“Yes, we’re trying to stop them and figure out why they killed Dad and Maria.”
“Maria. That’s sad.”
“It is sad, yes.”
“But I can’t cry about it. Boys don’t cry.”
“You’re not a boy anymore, Will. You’re a man and men do cry sometimes. It’s okay to cry when your wife dies.”
“Okay. I’m going back to sleep now.”
Would he be himself next time he woke, or would they have to take him to a hospital and risk exposure?
CHAPTER 54
5:15 p.m.:
Two hours later, Will woke up again in the Vilnius hotel. The light streaming through the windows had the dim look of late afternoon and the rain had increased to a steady pitter-patter. He felt more like himself. His head was no longer killing him and his memory was back. Unfortunately.
Bear sat by Will’s bed reading a book.
It was a decent hotel space. Tired of sleeping in hostels and trains, they’d gone for middle-of-the-road lodging in Vilnius. There were two beds that seemed about queen-size and a comfortable couch that Will and Bear had taken turns using for a bed. The beds were clean and the shower hot. They had decided they’d be safer as a group in one set of rooms.
Will reached for the ice bag and reapplied it to his scalp with care. “Hey, Bear.”
“Hey, Argones.”
“You holding vigil over my not-so-dead body?”
“Ah, good. You are feelin’ better. Your spunk is back.”
“I was kind of out of it when I woke up before, wasn’t I?”
“Yes. It would have been funny if we weren’t so worried about you.”
“Probably a concussion, huh?”
“That’s our guess. We were thinking of taking you to a hospital if you didn’t come around soon.”
“I think I’ll live.”
“Happy to hear it.”
“Where’s Maddy?”
“She insisted on goin’ to get some takeout. We got hungry and hoped you’d wake up soon and be hungry, too. Lunch didn’t happen.”
“We were going to do that after the botched gun deal.”
“Yes. Sorry, you’re hurt. The whole thing was my fault.”
“How do you figure?”
“I was the one who found the guide and led us into that rat’s nest.”
“You don’t get all the blame, buddy. We were willing participants and could have cried ‘uncle’ anytime.”
Bear shook his head in disgust. “And what a stupid move to not load up a gun as soon as we walked out the door!”
“C’mon, Bear, don’t be too hard on yourself. My skills are so lame. I’m embarrassed to have this lump on my head.”
“What if one of you had gotten killed?”
Will suspected that Bear would have been more worried about Maddy’s loss of life than his own, but he let it slide. “We didn’t, Bear. Let’s leave it at that.”
“But now we’re in a bad way. We lost not only the two diamonds but the entire sack of guns. We were able to recover your knife, though.”
“Great. I’m starting to feel naked without it.”
“Ha! We’ll make a warrior out of you yet.”
“Doubt that, but I do find some comfort in the blade. Thanks for finding it. I definitely need some practice.”
“I think we all do,” Bear said reflectively.
“Hey, how’d you get me home?”
“You were in and out of consciousness long enough for us to manhandle you down the alleyway and into a cab.”
Will didn’t want to focus on the memory. “Ah. I have a vague memory of puking.”
“I wasn’t going to mention that but, yes. When we stood you up you lost your cookies.”
“Gotta love a concussion.”
The hotel room door creaked open. Maddy walked in the door, wearing jeans and a black V-neck T-shirt. She carried a bag. “Will. You’re awake!”
“Hi, Maddy. You can’t kill me off that easily.”
“And I see you’re feeling better.”
“Yes. For better or worse, the noggin seems to be firing on all cylinders again. Just a wee headache left.”
Maddy smiled, her green eyes sparkling. “Good. You were pretty funny earlier.”
“That’s what Bear said. What’s for din?”
“Sandwiches. Just went to the place down the street. Needed some air but didn’t want to go far.”
“Let’s eat, then.” He sat up and groaned. “Maybe I should take some pain meds. I think I can eat, and the head feels much better but why not take the rest of the edge off?”
