Chapter 10
Leonardo Da Vinci- Fiumicino Airport, Rome, Italy
"Are you kidding me?" Anna Devane looked at the handsome Italian man sitting behind the counter in disbelief. "There are no outgoing flights because there's a baggage handler strike?"
"Si. No flights can leave Rome at this moment."
"But my baggage is already on the plane...I don't need anyone unloading it!"
"Signora," he ennunciated slowly, as if she were five. "You are not the only person on this plane. There are new passengers flying from Rome to Entebbe."
Anna groaned. "When do you think the next flight might leave?"
"We don't know. Maybe tomorrow morning. Maybe late tonight even."
"Tomorrow morning?" Tomorrow morning was twenty-hours from now.
The man shrugged his well-built shoulders, looking as though he couldn't be any more indifferent to her predicament if he tried. "We hope tomorrow morning, si."
Anna glared at him. "You 'hope'? Really?" She moved closer to the counter, resisting the urge to bang her fist on it. "Do you have any other suggestions on how to get to Africa before then?"
He shrugged his shoulders a second time. "Take a train to Switzerland and fly from there?"
Anna looked at him in disbelief. "Take a train to Switzerland? Are you kidding me?"
"They are not striking," he offered.
Of course they weren't.
Anna remembered when there were strikes in Paris, her colleague Dan O'Toole would sometimes take a train to Basel and fly to London from there. Why didn't the Swiss ever strike? Did living in paradise and having your pristine store shelves decked with chocolate and cheese mean you had nothing else to ask for?
"Come on..." she pleaded. "There has to be a better alternative."
"Wait here until it is over. Then the flights will resume. There will be no ticket change fee."
"Fabulous."
Anna turned around and saw a line at least fifty people deep behind her. Most of them looked at least as irritated as she did, many of them considerably more so. She looked the counter agent and felt a twinge of sympathy.
No wonder you can't muster any empathy. If you did you'd probably want to curl into a fetal position and weep. Just keep looking handsome and drinking espresso. Che sarà, sarà, right?
Anna walked away from the counter, wondering when exactly her life had slipped out of her control.
She glanced around the terminal and noticed the masses of humanity surrounding her. Families and backpackers camped on the floor. Children sleeping on seats in the waiting areas. Massive line-ups at the ticket counters, pay phones and restrooms. Two elderly Italian men screaming at each other, arms waving in the air and finger gestures flying.
Two young women wearing headscarves, hugging each other, one of them in tears. The other one holding on to a toddler with one hand.
Knowing I'm not the only one who's lost control still doesn't make me feel any better.
Anna pulled out her Blackberry and tried to make a call back home, only mildly surprised to find out there was no service. Hence the lines by the pay phones. When all else failed, it was back to land lines.
Anna sighed. There was little she hated more than losing control over her own life.
She looked for an empty seat and gave up after walking through the entire terminal and finding none. She finally settled for spot on the floor next to a wall, leaning against it tiredly.
"What now?" she thought aloud, closing her eyes as she held on to the only baggage she was carrying around, a black, French leather purse that contained all her essentials including passport, papers, wallet, a Blackberry and half empty bottle of sparkling water. Her only other piece of luggage was still on the DC to Rome plane she'd arrived from not too long ago. Not that she really needed it. Nothing in it was irreplaceable and clothing and toiletries could always be bought. Besides, she was used to travelling light.
Her thoughts went back to a time when she'd come to Italy under very different circumstances. Travelling even lighter.
She remembered her yearning for adventure and for the adrenalin rush that came with the thrills of her new job. Her first assignment with Robert in the WSB.
They were in the south of France chased by someone. Anna smirked because she couldn't remember who or why anymore. But she remembered needing desperately to get away. That their lives depended on it.
That in order to evade them they went so far as to run into the Mediterranean and make a mad attempt to cross the border at sea, by swimming.
