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CHAPTER SEVEN
Nigel shrugged into the long Mandarin shirt that the monk had offered him, it was black, with white cuffs and collar and had a small red dragon stitched down one arm of the shirt. The hem fell to just above his knees, but it was designed that way for maximum movement. Instead of a collar, the shirt was rounded at the neck and fastened with two small snaps at the side of his throat. The slacks he wore were also black and of the same material as the shirt, loose fitting and comfortable. He was sure that he must look like something out of a martial arts movie, but he was grateful for the loan. Luckily his boots and jacket were made of stronger material than his other clothes and had survived his trip down the ravine. He was feeling a hundred times better than he had been, grateful now that he had listened and rested until he was better. It had been hard, he wanted to get on the move and find Sydney, but there was something about the way the monk spoke to him, even just being in his presence had relaxed Nigel and made him forget about anything but getting better. The arm that he had thought was broken had only been a dislocated shoulder and he luckily had been too delirious to remember the monk popping it back into place. His ribs were still sore, but only bruised and the rest of his abrasions had healed miraculously over the last few days. His gaze focused for a moment on the small brown bowl by the hearth. It was the same bowl that held whatever ointment the monk had applied to his wounds and also, if he wasn’t mistaken, had at different times contained water and broth for him to drink. He rose from his floor pallet and moved over by the fire, to get a better look. His gaze widened, it couldn’t be. “Ah, you are leaving?” Nigel spun around, his hands still on the bowl, as he stared at his quiet benefactor and finally recalled where he had seen him before. “You…you were in the giant Buddha! When we found this, you were there.” The monk nodded and stepped up to Nigel, his expression serene. “You remember.” “But that…that’s impossible!” Nigel looked at the bowl, and then at the monk. “This was given to the villagers, for their temple. How…it can’t possibly be the same…” Nigel stared at him “I…don’t understand.” “You needed to regain your strength, and so you have.” Nigel turned the bowl reverently in his hands. Siddhartha’s bowl. It had held medicine and food for him and had made him better. “How…” His eyes regarded the monk with wonder. “Then you’re…” Siddhartha’s nodded, benignly. “How…how did you find me, how…how is this…did this happen? I’m not a Buddhist.” He couldn’t remember praying or anything during his delusion, yet the revered spirit had rescued him. “You did not.” Siddhartha’s answered his thoughts. “The bowl gave you what you needed, your health returned.” He smiled. “The wish that you be saved came from another.” Nigel’s eyes widened. “You know of whom I speak.” “ Sydney ,” Nigel whispered. “ Sydney prayed to you to…to help me?” “You will go to her?” Nigel set the bowl down, carefully for it was the most precious of relics, and rose. “Yes.” “Do you know the way?” Nigel frowned. “No. I…I don’t know where she is now, but I have to try and find her.” He glanced down at the bowl again, hesitant. “Will you help me one last time?” When there was no answer, he looked up and found that he was alone in the cave. “Wait! I don’t know where to go, or even where I am!” His cry was met with silence. His gaze moved to the bowl again. It gives you what you need the most. It had already given him more than he could ever repay, he could not request anything further. He wanted to leave something for Siddhartha an offering of thanks, but he had nothing except his watch and his jacket. He pulled his watch off, it was a material possession, and meaningless to a Buddha, but it was a gift from Sydney for his birthday and it meant a lot to him. He paused for a moment and then set the watch next to the bowl, thinking how ironic it was that his first experience with the relic had garnered him his lost watch. He nodded, feeling as if he had come full circle. He straightened, picked up the small satchel that the monk had fashioned for him, which held water and food, and slung it over his shoulder. He tossed his jacket through the strap and made his way outside. He’d get to Sydney , without any further help. He was a relic hunter and he’d learned from the best, he just had to go with the flow.
