Ancient Secrets

Nick called Thornton in London. "Thornton, this is Nick Germain. I have decided to go to Jordan."

"Not a good idea. You won't last a week in that desert."

"Probably not, but I want to find those Bedouins that were working the dig. They have been gone for only three months."

"I think you are going to be wandering around blind."

"Maybe, but at least I have a starting point. Mohammed Abdulla."

"Wait, how do you know him?"

"I helped his daughter at the university. Why, is he someone who may be able to help me?"

"If he wants to he can. He is a minister in the Jordian government. Since I can't talk you out of it, I will tell my office you are coming. They will be able to outfit you with some things. Good luck. Doctor."

Thornton texted Nick the name and address of their office in Amman. He now felt like he had what he needed to go.

It took him a couple of weeks to close up his house and take care of his business in the city. The professor promised to take care of Mary's apartment and watch out for the girls living there. They packed the same satellite phone and GPS device that he had in the gap. They had worked well until he lost them down the ravine. He also packed some clothes he thought might work there.

The day finally came for him to leave. He was surprised to see Amal come to the professor's office to say goodbye. "My father says he will meet with you when you arrive. Here is his office number. Call and they will set up an appointment for you. Good luck." She hugged him carefully and left.

He looked at the professor. "That is a smart and nice girl. I hope she survives this place."

"She will be fine. She is also a determined young woman. I would start worrying about you now. Good luck and keep in touch. I don't want to go for two years without hearing from you again. I can't have two funerals for you."

Nick nodded, shook his hand, and left. He was ready. He caught the plane to Rome the next morning. From there, he flew to Amman, Jordan. Once there, he checked into an American-type hotel to get some rest and walk around the city.

The next day he went to Thornton's office. He was met by a man named Winston Livingston. "Nice to meet you Dr. Germain. Thornton e-mailed us you were coming. We have a few things that might make your time in the desert a little bit easier. We still advise you not to go, but I understand why you must."

They had a backpack filled with mosquito nets, sprays, and a bedroll. There was also a small knapsack that could hold his personal items. In the bottom of the backpack was a secret pouch. "What is this space for?"

Winston smiled. "A gun, if you can find one. I am not allowed to give you one, but I might know where you can get one. You will definitely need one where you are going."

Winston had everything delivered to his hotel room. Now he just had to figure out how to pack all this stuff so he could carry it.

The next morning, Nick called the office number Amal had given him. It was answered on the first ring by a nice-sounding young woman.

"Good morning, the Department of the Interior." She had perfect English. Nick figured this was the English number for Amal's father. To whom do you wish to speak?"

"Muhammed Abdula, please."

"I am sorry, sir. The minister is busy today. Perhaps if you leave your name and number, I will give it to him." He gave her the name and number Amal had told him. He then gave her his satellite phone number. "Thank you, sir. I will forward this to his office." She hung up.

Now Nick would find out if Amal had really prepared her father for him. He got his answer within two hours. He received a call requesting he meet a car in front of the hotel in thirty minutes. Nick was outside waiting when the car pulled up. He knew it was his car when the driver rolled down his window and asked, "Dr. Germain?" Nick nodded and got into the car. It was a nice car with government decals on the side. There was an armed man in the front seat with the driver. Nick sat in the back thinking, Boy, I'm not in Kansas anymore, Toto.

They did not go to a government office building. Instead, the car took him to a sprawling estate in the country. It had many soldiers everywhere. He didn't know if the number of soldiers was more comforting, or disturbing. Time would tell.

They pulled up to the front door and a man opened the car door for him. The man turned out to be a butler. He led Nick into the entryway. He was met by two large men in $1000 suits who searched him carefully. Once cleared, the butler led him into a beautiful, spacious room overlooking a wonderful garden. The butler offered coffee or wine. He took the coffee. No need to start anything before he had even met with the Minister. It was a strong Arabic coffee, like Turkish, but stronger. He had trouble with it.

He heard noise and turned to see a middle-aged Jordanian man who had silver hair and a distinguished look about him. He had two bodyguards with him. Nick bowed and waited for him to speak.

"You are the man who has helped my daughter?'