Fuelled by fear and adrenaline, they somehow made it across the border, swimming further than she thought they were capable of. When they arrived, exhausted and spent, at an Italian beach she remembered Robert's arms around her and feeling more alive than she ever felt before. The touch of his salty lips on hers was the most electrifying sensation she'd ever experienced. One she never wanted to end. It was a hunger unlike any other.
Anna smiled at the memory, wondering how it was possible that she could still distinctly remember the feel of his skin against hers when there were so many blank slates in her memories.
She knew then that she wanted to spend the rest of her life like that. In his arms, the two of them, against the world.
What a life it was, she thought. One in which she equated fear and danger with excitement. Sure, that life had shaped her and made her strong. Given her skills she wouldn't have otherwise. But it had come close to destroying her too.
In the end it did destroy the man I loved. Literally.
It was her youthful penchant for flirting with danger that led her to Cesar Faison. An alliance she made on a reckless whim.
One that she would spend the rest of her life regretting.
I lost ten years of my life. Alex was kidnapped. And Robert died. All because of my connection to Faison.
Even now, the guilt was there. Every single day.
Anna shivered and buttoned up her jacket. She suddenly felt cold in the terminal's air conditioning.
The old Anna Devane would have stormed out of the terminal and searched for a train to Switzerland. Taking action had always been her preferred method of solving a problem.
Today's Anna Devane still hated waiting. With a passion. But she could acknowledge that maybe right now, it was the better solution. The counter agent did say the strike could end as early as tonight.
She stared into the crowded terminal, wondering what Robert would have done.
We'd have made the decision together.
Robert had an overprotective streak too, but he always had faith in her abilities. Maybe therein was the difference between him and David.
Anna yawned, wondering why she was thinking of him. The airport terminal at Fiumicino didn't have much in common with the sun swept beach of her memories. Or of the unforgettable wedding that followed.
They were two different Italys. Two different worlds.
You can't go back into the past, Anna knew. Even if you were incapable of letting it go.
King Faisal Hospital, Kigali, Rwanda
Robin finished buttoning her shirt and looked at herself in the mirror, cringing at what she saw. Between the circles under her eyes and the messy hair that was in need of a long shower, she looked about as good as she'd felt the last few days. That and she knew she could stand to gain a few pounds again.
Robin brushed a strand of hair behind her ears, grateful that the two doctors who'd seen her earlier agreed that as long as she stayed put for a few days, she could just as well do it in her hotel room as here in this hospital.
If I stay here any longer I'm going to look even worse.
The hotel room that was awaiting her was small and modest, a popular spot for international relief workers travelling on a budget, but it had a bed and a private bathroom and a 'do not disturb' sign. The three combined sounded like paradise to her just now.
'I should call Dad and tell him I was released,' she thought, before reaching for the phone to call a taxi.
She started looking for the piece of paper with his phone number on it, then decided to hell with it.
Two days ago I thought he was dead. Now I'm supposed to let him know my every move?
She was about to call a taxi when she heard a knock on the door.
"Come in." She knew before he came in that it wasn't a repeat visit from the doctor. Doctors didn't knock.
"Hi, luv."
Robin still got goose bumps when she heard his voice.
"Hi, Dad."
"I heard you were released."
Robin raised her brows. "Keeping tabs on me already?"
"No...the hospital called, since I'm the one who admitted you and paid for the bill."
Robin blushed. "Sorry."
He smiled. "It's okay. I am keeping tabs on you already too."
"I'm going back to the hotel."
"Any chance I can convince you to stay with us instead? Sandrine and I made the guest room ready for you and..."
"Dad," Robin cut him off. He looked so hopeful and genuine it took all her willpower to stick to her guns. It would have been so easy to let him take care of her. Too easy. "I can't...I'm sorry. I need some time to think. By myself. And Mom's coming here. I can't really ask her to come meet me at your house, can I?"
"We can find a way to work that out..."
"Dad," she insisted. "I made my decision."
He looked both disappointed and concerned. "Robin, there's something else."
Robin sat down on the bed. "What?"
"Now that you know I'm alive, it means I broke the deal."
"What?" she looked at him, not understanding.
