Nathaniel is yanked away from the wall first. He disappears into the house, stumbling in his leg cast, too impaired or wounded to make eye contact with Aleksey. Before the man in the lucha libre mask tosses Aleksey back into the small room, he ignores Aleksey's request to let him wash off Nathaniel's stained blood.
Back to the present moment, Aleksey watches a red-tailed hawk soar over the desert meadow. Riding air currents galloping up from the lake, the majestic bird floats without much observable change to the angle of his or her wings. This being reminds Aleksey of Zachary. He wishes Zachary the same grace as the hawk. The same ability to effortlessly soar in harmony with whatever challenges him.
Aleksey knows-he knew immediately, actually-that the photograph taken of Nathaniel and himself is intended for Zachary. It is a confounding lure on multiple levels. They drug and wounded Nathaniel for the picture, but settle for only implied violence to Aleksey with the blood obfuscation maneuver? Why include Aleksey when a picture of Nathaniel alone would have sufficed in getting Zachary's full attention and action? Missing from this entirely is any apparent reference to Gustavo or his wand?
Aleksey's mind wanders. Are they waiting to torture me too? If there is no attempt to harm me to disclose information, does that mean they believe I have no facts they need?
All of these conundrums compete for Aleksey's attention. Just as he feels he is getting close to solving one riddle, another leaps from the surface, like a great whale in the ocean, demanding its due.
Aleksey clenches his fists and scoots closer to the window. His consciousness implores him to trust that he has enough pieces of the puzzle now. Zachary's voice reverberates in his mind.
"Connect the dots."
35
Decision
King Tut is ready to pounce again. In the position signaling playful intentions-kneeling low on outstretched front legs, but with elevated hind legs and tail-he eagerly awaits the split second where he can lick the cheek in front of him. Zachary, laying in the grass on his stomach, hides his face in his arms. He peeks out when least expected and King Tut dives for him again, hoping to sneak a kiss on his cheek before his face is hidden again.
Zachary rewards King Tut's agility skills by rolling on his back. Blinded by the licks, Zachary twists his head from side-to-side, giggling, unable to escape the barrage of doggie kisses. King Tut's tail continues wagging as he wins the game.
Gustavo descends the stairs after hiding the wand and joins Zachary in Makena's backyard.
"King Tut has a favorite new friend," Gustavo says.
"I love him," Zachary responds, scurrying up into a lawn chair to escape King Tut's kissing assault. "Let's steal him from your friend."
"Not a good idea. She would skin us alive."
"Easy for you to say. You get to play with him until I come back for you."
"You are sure in a light-hearted mood considering the danger we are up against," Gustavo laughs. "Are you in denial?"
"No, I just feel good for some reason," Zachary answers. "Despite everything, I kind of feel amazing. I needed a few seconds to live in the moment, like this pup."
Gustavo plops down in the lawn chair beside him. King Tut sits at Zachary's side, smiling, hoping he will play on the grass again.
"Wait a second," Zachary says, "did you just the danger we are up against?"
"Yes, I am sticking with you," Gustavo answers, "no matter what happens in Boulder City."
"No, you are staying behind here. I am going alone. You know, don't you, that I am coming back for you?"
"My mind is completely made up. The wand is hidden here and doesn't need me. But you might need me."
"No, you would be putting yourself into unnecessary danger. Stay here and wait, Gustavo."
"That's not happening."
Zachary buries his face in his hands. King Tut, assuming they are about to frolic again, leaps up and licks his neck. Zachary sighs, taking a deep breath and returning his hands to the armrests. King Tut inches closer, sitting and smiling.
"Gustavo, my fondness for you could end up being a hindrance. They could capture you too. I admire your courage and willingness to be strong for me."
"But what?" Gustavo asks.
"But the best thing you can do for me is to keep yourself out of harm's way so I can come back for you," Zachary answers.
"Figure out a role for me then. If you don't want me on the frontline of the battle, then include me in some other way."
"I'll think about that."
Zachary scoots his chair closer to Gustavo and holds his hand. King Tut leaps onto Gustavo's lap, rearranges his weight so he does not crush Gustavo's legs, and adoringly looks up to Zachary, awaiting his signal.
