The Quest

Mercado spoke some Amharic, but he seemed preoccupied, so Purcell asked Gann, “Can you understand what they’re saying?”

“A bit… I think you three are going to be taken somewhere else.”

“Why do you think that?”

“The leg shackles are for traveling, old boy. When they tie your hands behind your back, you know you’re not going far.”

Purcell knew this made sense, but he pointed out, “Your legs are also shackled, Colonel.”

“Yes, I noticed. Can’t say why, though.”

Henry and Vivian seemed oblivious to what was going on, but then one of the soldiers shouted to them, “Come! Come!” He motioned for all of them to climb out of the ravine.

They all looked at one another, then stood and began climbing up the slope, dragging their chains with them as the soldier kept shouting, “Come! Come!”

They reached the top of the ravine and stood among the soldiers, who seemed indifferent to them. Purcell noticed that in the distance, where he’d spotted the helipad, an American-made Huey sat with its rotor spinning.

The soldier in charge pointed to the helicopter and shouted, “Go! Go!”

Purcell looked at Gann, expecting that he’d be pulled aside, but one of the soldiers gave Gann a push and shouted, “Go!”

Vivian and Mercado joined hands and began running as fast as their chains allowed. Purcell and Gann followed. Four soldiers accompanied them, urging them to move faster. Vivian stumbled and Mercado helped her up, and they continued toward the helicopter.

Vivian and Mercado reached the open door of the aircraft and were pulled aboard. As Purcell got closer, he could see a large red star painted on the olive drab fuselage-the red star of the revolution, which he knew covered the old emblem of the Lion of Judah.

Gann scrambled aboard without help, and Purcell followed.

Vivian called out over the noise of the engine and rotors, “Pilot says we’re going to Addis!” She flashed a big smile and shouted, “Avanti!”

The helicopter lifted, pivoted, and headed south toward Addis Ababa.

PART II

Rome, December 1974

Tutte le strade conducono a Roma.

All roads lead to Rome.

Chapter 14

Hello, Henry.”

Henry Mercado didn’t turn toward the voice behind him, but he did glance into the bar mirror.

Frank Purcell took the empty stool beside Mercado and ordered a Jack Daniel’s on the rocks. He said, “You look well.”

“Is this an accident?”

“I heard you were in Rome.”

Mercado did not reply.

“Can I buy you a drink?”

“I was just leaving.”

The bartender poured Purcell’s drink and he raised his glass. “Centanni.”

Mercado called for his tab.

Purcell stirred his drink and said, “I left you a note at the Addis Hilton.”

“I was taken directly from the prison to the airport.”

“Vivian left you a note, too.”

He didn’t reply.

Mercado’s bill came and he put a twenty-thousand-lire note on the bar, which Purcell reckoned was about three drinks at Harry’s Bar prices.

It was four in the afternoon, and the quiet, elegant bar was not yet in full swing. A few perfunctory but tasteful Christmas decorations were placed here and there.

Outside, the Via Veneto was crowded with cars and people as always, but maybe more so, thought Purcell, because of the Christmas season. The sky was low and gray, and the air was damp, so he wore a trench coat, but he noticed that Mercado was wearing only a tweed sports jacket, which seemed too big for him. In fact, Henry did not look well and there was a lot of space between his neck and his collar and tie. They’d both lost their Ethiopian tans, and Mercado’s skin looked as gray as the winter sky.

Mercado slid off his stool and said, “I’m living at the Excelsior, and usually at the bar there.”

“I know.”

“Then you also know not to run into me there.”

Purcell nodded and said, “Merry Christmas, Henry.”

Mercado turned toward the door, then turned back and said, “All right, I will ask you. How is she?”

“Where is she might be a better question.”

“All right, where is she?”

“Don’t know. She left me in Cairo, end of October. Said she had business in Geneva, and she’d be back in two weeks. What’s today?”

Mercado stood there awhile, then asked, “How long have you been here?”

“Two days. Let me buy you a drink. I came to Rome to see you.”

“Why?”

Purcell slid off his stool and took Mercado by the arm. “I need ten minutes of your time. I have some good news about Colonel Gann.”

Mercado hesitated, then let Purcell steer him to a table by the window. Purcell called out to the bartender, “Another round, please.”

They sat across from each other, and Mercado glanced at his watch. “I’m meeting someone at five.”

“Okay. Well, I just heard from a guy named Willis at the AP office in Addis. You know him? He says that Gann has been released from jail and will be flying to London in time for Christmas.”

Mercado nodded. “I’m glad to hear that.”

“Me, too. Only in a place like Ethiopia can you be condemned to death, then released on bail and allowed to leave the country.”

“I’m sure the British government paid dearly for their knight errant.”