by Nancy Madore
“Asmodeous was the first one I thought of,” said Ornias. “I knew he would want out of that ring, no matter what the cost. And, as well, I knew that if anyone could figure a way out of this, it would be him.
“Meanwhile, Solomon was building a temple in the new land—our land. That was how we got him to give us bodies. We convinced him that we were expert craftsmen, appealing to his pride. There was an ongoing rivalry between the Israelites and the Babylonians at the time. Babylon was renowned for its extraordinary palaces. In the end, it wasn’t all that hard to convince Solomon. He could still control us from inside a human body, as we would still be bound by the ring.”
“What bodies did he use?” wondered Gordon.
“They were supposed to be slaves and prisoners,” said Ornias, “but I wondered sometimes. The bodies we were given were strong and healthy—not at all like the other prisoners we encountered, who were sickly and half starved.”
“What happened next?” asked Gordon.
“We built the temple,” said Ornias. “But I could tell that Asmodeous was working on something else. He was distracted.
“Solomon was obsessed with us, as I’ve mentioned, and Asmodeous played on this obsession. I don’t think he had to try all that hard. He was a fit companion for Solomon. The two were very similar. They spent a great deal of time together.”
There was a long, thoughtful pause, during which time Ornias appeared to mentally go back in time.
“Asmodeous never told me how he did it,” Ornias said at last. His smile seemed to deepen as he shrugged. “One day I looked up and there he was—none other than the king himself! He was extremely secretive by this time. He trusted no one. He knew we’d have no choice but to talk if we got caught.”
“You were never able to figure out how he did it?” Gordon asked.
“If I had, I wouldn’t be here now,” Ornias reminded him.
“If you had to guess?” Gordon persisted.
Ornias paused. “Solomon wasn’t the only one intrigued by Asmodeous,” he said. “Spending so much time in the king’s company gave everyone in the royal household the opportunity to become acquainted with him. It was rumored that a few of Solomon’s wives took a particular interest in him…and, as well, it was even said that Solomon’s mother, the infamous Bathsheba, spent time with him.”
“And once Asmodeous was king?” prompted Gordon.
“He immediately set out to destroy the Israelites,” said Ornias.
“How did he do that?”
Ornias’ eyes twinkled mischievously. “Divide and conquer, baby.”
Chapter 28
Nadia felt emotionally drained as Gordon drove them back to the hotel. Something was troubling her; some unidentified angst seemed to be working on her nerves, relentlessly chipping away at what was left of her equilibrium. For one thing, she couldn’t understand why they had to stop. It was still early in the evening.
Though she realized that she was essentially what was keeping the case open, there were times when she didn’t like being caught in the middle of all this. And too, she didn’t like that Will was dictating the terms.
Most of all, she didn’t like what Ornias was saying about her father. Asmodeous, the ‘Demon of Lust?’ Turning women into prostitutes? Was it possible that her father really did all those vile things to the women of Kiriath Arba? She supposed that Ornias had to believe it was so, since he was saying it, but she wondered if he could be mistaken. The man Ornias described was not the man she knew. But then again, who was the man she knew?
“Hey Blondie,” said Clive from the front passenger seat. “Guess whose best friend from high school still works at HAARP?”
Nadia groaned, regretting her impetuous bet with Clive.
“That’s right,” he continued. “Every now and then, old fashioned hard work trumps big money.”
“I’m sure it was very hard work, getting someone to be your friend,” was the best she could manage in her present state of mind.
“A poor sport, eh?” he said, clucking his tongue in disapproval.
Almost before Gordon had the car in ‘park’ Nadia opened her door to get out. She was beginning to feel trapped, like she did when they first kidnapped her. She lingered near the car, reluctant to follow them into the hotel. They stopped and turned expectantly. Will walked back to where she was standing.
“Are you okay?” he asked, full of concern.
“I…think I need to be alone,” she said. They all just looked at her. She tried to appear casual. “I think I’ll book my own room for tonight.”
Will seemed agitated by this. “Nadia, I really don’t think you should be alone right now,” he said.
“How convenient,” she said, more harshly than she intended. She could see from their expressions how bitchy she sounded. Clive was looking at her with one eyebrow raised while Gordon was pretending to stare at something on the ground.
Will appeared to be at a loss. He stepped closer, examining her face. “I won’t deny that I want to be with you,” he said quietly.
“Well, maybe I don’t want to be with you,” she shot back. His close proximity—combined with his intense blue stare—was making her feel worse, by bringing back the memories of those first terrifying moments of her kidnapping in a wave of déjà vu. The feeling was so intense that she actually had the urge to start running.
“I see where this is going,” said Clive. “Gordon can swap places with you so you can stay with me.” When they all looked at him in surprise he shrugged. “Clearly she’s trying to tell us something,” he said, and turning to Nadia he added—“I think I know what that something is.” He winked at her knowingly. “Am I right?”
A short spurt of laughter escaped Nadia’s lips in spite of her distress. The absurdity of the moment seemed to release her anxiety and, just like that, the panic was gone. Yet the wretchedness remained. “I’m just feeling a little overwhelmed I guess,” she explained guiltily. Yet she wondered why she felt the need to explain herself at all. She sighed, wishing she hadn’t said anything. “Never mind,” she added.