"The deal I made with Faison. "
Robin stared at him in disbelief. "Are you kidding me? Do you really think he's trailing you on Google Earth or something and watching our every move? Mom hasn't heard from him in two years! For all we know the guy is dead!"
Her father's easy smile was gone, his blue eyes dead serious. "Two years ago he gave your sister a deadly virus and tried to kidnap your mother. Don't tell me you've forgotten that already."
Robin threw her arms up. "We're in Kigali for god's sake. Faison's not some omnipresent god watching our every move."
Her father put his hands on her shoulders, as if willing her to see the seriousness of it all. "Robin, the deal was that I would stay away from you or he'd kill you. I've kept that until two days ago. All bets are off now. That puts you in considerable danger."
"Don't you think that going off to rescue Mom, even if it turned out it wasn't Mom... from his clutches in Russia was enough of a deal breaker?"
Her Dad chuckled. "You'd think. But then the guy doesn't exactly think the way you and I do."
Robin knew exactly where this was headed and she felt her cheeks flush with heated indignation at the thought. "So what are you going to do? Put me under a 24-hour guard? You've got to be kidding."
"I think, luv," he said softly. "If he hasn't found out already, then Faison will find out sooner rather than later. He's not omnipotent, but he has a world of connections. I'm not that naive to think he doesn't have any in the WSB."
"This is not fair, Dad..." she shot back. "You're trying to freak me out into staying with you."
He raised his hand in denial. "No, luv. If you want to stay at a hotel, that's fine. I understand. But I will put a guard on you. I won't risk not doing that, no matter how much you protest."
Robin stopped just short of sighing. Part of her wanted to bang her head into a wall. It was like her childhood all over again. Maybe if she wasn't so damn tired she'd put up more of a fight.
"What hotel are you staying at?" he asked softly.
"The Okapi," she told him.
"The Okapi? Robin, that's a dump!"
"It's fine, Dad! It was fine before and it'll be fine again!"
"It's old and dirty and noisy. Sweetheart, you're supposed to be recovering and resting. If you'd like a hotel...let me choose something else for you. A place where you'll actually be able to get some sleep, in a bed that's not about to fall apart. There might not be a Ritz or even a Marriott in Kigali, but the Serena is nice. So is the Mille Collines."
This time she did sigh. This battle wasn't worth it. "Fine. Pick something else. Whatever you want."
He smiled a triumphant smile. "I like the Serena...it's as close to a resort as you'll find here."
Her bedside phone rang before he could finish his sentence. Robin picked it up.
"Mom?"
Robin stared at her father as she heard her mother's voice on the other end. His smile vanished along with some of the colour in his face.
Part of her wanted to press the receiver to her father's lips, forcing him to say something.
Not that she really had it in her to be that cruel. To either of them.
"You're stuck where? Rome?"
Her mother sounded almost as tired and exasperated as Robin felt. It made her regret asking her to come here all over again.
"I'm okay, Mom. Really. I've been released and I'm going to go back to the hotel to take it easy for a couple of days. Which hotel?" Robin put her hand over the receiver and looked at her father. "I don't know. Which hotel am I going to?"
"The Serena Kigali," he mouthed.
Robin repeated the name to her mother and assured her for a second time she was okay. "Mom...if this strike goes on, there's no need for you to come here. I'll be okay. I overreacted..." But her mother wouldn't have any of it. She said something along the lines of swimming here if need be, making Robin laugh. "Rwanda's not exactly on the other side of the Mediterranean, Mom."
She hung up, feeling better somehow. Her mother had that effect on her.
"When will she be here?" her father asked.
"Not sure," Robin told him. "Apparently there's some baggage handler's strike in Rome. No flights at least until tomorrow."
"I see."
"Are you angry that I asked her to come?"
Her father debated the question, then shook his head. "No, luv."
"Do you want to see her?" Robin pressed.
"Do I want to see her?" His smile returned. "Yes...I do. You have no idea how much...how much I've missed your mother."
It wasn't the answer she was expecting.
