A Cold Mountain
Chapter 4
by Daniel Pears, published on August 26, 2000
December 8, 1947, the morning, The Dead Sea, Palestine
West of Jerusalem there stretches a long descending plateau, 14 miles in length. It ends in a sheer drop to the Great Rift Valley; at 1 300 feet below sea level, it is the lowest spot on earth. In this valley is an ancient lake bed where the Dead Sea is located. In ancient days it was called Lake Asphaltitus for the massive chunks of asphalt it disgorged. There, an industry grew that supplied the royalty of Egypt the asphalt it used for preservation in its royal mummies. Emptying into its northernmost point is the Jordan River. Sixty miles to the north of that lies the Sea of Galilee. This is the land that Jesus walked, with its stern contrasts of succulence and desolation.
Heat shimmered across the vastness open desert as the covered jeep passed along the Dead Sea. While Emma was driving confidently, Coyle admired the magnificent 'salty hills' that surrounded the lake.
-"Outstanding, isn't it?" Emma asked.
-"I've never seen something quite like it before. I've read about this place in the Bible since my early childhood but have never thought I would actually see it." He smiled. "My father was a preacher and so was my grandfather and my grand-grandfather. I suppose It had been a family tradition for many centuries."
-"And you broke it?"
-"You might say so, yes." He paused. "My father was very disappointed. Things haven't been quite the same since then."
-"Have you got any brothers or sisters?"
-"I had a younger brother. He died in the war."
-"I'm sorry."
-"That's okay."
-"Is you father still alive."
-"Yes. But we haven't spoken to each other for a long time."
-"Perhaps you should."
-"I don't really want to talk about it, if you don't mind."
-"No problem."
-"Anyway, you could say that I have a certain biblical knowledge, whether I like it or not. Joshua called this area 'wilderness' when he conquered it (Js. 15:61). In Luke 1:80 we read that John the Baptist grew up in the wilderness. Jesus, before his ministry, '.was led by the Spirit into the wilderness' (Lk. 4:1) for his 40 days of temptation. Legend says this particular strip of land, hemming the western edge of the Dead Sea, is the very place where both had done their wandering." He pointed to the lake. "When reading descriptions of the area one is struck by their total shock. There is something about the land that consumes the senses. Moses described the Sinai during his 40 years of wandering as '.this vast and dreadful wilderness, a land of fiery serpents, scorpions and thirst.' Equally can it be said of the Dead Sea wilderness. Yet there are some who are drawn by its stark magnificence, its huge silences, its monastic barrenness. And those who watch the deep and lifeless waters say they change in colour the day as the sun describes its endless arc."
-"That was very beautiful, Edward. Can I call you Edward?"
-"Only if I can call you Emma?"
-"Sure," she laughed and then pointed to the cliffs. "Those high cliffs, around the lake bed, are inhabited by goats, ground creatures and birds. The entire plateau is cut through by wadis, stream beds that carry winter rains to the sea. An occasional spring is the only constant source of water."
Coyle examined her as she was talking. Her blond hair was tied back, accentuating her high cheek-bones, and there were tiny beads of perspiration on her tanned face and neck. Even though she wore a loose khaki shirt and pants, her figure was evident and she looked startlingly pretty. She offered Coyle a perfect smile, one that affected him instantly. "I suppose the Bedouins are now the only inhabitants of this land," he remarked.
-"Yes. The Bedouins have long inhabited this land. They know the cliffs, with their water-hewn and man-hewn caves. They make their living, as best as they can, in the life-starved desert." She pointed to a group of hills to their right. "There is Qumran!"
It was getting even hotter as the covered jeep came to a halt. Emma and Coyle climbed out and the archaeologist wiped his brow with the back of his hand. They made their way to a collection of large canvas tents that had been erected near the Qumran site. Several team members were busy clearing away equipment after the excavation and were loading it on to a couple of trucks.
-"I thought this expedition was meant to be a secret," Coyle remarked. "Who are all these people?"
