A spacious hotel room. Well furnished. A small chandler hung from the center of the ceiling. There was one bed at the corner with a clean white sheet on it. A glass top table surrounded by four wooden chairs. A fruit basket was on the table. The chairs were occupied by the gang members. No one was smiling. All looking grave. Very grave. The girl with flowy hair was Veronica by name. Near her was sitting Papa with almost no hair on his head. And opposite to them were sitting Papa's assistant duo. The taller and fairer one was Sebastian. The shorter and darker one, who had a scar on his left cheek, was Ronald. It was Veronica in her childhood while once playing with a knife gave that scar to Ronald who was tending to her at that time. Ronald was neither angry upon her nor sorry for himself after getting a cut on his cheek; rather he was proud of the scar. Whenever Ronald would smile and say, "I gave baby Nicki (short form of Veronica) my shining new knife out of curiosity, and she cut my cheek with it."
Then Sebastian would burst into laughter and say, "It was so much blood on your shirt."
Ronald would add, "I still have that shirt."
But today no one seemed in a cheery mood. They were all very serious. They were going to discuss about their next move.
At this time they heard a knocking at the door. Sebastian asked, "Who is it?"
Someone outside said, "Room service." A young man's gentle voice.
Sebastian went to the door. There was a tall boy with a boyish face with a trolley covered with a white sheet. On the trolley were all the elements for tea: a teapot, four cups, sugar cubes, a milk jar and few biscuits. Sebastian could not discern his age. He said, "We did not order anything."
The boy fumbled, "I do not know sir. Our manager asked me to bring tea for room no sixty eight. What should I do?
"Nothing. Leave it to me," Sebastian said and dragged the trolley inside and shot the door on the waiter's face. He did not like cute faced boys. Besides he seemed an amateur. He liked confident men with rough features. He pulled the trolley inside and asked, "Anyone, tea?"
In unison the other three said, "No."
Sebastian sat on his chair. Then five minutes passed in silence. Only the fire from the hearth was crackling as usual.
Papa importantly cleared his throat and said, "I have a plan. – We should split. Otherwise I see no sign of success. Anglesland is a vast country filled with diversity. There are myriad of languages used by different people. There are several types of tribal, pagan and ethnic groups. There is diversity in its culture. The people of Ruth desert relay mostly on their camels whereas the people of Belamundis rely on tea plantations. – Andrew – he is a sleuth. He can be anywhere. He is a genius. He knows dozens of languages: national, international, regional and tribal; even some extinct ones. He can blend in anywhere – he has that much of adaptability. So we have to look deep. But quickly. Time is ticking fast. We have no time at all." He paused for a while. He was talking very fast – non-stop; out of excess of emotion. He looked at the other three faces. They looked all ready to pounce at his slightest hint. Then he resumed, being satisfied seeing their seriousness, "Ronald, you will go to Gabel, Bunni and then Triges. You can either go to Triges first. But you have to take care of these three states on your own. In which order you want to go depends upon you. Take the help of your friends. Take the help electronic media. But be very cautious."
Ronald nodded his head.
Now eyeing at Sebastian, Papa said, "You must go to Eyre state and Noni. Look for each and every nook and corner of these two states. I do not know but I have a gut feeling that if Andrew is in the south, then he is either in Eyre state or in Noni. You can take the help of your friends and private eyes, if you like. But we have to be very fast."
He then turned to Veronica and said, "You must cover the longest distance. It is your task. We are just but helping hands. You have to go first Nenses state's Malkahan district's Malkhan hill. Then Belamundis – then Trebat – then back to this side of the boarder.
Veronica nodded her head.
Papa continued, "We will be in contact with each other. Any danger, send a message. First of all you have to try and deal with your problem. If your intuition tells that you are unable to solve your problem then inform others. Ronald and Sebastian, you two are very fortunate. You two are assigned near to each other. So it is easy for both of you to stretch a helping hand for each other."
Sebastian interrupted, "Why not Ronald is going to Nenses and Belamundis way? Let him cover that long track and allow Nicki near me."
Papa with his red eyes looked at him. Papa was in no mood to be interrupted. With that same anger in his eyes but with unchanged voice Papa continued, "I know we should care about her safety. She is very important. More important than us all. Obviously."
The four sat there silently for two minutes as if praying silently. Then Ronald was about to open his mouth to say something but did not feel it fitting, so he kept shot.
"Any objection boy," Papa asked, observing his expressions. Ronald did not utter a word. "Spit it out boy." Papa ordered.
The other two too eagerly looked at him. Then he was compelled to express, "What if Andrew is not in Anglesland?"
Papa slapped the glass table. So that the fruit basket on it lost balance and some apples fell down on the ground. He said, "Do you think me such a dumb not to consider this simple option?" Ronald lowered his gaze being ashamed.
Then Papa resumed, "There is seventy percent chance that Andrew will be out in a foreign country. There is a fair chance. But there are chances that he can be inside this country. For he is in the same danger here and outside. All the same."
