Babylon (Eden Saga Book 2) Page 21

Sweat greased the girl’s palm and Alexandra finally knew the root of Medina’s fear. She was an unwilling captive to the child king and his little court. For some reason, Nebu picked Medina, and Alexandra guessed at that reason. Did he know something about the people Alexandra healed? Why pick Medina out of the crowd of hundreds? Certainly it wasn’t a coincidence. Alexandra had worked enough criminal cases in her early career to know circumstantial evidence is enough to levy a preliminary judgment.

  Nebu knew about Medina and likely knew much more about Alexandra as well. He held some things back and had some plan for her. Why else keep her so close? Why treat her with such kindness after Marco and Hernon fed him so many lies about her?

  She turned her back on the child king and followed the angel down the stairs. Well, she reasoned, as long as she knew then she could try to keep ahead of him. She wasn’t about to abandon Benjamin or Medina, so her stay in Babylon looked to be extended. Using that time to discover the truth about Nebu seemed like a worthy new goal. If she could unravel his mystery, perhaps she’d have all the answers she sought.

  “Your room,” Zaph said as he opened a door to a large closet on the third floor. “I’ll have Walter bring a cot and some utensils for you.”

  “Thanks.”

  Alexandra, Medina and Talla piled into the tiny chamber and Alexandra dropped her heavy backpack into the corner. She lifted Medina from under her armpits and placed her on the pack.

  “That’s a good seat for you,” she said. “Now, tell me everything. What happened in Brasilia after I left? How did you become engaged to Nebu?”

  “In… gad?”

  “Engaged. It means you are going to marry him.”

  Medina nodded. “Sim, yes. We marry.”

  Alexandra ground her teeth. What right did this boy king have to pick his bride from the stock of pre-teen Brazilian girls?

  “Never mind that for now,” she said. “Tell me about Brasilia. Why did everyone leave?”

  “Padre Hernon make us leave,” she said. “Well, he say to us we go see Heaven and we go be happy. Angels come and show us. We go.”

  After a long pause, it was clear Medina had reached the end of her story.

  “So, who told you to marry Nebu?”

  “Minha mãe,” she said.

  “Your mother?” Alexandra asked.

  Medina nodded.

  Alexandra reasoned that Nebu and his gang must have gotten to Medina’s mother. An angel would likely be a powerful persuasion tool for the faithful. It may even be an honor to be betrothed to God on earth. However, the whole thing sickened Alexandra and clearly frightened the girl.

  Alexandra lowered her voice. “What are you afraid of?”

  Medina shook her head. “Not afraid.”

  “Did someone hurt you?”

  “No talk this,” Medina said as she turned her face away from Alexandra.

  Indecisive about pressing the matter due to her own lack of experience with children, Alexandra allowed the topic to drop. She didn’t want to frighten the girl any further.

  As promised, a cot and some dented cans were delivered to her closet-sized room. Medina was called away and Alexandra was left to organize her meager belongings. She took stock of her supplies and learned from Walter where she could barter for different sundries now that food was promised to her as long as she was in the tower.

  After a long day of surveying the mud-filled streets of Babylon, Alexandra returned to the tower and slowed her approach as a familiar figure watched her.

  Marco.

  He pushed himself off the wall he was supporting and grinned. “Welcome home,” he said.

  Why did every word from his mouth infuriate her? Her heart quickened and her mood turned instantly sour.

  “Marco,” she said. “What have you been doing since you arranged my execution?”

  His eyes scanned the length of her body and he said, “Little of this, little of that.”

  Her skin crawled as the memory of the army barracks shower encounter slithered into her thoughts.

  “Nebu knows you lied to him,” Marco said. “Or, rather, that you left some important details out. Like your whole fixation on Eden. I’m still trying to figure out why he kept you alive.”

  “Maybe he wants to have his way with me before killing me,” she said. “Sound familiar?”

  “You’re still holding that against me?” he said, feigning a wound to his chest. “That was ages ago, and the world had just ended. Can you blame a guy for wanting to remember the good old times?”

