Ch 22 - ...And The Coldness Of Another

The condo was being left behind. Along with it,

all the tribal people, now paid guardians, who would

watch over the safety of the animals. From the rear

window of the car I watched sadly as yet another

expedition ended. We had saved a species, made new

friends, and investigated a criminal — a great restart. At

high speed, we moved away from the plain, whose

occupants were now the size of ants to the distant

observer. I turned forward after all. There was no reason

to revere the past if the present was better and the future

was brighter. We were now heading for the Cape Town

airport, where we would return the rental car in terrible

conditions and meet Frederick Frost. The route back

would take about 14 hours for a conscientious driver, and

perhaps 12 for Keene, who only slowed down as we

approached a tollbooth. It was near Beaufort West and

was the last peaceful image I had before I fell asleep.

Semi-conscious, I felt the rockiness of the car increase

considerably soon after, but I would not regain

302

consciousness before we reached the airport. When I

finally opened my eyes, the African sun made them burn

and I had to move away from the window.

— Oh, you're finally awake? — Keene greeted

me with his usual friendliness. — You woke Lucy up

every half hour with your snoring!

I looked at Lucy and blushed with

embarrassment, but she reassured me with a smile.

— Anyway, — continued the driver, — we have

arrived at our destination, and I'd say Frost is pretty

impatient.

Above us rose the grandiose arch that adorned

the airport portal, supported by several angled columns

that supported its weight and embellished the place.

Around it, a few benches served those who enjoyed

waiting outside and those who needed fresh air after

hours stuck in an airborne metal can. Among those who

sat, there was an old man with deep, tiny eyes, who

drummed his foot on the ground, waiting for something.

Knowing him well, I knew how much he disliked being

in the sun; how he hated the high temperatures.

— It's Mr. Frost, — I recognized. — Why didn't

you call him, Doctor?

— And why can't I enjoy watching a man

succumb to his own ridiculous weakness?

I could have cited here a certain moment when he

cried in a corner and another when he was the only one

not to jump in the water, but I restricted myself to feeling

303

anger. Then Lucy took the lead in opening her door and

calling him.

— Hey, Mr. Frost! — she shouted, waving at the

dean.

After a few seconds of looking around, searching

for the source of the sound, he found the girl calling him

from behind a car that had once been silver, but was now

light brown. We all got out of the vehicle, the driver

grudgingly, as we had ended his game.

Coming to meet us, Frost breathed a sigh of

relief, a relief that seemed to have a greater reason than

just not being in the heat anymore. He seemed happy to

see us, and Lucy ran to hug him, a gesture he

reciprocated while laughing out loud. I just greeted him

with a nod, as he was an authority over me.

— Morning, Kevin, nice to see you, — he said.

Then, lessening his smile, he resumed:

— And...good morning, Jacob. Did you have a

good trip?

— I must say it was quite productive, despite a

few setbacks, — Keene replied with a closed smile.

— But tell me, Jacob, why is it that I've been

continuously trying to call for the last 48 hours and I

can't get in touch with Elya?

— Oh, I'm sure he was very busy during this

period.

— You haven't heard? — interrupted Lucy.

— Heard about what, dear? — Frost asked.

304

— Baruti Elya...is dead.

— What do you mean, dead? — Frost was

alarmed.

— He was dragged into the stream by one of the

creatures and drowned. Kevin rushed to his aid, but it

was late and Dr Keene was...unable to help.

— The bastard had locked me up! — Keene

finally spoke up.

Frederick Frost looked at Lucy and back at

Jacob. If it weren't for his already diminutive eyes, it

would be possible to see him narrow his eyelids even

more.

— I see, — said the Dean, without taking his

eyes off Keene. — You will have time to tell me the

details on the ferry; we leave together tonight. Before

that, perhaps we should stop at an inn and let you give

some attention to your...personal hygiene. Jacob, we are

going to take a cab and pay for a stay for them to

shower; would you mind returning this car in the

meantime?

— Why, Frederick, — Keene said in a malicious

tone, — allow me to drive them.

— No, that would delay you in returning the

rental car; we'll see you later, all right?

— Sure...no problem. I'll catch up with you later.

I always do.

Getting into the vehicle with the same disgust

with which he left, Keene stepped on the gas and drove

305

the car back to the rental company, where his fortune

would come in handy in paying off the days of delay.

