Evening meal finished and time for her stroll on deck but it was different. Talib had been instructed to handcuff her for their stroll and when reaching the deck, Annie saw The African Star had reached the end of Suez Canal and could see in the near distance Port Fuad on the Sinai Peninsula side. The ship was making a turn - docking type realignment and without thinking she saw her opportunity.
Annie hit the water feet first and sank beneath the surface, then rose. She was able to grasp a small floating timber and hang on; after all she wasn't ready to die. She had too much unfinished business to live for as long as Joseph Nielson still existed. Annie wouldn't be done with the no-good asshole until she had once and for all put an end to Lexington Global and Nielson. She heard a loud splash, and as she looked back she saw Talib had falling into the water as well. The lad had followed her, she thought with a wry smile. But Talib hit the water poorly and as he surfaced Annie noted that he appeared unconscious. The churning current from the ship's propellers seized the young boy and tossed him about as Annie herself hung tightly to her lumber for dear life. She watched in disbelief that Talib would jump after her and now his lifeless body being thrown about in the murky waters. Trying to reach him but to no avail, her shackled hands were a hindrance but not totally debilitating.
Shouting from the side of the ship and Annie was sure she heard a single gunshot; the bullet missing her head as she swiftly ducked under water to slip beneath the timber. Raising her head ever so gradually on the other side of the timber, using it as her wooden shield she look back at the ship. Still seeing two men with rifles standing at the rail; her only hope was to quickly make it to shore. As the canal widened the current lessened a bit and Annie was able to begin to maneuver herself toward the bank. This was not the first time she had escaped via a swift river - oh yes she remembered very first time was upon leaving Vitsyebsk, Belarus for a Russian prison chasing after an asset that had been held for murder. That had been a piece of cake and she could do it again, just remember to breath. She was now beginning to feel the bottom and could slowly move closer to the shore. Sore and battered but she was certain she had no broken bones.
There was a bend, a pocket or small inlet where a lot of detritus had collected in this part of the canal. The way the current was flowing it was almost like a cleaning pool for the canal's floating waste and when she looked back at Talib she saw he had caught in a swift eddy of it, slamming suddenly into low-hanging branches and rocks, catching his body with a jerk. The water pulled at him but the limbs held him tight. Annie thought she could go back and rescue him but it would be putting her life in danger and for all she knew the lad was already dead.
Taking another look at Talib she saw where a gunshot had found its mark, blood covered his head. Talib must have been shot while on deck and that would account for the strange way he had fallen into the water. Poor lad, his life taken because he helped Annie. She felt a sharp pain of remorse, repentance because of her another life had been so brutally taken, a life just starting that of a young teenager. Something happened to Annie, a strange feeling of guilt started sweeping over her because in some way she felt responsible. It was a feeling because her act of impulsiveness that one of the good guys lost - collateral damage. Was she ready to accept the atrocious demise of others just because of her job? Another question to haunt her in the many unyielding nightmares that were now part of her life.
Reaching the bank, she slowly climbed out of the water and began limping quickly away from the canal, into the bordering tall marsh grasses, hoping to escape. Night would be soon and she had to get her bearing, move northward toward Port Fuad and hope to find help. Considering herself lucky if that is what she could call it, Talib had given her a pair of his jeans and shirt which she was wearing, leaving her dress and stilettos in the cabin but only wear socks, no shoes. The sand was soft beneath her feet and she found a spot where she could wait until dark but without a flashlight she should wait until the next morning. As night fell so did the temperature, she became chilled with her damp clothes and sleep was totally out of the question.
Now in the darkness of night with only herself, cold and her thoughts turned to why she was there, without much hope and only her wits to get her through. Eyal had once told her she was an amazing woman but was she truly. Yeah, maybe she had turned into a harden spy but was that wanted she really wanted. Two years ago she had run from the potential of what she could have with Eyal and run straight into the arms of Auggie Anderson, someone who she thought represented safety, security and her wishful normal life. She had been conditioned from childhood to believe that as a professional and intelligent woman she could have it all - but could she? Being a spy meant giving up everything close to her, Danielle and her only family for what, the great good of her country. Yeah she loved her country but by no means was she a patriot for the cause - just an average citizen that found herself in the CIA ranks because she had fallen in love with one Ben Mercer.
Shifting herself to a more comfortable spot, her mind slipped back to London and the beginning of the mission, her beginning to reinvent herself and being with Eyal on day-to-day bases. She couldn't help but think about something he had said while they were standing in an antique shop. 'This will be my first true gift to you in hopes of many more, or a lasting memory of what we had or could have had.' What were behind his words she never could guess, if only she had quested him more. Eyal was the only thing now in her life that she could turn to and she was in serious doubts of ever seeing him again. The fear of losing him was unbearable to her.
