TCOTNK Season 4.3

Yeshe is shadowing Michael and Thalia. But her narrative has other plans. Will she ever get to the last festival?

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back to chapter 4.2 (last weeks episode)

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Chapter 5

After another round of sleep they were an hour early for the arrival of the ferry. Kay was still asleep. Es proposed to move Daardaar to the elevated quay near the barracks.  

“There are often camper vans there and we’ll have a first class view of the arriving tourists.”

It was only a stone's throw from the beach. Yeshe did her morning prayer at the water's edge while the checkered truck rumbled over to the new spot. The sea was darker than the night sky. The glare of the city behind her obscuring most of the stars. Something in her had changed with these last moves. She looked over her shoulder at the firetruck and felt awe. 

As she slowly walked toward her new nest she also registered doubt. A constant companion since she’d begun this particular quest. Being balanced and sure was all doable when tucked away from the world. Save from its slings and arrows. But the travelling was less light for a family of three, of which one was plucked away. Then you needed a shield on wheels. A water cannon. And playful warpaint. She touched the red metal with her flat left hand and sighed before she entered the cabin.

“I have to disguise myself or something, do you have a wig or a hat?"

Es looked to the side. A bit cynical.

"And you think that will help?"

Yeshe shrugged.

“I'm following two people who will probably arrive this morning and they know me. And those same two are followed by... yet another party. I don't want to be seen by either of them.”

"Then I have the perfect disguise."

“Oh yeah?”

"Yep, I'm going as you."

"And Kay?"

“You can babysit. He is easy, and has no reservations as far as you are concerned. He decided you can never again leave, when I tucked him in.'”

“Oh?”

“Yesh stay Kay, he stated firmly. He's usually right. When he says something.”

Es leaned back against the kitchen counter arms folded. Waiting for the kettle to boil. Yeshe sat down and fiddled with her long braid, thinking.

“But how will you recognise those people deboarding? Or know what to do?”

“Adam's hat will help us.”

“Adam’s what?"

“Adam, my late husband, left us his toys.”

Yeshe sighed in confusion.

“I do not get it.”

“We sometimes did performances. Pure fraud of course, but it worked. He was sensitive.”

“Sensitive?”

“Yes, sensitive, as if you don't know what that is, but also cunning. And clumsy, and the dumbest smart man I know. Knew. Or the smartest stupid man.”

Es looked cheerful and sad at the same time. Yeshe looked up admiring, felt the grief roaring and noticed how Es was able to allow it, to move with.

"Did he build submarines?"

Yeshe saw that the new widow immediately understood what she meant. Her eyes glazed over and a tear rolled down her cheek.

"Daardaar was his submarine."

"And that hat?"

She sniffed and straightened her back.

“It contains a camera and communication. I walk around and look. You watch and give instructions.”

Yeshe smiled in surprise.

"Well, that might work."

The baby-monitor-app was probably not intended for that purpose, but it did exactly what was needed. Sharp image and sound on the tablet. Yeshe wore headphones with a call center microphone. Es paraded around, whispering nonsensically, reporting to every tourist she looked at with her white fedora.

Yeshe sat in the driver's cab of the fire truck and had the feeling of being in a public aquarium with the bright screen in front of her. She moved to her sleeping nest with the open skylight, chuckling at the nonsense Es was whispering in her ear. She stood on the bed for a moment and enjoyed the view. It was a perfect place for observation. The entire harbour basin with city and coast lay at her feet. The wide estuary in pale moonlight. The flashing buoys. The dark rock islands further out. And on the other side the large departure terminal bathed in greenish light with the motel and driver's cafe behind it. The ten-thousand lights of the city. The sky wide and cloudless.

Es walked among the waiting boat-goers like a YouTuber with a fake selfie stick. A camera to distract from the camera. She attracted attention, but was not considered suspicious. Just weird. The rows were full.

“We have no business with the departing passengers, just keep quiet for now. Maybe walk to the motel. I would like to know if there is still a black MPV with dark windows in the parking lot. OK?”

“Well… I otherwise feel obliged to provide my dear viewers with the broadest possible view of the current situation. And that includes not only the useful but also the entertaining. I rant for a living. I fill the void with my stream of self-conciousness. I blabber like the best of the blabberers, like it is nothing. Anyway, I'm on my way to the mysterious blacked-out driving van of the bad guys. I will avoid the café, I'm a little too familiar there. Several of the barstools know my last name.”

Yeshe saw scantily clad holidaymakers with hangry children, up too early, pass by on her screen. The image stabilisation was excellent. Three forty-five.

"You said black, right?"

“Yes, oversized without chrome.”

“Not sure what shade oversized black is, not this huh?”

A small car parked crookedly came into view. Metallic purple.

