CHAPTER THREE
It was a day later and it was raining outside. There's not really much to do on the island in that kind of weather. So Mozzie and Neal decided to go back to Lolana's, where they were greeted by the cheerful Lima the moment they walked in through the door.
"You two DO know that there are other places in this island besides this lounge, right?" Lima asked them jokingly.
"Come on, Lima. Don't tell me you're tired of me already?" Mozzie replied.
"No way, Bob!" Lima denied, as she leaned in to kiss him on the lips. "But you're going to have to pace yourself, or you'll be sick of me in a week." she added. "Besides, my body could do well with a little recovery time." she said with a smile.
"That GOOD, eh?" Mozzie asked, quite proud of his prowess.
"Don't get cocky!" Lima warned him, before kissing him again.
"Ugh! You two...get a grip, or get a room!" Neal told them.
"Ignore him, Lima." Mozzie told her, eyeing Neal. "He's just jealous. He has not gotten laid since we got here on the island." he added.
"Oh no, you poor thing!" Lima said. "Everyone needs to have a torrid love affair when in Bali! Don't worry, Victor...we'll find you someone." she added, genuinely feeling sorry for Neal.
"I don't need you to find me someone!" Neal replied. "And you DO know that my name really isn't Victor, right?" he asked softly.
"Yes, just like his name..." she pointed to Mozzie. "...Really isn't 'Bob'." she said. "And Sierra really isn't 'Sierra'. And my name really isn't 'Lima'." she added, surprising both Neal and Mozzie. "What? You think that you're the only two people who ever came to Bali under an assumed name?" she chuckled. "Don't worry. We'll save the formalities for later." she told them, before walking back to the bar.
Neal followed her. "About 'Sierra'..." he started to say.
"No, I haven't talked to her. No, she hasn't called me. And no, I am NOT telling you where she went." Lima told him. She turned to face Neal. "What's the story between the two of you anyway?" she asked, as she brought Mozzie a drink.
"Ah, theirs is a tale of wasted chances and missed opportunities." Mozzie answered for him.
"You broke her heart." Lima deduced.
"It's a bit more complicated that that...but yes, I did." Neal admitted.
"That is one of the worst kind of pain you can ever inflict a woman." Lima sighed. "I don't know about guys, but to us ladies, having a broken heart is a lot like having broken ribs. On the outside, it seems like nothing's wrong, but it hurts like hell whenever you breath." she told them.
"Yeah, it's pretty much the same for men." Neal replied.
"Then maybe you should leave her be. That's probably why she sought a new life here in Bali. There's something wildly empowering to be able to live your life again without the constant presence of heartache. She has Colin now. She has another shot at happiness. You shouldn't get in the way of that. You're just a painful reminder of the past she left behind. So do her a favor and just leave her be." she lectured Neal.
"I don't think I can. And even if I can, I don't think I want to." Neal admitted to her.
"Oh...you're one of those guys." Lima implied.
"What do you mean?" Neal asked her.
"You know...those type of guys who thinks that the fruit is tastier when it's 'forbidden'." Lima replied.
"That's not true!" Neal denied. "I happen to like how her fruit tastes! Forbidden or NOT!" he admitted. "Oh, God! I did NOT just say that out loud." he said, running a hand through his face.
"I'm afraid you did." Lima told him.
"It's quite alright, my friend. We're all adults here." Mozzie told him.
"Apparently not." Neal replied. He signaled over to the tables not too far away from them.
Mozzie followed his gaze. There were two little kids, a boy and a girl. The boy was refilling salt and pepper shakers and other condiments on each table, while the little girl was arranging flowers on the vases and folding table napkins. They looked adorable, but you could tell that they took their jobs very seriously.
"Obviously, this place has not heard of child labor laws." Mozzie remarked.
"Oh, hush. They're not slaves!" Lima told him. "They're kids from the Children's Village not far from here." she informed them.
"Children's Village?" Mozzie inquired.
"Yes. It used to be a social welfare program established by the local government to provide shelter and care for disadvantaged kids. That is, until they had to cut the budget. Now, it's being run by one of the locals named Lastri, she's our resident Good Samaritan. Actually, the only thing that keeps it running are the supporters and volunteers who generously donate their resources to the program." Lima explained further.