Sebastian nodded his head to support Papa's view and in order to appease him on behalf of Ronald.
"Andrew knows that we can and others can reach him anywhere if we get his scent. He is no fool. He can weigh options well. Besides he knows this country very well. He can be anywhere near us. My gut feeling says so," Papa said to his little troop of soldiers. Then he informed them that as they had very little time left they could not waste any more time. At most they could spend a fortnight in Anglesland. Then they had to scatter around the globe. Well the other three knew that it would shatter Papa's heart if his idea of finding Andrew inside Anglesland was proven wrong. So they – the trio (Veronica, Sebastian and Ronald) promised themselves in a silent communion just by looking into each others' eyes that they would give their best to look for Andrew in Anglesland. Their eyes beamed. They looked confident. They felt ready for the mission – their goal. Papa also looked happy seeing them confident. Ronald and Sebastian both were eager to leave – they had almost stood up, then Veronica who had been a silent observer all this time spoke for the first time, "But Papa you have not told us yet where will you go?"
She could not tell whether Papa was waiting for this question or not, but he seemed glad that she had enough common sense to ask it. He said, "We may not be the only ones as you know. Well, if we are the only ones then I must say we are very lucky. We did not meet anyone on our way. Neither have we left any loose end on our trail to follow. So I suppose no one is following us. I am confident in that case. If I am proven wrong then I must say we are all ignorant fools. Unpardonably ignorants. But we are not. I know. But if someone has followed the same path as we have done, then we are not the only ones."
From his little shaky voice Veronica could tell Papa was highly anticipating a certain someone or a group of some ones who were following them – having an eye on their each move. And Papa was frantically, drastically, direly trying to outrun them – escape them – in order to succeed in his goal. Catching Andrew. And then some further goals. She knew her Papa feared little. He feared his wife and death and no one else. It was a common thing around the globe that any husband would comically say to another husband, "Who does not fear his wife?" But her Papa was now worried – greatly worried – she could see – worried because he was feeling like a helpless pawn. She knew in his cheery mood her Papa would have said something like that. Something funny and philosophical. But now he was worried. He was worrying for her. He was doing all these things for her. That made her feel sorry for Papa more and more. She only hoped that this bad time go. And they succeed in their goal. Then they could have peace in their lives. Otherwise they would be tormented all through their lives. And this was the only chance they had now. It was a thing now or never. That was why they were so desperate. Presently her Papa's voice broke her chain of thought, "If someone is following us – that someone must be considering me the leader of this group. So she or they will follow me – not you. Thinking that we are just taking diverse ways to same destination – the same rendezvous – not to attract attention – so you go to places on the list found from the manuscript."
Veronica said, "Then you are going to places off the list."
"Correct my child. You are very brilliant," said Papa who seemed to be in a habit of ever appreciating her. It was his appreciation that had been helping her drag out of the drag that was her life. Her mother was considered as a goddess by her people; and she would not come down to her daughter's level in order to praise her. She knew that her mother – the goddess, only experienced one thing or allowed herself to feel, that was, pride and sometimes anger – she had a violent temper. Anger – rage – wrath – all these things her mother felt. She was certain that her mother would not ever allow love – appreciation – smiling etc. simple and innocent things in her attitude. These things were for the weaklings she would say.
Veronica felt a warm hand on her shoulder. It was her Papa's hand. He asked, "Thinking about your mother?"
She nodded yes. Papa said, "Do not worry. If we succeed she will be down."
"She will have no other choice," she confirmed.
He patted her shoulder and eyeing at Sebastian and Ronald, he said, "You two will leave this hotel one by one at different times. I will escort Veronica myself. And do not take any luggage. Leave the luggage you have brought with yourself, so if anyone is following us she will think that you were just going outside for less important jobs and would return by the night. Take care that you wear casual dresses. No luggage. I need not remind you again. At night I will check out from my room with my luggage. So if anyone following us, she will follow me in a hurry. Then she will fall prey of following me and going on in the wrong path.
Sebastian asked, "Where exactly are you going by the way?"
"Rejismundi," replied Papa.
"That is no way a matriarchy."
"I know. Who knows if Andrew is there. Rejismundi has also quirky cultural traits. Don't you remember what the publisher had told about Andrew? He loves quirky cultures. – But as you know it is to bait our follower, if we have any. After Rejismundi I will go up to Cherchebi and Briggstow."
"Andrew will not be there. Those places are of no interest to him," Sebastian interrupted.
"I know. That is the point, dumb. To trap our probable follower. And I think if we have got seventy percent of chance Andrew staying in this country, then we have got a fair amount of chance of spotting Andrew – in his generic genius person or in disguise in these states that I am going to cover too."
After a minute's pause Sebastian rose from his seat quietly. The others too followed his suit. They joined their hands and closed their eyes and muttered, "May we achieve any impossible we strive to."
Then Ronald and Papa left the room.
There was a knock on the door and the boy's voice was heard saying, "May I enter sir?"
After checking the inside of the teapot Sebastian said, "No need. I am getting the trolley to you, do not worry."