The Quest

Gann said, “We don’t know, but we do know that he had come from the monastery to the fortress on a trail that ended at or crossed the road, and that is what we’d like to find tomorrow.” He added, “I would put my bet on this trail being either close to here, or farther south, toward Shoan. And I base that on the traveling time of the villagers.”

Again, everyone seemed to agree and they all looked at the maps, and Gann penciled in a few more marks.

Purcell suggested they’d done enough mental exercise, and that they should sleep on it. He lit a cigarette and passed around his canteen of fermented fruit juice.

They made small talk about other things and Purcell told Gann about the Navion and Signore Bocaccio, whose Mia was now a heap of burned and twisted metal. Purcell said, “I hope he and his wife had a good meal at the Hilton.”

Vivian said, “I feel awful that we couldn’t telex him.”

“I think he got the message that we were not returning.” He asked Gann, “Would two thousand dollars compensate him for the aircraft?”

Gann assured everyone, “People are selling what they can for whatever they can get, and they are fortunate to get any buyers.” He added, “Something such as an aircraft has no buyers, and the government would have expropriated it anyway.”

Purcell said, “That’s what I thought.” He assured Vivian, “Signore Bocaccio is happy.”

Gann asked Purcell, “How did you learn to fly?”

“Private lessons. I started in high school, in upstate New York. There was an aerodrome there. Lessons were fourteen bucks an hour, and I made fifteen a week working for the weekly newspaper.” He added, “Had a buck left over for cheap dates and cheap wine.”

Gann smiled. “How many hours did you have to invest in this?”

“The flying or the dates?”

“The flying, old boy.”

“Well, twenty dual would allow you to solo. Then twenty solo would allow you to take the test for a license.”

“I see. And why didn’t you get into something along those lines?”

“Well…” Purcell looked at Vivian and Mercado. “Well, I never actually took the test.”

Mercado asked, “Do you mean you don’t have a license?”

“Didn’t need one here. No one asked.”

“Yes, but…”

“I ran out of money.” He said, “I’ll bet you couldn’t tell.”

Vivian laughed and said to everyone, “Can’t you tell he’s joking with us?” She looked at him. “Frank?”

“Right. Just kidding.”

Mercado pointed out, “It’s moot in any case. We’ve burned the plane, and we will not be renting another.”

“But I’ll take you flying in New York.”

“No, thank you.”

Purcell stood and said to Vivian, “Take a walk with me.”

Gann cautioned, “Do not go far, and be back no later than dark. And don’t forget your revolver.”

“Yes, sir.”

Vivian stood and Mercado looked at her. “I don’t think this is a wise thing.”

“Don’t fret, Henry.”

Purcell led Vivian into the hallway and back to the lobby, then out to the courtyard. They walked along the colonnade then down the steps to the gardens.

The sky was deep purple now, with streaks of red and pink, and night birds began to sing. A soft breeze blew down from the mountains and they could smell the tropical flowers.

Purcell said, “I thought we would make love here.”

“I know exactly what you are thinking.”

“Sometimes I think about a cocktail.”

“You’re rather basic, you know.”

“Thank you.”

They continued their walk and Vivian asked him, “Who was it?”

“Who was who…? Oh… in Rome.”

“Yes, in Rome.”

“Well… I’m not sure who it was. An English lady.”

“How did you meet her?”

“In her hotel bar.”

“Did you go to her hotel, or yours?”

They were actually the same place, but he could imagine that Vivian would not like to think they’d all used the same bed. He replied, “Hers.” He also said, “I thought you had left for good.”

“You should have known better. But I understand, and I forgive you.”

“Thank you.”

“And when we get back to Rome, if I go off shopping, I hope you don’t think I’ve left you for good, and go off and fuck another lady you’ve met in the elevator or somewhere.”

“Right. That won’t happen.” He glanced up at the sky. “It’s getting dark.”

She took his arm and led him around the statue of the two-faced Janus. She said, “For security reasons, we must keep our clothes on, but I suggest you drop your pants.”

He liked that suggestion and pulled his pants and underwear down as she knelt in front of him. Vivian said, “We will learn a new Italian word today. Fellatio.” She put his now erect penis in her mouth and showed him the meaning of the word.

On the way back to the spa hotel, she said, “There is a romance in classical ruins-something hauntingly beautiful about a great edifice returning to nature.”

“Right.” He said to her, “We need to find some privacy tomorrow night.”

“I don’t think that will happen again out in the bush.”

“Well… let’s see.”

“I’m embarrassed as it is that Henry and Colonel Gann know what we’ve been up to.”

“I don’t think they do.”

“I don’t think they could have missed hearing your moaning echoing through the colonnade.”

“Really?”