Twenty-Nine Cozy Bears

30

The man heard the call for evening prayer. Pausing, he searched the area he was in, and found nothing amiss. After the prayer he felt someone open a door, from the air pressure changing and making a nearby window bow in the frame briefly. He raised an eyebrow, but decided not to look at the gift too closely. Then he felt the resonance change of the building. Someone was active in the halls and shelves.

"NATili? Is someone in the building besides me?"

A moment later she answered that there was one other, and he was climbing up the stairs to the second floor, and appeared to be on a trajectory which would cross his path in a few minutes.

The man pulled the heavy, out of date, thick laptop over and pulled the battery cover off the back. From inside, he pulled out a Makarov PM 9mm, checked it, and put a round in the chamber.

A couple of long moments went by, then one of the double doors leading into this book repair area opened and Alek walked into the room. The man reset the safety and returned the weapon to its hidden space.

"Evening Major," Alek said as he came to the open doorway. "Anything exciting happening?"

"Nothing exciting, other than in my head. You?"

"I went back to that area we ate last night, down to Sobhani street, got lost twice, but was well fed both times. The kebabs were perfect. It is stupid how easy it is to become turned around in this city. Everything is so close together. Shared walls, shared roofs. It is better at night though. During the day it is all beige. Miles and miles of beige."

"What happens at night?"

"Colors and light. Mostly orange and reds and blues, but there are others, filtered floods with the lights splashing across the walls. Golds and greens. The whole place looks fantastic."

The man nodded his understanding, "We need to keep that in mind. What did you see in the way of territorial marks or gang activity?"

Alek pursed his lips and leaned against the door frame, "Nothing of consequence. And nothing familiar. The graffiti here is much different than in western Europe. More art, becoming murals, rather than vandalism. Messages are political and social. Some of them are government messages. The only gang was the Moral Police patrols."

The clothing Alek wore, light browns, tans and whites, were common cuts of uncommon quality. The thread count of the linen in Alek's shirt was embarrassing, but he wouldn't have attracted unwanted attention because of wealth or being an easy mark.

Alek scratched his cheek, "People were friendly, at the norm. No one shouted rude things at my white skin. Several times I was offered — well, invited really — to go to see a band or music performance. The underground culture for the young people is healthy."

"So, why are you here?" the man asked him.

"I crossed paths with Sara, and she said you were working late, possibly very late. I thought you might need something. Food? Coffee? I can take a walk for you before I turn in."

The man felt a slight pang of hunger, but not a provoking need to eat. "I'm good. I will not be here much longer. I will stop some place on my way to the rooms."

Alek studied him for a beat and then nodded, as he came off the door frame and looked around, he said, "This isn't a bad place. Landed on our feet as we do. Internet?"

"WiFi, but state censored."

"But of course. It's the religious aspect."

"Is it?" the man asked.

"Oh yes. Normal laws are enforced and sentences are often given, which are harsh. But religion adds a vein of cruelty and sabotages reason. Because there is no limit to what man will do to save your soul."

The man let that settle, making no sign of agreement or disagreement. It was true that when wars happened, generally the battles were outside of the city, away from areas where property damage and civilian deaths would be minimal. Because the point was to take over the land or the city or the state. However, if the war was against the infidel, against the sinner or the unbeliever, then the buildings were razed, and the people mass murdered. Stones were unstacked and salt sewn into the earth.