Nirvana Effect

51



“Callista,” said the priest. “What happened to her?”

“Callista?” asked James vaguely. “Callista…who…”

“We’re on the same side, Seacrest, so just tell me what’s up.”

“I’m not too sure of that. I’m still tied up.”

Styles slammed the brakes. He did a rough job of untying James and then started driving again.

James rubbed his wrists. “I don’t know what happened to Callista. How do you know Callista?”

“An old friend,” said Styles cryptically.

“Wait a moment. You must be him.” Seacrest laughed. “Am I right? You’re him!”

“What do you mean?”

“Funny that you’re American. I would have taken her to be one who fancies the foreigners and not the down home cooking. Though that was why she had started falling for me.”

“Falling for you?” asked Styles.

“She must like the accent…Don’t worry about it, old boy. Now she’s got the real deal.” James patted Styles on the back humorlessly.

“So when’s the last time you’ve seen Callista?”

Old boy’s got a one-track mind. Kind of like his girl. “Last week. I brought her flowers.”

“She didn’t make contact with you today?”

“No, no contact. She didn’t even say hi.”

Styles taxed the engine further. The Corvette started catching air over little bumps in the road. James didn’t like it but wasn’t going to say anything.

“Mind filling me in on what the hell’s going on?” asked James.

“You first. How’d you end up here?”

James took a moment to collect his thoughts.

“Listen,” said Styles, more softly. “I’m only interested in protecting Callista. I’m afraid she’s been abducted just like you were. So the more you can tell me the better. I promise I’ll fill you in, too. I just need to know what’s happening. When were you abducted?”

“About three in the afternoon yesterday. I had just shut down my clinic and was on my way home when I was stopped in the middle of the road.”

“What happened?”

“They were natives, with no shirt, just loincloths, guns and clubs.”

“Onge.”

“Is that what you call them?”

“Yes, Onge.”

“Well, these Onge were parked in the middle of the road. When I stopped one of them clubbed me over the head a couple times. When I woke up they made me take them to my house. At first they didn’t speak any English. One was reading a book, though, and somehow learned pretty quick. Amazing, actually, sort of fightening. Wanted to know if I knew anything about pharmacology.”

“What did you say?”

“I just acted like I still didn’t understand them. It was freaking me out, really, watching some guy in a loincloth learn English in half an hour.”

The priest nodded understandingly. He seemed to know what James was talking about.

James continued. “Even though he was speaking some English, he kept saying this word.”

“What was the word?”

“Lay-yek-tah?”

“Lleychta?” Styles asked, putting the emphasis on the first and last syllables.

“Yes, that’s it. That’s it exactly.” James snapped his fingers. “That’s just how they said it! What does it mean?”

“You’ve been in this sort of situation before, haven’t you?” asked Styles.

“What do you mean?”

“I mean this whole life and death thing. You’re a bit chipper for having just been kidnapped, rescued and now on the run from a band of vengeful Onge.”

James shrugged. The priest was right but James really didn’t want to get into it. “What’s the word mean?”

“It means nectar,” said Styles.

“Nectar…nectar…hmm…” reflected James. “Ahm…What do you suppose that means?”

Styles winced. The car skidded and Styles slowed it down.

“You okay?” asked James.

“Fine. We’re well enough ahead now,” said Styles. He didn’t look fine, though. He looked a bit green and was rubbing his head.

The road took them into lower terrain. Mud covered portions of the road. The sun was rising, and James hoped it dried things out. James leaned over to check the gas dial. The car still had a quarter tank, more than enough to get them back to Lisbaad.

“Thanks for bailing me out, there,” said James.

“No problem,” said Styles. “Another question for you.”

“Shoot.”

“How far is your house from Callista’s?”

“Directly across the street,” said James.

“And you haven’t seen her in a week?” asked Styles.

“I think she’s been avoiding me. Like I said, starting to fall for me.”

