Paradox (21) by Alex Archer

Author:Alex Archer [Archer, Alex]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2011-01-12T07:00:00+00:00

“An excellent point, my dear,” Wilfork said. “‘No one here gets out alive,’ as the poet said.”

THE CHASING HISTORY’S MONSTERS crew, Levi and Annja brought their food back to their stall. The topic of conversation was the other twenty or so guests of the caravanserai.

“Seriously,” Annja said, “that’s something about the developing world you really find out when you spend enough time there—often the most villainous-looking people turn out to be the sweetest, most honest, generous people you could ever hope to meet in your life.”

“And you think those guys are like that?” Trish asked, looking skeptical.

“Well…no,” Annja said, assessing the other guests and going on her gut feeling rather than judging by appearance alone.

“I’m going to keep my hands clamped firmly on anything I don’t want to lose,” Jason said grimly.

“If I did that I might look as if I was inviting attention, if you know what I mean,”

Trish said.

“Are you still worried?” Hamid asked. He was showing a distressing tendency to loom up suddenly next to private conversations. Of course, Annja realized it was possible the man was just lonely. “Do not be afraid. If anyone molests you, just cry out and the Gypsies will come and hit them over the head and throw them out in the snow,” he said.

“Good to know,” Jason said.

They finished eating their food. Annja had definitely had worse. Then again, she spent a lot of her time in some fairly severe parts of the world.

Shortly after eating they all decided they were ready to turn in. Jason, Tommy and Levi had decided to share the cell at the back of the stal where they’d been hanging out. Trish headed up the stairs. Annja stayed down to do some stretching in a shadowed area of the big courtyard where she hoped she wouldn’t attract unwanted attention. The other occupants stayed within the scope of their own lamps—kerosene lanterns or battery-powered—and nobody seemed to notice her.

When she finished her workout she headed for the stairs at the corner of the yard. A voice suddenly called out. “Yo, Annja. Hold up.”

She stopped and turned. A familiar bald-headed silhouette strode toward her at what had become an equally familiar thrusting gait.

“It seems like you’ve been avoiding me,” Baron said. “What’s up with that?”

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