Page 222 of Vita Mia

“My girls,” Lo said with a deep sigh of relief.

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TANZANIA- AFRICA

Carlo splashed water on his face from the basin. He stretched his eyes. The worst of it was the heat. He felt like his skin was cooked. He sweated everywhere, even on his balls. He walked over to the towel on his bed and wiped himself. There was a knock to the door.

“Ingia,” he said enter in Swahili. He expected one of Abedi girls to arrive with some request from her. It came every morning, and he had grown accustomed to the summons. Instead, his head turned and he saw a young boy no older than seven. The boy looked timid when he approached. Typically, carriers were young, kids, who would go beyond suspicions as they moved from one space to another. The boy walked over and handed him a folded note. He opened it. He smiled.

“Asante,” he said.

The boy turned and left. Carlo dressed quickly. He grabbed his weapon of choice in Africa, a sharpened short handled butchers knife that cut harder than a machete. He wet a scarf in cool water and tied it around his neck to deal with the heat and then picked up his satchel. He was out the door and outside. He had to go on foot a mile to meet up with the waiting jeep. The walk went without incident. Many in the area had grown accustomed to seeing him. He hopped in and was off to the village. The sun blazed hotter than hell. Even his sunglasses did little to protect his eyes. But there was a breeze in the hot wind as they traveled closer to the coast, so he endured.

The jeep gyrated and lurched over the dry sandy hills and others joined them. A caravan of seven jeeps in total. Those men didn’t wield knives or machetes. Those men had guns. And he knew the man who had put them in their hands.

His driver told him that he wasn’t permitted to go forward. Carlo understood. He hopped out of the jeep and joined the caravan to be taken to a secluded location near Ngozi. He visited the village only once a week for the past six weeks since he arrived. And each time he welcomed the change in atmosphere. He wished Shae was with him to see how beautiful Africa could be. He missed her and the kids.

When they arrived they were greeted by a small army, Carlo smiled. The man among them was the one he had been waiting to see.

“Giovanni?”

“Carlo,” Giovanni said.

He walked over and greeted Carlo with a kiss to both cheeks.

“You look well,” said Giovanni

Carlo was sweaty and sticky from the heat. He smiled because he knew he must be smelly as well.

“I look like shit.”

“Missing home?” Giovanni asked.

“I’ve been waiting for you.” Carlo glanced behind Giovanni and saw Nico. He gave him a nod. Nico nodded in return. “So I guess this means you’re a free man?”

“Temporarily. I hear a little bird has flown our nest and now chirps for my hunter. But I wouldn’t miss this reunion.”

“Bird?”

“Arielle. She’s turned on us. Said you paid her a visit. That you came to town to kill the warden.”

“She wouldn’t. Gio? I told her nothing,” Carlo reasoned.

“It’s okay.” He patted Carlo on the jaw. “She’d had enough after Adara. I should have suspected it.”

“Are they believing her?” Carlo asked worried. If she blew his cover then he would not be safe in America. Eventually, the authorities would find him.

“I have a plan to make sure they don’t.”

Carlo chuckled. “Of course, you do boss.”

“Have you greeted your guest?” Giovanni asked.

“I was waiting for an introduction.”

Carlo licked his chapped lips. “Gio... Arielle—”

“Carlo, there’s no need. It’s fine. I made a promise to you. I mean to keep it. Thank you, friend for coming back. But I won’t ask this of you again. When this is over go back to America, and leave Carlo behind.”

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