"What are they doing here?" Neal asked curiously about the children.
"Oh, they come here to help every once in a while. They do it out of gratitude, not servitude." Lima clarified. "They're just thankful for everything Sierra has done for them. They love her, and she loves them." she added.
"Gratitude?" Mozzie asked.
"Yes. Sierra has been one of the Children's Village most generous benefactors. Every time she comes back from one of her trips, she always brings something for them. Like last time, she brought them a water purifier. The time before that, she got them a generator." Lima informed them, as she called the two children to come closer.
The kids walked over to where they were. They looked like they were about the same age...seven years old, maybe younger. Up close, the little boy had short hair, brown eyes and a very charming smile. The little girl had long, dark, curly hair and cute dimples, but her smile never reached her eyes. There was a sadness in her that tugged at Mozzie's heart.
"This is Merpati." Lima introduced the little girl. "That one over there is Kersen." she said.
"Merpati. What a lovely name." Mozzie said.
"It means 'dove'." The little girl replied softly.
"I had a dove once. They are beautiful and intelligent creatures." Mozzie told her.
"Are you friends of Miss Storm too?" Kersen asked them.
"Yes, we are." Neal answered.
"She's a very kind person. She has been generous to us. We always pray for her safe return." Kersen told them.
"Your English are both very good." Mozzie commented.
"Thank you. Miss Sierra teaches us." Merpati replied. "She also reads to us a lot when comes by the Children's Village after she comes back from her adventures." she added.
Neal though of Alex again. If anyone ever told him before that Alex Hunter was a big philanthrophist, he never would have believed it. Neal shook his head and turned away in shame. Alex was right. He looked at her, but he never really saw her for who she is. He was slowly discovering the true person behind the facade, peeling away the layers...and what he saw made him long for her even more.
"Tell you what..." Mozzie said, interrupting Neal's thoughts. "...How about Mr. Victor and I go over there with you two at the Children's Village. Since Miss Sierra is away, we can be your substitute teachers for the moment." Mozzie suggested. The two kids smiled with delight as they took Mozzie and Neal's hands, and led them to the Children's Village.
The next couple of days, Neal and Mozzie spent helping over at the Children's Village. They place was a very old building, painted in a horrid shade of lime green. It was in poor condition, almost unsafe if you look at it closely. It was clear that the children's necessities were more of a priority than the maintenance of the place. They met Lastri, the local woman who ran the place. She had nothing but nice words to say about 'Sierra', and was very glad that she had friends that were just as kind.
Neal and Mozzie took turns in reading to the children. They soon found out that most of the children were interested in arts and craft. Neal decided to teach them the basics of drawing. Kersen was his best student, showing great potential at a very young age. He was a natural artist, his methods of sketching and shading were more advanced than the rest of the kids.
Mozzie , on the other hand, amused the children in another way. He entertained them with his magic acts that left them in awe. They were delighted to watch him juggle fruit, pull a rabbit out of a hat and do card tricks. Merpati was his biggest fan. The little girl clapped and cheered at Mozzie's every performance. Mozzie was glad to make the little girl laugh. He was more than happy to see ALL the children enjoy themselves, because he knew from first hand experience how sad it was to live in a place like that.
The kids were very grateful to both of them, but you could tell that they missed Alex. Neal couldn't blame them...he misses Alex himself. Neal longed to see her again. She comes back tomorrow...she said so on the night that she left. Neal smiled when he remembered their deal. They were going to talk again when she gets back from her trip. And Neal couldn't wait for that.
The next day, Mozzie and Neal headed out to go to Lolana's. It was still raining, but very slightly. Mozzie grumbled softly as they walked. None of them really wanted to get out of bed, to be honest, but today was the day they were supposed to meet Alex's friend regarding 'liquidating' some of their assets. It was also the day that Alex comes back to town. The past few days have been long and lonely without her, and Neal couldn't wait to see her face again.
"The way I see it, we should start with the small pieces." Mozzie said to Neal.
"What?" Neal asked, lost in his own thoughts.
"Pay attention, will you! We are planning our future here." Mozzie scolded him. "I say, we should move the tiny trinkets first. You know, avoid raising flags. Besides, we don't know if we can trust this guy Alex is recommending." he continued.
"Alex seems to trust him. That's good enough for me." Neal replied.
