Lazy Days (41 page)

"Don’t leave me!"

The old Land Cruiser jerked and jarred Rainey
for the hundredth time. Even with her mouth covered to filter the air, she
could still taste dust. She wanted to scream at Roth for his insistence that
she travel into the Western Desert with him to find someone he was vague about
naming. His mood, for some reason known only to him, had been dower all
morning.

Rainey grabbed her water bottle and chugged. The
heat continued to climb to oppressive heights. Of course, their vehicle had no
air conditioning. She punched the button on her digital watch and it glowed ten
A.M.

"It’s only five minutes later than the last
time you checked," Roth snarled.

"I don’t know what your problem is, Macho
Man, but you’ve been on my case ever since we got up. Back off!"

Roth glanced at her. "I communicated with
your father recently. He said some man named Jonathan Blanchard was asking for
you. Do you know him?"

"Yes."

"Tell me about him."

"I don’t think it's any of your
business."

"Everything about you is my business. I'm
your bodyguard, remember. Are you romantically involved with him?"

"I am not going to be interrogated by
you."

Roth clinched his jaw and braked to a stop.
Twisting in his seat he spoke low. "Answer my question, Rainey."

"Or what?"

"Or I'll start making inquires of Daddy,
Steve, Fawn, the milkman, the grocery clerk, the janitor, Mr. Blanchard's
mother… Are you getting the picture?"

"You're disgusting. Okay, we attended a
couple of the same conferences and had dinner together. He's nice. I told him
to look me up when he's in Portland. That's all."

"So you have a romantic interest in
him?"

"I didn't say that."

"Well, do you or don't you?"

"Yes and no!"

"What the hell kind of answer is
that."

"I…I don't get much opportunity to date
and…and…he's nice. I thought maybe we might…"

"What?"

"I…we…crap…I don't feel attracted to him,
but I enjoy his company."

Roth studied her face and then put the car in
gear.

Rainey felt humiliated by her revelation of
wanting a relationship with a man. They drove in silence for a long time.

Finally, Roth said, "Rainey, to do my job
effectively, I have to know everything about you. I'm not trying to embarrass
you. It's just that you fight me every step of the way."

Rainey blinked rapidly at the sting behind her
eyes. She was thankful when something ahead captured her attention. She
pointed. "There’s something there."

"It’s the Bedouin camp."

Eager to get the focus off of her lack of a love
life, she said, "
Now,
are you going to stop being so vague and tell
me why we’re headed to a
Bedouin camp.
I would have been perfectly happy
to stay at our rental and continue my study of eagles."

"With your tendency for trouble, I don't
think so."

"What’s that supposed to mean?"

"It means I'm doing my damndest to take
care of you."

When they reached the camp, Roth pulled the
Toyota off the dirt track and onto the sparse vegetation of the oasis. Tent
flaps opened and turban-headed men in robes stood in the entrances watching
them. Roth exited the Toyota and walked toward an approaching elderly man from
one of the larger tents. Roth bowed and spoke a greeting in their language. The
Bedouin man bowed and replied. He glanced at Rainey and then returned his
attention to Roth. Rainey remained standing beside her open car door. The men
spoke for several minutes and then the Bedouin motioned for Roth to enter his
tent. Roth turned and motioned for Rainey to come forward.

Conscious of everyone watching her, she went to
stand beside him. "You’ve been invited to spend time with the women."
He pointed to a tent several tents down where women in long black dresses and
black face veils stood near the entrance. "The women will feed you and
give you something to drink. Bedouins are famous for their hospitality."

"What if I don’t want to go with the women?
What if I decide to stay with you?"

"Not gonna happen."

Rainey glared at Roth, but turned towards the
women.

"Oh, and Rainey…"

She looked back at him.

"Mind your manners."

* * *

Roth entered the large tent with several men
already inside. He greeted them and accepted mint tea. While sitting with the
circle of men on colorful hand-woven carpets of blue, green, purple, and red,
he introduced himself and chatted about various unimportant topics. Tahnoon, as
leader of his tribe, sat in the place of honor. Finally, when the time came to
state the reason for his visit, he requested a private audience with Tahnoon.
The leader looked surprised, but nodded his assent. The other men respectfully
departed. Alone, Tahnoon waited for Roth to speak.

"
Tahnoon Kahlifa, you are going to be shocked by
what I reveal. But please, listen until the end."

Tahnoon acknowledged the request with a slight
nod of his head.

"Many years ago I received an assignment. I
was directed by my elders to make sure a young man arrived at his own wedding.
The young man’s parents had arranged for him to marry a girl he had met only
once as a teenager. He had not been impressed by her and did not want to marry
her. The elders who gave me my assignment believed it was very important,
however, that the young man and the young woman marry. It would maintain peace
between their tribes. The young man was destined to become leader of his clan,
and my elders believed he would gain much wisdom from his wife."

Tahnoon watched Roth’s every movement, a puzzled
expression on his face.

"That young man, Tahnoon, was you."

Tahnoon said, "Impossible! You were not
even born when I married."

"That is where you are wrong. May I
continue?"

Tahnoon inclined his head again, his expression
showing more puzzlement than before.

"Do you remember trying to turn your camel
away from the path it was on, but the camel would not turn, no matter how much
you switched or kicked or pulled the reins. After many attempts, you came to
believe that Allah had destined your marriage, and you accepted it."

Tahnoon jumped up and said,
"How can you
know that?"

"Because, my friend, I was that
camel."