"Do you remain confident that Aleksey will not speak to his captors about the wand?" Gustavo asks, squeezing his hand.
"Yes, I am growing more certain that they are not aware of it at all," Zachary answers. "As the cliche goes, you cannot get blood out of a turnip, or something like that. That's Aleksey. He is not spilling any blood or secrets to them. Doing so would be adamantly contrary to his nature."
"Aleksey's face from that picture is imprinted in my head. His expression is so different than Nathaniel's. I am haunted a bit by his closed eyes and drooping look. Was it submission? Despair?"
"Nope. Aleksey knew the picture was targeted for me."
"What is he signaling to you?" Gustavo asks.
"I cannot figure it out yet," Zachary answers. "I believe I am on the brink of understanding. Like approaching the edge of a volcano or a cliff. At any moment I will be able to see down deep enough to understand everything."
"Would Aleksey be ashamed that he had been caught? If he is not expressing despair or submission, my guess is shame. He was overcome with shame. At least at that moment."
"Gustavo, I think you are on to something there."
"Shame? Is that the key?"
"At that moment."
36
Reckoning
Aleksey, sitting on the carpet and leaning against the wall, only inches from the tinted window, gazes at the land peaks poking up out of the distant lake. He ponders how the desert islands were lurking under the surface all along. The diminishment of the lake's levels will continue to reveal new surprises, transforming aspects of itself again and again.
The metaphor applies to him directly. Aleksey vows to himself that he will never be so ignorant again. He adopts a new principle. Forevermore, he will analyze predicaments by equally weighting what is in plain sight and what could be looming in the depths. Protection and peace of mind for himself, and Zachary, or future clients, requires nothing less than a precise balance of facts and educated conjecture. He must do better from now on.
The bedroom door blasts open and crashes into the wall. The guard in the lucha libre mask heaves Nathaniel, still bound by his wrists and ankles, onto the bed. Nathaniel lands face first on Aleksey's pillow, reaggravating his nose injury. The guard exits the room, slamming and locking the door. A thread of blood trickles down over Nathaniel's lips as he sits upright on the bed and presses his back against the wall. His drowsy eyes barely open and his heavy head tilts to the side.
Aleksey watches Nathaniel for a minute, then turns away, shifting his line of sight back to the shrinking lake.
"Did they hurt you too?" Nathaniel asks. His voice is groggy and weak.
"No," Aleksey answers.
"Thank God."
"I am evolving. I am only growing stronger."
Nathaniel does not immediately reply.
Aleksey does not inquire about Nathaniel's condition or treatment by the captors. He stares out the window and patiently waits for Nathaniel's response.
"You are trying to be brave," Nathaniel finally says.
"Just as I suspected," Aleksey declares.
"What?"
"You are fully lucid, Nathaniel. You can drop the act."
Aleksey steadily turns his gaze from the window and looks at the man sitting on his bed. Nathaniel's eyes are wide open, piercing, and angry. Aleksey glances at him with pity and scorn, then disinterestedly turns away again.
Nathaniel groans a hideous, guttural noise and yanks his wrists apart, snapping the binds off his wrists. He wipes the blood from his lips onto his leg cast and tears off the binding entwining his ankles.
"Look me in the eye or I will crack your spine in half, smart-ass," Nathaniel commands.
"Would you really go that far?" Aleksey asks, obeying him.
"If necessary. I have done worse."
"Worse than betraying your best friend?"
Nathaniel stands and bangs his fist against the television monitor, silencing the broadcast. He kneels over Aleksey and pokes his index finger just inches away from his face.
"He will forgive me," Nathaniel boasts, "even if I demolish you."
"Maybe so," Aleksey responds. "Or maybe the price of being associated with you is too high. Much too high."
"That is not your choice. You are just a guard. Hired help."
"Zachary is not like you. He never will be. At his core, there is not malicious guile, hate, or a win-at-all-costs mentality. There is kindness. No matter how many times you punch or kick me, that is the ultimate truth."