Dark Destiny

Chapter Four - Courage and Althea

Istanbul, Turkey. A true gateway city, a mixture of the east and western cultures, with a unique meshing of Christian and Muslim cultures, and centuries of important history surrounding the city, with its beautiful cathedrals and mosques. It is a city uniquely Asian and European historically, although it has grown to resemble more Middle Eastern in the past couple of centuries. Located at the mouth of the Sea of Marmara, the ancient city stretches towards the Black Sea to its north along the IstanbulStrait. Jeremiah Courage gets out of a taxi in front of an elegant hotel. It is a high-rise hotel, a modern structure amid ancient buildings, spanning over twenty stories above relatively small parking decks and other structures stretching out from the ground level. He is wearing a dark blue pair of slacks and matching jacket. His tie is loosened, allowing him some breathing space around his large neck. As he disembarks, looking up at the hotel spawning above them, he offers his hand to his lovely companion. Althea holds his hand, as she also gets out of the car in front of the hotel. As her shapely legs stretch out towards the pavement outside the car, she palms her other hand along Jeremiah's proffered hand, cupping his hand in her own and pulling herself out of the car. She is a stunning sight, wearing a sleeveless light blue silk blouse, which has a plunging bust line. On her shoulders is a long-sleeve black tweed jacket. She is wearing a black skirt, which reaches down beneath her knees and hugs her upper thighs tightly, drawing glances from passers-by as she disembarks. As she steps onto the ground, her high-heeled pumps click on the pavement at her feet.

The cab driver hurriedly closes his door. He is a chubby, middle-aged man with a dark complexion. Wearing a tan jacket and blue jeans, he looks like someone who could just as easily be driving a cab in a metropolitan American city, although he is unmistakably Turkish. He walks around to the back of the cab, getting out Jeremiah's carry-on bag, two more suitcases and another carry-on bag—all belonging to Althea—and places them on the curb beside the cab. Jeremiah looks at her with a puzzled expression on his face, even as he shakes his head, pulling the handle of the carry-on bag across his shoulder. The taxi cab driver ignores them for the moment, closing his cab's truck and glancing at his wrist watch.

"How long were you planning on staying in Istanbul?" he asks, smiling.

"You never know what might come up," she responds, flashing her bright green eyes his way, as she smiles seductively, her perfume filling the early evening air. "And a girl has to be ready for anything."

"So I hear," Jeremiah responds, shaking his head, turning away from his lovely companion for the moment. He turns to the cab driver, who is looking on in anticipation, offering him some folded Euros. He motions Jeremiah off for the moment, as he turns his attention back towards the hotel.

"Hold on, Mr. Courage," the driver replies in English, but with a noticeable Turkish accent, as he motions behind them, where two young Turkish bellboys are walking towards them, pushing a small cart. "You two!" the cab driver calls out to them, even as his hand motions grow more pronounced, urging them to move faster. "Hurry up and get over here! These are important guests!" With his encouragement, the two bellboys move faster, rushing over to where Jeremiah and Althea are standing, their luggage at their feet. As they lean over and pick up the hotel guests' baggage, it is clear that it has been a busy day for them, judging by their tired expressions and slow, sluggish movements.

"It is difficult to get good help these days," the cab driver remarks apologetically, shaking his head with disappointment, then returning his expression to Jeremiah and the lovely Althea, who return his expression with a look of interest. "These young ones have to be reminded to do their jobs. When I was their age, no one had to remind me to do my job. In fact, as I recall, I had three jobs at their age."