"We'll see once we meet him." Mozzie said. "Back to the plan...we should sell the diadems first." he suggested.
"Why?" Neal asked.
"Because they're the smallest pieces of high value...and I don't think we have that much use for tiaras." Mozzie answered.
"I don't know, Moz. Are you sure you don't have a secret habit of wearing tiaras that I don't know about?" Neal joked.
"Can you please be serious about this?" Mozzie chastised him.
"Fine. Do what you want Mozzie." Neal told him.
"Alright. We're in agreement then. We're selling Helen of Troy's golden diadem, Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna's pearl and diamond tiara, and Empress Marie-Louise's emerald and diamond headdress. That should fetch us, at the very least, less than a three quarters of a million. Not a lot, but it should get us out of this island and on to our next destination." Mozzie informed him.
"Whatever, Mozzie." Neal just dismissed him and continued to walk towards the Tiki Lounge.
"You could at least be a little more enthusiastic. I mean, we are talking about funding our life away from here." Mozzie said, following him closely behind.
"Look, Moz...just do what you think is necessary. I don't need to know the details. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to go and find Alex." Neal told him, before entering Lolana's.
Inside the lounge, it was almost empty. There was no morning crowd. The gloomy weather not helping to draw the usual patrons in. Besides, it was usually busier from the afternoon up to late at night. Mozzie found his usual place by the bar, while Neal asked one of the barbacks if he'd seen Alex. He directed Neal towards the back room.
Inside the backroom, Alex tried to fix herself up and make herself look more presentable...cover up some of the mistakes made in the past few days. She winced in pain as she took off her denim jacket. She was wearing a white tank top underneath, and from it you could see a big mass of black and blue, with a few shades of purple, ugly bruises that started from her shoulder and went all the way down to her back. She looked at it in the mirror and cringed.
Alex jumped when she heard Neal's voice from behind her. "What the hell happened to you?" he asked, you could hear the anger in his voice.
"I'm fine!" she answered.
Neal moved closer towards her. He run his hand gently on her bruise, as she winced at his touch. "You don't look fine." Neal said, softer this time. "Jesus, Alex! Who did this to you?" he asked, his voice more concerned now.
"Nobody." Alex denied. "Like I said, I'm fine. End of discussion." she told him, as she proceeded to leave the backroom, Neal following her closely.
"Oh, hey Alex!" Mozzie greeted him from the bar.
"Hey, Moz." she greeted him unenthusiastically.
"You okay?" Mozzie asked.
"No, she isn't." Neal answered for her. "Look at her back." he said.
Mozzie saw the big mass of bruises, and the expression on his face mirrored the one Neal had earlier. Say what you want about him, but Mozzie can NOT stand any of his friends getting hurt. "Who did this to you?" he asked her in a low voice.
"Like I already told Caffrey...NOBODY. It was an accident, alright?" She assured Mozzie.
"What kind of accident?" Mozzie pressed.
"I'd rather not get into that at the moment. If you'll excuse me, I have other things I need to handle." Alex replied before walking away.
Neal caught up with her. "Alex, you can't blame us for worrying about you." he said.
"You know what Neal? I get it. You feel guilty for not being there for me for all these years. So now, you want to defend me at the drop of a hat! But I'm telling you right now, I don't need you to protect me. I am very well capable of taking care of myself." she told him before storming off.
Not long after that, a middle-aged man came in from the rain. He was tall and fit for a guy his age. He sported a little scruff on his face, and wore drawstring linen pants, a pair of sandals, a straw hat and a brightly colored tropical shirt. He sat down by the bar, several stools away from Mozzie, and looked around for the bartender.
"Geez! Who do I have to kill to get a beer around here?" the man muttered.
Mozzie didn't pay much attention to the man, while Neal sat down next to his friend. Moments later, Alex came back to the bar, ignoring both Neal and Mozzie.
"What the hell happened to you?" the stranger from the bar asked Alex, noticing the bruises on her back.
"Seems to be the question of the day." Neal chimed in.
"I'm okay." Alex assured the man, her tone softer than the one she used on Neal earlier.
"You sure?" the man asked again.
"It looks worse than it feels." Alex told him.
"It looks like hell!" the man remarked.