"Don't get me wrong," he added. "I'm not expecting a heartfelt reunion and I'm terrified of the possible consequences, but now there's no going back and there's a part of me that cannot wait to see her again."
Robin bit her lip. Again his answer took her by surprise. "What about Sandrine? How does she feel about it?"
"She wanted me to tell you two years ago. It's not the best timing now," he agreed. "She's about to give birth. The last thing I want is to bring any stress into her life. But she's wanted me to end the lies a long time ago. Sandrine likes to tackle things head on. Kind of like your Mom."
"When is she due?"
"Less than a month." Sitting next to her he put his hand on hers. "I'd love it if you were still here then. It's your half sister too, luv."
Robin didn't even want to think that far ahead. "You know you're having a girl?"
Her father smiled a lop-sided smile. "No...in fact, Sandi insists it's a boy. But you know, I'm always right."
Robin couldn't help a smile. "Right. Hope you don't have any money on it."
He held out his hand. "Come. You're tired, sweetheart. Let me drive you to the hotel."
"I was going to call a taxi..." she tried.
"Not a chance. You're stuck with this driver."
"So you can keep an eye on me," she sighed.
"No at all," he shot back, nudging her towards the door. "I have more selfish reasons. Like wanting your company for an extra thirty minutes."
Vancouver, Canada
"Yes, I need one with a GPS," David Hayward re-iterated to the young Asian man behind the car rental counter. "It doesn't matter if it costs extra."
He was terrible with directions and maps. Not that he'd ever admit it. Anna on the other hand, had an innate sense of direction. She could look at a map once and then casually direct him the rest of the way. The fancy GPS he bought for his own car was usually left turned off when they drove somewhere new together.
He signed the rental contract and grabbed the car keys, hoping he wouldn't get lost on the way to the airport garage.
Luckily the company he chose with kept their cars closest to the entrance. David found the red Matrix with the license plate matching the one on his plastic key chain and got into it.
He pulled out the address he'd written down on a piece of paper from his pocket and plugged it into the GPS.
And then he sank back into his car seat and ran a hand through his thick, dark hair, staring out of the window.
"What the hell am I doing here?"
He wanted to personally check the address that the Seaview IT tech had given him based on the ISP address he'd pulled from Alexia Merrick's e-mail, almost as soon as he got it.
But then Robin got ill and Anna left for Africa, and it all suddenly took a back seat. That is, until Maggie showed up at his house, just as he'd taken time off to look after Leah.
Maggie who told him that she decided to take a semester off to avoid burn out. That is, until he had a couple of glasses of wine with her after dinner and she admitted she was reeling from a break-up and couldn't bear to share a half dozen classes with her ex.
He'd forced himself not to lecture her just then, although it took considerable effort. In the end he did manage to get her to swear to him on no uncertain terms that she'd go back next semester, or he'd drag her back himself.
He pulled out his cell phone to give her a call.
"Hello." Maggie's perky voice answered on the second ring.
"Hi sweetheart. How's my princess doing?"
"I'm good. You?"
David chuckled. "How about my other princess?"
"Leah's good too. We're reading a book."
"Oh yeah...what book?"
"Something about birds and bees."
"Maggie!"
His cousin laughed at the other end. "She's gotta learn sometime."
"Maggie, she's three!" Not that Leah was going to date before the age of twenty-five anyway.
"Tintin. It's a weird looking French cartoon that she likes."
"Belgian."
"What?"
"He's Belgian. The cartoon. Robin got the books for her in Paris."
Maggie laughed again. "If this is your argument for a higher education..."
"Maggie...how is she otherwise. Is everything okay?"
"She's fine! Happy, healthy, eating, reading, wearing clothes...and we even fed the guinea pig! What's his name again? Pastrami?"
"Funny. Ruben."
"Oh and the cabin is still standing."
"Okay, okay...got it."
"Have a good time in Canada, doing whatever mysterious thing you refuse to tell me about. Even after I confessed all my sordid heartbreak to you."
David couldn't help a smile. Maggie could be so dramatic. "Give her a big kiss for me, alright? And thank you."
