The sounds echoed in darkness... Footsteps... Voices! They would arise and fade away... Light... A blinding light... Darkness... The blinding light, the air, the white room... Jack was revived...
He remembered the vial, the prison, his death... And now everything was white... Slowly small patches of color started forming shapes, blurred... The sounds buzzed in his head...
- Jack! Jack, can you hear me?
He turned his head. Behind the nurse he saw MeXico lying on the operating table. Jack got up. He ignored the "please lay down, you are very fragile" warnings and approached MeXico.
Three doctors were next to him, one injecting adrenaline, into his I.V., the other reading the monitor and finally one applying a defibrillator on his chest. Every time the doctor said "clear" MeXico would shake violently. Only to then go back into his death.
- We can't get his heart to start. He has been dead for to long.
- Triple the adrenaline, and double the voltage.
Jack grabbed hold of MeXico's shoulders, shook him and shouted:
- Wake up man, fuck, please wake up.
- Clear.
Jack was tossed over a supporting table, throwing hundreds of surgical instruments on the floor. Still trembling from the shock he got up. MeXico was repeatedly being fibrillated.
After about five attempts the monitor started twitching.
-Fuck, is he alive? -Asked Jack in a rough voice?
- Yeah man, I think I'm here.
- I thought I had lost you man.
- Not yet. Not yet.
A third voice interrupted their conversation.
- Sorry to interrupt your moment, but we have to go.
Kate was speaking from the entrance of the small hospital. Still a bit dizzy they both walked after her. She exited the campaign hospital though the back door. Her jeep was parked a few meters outside, with an armed guard leaning next to it. As soon as he saw them exiting the hospital, he got up and stopped them.
- You cannot take these two out of here.
- I need to take them to another hospital in Semara.
- They look fine. You not go!
From behind the guard, a doctor grabbed him, and gently injected something into his neck. His eyes rolled as he fell face down.
Jack quickly took his gun and got into the back seat of the jeep. The others followed him. Kate took the wheel and drove out of the city into the Saharan desert. Two other jeeps joined them. Jack took hold of the automatic gun, put his torso out the window, aimed, and was going to start shooting. Kate screamed from the front.
- Don't shoot, don't shook, they are with us.
MeXico, grabbed Jack and pulled him back in.
- They are with us.
- Oh, good. I was going to shoot them to a pulp. Where are we going? - Kate replied without taking her eyes off the trail.
- We are going to meet some nomads. - And where is the plane?
- It's there. The president had it stationed there. And we can't go through the main roads because of the police. They will know about our little escape and will put everyone after us. Not even mentioning Interpol. Because when they get here, our chances of escaping will get even thinner. Paul, are you there? How are you feeling?
- I'm, I'm still a bit knocked out.
Kate continued.
- We need a safe way to get out of this country. Do you know anyone with influence here?
- The only person I knew was the fucker who sold us out.
- We will have to fight our way out then.
The doctor in the front seat turned to them. Looked at MeXico.
- Here man, put this under your tongue. You'll be better in a second. Paul took the pill.
After a half day of driving in silence Jack asked.
- Kate, so you're gonna be hunted down for helping us escape. You do realize that don't you?
- Yes, I know. I have some other business to attend to in Europe.
MeXico joined the conversation.
- So, Nomads you say?
- Yes, I know some of them. They usually take their children to our hospitals. They owe me some favors. They will gladly help us.
- Even knowing we are wanted and that they would get a good wager in money if they would hand us to the cops?
- As you will get to know, in the desert, money isn't everything. Food and water are way more important. These nomads have got all the money they need. And trust me it's not that little.
Nightfall was approaching. The small nomad camp started appearing in the horizon. Kate stopped next to the grand chief who was waiting for them. Before she left the car, she advised them.
- Let me do the talking, and don't take the gun out of the jeep.
She walked up to him. They chatted for a few minutes. She hugged him and waved them to go by her.
- Ahmed said he would take us tomorrow morning.
- Cool.
- Now, myself and another doctor are going to stay with you. But the rest of my team has to return the jeeps. Like that, they can tell the police they came after us to hunt us down.
- For what?
- So the blames will stay with me only and my team can continue doing their service. If they don't do this, the government would deny the MSF working in Morocco.
- OK.
- What about the gun? - MeXico asked.
- Don't even think about it. These nomads are pacifists. If they saw the gun they would not help us.
- Fine.
The night fell over the small camp. They ate, drank some wine, and smoked some xixa's. After dinner, the nomad men lit a fire. Everyone gathered around the fire smoking. MeXico turned to Kate.
- Can you ask them if they have some whiskey? I would kill for some...
Ahmed, who was near heard hi replied.
- My friend Paul, I don't have any whiskey, but I can get you some Gin.
- Well, I guess that will have to do. Thank you. Jack, do you want some? No, I don't really dig Gin.
Ahmed started talking to MeXico, and the conversation soon gave way to some Moroccan poker game. He was having fun with the nomads. Jack, who was getting dizzy with the smell of incense got up and said he was going for a walk.
