A/N – Again, thank you everyone who has reviewed, PM'ed, put this on story alert, or simply read this. I mentioned I wasn't sure how long this story might be, but looking at what I've written so far, it's not going to be a massive number of chapters, but so far it's been a blast for me to write since it's been easy for me to do. It's also been a great distraction from having to deal with a family's estate - we had a bereavement on Christmas day - and the solicitors who continue to be a thorn in our side!
Once again, thank you Honorcpt for going through and helping. I know we don't capture every mistake, but hopefully I don't have so many that it makes reading a chore.
And so, on with the next instalment!
Chapter four
Jane stepped out on to the tarmac, and was hit with numerous sensations all at once. The first was the heat. She thought she knew what a heat wave was, having survived many in Boston, at times without air conditioning, but compared to a Boston summer this was on another level again - it simply took the air out of her lungs. She could also feel the heat radiating up, even through the thick soles of the walking boots she was wearing, off the tarmac; which was sticky and obviously melting in numerous places. As one foot moved in front of the other, it reminded her of when she was a kid and spilt soda on the kitchen floor, that then wasn't cleaned up properly first time around. Sucking at the bottom of her boot, trying to keep it stuck in place.
The next sensation was the flies. They appeared, seemingly out of nowhere and Jane would have been swatting them away with gusto, but for the small fact that her hands and arms were occupied currently carrying bags, meaning they were stuck to her sides, for now. They were buzzing around her face and landing wherever they wanted, and she was furiously blowing out of her mouth, trying to dislodge some of them that way at least. She didn't care that her face was being contorted in to strange shapes as a result - she just wanted rid of the damned flies! Big, black and annoying - No-one thought to warn her about these mutant beasts!
The flight in from the south of Egypt was an experience all of its own. It had been in a small twin prop plane. No stewardesses, or air stewards here giving instructions on where emergency exit's, lifebelts or oxygen masks were. There was one entry point, some seats and not a lot else. No luggage carousels or baggage handlers, you did it all yourself. Bags were stowed at your feet, or if you had been lucky enough to get on board as one of the first passengers, there was a small baggage area by that lone doorway. She sent out a silent thank you to Constance on her advice on what to take, and how to carry it.
The plane was noisy, cramped, hot and got tossed around like a feather in a tornado. Jane had never been so grateful as she had been mere minutes ago when her feet had finally landed back on terra firma. Jane was not a nervous flier by any means, but even her nerves had been shredded by this last leg of the journey. She stamped her foot a couple of times, just to make sure she was indeed back on solid ground. Admittedly melting tarmac kind of solid ground, but back on the earth's surface nonetheless. Just as she was getting her bearings and heading towards the shack that apparently served as the airports one and only building, she was stopped in her tracks at the sound of distant gun fire.
"It's normal." The dark skinned man who had accompanied her from Egypt spoke, seeing her hesitation, and wanting to reassure her, his voice a rich baritone. While he looked like he was from Africa, he was given away by the clipped boarding school English accent. Jane had found out, the school was Eton no less, followed by Oxford University. He didn't even seem bothered by the flies, as Jane watched, fascinated at the ones crawling on his face, unhindered. She couldn't imagine ever being that calm with them around her. "Remember, you are entering a war zone." he continued to say, with a small smile in Jane's direction.
Jane nodded, and took as deep a breath as the heat would allow, before continuing towards the doorway. Once inside, the heat was just as oppressive, and it was obvious there was no such thing as air conditioning here. In fact, there didn't even appear to be a fan of any kind, either from the ceiling, or free standing. Jane wasn't even sure the place had electricity, and she had been warned that many places, even government buildings, such as they were, didn't have power or it was restricted to certain times of day. The sweat was already dripping off Jane, as she put her one bag down quickly to wipe it away from her eyes where some had already found it's way, stinging them mercilessly. She took the chance to dig her sunglasses out, grateful they were close at hand and easy to get to. Beads of sweat rolled down her back relentlessly, and her lightweight cotton shirt was soaked through and clinging to her, front and back. She could feel the sweat also soaking the waistband of her cotton pants, and she hoped that where they were heading had a shower of any kind.
"Hey, Mark, please tell me there is a shower at camp?" Jane couldn't quite keep the slight whine out of her voice.
