Chapter 25

“Daylight.
I must wait for the sunrise.
I must think of a new life.
And I mustn’t give in.
When the dawn comes. Tonight will be a memory too.
And a new day, will begin...”

(Memory: Cats: Andrew Lloyd Webber.)

Don was not impressed, but what could he say? Nothing. He just looked at Olivia and shook his head. Why do women always go out of their way to try and change and improve upon that which is obviously not improvable? Olivia’s hair had a tint of pink. Pink, I say. Like that lady that sings, or should I say ... never mind. Her hair had that washed-out, pink tint to it. Her version: “Oh, I felt like a change, but it didn’t work. So, I’ll have to go with it until it grows out again.” Giggle.

I was okay with it. Funny, it had that sexy look to it. But then, I’ll keep my mouth shut. What do the three little apes say or do? Hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil. Yip! Wise words.

Nadia was back from Poland. She arrived yesterday on a flight from Frankfurt. Nadia looked like shit. I suppose it was a long flight.

It was Nadia’s turn to snuggle with me, but she was nowhere around. At least, I could not find her in the house, and it was getting late. Something was up and I couldn’t place my finger on it. I found her on the patio at after eleven, sitting on the patio couch with her feet drawn up, arms folded around her knees, looking unseeing into the distant moonlit night.

“What’s up, little girl?”

“I’m still your ‘petite fille,’ uh-huh?”

“Totally,” I affirmed, and sat down beside her on the couch. “You’ll catch pneumonia out here. Feel how cold your hands are,” I said as I took her in my arms. Nadia leaned into me, snuggling closer.

“Yeah, I could not sleep. Maybe I slept too much on the flight here...” Nadia said, her voice trailing off. I pulled her closer to me.

“I missed you,” I said.

“What about Lisa and Lucy? Did they have not kept you from worrying about little old me?”

“They tried their best. Even with them, there’s a small little hole where only Nadia fits.”

“Only a small little hole?” Giggle.

“Yeah, okay, a large hole...” I said.

“Thank you, Dave,” Nadia said.

“Thank you, for what?”

“For being just who you are. For loving me. For having me stay here. Caring for me...”

“That’s because I love you,” I said.

“So, I did not have a chance to talk with you since you’re back. How has it been in Poland?”

Good. I did what I had to...” Nadia said, sounding a little sad.

How did your parents die?” I asked.

“When I was nine. They got hit by a drunk driver while crossing the road. He didn’t even stop after he hit them. They died instantly,” Nadia said. In the low light on the patio, I could see a moistness in her eyes. “I then had to go live with my mother’s brother, for about a year. I was then sent to boarding school. Only the boarding school was an orphanage.”

“An orphanage? But you had family, didn’t you?”

“Yes, but he, my mother’s brother, could not take care of me. He was a poor man, like my mother and father,” Nadia said.

“It was there that the people came and took me away to the big city, Warsaw. There, in Warsaw, things were not good for me...” Nadia said, and I detected that this was very traumatic for her.

“It’s okay now, little one, you’re here now, we’ll make the sun shine now.” I said.

“Do you know where I’ve been?” Nadia suddenly asked.

“To Poland and back,” I said.

“Yes, Poland...” Nadia sighed.

“What’s wrong, Nadia. You seem distracted.” I said.

“Dave, I must tell you something. Something that will shock you and most likely have you send me away.” Nadia said.

“I’ll never send you away. You belong here, and here by our sides, and in our hearts you will stay,” I said, knowing that Lisa and Lucy felt the same as me.

“You’re sure?”

“Yes.”

“Not after you hear me out. You may change your mind. But I know you trust me, so I must come clean, even if it destroys the love we have,” Nadia whispered to me.

“Tell me, I’m here to listen.”

“I’ve not been to Poland first. I went somewhere else.”

“Oh?”

“I’ve been to another country before I went to Poland. I had to complete one last mission.” Nadia said. “One last time I had to do what is right, or maybe, in your eyes, wrong.”

“One last mission? As an Angel?” I asked, expecting the answer I knew had to come. I suspected it but did not want to think about it.

“I went to another country for one last job. To help someone find his way to the other side of the grass.” Nadia said, and I felt cold sweat forming on my spine. Here I am holding the most beautiful redhead girl in my arms. A small girl that you might find in a fairy tale. She looks so innocent and sweet, yet I was reminded again that she could be deadly. One that kills and has no conscience about it. Or does she have? Did the past finally catch up with her?

“That’s why Olivia’s hair is pink. She went to Poland as Nadia. We dyed her hair red and gave her green contact lenses to turn her eyes green. She tried to get her hair back to blond,” Giggle. “But that did not work. So we washed and washed it until all the red was out. Leaving it a wee bit pink.” Giggle. “What a job! We washed her hair seventeen times!”

“Okay...” I said.

