As we neared the beach I readied myself for the swift stop. We couldn't waste time. We had to hurry. I looked back and saw the Official boats get closer. I hissed a curse and looked back at the dock. We'd never make it. I looked at the water. We weren't really moving that fast. I could dive in and take shelter over by those rocks on the beach. I gestured at Dante to get his attention, then I pointed at the shore. He nodded his head and slowed a little for me. I jumped.
The waves crashed into me. Not enough to drown, but enough to get me moving. I swam like a professional, with speed and agility until I could stand on the beach. I ran to duck behind one of the rocks and watched as the yacht and everyone on the dock get bombarded with Officials. I turned around looking for an escape, but so far all I had was a maze of rocks that I could easily be found in. Great. I looked to see what was going on again. Everyone who was there to help me were on their knees. Their hands were placed on the backs of their heads and the Officials had guns pointed at them. I knew they wouldn't kill them. Not unless they found evidence that I was on the boat with them. But with a lot of disinfecting wipes and trash clean ups, I was positive they wouldn't find a trace. They probably would take out their DNA kits and stuff to help but they wouldn't find a thing.
A couple minutes and one thousand drops of sweat later, the men were finally released and the Officials boarded their boats and left. I stayed hidden until they were only little specks on the green ocean. I bolted to the dock and called to Dante.
"Hurry!" He waved me over. The other men were busily trying to clear out the area. I dove into the black jeep Dante had said to. There was a map on the passenger side along with keys, and envelope that had the writing: כתר התכשיט, and a bag most likely filled with clothes. I called thank you to all of the Indian men who stood to help me escape and then drove away.
The map said the city was only a few miles away, but with the speed in which I drove I had been there in an hour and a half. I slowed as pulled into the small city and looked around it looked like any other city only this one was filled with Indians. There were children who ran across the roads and dove into the fountain in the square off to the right. Women sat along the roadside making foods and clothing. Men herded sheep and other cattle. They chopped up meat in the shops that lined the street. The elderly sat there and laughed together. They fanned themselves with cloth attached to two sticks. I smiled. Now this was what I was talking about. Freedom. They had it and I wanted it.
The hotel was deeper into the town than I would have liked, but it wasn't my choice to decide. I walked in and looked around. It looked like a regular hotel only this one had statues of all sizes everywhere and the doors were only cloth veils. The walls were a beautiful bleached white and the carpet was a deep red. The seats that invaded the room were all gray loveseats. Each door was shaped like an ark and not in the traditional rectangular shape. Women and men walked the lobby and halls on either side of the building. The paused an studied me, but I ignored their stares and walked to the front desk that was off to the left of the room. I tapped the metal bell and let it ring out.
A boy walked in from the side curtain. He was white and looked only a little older than me. He was dressed in the traditional male clothing I'd seen others wear outside. His toga like clothing was completely black and his brown curly hair covered his eyes. He flicked his head and his curls moved out of his face. I looked around me because I didn't know what to do now. When I looked back at him, he stood just behind me. The only thing separating us was the counter. I leaned back a little and pulled out my envelope. I placed it in front of him and he opened it. He pulled out files and paperwork along with money and a letter. All of them had a writing or language I couldn't understand. He smirked at something the letter said and looked up at me. "You Delilah Winters?"