The Englishman turned to face her, a deep laugh ringing out. "There are shower facilities at the compound here, however it is nothing more than a tin sheet area, with cold water. A lot different than you're used to."
"Right now, I don't care." And Jane genuinely didn't. The thought of cold water hitting her heated, sweaty, grimy skin sounded like heaven. A hose, like the one her father would turn on her, Frankie and Tommy in the backyard at the height of summer would even be welcomed right about now.
"Good." Mark looked at his watch, and picking up his own bags again, he began to walk towards the front of the building. "Our car should be here any minute."
Jane picked her bags up, and followed the tall man, whose physical appearance could be intimidating. It was completely at odds to his profession as a Doctor and the serenity he exuded. Jane could only imagine he was an excellent doctor who put patients at ease and she sent out her second silent thank you to Constance for putting him in charge of her care whilst here. It wasn't often Jane trusted at the first meeting, but she knew she could trust him implicitly, and Jane also knew he had helped Maura when she last worked with Doctor's without borders; while Constance didn't say much, Jane knew there was a story there she wasn't privy to - but she sensed he was someone who saved Maura from a dangerous situation. If he was trustworthy enough for Constance and Maura, he was trustworthy enough for Jane. He put an arm out as Jane began to draw level with him, stopping her short.
"Stay away from windows." He explained softly.
He didn't need to elaborate further, shattered glass if hit was a danger and Jane suddenly realized this was real... she was smack bang in the middle of a war between ethic groups. She jumped as she heard a noise that sounded like more gunfire, only to laugh at herself as a car, which had undoubtedly seen better days pulled up outside, backfiring as it went. Mark smiled. "Our carriage awaits."
Jane smiled at his use of words. As they stepped outside, Jane was also then aware of the smell of burning. She had heard that some towns had been razed to the ground, burnt so nothing was left standing, and she wasn't sure if the smell was as a result of burning homes, or fires being used by the Southern Sudanese to cook on and do other daily chores. Her thoughts were broken as a man jumped out of the drivers side, a wide smile on his face.
"Markie boy. So good to see you."
Jane immediately picked up on his English accent, albeit less refined that Mark's. She hung back slightly as the men hugged briefly. The driver pulled away, and moved towards Jane.
"And you must be Detective Jane Rizzoli. I'm Fred. Driver extraordinaire." he thrust his hand out, which Jane took and shook, nodding her head.
"And camp clown." Mark teased as he opened the trunk of the car, stowing his bags, before turning and grabbing Jane's, tossing them in as well, before slamming the trunk shut.
Jane still hadn't had a chance to speak, and was watching the ease of interaction between the two men, obviously borne from a long standing friendship.
"Doesn't speak much does she." Fred said to Mark with a wink.
"Hey, I speak just fine. It's kinda difficult though when facing the two of you and your constant chatter." Jane replied, a grin of her own appearing, feeling at ease already, despite hardly knowing either man. "So, what you gonna stand here and gossip like a couple of old women, or are you planning on getting out of here any-time soon?"
"You didn't tell me she was feisty." Fred said with a wide grin, and suddenly Jane realized that the friendship between these two men went beyond just good friends. "I like feisty." Fred added, before moving back to the drivers seat.
"Well, are you just going to stand there complaining all day, or do you plan on coming with us?" Fred said, as he rolled down his window using the manual winder, which sounded like it was about to die at any minute. Jane wondered how often they had to pull the glass back in place or push the window down using brute force.
"Really?" Jane fixed him with the best Rizzoli stare she could muster, eyebrows fixed towards her hairline, before opening the passenger side front door, noting that Mark had already hopped in the back seat. "I like you too by the way." She then said as she slammed the door closed, unsure how hard she needed to be to make sure it latched properly. The last thing she wanted was it falling open as they drove along. She then realized there was no seat belt, and she hoped it wouldn't become a problem, although she also knew it would allow her to exit the vehicle quickly if needed. She wasn't sure if she was soothed by the thought or not.
"Can we keep her?" Fred looked in to his rear view mirror as he asked the question, and Mark simply shook his head.
"Hey, why talk to the monkey when you can talk to the master." Jane piped up, earning another of Mark's deep laughs.
"I do believe you have finally met your match Frederick." He said, clapping a hand on Jane's shoulder, before the laughing continued at the pout that Fred had plastered across his face.
