The Intern Affair (54 page)

“Calm down, Talya. I see what you’re saying but we can’t rush into this.
We’ve got to take it easy.”

“I’ve got them! I know I have. The whole lot of them.”
Talya was so intent on her discovery that she could have parachuted herself from the plane that very minute.
She couldn’t wait to get the proof she needed to blow
Charos
’s operation wide-open and get the man in
Bamako
behind bars—or killed—in the process.
She knew who the traitor was and it made all the sense in the world.
However, she wanted to face him one last time before surrendering him to justice, or into Samir’s hands.

Samir saw how Talya’s entire attitude had changed from one of fear to one of aggression.
Unfortunately, he couldn’t grab her to subdue her this time.
He had to land the plane first, and at that time, he wouldn’t be able to restrain her.
She was literally on the warpath.
Talya touched
Abdullah
’s knife on her left side
. Samir saw her do it.

“Talya, No!
You’ll have to give me that knife when we land.
You’re not going to use it.”

“Oh no? And you think you’re going to stop me?
And don’t tell me anything about vengeance.
I know how it feels and I tell you what else, it will feel good to slice his throat.”

“Who?
Who, Talya?”

“I won’t tell you that, because then you’ll be able to stop me and I won’t let you.”

“Yesterday I was afraid of Ishmael and what he might do if he accompanied us.
Now I will have to watch your every move and before you kill anyone, you can be sure you’ll find me in front of your blade.
Remember what I showed you in
Victoria
, and what I said on that occasion, and just in case you have forgotten, I’ll repeat the words:
‘…if you want to kill anyone you will have to kill me first.’
Do you understand now what those words meant?”

“You didn’t have to repeat anything, Samir.
I heard you the first time and I understood the meaning of every single syllable you pronounced on that occasion, yet the fact remains that I will avenge the torture and the killings of my friends one way or the other.”

They landed in Kedougou a half-an-hour later.
Talya had calmed down some, and they alighted from the plane under the watchful eye of an attendant at the makeshift airport.

“Talya, I beg of you; give me the blade from your side and I’ll give it back tonight before we go into the village, please.” Samir’s eyes were pleading as if the words were not enough to express what he felt.

“Let’s get to a car first, and if I feel better then, I’ll give it to you.
But for now, you’re not touching it.”
Talya was adamant.
She was not going to expose herself to any killer or rapist again, without being armed.
The abuse had gone long enough.
No more ‘Nice Talya’.

As they were walking to the hangar, laden with water sacs, backpack and a couple of bags containing wires from the plane’s engine for safekeeping, Samir said, “Can we stop this?”

“No, Samir, and that’s final.
We need to get to Sabodala and bring back at least one item to prove what I propose as a solution to this whole mess.
And I don’t care who gets in my way; he’ll get a taste of
Alhassan
’s agony for his trouble.”

They put down the packs and Samir asked the attendant if they could borrow the Landrover parked outside the building for a day or two.
He said that they were tourists and they wanted to take a drive in the mountains, and that they would bring back the vehicle in two days’ time. The somewhat bewildered man accepted readily.

Samir paid the attendant handsomely and they left in
the
direction of the town of
Kedougou
.
Within twenty minutes, they were parking the car in front of the Main House, the local community hall, doubling as a house of prayer, and climbed out of the vehicle.
It was market-day, and the streets, which were only wide lanes cutting through groups of cement or mud-block houses and huts, were
teeming
with people going about their busy day.

“Now, Talya, let’s go and sit in the Main House and talk for awhile.
We need to sort this out.”

“All right, let’s go….”

Once inside, and after taking their shoes off before entering the premises, they sat on the carpets spread about the floor. Samir and Talya looked at each other like two contenders in a ring before a bout.

“May I ask you why you’re bent on killing when you know it will cost you your life if you were to put that blade through the heart of your enemy?”

“Because, Samir; and I thought you had understood how I felt, my life means nothing. When I was young, something happened, the details of which I don’t care to remember, and it left me barren. I have nothing to leave behind to anyone.
My father died too soon to show me the good things in life. He had only shown me the misery of it.
Since then I went about the world wanting to find a semblance of happiness. I did find it with you since you came to
Vancouver
, but your friendship, or even your love, will not replace what I have lost.
So, now that I have a chance to make a small contribution to rid this part of the continent of drugs, I want to take it even if it costs me my life.”

“Do you still want to go to
Conakry
where it all began?”

“Why?
Why would I want to do that now?
I’ve told you I don’t care to remember.
Even if I did, it wouldn’t change the outcome. I’d still be the same person I am today.
I can’t change the past.
What’s done is done.
I’m tired of paying the price for being the victim of insanity.
No, it has to stop right here right now!”

“I think that’s where you’re wrong.
You are not going to be the same person once you’ve allowed yourself to remember.
Your heart will be open to love and life then.
I think if you want to take the chance at killing, you should also take the opportunity at living.”

“Don’t you see there is no more opportunity for me to live, as you say; something in me has died.”

“Come with me, Talya.
I need to be alone with you.”