- Don't linger out to far my friend. The desert is a tricky place.
- Thanks Ahmed, I think I will be fine.
Jack walked out of the camp, and into the darkness of the desert. He saw the dunes cutting through the dim light cast by the moon. He walked to them. Just before he got to the edge of the dune he looked back. The camp was now just a small spark of light in the darkness.
- Solitude at last.
Jack lay on the dune. His eyes contemplating the moon. The desert wind would throw sand over him. He could not think of anything. His mind was empty.
His moment of introspection was interrupted... A bottle of whiskey fell on the floor next to him. It got half buried in the sand. Jack turned his face and saw Kate.
- Can I trash your lonely party?
- You've brought the booze, feel free to but in.
Kate laid next to him. In the same position. She opened the bottle, took a sip and passed it on to Jack. He drank some. The rough taste burned his throat.
- MeXico told me your story.
Jack smiled.
- How did you manage? Fifteen years alone.
- It was kind of peaceful.
- Weren't you lonely?
- I guess so. But I always found something to do. I had a great motivation to go.
- What was that?
- I lost faith in mankind. I needed some solitude. And when I got it, I was addicted to it.
Jack had some more whiskey.
- How are you feeling?
- For someone who was dead some hours ago, I think I'm fine.
- Whiskey isn't very good for you, you know!
- Walking alone in the desert isn't good for you either.
They both giggled. Kate reached for the bottle. Before she took it from Jack's hand, she made it so her hand stayed over Jack's. Her skin was soft, silky. She slowly took his hand off the bottle. The warmth of her hand made Jack recall Caroline, and all the pain she had caused.- Drinking is also dangerous for you.
- Jack, don't patronize me.
- You think I'm deranged for having gone to space. What about you, a promising medical career, and you are in Morocco.
- I like danger.
They giggled once again. Kate got up, released her hair. And laid her head over Jack's chest. She pointed at the sky.
- So you've been there?
- Indeed, for a long time.
- So, what star is that?
- That's actually not a star. It's a planet.
- Let me guess.
- Go on.
- Mercury.
- No, its Venus.
- Wasn't Venus a goddess? Why did her name land up on a planet?
- All the planets of our solar system are named after gods.
- Witch one is your favorite?
- Well, I would say Neptune.
- He's the god of the Oceans right?
- Yes.
- Why Neptune?
- Up there. - He pointed.
- My room window always pointed to earth, and the first thing I would recognize was the Pacific.
Jack had some more whiskey.
- Well, I think that I should get back to camp. We are leaving very early.
- Jack, I brought some blankets and a pillow for us, if you wouldn't mind. I have never spent a night under the stars in the desert.
- Well, the incense down there kind of makes me dizzy, and it's been a while since I've slept under the stars. Yeah, let's stay here.
She placed a blanket on the sand. Lit the edge of a petrol torch and placed it next to them. They laid down, she placed another blanked over them.
Jack got up and poured some petrol around them on the sand, drawing a circle.
- The light from the torch will keep big animals away, but only the smell of petrol will keep away insects, like scorpions.
- And to think that you were only an astronaut.
- Technically I'm not. An astronaut is someone that goes to space and comes back. I was forced back.
- What about that star? - Kate pointed at the brightest star.
- That's Sirius.
- You are like an encyclopedia of the stars.
Jack laughed and had another sip of the whiskey.
- So, you know everything about me, I think. How about you? What's your life's story?
- Well, I... - Kate took another sip at the bottle.
- I was born in London. Lived my youth there. I took up a medicine degree in London. I worked there as a doctor. I had a fiance, but then things went south, so I gave up my stable life and joined the MSF. I first went to Angola, where I met MeXico. And then I came to Morocco, and have been here ever since.
- I bet you met MeXico in an awkward situation.
- How do you know?
- That guy is always attracted to problems.
- He carries a big cross. And he has a big nemesis. I met him in the north of Angola. A war had started and he gave me a boat ride to Europe. If it wasn't for him I wouldn't be alive. All my colleagues were killed. I kind of owe him my life. That's why I risked everything today for him.
Kate snuggled herself closer to Jack. He could feel her warmth against his chest.
He picked up the whiskey and finished it off.
- Ah well, lets get to sleep.
Kate hugged him, and approached his face. Against the dusk sky Jack looked at her. Her bright green eyes stood out as two flames. The long eyelashes and the carved cheeks, perfectly symmetric drew a beautiful face. The blond hair, that reached her shoulders gave her a rebel look. Her lips hid her perfectly white teeth. She was smiling at him. He didn't resist. They kissed. It was a long, warm kiss. He opened his eyes. She stopped kissing and smiled again.
- You smell like peaches. -He said.
- And your Mr., you smell like booze.
They snuggled again. She was breathing deeply. The moment was intense. Jack had not felt love for many years. His broken soul was being mended.
Daylight was breaking when they fell asleep, under the stars.
The blazing sun heated them up. Jack woke up. Kate had been sleeping on his chest the whole night.