  She shouldered past him and said, “Yes, I can.”

  “Oh,” he said, catching her arm. She reached for her sword and he let go. “I just wanted to tell you about tonight.”

  “Speak,” she said, her hand around the rosary-wrapped grip.

  “Big party at the church,” he said. “Sounds like it’s in your honor so try to wear something nice.”

  He winked and turned away.

  Her temperature gradually returned to normal the longer she was away from his presence. Did the man have any redeeming qualities? She pondered the question as she filled a bucket with water and used her new soap and shampoo to clean her grimy body.

  “Wear something nice,” she grumbled as she pulled her fatigues and leather jacket back over herself.

  Talla watched her with only partial curiosity.

  “Next time we see that loser,” she said, “bite his balls off.”

  Talla lowered his head back onto his paws and closed his eyes. He wasn’t interested in conversation, it appeared.

  Sighing, Alexandra used one of her new elastic bands to secure her hair in a ponytail. It had been weeks since her last one busted and she was thankful to get her hair out of her face. She realized she would need to cut her hair again soon as it had grown past her shoulders.

  She put the end of the cot against her door so her feet would serve as an early alarm to anyone trying to enter.

  “Just a quick nap,” she said to Talla, who was already ahead of her.

  Closing her eyes, she did her best to purge all images and thoughts of Marco from her mind.

  “Alexandra?”

  The voice was Zaph’s and it was followed by two soft knocks on the door.

  “Are you awake?”

  “Yeah, yeah,” she grumbled. “What is it?”

  A pause. Then, Zaph said, “Did Marco or Walter tell you about the banquet?”

  Right. A dinner in her honor. That sounded like the last place she wanted to be.

  “Nebu will be down shortly,” Zaph said. “He would very much like to walk with you. It is an honor.”

  Alexandra snorted softly and then realized angels sported enhanced hearing. He likely heard her.

  “Be right out,” she said.

  She followed Zaph down the stairs and into the chill evening air. Three more angels, two males and one female, awaited them outside. Alexandra gasped at their perfection and radiance against the bleak backdrop of the razor rocks and dimming orange-red sky.

  Zaph motioned to the two males and said, “Naithe and Kir.” Then, he looked at the female angel and said, “Erah.”

  In unison, the angels put their fists to their chests and bowed their heads. Like Erzulie and Zaph, they wore unique tattoos. Their glowing eyes bore into her with an intensity Alexandra remembered from Erzulie when they first met. Alexandra marveled at their brilliance and overwhelming presence. Angels were breathtaking creatures by anyone’s standards.

  “How many angels are here?” she asked, unable to peel her eyes away from the impressive sight.

  “Only us for now,” Zaph said. “And we rarely gather in one place, but this is the first time the Child King has left the tower.”

  “First time?”

  “You have caused quite a stir with your miracles,” Erah, the female angel, said. “It is an honor to meet you, Saint.”

  Alexandra suppressed a laugh and the angels noticed.

  “Is it true, Zaph?” Kir asked. “May I tou
ch her to see what you saw?”

  Alexandra took a step backwards.

  “Do you remember when we met?” Zaph asked.

  Alexandra nodded.

  “I sensed a connection to Heaven from you,” he said,” and thought it false. Nebu has confirmed you are divine and such a thing can be seen through touch. Kir is asking to touch you to validate my findings.”

  “You were wounded,” Kir said. “Your senses may have been jarred.”

  “She may not allow you,” Zaph said.

  Alexandra marveled at how emotion-filled angels appeared to be. Was Koneh wrong about that? Was he also as wrong about Eden as Heaven? Was Lilev a deeper shade of insane with her outlandish theories about Eden’s cosmic nature? Who’s information could she trust?

  Realizing they were all staring at her, she said, “Oh, that’s fine, Kir. Looks like I’ll be here a while, so we may as well get this out of the way now. Can’t have you leering at me every time we’re in a room together.”

  Kir stepped towards her and said evenly, “I do not leer.”

  He touched the back of her exposed hand and pulled away as if he had been burned.