-"Well, some were sent by the Oxford University along with the Professor and myself. Most of the others are local folks who don't have any clue about the true nature and importance of our discovery."
As they strolled towards the activity, Professor Stanley, wearing a brush hat and a sweat-stained khaki tropical shirt stepped out of one of the tents. "Good day, my friends." He turned to Coyle. "Sorry I couldn't make it this morning, Edward, but my presence was required here." He turned to Emma. "Thank you for bringing him down here, my dear."
-"My pleasure, Professor."
-"Would you care for a guided tour of the site, Edward?"
-"To tell you the truth, I have been looking forward to it. It's not often one gets the opportunity to visit Palestine and take part in something like that."
Professor Stanley smiled and slapped a hand on Coyle's shoulder. "Nonsense, my boy. I'm confident that Egypt and Greece were as fascinating as this site is." He dabbed sweat from his forehead. "This heat is unbearable. If someone had told me that it would be so hot around here I wouldn't have come." He laughed. "Well, it's cooler inside the caves. Let me just fetch a water bottle and a flashlight." The Professor disappeared in his tent only to reappear with a small rucksack. "Shall we?"
As they walked, Emma explained. "As you can see, the settlement of Qumran is located on the northwestern shore of the Dead Sea. While the settlement had been known to archaeologists since 1851, our interest in the site was sparked when the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered earlier this year."
-"A number of the caves are in the hills around Qumran," the Professor intervened. "Eleven of those caves contained materials indicating that they were used and caves I, IV and XI have provided hundreds of biblical and none-biblical texts."
-"We suspect," Emma said, "that many of the inhabitants of Qumran lived in the surrounding caves as well as in pitched tents within the settlement."
-"Who were those inhabitants?"
-"It's pretty complicated," she smiled. "So far, the earliest pottery evidence from Qumran indicates that the site was inhabited from the 8th to 6th centuries BC when it was violently destroyed, probably as a result of the fall of Judah to Babylon. It seems that in the 2nd century BC a new group, known as the Essenes or the Sons of Light, settled in the site. We don't have much information on them. As you know, most of the scrolls haven't been translated yet. However, we do know that the group experienced rapid growth although the number of inhabitants probably never reached 200. Furthermore, Dr. Peters learned that an earthquake took place in this region in the 1st century BC. Records of this earthquake can be found in the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Dr. Peters believed that the city of Qumran was severely damaged by the earthquake and then abandoned for a generation and then resettled. The Romans occupied the site when they were crushing the first rebellion against Rome (66-74 AD), especially during the siege of Masada."
-"Masada means 'fortress' in Hebrew," the Professor remarked. The ancient ruins of Masada are located on a mountaintop in the desert about 30 miles southeast of Jerusalem. It was the scene of the last stand made by the Jewish Zealots in their revolt against Roman rule (66-73 AD)"
-"If I'm not mistaken," Coyle said, genuinely concerned, "Flavius Josephus, the famous Jewish historian and Priest-general at the time of the fall of the second Temple, described the community of the Essenes in his book 'The Jewish War'. Is that right?"
The Professor winked at Emma. "I told you he was brilliant."
-"You are perfectly right, Edward," Emma nodded approvingly. "Josephus described three Jewish sects: the Sadducees, the Pharisees and the Essenes. Claiming himself to have been a member of the Essenes for three years, he gave a description of some of their beliefs and lifestyle. Other reports concerning the Essenes come to us from the Jewish philosopher of the Egyptian dispersion, Philo of Alexandria, who lived between 30 BC and 40 AD. Another report comes from the Roman writer, Pliny the Elder. However all these reports, except perhaps for the one by Josephus, were written by people who did not belong to this reclusive Order. The Dead Sea Scrolls are the only reports we have found so far who come from the Essenes themselves." She took a deep breath. "Anyway, after the fall of Masada, elements of the Jewish resistance used the site again. This was the case of other cities as well. During the second rebellion against Rome (132-132 AD), Roman soldiers invaded the settlement of Qumran and destroyed it and the city was apparently abandoned."
