Thailand had always been a land of heat, moisture, forests, beautiful beaches, parties, and many poor settlements.
And Poowemna was no exception. It was the typical village of wooden houses, tucked among lush trees and ferns, with no apparent order.
The small school vae gave education to almost fifty children, from very small to almost teenagers, all too poor to have some means of transport to take them to the nearest town with a building like this.
Busy, with kids that kept running in free times, too crowded.
It was almost obvious that Edna had founded two schools. Schools had saved her from death.
The Drake brothers and Sullivan were taken to the tiny office of "director" for a Thai teacher, with adorable look and colorful clothes, to wait inside the enclosure. She would call the "director".
Nathan and Victor remained almost at the door, and Sam was nervous enough to walk inside the entire office, as if he were a caged tiger.
- For God's sake … Sam… - Looked Sullivan- You dizzy me, stop it.
- I think if I stop, I fainted… - He said.
- There you have an open window, breathe…
- Is Edna- Said Nate- As if you don't met her already.
- I know … - He stood still.
- Well… - He smiled.
Edna stopped at the door, looking at Nathan and Victor.
She was still her, with a little more age and weight. His soft brown hair loose and waves, caramel skin, freckles on her cheeks. His strange mix of Morocco and India carried in his blood, his face rough outline, firm and brown eyes, his weight had never been mild. But now he had put aside his normal attire practical high military content to use a relatively typical Thailand clothes, long and colorful.
With a huge smile she hugged her younger half-brother and the eccentric Sullivan.
And it was after that looked away, that hit Sam.
She approached quickly, to deal it a powerful embrace of the same size with which it received. Sam squeezed, framing a bright, happy smile.
Edna pulled back a little, watching him, trying to make sure that this was really his old friend.
- It 's been a while- He smiled at her- ¿Right?
The woman covered her mouth, hiding a grin emotional smile with a huge mirror of anguish badly repressed.
- Hey … - He smiled, taking her shoulders- Calm down … I'm not dead.
She gave him an awkward blow before hugging him again.
For Nathan, it did not seem strange. Both were very good friends until what happened in Panama. He himself was the one who approached Edna, after escaping, to tell him that Sam had failed. He had seen crumble into tears and and shut down his soul.
The woman, before that day, had always been enormously energy, positive and happy, things that had been extinct with his supposed death. He was the catalyst to stop the business, to take seriously, to see things from a perspective not only realistic but also more cautious.
And now she could return to hug him, as a miracle from the dead.
- God … - She murmured in her neck- I will should hit you until you die…
- Yes … I missed you too.
Shaareim gave him a light punch in the stomach, and then lay off more separate and quiet, but with one arm around his waist.
- Elena told me I would have visits- She looked at them- I thought it would only be Nathan …
- Well … we'll owed it … - Said the mentioned- If it was for our ideas, you also had stayed in Panama.
- It is fortunate that you always intuit endings like those- Sam put his arm around her shoulders.
- It's not intuition- She looked at him- It has a brain put on earth. You can be very insightful, but also live in fantasy … And you're here … Included Victor …
- We need your help with something … - Sullivan said.
- God …
Edna turned away from Sam, and she walked through the office rubbing his face.
- ¿What?- She say, obfuscated- ¿What kind of piece of masonry were dropped on your heads? After all, after Panama, half die after all, a few times ¿What kind of idiocy brings them back to the same? ¿You have not learned anything in fifteen years?
- Is something relatively simply- Sam was justified, relying on a table- And we would retire.
- ¡You were already retired! Nathan marriedwith Elena, Victor is semi-retired since he have the first white hair, and you, after all, should be appreciating the last of your nine lives before heading for more trouble.
- If we find it, we could live like kings-Victor said- It is simple, we know where it is … almost…
- We're a little lost really- Said the young Drake- We have the data, but we need an insightful look like yours.
Edna sighed, staring at the ceiling made of beams and straw.
- You came by a "keen eye"- Shehalf smiled- Not for me. Not to visit me for the first time in nearly twenty years … And if I assume, i will assume that you have thought of a dozen other "discerning eyes" before my … I mean, if you did not have that treasure, you will not return… Touching…
- Don't- Sam chided her, straightening up- I will not let you accuse me of being materialistic.
- Sure…
- First.
- ¿First what?
- You were the first person to crossed our minds when we think of a clever and loyal mind.
- Big change- She arched shoulders- I'm still a channel to something.
- ¿Do you think we did not want to come before? ¿That I did not want to come to greet you after leaving prison?
- It was Elena who told me you were alive … A year after finding out… Not you, neither Nathan nor Victor…
- And Elena was the only one who knew where you were. And Nathan said expressly that, ypu are out of business, out everything, you wanted to be alone, taht he did not give the information to anyone, you only wanted to have a life, turn away from the past, forget. He made it very clear, he repeats it to me until the fatigue. And I had to think hard, work hard.
- ¿Hard?
- To not come here. I know the kind of good-natured you are, I know you've been doing thousand works for the needy here, I know you've spent all your part in schools and hostels. And the things that happened in the past, the kind of memories that return just mention us … Your father … Morocco … And we knew that if you see us, that would be repeated. But if you help us with this, you will have a part … You can continue to save people …
- ¿And you think I remember my father and Morocco, only when I hear your names?- She looked him, sad- It is a daily cross, Sam, not circumstantial…
- But you said …
- I know what I said fifteen years ago- She interrupted him- I was still half hidden and terrified when Nate appeared with Rafe, hurt, broken, telling me that you had been shot in the escape… They took one way, I another, with you name added to my people and my family. I wanted to do something else and occupy my mind and not remember… Thing that never worked.
- Edna …
- Worse, you think I want to see you for the simple benefit of a part of the treasure, before see you affection…
- I am really sorry…- He approached her.
The woman grimaced in pain, while place her hand on her chest. Samuel immediately grabbed her, scared.