"I am happy to say I was able to offer her some assistance, yes, sir."

He nodded, sat down on a couch, pointed to a chair across the table and motioned his guards to go out the door.

When they were alone, Mohammed Abdula went from being a powerful individual in the Jordanian government to a concerned father. "I am very concerned about her safety in America. I am worried about her faith while surrounded by, forgive me for saying this, but all the infidels."

"Sir, I am not offended. I know our culture is a mess. I can tell you your daughter is a smart and strong person. In the times I have been around her, she and her friends have stayed true to their culture and their faith. That is how I met her. She was living with a woman I dated. I could tell she was unhappy there. The next week, I asked to meet with her in the library. She conveyed to me her problems with being there. It was fortunate for both of us that I was able to provide a solution for her and her friends. I had an apartment in a safe area that I needed to rent. I rented it to the three of them and my professor promised to look after them while I was gone. She knew I was coming to Jordan to look for my friend, an archeologist. She suggested you might be able to help me."

The minister was quiet for a few minutes. Nick was beginning to wonder if he was going to help him at all when he finally spoke. "Helped her a little you say. I had a long conversation with my daughter yesterday. She must get that degree in New York for what she wants to do. Once she does, she will be going to Oxford in England. I can protect her there. In New York I have people watching her. They confirm everything you have told me. They also told me some things you left out." Nick let out a sigh. Shit, he might be in trouble. "You left out that you rented them the apartment of the person you are here to find. You also left out the fact that you did not charge them the real price. You are covering some of the rent. Why? "Is it to try and curry favor with me so I will help you find your girlfriend?"

Nick looked him in the eye. "Your facts are correct. When I did this, I had no idea who you were. I was not considering coming here at the time because everyone told me it was suicide. When I decided I had to try and find Mary, I asked Amal if she knew anyone who could give me a starting point. That's it, sir."

The Minister sat still for a couple more minutes. He finally spoke. "I told you I spoke to my daughter yesterday. She confirmed everything you told me, plus one more thing. She told me you were respectful of her position and beliefs. Thank you for that. I will help you try and find your girlfriend. I am afraid it will be very difficult, but I admire your willingness to try. What exactly would you like me to do?"

"My theory is that the Bedouins who were the diggers and supplied the food were gone by the time the soldiers and Hezbollah started shooting. None of their bodies were found. I am hoping they knew what was coming and secreted her and the others out the night before. If that is true, they are probably traveling around the desert waiting for the time they can turn them over to you or us." Nick took a breath. "I need to find out which tribe was there, and where they are most likely to be traveling now. It has been three months, so they could still be alive, but hidden."

"Yes, we considered that possibility. However, when they don't want to be found, they aren't found. I can find the clan they are in, and the details about their leader. I can't start asking around about them without raising the suspicions of the terrorists. There are spies everywhere."

"Whatever you can do for me will help me tremendously. I have one more thing to request. I will need to have someone familiar with the area as a guide. He will also be able to translate for me. I know it is a lot to ask, but maybe we can find a volunteer. I will pay him well to help me."

"I might have someone in mind who can go with you. I will send him to your hotel in a few days. He will find transportation and the things you will need to survive. Thank you for helping my daughter survive in New York."

He stood, clapped his hands and the guards came back. They led Nick to the door where the car took him back to his hotel.

He lay on his bed, thinking. If he could trust this man, he might have a chance to find the correct clan. Unless the man was one of the spies the minister had talked about. In that case, he would be turned over to the terrorists. He decided he had to take the chance. He was a stranger in a very different place than he had ever been. He would not be able to blend into the culture. He didn't speak the language, and did not know where to go. Yes, he knew he had to trust the man. That was the only way he would have a chance. He drifted off to sleep with Mary's face in his mind.

Nick took advantage of the next couple of days to see Winston again. He wanted to take him up on his offer of weapons.

By the end of the second day, Nick had a small revolver and a ceramic gun. Nick didn't even know a ceramic gun existed. The Arabs had stolen them from the US defense forces. They are secret and not completely reliable. However, in a pinch, they may last one shot.

