Chapter 14: Hide and Seek June 14-20

The reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated.

Mark Twain

Afghanistan June 14-15

A bird does not sing because it has an answer. It sings because it has a song.

Chinese Proverb

In the back of his mind, Darryl's subconscious continued to work on the puzzle and just as he boarded the helicopter, it finally clicked. Despite the exotic tonalities and the unfamiliar instrument, that melody could only be one song, his song, THE song, the song Courtney had written for him so many years ago. He knew that was impossible, that song had never been released to anyone, let alone a little Afghan girl in the middle of nowhere and yet... he had to know.

He turned to the soldier sitting by the door. "Can you ask the Captain to wait just a minute? I will be right back."

"O.K., O.K.," the soldier replied nodding. It was the only English word he knew although he had no idea what it meant. It just seemed to always please the Anglos, like now. Darryl hopped back down to the ground leaving one of his camera bags stowed behind a seat next to the door. The soldier watched impassively and then turned to his comrades. "He must not like to fly." They all enjoyed a good laugh.

Darryl ran over to a startled Azalea. "Quick, I need your help. I need you to translate that last song the little girl sang. I think I know it, but it's crazy. Hurry, they're holding the chopper for me."

The words were no more out of his mouth than a loud whop whop sound and the rising scream of the turbines gave him reason to doubt their waiting. He turned in time to see the Russian built MI 8 transport helicopter lift off and head straight out leaving him no chance to even try to attract their attention. His first reaction was to shrug it off since he'd had mixed feelings about going anyway. Then suddenly he remembered.

"Oh shit, god dam it to hell!"

Azalea was startled by the sudden, vehement profanity, especially from Darryl, who had never used profanity at all in her presence. "What is it Darryl? What is wrong?"

"I'm sorry Azalea; please excuse my language but I just realized that one of my camera bags is on the helicopter."

"That's terrible; do you have enough equipment left to finish your assignment?"

He laughed ruefully, "More than enough, you always plan on some attrition. No, equipment usually can be easily replaced. Pictures on the film in the case can be far more important but fortunately, the only really important pictures in there were of Nura so they can be re-shot. It's the particular camera I hate to lose."

"What's so special about the camera?"

"It's one of the cameras James gave me at college graduation to get me started. It's old now; pretty beat up, not worth much except to me. It's just that if he's gone, it hurts even more to lose that memory of him."

"Is the bag clearly marked as yours?"

"In multiple languages with a reward offered."

"Perhaps it will be returned to you then."

"Perhaps," he said, although he doubted it very much. "Nothing I can do about that now. Can you translate that song for me?"

Azalea laughed. "Can I translate that song into English? No Darryl, I cannot."

"You can't? You mean it's in a language you don't speak?

"No, I speak it, and so do you. The song IS in English. Nura doesn't speak English and so she is parroting sounds that mean nothing to her. That's why you didn't recognize it."

"And you did?"

"Yes, I am used to hearing English spoken in a heavy Afghan accent. I recognized that she was mimicking the lyrics, although I've never heard the song before. It's a song about Thanks. Do you want me to have her sing it again? I'll help you recognize the words."

"Yes, please."

They came back to where Nura sat, still holding her oversized Oud, obviously happy to have her audience back. Azalea sat down beside her. "Nura, can you sing that new song for us again? Darryl would especially appreciate it."

Nura glowed, she knew it, this handsome foreigner must be the missing lover the song was meant for. She would sing like she had never sung before to bring the lovers back together.

This time as she sang, knowing what to expect, he managed to catch enough of the words to fill in the rest.

You've given me wings

And special things,

That's what your love brings,

Thanks to you.

I've stretched and grown,

Spread my wings and flown,

I can stand on my own,

Thanks to you

There was no question now, it was his song. He sat down while his mind tried to get some sort of handle on this strange version of reality. Here he was, in the middle of nowhere Afghanistan, listening to a little girl who spoke no English, sing to him a song he first heard on the dock by the lake from the only love in his life. Try as he might, his brain could come up with no reasonable explanation. And just as he thought the song was at an end, Nura continued on with new verses. When he heard the last verse before the refrain he recognized the message,

Though my voice may ring,

Millions hear me sing,

Still my heart can sing

Just for you

These new verses were a clear message to him that Courtney understood the issues that had torn them apart and was telling him that she had changed. But how had she reached him here?