“Further along is a black station wagon. It has Barbie sunshades stuck to the back windows, and a canoe strapped on top, I am guessing that's not it.”

“No, nothing else?”

“Nope, I count fourteen non-black cars, a motorcycle and a jet-set coach. There must be a famous boat lagged pop star in there bitching about the drafty air conditioning and the lukewarm lobster salad not having the right shade of green.”

“You've done this before, haven't you? You're an excellent camerawoman.”

“Just wait until I start panting and shaking from all that running back and forth. Then it becomes spectacular. New assignment?”

“Well, it's a bit worrying that the car isn't there. Can you look around further and see if you see it.”

“Yes sir! And the drivers?”

“Yes, one of them at least, the other might arrive with the boat. I called the driver Bino, he's tall, short hair, early thirties.'

"Yes, and he has those intense red eyes that..."

"No, he just had binoculars, that's why."

“Oh, boring, I have those. I will walk around and take a look at the harbour office. I may be out of reach for a sec behind all that concrete.”

“That's okay, but about them binoculars? Might be useful.”

“I assume you're not referring to Bino’s general usefulness, huh? I guess that was just my line of thought. The deep stare associations leading me astray and…. anyway, they're in a green case. The compartment above the fridge.”

Kay was awake and looking at Yeshe with bright blue marbles. The kitchen lamp was on as a night light.

"I just have to grab something, you have to sleep, it's still night."

He blinked once. Yeshe unearthed the weighty binoculars from an overpopulated cabinet. It was an army model. More of a telescope. Kay sat upright, his face full of anticipation. The unbraided hair a frozen explosion. He wasn't going to sleep again for a while.

“Only kids who can put their own socks on are allowed to participate.”

No need to say that twice.

"You also have to wear a shirt because car mechanics just wearing underpants and socks are, in the majority of cases, swooped from my bedroom."

She had to help with that.

Kay was excellent at climbing and reached the spy office first.

“Mom!”

Yeshe smiled hoisting herself up. She put her headset back on and turned on the speaker for Es.

“Hi, Quinotaurus. Did you escape?”

He nodded eagerly.

“Yes, he had several good arguments. I couldn't refuse.”

"Well sleepwalking means washing dishes outside as punishment tomorrow."

Judging by Kay's face, he didn't find that annoying at all.

“Reception is better than I thought, do you still have a picture?”

“Yes, loud and clear.”

Yeshe switched Es back to the headphones.

“No nightly Blackbird here either. Any ideas?”

“Yesterday they were at the little park where the exit is.”

“Ha, and then I'm almost back to square one. Doing the full round. I'm on my way.”

Yeshe looked at the time and frowned. She stood up on the bed. Immediately followed by Kay, who also wanted to watch. She lifted him through the hatch onto the roof and held him.

"Hey, the boat arrives at four, right?"

“Yes, punctual. What time is it?”

"Ten past."

“That's weird. Everything is still quiet in the port. Normally the boat starts to unload minutes after arrival. And docking is always early. They aim for hatch open at four. But hey, I have spotted the black mystery ride and the deep stare candidate with it. He's on the phone. Should I pull his ironed shirt? I think it might be silk, hard to tell from a distance, I have to feel to be sure.'

“No, please don't. Bino is off-limits for you. There are already people huddled here on the quay, deliberating. I can see a whole stretch of water, but no floating parking garage yet.”

“And deliberation is totally illegal, right? While nobody knows exactly what it is, anyway.'

“Hey, don't talk nonsense. This is quite worrying. Can't you inquire discreetly at the ticket counter?”

“Sure I can, but I doubt whether they know what deliberation is. Are you okay with Kay?”

"Yes, he stands like a king on the cannon roof, surveying his kingdom."

Yeshe heard a deep sigh rustling in her speakers.

“Adam could look like that too. As if the world belonged to him. With love and responsibility, but also as a ruler. As the first entitled party to all that. Sometimes I'm afraid that his son will soon face the same misery as his dad. That the whole world will come upon him.”

Es had spoken softly. Then was quiet for a while. The image focused on a curb and the yellow line next to it.

Yeshe broke the silence.

“Kay isn't Adam. He already follows his own path, you don't have to be afraid of that.”

Yeshe had said it almost whispering into the microphone. Kay looked at her with endless depth in his eyes. His face a serene expression that gave her a lump in her throat. He comforted her. Confirmed her. The child momentarily replaced by a being of immense power.

In her ear she heard Es ask someone what was going on. Yeshe picked up the green telescope and scanned the horizon. Nothing. Then back to the quay. The MPV was located to the left of the office, near the park. Away from the lights.

"Es, I see him too, with that..."