“Alone with me, for what; to scold me like you did your brother yesterday, or to try kissing me into submission, the way you do every time I oppose your will?”

“Neither.
I have something to tell you that I want no one to hear, and I promise I won’t lay a hand on you.”

“Okay then, let’s go to a side street and let’s hear what you have to say.”
Talya’s words were lashing as the camel strap that had lashed across Ishmael’s face on that troublesome morning.

When they arrived at a secluded spot amid a group of houses, Samir said, “Talya, I wish for you to accept a gift of life—”

“What are you talking about?
I’m not in the mood for playing games—”

“This is far from being a game.
I would like you to educate
Jasmin
. She loves you very much and if you want to raise her as your daughter, you may do so.”

“Samir, please don’t do this!
Don’t put someone else’s life in the balance.
Jasmin
will be just fine on her own and she needs you more than she would ever need me.
She is an extremely intelligent young woman and she’ll be at your side until she marries.
She does
not
need me.”

“If you say so, Talya, but I know now that she does, and that she will need you as time passes. But if this is your final answer, I will drive you to Sabodala and after you have found the proof you need, I will return to
Paris
—” He couldn’t finish the sentence, for Talya threw herself into his arms. She had been doing it again. She had been pushing love away.

“
God
be praised for opening your eyes.
It would destroy me to leave you,” Samir whispered, caressing her hair softly.

“I know, Samir, I know.”

It was far from being a romantic spot for Talya to hear such a declaration, but she didn’t care, and, it had snapped her right out of her anger.

“Now, Princess, we shall go to Sabodala in time to arrive at sunset as we planned.
We have a few hours before we need to leave.
Would you like to have a rest at the hostel?”

“Sure, if there is such a place in this town?”

“Yes, but don’t expect much. It’s not
our
apartment in
Paris
.”

The hostel in question was an old colonial house, which had been refurbished by a couple of retired Afrikaans. They were kind people and the woman showed them to a very decently furnished room, which was spotlessly clean.
Talya was surprised, and it must have shown on her face.

“Ve are from
Holland
, Madame, and ve know vhat clean means.” The ample-bosomed woman was looking at Talya’s face curiously.
“My name is Madame Van Kaasen, at your service, Madame.
De batroom is in de corridor. If you need someting just com don and my usban vill help you,” she concluded, handing Samir the key.
She was still staring at Talya’s face.

She
put her hand to the one side of it, hiding the scars and bruises, which still showed.
She had practically forgotten them.

“Thank you, Madame, we will be just fine,” Samir replied, putting down the bags.
They had ta
ken
two rooms for one night. “Maybe we will need to stay for another day depending on what we do tonight,” Samir had suggested to the lady when they had registered.

M
rs.
Van Kaasen closed the door on the two of them, a smile crossing her friendly face.
There is no fooling her
, Talya thought.

While they were unpacking some of their belongings, she looked distractedly out of the window facing the street below the hostel.
She looked again to ensure that what she had just seen was real. She dropped her abayah onto the floor, turned toward the door, and before she could reach the knob to open it, Samir was standing in front of her, barring the passage. “What did you see?
Tell me before you take another step.”

“It’s
Charles
, Samir.
He’s here with
Thomas
, and two other men.”

“Hold on, Talya, think!
Before you go down, tell me, did you recognize the other men?”

“No. I’ve never seen them before. Now let me go!” She was petulantly trying—to no avail—to move Samir’s body away from in front of the door. It was like her trying to move a ton of steel—the man was not giving way.

“Okay, Talya, we go down together, but put your veil and abayah over your clothes right now. If they’re friends it will be time enough to show your face.
If they’re foes they won’t dare gaze at you.”

That was a good idea; Talya had to admit.
She put on the veil and slipped into the abayah so quickly, and expertly, that even Samir had to smile at her sudden dexterity.
Samir did the same; donned his mishlah, and wrapped the litham around his head.

In a minute, they were walking down the stairs looking at the four men assembled near the front desk.
On the last step, they stopped. Talya was behind Samir, hiding her face from view; her blue eyes would give her away in a second if the black veil and garment hadn’t been enough to evade recognition.

Charles
turned around and shot a first glance distractedly in Samir’s direction.
Then turning his face again, it was instant recall.
He had recognized him. “Samir!” He displayed a wide grin across his face. “It’s so good to see you.”

Everyone swung around, and in two strides,
Thomas
was already near Talya. She didn’t say a word.

The Touareg didn’t move an inch.

The other two men by the desk had not identified themselves.
Neither Samir nor Talya liked that one bit.

“Yes, it’s good to see you again.
Who are the men with you?”
Samir asked, putting an arm in front of Talya to prevent anyone taking a step toward her before he was absolutely certain this was not another trap.

“I’m sorry, Samir.
These are bodyguards from the embassy.
I’ll introduce you, if you like?”

“I will be pleased to meet these men in due time, but for now,
Charles
, Talya will not make herself available to anyone nor will she reveal her face, until I feel more comfortable about your presence here.
We need to speak freely and we shall do so at the Main House. If you wish to walk with us, then we shall talk.”