"Azalea, please tell Nura that she sings like an Angel and ask her how she got that song."

Azalea sat with Nura for several minutes in deep conversation until finally Azalea turned back to Darryl. "She learns her songs from cassette tapes that she gets at the market from her cousin. He is a music bootlegger who tapes music off the air and sells the tapes. It's not uncommon. This is her first song in English; her cousin got it for her especially because he thought she would really like the love story that goes with it."

"What love story?"

"Apparently this song was released world wide very suddenly just a few days ago by an American singer. It was released without copyright or royalties. She apparently spent her own money to get it out fast. Officially it's a gift to her fans but the rumor is that it's really a message to a lost love. Nura thinks the message is for you. Is it?"

"Yes I suppose it is. Courtney wrote that song years ago and promised that she'd keep it only for me. She's sending me a message."

"A letter would have been cheaper."

"A lot cheaper, but it would never have found me. It cost a fortune to put a song out world wide like this. It was awfully important to her for some reason."

"Darryl, there is no way Courtney could have known that a little girl, who spoke no English, in the village you just happened to be in, would have learned this song."

"No Azalea, that's where you are wrong, Courtney Archer is many things but she is no gambler. She did know. I don't know how she knew. I don't know why she cared to know but she knew. The question is what we do now? We still don't know for sure what happened to James and we may have people after us."

"I think we need to stay near here so that Kabir can find us. It might be good to get out of sight for the night. You stay with Cheryl, she's still very distressed. I'll go talk to Nura's father, he seems intelligent and experienced and he may know a good place for us to duck out of sight until morning."

Azalea was huddled with Nura's father for over an hour before she returned to rejoin Darryl and Cheryl. They had a cold dinner beside the vehicles. Because of the language barrier the drivers and bodyguards ate alone, Azalea providing the only liaison between the two groups.

Darryl's curiosity finally prompted him to ignore the usual custom of not discussing such matters during meals. "You had a very long conversation; did you learn anything of value?"

"Yes, a great deal. His name is Fahez Raza. He is educated and a trained military officer. He says there is a ravine nearby that will conceal the vehicles and is more defendable. He knows my brother and he will gather a few close friends to stand guard tonight. He will warn us of trouble or guide Kabir to us if he comes."

"It is very good of him to help us. Is this part of his code of hospitality, protecting any visitor who seeks shelter?"

"Yes. Plus he hates the Taliban and will do anything possible to thwart them. He held a high rank in the mujahideen, as a consequence, he is on the Taliban kill on sight list. They have already killed his brothers and his only sister. There is no one left in his family but Nura and himself."

"Doesn't his code now require him to avenge their deaths or die trying?"

"Yes, that is exactly his intention; He is launching a one man war on the Taliban."

"And where does that leave Nura?"

Azalea hesitated before answering. "With me I hope or should I say with us. Her father has begged me to take her with us. He says she will surely be dead in a matter of a few weeks if she stays here with him and there is no one else to care for her."

"Is he aware that we are very likely in considerable danger ourselves? Taking the child with us might be taking her to her death."

"Yes, I made him very aware but he believes that at least she has a chance with us while she has no chance at all if she stays."

"Tell me truthfully Azalea, is anything I say really going to make a difference here?"

"Of course Darryl, you are in charge of this expedition, if you say no, I will abide by your wishes..."

Darryl was getting to know Azalea well and he heard a definite incomplete sentence, something unsaid. "And," he prompted, let's hear the rest of it. You were going to say more."

Azalea tried to ignore him but he looked her in the eye and stood prepared to wait as long as necessary. Finally she gave in and looked him straight back in the eyes. "If you said no, I would abide by your wishes, provided you were willing to go with me and look her in the eye when I told her you had decided to leave her behind to die."

"Damn Azalea, you don't pull your punches do you."

"I love children Darryl, I would not willingly let one come to harm."

"And what, I'm a monster that would? But I don't want to be responsible for putting her in greater danger than she is in now."