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Sydney raised her head as Derek entered the small hotel room the four of them were sharing; staying together had become their main focus. Karen and Cate were taking a nap on one of the two beds, so Sydney kept her voice down when she spoke. “Well?” “Nothing,” Derek sighed, moving to the shuttered window and checking the clip in his gun. “So far there isn’t any sign we’ve been followed here.” Derek glanced at her, and prepared himself for the argument to come. “ Sydney …” “ Sydney , I know this has been hard, but I am trying to keep you and the others alive, here. Why do you have to fight me on everything?” “Because I don’t trust that you’re telling me everything, that’s why.” “How can you say that?” Derek looked at her hurt. “I’ve been busting my ass…” Sydney stepped forward and glared at him. “Yes, and that’s why I suspect that there is more to this than what you’re saying. Do you know who’s after us, Derek?” “Don’t you think I’d stop them if I did?” Sydney scowled; he had a point, but he didn’t exactly answer the question, now did he? She folded her arms and moved over by the window. “We’re staying here.” Derek sighed and said his next words, carefully. “He isn’t coming, Syd.” “What do you mean?” “Nigel isn’t coming and you know that. You want to wait here for him, but he won’t show up, Sydney . Why can’t you just accept the fact that he’s gone?” “Because he isn’t.” She stabbed her finger at him, angrily. “And if you hadn’t drugged me and hauled me out of there so fast, I’d prove it!” “If I hadn’t dragged you out of there we’d all be dead, Sydney !” Derek glanced at the sleeping women and lowered his voice. “Look, I know it’s hard for you, I cared about Nigel too, but you can’t go on like this…” “I’ll go on anyway I like,” Sydney defied. “I would know if he was dead, I’d feel it here!” She slapped her hand over her heart. “And I am telling you that he’s alive and because of you, he’s probably hurt and all alone!” Derek regarded her for a long moment, and then when he finally spoke, there was a mixture of surprise and hurt in his voice. “How long have you been in love with him, Sydney?” Sydney glanced at him, startled. “He’s my friend,” she insisted, firmly. “And my partner. I wouldn’t leave anyone behind if there was the chance they were alive, not even you, Derek.” Her eyes narrowed. “I have a conscience and I listen to it.” Derek nodded. “Yeah, I know,” he replied, defeated. “And thanks to you I listen to mine too, way more than I should. I didn’t want to leave him behind, but we had no choice.” “No, Sydney. There isn’t. What good would you have been to him dead? We both would have been killed if we’d been caught out in the open looking for him, and you know that; they’d have picked us off in seconds.” Sydney turned away, knowing he was right, but refusing to admit it. “Haven’t you ever made a decision that you regret, Sydney ? Doesn’t the great Sydney Fox ever make the wrong choice?” Sydney stared out the window for a long moment, considering his words, and then turned back, her expression impassive. “Yes, I listened to you.” Derek growled and shook his head. “You’re impossible! Why do I even bother? I don’t know how Nigel did it, how there was room for him and your ego in the relationship, but I’ll tell you this, I respect him a hell of a lot more after seeing what he’s had to put up with the last three years.” Sydney ignored the stab of pain and turned on him. “What would you know about it, Lloyd? You’re a hotshot CIA agent, with no real life, no real friends and no real future!” Derek stared at her and his gaze hardened. “You’re right, Sydney . I admit, I envy what you and Nigel had. I wish to hell I could find a friendship like that, but my work doesn’t allow it.” His gaze narrowed. “But there are people I care about in this world and I work just as hard at keeping them safe as you do.” Sydney felt a pang of sympathy for him and she softened her gaze. He was right, it wasn’t his fault what happened, he was just trying to help. She was just angry and frustrated and worried about Nigel. She was tired of everyone depending on her, because she just didn’t know what else to do, but she couldn’t show that. She had to stay strong because they needed her to be. “Derek, I…I’m sorry. I know you’re doing your best and I do appreciate it, but…Don’t talk to me about Nigel and not expect me to get defensive. What you did, taking us away, may have been in our own best interests, but it still hurts. You betrayed my trust, Nigel’s trust…” “Sydney, Nigel is dead, deal with it. Everyone else has!” Sydney nodded, she would never be able to convince him otherwise and she suddenly realized why. If it were proven that Nigel had survived and they had left him, Derek would have to accept his mistake and he obviously wasn’t willing to do that. She turned back to the window and remained silent.