The three companions reached the top of a small hill. The Professor retrieved the water bottle from his rucksack, drank some water and urged the others to do as well. He then removed his glasses, wiped them with his handkerchief and said: "From here, we can see the entire site. The excavation of the two Essenes levels at Qumran indicates that basically the same pattern of living prevailed throughout their existence. The main communal centre was a walled fortress, well situated on the plateau at the edge of Wadi Qumran, whose precipitous sides made it easy to defend from that direction. The unprotected sides were safeguarded by walls, atop which was a tower for the use of a sentry. Although we believe the Essenes were not militant people, the isolation of the community in the rugged wilderness made defence against lawless marauding bands a necessity. Surrounding the main centre were the community agricultural enterprises and some outlying habitations."
-"Is it an empty canal over there?"
-"Yes," Emma replied. "A striking feature of the entire complex is the ingenious aqueduct and water storage capacity they engineered. Some of the baths or pools found in the settlement may have had religious significance, for ceremonial washing was an important feature of their worship. However, it does appear that the main purpose of the elaborate water system was to provide water for the long dry season of that most inhospitable region. It would take considerable effort to provide water for a sizeable community in desert country. To be sure, the Essenes were a remarkable people."
-"What happened to the Essenes after the site was abandoned?" Coyle asked.
-"I'm afraid we have no clue," Emma confessed. "I suppose the members dissolved within the rest of the Jewish community."
-"Let's go down," Professor Stanley said, pointing to the site.
The three companions climbed down the hill and headed to the centre of the Qumran settlement.
-"This is the main building," Emma explained as they entered some large ruins. "There are several interesting rooms inside. This room is the largest. It is equipped with tables and ink pots and quite obviously was the scriptorium or writing room, where many, if not all, of the Dead Sea Scrolls were prepared. This was quite likely the area where the scrolls were normally kept. Evidently their hasty removal to the caves nearby was an emergency measure occasioned by the threat of the Roman conquest."
-"What about the other rooms of the main building?" Coyle asked.
-"The main building contained also a large assembly room, complete with a platform at one end for the use of the reader or leader of the meetings. Adjacent to this room were found evidences of cookware, indicating that a common meal was eaten in the assembly room, a feature of their worship."
They left the main building and walked along the ruins.
-"Elsewhere, the complex of structures at Qumran are vestiges of a pottery, a bakery, a gram mill, a tannery and curiously, an elaborate cemetery," the Professor remarked. "The Essenes' burial customs disclose something of their belief and practice. We found bones of the animals eaten in their sacred common meal that are carefully preserved. They were buried in jars within the compound. Outside the main area was their own burial ground. Evidently the central burial site was for men only."
-"Interestingly," Emma intervened, smiling, "women and children were buried nearby, indicating that the colony was not entirely celibate. Dr. Peters thought that originally the monastic community was strictly for men, but through the years it became a mixed community. I believe that although it was primarily celibate, they did have provision for married people and families to live nearby and participate with the main celibate group, as a sort of second order."
-"As you can see, Edward," the Professor pointed to the site. "We still haven't excavated all the ruins. There might be other buildings and secrets lying beneath the sand."
-"What about the caves?"
-"So far, we have found 23 caves," Emma answered. "As Professor Stanley indicated earlier, eleven of them contained documents and many more bore signs of habitation. All are within three miles of a ruin that is, for the time being, considered the remains of a Roman fort. Let us show you one of the main caves."
They walked out of the centre of the site and climbed another hill overlooking the settlement. Soon they reached the opening of a dark cave. A signed marked "Cave IV" stood by the narrow opening. Several other caves could be seen from there.The Professor turned on his flashlight. "We constantly have problems with the electric generator," he apologised.
Emma descended a ladder into the dark opening. The Professor was the first one to climb down. When he disappeared in the darkness, Emma turned to the archaeologist. "After you, Edward."