The next morning Abdullah Selah arrived at his door. He introduced himself and Nick let him in. "It is nice to meet you, Dr. Germain."

"Please call me Nick."

"Please call me Aba. What is your plan, exactly?"

"My plan is to follow you and do what I am told."

Aba laughed, "Good plan. You may live yet. We are meeting a Bedouin friend of mine who might be able to help us find the correct tribe. I have a couple of other friends who will go with us on this journey. I will be back tomorrow to go over the other details." He got up and left.

Over the next two days, Aba laid out his plan. He would have his team and the camels driven to Aqaba where they would meet them. His team would have the proper gear and clothing to make the trip across the desert on camels. Aba expected the trip to take a couple of months as they had to wander the different trade routes looking for them. He thought they may have to travel across the desert more than once. They would have three months of supplies to cover any unforeseen difficulties. There would not be any stores in the desert.

Aba picked Nick up at his hotel. He checked out and got into the car with Aba. They went across town until he stopped at a military base. There Nick saw a couple of military trucks full of supplies and soldiers.

Aba introduced Nick to a couple of his friends, Ali Asad and Omar Hassan. They will be making the trip with them. They would meet the Bedouin man in Aqaba.

Nick sat in the car and watched the flurry of activity. He began to wonder who Aba was. He certainly had plenty of pull, unless it was Amal's father who had the pull. Either way, Nick was glad he had helped her. Now he at least had the CHANCE to try and find Mary.

They got everything loaded up and headed out. It is 340 KM to Aqaba and would take these trucks four or more hours to make the journey.

It was a long and boring journey. Nick felt better having a truckload of soldiers with them. They stopped at a rest area halfway and rested for an hour. They arrived in Aqaba just before dusk. Aba, Nick, and Aba's two friends checked into a small hotel. The troops set up camp beside the hotel. Nick took what he figured would be his last shower for months and went down to get his last meal from a restaurant. He found the other three men there, and they had an enjoyable meal discussing the plans.

Everyone went to their rooms and tried to get a good night's sleep. Nick was too excited to sleep much, but he did finally manage to fall asleep.

Nick awoke with a loud knocking on his door. It was Aba. "Let's go, Nick. We need to go."

Nick got dressed in record time, grabbed his bag and headed out into the darkness. It had to be around four or five in the morning.

Nick saw a man dressed for the desert. Aba brought him over to Nick and introduced him. "This is my friend, Ismeal Saleh. You can call him Ish. He is of one of the biggest tribes in the desert." Ish bowed and Nick returned it to him. He then turned and left.

Nick watched as the men loaded three camels with their supplies. They then brought five camels for the five men to ride. Aba took Nick to one of the camels. "You can ride on Alla. He is a calm camel. Aba patted Alla and he got down on his knees. Aba showed Nick how to mount the camel. There was no saddle, just a woven carpet-type of blanket. It took Nick a couple of tries before he was able to stay on the camel when he stood up. He finally was ready to go. Everyone else was ready and had been waiting for him. There were smiles all around when they headed out, but no one actually said anything to him. He was sure that it was because of Aba, but he didn't care why.

By ten in the morning, it was getting very warm. He had the proper attire, but he was not accustomed to the heat and the rocking motion of the camel. They finally stopped under a few trees in a rest area.

They ate some hard tack sort of bread with some dates. It was then time to remount the camel and continue.

Nick fell into the rhythm of the camel and went into some type of stupor. The rocking of the camel, the heat of the sun, and his learning how to balance with the motion of the camel. By mid-afternoon, he was comfortable enough to let his mind wander. He thought back to his time with Mary. However, Tai kept interrupting his thoughts of Mary. He knew it was his conscience reminding him of what he would have to explain if he found Mary. He lost track of time. They walked and walked. He had no idea how many miles they had walked. Finally, as the sun began to set, they stopped in an area of a rock formation.

It provided a backstop for protection. Aba's friends set up a camp with a fire and tents. They cooked a nice simple meal, and everyone talked about the first day. Nick discovered they had walked approximately fifteen miles. It was easy for him to sleep that night. After eating, he lay down on his bed roll and was fast asleep.