  “Di’nar,” he said, his all-white eyes widening. “I do not feel this from Nebu.”

  “Nor I,” Zaph said, his tone pensive.

  “What is it, Kir?” Erah asked.

  “Touch her,” he said.

  Erah and Naithe followed suit. Naithe remained silent while Erah’s reaction was similar to Kir’s.

  “You see it too?” Kir asked.

  Erah nodded and said, “But something is amiss.”

  “Exactly,” Zaph said.

  “Okay,” Alexandra said. “What are y’all talking about?”

  The doors behind them opened and several men, including Walter, shuffled forward with a palanquin between them. Inside, no doubt, was the child king. The wicker-weaved basket of the palanquin completely enclosed the rider.

  They stopped next to her and a panel on the side of the basket opened.

  “My heart soars to see you again, Alexandra Contreras,” Nebu said. “Would you do me the honor of accompanying me to the banquet?”

  “Of course,” she said, regretting for the first time her decision to remain in her frumpy fatigues.

  “Would you walk alongside me?” he asked.

  “Certainly,” she said as she fell into step with the palanquin bearers. “I would have dressed for the occasion, but this is all I have.”

  “You needn’t worry about such trivial things,” he said.

  She slowed her pace to a crawl for the caravan. “So,” she said, “what’s the occasion again?”

  “It was originally my birthday celebration, but I altered the event for you, my dear,” Nebu said. He left the panel open and Alexandra caught shadowy glimpses of him from time to time. “Rumors abound of a saint in Europe helping the sick and we have long heard rumors of one in South America. To have you with us is a great joy and I wish to share it with the people who have worked so hard to make Babylon a reality.”

  She wasn’t keen on being the center of attention, but it appeared she had no choice.

  “Babylon,” she said, mostly to herself.

  “Does the name confuse you?” Nebu asked.

  She nodded. “Wasn’t the city destroyed for defying God?”

  “Indeed,” he said. “Both in the past and in the Revelation. ‘Thus with violence that great city Babylon be thrown down, and shall be found no more.’”

  She wrinkled her nose. “Then why name your city that?”

  He chuckled lightly. “Well, the city was also a testament to mankind’s cooperation and perseverance. I felt it fitting to give the name another chance. Also, Babylon from the Greek means ‘Gate of the God.’ What better name can we put to the location where God shall make his judgment and open paradise to the redeemed?”

  Marco’s words haunted her and she decided to clear the air with Nebu. If anything else, it would make him trust her or believe that she trusted him. Either way, she’d gain a little ground.

  “I’m afraid I didn’t fully disclose things during our first conversation,” she said.

  “I know.”

  Surprised by his frankness, she stumbled over her words. “That is, I didn’t tell you everything. I wasn’t sure how you’d react.”

  “That as well, I know,” he said. “I understand your reasons.”

  “You do?”

  “Of course,” he said. “Koneh and the fallen angel Erzulie filled your head with lies and you are just now coming to terms with this. They believed you to be someone you are not, and they almost had you convinced. Then, they endangered not only your life, but the lives of those around you on a foolish errand to Eden. I loathe to wonder what sort of hallucination-inducing substances they fed to you to keep you incapacitated while they tried to pry your soul from you.”

  This was new. “Hallucinations?”

  “A compliant hostage is certainly easier to transport than an unwilling one,” he said. “Marco told us all about his time with you and how you believed you were on a path to open Eden to humanity. Koneh must have slowly introduced something into your food or water to make you susceptible to suggestion. After the drug was in full effect, they could literally implant any suggestion they wanted to make you believe they were your friends and that you were on a quest to save the world. All the while, they likely planned to strip your soul from you and use it for whatever machinations they planned.”

  The wave of new information hit her and washed over her. There’s no way she hallucinated her journey past Brasilia. Her love for Koneh and friendship with Erzulie were too powerful. This must be the start of the Child King’s lie to her, she reasoned.

  “I really don’t know how you escaped and managed to slay Koneh,” Nebu said. “Truly remarkable, but the Lord’s gifts usually are.”

  She found words impossible but held on to her memories.