- Wake up sleeping beauty. The sun is going to melt you up.
- What a beautiful sunrise.
MeXico was dismantling a tent. He had a cowboy hat on. As soon as he saw Jack he started.
- Oh look, here comes the love bird.
- Can it asshole. Like the hat by the way. It brings out the worst in you.
MeXico laughed.
- I won it yesterday. I think I drained these Nomads of Gin.
Minutes after each one was given a camel and some turbans. They traveled in the middle of the convoy near Kate. The landscape didn't change for hours. Dunes of sand would appear after another. A satellite phone rang. Kate took it out of her pouch. She spoke for some minutes. After she ended the call she phoned someone else. Her face became pale. She put the phone away and hid her face.
- Kate, what's wrong?
- They killed everyone in the MSF. The president issued a man hunt to every doctor of our organization. Only Mumbla survived. He ran away to Mauritania. It's all my fault. I have to get to South Africa. And then back to England.
Jack and MeXico comforted her. She was desolated.
Night started falling and the convoy stopped. Some tents were assembled for the night. Because of the man hunt, some nomads took turns to watch over the camp site. Jack, MeXico and Kate where having some supper when Ahmed approached them.
- Dear guests, tomorrow, at noon, we leave you. We can go no further. I have organized a car for you to get into Guelmim. We can not go with you. I will pray to the sand gods to lead you in the right path. We start the rest of the journey at five a.m..
- Thanks you Ahmed. - They replied all at once.
Jack and Kate were given a private tent. After dinner everyone went to bed. Jack and MeXico had a cigarette before entering the tents.
- It's gonna be tight tomorrow. We cant just hijack a plane from the runway.
- I know. But it's our only hope. If we get to Umbraq without the goods we are as good as dead.
- We don't eve know if the Moroccan's haven't got rid of them.
- Yeah, we don't, but it's worth a try.
MeXico flicked his cigarette and entered the tent. Jack did the same. He laid next to Kate. She was in shambles. He held her, as they fell asleep..
Morning came as usual. A wave of heat woke him up. The Nomads gathered everything and started moving. Noon came quickly. Ahmed came up to them and said goodbye. A jeep approached. Jack, Kate, MeXico and the other doctor got in. They thanked Ahmed for everything and set off.
MeXico was at the wheel, and Jack in the back.
- Look, Ahmed got someone to fill the car with guns.
- Good, it gives us a fighting chance.
- Does anyone know what kind of airport Guelmim's is?
The doctor replied.
- It's a regional one. It has only one flight inbound every day. And it's at night. I think that it might just have military guarding your plane.
MeXico grinned.
- Good, so we might just make it. What's you name, I never kind of got it?
- Rashid.
- Rashid. Have you ever handled a gun before?
- Yes. I was in the army.
- Good.
MeXico accelerated as Jack prepared the guns. The main roads were avoided. MeXico stopped the jeep next to the airport.
- Look, the plane is pointed in the right direction and everything.
- We just don't know if it's refueled.
Kate spoke with a very dim voice.
- It is. The president is going to the USA tonight with it. He was summoned. I don't know why.
- Good!
- So everyone knows what they have to do, right?
- Right. Let's go.
They got out of the jeep. Jack and Kate sneaked to the runway, while MeXico and Rashid ran to the control center.
The plan was simple. While Rashid exploded a grenade near the control tower, MeXico would sneak in and take out the controllers and Jack would get into the plane to start it up.
Jack and Kate waited for the explosion. It was taking a long time. Finally a loud bang sent shock waves through the airport. All the military ran to it, they moved in. Only one guard was in the plane. Jack took him out easily. They both sat down in the pilot seats.
- It's filled.
He started running tests. Everything was checking out.
-OK! We're ready.
Rashid climbed in.
- Let's go.
- Where's MeXico?
- I saw him after the explosion. He was in the control tower. I saw him on the phone.
Hundreds of sirens and gunfire flooded the air. The backup was arriving.
- Fuck.
Jack ran to the cockpit. Instructed her how to maneuver. And started the engines.
The plane started moving forward slowly. Rashid, who was looking out of the plane thought the stairs shouted.
- It's MeXico, he's coming.
MeXico was running down the runway with a gun, occasionally looking backwards and shooting at the remaining guards running after him. He ran as fast as he could. He finally grabbed Rashid's hand and was pulled aboard.
Jack shouted from the cockpit.
- We're not going to make it, they've got cars and lightweight tanks catching up on us.
MeXico replied in a gasp.
- Oh no they wont.
He showed them a detonator.
- Good bye fuckers.
He pressed a button. A series of explosions took place behind them. Jack pulled the lever forwards, the plane picked up speed and they were airborne.
- Fuck we made it. What a fucking close call.
Kate was laughing with tear in her eyes. She got up from her seat and kissed Jack.
- So MeXico, where to now?
- Jack, before that. I've got some bad news...
1 comentário:
One of the best chapters, turning point to Jack.
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