It was solid rock in parts, a drop of almost 15 feet, and when Coyle came to the bottom several narrow passageways led off in different directions. Professor Stanley, who was standing nearby, pointed his flashlight at him. "What do you make of that, Edward?"
-"I can't see a thing, Jack. Point your flashlight elsewhere, please."
-"Oh, I'm sorry." He pointed to the floor. "Four jars were founded just here. We moved them to another room in the cave, a larger room, where we study them, as well as many jars from several other caves."
As soon as Emma climbed down, they walked along one of the passageways. The ceiling was so low in places that the three companions had to hunch their shoulders as they walked. Compared to the sizzling temperature above ground, the tunnel air was pleasantly cool, chilly almost, and there was a slightly eerie atmosphere. The passageway led to a large oval room and when they reached the end of the tunnel, voices were heard. A closet was set into a recess in the far wall and dozens of jars lay popped against the wall. A large wooden table stood in the centre of the room. Coyle saw one man busily working away, his clothes covered in fine dust, and then he turned away and saw them.
-"Good day, Professor, Dr. Darlings." He greeted them. "What brings you down here?"
-"The weather was unbearable, so we wanted to cool ourselves, if you don't mind," the Professor smiled. Then, he turned to Coyle. "Edward, this fine gentleman is Robert Parker, our expert engineer. Robert, my friend, here, is Dr. Edward Coyle."
-"Another doctor?" He laughed. "We seem to have plenty of them already." He winked at Coyle. "Well, the more the merrier, I suppose." Robert had a restless face, with pale blue eyes and a slight smile fixed permanently in place.
-"What about the light, Robert?" Emma asked. "I see it doesn't work again."
-"Sorry about that. I believe the electric generator up above is too weak. I'll fix it in no time and then climb up to see if I can find something more powerful."
Emma wiped some dust away. "Thank you, Robert." She turned to her two companions and slightly touched Coyle's hand. "Let's have a look on some of these scrolls. We put them on the table."
At the touch of her hand, Coyle felt an electricity course through him. Every time he looked at Emma or felt her touch he was aware of an intense feeling of attraction, and he fought hard to control it.
As they stepped towards the wooden table, Emma explained. "Most of the scrolls gathered in this room deals with the lifestyle of the Essenes. The manuscripts appear to have belonged to the library of the community. We believe that most of the documents were written at various dates between 200 BC and 68 AD. The community may have been plundered by the army of Roman general Vespasian, which was dispatched in February of 68 AD to suppress a Jewish rebellion that had begun the year before. Presumably, then, the documents were hidden at some time between AD 66 and 68. However, some of them were written several years later, since they briefly mention the fall of Masada in 73 AD. The majority of the texts are in ancient Hebrew. However, some of them are in Aramaic."
Coyle examined with great admiration several yellowish scrolls full with small black characters. "They are well preserved," he remarked.
-"Can you read them?" Emma asked.
The archaeologist grabbed one of the scrolls with great care and began to read it, translating the ancient text simultaneously. "Our organisation is not based on family kinship, in which a man has no choice, but on zeal for virtue and love for all men. We enjoy the only genuine liberty, as is proved by our way of life. None of us is striving to get possession of any private property, or anything to get rich by, for everything is put into the common pool, which supplies the wants of all alike. There is a division of labour, different men to different kinds of work, but whatever may be their work, they do it with vigour, patience and good cheer, never excusing themselves from labour on account of cold, heat or changes of weather." He turned to his two companions. "With all due respect, it sounds like communist propaganda." They all laughed and he continued. "If any man falls sick, whatever medical treatment or resources are available are devoted to his cure, and his care and recovery are the concern of the whole community".
-"You read ancient Hebrew pretty fluently, Edward," Emma smiled. "Personally, I need more practice."
-"I have always been fascinated by the middle east and its numerous civilisations. This area used to be the centre of the world. We tend to forget it nowadays."
