THE PASSAGE

Meanwhile In Nod...

Chapter 54

Location: Nod-District 3

Jonah and Sarah sit in Darius' reception area, making small talk with his receptionist, Leah, waiting for Darius' office to clear so they can speak with him. After waiting only ten minutes, a man emerges and walks past them, acknowledging them with a wave as he goes to Leah's desk and signs out.

Leah walks to Darius' door and taps on it gently before poking her head inside momentarily and then motioning Jonah and Sarah in her direction with a smile. Darius's towering frame rises from behind the desk when the two walk into the office, flanked by his two armed guards, and Leah shuts the door.

"Hello Jonah," Darius says, his voice deep and confident as he reaches for Jonah's hand. The two men shake hands. Afterward, Darius reaches for Sarah's hand more gently, then bends at the waist, brings her fingers to his lips, and kisses them.

"Hello, lovely Sarah," he says, his voice dropping an octave, "always a pleasure to see you walk into my office."

Sarah bows before him as if exaggerating the motion, "Greetings, my Lord."

Darius laughs. "Oh, it's 'my Lord' today. I like it. You must be in a good mood. You two have a seat."

Jonah and Sarah sit side-by-side opposite Darius' large desk, and Darius walks behind it and has a seat.

"So," says Darius, "What brings you two here today?"

Jonah begins. "They've captured a couple of outsiders hiding out at a Blue's farm, a husband and wife."

Darius looks between the two, puzzled. "You mean that you two rode all the way here just to tell me that?"

Jonah begins to speak, but Darius cuts him off. "Oh, I see. You two just wanted an excuse to return and eat at the new restaurant in the district. Abel told me that you had three plates of food on your last visit and was so full that you had to stay for the night."

Jonah laughs. "Yes, the food is delicious. But the lieutenant is the one who sent us with the message, thought you would like to hear about it. The two outsiders I'm referring to claim that they don't speak Nod, only English."

Darius stares at Jonah. "That's ridiculous. Just hang them already."

"After questioning them independently, the lieutenant seems to believe them."

Darius throws his hands in the air and looks up at the ceiling, shaking his head. "Has he lost his mind?"

"The strange thing is that those two claim that they're not from here."

"Well, it's apparent that they're not, so what village do they claim to be from?"

"I mean, they claim that they're not from Nod."

"Not from Nod?" Darius laughs, shaking his head in disbelief. "So, where do they claim to be from?" He leans forward towards Jonah, stretching out the words. "The moon?"

"No sir, they claim they're . . . from Eden."

Darius slumps in his chair, laughing uncontrollably, before looking up to Jonah.

"And they managed to sell that bullshit story to the lieutenant?"

"Their story is very convincing, sir."

"Eden," says Darius, staring at Jonah, "Bullshit. Anyway, entertain me. What's their story?"

"They claim that they were hiking in the woods near their home and got lost. The next thing they knew, they were at the creek on the north side of R-6. They say they camped there for several nights before moving under cover of darkness through the woods and coming into the crop fields behind the Blue's house."