⬫⬫⬫

— The stream, also this time, turned red, — I

was finishing reporting. The story had mostly been told

by Lucy, who gesticulated and injected drama as only a

Lane could. Here and there I inserted a detail to be useful

in some way, until we finished the tale and looked at our

audience. Sitting across from us at the hotel table, Frost

looked shocked, having not yet been able to collect his

chin. How could he be more impressed by these events

than those that occurred in Amge?

— You seem... somewhat surprised, — Lucy

commented, verbalizing my thoughts.

— Stunned, dear! How could two deaths happen

in such a short period of time?

— There have been three in Amge, including my

father's, and you...you didn't seem so shaken.

Frost finally pulled himself together and closed

his mouth. He had stumbled over his own words, and

that's the sort of thing Lucy doesn't allow.

— You see, — he began to say with a guilty tone,

— Anthony and I hadn't been so close lately. I had been

investing money in these expeditions for years, and he

would bring back many reports of findings, but there was

no proof! I admit that I was getting tired of this.

306

Lucy looked over Frost's small eyes, as if

condemning him, and finished:

— Well, I appreciate your frankness. — With

that, she got up in a huff and went to her room upstairs.

That left only me and the man who was not sorry that my

guardian had died. He, in fact, still had his gaze on the

stairs where Lucy had disappeared. So that I wouldn't

have to be the next one up, I decided to change the

subject.

— You see, Mr. Frost, Lucy has been a little

suspicious about Dr. Keene's actions.

With sudden interest in the subject, the Dean

turned to me, forgetting all the guilt he felt.

— She has? What does she suspect, Kevin?

— It just seemed a bit strange that he would

speak to you in a forced voice on the phone.

— On...the phone? When?

— Two days ago, when we were leaving Hluleka.

— But we didn't...ah, yes! I just remembered,

yes, Jacob and I talked. — At that moment I understood

what Lucy meant by "forced tone", because it was the

same tone Frost was using now.

— Anyway, — he said, taking his turn in

changing the direction of the conversation, — I have

notified the elders that you will be on your way, and

have arranged for the samples to be on the same ferry as

you.

307

— Samples? By the way, how is Dave Young

after what happened?

— The young truck driver? When I saw him last

he was still crying like a little boy; he loves that old

truck. I promised to help him pay for the repairs, but the

scoundrel who did that was never caught. I just wonder

how someone who knew Young also knew where Lane's

lab was…

I leaned back in my chair, thinking. It was hard to

imagine someone who fit the profile.

— Boy, — Frost began again, still awkward. —

Call Lucy, please; it's getting late, and if we miss this

ferry, we'll have to rent the room for a few more days.

Obediently, I lowered my frown and climbed the

stairs, making the weathered wood creak even with my

light weight. The banister was covered with fine dust,

indicating that we were the first to rent the upper room in

quite some time. When I reached the plain room, Lucy

was at the window, staring not at the bustling city 20 feet

below, but at the rising sun.

— He never explained to me what he explained

to you, Kevin, — Lucy said in a tearful tone, but without

actually shedding a single tear. — But you know, at least

he showed me that there would be a chance to be

happy...as long as another day was born. Another day

was born, Kevin, but I was never really happy, even

when I thought I would be, occupying my mind

with...psychology and all the rest.

308

I could understand what she was saying. My

specialty was reptilians, not humans, but, I had still

learned that there is no greater sadness than the one

someone feels when they thought they would finally be

happy. As it usually happens in such cases, there was not

much to be done and I simply approached her, also

admiring the sun, and hugged her.

— Let's get some happiness, — I said. — First,

by restoring your father's name.

— Ours. Remember the agreement we made. He

brought us together as siblings, and that's what he has

become to you — a father.

Amazing how she has the power to comfort

someone when she herself is suffering. Perhaps even

more incredible was the feeling that was gripping me

now. To be a Lane? Was that even possible? If so, I had

even more reasons to defend the name of Anthony Lane

and, determined as I was, I answered her:

— So be it! Let's clear our father's name!

— You know, — she said, her eyes still red from

the control she exerted, — you're kind of good at this. —

Turning to the stairs, we descended the structure to meet

Frost, ready for the Inaccessible Island.