The Professor grabbed one of the scrolls, which was separated from the others, and handed it to Coyle. "Read this one, Edward."
-"The scroll is entitled 'The Son of God'", the archaeologist explained. "He shall be called the son of God, and they shall designate him son of the Most High. Like the appearance of comets, so shall be their kingdom. For brief years they shall reign over the earth and shall trample on all; one people shall trample on another and one province on another until the people of God shall rise and shall rest from the sword." He paused, lost in his thoughts.
-"Does this text sound familiar?" The Professor asked.
-"Yes. Luke 1:32 and 35: 'He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David. And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.' That's what the angel told Mary before she gave birth to Jesus."
-"Precisely, Edward," the Professor said. "What do you make of this?"
-"Well, there is one great difference between Christian and Jewish conceptions of the promised Messiah which revolves around his relationship to God. While Jews believe the Messiah will be a great man, such as Moses, with a Divine mission, the Christians believe that the Bible teaches that the Messiah would be uniquely 'the Son of God.'"
-"Correct," Emma agreed. "Therefore, the presence of these statements in the Dead Sea Scrolls suggests that some of the Essenes either accepted the Messianic claims of Jesus to be the Son of God or anticipated this concept."
-"This is very interesting," Coyle exclaimed enthusiastically. "Are there some other scrolls dealing with the Messiah?"
-"Of course."
-"Where are they, then?"
-"Gone."
-"What do you mean?"
-"Those were the scrolls taken by Dr. Peters. You see, when the Dead Sea Scrolls were first discovered, Dr. Peters naturally wondered if they might contain evidence about the new faith of Christianity. He eventually found a jar that contained many interesting scrolls. We believe that some of them were written between 10 BC and 68 AD and several others after the fall of Masada. Dr. Peters was in charge of translating those scrolls. He worked day and night and seemed very eager to share with us his results. Three weeks ago, he climbed down to this cave, as usually, in order to study the scrolls. The day before, he had told us that he was about to finish his work. He looked quite agitated and frustrated, but refused to explain us why. We assumed that he was completely exhausted. Anyway, he climbed down and when he did not show up for dinner we sent someone to call him. Dr. Peters was nowhere to be found in the cave and since that day we have never heard of him."
-"And he took all the scrolls concerning the Messiah?"
-"Not all of them. It seems he was quite in a hurry. He took the most important ones and several scrolls from the post-Masade period."
-"You have no translation of those scrolls?"
-"I'm afraid not. Only Dr. Peters knew, or should I say 'know', their exact contents." Professor Stanley said. "There is a great number of scrolls, Edward. Each one of us is in charge of a specific category of documents."
There was a sound from somewhere behind them, footsteps on the creaking wooden ladder, and Robert Parker appeared from the passageway. "It sounds that you are all enjoying yourselves, and I hate to upset the mood but I can't find anything stronger to power the electric generator. I need to go to Jerusalem."
-"After dinner I am driving Dr. Coyle back to Jerusalem," the Professor remarked. "You can come with us."
-"Fine with me," Parker smiled. "Well, if you need me, I'll be in my tent." He slightly bowed and disappeared.
-"We think," Emma turned to Coyle. "That Dr. Peters found some extraordinary evidence about Jesus in the Dead Sea Scrolls."
-"Maybe," the archaeologist replied. "But why did he took the scrolls and disappeared?"
-"Perhaps he found something troubling," the Professor suggested. "Something the world is not ready to cope with."
-"He might have discovered some other interesting historical facts," Emma said as she gazed around the room. "After all, some of the scrolls he took are from the post-Masada era."
-"All we ask you, Edward," Professor Stanley looked sad," is to translate as much as scrolls as possible and to try to locate Dr. Peters. Will you help us?"
-"I'll do my best. I promise."