“Yep, I got it. Bino sits on a park bench with his essence on his lap. He's on the phone. He's the kind of jerk who doesn't think it necessary to hold the thing up to his ear, he just holds the sacred bowl on his carrying fingertips and talks to the side...”

“Pee,” Kay announced.

He stood holding his crotch. An emergency that required priority. And peeing from the roof might cause a pedagogical mess.

“Okay, I'm back. With drinks, cookies and a pillow for the roof prince.”

“Yes, where were you? I sit here and jabber a four page observation report, meantime I have zero viewers left! Is Kay okay? Just take me off the speaker, will you?”

“Done already. Kay is counting stars with two index fingers.”

“Good, we call that star-snailing, there is movement in the soup over here. The local officials are very vague about why the boat is delayed. But a bunch of fire trucks are just now driving onto the site and two police cars are hurrying to a stop in front of the ticket window.'

Yeshe grabbed the binoculars. Damn. No fewer than three fire engines and two logistics vehicles. No flashing lights. More police further ahead. Officers walked towards the empty terminal quay. She swivelled her binoculars towards the sea. There it was. The night-boat gliding closer. In reality it was still far away.

"Es, I think you need get out of there."

"Okay, I'll back off."

“Can you see this?”

“No, the image is too dark.”

“Bino is talking to two police officers. No uniforms, but they came with the officers. What could it be? Do you have any ideas?”

Yeshe was thinking furiously. All kinds of dramatic possibilities parading by.

“Fire on board maybe?”

“Yes, that could be. I'll walk back to the waiting cues, maybe you can throw some internetting, cast an online or two, to see if you can catch explanations?”

Good plan, Yeshe thought. Better than all that wild guessing. The term ‘man overboard’ hovered too close, but the development could be many things, even if it didn't match with the fire department’s presence, maybe an argument that got out of hand, but Yeshe couldn't help connecting this to Michael and Thalia. Something dramatic was knocking at her inner door. Yeshe refused to let it in. Scrolling clumsily to look up a local news site on Adam's phone. Es was faster.

“Here in the queues the word bomb is buzzing.”

Yeshe lowered her phone.

“What? Explosives on board? Terrorism? That would explain the amount of attention.”

But it was not what was really going on. Yeshe felt a clear sense of relief. A bomb on board was nonsense. A smokescreen. An easy way to create chaos and fear. But why? Who had an interest in that? It was a good excuse to comb the entire ship. Seeking what? Actually, she knew the answer. Yeshe could hear the excitement around Es as she walked between the rows.

“Djeez, what total panic mongers here! They’re infecting each other with quick growing assumptions. Half of them already try to leave.”

Through the telescope the boat looked calm. People stood on the decks, looking without panic at the approaching harbour basin. The mammoth began to dock.

“They have a whole team here ready to screen arriving travelers with portable metal detectors, dogs, and bulletproof vests.”

“Gee, I see. Maybe you can hang around there inconspicuously and later focus your third eye on my guests.”

"Okidoki, did you see that Bino has joined the reception committee?"

Yeshe saw him. She found it strange that there was no evacuation. If there was a real threat, wouldn't they evacuate the whole place? Or let the ship anchor at sea? Or divert to a less inhabited quay? She didn't know.

The cables were laid down. The nose opened slowly. It looked menacing, that gaping ship. At least fifteen officers boarded over and under the barriers. The first vehicles drove off but were stopped and searched.

“Well this is going to be a long show, I wish I had brought a camping chair. I will walk to the bus stop. From there I can oversee proceedings and they have benches.”

“Since you seem intend to stay for the fireworks, I was hoping you could maybe get onto the walkway. Getting a closer look at the on-foot arrivals.”

Kay was asleep again. Stargazing with eyes closed. She put a blanket over him.

“Yeshe?”

“What?”

"You didn't plan some terrorist attack, did you?"

“Well...”

She bit her lip.

"...I must admit I hate tourists, but I would choose something more important to blow up."

“Yes, me too. Like a million balloons.”

"Hold your head steady, I see Buff."

'Yes, I see who you mean. Bino walks towards him. They're quite the bunch of alien hunters. In a minute they'll put on their sunglasses and everyone forgets about this day.”

"Yes, welcome to the matrix."

Yeshe half expected Es to point out her mix up of two films, but she went silent with getting closer to the scene.

Bino and Buff remained in the light of the opening. Lazy fools, thought Yeshe, apparently it didn't occur to them to join the search themselves. Checking continued steadily. They are looking for people, not bombs, Yeshe concluded. They’ve lost Michael and Thalia. What were the chances that this was about something else? Her glasses panned along the ships railings. Most people were below deck in their vehicles. There were many staff out looking at the quay. Yeshe remembered Thalia suddenly had short hair when she arrived at the beach near the remains of the camper. Her memory for faces was good but catching her among so many people? She would pick out Michael.

