The group slowly lowered their empty glasses. One with a couple of ideas prowling his mind.
- So- Samuel leaned against the chair- A fifth for each one.
- ¿One fifth?- She looked at him- ¿Do you have someone else?
- We are four at the table, and Elena ... Mathematics ...
- I do not want anything. The little information I gave to you was a favor.
- It is relative, in the ground, all will have the same.
- ¿Ground? I'm not going…
- Sam... - He stopped his brother- We said we'd come just for information. You know that she's out of this.
- Well- He sat back, looking at her- I never said I was going to do that. Also I came there to convince her.
- Typical...
- I'm not going- She repeated.
- A fifth will left over you to upholster Thailand with hospitals and schools.
- That will not make me go...
- ¿You're worried about what? ¿How dangerous it is? It is normal, and we have no competition.
- ¿Have you seen my fitness? ¿Do you think that I can climb the same as you? I could not scale well with fifteen years, much less in my forty-three.
- It's not important, I do not think it's that complicated. And keep in mind that you can really retire. We all will. It is... our last adventure.
- Yeah right... You said that so many times...
- This time it's serious. Also, you said it today, Nathan is already retired, Victor should be retired time ago, and I have much luck. And I want to use that Little extra luck to make this last adventure together before each one get lost in his exciting life iron the clothes in weekends and mowing the lawn in summer...
- You say that like home life was awful...
- It's not, but surely you must miss the landscapes, puzzles, thinking how to spend certain points, the adrenaline, nerve...
Edna looked at him, as if deep inside her, a doubt began to grow thanks to the machiavellian words of Drake.
- Listen- Sam patted her hand- We give you a part, even if you stay here. And if you go, is not that you're going to throw youself in the largest abyss we find, you just go like... support, if we don't see something obvious, or need a dog. You do not even have to decide now. We are going in two days, at midday, so you sleep on it...
The woman looked away. He knew the eyes of Samuel and how easy it could change her mind.
The rest of the dinner ended with the same quiet and familiarity with which they had begun.
In his small log cabin, Edna went to bed, with the mind lost in the ceiling. She was not felt that way in years. So happy, light and fully alive. So nervous and confused. After fifteen years, she had almost forgotten why she saw, in the Drake brothers, a family.
It was obvious that after all this time, Nathan was no longer his little brother. But under his new seriousness married, his muscles, his mature eyes, was still his little brother.
And Samuel was no longer his almost older brother and mentor. Much less with his extra scars, his years, his new wrinkles, its slightly more serious behavior after so long in prison.. But it was still his family.
Still he loved them, of the most pure and innocent way. At lest, with Nathan.
And what he had said, haunted her eyes. In something, he was right, she missed the adventures with them, the taste of nerves, sleeping in shifts, hide in impossible holes, discovering mysteries and landscapes. In the depths of his soul she wanted to live that last tour with them.
She sighed, settling into bed. He tries to sleep and lets her mind would give the answer tomorrow.
It was early, the three travelers had risen a while and were having breakfast in a lousy table of his cheap hotel room. Eating breakfast and planning the next steps, passports, false papers, the usual.
The youngest of the brothers felt his phone vibrate, so he lit, and smiling him a moment later.
- Sam...- Nathan approached the pone to him.
His brother took it and looked at the screen. It was a message Edna.
"I curse the persuasiveness of your brother. Tracker dog in"
As always, she was not in favor of giving too much information by other ways were not face to face. If necessary, always he wrote with multiple senses. But for them it was clear. She was the tracker dog, and joined the cause.
He smiled wide and blissfully, returning the device.
-Aha- Victor said, watching his face- Obviously Edna joined us. It seems that Cupid kicked him in the face...
- By the way... - Nathan approached to his brother- I guess you know that this is the perfect opportunity for you to tell her...
- I know... - He got serious, and he leaned on the Wall- But I do not know if I can do it...
- Sam... The planets virtually lined up. She still single, we will seek an epic adventure, you already acted like a medieval knight, just need to tell you face to face.
- I know... And that's what frightens me.
- It almost seems that you avoid doing it...
- ¿Do you think I like being alone, without Edna?- He looked at him with a slight bitterness- I have spent almost half of my life loving her. But I know that if I approached her as a friend, I will always have a welcome. I do not want to tell the truth and feel the rejection... That destroy me.
- Sorry to intrude- Victor said- But... ¿Do not you think she still lonely because is waiting for you?
- Do not make fun of me ¿Ok?- Samuel huffed.
- I'm serious, man. ¿During dinner? You did not notice, but the chemistry between you is more than obvious. ¿His way to emphasize his search for a thinking partner? ¿Do you think she knows many men who can be a library rat? In that table were maybe the only three thinkers from all over Thailand. Nate is married, I'm not his guy ... But you ...
- Sure, Sure- He walked around the room.
- And there is more. When you showed up. The hug she gave to you was not friendly, the way he the way she fought back tears, neither was, the way in which she broke her heart when she saw you came here for information before for her, neither was friendship.
- And there is something none of you saw- Nathan said- How she cried when I said you were dead. Sam... I had to hold her, I had to stay to make sure she does not kill herself... Remember that also that makes me think about how you could react if you found out that she is dead.
- Once I think in that... Samuel smiled, with wet eyes- ¿You know? I had come out of prison, and I take a day to imagine the news that Edna had died. I cried like a fucking baby... And... My throat closes... when I remember.
- Anyway you have to tell her- Victor lit a cigar- You do not want to grow old, wondering what had happened. Also, if we end this and you don't tell her, possibly our roads will go to different places, and maybe you don'r find her...
The oldest Drake sat, slowly, sighing. His brother stood next, putting his hand on his shoulder.
- You have the trip to collect balls- Nate told him- If the time where we have to say goodbye, you don't say it, I will.
- You don't even think about it- He muttered.
- Edna's my friend too. He deserves to know the truth. And... so you'll be forced to tell you.
Samuel looked at the floor. No doubt that his brother was going to do. His watch had begun to run, and the march was back in play. Edna would know when the counter reached zero, no matter how told her.