"Well...then, it looks exactly like it feels." Alex said jokingly. "Really, I'm fine." she reassured the man. "Now what, can I get you, Charlie?" she asked him.
"The usual." Charlie replied. "You should really be more careful, Firecracker! You're line of work isn't exactly safe-" he said before Alex interrupted him.
"I swear to God, Charlie...if that sentence ends with the words 'especially for a WOMAN', I am going to punch you in the mouth!" Alex warned him. "Well, not too hard to knock any of your teeth out, since we're friends and all...but it will be hard enough to make you bleed." she smiled mischievously. "Here ya go. Enjoy!" she said, as she handed him his beer and gave him a quick peck on the forehead.
Neal and Mozzie both raised an eyebrow when they saw the exchange between the two. They were immediately curious to know who the old man was and why he seemed to be close to Alex. Moments passed by, and Alex walked over to where they were.
"That's the guy I was telling you about." Alex informed them. "The man that can help you with your 'situation'." she added.
"You trust this guy?" Mozzie asked.
"With my life." Alex answered without batting an eyelash. "And he trusts me with his. Don't expect the same loyalty though." she told them.
"Who is he?" Neal asked her.
"His name is Charlie Knight." Alex replied. She turned to Mozzie. "You'd love him. He's a history buff, with an appreciation for beauty, a great love of art...and he drinks like it's the day before Prohibition. He's like you, only older, taller, wiser and with a lot more hair." she chuckled. She looked at both Neal and Mozzie. "I'd leave you two to introduce yourselves." she told them, before walking away.
Neal and Mozzie walked over to where Charlie was sitting. They sat down next to him, without any invitation, Neal to his left and Mozzie to his right. Charlie looked at the both of them, before drinking his beer.
"Something I can do for you boys?" Charlie asked them.
"You know Sierra?" Mozzie asked him.
"You mean, Firecracker? Hell yeah, she and I go waaay back." Charlie replied. "You two know her?" he asked them.
"Yeah...we're old friends of hers from back home." Neal answered.
Charlie looked at him, and then at Mozzie. "You don't say." he replied flatly, as he took another sip of his beer. "She's a very special lady, that one." he added.
Alex reappeared all of a sudden. "You boys talking about me?" she asked them.
"I was just telling these two about the first time time I saw you naked. Good Lord! You were so beautiful...I wanted to take you home right then and there!" Charlie quipped.
Alex laughed. "Yeah, but you were married, Charlie! And I was a BABY...it never would have worked out." she said playfully. "Stop talking about me." she told them before walking away again.
"You knew her when she was a child?" Neal asked him
"Yep. I knew her...I knew her parents...I knew her grandparents." Charlie replied "Like I said...she and I go way back." he added. "Now, what can I do for you boys?" he asked them.
"We need your help to 'move' things." Mozzie replied.
"Do I look like I can do heavy lifting at my age?" Charlie said sarcastically.
"You know what we mean." Mozzie said. "Normally, Alex would do it for us, but she already turned us down." he added.
Charlie raised his eyebrow at the mention of Alex. Not a lot of people on the island knew her by that name. "Yep...you know these recovering grifters...biggest addicts of them all. Any sign of temptation and they're scared they might fall off the wagon. She's just trying to keep her nose clean." he told Mozzie.
"Alex is out of the business?" It was Neal's turn to ask.
"Yeah. Last job she did was to fulfill her grandfather's dying wish. She's been out of the game ever since." Charlie replied. "Why are you so interested in her, Blue Eyes?" he asked Neal.
"We're just making conversation." It was Mozzie who answered.
"I don't like it when people get too inquisitive." Charlie warned them.
"Alex trusts us." Neal told him.
"Hah! I doubt it! I can count with one hand the number of people that girl trusts in this world other than her parents." Charlie said. "Which would be her grandpa Michael, her grandma Sadie, our good friend Hale, the other one is ME, and last but not the least...HERSELF. Count it...one, two, three, four, five. Five people she trusts other than her mom and dad. None of them are the two of you." he snapped at them.
"You knew Hale?" Mozzie inquired. "We're good friends with Hale as well." he told Charlie.
Charlie remained silent for a while, a lump caught in his throat. When he found his voice again, he continued. "Then you should know that he's dead. He was murdered during a job he did as a favor for a couple of friends. Boy, when I find my hands on those sons of bitches who got him killed..." he let his voice trail off.
