This is story picks up where Chapter 6 of "Complications" left off. Azel, Charles, Deb, and Angelique return as characters. And 3 new characters are introduced.
I hope you enjoy it.
Chapter 7 – The One Who Waits
Kem presses her back firmly into the wall, ignoring the sharp rocks that bite into her skin. She is trying to distance herself as much as possible from Azel, even as she prays that he will come to his senses. Azel reaches out a hand to touch her and she grimaces in disgust and fear. Just then a voice calls out into the room, "Can I help?"
Kem and Azel jump in shock at the unexpected sound. Azel turns to the side in order to see who uttered that question, thereby also giving Kem an opportunity to view the source of the interruption.
Kem relaxes immediately.
John is leaning his shoulder casually against the opposite side of the same door that Azel had earlier occupied.
Although his stance is casual and his voice polite, the look in his eyes is stern showing that he is ready to pounce if necessary. And he directs that look squarely at Azel.
Kem looks down as she tries to steady her heartbeat. She is torn between being miffed that John ignored her request to not follow her, and being relieved that he had followed her and was now protecting her from Azel's intentions.
"Why, if it's not our guest from America, doctor…", Azel answers and there is a trace of menace to his voice as he searches his memory for John's name.
John smiles slightly. He is amused that Azel genuinely does not appear to remember his name, and he really isn't surprised.
He and Kem had first met Azel three months ago at a government sponsored party being held to honor all of the humanitarian groups assisting Congolese citizens in Kisangani.
In truth, the event had been a thinly veiled publicity stunt designed to try to get potentially influential foreign nationals in the city to see the 'good-side' of the existing regime. In turn, the party's organizers hoped that this would persuade the aforementioned persons to plead with their countries to support the current government in its various requests for aid and supplies – nonmilitary and military alike.
When John had introduced himself to Azel, he only mentioned that he was a doctor from the U.S. helping out in the clinic run by Alliance Internationale. John knew that his name was not instantly recognizable as one of the richest men in the Chicago, and he had not felt the need to inform Azel about this little fact.
As a result of his omission, Azel had shaken his hand dismissively; a sign that in Azel's mind, John was just another idealistic foreigner in his country, who would leave as soon as his 'I want to help save the world' itch had been soothed.
John stands up straight, walks towards Azel and holds out his hand, "John Carter", he says in an easy manner as he finishes Azel's sentence.
"Ah, Dr. Carter. So good to see you again", replies Azel mirthlessly. Azel turns to look at Kem, as he silently refuses to shake John's outstretched hand.
Kem doesn't need to look at Azel to know that he is annoyed and she decides to remain silent in order to diminish the possibility of annoying him further. Instead, she looks at John hoping that in her silence and in her eyes, he can understand the best way to proceed – a way that will keep John safe from whatever retaliation Azel might be in position to wield against him.
"So, you never answered. Can I help?" Although John asks the question in a bright tone, both men know that John's easy going manner in this situation is just a façade.
For a moment, there is only tense silence as the two men regard each other warily; each trying to determine the next best course of action; each trying to size up the physical abilities of the other.
John makes the first move by squatting down on his heels and collecting the files that Kem dropped in her haste to move away from Azel. He quickly arranges them into a neat pile and rises back to eye level with Azel, with whom he is exactly the same height.
"It looks like you were trying to help Kem with some filing", he says with a smile.
Then his voice changes and his next words are tinted by a steely-edge that belies his earlier tone. "But now that I have the files, I guess that your assistance won't be necessary after all."
Azel returns John's smile with a bitter one of his own as he realizes that he has lost any legitimate explanation for remaining in the room. He nods his head at John and Kem.
"Yes, it appears that the situation is under control now", he says coldly. He backs away from Kem and brushes against John slightly as he moves towards the door.
"It was nice meeting you again, Dr. Carter…Miss Likasu", he says. He emphasizes the word, "Miss", to indicate that he knows that Kem is unmarried and, therefore, officially unattached. He nods again in their direction and then leaves the room.
For what seems like the first time in hours, Kem takes a breath and allows that action to refresh her body and ease her mind.
"Thank you," she says softly as she closes the distance between her and John, and she puts her head against his chest.
After a few seconds, she looks up and says, "And thank you for not hitting him. That would have been a very bad idea."
"What? Defense of a third party isn't recognized in the Congo?" he says with a look of false disbelief on his face.
"Recognized or not – it is always a bad idea to pummel high ranking officials of any country in which one is a guest. It's just that here, that action may carry with it an unofficially sanctioned, but still very real, death penalty."
She gently pulls his head down, leans up on her toes, and lightly kisses his lips. "That is for rescuing me", she says. He smiles and kisses her in return. Then she moves back slightly from him and punches him playfully in his shoulder.
"Ow", he says in mock pain.
"That was for following me, when I asked you not to", she says, and in the blink of an eye, she takes the files from him and deftly knells before the filing cabinet, as she ignores his false protests of injury.
As she resumes her work of putting the files in their proper places, John is silent but he is also smiling.
He desperately searches his mind for a verbal riposte that will effectively curtail any further criticism, but he is a bit disappointed in himself when only the obvious seems to come to mind.
"Uh…well, I saved you", he responds defiantly but playfully.
"And so that justifies your stalking me?"
"Stalking?"
"Yes, stalking. What else do you call it when someone follows you without your permission?" Even though he can't see it, she is smiling as she waits to hear his defense to this latest accusation.
"Uh…good planning", he says hopefully and they both begin to giggle at his lame response.
He knells down to her level and kisses the place between her neck and shoulder. "Besides, I left like 15 minutes after you did, but, if I had been a stalker, I would have left immediately after you left", he says simply.
"Oh please", she responds laughingly. "Admit it. You don't think that I can take care of myself without you", she says wryly.
"Okay…this is my last-ditch effort here", he says as he waves his hands in protest. "I had a feeling."
"Ah, so you're going to blame your stalking on precognition."
"Yes," he says firmly.
She nods her head in silence as she puts the last file in the drawer. She stands up and he rises to meet her. She still hasn't answered him and he is wondering what's going through her mind.
Finally, she turns around, wraps her arms around his neck, and kisses him lightly on the lips. "In that case, your forgiven", she says with a hint of humor in her voice. He smiles in turn.
"Let's get out of here", he says and he takes her hand as they make their way out of the room.
They continue speaking about little things, and they gently chide each other for their character faults as they permit their light-hearted banter to erase the tension and fear that each of them had felt when Azel had been present.
As they emerge from the building, they make their way across the dusty street and begin their journey back to the clinic. However, their light-hearted mood is not shared by all. A tall figure appears at one of the building's many windows and peers down at the happy couple.
As Azel watches them from his office, his ponders how he can resume his original plan and get Kem away from the annoying American.
Azel's lips curl into a sneer as he thinks about how John was able to avoid a fight and yet still defeat him. Dr. Carter may be clever, he thinks, but I too am clever…clever and patient. The former colonial masters of this city had a saying, "A handful of patience is worth more than a bushel of brains." Everyone makes mistakes, and when Dr. Carter makes his, then I will be the one ready to pounce.