“Joe could not get anything on Haruki Nakamura, but the idea was there. Yet, Nakamura covered his tracks well. It was not until someone inside his organisation spoke. This someone did not want to go to the authorities because he thought he might be ‘dealt with’. So, he spoke to someone, who contacted someone, who contracted us. Us, the Angels. No one knows about this. Only Mai-Loan, Olivia, myself, and now you,” Nadia said in a whisper. “Even if you decide to send me away, never speak about this. To no one, not even Joe.”

“Thank you, for trusting me, and telling me the truth,” I said.

“Are you now going to send me away? Stop loving me?” Nadia asked and looked up into my eyes. Her green eyes wet.

I sighed.

“No little one. I can’t stop loving you. Without you, or Lisa and Lucy too, I can only live my life in dreams of yesterday. I knew from the start that you were a little outside of the normal.” I said.

“Don’t you hate me?” Nadia asked.

“No, I don’t hate you. I love you. I might hate the work you do, but I don’t hate you.” I said.

“Can you help me forget ... the past. Help me get to be normal ... be the one you fell in love with?”

“Nadia, maybe you will now drop an ice pick in my ear, but I have a confession too.”

“Oh!”

“Yes, I knew from the start what your role with the angels was. Well, not from the beginning, but after a while of knowing you.” I said. “And I still love you.”

“How did you find out?”

“I was told.”

“By whom?”

“It’s not of any concern.”

“Did someone try to betray me?”

“No. I was told to care for you and keep loving you. Someone who cared about you told me to be the friend you needed in life.”

“So, you don’t mind what I’ve done, how evil and bad I am?”

“You’re not evil or bad, Nadia. You had a function to fill, and you did it. It’s not what you’ve done, it’s who you are. Nadia, the love of my life, we are all soldiers, every one of us, and we will act just as such. There’s a difference between termination and murder. What you did was terminate a problem. That’s what we did in Botswana. We terminated, or rather, exterminated a problem. We acted as soldiers. If the problem now goes away, we still need to see, but I don’t hold it against you. See yourself as a problem solver. There was a problem, and you were tasked to solve the problem. It was a job, that’s all.”

“Thank you, Dave. Just one last thing...” Nadia said, and I placed my finger on her lips.

“Sjuu, little one. Don’t say it. I know. I know why you won’t marry me. But I still love you, no matter what.”

“The same ‘concerned party’ told you?” Nadia asked.

“Yes,” I said.

“Hold me.”

“I love you, Nadia, you’re going nowhere from now on out.”

“I love you too Dave. I’m going nowhere. I have a family now. I’m here to stay.”

Now, let’s go inside. You’re freezing out here. Feel your ears and hands. They are like little cubes of ice.”

“Then take me inside.” Giggle. “Go make me see sounds, make me hear colours. Touch my soul. Show me the difference between love and exploitation.” I held her close in my arms and stood up, carrying her into the house. She clung to me like a child, and I felt a wetness on my shoulder and neck. Her body shuddered as sobs came. My Nadia was crying. Crying for what she had done? Or crying of joy, that I did not condemn her? Let’s start a new chapter in her life, for her.

I carried Nadia into the bedroom, placed her on her feet, and slowly started to undress her. I then picked her up again and placed her on the bed. Nadia looked at me with a softness in her emerald green eyes, her red hair forming a halo on the pillow under her head. She reached out with her hand, beckoning me to join her.

Without undressing, I slid onto the bed, next to her, on top of the bed. And softly started to caress her body, her face, and over her hair. Kissing her gently all over. Nadia closed her eyes. Yes, tonight will be a memory too. Tomorrow, a new day will begin...

”Daylight.

I must wait for the sunrise.

I must think of a new life.

And I mustn’t give in.

When the dawn comes. Tonight will be a memory too.

And a new day, will begin...

Touch me! It’s so easy to leave me.

All alone with my memory, of my days in the dark.

If you touch me, you’ll understand what happiness is.

Look ... a new day, has begun... ”

(Memory: Cats: Andrew Lloyd Webber.)

(In the Indian Ocean, somewhere near the Australian Coast.)

The day was dawning to the east. A light greying of the sky to the east announced the arrival of the new day. Daiki stood out on the wing of the bridge, just outside the door leading inside. The wind was strongly blowing out of the south, bringing with it the ice-cool air of the Antarctic, five thousand kilometres to the south.

Daiki did not feel the icy wind. He had his own thoughts; his new demons to face. Last night just after supper a ship’s notice was received. His father was dead. Gunned down. He died in the park that he so loved.

Daiki was now the one to take over the family business, and he needs to concentrate on business matters. He always knew that he would take over from his father but did not figure on it happening so soon. Suddenly, he was at the top of the ladder. He was the new CEO of Nakamura Shipping, an import/export enterprise. There were things to attend to. Gone are his carefree days as the son of the CEO. Now he, Daiki Nakamura, is the CEO. Time to take control of the business and expand it, no more time for play.

He thought of his time in Africa. What a fiasco. He needs to be more cunning, more calculated. He needs to grow up now. Daiki will never be the man his father was, but he can try.