There was silence for a while. It was Neal who spoke first. "WE are the sons of bitches who got Hale killed." he confessed, earning a glare from Mozzie.
"But it was totally out of our hands!" Mozzie added.
Charlie then abruptly stood up from his seat and was about to walk out, if it weren't for Alex getting in his way. She caught him just in time before he headed out the door. She saw the scowl on his usually friendly face.
"Hey, what's going on?" Alex asked Charlie, her hand pressed to his chest.
"I can't be here. I can't work with those two!" Charlie told her. "You knew about them and Hale. Why didn't you tell me?" he asked her.
"Because I know how you'd react." Alex replied.
"Are those two who I think they are?" Charlie asked again.
"Yes." Alex answered.
"And Blue Eyes, he's..." Charlie let his voice trail off.
"Yes." Alex replied again.
"Aw, hell, Firecracker!" Charlie exclaimed. "You trust these two?" he asked.
"Not as far as I can throw 'em." Alex answered.
"Then why are you doing this?" he asked her.
"Because HE is a huge part of my past that I want to forget, Charlie." Alex admitted. "And the sooner you help them, the sooner they can be on their way out of the island, and out of my life." she added.
"You trying to convince me, or yourself?" Charlie pressed. Alex remained silent. "Fine! If it's really that important to you, Firecracker..." he said.
"So, you'll do it?" Alex asked.
"Of course, I'll do it! Like I could ever say no to those beautiful, big brown eyes!" Charlie confessed.
Alex gave him a quick hug, and they both walked back to the bar, where Neal and Mozzie were waiting patiently.
"Hey, Joliet, Elwood...listen up!" Charlie spoke up.
"Actually, it's Victor and Bob." Mozzie interrupted him.
"I don't give a shit." Charlie told him. "I will help you with your little problem, but my assistance does NOT come cheap." he told Neal and Mozzie. "Twenty-three percent...that's my cut." he revealed.
"Wait...what?" Mozzie asked.
"You heard me." Charlie replied.
Neal and Mozzie looked to Alex for more support. She just threw her hands up. "Hey, I've done all I can to help. The rest is up to you." she told them before she walked away.
"That's a little high! How about-" Mozzie tried to reason with him.
"Twenty-three percent." Charlie cut him off. "Take it or leave it. It's my first and final offer. It's not up for renegotiation." he concluded.
"Why twenty-three percent?" Neal asked curiously.
"I like Michael Jordan." Charlie replied flatly. "Look...it's a not nearly enough considering Firecracker had to pull me out of my vacation in the French Riviera in order to help you two." he told them.
"You live on a beach island resort. There's plenty of sand and water outside. You can continue you're vacation there." Mozzie pointed out.
"It's raining outside in case you haven't noticed." Charlie replied.
"They have rain in the French Riviera." Neal said.
"They speak French in the French Riviera." Charlie pointed out.
"We could speak to you in French." Mozzie suggested.
"You have bumps in the wrong places, buddy." Charlie replied. "You two cut my vacation short. Now you must pay. Twenty-three percent." Charlie reiterated.
Neal and Mozzie deliberated in a whispered discussion. Finally, Mozzie spoke up. "We've considered your offer carefully, and decided that we'll take it." he informed Charlie.
"Good. Now, buy me a drink and we'll talk about the specifics." Charlie told them.
Neal saw Alex out of the corner of his eye. She was on her way out, trying to sneak away unnoticed. "I'll leave the two of you to discuss the specifics." he excused himself and left the bar.
Neal followed Alex outside and found her under one of he sheds, gazing upon the horizon. "It's still raining." Neal said, breaking into her thoughts. "It hasn't stopped since that night you left. Well, at least it's just a little drizzle now." he continued.
"It's like what my grandma used to say...If you want rainbows, you have to learn to quit your whining and just put up with the rain." Alex told him.
She turned around and walked towards the side of the lounge. There were a few boxes in there and Alex proceeded to pick one up. Neal noticed that she winced a little, so he decided to help.
"Here, let me get that for you." Neal offered.
"It's alright. I got it." Alex said.
Neal insisted, and grabbed the other boxes from her. "You take half, I'll take half." he negotiated.