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Nigel arrived at the steps of the London museum sometime after dark. He had found his way back to the giant Buddha and found that Sydney had left his wallet, passport and her phone on the pedestals that had once held the Buddha’s bowl; a sign that either she meant to return for it, or that she knew he would find it. She hadn’t given up on him! The phone battery was almost dead, but Sydney had left a text message on it, sent from a number he didn’t recognize and according to the date, sent after she had already left Nepal . The message read C Major and Nigel immediately knew where he had to go. He had caught a ride on a farm truck back to the village, where he quickly made his way to the airport and to London . He wasn’t sure if Sydney would still be there, it had been several days since she had left the message on his phone, so anything could have happened. He tried the museum doors but they were locked, and since he didn’t have Sydney ’s lock picking skills, he realized that he would have to find another way inside. He was startled when someone touched his shoulder and he spun around. “Podge!” Preston exclaimed and threw his arms around his brother. “Oh thank God! I was beginning to worry.” Nigel was startled by the older Bailey’s unusual affection and quickly returned the hug, then stepped back, awkwardly. “ Preston ! What are you doing here? Where’s Sydney ?” “She isn’t here,” Preston replied, still smiling and squeezing Nigel’s shoulder, happily. “She called me from Paris a few days ago and said you two had been separated, but that she’d left you a message to come here.” He pulled Nigel in for another hug. “And here you are! She said you’d been hurt, I was starting to think you would never get here. I’ve been camped out for days waiting for you!” Nigel pulled away and batted Preston ’s hands away from him, embarrassed. What had gotten into him? “I’m fine, stop hugging me for God’s sake! What’s gotten into you?” Preston frowned, startled. “I was worried, Nigel. I am your brother after all.” Nigel flushed with shame and confusion. “Yes, well…I’m fine. Really.” Preston looked him over. “What the devil is that outfit you’re wearing? You look like an extra from a Bruce Lee movie” Nigel ignored the dig. “When was the last time you heard from Sydney ?” “Two days ago, she called me to see if you had been here yet.” “Where is she?” “I don’t know, she didn’t say. She said she was worried that the phones might be tapped but that she’d call me again in a couple of days.” Nigel scowled. “I have to find her, Preston .” Preston nodded and indicated that Nigel should follow. “Come on, let’s get back to the house and get you some real clothes. I am sure Sydney will be calling soon. She couldn’t tell me what was going on, so I’ll leave it to you to explain, then?” “I’ll tell you what I can, but I’m in the dark myself,” Nigel offered as climbed into Preston ’s car. “ Sydney didn’t leave a number to call her at?” “No, she said she was using payphones. Something about losing her phone in Nepal .” Nigel nodded; her phone was in his pocket. If he could get the battery charged, perhaps she might try calling it. They headed back to Preston ’s house, despite Nigel’s suggestion that they get a room somewhere, in case anyone was still looking for him. He didn’t want Preston involved in this; it was bad enough with Cate and Karen. Preston , in his usual superior manner, insisted that they would be fine and that he had listened to Sydney and checked for anyone watching his house or following him; there had been no one. Nigel wanted to argue that Preston wouldn’t know the signs of someone following him, but then he started to think. Perhaps whoever was after them thought he was dead, if that were the case, it gave him an edge to help Sydney . So, he let Preston take him home and get him something to eat. He offered Nigel fresh clothes, but Nigel declined. The clothes he was wearing was not exactly inconspicuous, but they were clean and comfortable and for whatever reason, he felt it would be disrespectful to change now, as Siddhartha had given them to him. He still wasn’t sure what happened in Nepal , but he’d seen too much on his adventures with Sydney , not to consider the ramifications of what it could have been. He accepted a shower, and then changed back into the mandarin shirt and trousers, ignoring Preston ’s look of amusement. He felt better wearing the clothes, as strange as that sounded. He didn’t get tired as easily and he was filled with remarkable energy and was enjoying it, almost like when he had been cut with the Lancet, but not as powerful obviously. It could have been a revived faith in him, brought on by meeting the Buddhist, or it could have been the medicine that the bowl had offered. Perhaps it was simply his own confidence taking hold because he had managed to survive a horrendous situation and find his way back to London without Sydney’s help, well except for the things she left him. Nigel grilled Preston on what Sydney had said, insisting that he try to remember every single word, in case Sydney might have slipped a secret message for him to recognize, but Preston was his usual absentminded self and couldn’t recall anything else other than what he had initially reported. Nigel was frustrated that he had to just hurry up and wait for Sydney to call again, there had to be something he