Chapter 14: Safe House

Pru spent the ride to Yonkers Portal reading the Quick Start instructions for her wristcom and calling Terry and Solly to be sure her ear cuffs and necklace performed correctly.

Eddie went with her through the New York Sector Metro. It was early in the morning and there were few people around, but somehow Pru welcomed Eddie's steady and unobtrusive presence as they rode the nearly deserted metro and the slidewalks to the airport terminal. His confidence and alert awareness came clearly to her through her new Neo-Tantra sensitivity. They arrived at the airport in good time, and Pru stopped to pick up a book-chip to read during the trip from a drowsy bookstore clerk. New York to Tangiers was only three hours, but she felt it was important to appear a tourist.

She was quickly cleared through the security checkpoint. Her plastic knife did not, of course, register on the metal detector, and her new wristcom seemed not to be a problem either. The normal remote in her bag also caused no comment. But of course, everybody carried one of those.

The plane was only partly filled. Her seat was in second class, and there was no one seated next to her. Pru settled in and began a thorough reading of the manual for her wristcom. Some of its functions surprised her; especially, since it was quite thin and decorative. She called Solly and he made certain she knew how the different functions worked, confirming that he could, indeed, track her position and communicate directly.

Technicalities only took finite time. When it was all settled, she sat back in her seat, thinking about Jazira's call for help. She'd known Jazz and the others for years, since her parents had moved to Morocco when she was in her teens. Somehow she had become a leader of the group of girls and the boys who were drawn to them. She and Isabella were the only non-Muslim, non-Mahgrebis in their wide circle of friends, but that didn't seem to matter. She always seemed to be the one to whom they all turned, whether for advice on their amours or clothes or what to do next. When they went camping or gaming in the remoter areas, it was usually Pru's suggestion of where to go that caught their imaginations.

'I can't think how many times we went out to Wadi Felucca to fool around back then. Now, it's some kind of hideout for bad guys.' She shook her head and grinned. 'We used to play war games against the boys ... mostly so we could lose and let them take us prisoner.' The grin disappeared. 'And then, we went trekking in The Yemen. That was almost a very big mistake. But, and I don't know why, when things went to shit it was me they turned to. I'm no better at any of this stuff than they are, I wonder why?' She turned her face to the window where dawn was showing and pondered how it was that she was always the one who got the leadership assignment. 'It's not because I want it, ' she thought. 'Maybe it's a disease — or at least, a character flaw.'

Finally, Pru leaned the seat back and dozed for the rest of the trip, her book reader forgotten.

Said bin Said, wearing a very conventional kilt with business cuffs and tie, met her when she came through the gate. She sensed a reserve, perhaps, or a guarded feeling from him, and instead of embracing him, she quite formally shook his hand. He smiled, and she felt a wave of relief from him, assuring her she had got it right. They went through to the Metro together — not exactly a duplicate of the trip through New York Sector she had taken just a few hours before, but not strikingly different except in décor — and to the Neo-Tantra office in Ceuta Sector. They talked about inconsequential nothings. Pru managed to hold her questions until they were in his office.