"I will. Don't thank me. Just remember to bring me back the maple butter I asked for. It's hard to get here."
Dramatic and demanding. They were definitely related.
The smile left his face after he ended the call.
"Now we get down to business."
He turned on the motor and started driving, following the directions of the monotone female voice as she guided him out of the airport and into the city of Vancouver.
David had been here once before, years ago, during a medical conference and certain recollections came back to him now. He hadn't spent much time outside of convention rooms, but from what he did remember the city reminded him of Seattle. There was a lot of rain and a lot of lush, green woods. There has also been an afternoon excursion to a giant suspension bridge that left him queasy.
When he left the airport, the global positioning system told him that it would take him just over thirty minutes to get to his destination and, now, as the screen told him he was nearly there, he started taking in the neighbourhood around him.
A bunch of teenage boys in oversize hoodies, jeans and headbands congregated at an intersection he stopped at. They all stared him down and one of them gave him the middle finger as he drove by.
He spotted an aging public school building where a couple of girls were playing basketball, in a concrete lot, using a hoop with no net.
Even though Vancouver was a noticeably green city, there was little vegetation in this neighbourhood. What there was, was a lot of concrete and a lot of grey. In the form of empty lots and modest row houses.
It wasn't exactly the ghetto but it was definitely and unmistakeably a low income area.
He wasn't about to find a manicured lawn or a multi-car garage here.
According to the GPS he was within a block of where he needed to be and for the first time since leaving Pine Valley at the crack of dawn, he felt uneasy.
How do you go from a castle in Europe to this, Alex?
He was starting to doubt everything.
"I've made a mistake..." he realized aloud. In his eagerness to possibly track down Alex, he hadn't considered the implausibility of it all.
Just because a woman whose name sounds like Alex's is doing similar stem cell research didn't mean they were the same person. Alexia Merrick was probably a Canadian scientist.
'A struggling one,' he thought with a lop-sided smile.
He took a look at the small, two-storey town home to the right of his car. It matched the address on his GPS. This was it.
Part of him didn't even want to get out of the car. That's how futile it all felt. It was raining now too. A light, uninviting, drizzle.
It made no sense for Alex to be living here, in this bleak neighbourhood in complete anonymity, publishing insignificant research articles in third rate journals.
Unless...
David's thoughts went back to one of Edmund Grey's famous Crystal Balls. Both he and Alex had been there that night, and his most vivid memory was Alex pushing him down a flight of stairs, thinking he was someone else. She could have killed him and he'd have been well in his rights to press charges.
The truth was that Alex had a known history of mental instability.
Thanks to Erica Kane digging around in her past, David knew Alex had once been institutionalized in her native Wales. That fact was something that neither Sean, Anna or Robin ever brought up in their current search for her. It was something they conveniently liked to ignore, or even deny.
If Alex was mentally unstable again, then maybe there was no rhyme or reason for what she was doing.
David parked on the street, a couple of doors down from her address.
Do I just walk up to the door and knock? And if she's not there, what do I say? 'Sorry...wrong address?'
David cringed. He really should have thought this through. He had ample time on the flight here.
What if, by some miracle she is there? What do I say then? "Oh hi Alex. Did you know we've been looking for you for over two years?"
He was so wrapped up in his thoughts that he barely noticed a woman walking up to the door of the town home in question.
She wore a black windbreaker with the hood over her head, so he couldn't see her face from the car. But her frame was identical to Anna's and he thought he spotted strands of long, dark brown hair peaking out from underneath the hood. She carried herself with the exact same casual elegance that Anna did.
Was it really possible?
David's heart skipped a beat and he hurriedly pushed open the car door and jumped outside towards her.
She had already opened the door of the town house, when he ran up behind her.
She turned around with lightning speed when she heard him approach, making the jacket hood fall off.
David wasn't sure who was more shocked when their eyes met. Him or her.
"Alex?"
As always big thanks to my two awesome editors, Annie and Kel, who keep my rambling and my typos to a minimum! :)