could do; someway he could help. “You never called and told me that you’re eyes were better,” Preston scolded as they settled down to a meal of steak and kidney pie. “It would have been nice to know that you weren’t still blind. Nigel was startled by the hurt in his brother’s voice. “I…sorry, Preston .” He honestly hadn’t thought to call him, this whole forgiving and forgetting deal was compounded by old habits that were difficult to change. “It honestly happened the same day that everything else did and there just wasn’t time. Syd and I have been nonstop almost.” Preston nodded and took a bite of his meal. “Yes, well…I understand why you wouldn’t think of me because of our…well our past problems. But I hope you do in the future. You know, when things are happening in your life?” “Um…yes, sure.” Nigel stuffed some food in his mouth to have to keep from saying anything further and assuming the matter was settled. Preston however seemed determined to proceed in his usual mulish way of getting his point across. “Look, the point is, even before this, you never talked to me, you never shared anything with me…” “How could I?” Nigel demanded; he really didn’t want to get into this now. “How could you not? I am your brother after all?” Nigel set his fork down and pursed his lips, irritated. Didn’t they already have this discussion? “I couldn’t trust you, Preston .” He still didn’t, but he was trying. “I don’t see why not…” Nigel tossed his napkin down and half rose out of his chair, his anger growing at his brother’s continued ignorance. “Because you kept betraying me you…” He gritted his teeth and slowly lowered himself back down, counting to ten. He refused to rise to the bait. He just wouldn’t do it anymore. He’d promised Sydney he would try and get along with his brother, no matter how insufferable, arrogant and ignorant Preston was. “Look, let’s not start on that again, all right? Let’s just agree to disagree on what…happened in the past.” “But nothing did happen…” “ Preston ! You admitted it! You admitted you were a bad brother.” “I…well, I wasn’t a great brother, but I wouldn’t say I was a bad brother, Nigel.” Nigel shook his head. “What the hell would you call it then? Stealing my girlfriends, my jobs, taking up every small activity I ever showed any interest in just to show you could be better? What would you call that, Preston ?” Preston smirked and shrugged. “Sibling rivalry, of course!” Nigel stared at him, stunned; no one could be this obtuse. “I only wanted you to try harder, that’s all. To be the best you could and besides, I admitted I was a little jealous of your talents.” He waved his hand airily. “Why are you so caught up over a little childhood competition, for God’s sake? Why can’t you just let it go?” “It wasn’t just childhood, Preston ! You’ve done it to me all my life, and it had nothing to do with wanting me to try harder, you just wanted to see me suffer. You wanted everything I had for yourself!” “Do you realize how childish you sound?” Preston demanded, finally showing annoyance. “Oh poor me, my brother was mean to me growing up so now I’ll make him pay for it the rest of his adult life by shutting him out?” Nigel realized that when he put it like that it did sound like he was whining, but that wasn’t the point. Preston was an artful manipulator and he refused to be made to blame for all of the hard feelings between them. “That would be fine if it had stopped when we were children, Preston , but it didn’t. You went right on tormenting me and stealing from me and betraying my trust through college and right up until I left London three years ago!” “What the devil have I ever stolen from you?” Preston asked surprised. “Amanda for one!” “She came to me, I didn’t go looking for her and you two weren’t even together then.” “You invited her here to rub your relationship in my face, like you always do.” “I invited her here because I thought you’d like to see her! You left her, Nigel. I thought the two of you were over, I never dreamed you’d get upset, for God’s sake!” “No, no!” Nigel shook his head. It hadn’t been like that, it had been one more sting from Preston , one more game of one up-man-ship. “You couldn’t be that stupid! How could I not still have feelings for her, Preston ? We were to be married when she called it off, not me. How could you think I wouldn’t be upset seeing her with you?” Preston had risen to pour himself a scotch and soda from the decanter in the corner counter. “I didn’t do it to hurt you, Podge. I swear I never thought about it, really.” “That’s your bloody problem!” Nigel insisted, also rising, too agitated to remain seated and no longer hungry for his meal. “You never think beyond what you want, and what you have to do to get it!” “That isn’t true!” Nigel stared at him, grimly. All right!” Preston exclaimed after downing half the liquid in his glass. “I made a mistake, one mistake, but Amanda turned out to be a bit of a bad move