  As if reading her thoughts like Lilev, he said, “You have my word I will help you to reconstruct the past year of your life, if you wish. I cannot imagine the emptiness you must feel now that you know the truth.”

  Finally, words came.

  “You weren’t there,” she said. “How can you know this!?”

  “I know what Marco and Padre Hernon have told me,” he said. “And I have my own observations of you. There are other accounts as well. Medina’s mother. The prisoner Benjamin-“

  “You talked with Benjamin?”

  “I had him retrieved for a quick chat this afternoon,” Nebu said. “His story matches Marco’s, but without the extra bits Marco offered for elaboration. Your picture has come into focus for me, Alexandra Contreras, and I’m deeply filled with sorrow for you. Tonight’s celebration marks an end to your suffering and the first chapter in, what I hope will be, your glorious sainthood.”

  No, there couldn’t be any truth in the boy’s words. She remembered the events clearly and those were no hallucinations. Eden was opened by her hand and her love was in Eden.

  However, there was a certain straightness to Nebu’s logic. Old Alexandra saw the kernel of truth in everything Nebu said. She didn’t detect any subterfuge and wondered if his portrayal of the events was even possible. Probable?

  She shook her head.

  “Many apologies for springing all of this on you now,” Nebu said. “After talking with Benjamin, everything became clear to me and I didn’t want to wait to tell you. I felt you deserved to know the truth. My promise remains – I will help you unravel the mystery of your recent past and together we can find the truth.”

  Truth. Koneh followed his version, Lilev almost convinced Alexandra of insanity and Nebu now presented another timeline of events to consider. Her head spun from this new information and she struggled to refrain from collapsing.

  Which truth could she trust? Which was reality for her?

  The banquet hall wasn’t at all like hotel convention rooms she remembered from her lawyer days in the old world. In
stead of uniform tables and chairs, the Babylonian version sported tables from various materials: plywood, sheet metal, car hoods and anything else salvageable and nearly flat. Supported by barrels and wooden blocks, the uneven surfaces reminded her of the rickety fences in Mexico’s back country. A strong wind would have likely toppled the entire array. Chairs were equally haphazard, being formed from barrels, crates, tire drums and anything else to provide some altitude while seated at the makeshift tables.

  As the various truths swam through her skull, Alexandra greeted banquet guests. She didn’t feel grounded at all anymore as she analyzed what Nebu had said. If she was so certain he was mistaken, why did she linger upon his words? She tried to disallow he confusion from reigning, but her thoughts were muddled. Current conversations and names were lost to her as soon as they happened, but she was quickly sobered by Marco’s arrival.

  With two armed rangers at his side, he stalked toward her and she feared her confrontation with him was finally at hand. She reached for her sword but halted when Marco knelt before her with tears in his eyes.

  “I was so wrong,” he said, his voice uneven. “My eyes have been opened to the truth, and now my heart soars.”

  Puzzled by his words, Alexandra waited for his explanation.

  He swallowed and said, “You are Guadalupe and my life is yours.”

  Chapter 22

  Whispers rippled throughout the banqueters. Alexandra caught a few of them.

  “Guadalupe!”

  “The virgin of Tepeyac… here?”

  “Who is she?”

  “Mexico?”

  “Virgin Mother…”

  Then, Nebu stood and the crowd quieted. He scanned the stunned and confused faces, with his eyes finally falling upon Alexandra.

  “Marco of Tampico speaks truth,” Nebu said. “For those of you not from Mexico, the virgin of Guadalupe is one of the most sacred miracles in all of Christianity.”

  A few of the Mexican attendees fell to their knees in prayer. Marco bowed his head. Many of the Brazilians remained apprehensive or uncertain. Alexandra’s head spun. She knew the legend of Guadalupe well. Clearly, Marco was delusional.

  “The virgin mother came to a commoner in Mexico shortly after Spain’s conquest,” Nebu continued, likely to teach the story to the South Americans present. “She commanded this man, Juan Diego, to build a church. The miracle unified the country, inspired men in battle and told of a sacred prophecy.”