The sun was going down, casting a tangerine light over the desert. Dinner had been served by the Bedouin cooks- kofta, saffron rice and fresh bread- and Professor Stanley had provided a large quantity of beer and wine at his own expense. They sat around the campfire, but there was little talk of Dr. Peters' disappearance, because nobody in the team wanted it to intrude. Robert Parker played his accordion, accompanied by two young men with guitars, everyone joining in with the kind of gusto only young people could muster, and by the time the talking and signing was done it was almost midnight, the embers were dying and people started drifting back to their tents.
Robert was a little drunk as he produced four more bottles of beer, and with a grin handed one each to Emma; the Professor and Coyle. "Here you are. They will keep us company on the way back to Jerusalem."
-"It's funny that you are mentioning it, Robert," Professor Stanley smiled. "I was just about to remind you that we had an hour trip to Jerusalem still ahead of us." He stood. "I need to fetch my bag and three books in my tent. I'll be right back." He headed towards his tent.
-"Wait for me, Professor!" Robert yelled. "I'll help you."
When both men disappeared, Emma said. "Why don't we say goodnight to Qumran?"
-"Why not," Coyle agreed, and the two of them strolled over to the ruins of the settlement, in high spirits after the alcohol they'd consumed. Coyle was carrying a kerosene lamp to light the way. They sat on some blocks, awed by the beauty and the vastness of the ancient ruins. "So this is it," Coyle said. "My first night at Qumran."
-"I'm having such a wonderful time here, and great fun." She looked at him. "And it's all been because of the Professor. You see, he was a good friend of my parents. My father died when I was eight and ever since then he has taken me under his wings, so to speak. He paid for my studies and supervised my first expedition to India. When the Professor asked me to join his expedition to Palestine I was so thrilled. He has helped make it the most memorable time of my life. I want so much to thank him for that."
-"Why do you keep calling him 'Professor' all the time? Obviously you have known him for your whole life?"
-"Because he means so much to me. I cannot consider him as an ordinary person; he's much more than that."
Coyle stood, unsteady on his feet. "I remember a prose by Yehudah ha-Levi I once read: 'My heart is in the east, and I am in the uttermost west/ How can I find savour in food? How shall it be sweet to me/ How shall I render my vows and my bonds, while yet/ Zion lieth beneath the fetter of Edom, and I in Arab chains/ A light thing would it seem to me/ To leave all the good things of Spain/ Seeing how precious in mine eyes/ To behold the dust of the desolate sanctuary.' He wrote about his longing to return to the Land of Israel. When I arrived to Qumran this morning, I thought about this prose. Now I can finally understand what Yehudah ha-Levi meant; his love for this land. This is where it all started, Emma: the birth of three big faiths; centuries of love, sins, heroism, wars and death."
Emma touched his arm fondly. "That was beautiful, Edward. Honest and moving."
-"Well," he smiled, "I tend to get somewhat romantic when I'm drunk." He took the kerosene lamp, ambled over to one of the tents occupied by an Arab workman and came back after a while carrying a tattered canvas bag.
-"What the devil are you up to, Edward?" She asked.
-"Have patience. Don't look until I tell you." He moved a distance away, further along the stone base, put down the lamp, and produced a hammer and chisel from the bag. He sat there working away intently in the lamplight. When he was finally done, he wiped sweat from his face and smiled. "You can see now." He held up the lamp as he joined her. Along the base of an ancient wall was an inscription: 'ED, EC. 1947.'
-"You're crazy," she laughed. "The Professor will be horrified if he finds out you've defaced the ruins."
-"Maybe, but now we are immortal. Years from now, people will come here and wonder who we were. We are part of the mystery of Qumran." He touched her arm. "Have you ever let a romantic moment make you do something irrational?"
She hesitated, her lips trembling with emotion as she looked at him. "Never."
-"There's always a first time." He lifted his hand to her cheek and touched it softly, as though wondering at the nearness of her.
-"We will regret that later," she whispered as she put her own hand over his, holding his palm flat against her cheek, feeling his warmth enter her. With her other hand, she unbuttoned his shirt. He shrugged it off and let it fall to the ground.