Jane looked out of the window and the car moved across what could only be loosely described as streets. There had been a brief patch of road that actually resembled something Jane could recognize as a highway, even two lanes for the majority of it, but that quickly disappeared on them. If it wasn't for the occasional donkey and cart, so far they had been the only moving vehicle since leaving the highway properly, although there were plenty of vehicles on the roadside, in various states of repair. The surface they were driving along was basically nothing more than compacted sand, with white buildings on either side of various heights and uses. People were walking around, but obviously very wary, eyeing the car with suspicion as they passed them by. Jane finally twisted back in her seat.
"So, let's see if I've got this right. The main compound is in Mogadishu, which is in Somalia. You have a total of what, 12 projects throughout the country?"
"Thirteen." Fred amended quickly, "including our compound here in Juba. Some are simply vaccination campaigns, others offering more complex medical treatments. Although, due to the rising violence, just today we've had to temporarily suspended medical activities in Pibor County, Jonglei State. We've also had an attack on the compound in Mogadishu, and two long standing members lost their lives."
"I heard that sad news on the deaths, but I didn't know about the suspension of Pibor." Mark couldn't hide his shock at the news, and Jane watched Fred carefully. Gone was his carefree attitude, replaced with pain and anguish.
"The decision only happened an hour or so ago as I was coming out to get you. The ten international staff are being relocated back here to Juba, and locally hired staff were strongly advised to leave their town or village and seek refuge in the area. Although we have established contact with a few of them, many cannot be contacted as they have taken flight along with their families and neighbours. Their precise whereabouts are unknown and we are deeply concerned about their safety. As I left, there was a more concerted effort to find out about many of them and bring them here if they wanted." Fred didn't try to hide the worry in his voice.
The solemn news completely changed the whole atmosphere in the car, and Jane became even more aware of the danger Maura had placed herself in, let alone what she was doing here. The next question was one she almost didn't want to ask, but she knew she had to. "Do you know where Maura Isles is located?"
"She was one of the ten in Pibor, so she'll be back here in Juba sometime soon." Fred answered, looking across quickly at Jane, a flash of understanding on his face, before returning his focus on the road. "At least its a safer place. Although, it is possible some might already have asked to go elsewhere on temporary assignments until the Pibor clinic is able to reopen."
"Maura would want to carry on helping." Jane said, resignation in her voice.
"You are most likely correct." Mark piped up from the back of the car. "However, she will have the maximum protection that can be offered and it will be fully documented as to her location. Besides, you know how to use a gun don't you?"
"Lot of good that's done me recently." Jane replied, earning a look of confusion from her companions who didn't have the back story of her being there, other than needing to track Maura down. "Let's just say, the last shooting I was involved with has resulted in the reason why Maura and I are now in this fly infested location." Jane swatted a fly as she spoke as if to enforce the point, a frown creasing her face. "So, if Juba is the capital, why is the main compound for you guys in Mogadishu?"
"Partly due to it's history as an important port town to this area of Africa." Mark began to explain. "While it's also seen it's own battles and civil wars, the location offered excellent airport facilities until the '90's when the airport effectively shut down. By then though, the compound was established, and it was felt best not to move unless we had to. Initially set up with no time frame in mind, thirty years later, we're still there."
"I suppose it makes sense, rather than having to relocate it all. After all, I guess any one of these countries could erupt into violence at any moment. You could move, only to find yourself back at square one again." Jane mused, her head turned again, chin resting on her hand which she had propped up on the door itself where the window met the metal framework.
"Told you I liked her. Mind, sharp as a tack." Fred said, a smile creasing his features, deepening the lines on his weather worn, and well tanned face, giving him a slightly rogue look that Jane actually liked, his light brown hair falling down around his neck line in a scruffy, almost hippy look that he seemed to favor. It was in direct contrast to Mark, who even with the heat, looked as if he was hardly breaking out in a sweat, with only minimal patches showing up on his white t-shirt. He screamed money and breeding, while Fred was obviously blue collar working class. Jane couldn't help but be struck by the parallels between her and Maura, and she felt her heart constrict at the thought.
Now that she was here, she was beginning to question and doubt herself. Constance's reassurances that she was doing the right thing now seemed hollow. What if Jane was about to make things a thousand times worse? What if Maura didn't talk to her? What if it drove Maura into more dangerous situations just to get away? The questions were swirling around her mind, and she was so engrossed in her own thoughts, it wasn't until Fred reached over and gently touched her shoulder did she realize that they had stopped moving.