Styles didn’t comment. “When did you leave your house?”

“I suppose around midnight,” said James.

“Did you see any Onge at Callista’s house?”

“No, I don’t believe.”

“Anything suspicious? Are you sure? Any cars in the driveway, anything out of place, any Onge coming from her house?”

James looked over that wild night through his mind’s eye. “No, no, I don’t think so. Ahm…no. Nothing like that. They were at my house. Only mine.”

“All right,” said Edward.

“Do you know why I was abducted?” asked James.

Edward nodded. “At least, I have some idea,” said Edward.

“Well, all right, I answered your questions…”

“Right,” said Edward. The priest hesitated for a moment before he started his explanation. Just that little pause told James’s experienced ear that he wasn’t going to get the whole truth. “The ‘nectar’ is what you could call a designer drug,” said Edward. “A sort of an upper. The Onge have a new young leadership that’s trying to export is to the mainland, but right now it’s got a nasty kick that makes it unsalable. I’d assume that they were going to use you to try to fix it.”

“Why me?” asked James.

“No idea. Ask yourself what might lead them to you in particular. There are a few other doctors on the island, no?” Edward asked.

Liang. I’ll never get away from that bastard. Especially while I’m stuck on this damn island. James shrugged again noncommittally. “Maybe it was just bad luck,” said James. “I seem to be running long on that.”

“Maybe so,” said Edward.

“So what’s your gig?” asked James.

“Hmm?”

“How come you’re kicking ‘Onge’ ass left and right?”

“Excuse me?”

“Well, you know…”

“Just bad luck, I guess.” The priest smiled a bit too knowingly. He could tell that James was not satisfied with that answer. “Actually I was the missionary assigned to that tribe. They tried to get me to do what they were ‘recruiting’ you for.”

“And what’s Callista got to do with all this?” James smelled a rat, but he tried to keep his eyes from slanting in suspicion. This priest is in the drug game. I don’t care what he tells me. James knew bishops, politicians and superstars all in the drug game. A priest was no surprise to him.

Edward hesitated. “I escaped a few nights ago. I ran into Callista by accident. Then I discovered that I’d been spotted, that the Onge had seen me with her. I told her to go hide somewhere she felt safe – which she said was with you. I came back to the Onge village to try to reason with the leader of the tribe. He had been my pupil for a time and I stupidly thought I could change his mind. I almost got captured again in the process.”

James nodded. He wasn’t convinced, but would act like he was.

“So now I don’t know where Callista is because you’re sitting in this car,” said Edward.

“What’s your plan?” James asked.

“Find Callista. Get off this island.”

“Aren’t you a member of some order of priests or something? Couldn’t your church help you?”

Edward hesitated again. “Dr. Seacrest, this may or may not be a surprise to you, but that option is not open to me, if you know what I mean.”

Paydirt. At least he’s an honest crook. If it were me I wouldn’t tell the truth. As a matter of fact, I won’t.

“I do,” said James.

The reached another hilltop. James could see Lisbaad through the hole that used to be his windshield.

“You don’t mind if I bail when we get home?” asked James.

“I don’t mind. Wouldn’t advise it, though,” said Edward.

“Do elaborate.”

“Thing is, unless you’re getting off this island, they’ll get you again.”

“What makes you so sure?” asked James.

Edward shrugged. “Educated guess.”

“On your word as a priest?”

“For whatever that’s worth,” said Edward.

I’m starting to like this guy.

“I want to get off this island, anyway,” said James. “But I think I’ll need some help in that department.”

“You help me find Cali, I’ll do what I can to help you.”

“Who?” asked James.

“Callista, sorry.”

“What makes you think I’ll be so helpful?”

“You’re a crook,” said Edward. “Crooks are always helpful.”

James just stared at the priest for a moment. He couldn’t help but laugh. “It takes one to know one, Edward. Takes one to know one.” He laughed again.

Edward shrugged.