"Fine." Alex relented, before she proceeded to walk away, the rain beginning to drench her. She turned around and saw that Neal wasn't moving. "Well, let's get a move on." she urged him.
"It's raining." Neal pointed out.
"Yeah, well...I've been through so much shit in my life, a little fall of rain can hardly hurt me now." she told him. "Come on...quit being a big baby." she said.
Neal smiled and followed her. "This is nice. Now we can talk." he told her. Alex remained silent. "You promised me we'd talk when you get back." he reminded her.
"Whatever." Alex replied, as she continued walking.
"Are we going to the Children's Village?" Neal inquired. Alex looked at him with surprise. "It's okay. We know." he told her.
"Lima's been blabbing." Alex said.
"She happens to like me and Mozzie." Neal told her.
"She obviously needs to have her head examined." Alex replied.
"She has nothing but good things to say about you. As a matter of fact, this whole island seems to have a lot of respect for you...especially Lastri and those kids from the Children's Village." Neal told her.
"Try not to faint from the shock, Caffrey." she retorted.
"So, what's in these boxes?" Neal inquired.
"This one has a couple of nebulizers, for a few of the kids who have asthma." Alex revealed. "That ones you're carrying are for the kid's wishlists...shoes, clothes, art supplies, candies. You know, just to reward them for being good." she continued.
"You're like their own private Santa Claus." Neal chuckled.
"I do what I can to help." Alex replied, as she winced again from the pain in her back.
Neal wanted to help her with the boxes she was carrying, but decided against it, knowing how headstrong Alex can be. He just continued to observe her. "Be honest. Did Colin do this to you" he asked her.
"Colin? God, no! Colin couldn't swat a fly if he needed to." Alex denied.
"What happened to you then?" he pressed.
"Like I said, it was a work related accident. Occupational hazard." she answered.
"What exactly do you do for a living nowadays, Alex?" he questioned her.
"That's another story for another time, Caffrey." she answered mysteriously.
Neal decided to let that subject drop. "So...Colin's a good guy then?" he changed the topic.
"Yes, he is." Alex answered. "He's not perfect." she added.
"Are you in love with him?" Neal asked.
"I go through the motions of being in love whenever I'm with him." she replied with honesty.
"That's not the same thing." Neal pointed out.
"It's what works for us. It's what works for me. I see him, I get excited. I miss him when he goes away. Lather. Rinse. Repeat." Alex confessed.
"You deserve more. You deserve better." Neal told her.
"Yeah, well...that's all I'm allowed to have at the moment." Alex replied. She paused in front of the rundown building of the Children's Village. "We're here. Thanks for the help." she told Neal and quickly dismissed him, and went inside the building. Neal followed closely behind her.
There were a few loud squeals, and then they were greeted by a group of kids moments later. Alex was surprised that the children knew Neal as well. Neal just smiled at her. Alex ignored him and just paid attention to the children.
The kids were overjoyed to have Alex back. They thanked her for the gifts. No one was more grateful than Lastri, who was very appreciative of all the supplies Alex brought. Neal and Alex watched as the children opened their presents, and were delighted to see the joy in their eyes. Afterwards, Neal and Alex took turns in teaching arts and crafts to the kids. Neal gave them more drawing lessons, while Alex taught them the art of origami.
Neal observed Alex, as she was now reading a story to the children. He smiled when he saw all of them paying strict attention to her every word. Then he noticed a scene from outside the window. The rain had finally stopped. He gazed upon the horizon, and something else captured his attention. It was a rainbow that formed in the clouds, and it was a thing of beauty. His smile grew wider when he recalled what Alex said earlier.
This rainbow was most definitely worth all the rain. Neal thought, as he focused his attention back on Alex.
~END OF CHAPTER THREE~
FOOTNOTES :
*For my new readers, please be advised that I can't write chapters to save my life. So, if this chapter seems a lot longer than the others, that's the reason.
*For those who asked...Yes Peter will be in this story...LATER.
*In my head, Charlie Knight is the opposite of Hale. Hale was a gentleman...I imagine Charlie to be more of a rogue. I wrote him with the voice of Sam Axe inside my head.
*Alex may or mat not have a secret...it may or may not involve Neal...Charlie may or may not know about it. Stay tuned.
*Thanks for reading this chapter. If you liked it please feel free to leave kudos and comments.