They were wordless, like castaways who have been so long adrift they have forgotten the use of speech. He wanted to tell her that he loved her, he wanted to endear himself to her with praise and flattery. But he had no words fit for any of that. He touched her instead, first with his eyes, then with his fingers, and at last with his lips, gently against hers. A music was heard from somewhere in the dark; some of the people were still partying by the campfire. Emma stepped away and undressed, just as he had known she would. There were still no words. No explanations, no apologies, no lies. He came to her and his body touched hers. The silence grew and their surrounding seemed to fill with giant wings, beating the air without a sound; the wings of giant birds, the wings of angels without measurement or dimension, pounded the gilded air silently, tearing every word, every memory of every word, every shadow of utterance, tearing it and throwing it into the still air, into the silence, the silence that encompassed everything.
When they returned to the campfire, emerging from the darkness, they found it almost empty. The Professor, gazing at the flames, was smoking a cigarette and Robert was drinking his second cup of coffee. Both of them looked at the young lovers without saying a word. Coyle could say that they knew what had just happened but preferred to remain silent. Nothing needed to be said. Eventually, Professor Stanley stood and threw away the rest of his cigarette. "Shall we move?"
-"You bet!" Robert smiled.
Coyle turned to Emma. "Will you come with us? With me, I mean."
-"Not yet, Edward."
-"Why?"
-"We need to think it over."
-"I'm sorry I brought up the subject, Emma." Coyle said and went to take her arm. "I can see that you're tired."
-"Can I tell you something?" She lowered her voice. "It's been the best time of my life. I really mean that. See you tomorrow." She kissed him on his cheek, and then she was gone.
It was half past three in the morning when the covered jeep came to a halt in front of the Palace Hotel in Jerusalem.
As Coyle opened the door, Professor Stanley grabbed his arm. "Listen to me, Edward. I won't say that again. I care about Emma immensely. She is like a daughter to me. Be nice to her. She deserves it."
-"No problem, Professor."
-"I mean it, Edward. And don't let this distract you from your work. Do I make myself clear?"
-"Crystal."
-"Fine. Goodnight, then. We will pick you up tomorrow at around ten."
-"Goodnight, Jack. Robert."
Coyle stepped into the entrance lobby, took his keys and climbed up the stairs. As he was about to unlock the door of his room, he noticed that it was open. Coyle stepped inside. The room was shabby and in complete disarray. Drawers were open and their contents spilled out, as if someone had searched the place. His clothes and his personal belongings lay on the floor. As he closed one of the drawers, Coyle knocked over a table lamp. It fell to the floor with a clatter, and then suddenly the door of the bathroom opened.
When Coyle turned he saw a tall bearded man come into the room. He wore a pale dirty shirt and had a slightly haunted look on his face. "Hello, Eddy," he said, his accent unmistakably British.
-"You know me? Who the hell are you?" Coyle seemed taken aback.
-"Don't you recognise me, Eddy?"
Coyle's eyes narrowed as he examined the man. "Alex? Is that you?"
-"That's right."
-"I can't believe this is happening. Look at you! You are unrecognisable. Your clothes. A beard. Where have you been all this time?"
Alex must have noticed the confusion on the face of his companion, but he said nothing more. Instead, he looked out beyond the window and his eyes glazed over, as if he were trying to see into the past. When he turned back there was a look on his face that was hard to fathom. Grief perhaps, or pain- Coyle couldn't tell which. "Maybe I had better start at the beginning. Seat down, Eddy. It might sound crazy, but it's the whole truth. I swear." Coyle seemed suddenly at a loss for words. He flopped into one of the chairs, but didn't utter a word. Alex retrieved a cigarette from one of his pockets and a box of matches from another one. He lit his cigarette, took a deep breath and then puffed away. "Listen to me, very carefully, Eddy. You are in great danger. It's big. Very big."
Last update: October 24, 2007
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