south to tell him from which direction the challenges were coming.
But something had changed.
The house of bones had fallen with all of the pieces crossing one another. That meant chaos was in the offing for the Vodun leader.
There were two more throws to make. The first toss told him how the future would be if the currents went unchanged. The second toss was a look at whether the events might be changed. If the bones landed exactly as before, then the future was fixed. First, there was something he must do.
Dhamballa picked up the largest of the bones. This was the bone with the hash marks cut in its surface. He tugged a hair from his head and carefully worked the strand through a small slit in the base of the bone. Then he wound the rest of the hair through the other notches cut in the bone. There were slashes representing the eyes, the heart, the stomach, and the loins. Dhamballa fit the free end in a slit on the top of the bone. When the Vodun leader was done, he picked up the rest of the bones and tossed them all again.
The other four bones landed on top of the bone with his hair.
The gods were telling Dhamballa that there was only one way to prevent the chaos. He must take the entire burden upon himself. He must deal with the issues and come up with the solutions.
The Vodun leader scooped the bones into his hand. He gave them a final throw. This last toss would tell Dhamballa whether it was possible to find a solution to the chaos. It would also suggest whether that solution could be peaceful or whether violence was inevitable. He did not bother praying. The gods were there to advise, not listen.
He leaned forward as the bones came to a stop. If none of the bones had touched, then peace was possible. That was not the case. Two of the bones lay by themselves. That meant some participants did not want to confront Dhamballa or each other. Two other bones lay crossed atop the element representing Dhamballa. The gods were telling him that while a peaceful solution was possible, those participants would be against it.