3 years ago - Izzy
They were all up early the following morning. The excitement of their most recent discoveries injected an invisible surge of energy among the crew. It was the closest they came yet to finding anything worthy that showed significant evidence that Rhapta did exist. They had tangible proof that they could very well be extremely close to finally discovering the lost city.
"Has anyone seen Eric this morning?"
Charles was frantically running about camp looking for Eric, something he did only when he got flustered and was under severe stress.
"What's the hullabaloo about, Charles? I'm sure he's somewhere."
"I need the photos to submit our findings to the university. They want it yesterday."
Charles was an overachiever of note.
"You are such a perfectionist, Charles. I'm sure they're not that desperate for them."
"No, Izzy, it's vital we send them right away. This is where we have to set aside patience and deliver."
"What exactly are you in such a tizzy over, Charles?"
He ignored Izzy and stomped off, irritated with her nonchalant attitude.
It took a unique character to show enough patience to dig for hours on end for something he didn't even know existed. 'Fairytales and unicorns' was how her father always put it and yet, there they were staring back at her from the table.
They found a primal knife made from ivory, an ancient scroll in a never-been-seen-before cryptogram wooden safe, and now a cipher code in Greek. Three steps closer to finding Rhapta.
"Izzy." Charles came barging into the tent again. "That chap has disappeared, camera and all. Where on earth could he be?"
"I'm sure I saw him at first light when I got up. He must be here somewhere. Have you checked all of the vehicles, Charles? As far as I know, he doesn't like sleeping in the tents; something about the rhinos coming for him at night. Don't ask. The crew have been teasing him about it ever since he confessed it around the fire the other night."
"Well, the fool has vanished off the blessed earth. I can't find him anywhere and the uni is on my back for the photos. Some high society benefactor is due to arrive today, and they're trying to squeeze more money out of the guy. So they need proof we are telling the truth and have found enough to continue the dig."
Charles took off his hat and wiped his brow. "We can't afford to lose this, Izzy. The uni took a bit of strain after the last hazing debacle hit every British newspaper. The ramifications of it caused some of the elite sponsors to cease their donations in support of the stop-hazing campaign. We need this."
Charles stopped and took a large swig of whiskey to calm his mood before moving over to where Alexandra was still at it with her computer and the fancy cipher code. It was probably the only way to distract him right now, so Izzy followed him.
"What time do you want to leave, Charles?"
He didn't answer her, decidedly deep in thought as Alex and he worked through the cipher using all sorts of decryption tools on her computer.
"Charles, I said, what time should we leave in the morning? We're going to have to get an early start. I've been working on the map, and the river it's most likely to be is the one out here. Look," she said, pointing to the map spread open on the table.
"Sure, Izzy." Charles was engrossed with the cipher code. Ordinarily, most wives would get utterly annoyed at his blatant pass-over, but Izzy just laughed. She knew there was nothing on this earth that could take Charles Hunt's attention away from the cipher now. It was best just to let him get on with it in his own way until he cooled down or wore out, whichever came first. So Izzy turned her attention back to the map and started plotting out a couple of options for them to take.
"My golly, Alexandra, you are indeed something special. I can't believe it. You definitely got my brains, my girl!" Charles bellowed a laugh.
"Izzy, I think our genius child got it again!"
Alex was something all right and Izzy never grew tired of her daughter's brilliance.
"You never cease to surprise me, Alexandra. Show me."
Alex pointed to several Greek numbers on her computer screen.
"See, Mum, I think it's no more than pointing to a particular letter of the alphabet. But, back then everyone used the Roman or Greek alphabets only. The English language was rarely spoken and only by dignitaries from England. So most secret presidential communications were done in another language, like French or Portuguese. So, hiding something would have had to be somewhere far less obvious to the general population at the time. It was hands-down genius. They used the English alphabet instead. They wrote the numerics in Greek, but the cipher is, as a matter of fact, English. Look. Eleven is the eleventh letter of the alphabet which in our English alphabet is the letter K. Five is the fifth letter of the alphabet which is E. Twenty-five is the twenty-fifth letter which is Y. See?"
"So that spells K-E-Y… key!" Izzy proclaimed a tad too loud.
"Yes, KEY," Charles echoed jubilantly. "That's just brilliant. Now, if it is, in fact, a physical key or perhaps a kind of solution to a problem, we don't know yet. But I reckon we are getting closer by the day, Izzy. I told you it happens in threes. We are so close. Have you managed to come up with anything from the river clue?"
"I think so. I mean I can only think it is the river where we found the first pieces of pottery. Remember? The one that is close to Mafia Island. Legend has it that Rhapta was in that vicinity, so it makes logical sense to try there first, right? It's not a very long river so we should be able to work it easily. My best guess is we should start at the mouth and work it upstream. Chances are the river would have brought any artifacts down toward the mouth in any event. We would have to leave early in the morning though. It's quite a drive there."
Charles shifted his weight uncomfortably as if he was getting ready to dance the shuffle.
"Okay. What's up? I know that look on your face, Charles Benjamin Hunt."
He cleared his throat, removed his hat again, and scratched his head as if he was trying to gather the words for an announcement at a funeral.
