The Quest

“Yesterday we used the longer airstrip.”

“Can we do that next time?”

“We can.”

“How did the landing go?”

“Don’t worry about it.”

“Can I have a puff?”

He handed her the cigarette.

They continued on a northwesterly heading and Purcell said to Mercado, “You should familiarize yourself with those terrain maps.”

“I thought you had them.”

“Are you joking, Henry?”

“Oh… here they are.”

Vivian laughed.

Purcell settled back and scanned the instrument panel. He was happy to see that the airspeed indicator was now working.

Mercado said, “The next time, I will volunteer to be the potential survivor.”

“Happy to shed the takeoff weight.”

They continued on and Purcell looked out his left side. It was a beautiful country from the air. This is what God had given the human race. In fact, the earliest remains of a human ancestor, over three million years old, had been found in the Awash Valley. And since then, it had been a long, hard climb toward… something.

Vivian snapped a picture of him, then of Henry sitting on the coffee bean bags in the rear. Henry took her camera and said, “Turn around.”

She turned, smiled, and Mercado took a picture of her.

Vivian said to her companions, “We have begun our journey.”

Mercado replied, “We almost ended it on takeoff.”

Vivian assured him, “I felt Saint Christopher and the angels lifting our wings.”

Purcell was about to say something clever, but when he thought about that takeoff, there was no aeronautical reason why it should have happened.

Vivian again touched the Saint Christopher medal over the windshield. “Thank you.”

“How about me?”

“Next time, use the longer runway.”

They continued on in silence as Ethiopia slid by beneath their wings. Somewhere down there, Purcell thought, was the thing they were looking for. And maybe that thing was waiting for them.

Chapter 37

An hour out of Addis, Purcell spotted the great bend in the Blue Nile. He banked right and followed it north. Their airspeed was one hundred fifty, and the flight so far had been smooth except for some mountain updrafts. The smell of the coffee beans in the burlap bags was pleasant.

Purcell had been thinking about the logistics of their quest, the devils that were in the details. He said to Vivian, “If there is any problem when we land in Gondar, they may confiscate your film. And if they see we’ve been shooting wide-angle photos of the terrain, we will have some explaining to do.”

“I will hide the exposed rolls on my person.”

“They may look at your person.”

Mercado confided to them, “I once hid a roll of film in a place where the sun does not shine.”

“Don’t tempt me, Henry.” He added, “We don’t want the film found on us.” He suggested, “Maybe the coffee bags.”

Mercado replied, “The ground crew at Gondar will help themselves to a bag or two.”

Purcell noticed a taped rip in the headliner above the windshield where the Saint Christopher medal was pinned. He pulled back the tape and said, “We can also put the maps in there.”

Mercado pointed out, “Even if there is no trouble in Gondar, the authorities will do a thorough search of the cockpit when we leave the aircraft, and they will probably find that.”

Purcell did not reply.

Mercado continued, “If we deny any knowledge of the maps or the film, which together may look suspicious, then Signore Bocaccio will be down at police headquarters in Addis answering questions, while we are answering questions at Getachu’s headquarters in Gondar.”

Purcell thought about that. Henry made some good points. “What do you suggest?”

“I say we take a chance that there will be no problems at the Gondar airfield, and we should carry the exposed film and maps with us.” He added, “If there is a problem in Gondar, it is already waiting for us, and the film and the maps will be the least of our problems.”

Purcell’s instincts still told him not to carry around incriminating evidence in a police state. Especially with prior arrests hanging over their heads. But Henry Mercado had been at this game far longer than Frank Purcell. And there seemed to be no good choices.

Vivian said, “I will carry my exposed film in my bag.” She added, “Naked is the best disguise. As soon as you try to hide something, you get in trouble.”

Mercado commented, “You should know.”

Vivian ignored him and continued, “Frank will carry the maps.” She pointed out, “It’s not as though we’re carrying guns or a picture of the emperor.”

Purcell nodded. “Okay. We land in Gondar and take our things with us. I need to give our flight plan to the officer on the ground, then we take a taxi to town.”

Mercado, too, had some thoughts about their destination. “If Getachu somehow knows we have returned to his lair, I believe he will not reveal himself to us. He will watch to see what we are doing back in Ethiopia.”

Purcell replied, “I don’t think he’s that bright. I think he acts on his primitive impulses.”

“We will find out in Gondar.”

Vivian asked, “Can we change the subject?”