Chapter 4

Yakhir rushed into the house knowing that his mother would be worried that he was so late. Losing track of time was one of the inherent dangers of working in the tunnels where the light never changed. True to his word, Master Kevit-Nakar had left him alone to rummage the boxes and Yakhir had forgotten to even glance at his watch. He had remembered to curse his master thoroughly to the night watchman when he emerged from the Shaft.

"Mom!" Yakhir called out into the seemingly empty house.

"Hush," Janina hissed as she emerged from the hallway. "I just put Ayoub down and would appreciate it if you don't wake him up."

"Sorry," Yakhir bowed from the waist. "Where's mom?"

"She decided to work a double shift at the hospital," Janina explained.

Yakhir was puzzled, "she's never done that before."

"She's never been a widow before, either," Janina retorted. "Get it?"

"Got it: she wants to stay busy," he flipped back. "Is there anything left for dinner? I lost track of time and forgot to eat."

"I think there is some lamb-shish and eggplant salad. Come, I'll sit with you while you eat."

Janina watched her brother plow through the food, seemingly without a breath. When he had wolfed down every last morsel and finished off a weak beer, she gave him a patient smile indicating that she wanted to hear what had happened and what he had learned.

Yakhir's exhaustion evaporated as he remembered that he had real news for the two of them. "Janina, I learned that we are not alone, that we have many friends who are willing to help us and watch our backs."

"What do you mean, little brother," Janina considered with drawn eyes.

"I mean that Master Atto doesn't have the support of the majority of the archivists and workers at the Shafts. He doesn't dare to walk the tunnels without an escort and a guard," Yakhir gleefully laid on the table. "Even in the Archives Building, few give him more than cursory respect."

Janina digested his words for a moment. "Good, this means that you have a safe place where he and his personal staff cannot touch you. With food and water brought in, you could even hide out in the tunnels if necessary."

"It gets even better," he bubbled, "Atto has sealed off Shaft 3 from everyone and put a new gate and lock over the entrance."

"That is a horrible development. Why is this better?" Janina queried.

"First and foremost, he has placed his politics out in the open for everyone to observe. He is not a subtle man or too swift; he obviously obeys the dictates of his sponsors on the Council. A shrewd man would place a ban but leave no physical reminder to irritate the staff daily. He wields his staff far too clumsily," he concluded.

"Agreed. My brother has removed his blinders from the political threads that run through these decisions. You give me heart."

"Second and more important to me personally," Yakhir grinned, "I can continue father's research without suspicion. He had located all of the code and documents he needed in Shaft 2 and had no further need for Shaft 3. Atto is clueless and I believe the other masters are also in the dark."

"Why are you pursuing his research, Yakhir?"

"Janina, he was this close," he held up his thumb and index finger with barely a sliver of space between the two. "He indirectly told me that he had located one of the sources to the answer of what precipitated The Great Burn!"

"Indirectly?" she challenged.

Yakhir considered her suspicion, "Father was not as naïve as you paint him, dear sister. We never spoke of his research in direct terms or plain language. Often he would borrow terms from the dead languages of the Shafts to explain himself, for I think he feared that the walls had ears."

He continued, "I know this sounds convoluted, but father left a quote in his daily notes to me the day before he died. He always left me quotes and such to follow up, study or memorize, but this one was in Old Mandarin from before all the world wars, and I mean before all of them. Very few of us can read any Old Mandarin, which means that it was for my eyes only. In translation the text reads: 'The way that can be spoken of is not the constant way.'"

"Huh?" Janina nearly sneered.

Yakhir held up his hand to stay her again, even though he could barely stop waving it with excitement, "Don't worry about the meaning of Old Mandarin philosophy or you will miss the clues. Father found 'the way.' He was saying that he found the source, maybe just a source, and it is nothing akin to what anyone suspected, that is to say, not the familiar or expected way."

"I don't pretend to understand," Janina caved in to his explanation, "but is it worth possibly getting yourself killed?"

"Father thought so," Yakhir softly replied with conviction.

"So be it," and with that Janina scooped up his dishes and took them to the sink. "You know, Yakhir, you don't sound like the young boy who I used to order around just a few days ago. You speak with a new voice, deeper and with more authority."

Yakhir came up behind his sister as she bent over the sink and wrapped his arms around her waist. He muzzled his cheeks through her long hair, giving her a kiss on her neck. Going no further, he simply rested his chin on her shoulder as she washed his dish.

He softly spoke into her ear, "Tell me what to do, Janina, and I will do it. The ground trembles and gives way under my feet and I don't know where to step."

"Neither do I," Janina admitted as she dried her hands on a nearby dishtowel. "If you can manage to keep your voice down this time, we can take a few moments alone in my bedroom. Are you willing?"