"What is it, Charles? Spit it out," Izzy urged.
"Izzy, I spoke to the uni earlier. You know, brought them up to speed on what we have found. They… well… they need me back home."
"What do you mean? You're leaving us?"
"My love, I have no choice. If I don't go, they will pull all our funding. We are so close now and we cannot afford for them to pull the plug now. We have to push forward now more than ever."
Izzy crossed her arms like a spoiled child. She wasn't pleased in the slightest and that would be putting it mildly.
"Oh, come on, Izzy. Don't pull the sulking card, my love. You know I would much rather hunt this down with the two of you. My hands are tied. Don't be mad, please?" He attempted to hug his wife but she shrugged him off.
"We are on the cusp of, without a doubt, the continent's biggest find ever. Our first proper breakthrough at finally finding Rhapta after decades of digging and now you choose to leave? Really?"
Disappointment couldn't describe how Izzy felt. As if someone just spoiled a surprise.
"When are you leaving then?" she eventually asked.
"First light."
"Great! So at the peak of us finding Rhapta you, the head of this team, are leaving. I can't believe you, Charles! Please tell me it's a joke. How on earth am I supposed to do this on my own?"
"But you are not on your own, Izzy. Alexandra is very capable of doing this with you. In fact, I bet my life's savings that she'd be far more worth to you going forward than me. She has learned from the best, haven't you, my darling girl?" He winked at his daughter.
"Don't bring Alexandra into this, Charles. It might not even be safe for us out here on our own. Once word gets out that we are onto something, every rival gang and wannabe treasure hunter will be on our heels."
"I have already thought of that and taken care of that for you, Izzy. The chief is assembling a crew to accompany you, and Jelani is in charge. His name doesn't mean "mighty" for nothing. You will be in good hands I'm certain. We will all leave together on my way to the airport tomorrow morning, okay?"
His pacifying hardly brought his wife solace. Quite the contrary if truth were told.
"But, Charles, what if we do find Rhapta finally after all these years of looking for it together? You won't be with us to share in it. That's what I'm furious about."
Charles pulled his wife into his arms.
"You'll be okay, Izzy. I'll be with you in spirit, and Alexandra… well, let's just say I am certain she will be filling my spot just fine. As soon as you find it, you let me know, okay? I'll be on the first plane in."
"Mum, it will be okay. I will be there with you every step of the way and, thanks to technology, we will Skype and take some pictures and send them to Dad, okay? It will feel like he is right here with us."
"Speaking of pictures. Eric is still missing. He had better crawl out from wherever he is before we leave. I need to take those pictures and data with me."
Izzy looked around. She too found it strange that he'd disappear like that in the middle of all the action.
With their belongings packed and the recently discovered relics firmly tucked into her bag, Izzy and Alex set off later in the afternoon to their Swahili tribe by the river. Halfway down the dirt road, convinced someone was following them, Izzy looked back, but the dust clouds behind them were too thick for her to have a clear view. She had a bad feeling about this. She couldn't quite put her finger on it but something just didn't feel right. Charles looked perplexed also. Perhaps he was sensing it too or most likely, his mind was long since at the benefit back home and his thoughts were all about how to save their expedition. They followed the strict instructions sent to them by the chief and veered off the road at a certain point. Once they got to their marker, they were to do the rest on foot, heading west to where the tribe would meet up with them and take them into their village. It was a reasonably normal security procedure. There were many rival tribes in Tanzania, and they needed a handful of precautionary measures to protect their settlements from one another.
When they finally arrived at the marked spot, they walked an hour or so into the bush. Soon after, they heard the tribal call from a nearby acacia tree and Charles answered back with the same whistling sound by holding his hands clenched over his mouth. Izzy never really got the technique right to mimic their call. Somehow both Alexandra and Charles had managed to learn the secret call. Charles always said it was because her hands were so dainty and small.
Izzy still couldn't shake the feeling that someone was watching them. She turned once more to see, but there was still no one there. Just vast open grassland and a couple of giraffes about a hundred yards away. Most of their crew stayed behind at camp continuing the excavation which now left their small party entirely exposed. Doubts if the one rifle Charles had slung over his shoulder was sufficient filled her mind. Maybe that was why she was restless, she thought.
Another hour on foot led by the tribe's tracker had them reach the river. After months in the barren Savannah, being right next to a river was sheer bliss. A remedy for her soul, she always said. There was something about flowing water that washed all her troubles away.
Jelani came running over to Alexandra, or rather, as the tribe affectionately called her, Lakicia, which translated to 'she who is a favorite among people.' They honored her with a Swahili name shortly after Charles and Izzy took Jelani in. Being the chief's son, he saw her as his tribal sister, and they held a large ceremony in her honor. He was about ten years her senior and they got on remarkably well. Growing up an only child, she thought of him as her older brother. Jelani naturally took it upon himself to look after her while Charles and Izzy were often away on dangerous expeditions all over the world, forced to leave Alex behind. Izzy's heart warmed at the thought of how it literally took a village to raise her.