“Good idea. I got you some aspirin while I was out, too. Here you go.” She handed him the pills and passed around the sandwiches. “Perhaps I can take advantage of your moment of weakness here. I think we need to claim this jaunt to Vilnius a bust and head to Bagan.”
“You just love to be right, don’t you?” Will took the pills and a tentative bite of his sandwich.
“Sure, who doesn’t? But seriously. We’ve been here for days, haven’t seen a thing, and the Rambo guns mission didn’t pan out so well either.”
The sandwich tasted better than Will suspected it would and he took a bigger bite. “I don’t see that this morning’s misadventure should weigh on whether or not we continue searching here.”
Maddy pointed at the ice bag. “Well, what they both have in common is that I’ve had bad feelings about both. The reason for this morning’s evil feelings has revealed itself.”
Bear spoke around a bite of sandwich. “Marshall, I feel bad about that. It’s my fault.”
“Nonsense. I don’t see what you could have done differently.”
Bear looked sheepish. “Could have loaded up a gun once we left.”
She shrugged this suggestion off. “We should have been able to fight them off at close range without resorting to guns. And those guys were on us right away.”
Bear grimaced. “Probably that guide. Got his pals and waited for us.”
“I had a brief thought that it might be the Russians, but I think you’re right.”
“Yes, but, under the circumstances, I still should have--”
She interrupted, “Even if you want to call it a mistake, we all make them. And we learn from them. Which is why I think we should be making plans to head to Bagan.”
She sure can be a single-minded creature. Will said, “You want to head all that way on just your gut?”
“Not just my gut, although I’m learning to listen to it. But also, we haven’t found anything here! We’ve not found any evidence that this is the ‘Center of the Pagan Empire.’ All we’ve seen are howling iron wolves everywhere.”
Bear put down his sandwich. “Those are pretty cool, though. I like the historical reference to when the grand duke chose this place as his capital. Plus, it was from a prophetic dream. You have to admit that part is cool.”
Maddy looked at Bear. “I don’t remember reading about the dream part. Can you fill me in?” She sat back and took another bite.
“Sure. It’s a cool little story. One day, the Grand Duke of Lithuania, whose name was Gediminas, was on a hunting trip in the valley around the mouth of the river Vilnia. It was a successful hunt and Gediminas killed a bison. When night fell, the party decided to set up camp and spend the night there. While he was asleep, the Duke had an unusual dream in which he saw an iron wolf at the top of the mountain where he had killed the bison. The wolf was standing with its head raised toward the moon, howling as loud as a hundred wolves. When he woke up, the Duke remembered his strange dream and consulted one of his pagan priests about it.”
Will took a bite of sandwich. “What did the priest say?”
“The priest told the Duke that the dream was a direction to establish a city there. The howling of the wolf represented the fame of the future city. That city’s reputation would spread far and wide, as far as the howling of the mysterious wolf. So, the Grand Duke of Lithuania, obeying the will of the gods, immediate
ly started to build his future capital and took its name--Vilnius--from the Vilnia river. Which is why we’re here and why we see those iron wolves everywhere.”
To Will, it looked as if Maddy had gotten lost in the story. She roused herself. “Very cool. What year was that again?”
“It was 1323.”
“I rest my case.”
Will shook his head at her pigheadedness. “I don’t know, Maddy. It will take us days to get to Bagan. And we talked about the timeline. Isabella and Ferdinand could have placed this clue here.”
“I don’t think so. And we’re spinning our wheels here, running around, looking at iron wolves, and not seeing any signs of Ramiro.”
Will took the ice bag off his head and scratched his beard. “Have you had a dream about this place?”
She paused.
Will realized Bear didn’t know about her premonitory dreams.
Maddy must have figured out the same thing because she turned to Bear to explain. “Sometimes--not often, but every now and again--I have a dream that comes true.”
