Page 107 of Radar

Elyssa looked over at Xander. “What do you think is happening?”

The hum of the boat motor, the peaceful countryside, and the gentle rocking. One could lull oneself into thinking that everything was good.

Xander swallowed down his bite of sandwich from the food that Victor had made for them before answering. “There’s a word,proizvol,which means arbitrariness. There’s the idea that the Zorics can do whatever they want to you. It creates a state of paralysis in society. Their actions are calibrated to feel like the consistent pressure of terror. There’s another word,prodazhnost,which is close to venality. The Family, capital T capital F, used to do as they pleased when they pleased back in the days of the USSR. And that power was stripped from them. They want it back.”

“What language?” Elyssa asked.

“Russian.”

“The only thing I can add to that pot is a Polish saying: I found myself at the very bottom, then I heard knocking below. That’s the way these last couple of days have felt, I keep thinking that something was bad, then I discover that there’s worse and worse.”

“In Russian,” Xander said, “it becomes, ‘There is no bottom.’ For the Zorics, there is no limit to their depravity, sadism, and cruelty.”

“And Orest just seemed to embrace life and love the simple things.”

“I’m not saying he didn’t enjoy those things,” Xander said. “I am saying he liked cruelty just as much.”

“I’ve been thinking about him and those pictures. Mainly, I’ve been wondering how I could ever identify a random plant that I once stood near. I considered my clothes. They were all items I had packed during my trip to London and France. I wish I had my phone because I could narrow down the day to the outfit.”

Elyssa stared at the piece of peach resting on the side of her plate. “Do you remember when I told you we were doing a food tour and buying cider, but we were also setting up a game for the children?”

“You mentioned children, I remember that.”

“See if this is interesting to you,” Elyssa leaned back on the sofa and crossed her arms over her chest. “I was told that several of the families had decided to take a vacation in the area. The mothers wanted to use it as a learning opportunity where the kids didn’t know they were learning. So, the mothers had put together a scavenger hunt of sorts, but it was nice because it wasn’t just for their family. It was for anyone who wanted to play.”

“Keep going.”

“Yes, so it was basically geocaching. The kids would use maps and compasses, and some clues required them to have a basic understanding of local history to decipher the clues. So, reading and collaborating. Orest had these boxes. Inside, there was a notebook and a pen attached to a little chain. If someone found the box, they could write down their country and a little note of kindness for other families. There were toys, nice toys, and something—like a sticker or enamel pin—from the area. People who found the box could take a prize if they liked. And ifthey wanted, they could leave something behind. I had done that with my family when I was young. It was fun.”

“Can you describe the boxes?

“They were about eighteen inches by eighteen inches, about five inches deep with a galvanized steel bottom to protect from rust.”

“They were made out of metal?” Xander asked.

“Yes. They were really nice boxes. Quality design.”

“Why would he need you?” Xander sat up straighter, his gaze very intense.

“I don’t understand the question,” Elyssa whispered.

“Orest invited you to Europe. He found an excuse that would entice you overseas, and then he had you go to specific places with these boxes. He needed you for something.”

“He used me for something, you mean?” Elyssa frowned. “I am so damned naïve. My naïveté is going to be the downfall of humanity, isn’t it?”

Xander reached for her hand.

“Why did he need me?” Elyssa shook her head. “I have no idea.”

“Let’s go through it,” Xander offered. “Would you carry the boxes?”

“They were in the bag with our things. Sometimes, I carried it, and sometimes it was Orest.”

“And when you got to a place he already knew where to place it?” Xander asked.

“He knew specifically where because he had a GPS, and he was very precise. Anally precise about the placement of the boxes, so the children wouldn’t become discouraged.”

“When you got to the X, you didn’t just lay them on the ground, did you?” Xander asked.

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