Redemption (34 page)

“By…”

“We’ll send a couple of tourists to make some memories…”

CHAPTER 52

“How much longer do you think?” asked Shinsaku who was driving the Buick toward Sauvalito.

“Can’t be much longer,” said Namara from the back.

“Should we drop you off soon?” asked Ming Mei, watching the dust swirl around them through her big sunglasses.

“Yeah, soon… but not yet, keep going,” said Namara.

“You know, Shinsaku, you’d make a great tourist. You look like a perfect ass right now,” said Guerra.

“A thousand thanks,” he muttered, keeping his eyes on the road.

Shinsaku was wearing a straw safari hat and a pastel-coloured Hawaiian shirt. His pants ended below the knee, either too long or too short. As for Ming Mei, she’d chosen a mauve summer skirt and a camera around her neck, the stereotypical Asian tourist. Guerra and Namara both wore desert camouflage to blend into the landscape. Guerra glanced at Namara and they nodded.

“Shinsaku, open the trunk!” Guerra ordered.

The former pressed a button and the mechanism disengaged, all without the cruising speed on the rural road surrounded by scalding desert country side .

Several seconds of silence was broken by Guerra’s shout:

“That’s it, stop the car!”

The Buick pulled up to the shoulder and the breaks screeched, kicking up a cloud of dust. Namara and Guerra jumped out of the car and opened the trunk. Each took a heavy beige military pack and slung it over their backs. As the trunk closed, they veered from the road to venture out into the desert, putting as much distance between them and the road as possible. At the same moment, the car started and continued on its path. Shinsaku looked back and tried to pick out their partners as he accelerated, but they had as good as evaporated into the desert like spirits.

“And how are they going to intervene if things go sour?” asked Ming Mei.

“Don’t worry, they’re closer than you think.”

“Fine… and what’s the plan for us?”

“Well, we’re tourists today, my dear. We’re going to turn in a wonderful performance as the Naïve Tourists. We’re going to walk everywhere and talk to everyone. It’s necessary that we see what happens there. Don’t forget to never stop taking photos, got it?”

“Got it.”

“Ok. Oh look, we seem to be here.”

*     *     *

James and Danny had been laid out on their stomachs for a while, directly on the hot stand. The beige canvas they wore made them invisible – cascading in tatters from their hats to their middles in dozens of tatters, they looked more like thickets than men as they moved with precision around the village in question. James aimed his sniper rifle with the long-range scope that was on hand if he needed to fire. It too was painted beige.

Equipped like elite warriors, they left nothing to chance as they did their recon. They had taken care to eliminate any details that could alert the enemy to their presence, like reflection off the metal. He had Shinsaku and Ming Mei in his scope; they’d been wandering through the village for a while now. Danny, nestled next to James, watched through binoculars. He was in charge of scoping the place, taking notes and calculating firing calibrations, taking into account winds, temperature and distance. James made sure he could fire if things went sour for Shinsaku and Ming Mei.

At such a distance with such a weapon, he knew that few men could land a fatal shot even if they were trained. The wind was nonexistent, which tipped things in his favour. Each of his .308 cartridges were named after women; he called it his harem and if he gave one of them an order, she would obey meekly and with no hesitation, lodging herself in the head of whoever James wanted.

“How far are they, do you think?” Namara whispered.

“I’d say about one mile.”

“Crap… and you think you could land your shot with that rifle from here?”

“Granted, it’s not the best for a distance this long, but there’s no wind. Yes, Julie will make her target if I tell her to, don’t you worry,” said Guerra as he peered through his scope.

*     *     *

The heat was unbelievable and they were sweating, despite lying perfectly still. They reminded themselves to drink regularly to avoid dehydration. They’d spend the day watching Shinsaku and Ming Mei walk around, going in and out of stores. They’d practically circled the entire village, constantly changing positions, all while keeping perfect silence. The reddish-orange setting sun reflected off the Spanish-style buildings. Namara was obsessed by the church; he couldn’t make himself look away. The church stood next to a park full of benches and lanterns. The village was clean and well-kept. The little houses and businesses were of Mexican architecture, but the Texan culture was made apparent by the modern buildings that mixed into the décor. It struck Namara that the village was practically deserted. Only a few residents walked through from time to time, but even for a little village like that, something was abnormal, something you couldn’t see on first glance.