The tribe welcomed them with song and cheer when they approached the village. It was the old familiar welcome they got each time they left on an exploration when they gifted them with food and supplies. And each time they came back, they lay a carpet of fresh flowers and leaves out before them and held a welcome celebration until late at night. It was good to see them all again, Izzy thought. Most of them had become dear friends. With Charles and her off on explorations for months on end they never really managed to root anywhere, much less make any friends; acquaintances on the other hand were plenty.
Back in London, it was more fame than friendship. Everyone wanted to know the famous Hunt chasers—as they were dubbed. They practically bowed before them at the uni. The students usually lined up outside Charles' office with some frivolous excuse or other just to see him. He loved it though. History and archaeology were in his veins. He could entertain the students with his relic-hunting stories for hours on end and reveled in it.
But for Izzy, being out there in the open African Savanah filled her spirit and as they walked toward the firepit in the center of the village, several young ones came running toward them. Some of the girls made beautiful flower hairbands and forced Alex and Izzy to sit patiently while they decorated their hair accompanied by giddy giggles. This tribe was as close to family as they'd ever have.
A little one tugged at Izzy's pants and she bent down to say hello.
"And who might you be little one?" Izzy asked.
The girl was too young to talk. About two and a bit, if one might hazard a guess.
"Hello, Ma'Izzy," Jelani's voice came up behind her.
"Jelani, my boy, how are you?" She hugged him like he was her very own. He had always called her Ma, short for mama. He was still so young when his mum died that it came quite naturally to him, and Izzy didn't mind.
"Very well, Ma'Izzy. Meet our Imani. She's my little girl. The gods have blessed me. You are a big mama now."
Izzy's heart skipped several beats as she scooped the little girl up into her arms. That meant she was a grandmother. Never in her wildest dreams did she ever think she'd be so fortunate as to be a grandmother. Albeit not a blood-related one like she'd be to Alexandra's kids. If she was ever going to get married and have one was a question for another day. Alex never held onto any boyfriends for long. She always had a reason for it not working out but Izzy realized very early on she was just scared of getting hurt.
"Jelani, she is utterly gorgeous. With a name meaning 'faith' you named her well."
"She reminded me of you, Ma'Izzy, when you couldn't make a baby, before Lakicia. You always said when life got you down you just need a little faith, remember?"
He was right. She always had faith.
"Well, Imani, let's see if I can remember the song I used to sing to Alexandra when she was your age. You want to sing a song with me?"
Twinkle, twinkle little star
How I wonder what you are
Up above the world so high
Like a diamond in the sky
Twinkle, twinkle little star
How I wonder what you are
Seeing the little girl made Izzy happier than she thought ever possible. She never thought she would have her own baby let alone a grandchild.
Alexandra watched from a distance as if the toddler might bite her. Izzy giggled and held the toddler out to her.
"No thanks, Mum. Babies don't like me."
"Don't be silly, Alexandra. Try. She won't bite. Well, maybe just a little," she teased.
"Yeah, thanks, Mum. I'll pass. My hands aren't clean anyway. Sorry, Jelani, no offense."
"When are you taking a husband, Lakicia? Imani will need a play friend, and you are not getting any younger."
"Oh no, I'm leaving that to you, my friend. I am not planning on ever getting married. Men are just trouble. You go ahead without me and string in as many as you wish. I'll sit this one out."
Charles came up from behind.
"What do you mean we're trouble? I would watch my mouth if I were you, sweetheart. Look around you. Half the villagers are men." Charles dissolved into another belly bout of laughter.
Later around the fire, Charles and Izzy sat gazing at the stars in silence. Something they had always liked to do. Being out under the stars always bonded them together somehow. Like the heavens held an invisible blanket over them. A quilt only the two of them shared. It was their way of uniting as one.
"What a beautiful night, huh, Izzy? I mean, you and I have been all over the world to some pretty amazing places. But where in the world are the stars brighter than right here in Africa?"
"You're right, Charles. Somehow the air is much cleaner out here too. I could live here you know."
"Well, tell you what, my love. Find Rhapta for us tomorrow, and we very well could spend the rest of our days together here under the stars. Perhaps we can finally build that house we have always dreamed of. I know the chief would gladly help. Right there on the hill overlooking the river. I'll build it on stilts. Safely off the ground, especially for you, my love."
"You are such a sweet soul, Charles. I knew the day I met you that you were my soulmate. The one I am meant to be with all of my days."
There was nothing Charles wouldn't do for Alexandra and Izzy. One thing was clear. Izzy knew, with all her heart, that he would much rather stay behind and be with them than fly back to London arguing over money with the snooty benefactors.
Instantly she regretted her outburst that morning.
"Make sure you hurry back okay, Charles? It might take us days before we find Rhapta."
"It's not up to me, Izzy darling, but I'll try. I promise."
"Well, if you hurry it along you would have enough time to go home, finish whatever those stiffs want from you, and come straight back to make our discovery with us, right here where you belong."
"I would love nothing more, Izzy. I think you are going to be successful tomorrow. You are going to somehow find the right spot by the river and figure out where or what the KEY is. You, Izzy Hunt, are going to find Rhapta, my love. I can feel it in my bones."