“The pedestrians are released, one by one. I'm going to the walkway.”

“No wait, I don't believe for a second that my subjects are so stupid as to walk off the boat into the arms of the authorities. They are more likely to be hiding in a vehicle. Or in some other smart way.”

“Yes, but what then?”

“Keep watching, I'll watch along while trying to think.”

“Okay, I'll sit very still. Zipping it for thinking space. Kay is sleeping again isn't he? Are there any cookies left? I never, ever get rewarded for peeing. I just need to sit and be quiet while other people’s ships come in….” 

Yeshe couldn't really come up with anything while smiling over the never ending rant. There were so many cars and buses and caravans that two people could hide in. But would they risk it? Or would they hide on the ship? I would, Yeshe thought. Buff was on the phone and Bino was smoking nervously. Restless. You are not allowed in, Yeshe thought, you guys are lesser gods than I thought. Was it you who alerted the local police? No, that seemed too complex to her. Too confusing. It was simpler. They were security for someone important. Someone had priority. A VIP. A painter without a beard perhaps?

There was a commotion on shore. Yeshe grabbed her spyglass.

“What is going on.”

“I can't see from here. I hear a car with a screeching engine. Someone running away in panic?'

Yeshe saw the vehicle. Followed the speeding car as it circled the departure terminal. She could hear the roaring exhaust. It was the blue rally car exiting the parking lot with smoking tires. Speeding towards the exit. They were already off the boat!

“Yeshe, what should I do? B and B are running off here and the officers are all looking at that fleeing car.'

Yeshe saw Buff sprinting straight through the waiting crowd. Their black MPV was still at the park on the other side. Bino was in the process of notifying officers that the search was over. Yeshe's breathing had quickened. She had an inspiring thought, while Es kept reporting.

“I think they're giving up on the search. The cars are now allowed to pass through and there is a whole stream of pedestrians pouring out now.”

Yeshe was conflicted. Could she trust her instinct? It was too far to go after the car herself. And she couldn't leave Kay behind. And it wasn't what she felt was needed.

“Go to the pedestrian corridor and make sure I have a good view. Now! We mustn't waste time.”

“Yes, yes, I'm almost there. How about here?'

“A little further? There's more light there.”

Yeshe clutched the tablet tightly and stared at the passing faces. Was she right? Or was it nonsense? Buff must have seen them board and lost them during the crossover. So they were on the ship. Did Michael and Thalia cause the consternation themselves? Had they discovered they were being followed? Did they feel hunted? Was it a panic move?

Yeshe continued to weigh each face but felt increasingly insecure. It became quieter already. I wouldn't dare go through all those police officers right away, she realized, I would also wait until the last minute.

“Yeshe, a number of employees are just walking down the slope at the exit below the passenger ramp. They look, I don't know, suspicious, but it's too dark for the camera.”

“Oh, Shit. That's it. How quickly can you get there?”

"You mean without any of my breakneck catwoman moves?"

"Yes, especially without missing too many other passengers."

The image moved jerkily during relocating. Four ladies in ferry uniforms came into view. It was half dark but Yeshe recognized Thalia immediately. Slightly huddled between the other three. No Michael.

"That's Thalia, second from the right."

Shit, Yeshe thought, I said her name.

“What should I do? Trail?”

Thalia looked at Es, straight into the camera. Es turned away. Walked away a bit.

"She saw me, did you see that too?"

“Don't worry about it, just try and keep an eye on her.”

"Oh fuck..."

Silence.

Thalia's hissing voice.

“Are you with Catherine? Or am I mistaken.”

Es stammered something incoherent. Yeshe's brain was working overtime. She is looking for help, was what came to the surface.

“Tell her yes! Say, I’ve come to pick you up on behalf of Catherine Woods.”

The connection was lost. No more sound and no picture. Yeshe grabbed the telescope and, with trembling arms, sought out the two women. They walked away from the pedestrian bridge. The white cowboy hat hung on Es' back. It looked like two friends. Closely arm in arm, but not really. They disappeared into some kind of bicycle shed.

Yeshe breathed out. For the first time in a long while. Not from relief. But out of necessity. Suspicion and anxiety fought for priority in her. Thalia had looked very tense. Why was she expecting me? Why did she coax away Es? What had happened to Michael? Was he in the blue car? Yeshe had no answers. Just questions.

She almost missed the scooter that shot out with both ladies on it. They weren't driving very fast but were difficult to follow with the strong telescope. It was too far for the naked eye. Soon Yeshe lost them.

She turned off the tablet, put down the glasses, and opened her mouth in a silent scream of frustration. Her eyes shifted to the sleeping child.

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