The Art of Love

Hide and Seek

Sanem listened as her mother cried on the phone before her baba got on the line. "Sanem, I spoke with the hotel in Ibiza and they confirmed that they both checked out as scheduled". She heard as her father breathed in heavily before continuing. "Kizim.... I don't know what is happening but I can't leave your mother to come and be with you there. Aziz and Huma have been kind enough to have kept us abreast of the situation and I am just grateful that you are there with Can Bay, but daughter what are your plans now. Will you and Can fly to Spain? I need to tell you mother something before she decides to get on a plane herself". Sanem felt as the tears filled her eyes at the thought of her parents struggling to keep calm while she herself didnt know where her sister and her brother in law could possibly be. "Baba, I will discuss it with Can and let you know, but I'm sure we will head there. If they never left Spain, then that is where we must go". Nihat asked her if she needed any money and offered to transfer it into her account but she refused saying that Can had covered all the expenses and she only needed the bare essentials which she could cover easily. She sent love to them both and hung up the phone. Across the room she watched as Can paced the floor back and forth while speaking to another faceless government official in Spain. She was grateful that he knew the language as she was barely proficient at it while in California. She watched as he stopped and stood quietly listening to whomever was talking to him and then resumed his pacing. It was making her dizzy just watching him so she stood up and walked out of the building and out onto the nearly empty back parking lot. Everything had gone terribly wrong. She felt uneasy as if something of great importance was just out of her reach. She thought about Leyla now and wondered if she was scared, or injured or.... she jumped as she felt a hand touch her arm and turned to look at the blue eyes of commander Jack. "I'm sorry Sanem, I know this is quite a shock. I thought this might take the edge off a bit, its got a little whiskey in it. My ancestors were Irish and I always keep a bottle around". Sanem took the coffee cup and brought the hot brew to her lips and took a slow sip immediately registering the alcohol. He hadn't been kidding. She coughed a bit but then felt the hot liquid travel down her throat. "Thank you Jack. I just don't understand. How could the agent who spoke to us, and gave us all the details not have known about the drugs? If the plane was stopped and all the passengers removed, why were we not told that?" Jack shrugged his shoulders "sometimes government officials don't have all the facts at once. It was probably just a simple computer error. Someone posted a flight downed, and someone else reported the last known flight plans and passenger manifest. Too many hands and too much red tape". Sanem took another long sip of her coffee and thought about his last comment. "Jack, how were you and the rescue team informed". Jack told her that the international search and rescue team received a typical message of a downed aircraft and went into search mode immediately. They didn't have to wait for government go ahead. They simply followed protocol. "I'm just confused at the fact that the plane that went down was allowed to travel after the police got involved". Jack frowned and nodded in agreement, "it does seem odd now that you mention it. We wont know much about its problems until we retrieve the black box and determine what caused the plane to crash. The captain and the flight attendant are in fairly good shape as I understand and in a day or so they will be interviewed as well". Sanem continued to sip her coffee but now turned as the door they had exited opened and Can came out. She immediately saw that his face had turned into a scowl at seeing Jack. She didnt quite understand it. They both had similar hobbies and interests and aside from the reason that they were here it would have been a no brainer that they would have hit it off. Looking at Can now one would think he was looking at a rival. Jack looked back as Can approached them and asked "Can, any news?" Can nodded his head side to side as he stood closer to Sanem, in between them both. "Sanem, ah.... I think we should go now and make arrangements to leave just as soon as we can. I've already taken care of the necessary travel documents and settled our accounts here". She nodded her head in agreement and finished off the remainder of the coffee in her cup. "Can... I have a friend in Madrid that might be able to cut through some of the language barrier and the red tape you'll no doubt run into there". Can looked back at Jack and couldn't help to sigh just a little. He couldn't dislike the guy enough to be rude. He had helped them and frankly his only flaw was that he had somehow managed to befriend Sanem and no doubt that was his first step into making inroads with her further. "Thanks Jack, but the language wont be a "problema" for me and as far as...." Sanem cut him off and smiled back up at Jack "thank you jack, will you text me the contact name and information. We would be most grateful to have any assistance we can get. You've been so great and I know I wont be able to thank you enough for everything you tried to do for us. Truly, were in your debt". Jack moved forward and took Sanems hand and squeezed it. "No debt, but maybe you'll call me and let me know when you've located them. I'd really like to know that they've been located and are safe". Can watched Sanem shake Jacks hand and smile up at him. It made his insides clench. She wasn't going to make any of this easy for him. "Can... safe travels and good luck". Can nodded and begrudgingly shook the mans hand that was offered. He didnt blame the guy for trying with Sanem, any man who wasn't blind or dumb would have attempted to talk to her. He touched Sanems elbow to turn back into the office but she had already moved forward. Sanem retrieved her purse and Can his daypack and they left the small building near the airstrip. Just before they got in the SUV that Can had rented Jack came out and jogged over to Sanem. "Parting gift, its no big deal; but it might just come in handy". Can watched as he handed her a small bag and then quickly leaned in and kissed her cheek and gave her a quick hug. Sanem didn't stop him nor did she lean away. It was more than he could take and so he sat in the car and revved up the engine. Sanem got in and buckled up and then turned to look at him disapprovingly. "What? Were on a time crunch and we don't have time to waste with goodbyes". He felt hot and flustered and angry at the thought of another mans lips on her skin. "Can.... he was being polite and there was no need to be rude". He noticed that she put the bag in her purse before he had a chance to see what it was. She turned away from him as they headed out of the front parking lot and onto the narrow one lane road. They would collect their bags and then head to the main airport that would take them on to Spain.