for both of us, now didn’t she? What else have I done to you that was so terrible? What else have I stolen?” “The job at the museum for one!” “I didn’t steal that!” Preston insisted, insulted. “How could you accuse me of stealing that job? We both applied and I was hired, they preferred my skills over yours, and that’s all it was, Nigel. I can’t be blamed for that!” “You did something, Preston ! You must have because I had been trying for almost a year to get an interview there and I was assured my skills were exactly suitable for the job. They said the moment I finished my last semester that they would hire me and then you decided you don’t want to work for the symphony anymore and you apply-out of the blue and get the damn job!” Nigel stepped forward. “Why did you change your mind, Preston ? Why did you want to suddenly give up a career you’d had for years to work at a museum? Was it a midlife crisis and you couldn’t stand the excitement of playing anymore, what?” Preston had poured himself another drink and turned towards the window, he remained silent. “Well? What was it, Preston ? What possible reason could you have had to go after my job when you were making a fortune as a musician?” Preston turned around, his expression a mixture of shame and sadness. “I couldn’t play anymore, Nigel,” he admitted quietly. “I was a fraud at the symphony and they all knew it. I could play the notes perfectly and memorize all the pieces, but I lacked the passion for it.” He sighed and shook his head. “I couldn’t stand playing next to all those people who were consumed by their music, who played with their very souls and you could hear it in every note; perfect, passionate and uplifting.” He slowly lifted his gaze to meet Nigel’s. “The way you played, Nigel. I wasn’t as good as you, I could never be as good as you and I hated you for it.” Nigel was startled by the admission that Preston believed him better at anything. “You played the piano like it was an extension of your very being, it was written on your face, the way you moved and in the grace of your fingers.” Preston dropped into his chair again and sipped his drink, brooding. “Everyone stopped and listened when you played, especially mother, and I knew that no matter how much I practiced or how much I tried I’d never be like that.” “So, you stole what was to be my job?” Nigel asked, quietly, also settling back in his chair, across from Preston , watching his brother carefully. This was a side of that Nigel had never seen before, the honest and remorseful side. Preston nodded. “Yes…I heard you were going for that job and I applied, out of spite at first, because I knew that at least in the field of history and languages, we were evenly matched. But then I realized that it was something that I really wanted to do and hadn’t considered before because I was too busy trying to show the world I was a great musician and to prove I was better than you.” Nigel crossed his arms over his chest. He never knew that Preston envied his playing, but it didn’t change the fact that his brother’s main focus was to prove that he was superior at all cost. “And you wonder why I’m still bitter, still mistrustful?” “You’re a big important relic hunter now, you have a great job and you graduated top of the class at Oxford . You even get to travel the world. Why should you be bitter?” Preston demanded with a hint of jealousy. “We both have what we want now. I have a job doing something I enjoy and am good at and finally have a little focus, a sense of accomplishment. You’ve been to places most of us only ever read about, you see the treasures that I research with your own eyes, touch them with your own hands and are praised for returning to them the present world.” He smiled slightly. “You work in America and have a nice apartment and friends and…you have Sydney .” Nigel stared at him. Preston was right, he had very little to complain about and if his brother hadn’t of taken the job at the museum he never would have met Sydney ; he couldn’t even fathom that. Still, he wasn’t about to thank his brother for being rotten, just because things worked out for the better. “Besides, all of that other stuff is nonsense, anyway, you never talked to me, Nigel, even when I was good to you, or tried to be. I felt like I was living with a stranger. You never wanted my help, never asked my advice, even then.” “ Preston , you…” Nigel swallowed and reached for his wine, he needed a drink himself. Why did they have to get into such a heavy conversation now? He had too many other things to deal with at the moment. Still, Preston had been startling honest with him, well as honest as Preston could be anyway, so he had to at least try and reciprocate. “I didn’t want you to see me as weak, that’s all, running to you with every little thing. You drilled that into my head before I could walk that you refused to be around a little twit like me. You hated having me around; you