She closed her eyes and in her mind she could hear his voice calling to her, Neshema. The pet name she so loved to hear and if only she could hear it once more. Morning would be slow coming and for Annie, the long dark night proved to put some things in perspective for her and a few decisions made.
Eyal listing intensely to what Eliam was telling him. Mossad had picked up chatter from The African Star and a passenger had fallen overboard along with her steward and believed drowned.
"Did you say HER?"
"Yes, that's right. They did refer to the passenger as being a female. Do you think it is Nicole?" Eliam Chodorow was quick to answer Eyal.
"Give me all the details and the location of the ship."
"At the time of the event, the ship was located just south of Port Said and Port Fuad still in the canal. With a reported drowning, they will have to stop for an inquiry by the port authorizes. The body of the steward was last seen floating toward the Sinai Peninsula side of the canal. There is no transmission about the body of the female."
"That's because there is no dead body. Yes, I'm 100% sure it is Nicole. Get me all the satellite images of that time frame. Tell Rivka I'm on my time now and off duty. She will know why."
"Your asset means something more to you?"
"All of my assets are important to me and I'm going to get her. Rivka will surely lend support if I need it."
"You know the woman better that I do. Okay Eyal, I'll pass the word on to Rivka and you can also count on me to aid you. The satellite images are on their way to you as we speak."
"Thanks Eliam, I will keep in touch which is something I don't normally do."
"How well I know. Best of luck Eyal." Eliam disconnected.
Annie felt something nudging her as she slowly opened her eyes. It was a long stick or pole being held by a woman with a frown on her suntanned weathered face. The sun was just peeking above the marsh grasses and Annie ached all over her body. Had she really fallen to sleep... yes she must have and now very sore and stiff. She moved a bit away from the prodding stick and looked about, there were three of them, another woman and a boy, maybe in his early teens.
"Are you hurt?" The woman's heavy accented English voice cut through the early morning stillness.
"I don't think so. Where am I?" Annie trying to size up her new friends or where they foes.
"Good, we need to get moving before the tide reaches us. You are on the edge of the great salt marsh and the water is coming in fast." The woman motioning to the boy to help Annie to her feet.
Annie still trying to figure out if she was in danger or just good local people helping a mysterious handcuffed woman. What about these cuffs, she need to think of a convincing story... maybe just the truth would work. The two women wore the traditional head scarves but western style outerwear, jeans and short tunic. The other woman, the one that had not spoken handed her a cage like bucket filled with crabs and also with broken English, "Here, you carry these."
The group had been crabbing in early morning hours and each had two cages filled with their catch. On the end of one of the long poles hung a bright lantern and her guess was this was business for them. As she took hold of the cage, Anne was thankful she had been shackled with her hands in front, a sign of not being a dodgy harden criminal.
"We need to hurry, the bridge is not far." The first woman pointing in the direction they were to move. "Our boat is tied to the other side of the bridge."
A boat contemplated Annie, maybe she could steal the boat but that wouldn't work either, she still had no clue to where she was and her best bet was to remain with this group... at least for now. As they quickly walked along, the first woman started her questions, time for Annie to be at her best in believable story.
"Are you British or South African?"
"Neither, I'm French and why would you think I'm British?"
"Your shirt."
Annie for the first time looks in the printed label over the left pocket, 'The African Star, Durban, South Africa' and smiled. "Very good guess. I'm from Orléans, France and my name is Nicole." Annie seeing the woman was receptive to talking she continued. "I was not on that ship by choice."
"Well from the looks of you that must have been somewhat difficult swim. Where you pushed or did you jump?"
"You are quite the detective. I jumped." Annie being please with the conversation to this point but that all could change in a heartbeat. "What should I call you?"
"My sister here is Femi and her son is Masud and my name is Layla. It's good we happen along to find you, the marsh can be dangerous with all its wildlife about."
Femi speaking in Egyptian Arabic said something that Annie couldn't understand. Of all the languages she had mastered, Arabic was not one and she quickly decided that was her next task when she had free time, Greek and Arabic, both languages Eyal was the master of and she also wanted to learn. There, Eyal once more working his way into her thoughts. If indeed he was searching for her... well how would he find her in this waste land. The sun was casting a beautiful gold and orange glow over the marsh as the water picking up sparking hints of the colors. This might be waste land but in a most beautiful picturesque way.
"My sister wants to know why you are handcuffed."
"I was a captive, kidnapped from a funeral I was attending in South Africa. You see, I was a witness to a murder. Not a run of the mill type murder but a professional hit and I know who order the hit. My being kidnapped is to protect a very powerful man in Europe."
"That story is so unbelievable it must be true. Once we get back to the village, we will get rid of that shirt and get your head covered, cut that cuff and hope my brother-in-law can pick the lock when he gets home." Layla voice was sweeter than before, she believed Annie's story but what about the sister.