“You probably just need some peace and quiet,” said Gordon, and he was looking at Will.
Will nodded. “Gordon’s right,” he said. “I’ll crash with you guys tonight.”
Clive raised his hand, which was arranged in the universal gesture of a cellphone, to his ear, and silently mouthed the words ‘call me’ to Nadia.
She tried to smile. “Peace and quiet does sound good,” she told Gordon, but she felt guilty again as Will followed her up to their room.
Why was she suddenly so oppressed by his presence? He was doing all of this for her!
“The last thing I want is to crowd you,” he told her when they were inside the room. “I’ll get a few things and then leave you alone.” Nadia couldn’t detect any anger in his words. He simply seemed concerned.
Nadia threw herself down on the bed. As promised, Will gathered up his things, kissed her lightly on the forehead and left the room.
“You know where to reach me if you need me,” he told her.
The distress remained long after Will had gone. Nadia tried to analyze it. What was bothering her most? Was it the way they were dissecting her father’s life? Or was it that they were dissecting his life at all? From a purely logical point of view, the case would have been closed by now if not for her. But was this really the best thing for her? And yet, how could she walk away now? She sighed miserably. She knew that she was probably just looking for someone to blame for the pain she was feeling. For some reason, she had singled out Will, but didn’t the fault really lie with her father?
It was much easier to be angry with Will. It wasn’t just that her father had been torn from his life and trapped—perhaps forever—inside a ring. Nadia felt bad about this, of course, but deep down, she felt it was probably for the best. Her anger was for something else. It was for Edward—or the man who she thought was Edward. As well, it was for the man who instilled in her those value
s that remained with her today—for the man who taught her to be aware of the earth and all the creatures living on it. “Say excuse me,” he would gently admonish Nadia when she bumped into another child on the playground, or, catching her hand as she was about to maul a baby kitten, he would say; “Gently, Nadia, like this.”
He had taught her kindness and compassion. Was it all just a lie? How could someone who cared about a kitten intentionally kill thousands of people?
That’s what was so infuriating—the not understanding.
It was disturbing, too, to realize that, whatever her father might have done; he was ultimately more loving than his daughter. For him, love lasted a lifetime, whereas she began doubting it from the moment it began.
These thoughts shocked and provoked her. She thought again of how happy and self-assured she was before the kidnapping. But that life seemed so superficial now. How she missed her mother in that moment! In the end, she and Gisele were more alike than she knew. What’s more, her mother would have known how to make this better. For all of her faults, Gisele had been a happy woman. Nothing got her down—and nothing got in her way. She did as she wished without regret, enjoying each day as it came. Nadia used to think Gisele was selfish. But maybe Nadia was the selfish one. Maybe all of her achievements, including BEACON, were not really about helping others. Maybe they were more about her.
These thoughts, like accusations, had come to her because of them. She wasn’t sure if it was the realizations themselves that were bothering her, or the fact that they’d been brought to her attention. But it sometimes seemed as if Will, Clive and even Gordon, were sitting in judgment of her and her family. They held Nadia’s fate in their hands like silent jurors as they scoured through the most private details of her life.
She could almost hear Lilith now, demanding angrily—“Who are the sons of men, to judge me?”
This strange notion startled her. Why had she thought that? She reminded herself that she was one of those ‘sons of men.’
*
Nadia woke up with a start. The room was dark. She looked around. She was alone.
She sat up abruptly, tossing the blankets aside. She felt marginally better but still had that sense of being hemmed in, like a caged animal. She was still in her clothes. She got out of bed and glanced in the mirror. What if she left here? Just simply, got up and left. A guilty thrill shot through her.
She smoothed out a few makeup smudges under her eyes, ran her fingers through her hair and then stepped out of the room, thinking of her mother.
But reaching the lobby, she couldn’t resist a quick glance toward the bar and was almost relieved when she saw Gordon sitting there. He had spotted her as well, she noticed, but it wouldn’t have mattered anyway. She knew the minute she saw him that she wasn’t going anywhere. Where would she go? She was inexplicably tied to these men, compelled to endure all their prying because she had no choice. She simply had to know.
“Don’t you ever sleep?” she asked him irritably.
He shrugged. “I figure I’ll have plenty of time to sleep when I die.”
The bar was practically empty, and the waitress approached before Nadia had time to settle on a chair.
“I’ll have a gin martini,” she said. “Dry. Extra olives.” It brought tears to her eyes to order it—her father’s favorite drink. Gordon ordered another beer. Then they were quiet.
“Do you find yourself liking them?” she asked after a while.
Gordon smiled. “Yes, I do,” he said. “It’s hard not to. In many ways, they’re extraordinary creatures.”
“I mean, Ornias is kind of creepy I suppose…” she remarked thoughtfully.
“You know, I kind of like even him,” said Gordon. “He’s human, you know? I mean—you know what I mean.”
Nadia laughed. “Yeah, I think so,” she agreed. “He’s…flawed, like us.” Saying this had a strangely calming effect on her.
“Exactly!” said Gordon. “And there’s something refreshing in that.”