wished I’d never been born.” Preston paled. “Where ever did you get that idea?” “I heard you say it, Preston .” “What? When?” Preston ’s voice betrayed his alarm. “How…how do you know I said that, Nigel?” “I was there, you dummy! I was right there when you told Mum you hated me and wished I’d never been born, and that you would not waste your life picking up after me.” “You were what…six months old when I said that, Nigel…how the hell can you remember that?” “I remember almost every day of my life from the time I was born, Preston . I may not have understood all of it, until I was a little older, but I remember it.” Suddenly, Sydney ’s remarks on Nigel’s incredible memory filtered into Preston ’s mind and he could only gape at his younger sibling. He had never meant for Nigel to hear that, he’d never even said it again. He’d been jealous of the attention a new baby was getting and had said it in a fit of immature rage; he’d only been ten. “You really do have an extraordinary memory, don’t you? I…I guess that’s why everything seemed to come so easy to you, that’s why I was so jealous, Nigel. Nigel seemed disgusted by Preston ’s awe. “That? That’s what you’re jealous of? God, Preston , I’d give it to you, if I could.” “Why for God’s sake? It’s helped you come so far, be so…so incredibly knowledgeable.” Nigel almost growled in frustration. How could Preston not see it? “ Preston , do you have any idea what it’s like to have a photographic memory? Do you know how much information can be stuffed into a human brain before it explodes? I remember almost everything from the time I was born, Preston . I can remember being in the hospital when I had stopped breathing that time…” “My God, you were…you couldn’t have been more than a few weeks old, Nigel!” “Yes, exactly! I remember losing my first tooth, learning to walk, the death of our parents, every fight we’ve ever had and it’s all right here.” He smacked his forehead. “Forever, it’s ingrained on my mind for all time. That’s why I am always reading, that’s why I have to learn to filter it, to stuff my head with something other than those day to dreary day memories.” He shrugged and lowered his voice, his anger spent. “Luckily, I have a gift for history and I enjoy it, it helps even out all the other crap floating around in there. Sometimes my brain feels so stuffed that I can’t form a coherent thought, and you want to be like that?” “I never meant… Nigel, I never knew it was so…hard for you.” “Of course you didn’t, you were too busy trying to best me at everything and steal my girlfriends.” Nigel bit his lip. “Look, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean that.” He offered Preston a small smile; he didn’t want to fight anymore. “The only good thing about this memory of mine is that it got me hired as Sydney ’s assistant and that’s been good for me. I don’t have the time to dwell on the thoughts rolling around in my head when I’m with her, she’s…she’s helped ease the pressure of it.” He chuckled. “Hell, I think I may have even forgotten a few things, since I’ve know her.” Preston sat there, unsure what to say. His brother’s confession made him feel even worse of having treated Nigel so shabbily. “I…I never meant what I said, Nigel. I never wanted you not to be born.” “I know that,” Nigel returned, hesitantly, “Now, I do anyway, but I didn’t then, and if I seemed…evasive about sharing my personal life with you it was because every time I did you took things away from me. God, Preston ! I idolized you, I wanted to be like you when I grew up, but you were always…stealing from me, stabbing me in the back, sleeping with the girls I liked and…and just…being this king sized shit over all!” Nigel shrugged. “As I grew older, resenting you became a habit that I...I guess I haven’t learned to break yet.” Preston accepted this, although he could also see that Nigel had done his share of backstabbing and trying to hurt him, Preston now understood where so much of his little brother’s resentment stemmed from. “I want us to be brothers, Nigel, real brothers. I…I almost lost you once, I don’t want to go through that again and have nothing to look back on, but fighting and resentment.” Nigel was silent for a long time and then finally he said. “I…I want that too, I just…” “We’ll just take it a step at a time, right?” Nigel nodded and then added. “Oh, and Preston ?” “Yeah?” “The whole sleeping with the women I liked thing? You go near Sydney and I’ll break you in half, brother or not.” Preston grinned. “I thought you two were just friends, Nigel?” “We are, and I meant what I said.” Preston chuckled and raised his glass in a toast. “Okay, deal. Sydney is off limits.” He smirked, hiding how much the promise pained him because of his feelings for Sydney . “She’d probably break me in half long before you did, if I tried anyway.” Nigel smiled and touched his glass to Preston ’s.
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