“Reminds you of those good old days, eh?” said Guerra. “Don’t you miss those old bastards?”

“Absolutely. I miss it too… our group overall. I always wonder what happened to them.”

“Yeah, the good times. There were times when I thought it was a miracle we all lived through it. Sooner or later, one of us would have bit it.”

“No, because we were the best,” said Namara with a grin.

“Fuck yeah, we were.”

A long silence fell as Namara stared at the cross on the bell tower.

“Penny for your thoughts?” said Guerra, finding his buddy strangely silent.

“I don’t know… it’s so weirdly deserted.”

“Yeah, but that’s typical of a Texan village during the day. They stay inside because of the heat.”

“Possible, but we’ve been here the whole day and only a few people stepped out into the streets. The sun set and we’re still not seeing them.”

“Except…”

“The ranch…”

“I was hoping you’d mention it!”

“Yeah, because where the hell are the horses? And furthermore, there’s more coming-and-going and activity there than anywhere else. There’s always men and women marching around like they’re protecting it.”

“And further-furthermore, Shinsaku and Ming Mei haven’t been able to get closer than the gates.”

“Yeah, the entrance is barred, and they can’t see what’s going on, but we can. You see that huge wooden barn behind them?”

“Yeah, you think they’re hiding something?”

“They’re surveying the area for some reason… even if the area isn’t public access. That barn doesn’t have any windows and it seems pretty well empty.”

“It said that here’s mostly farmers.”

“Yes, they seem like rural types, but appearances can be deceiving, don’t you think?”

“Let’s wait to see what Ming Mei and Shinsaku think… they shouldn’t be much longer.”

“They’re waiting for the sun to set.”

“Too bad. Julie’s been getting lazy lately.”

“Be patient, James… be patient.”

CHAPTER 53

The first thing Shinsaku did upon arriving in Sauvalito was stop at a little service-station to fill up the car. A badly-shaven man of about sixty, dressed in motor-oil-stained denim overalls, was in charge of the pump. He glared at Shinsaku suspiciously as he worked.

“Fill it up, please,” said Shinsaku with a smile. “This is a lovely town. We’re on our way to Reddon, but I think we must have lost our way. We’re from Seattle and we’ve wanted to see Texas for a long time, and now, well, here we are!”

“Turn around and take route 115 to get to Reddon.”

“All right, thanks for the advice. But, since we’re here, I think we’re going to enjoy the nice day and visit this charming little village, and maybe even stay the night. Is there a motel or anything?”

“You won’t find a motel here. It’s closed for a while. The closest you’ll find is in Clifford, about twenty miles off,” said the man, knitting his eyebrows.

“Oh, I see. That’s too bad. We would have liked to stay. This little town is so picturesque. Where would you recommend we visit?”

“You know, mister, it’s only a small town. Everyone knows each other, and there ain’t no tourism. I recommend you continue on to Clifford, because plenty people here don’t like strangers.”

“Oh, I understand. It does seem like a small town. Most people here must be used to the peace,” said Shinsaku cheerily, wearing an airheaded grin. “Don’t worry, we won’t stay long, and we’ll be discreet. We’d like to grab a bit later, though, is there a restaurant?”

“Yeah, to your left.”

“Perfect, we’ll walk. We’ll see the town that way, before we continue on to Clifford.”

“Forty bucks.”

“Here you go, mister! It’s been a pleasure!”

The man took the money and muttered as he retreated into his garage. Shinsaku interrupted him just before he disappeared.

“Excuse me again, but my wife is quite religious, and she has quite a passion for the churches of the region. Do you have one here?”

“Yeah, to your left. A thousand feet, Melda street. You can’t miss it.”

“Perfect, and once again, thank you!” he said, climbing back into the Buick.

They left the car a few blocks away and set out on foot into the quasi-deserted Sauvalito. Ming Mei caught sight of a woman peering at them through the window of a white house. A truck carrying two men drove toward them. Shinsaku waved as they passed, but they refused to return the gesture, opting to stare until they’d turned a corner.