"Trust me on this Darryl, even a child would prefer a chance to take action, to flee, to fight, rather than waiting passively for their fate. This is not a child that grew up in your country where the greatest danger is a schoolyard bully. She has never known a world without war. We are the only chance she will ever have to know a better world."

Cheryl had been sitting quietly absorbed in her grief at the news about James but this conversation caught her attention. "Let her come with us Darryl," she said, "she has spirit and a soul to be free. The fate that awaits her at the hands of the Taliban is either death or something perhaps worse. Let her come and have a chance for better."

"Can we take her away from her father?"

"Darryl, she knows what her father is committed to. Just because she is a girl and young doesn't mean she isn't an Afghan."

"Alright guys, our party had grown by one, Azalea. Please help her get her things together and then I think we need to retire to this ravine and set up some sort of lookout system for the night. Also I think we need to discuss contingency plans in case Kabir doesn't find us. Do we stay put, double back to Kabul, or make a try for the border."

Fortunately, the contingency plans did not have to be exercised. Kabir did not come in the morning but he sent a message by a trusted courier to Azalea, who called everyone together including her brothers and the body guards.

"Kabir has sent us a message. He apologizes for not coming himself but he is being watched now and it would be too dangerous for us. There is definitely a plot against American journalists and it almost certainly involves an Al Qaeda supported radical branch of the Taliban. Their goal seems to be to stir up enough high profile trouble that there can never be any accommodation between the Taliban and the West, especially the US. The helicopter you were supposed to be on, Darryl, was shot down between here and the convoy ambush site by multiple shoulder fired heat seeking missiles. It definitely looks like a deliberate trap to get you. Kabir hopes you weren't on the flight because of his instructions but he is concerned by the recovery of one of your camera bags at the crash site."

"They'll be watching for these vehicles to return now. If Darryl had been on the flight he was going to have the rest of us return in them. He believes you, Cheryl, may be relatively safe, he is not sure they are prepared to carry their campaign so far as to kill an American woman, but that's not certain, so be cautious. Since you are alive, Darryl, he wants you go with this man who is not known to the Taliban. He will take you to a secret cave that belongs to my family and which is well stocked with food and water. You are to stay there until you are forgotten and Kabir is able to arrange to smuggle you out of the country."

"Does he have any idea how long that might be?" asked Darryl.

"It's just a guess but it might be as long as several weeks before arrangements can be made to safely get you out, hopefully more like one week."

"I hope there are a few books to read along with the food and water if I'm going to be hiding in a cave all alone."

"You're not going to be all alone, Darryl," responded Azalea," I'm going with you."

"Is that Kabir's idea, or is that yours?"

"Mine, but he's not here and I am.

"That's very thoughtful and kindhearted of you Azalea but it's danger you don't have to expose yourself to. I really can't allow it."

"Then you'll just have to throw me out of the cave because I'm going. Besides I'm not going just for you. There is other news; some very good news. James was not killed in the ambush although he was fairly seriously injured. He should recover. He is already at the cave but he will need medical attention. Remember Darryl, I am a licensed nurse. Do you think you're better qualified to take care of him than I am?

Darryl shook his head no. Cheryl who had been listening impassively to this point, suddenly jumped up, her face reanimated. "James is alive, oh my God he is alive, then I'm going too. My Place is with him."

"What about the food and water supply? asked Darryl.

"That won't be a problem. My brother maintains several of these caves around the country because of his various 'business' interests. They all are well enough stocked to keep a large party going for up to a month. I think Cheryl's place is with James. Cheryl, do you have any close family that will be unduly stressed at the news of your "death?"

"Not really, Azalea, no one close at all."

"Then to explain your disappearance, I'm going to suggest that Kabir start a rumor that you had joined Darryl on the helicopter at the last minute. That will keep anyone from looking for you"

As quickly as possible, Darryl, Azalea, Cheryl, and Nura along with the courier named Ayman who drove, left the spacious luxury of the two Range Rovers to squeeze into one battered Isuzu Trooper. They had to leave some belongings behind for lack of space but everyone bought key items such as Nura's Oud and Darryl and Cheryl's remaining camera equipment. Fortunately, the cave was not far away so their trip was not a long one.