“Like Gediminas. Sounds neat.”
“It is, except all of them that I can recall have been about bad things that have come true, not good things.”
“Like what?” Bear asked.
She looked at the floor and her tone filled with sorrow. “Like a dream I had the night before Dad and Maria were murdered. Like a dream I had about my mom before she died.”
“I’m sorry.”
“And I had one the other night about AJ.”
“Oh no. Really?”
“Yes. Of course, I’m hoping that last one isn’t real. Don’t know yet. But there’s this unmistakable feeling when I wake up with a real dream. Hard to describe. Sort of a cold certainty.”
“Let’s hope AJ is okay. I think the question, though, was have you had one of these dreams about searchin’ here instead of Bagan.”
Maddy’s voice rose. “No, I haven’t.”
Will could feel her temper start to simmer. Her face flushed.
Maddy gritted her teeth. “What if we split up? I could go without you guys.”
“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” Bear said before Will could.
“I agree. We stick together,” Will said.
“Great. I’m buying tickets out of here tomorrow. Glad you’re coming with me.” Her tone was final.
CHAPTER 55
July 15, 10:45 a.m.:
The day after the embarrassing weapons incident in Vilnius, Maddy, Will, and Bear purchased airplane tickets to Mandalay, which was the closest airport they could get to Bagan on short notice. Then they found a store to acquire several extra throwing knives and a prepaid cell phone to use later.
Purchases completed, the three of them took a bus to a nearby village that the guidebook had recommended as a friendly spot to see Lithuanian farm life. Their flight was tomorrow, so they wanted to put the free day to good use by practicing with the weapons they did have and could check with luggage. Once in the quaint village, they spied a narrow lane, which led into the countryside. They’d only walked a mile before Will seemed to tire.
“What about this spot? Can we stop here?” Will asked.
The nagging worry Maddy had felt since Will had been hit in the head with the bully stick had started to fade, but he sounded exhausted, so she took a harder look at the glen to their right. It was a decent-size meadow area behind a copse of trees, just off the narrow country road. She had dismissed it at first as being too exposed but they would hear a car, or people, coming from a distance.
After yesterday’s debacle, it was clear she needed some aikido practice, Will needed throwing training, and Bear could use some preparation, too. If she had her way about it, Will would realize he also needed to begin to learn some self-defense beyond the knife. She was keen to become an aikido teacher, why not start today?
Maddy tossed the hair out of her eyes. “We can make it work. Bear, what do you think?”
“It’s a little close to the road, but I think we’ll hear folk comin’.”
“I thought the same thing. Let’s just make sure it’s not soggy or anything.”
They bushwhacked two yards into the clearing and then stomped around. It was a peaceful, bucolic setting, graced with short green grass, chirping birds, and several dark-winged butterflies that floated above colorful wildflowers.
Will pointed. “Looks fine to me. It dried quickly after yesterday’s rain.”
Will took a hotel blanket from his backpack and fanned it out on the ground. Today’s skies were clear, and the temperature a little warm, so the spot he chose was in the shade on the far side of the meadow. “I need to rest for a minute.”
“Me, too,” Maddy said.
She and Bear sat cross-legged near the blanket and drank some water out of their water bottles. After a minute of appreciating the shade and the quiet palette of nature, Maddy said, “Did you guys see anybody watching us today?”
“Are you trying to freak me out?” Will sounded peevish. “I’m still recovering from having the crap beat out of me yesterday.”
“No, I just thought I saw somebody. A blond somebody. But, like you’ve been, I wasn’t sure. It was a glance out of the corner of my eye.” As she spoke, Maddy picked up a dark, jagged stone from the ground and fingered around its edges, as if it were a worry stone.
“Lovely,” Will said, sarcastically.
“I’d rather know than not know. And I’m telling you because I think it would be good for you to learn aikido.”
Will groaned, “Not this again.”
“Will. Think about it. How’d that knife work for you yesterday?”