Daiki made a decision. He will go back to Japan. He will take over where his father left off.

But there was the unresolved matter of the bitch pilot and her crew. Must he declare defeat and back off? It seems like he might not succeed against them. These people are strong and resourceful. How did they know he was on that hill? It was not the leopard that betrayed his presence. No, they had a means of detecting him and started to hunt him. Did they know who he was? Or did they not know at all? Did they suspect that he had something to do with the kidnapping? He would never know.

He will go back to Japan and take over from his departed father. Daiki will make his father proud and keep the memory of Haruki Nakamura alive. Someday, he will have the means and the information to act against those that killed his father, as well as get back at that bitch pilot and her gang. For now, he must just run the business and concentrate on building on his father’s success. His father was the head of his part of the organisation. Daiki will step into his father’s place. His father’s associates will accept this; they will see a new Daiki.

Daiki turned around and went back into the bridge. He needs to take control now in a responsible and respectful manner. No more impulsive, on-the-fly decisions.

“Captain, how fast can this ship go?” Daiki asked. The captain turned towards Daiki.

“Twenty-four knots, sir.”

“And what speed are we doing now?”

“Nineteen knots, sir. To conserve fuel, sir.”

“I need to be in port and on land, in Japan, as soon as possible. Please make full speed, Captain.”

“Aye-aye, sir. Full speed it will be.” The captain said to Daiki, sensing his urgency. He then turned to the bridge crew.

“Make full speed ahead!” The captain said. “We’ll cut this cruise by seven days.”

“Full speed ahead! Aye-aye Captain!” The first officer said and rang the bell to the engine room for full speed. After a few moments, a slight vibration was felt on the steel deck floor of the bridge. The ship started to slowly pick up speed. The huge twin-propeller screws bit into the deep water under the stern of the ship, pushing the huge steel hull to full speed.

“Thank you, Captain. Please also, alter course directly to Japan, then I leave you to command. I’ll be in my cabin.” he said, turned, and left the bridge. He felt strange. For the first time in his life, he was in command of himself. He gave an order to the captain of the ship and let it sound like a request. The crew responded well. Daiki felt good; the best he ever felt in his life. To hell with the bitch pilot and her crew. Someday he will get even with her. Now, he will begin a new chapter in his life. He will go back and run the family business and use his new resources to find out who wanted his father out of the way. Those responsible for the death of his father will be in for a surprise; Daiki Nakamura is still around!

The sun peeked out its glowing head, far out on the eastern horizon. The ocean swells were moderate, not high. A few clouds drifted north on the wind. The last stars in the west slowly dimmed out, as the rays of the sun lit up the sea. A new day and new era were born.

(Dave’s place, near Onderstepoort.)

I was a little nervous. This could go right, or wrong. Let’s hope and pray for it to go the right way. I was not worried too much, as all indications were that it will go down the right way.

But still the little nagging of that Shoulder Devil: “Yeah, go on! Do it and suffer the consequence. Don’t say I didn’t warn you. Blame anyone else but yourself. Just know; I warned you about it. But don’t listen to me ... I’m just a Grumpy Old Nothing in your eyes...” And for the first time, I felt sorry for the grumpy old voice. I realised that he only had my best interests at heart.

The girls, Lisa, Lucy, and Nadia, filed into my study, looking apprehensive. I stood up from my desk chair and went over to the window, looking out towards the far hills.

“This is suspenseful and scary.” I heard Lisa whisper.

“I don’t see an oiled-up leather belt around, maybe we are in the clear,” Lucy whispered back.

“Sjuu ... Don’t make it worse,” Nadia whispered.

“Well, if it’s one of us to be spanked, will he make the others watch?” Giggle.” Lucy asked in a whisper.

I smiled to myself. They don’t suspect anything. Good. Let’s get on with it. I turned back to the girls, all sitting around my study, looking at me with serious faces and big eyes.

“Well girls, I have a little something to discuss with you,” I said.

“So, nobody will be spanked?” Lisa asked in a little girl’s voice.

I laughed.

“No. Nobody is to be spanked. Or does anyone of you have a guilty conscience?” I asked.

“Told you to leave the sweets in the sweetie jar alone, Nadia!” Lucy said.

“Oh, while you had a handful of sweets and one in your mouth!” Nadia retorted.

Lisa giggled.

“Okay! We’ll sort out the sweets theft case later.” I said. All eyes were back on me. And again, I was reminded of the ‘sisterhood’ between the girls.

“Well, seeing that we are a family, I thought that maybe you girls would like to have something to show yourselves and others that you belong to this family,” I said. “Here, I got you each a something.”

“You got us a present?” Lucy asked, blue eyes shining.

“Yes. I got you each a chain and pendant. They all look the same, and it is for us to know that we are a family.” I said as I handed each girl a little box. They took the little boxes and opened them.

“Oh, Dave! How beautiful!” Lisa said.