Nick didn't know it at the time, but Aba's friends had stood guard on the rock formation during the night. As they ate the morning meal, Aba and Ish had a talk with Nick.

Ish started. "Nick, we are going to start at Petra. It has many spaces carved into the mountains where my people could hide your people. It is a tourist destination, but the Bedouins would not interact with the tourists. They would not be able to sneak your people out of there. It would be putting the tourists in jeopardy, and Jordan would be very displeased. We are allowed to traverse the desert freely between Jordan, Saudia Arabia, and Oman only because we are nomads that do not get involved in present day politics. We have wandered these deserts for a thousand years. We descend from the Edomites and Nabateans of the past. Saudia Arabia sympathizes with Hezbollah, but we don't believe they pay for or protect them on their soil. Their allegiance with America makes it tricky for them. However, we believe Hezbollah has training areas and bases in the desert of Saudia Arabia. We have encountered their troops from time to time. We trade with them, give them food, and they leave us alone."

Aba took up the story. "We don't believe they would hide your people at Petra, but we will talk to the Bedouin tribe that lives in that area. You will have to stay hidden. If they see a white man, they will not risk talking to us. We will stop at a small oasis near where we will leave you. Ali Asad will stay with you while we go in and talk to them."

Nick understood and agreed. They headed out and arrived at the oasis just before dark. They made camp, ate a quick meal, and went to sleep.

Early the next morning, before sunrise, Aba, Ish, and Omar left for Petra. Nick hoped the tribe would be there. They wander through this entire area. It is possible they might arrive here while the others are gone. All they could do was wait.

They didn't arrive back until the next morning. They had stayed with that tribe and enjoyed their hospitality. It would have been an insult to do otherwise. When they were settled, Ish filled Nick in. "They claim they have not seen the tribe that was working at the dig. They knew about the attack but had no personal knowledge." Nick nodded. "However, during the evening, while we were drinking the Arabic coffee that is popular amongst the Bedouins, one man let slip to me that they had heard rumors about infidels amongst our people. A band of Hezbollah had quietly come into Petra to talk to them. They had assured them they knew of nothing and had not seen that tribe in the area. I believe it is possible they have been carried away when they left the dig area."

Nick was encouraged and Aba reinforced it. "One of the Jordanian officials that oversee Petra quietly confirmed to me that they MAY be with the retreating tribe."

Everyone was so excited; it took a while for them to get to sleep that night.

The next morning, Aba told Nick they were moving south, into Saudia Arabia. They were going to follow what was known in the olden days as the "incense Trade trail". It went from Aden on the Indian Ocean in what is present day Yemen, along the Red Sea through Aqaba, Jordan, through Palestine and into Europe through present day Turkey. It was an outpost of this route that the archaeologist had been working on when the attack occurred. They would travel the Bedouin routes and bypass all modern cities.

The next several days were uneventful. They traveled south along an old Bedouin route. Nick didn't see any trail or trace of one, but Ish seemed to know where he was going. As they neared the present-day town of Hegra, they suddenly turned east and headed across the desert. They were in the An-Nafud Desert. It covers the northern parts of Saudia Arabia. During one of the evening meals, Ish told Nick they were heading toward the old city of Gerrha on the Persian Gulf. The present-day city of Damman is there now. There is nothing but Bedouins in the open desert between them and Damman. It would take several days to walk there. Ish was hoping to come across another tribe on the trail there.

Their first real problem came three days later. Omar had been going ahead of them to make sure there were no problems ahead. On the third day, he came back midday. He talked with Aba and Ish, and then Aba came to talk to Nick. "Omar spotted a band of soldiers coming along the trail in jeeps. There are at least eight armed men on two jeeps. We have decided to move into the dunes on the left and wait for them to go by. We will need to keep our camels quiet."

Nick nodded and they moved into the dunes. They went nearly one hundred yards into the dunes. Omar and Ali swept their tracks away up to where they entered the dune valley. Aba watched from the top of a dune to make sure every trace of them was gone. When he was satisfied, he came down and joined the rest. "Omar, carefully watch them to tell us when they are gone." Omar nodded and he was gone.