The waitress brought their drinks. Nadia held hers up and Gordon tapped it lightly with his beer bottle.
To you, daddy, she thought and then tasted the sharp, icy liquid that always made her think of Christmas trees. This brought thoughts of Christmases past—all of which had been spent with her father.
Who would she spend Christmas with from now on? Nadia pushed this question aside and took two huge gulps from her drink.
Watching her, Gordon winced. “Did you and your father drink martinis together often?” he asked.
Nadia hated the tell-tale tears that filled her eyes. “I normally only drank them at Christmas,” she said.
“You’ll miss him,” he said quietly. A moment of understanding passed between them.
Nadia felt compelled to change the subject before she burst into tears. “What do you think about all this talk of Armageddon?” she asked in a shaky voice.
Gordon considered her question. “It’s intriguing,” he said, quickly warming to the subject. “These creatures aren’t easily duped. The last time they predicted a disaster the world was nearly wiped out by a massive flood.”
Nadia nodded, feeling calmer. It was amazing how the smallest spark of interest in almost anything outside oneself could distract one from depression. Or was it the gin? “I was thinking the same thing,” she said.
“It’s a slippery slope,” he continued thoughtfully, and Nadia got the feeling that he was choosing his words carefully. “You hurt one to help another. In a way, we’re all playing god, deciding which lives are worth saving and which ones aren’t. Everyone sides with their own kind in the end.” He seemed to be warning her of something.
“You’re saying you’ll side with the sons of men,” she said.
“Yes,” he replied, “but it’s even more than that.” He paused to finish the rest of his beer and then set the bottle down definitively. “We are all separated by our moral codes, which are most often determined by our peers. I’m an American. I’m currently employed by the American government. I believe in the American way. Right or wrong, I will fight for it. You see where I’m going with this?”
Nadia did—sort of—but she wanted him to finish the thought.
“In this way,” continued Gordon—“I am exactly like the Jew, the Christian and even the djinn. Each of them came by their moral code in the same way I did. That’s what makes all of us right.” He paused, signaling for the check, and then looked at Nadia sadly. “Unfortunately, it’s also what makes all of us wrong,” he said.
*
Nadia tapped on the door as lightly as possible, while silently praying that Clive wouldn’t answer. Even so, she was a little startled—and flustered—when the door opened and she was confronted by a sleepy-looking Will, who stood there in nothing but his boxer shorts. But he seemed pleased to see her.
She smiled sheepishly. “I locked myself out of the room,” she whispered, but seeing disappointment flash in his blue eyes she added hastily—“and I miss you.”
This made him smile. He put up a finger, signaling for her to wait a minute, and then went inside. When he returned he was fully dressed. He closed the door behind him and, before Nadia could say anything, he grabbed her, pressed her against the wall and kissed her. It was a passionate kiss that left her trembling. Then he silently led her, by the hand, back to their room. Neither of them spoke.
Once inside the room, both of them instantly came alive. There was a sense of urgency as they kissed and groped at each other, literally tearing at their clothes. It was as if they hadn’t seen each other for months. Will devoured her hungrily, moving his lips over her mouth and face and neck, passionately nipping at her while his stubble seared her skin. They fell on the bed together and Will took her, using her body almost savagely. There was neither tender seduction nor gentle lovemaking. He ravished her as if she were a thing to be conquered.
Afterwards, Nadia was still and peaceful, and limp as a doll. She was a little startled, and wondered if Go
rdon told Will about their conversation from the previous night. She turned to look at him and was confronted with the familiar blue stare. He was lying on his side, propped up on one elbow, looking down at her.
“Blue eyes,” she murmured, recalling her nickname for him in those first few hours of her kidnapping.
“Are you okay?” he asked. His voice was soft, like a caress. He moved his free hand up along her jaw to tenderly stroke her face.
“Yes,” she said, and was a little surprised to realize that it was true. Somewhere along the line she had started to feel better. They just looked at each other for a long moment. Nadia was wondering what he felt for her but couldn’t bring herself to ask. Instead, she said—“Do you believe in evil?”
Will smiled. “Sure,” he said. “Don’t you?”
Nadia sighed. “I don’t know. I don’t think I believe in it when it’s applied to an entire group. Maybe it’s something that creeps up in each of us from time to time. Sometimes we give in to it, sometimes we don’t. My father…” she paused, searching Will’s eyes for any sign of impatience. Seeing only curiosity, she dared to continue, “I don’t think my father was evil.”
Will appeared to consider this. “I guess it would depend on your definition of evil,” he said. “When applied to groups, I personally think the word is misused. People use it to describe any idea or behavior that’s different from their own. I don’t think that’s evil. But I do think it can pose a genuine threat to the opposing group.”
“So it’s not really about evil,” she said. “It’s about survival.”
“Yes,” said Will. “People want to protect their way of life—their beliefs, their goals, their possessions. They perceive any threat to this as evil.”
“And my father?” she asked.
“He’s doing what he has to do, Nadia,” said Will. He took her hand in his and held it firmly. “Just like I’m doing what I have to do.” He squeezed her hand even more when she tried to pull it away. “We’re both trying to protect our species.”