Like Ming Mei had guessed, the restaurant was empty. A fat woman sat behind the counter. The heat made indoors stifling. Her reaction was as friendly as the gas jockey’s. They ate, forcing banal conversation, making it seem like their little escapade was going marvellously. Ming Mei made sure to snap photos of Shinsaku in front of anything that looked interesting or important. After their meal, they continued their walk in the city, taking care to inspect the white houses and buildings they passed.

“Is it just me or do you feel like they’re watching us?” she asked as they skipped down the sidewalk.

“I think you’re right. We should be careful.”

Shinsaku took Ming Mei’s waist in a pantomime of honeymoon happiness. They took turns posing for pictures in front of anything that stuck out. They occasionally passed other vehicles and pedestrians, who stared them down without saying anything. They had toured the village completely in a few hours, and then headed for Namara’s church. Next to the big wooden doors of the main entrance, a wooden plaque and attached to the wall:
Parish of Sauvalito – Father Gregor Matthew.

“Interesting. We should take a look at this Father Gregor,” Shinsaku suggested.

“Ok. Go in around the side… there’s a door there.”

Ming Mei took hold of the little wooden door and it creaked open. The door gave way to a narrow staircase that lead into a basement. She began her descent, followed by Shinsaku. There was a smell of mould and they found themselves in a little windowless room, in which an old grey-haired woman was sitting behind a counter.

The old woman looked them over gloomily. They moved in her direction – the closer they got, the more they realized that her eyes were both nearly completely black. It looked like it might have had something to do with illness or infection, but she seemed to be able to see them perfectly. She smiled with a grin that looked more like a grimace. She had several rotten teeth and she wore a black scarf on her head. She greeted them. Ming Mei noticed a little doll made of straw that was suspended by a string. It rotated slowly over the counter.

“Hello, my friends,” she said in a hoarse voice.

“Hello ma’am!” said Ming Mei. “What is this place?”

“Oh, I see… you don’t know?” she asked with a smile.

“No, to be honest… we’re from Seattle. We’re enjoying the day in this charming village.”

“I hope you’ve enjoyed yourselves. My name is Varna, and I’m responsible for the parish humanitarian counter.”

“That’s interesting… and you dole out funds, is that it?”

“Yes, to the homeless, and to people who need it. Here, we distribute used clothes.”

“Do you have a lot of those people?”

“Some. Not so much here, but some come from Clifford or even farther. We offer them what we can. We do our part for Sauvalito despite our limited means.”

“Yes, I understand. It’s very noble of you,” said Ming Mei with a smile.

“Thank you, young lady, but it’s Father Gregor who is to thank for the counter. He created the service and I try to help as much as possible. He’s a dedicated man.”

“Oh, for sure. Would it be possible to see him for a bit? We would like to meet him and compliment him before we go on our way.”

“I’m afraid that would be impossible. He’s out of town for several days, I apologize!”

“Oh, how unfortunate. We would so have liked to said hello! I’m a fervent believer, you know…”

“Is that so?” the old woman asked with that strange grin.

“Yes… but, all right. It’s not serious. I believe we should be on our way before night fall. It’s been a pleasure, Varna!”

“Save journey, young ones… God be with you!” she called, grinning at their backs as they climbed the stairs.

“Likewise,” said Shinsaku.

After exiting, they stepped into the church once more, but by the main doors. The place was very well-kept and held two columns of wooden pews, about twenty in each. It was deserted. You could see a few rows of lamps in different colours near the altar and the entrance. Flowers decorated everywhere. A smell of incense filled the space and soothing silence reigned over the beige-tinted walls and golden ornaments, giving it all a sacred allure. Basically, it looked like any other church they’d ever seen. They left after a few minutes to sit in the neighbouring park. The sun began to set and the sky turned orange and red.

“Sun’s starting to set, I think it would be wise to get out. This place gives me the creeps,” said Ming Mei.

“Yes, indeed.”

Ming Mei glanced around, lost in thought.

“What are you thinking?” asked Shinsaku.