The Bedouin’s eyes grew round and his jaw
dropped.

"I know it sounds crazy, but please, sit
and listen to the remainder of what I have to say."

Warily, Tahnoon sat.

"I would not reveal myself to you, except
that I am on another mission of great importance from my elders and I believe
it requires me to do so. You see, Tahnoon, I am a—let me think how to say this
in your language. I am a species of creation that has the ability to change
form. That is, I can become any animal, and that includes human. I live for
thousands of years, and my sole purpose in attaining mastery of forms is to
assist creation toward its ultimate purpose—enlightenment. I have not achieved
enlightenment myself, but as a shapeling, I am further along that path than
humans. So, you see, we are all in this together.

"Now, here is the reason I have revealed
myself to you. The woman with me is a scientist. She is on the verge of a
magnificent discovery that will relieve suffering. However, her life may be in
danger because of that. As we both know, there are dark forces that want to
control the earth for selfish gain. The breakthrough about to be made by this
woman is in the area of sound.

"When you were a young man and I was your
camel, I heard many things discussed. I know about the Sacred Cave beyond the
White Desert that contains the secrets of sound in its hieroglyphs."

Tahnoon rubbed his hand down his beard, clearly
trying to absorb what was being revealed.

"Since the location of the cave is known
only to your tribe, I am asking you to guide me and the woman there."

The elder started to shake his head no.

Roth lowered his head and prayed. In a
millisecond, he transformed into a falcon. In another millisecond, he returned
to himself.

The Bedouin jumped backwards.

"We need your help, Tahnoon."

Tahnoon lowered himself to the ground to worship
Roth.

Roth said, "Do not worship me. I am no less
and no greater than you. We have both been created by the Source. As I said
before, we are in this together, each with our own destinies. Will you help
me?" He grasped Tahnoon’s shoulder and lifted. Tahnoon looked up with a
mixture of fright and wonderment in his eyes. Roth used his own eyes to convey
his sense of urgency.

Hesitantly, Tahnoon returned to a cross-legged
position. He studied Roth for a long time, and finally said, "Yes, I will
help you."

Roth smiled. "Thank you, my friend. Now,
tell me about your wife and family."

Although still wary, Tahnoon hesitantly returned
his smile. "She is the love of my life and we have many children and
grandchildren, and even a great-grandchild."

For the next hour, Roth and Tahnoon worked out
the details of a secret trip into the White Desert.

* * *

"You’re kidding, right? We’re not really
going back to the Bedouin camp."

Roth and Rainey sat in the courtyard of their
rental as the sun slipped behind a far dune, the colors exploding across the
barren landscape of the Western Desert beyond Bahariya Oasis. Rainey had
actually been enjoying the relaxed atmosphere after their hectic day of travel
to and from the Bedouin camp, that is, until Roth broke the news of a return
visit.

"Yes, we are. Day after tomorrow we’re
returning."

"For God’s sake,
why?"

"You’ll find out soon enough."

"What the hell kind of answer is that? You
know what I think?" She didn’t wait for a response. "I think the
‘dark force’ sent you to torment me."

"Sounds like you’ve been watching too many
sci-fi flicks."

"No, I’m just stating a fact."

"You’re being melodramatic. Why can’t you
just accept the reality that you’re on an extended leave of absence, and enjoy
the adventure of Egypt?"

"Because I’m on the verge of the greatest
breakthrough known to modern man—a discovery that could help millions—and I’m
stuck with you!" Rainey watched Roth's jaw tighten and his blue gaze
darken.

With quiet determination, he said, "We're
returning to the Bedouin camp precisely because of your research." He rose
and crossed the courtyard to the house.

Rainey groaned and smoothed her hands over her
disheveled hair. Her sharp tongue had gotten the best of her again. Well, he’d
deserved every word. And what the hell did he mean they were returning to the
Bedouins because of her research? That was crazy. What on earth did a tribe of Bedouins
living in the midst of the Western Desert have to do with scientific research?

She sighed and thought about her time with the
women. It had been interesting sitting among them. Although she hadn’t been
able to understand their language, they had been nice and offered her food and
drink. When she had refused, however, they’d looked at her strangely, shrugged,
and then gone about their business. Immediately, she’d wished she had accepted
their offer. Her relationship skills were sorely lacking, and everyday with
Roth only made her more aware of it. He had an easy manner with anyone but her.
People
liked
him. Rarely, did anyone seem to like her. It hadn’t
bothered her before because of her absorption in her work. But now, with
nothing to absorb her time, Roth made her desire things she didn’t want to put
a name to.

The next day, they drove to the town center and
purchased cases of water bottles, sturdy boots for both of them, socks, bags of
dried fruit and jerky, more sunscreen, sunglasses, chapstick and body lotion,
and various other items. To say that Rainey was confused would be an
understatement.

"Why do we need all this?"

"I’ll explain tomorrow."

"I don’t want to know tomorrow. I want to
know now."

"I’ll explain tomorrow. Not one day
sooner."

"You are absolutely the most hard-headed,
stubborn-"

"-and best bodyguard you ever had," he
interrupted.

"Don't flatter yourself."

After arriving home, Rainey stomped to her
bedroom and reread the printouts on eagles. Her fascination with the species
confounded her.

Late that night, she slipped to the bluff, but
her eagle did not show himself. She waited for well over an hour before
returning disappointed to her room.

Early the next morning, Roth banged on her door.
Still asleep because of her late night waiting for her eagle, she groaned.
"Go away!"