"Earth to Jane?" Fred said with a twinkle in his eye. "Penny for your thoughts?" l
Jane shook her head. "Not worth a penny." She then looked at where they were, and saw there was a heavily guarded compound ahead of them, with armed guards patrolling a perimeter on some kind of gang way above their heads, with watch towers on all four corners. She was immediately reminded of many of the prison's she'd visited over the years.
"We need to go through a metal detector on foot, while they search the car." Fred explained, as Mark let himself out.
"Any searches on us?" Jane asked, wanting to know so nothing came as a surprise to her. While being frisked down was never something that she enjoyed, she understood the need for such security and would grin and bear it as necessary.
"They do a light pat down. Nothing too invasive unless they have reason to believe you've got a gun or drugs. Only licenced people are allowed to carry weapons once inside the walls." Fred said, before unfolding his tall frame out of the car, Jane quickly joining him and Mark, taking the chance to stretch out a little, muscles now bunching tight from all the cramped travelling conditions she'd had to endure over the past forty eight hours.
This was when Jane hated being so tall. Seats in aeroplanes in particular were not designed for anyone over five foot five she'd come to the conclusion. Her pride in Maura and her ability to work under the conditions was rising with every second that ticked by. While Jane was under no illusions, and knew that working in countries like this would be tough, the experience really hammered home the sort of sacrifices you made to help others. It had shocked her to realize that Maura was a lot tougher than she sometimes gave her credit for and that was now to change. Jane found herself questioning if she would have the strength of character to work here, on a completely voluntary basis, and she honestly didn't think she could.
She was now in a small line of people, shuffling forward as they were being put through the security check point, Mark just in front of her, Fred behind, having been told to grab her passport just before they joined the queue as well as an ID card she had to get before travelling in to the country that was mandatory for everyone to carry. Jane had been sternly warned, that she could lose her passport, but to make sure the ID card was carried on her at all times.
She took the few minutes to try and center her thoughts again, steadying the slight shake in her hands she had been surprised to find as she picked her passport up out of the one bag. Jane was the most nervous she could ever remember being. Any minute now, she could be coming face to face with Maura, and she didn't know if she was ready. She felt Fred's hand in the small of the back, and she suddenly saw the line had moved along, so she shifted forward, before looking over her shoulder, sending a small smile of thanks to Fred, who returned the smile, and a wink.
Jane opened the door to the small concrete block structure that was effectively just one room, with a tin roof, with some wooden cot style beds inside, mosquito nets covering them entirely. She moved and dumped her bags down on the bed in the corner, facing the door. Mark and Fred followed her inside, also dumping their bags on the floor alongside a bed respectively.
"Hope you don't mind having to share?" Mark said, "We don't usually have to share in a mixed sex setting for a number of reasons including accusations of impropriety that might occur, but with the closure of the Pibor camp, we're a little full at the moment. It was us, or a larger room with some other women, many of whom don't speak English."
"This is fine." Jane said, tiredness beginning to seep in to her voice, as she pulled a bottle of water out of her bag, unscrewing the top, taking a healthy gulp; she put the top back on and placed it on the floor within reach of the bed. She then moved the netting and stretched out across the bed, the mattress surprisingly comfortable, despite not being the thickest. The foam though seemed to hold up well, and right now, she would have happily curled up on the concrete floor to sleep if she had to. Her head then shot up off the pillow, "Do either of you snore?"
Fred laughed, having settled down on his own bed. "Not badly so I've been told, and Mark is a light snorer as well. Certainly not enough to disturb you."
"Thank god!" Jane said, her head hitting the pillow again. "Bugs, flies, creepy crawlies, I think I can cope with all those, but snoring... argh! No!"
"I don't know about anyone else, but I'm planning on getting some sleep." Mark said, as he slipped under the blanket and sheet on his bunk, having only taken the time to pull his boots and socks off, before wriggling around, and producing his pants a few seconds later, that he simply allowed to crumple on the floor in a heap alongside the bed. Jane followed his actions, as did Fred, and within minutes the only sound was the lightest of snores emanating from two of the three bunks.
Jane's planned shower would wait for another time.