“Shut up.” He sounded only half-joking and rolled over to face away from Maddy and Bear. “Leave me alone.”
Irritated, she snapped, “Sure, I’ll just let you die next time because you can’t take care of yourself.”
“Hey!” He sat up. “Party foul. That wasn’t nice!”
Maddy pitched the dark stone toward the other side of the meadow, angry. “It’s the truth!”
Bear got up and walked out of earshot. Maddy watched him pull a few knives of his own from a sleeve and start to throw them at a large oak. Juvenile as the desire might be, Maddy wished he would take her side for once.
“Since when, in this day and age, is self-defense a requirement? I’ve certainly been able to put bread on my table. My boss loves me. And, after yesterday, I’m missing my job.”
Maddy clenched her fists and brought her anger down a notch, back under control. “I have no doubt you’re smart, Will, and have a great job, but yes, in this day and age, self-defense is still a useful thing to know. Didn’t you ever get the heebie-jeebies walking down a side street in São Paulo when toughs followed you? Maybe thinking they were going to roll you for your wallet?”
“Maybe.”
“And, besides, we’re in the middle of something huge here, something where knowing how to handle yourself could come in handy.”
“I don’t want to learn to be violent,” Will retorted.
She paused and had an idea. “Let me show you something. Are you up for moving around just a little?”
He exaggerated a moan. “Sure.”
“Okay. Come here. Stand like you’re riding a skateboard. Front foot pointed forward, back foot perpendicular to it. Like this.” She put her right foot forward and her left foot behind her, turned out. She straightened her back and bent her knees. “It’s called hanmi stance.”
Will stood and did as she instructed. “Okay, so what?”
“Bend your knees a little more. See if you can resist when I push on your shoulders. Keep your feet where they are. I’m going to try and push you off balance. Are you ready?”
“Yes.”
Maddy pushed on his upper chest using the strength of her legs. Good. He was grounded and solid. She couldn’t move him. “See that? I can’t move you.”
Will smiled. “I am taller than you and have you by a few pounds.”
“Not the point. Now, I want you to think of something that ticks you off. Maybe the Russians who killed Maria. Maybe climate change. That Napa cop. Find something.” She watched his face change. “Got it?” But she knew he did.
He nodded. She reached out and, with one hand, pushed his chest. He fell backward, arms flailing like a windmill.
“Hey!”
She laughed. The shocked look on his face was priceless.
Will scrambled back to a standing position. “Maybe I wasn’t ready. Let’s do that again.”
Maddy raised an eyebrow. “With or without anger?”
“Both.”
Maddy stood with her arms at her side. “All right. Think a kind thought. Or about what we had for breakfast.”
He smiled his lopsided grin. “Ready.”
She brought her arm up and pressed on his chest again, but she couldn’t push him over, even though she tried. “Can’t do it. Get mad again.”
Will took a deep breath and his face changed. “Idiotic walrus Napa cop probably has me on the Most Wanted list by now. Ready.”
“Ready or not, here I come!” As she said “come,” she again pushed with one hand.
He lost his balance and stepped to the side.
“Huh,” Will said, with a puzzled tone.
“Figure that one out, Mr. Science.”
“If we ever get back to the real world, it might make an interesting case study.” He took on a mocking tone, “How the body reacts in kind states versus states of hatred or anger.” Smiling, he sat back down. “In the meantime, I concede the power of kindness.”
“Good. That’s the point of aikido. Gentle strength. You don’t have to be a goon, be violent, or go around killing people.”
“I don’t have to be violent?”
She sat next to him, cross-legged. “No. Don’t you remember this from high school? An angry or hateful opponent has already lost.”
“Don’t remember anything from high school except Jill MacIntyre’s legs.”
“Seriously? I don’t even remember Jill.”
“Hot. But okay, I’ll think about it. Hey--what happened yesterday then?”
The Lost Power: VanOps, Book 1 Page 21