Femi now speaking in English, "Who is this all-powerful person? What is his name?"
"Joseph Nielson and he is the head of an organization with far reaching evil power, Lexington Global." For the first time in her spy career she was giving out more information then she had ever before but in her heart or maybe her sixth sense she knew it was the right move. Go with her gut feeling that these two women where her ticket back to France and the means of some safety.
The bridge was coming into sight and the boat, a flat bottom skiff perfect for navigating in shallow water and powered by a 35hp outboard motor, they could reach some speed with that size motor. Crossing the wooden bridge which connected two sand and grass flats divided by a fair size creek. Annie could tell the tide was fast raising the water level and she wonder how far inland they were from the Mediterranean Sea. They loaded the boat with their catch and the four found seats with Masud taking control of the motor, they quickly were skimming across the water heading in a northerly direction.
"Where are we headed?" Annie feeling more comfortable in asking questions.
"Translated into English it called Smallfish. A fishing village on the coast. That is home for us." Layla sitting next to Annie and scouting the area for something. Annie guess she was looking for any search party after her.
Once reaching the village, they dock at their own private pier, a small wooden pier with another boat moored there. The boat was a small size fishing vessel good for working the bay and parts of the sea. Unloading the crabs, Femi and her son transferred the crabs to a hand cart and they disappeared down the road.
"They have to steam the crabs and get them ready for shipping. We supply her father-in-law's fish market over at Port Fuad with fresh crab meat for the area restaurants. Come with me, we need to get you in different clothes." Layla pointing to a house across the road and near the pier.
"That should do it for the time being." Layla being proud of herself for cutting the shackle chain from Annie, freeing her hands. "Time to find some decent clothes for you. Your jeans are okay but that shirt has to be burned."
Layla went about looking through her clothes for a loose fitting top in a pretty blue paisley print and a head scarf also in blue. She showing Annie a shower stall, "Here is some soap and shampoo, need to wash away all that salt from you swim. I'll wash your jeans while you bathe."
The warm water did feel good to Annie's sore body and she noticed a few bruises. Her wrist were beginning to show some bruising as well from the metal cuffs but what the hell, she was alive. She took her time, allowing the warm water run through her hair and down her back and feeling totally drained. A nice long nap would be nice but she didn't dare to ask or even take the risk. Hot water about gone, Annie wrapped a large beach towel around her. She couldn't help but chuckle at the towel, a Blue Smurf with sunglass and a beach ball printed on the towel - a touch of home. Using another small towel to dry her hair, she ran her fingers through, untangling and fluffing out her damp locks. When she looked in a mirror there was a bruise on the side of her face at her jaw line and she remember hitting something hard when she had stumbled climbing out of the canal.
"It shouldn't be too long before your jeans are dry." Layla finding a pair of slippers for Annie, they were terry cloth flip-flops style with a thick rubber sole, good for outdoor wear too. Leaving Annie alone to dress, Layla wasn't gone for long. Returning with warm dry jeans and Annie was ready for whatever was next.
"Bet you are hungry. I have made some eggs and fish for you to eat. Hope you like it."
The meal was tasty, scramble eggs with tomatoes and fried fish, bread and hot tea. Annie couldn't believe how hungry she was and made short order of her breakfast, wanting more but wouldn't ask. Layla handed her another plate with more scramble eggs and pieces of green pepper and tomatoes, very close to a western omelet. Finishing her last bite of food, Annie held her cup of hot tea and smile at Layla.
"Thank you for all your kindness. You could have left me out there."
"You looked pretty helpless there in the grass and my guess you were in trouble. I was right. If this Nielson guy is looking for you, we have to get you to a safer place. My brother-in-law has a large sea-going fishing boat and is due in tonight. I'll talk to him about getting you to Israel, you should be able to find help there."
Israel was like music being sung by angels to Annie. "Yes that would be good, I know some people from there. May I ask you a question?"
"Go ahead."
"Why are you going to so much trouble to help me, a stranger and could well be a criminal."
"You are no criminal I'm sure of. I was once taken as a teenager to be sold into sex slavery and someone help me escape. I'm now, after all these years, repaying a debt to someone who remained nameless. I don't know, can't put my finger on it but there is something about you I like, you are more than a victim but a solider of some sort. A very brave person - you had to be in order to jump from a cargo ship. There is an aura about you, a sense of confidence and survival most women don't have. I may be wrong but don't think so, you are on a mission to get this Lexington Global and my bet is you will succeed."
"My mission is to get back to France." Annie being shocked at Layla's remarks and her being so right in all she had said.
"As you say." Layla standing, "Come with me and we need to help with the packing of the crab meat. I don't want to leave my sister too short-handed."