Varak about the treasure and promised him a share if he stayed, kept working for her, and found a way to keep her treasure safe until the war ended.”
“And he took the deal,” Jill said hoarsely.
“Yes, he wants that gold. It’s still all he talks about.”
“The gold,” Jill repeated jerkily. She had to get the words out. “And his solution to get it was to stage a massacre that killed all those children and half their parents and made that schoolroom a memorial site that no one would want to desecrate.”
Dalai nodded.
“One more question. Did Zahra approve of his ‘solution’?”
“Not right away. She said that it appeared to be a practical plan, but he would have to lower his fee since she was going to have to do a good deal of the publicity and diplomatic work herself.”
“Yes, that would enter into any negotiations,” Jill said unsteadily. “Couldn’t you tell someone?”
“I wanted to live,” Dalai said simply. “I was afraid. I’d only heard bits and pieces of the plan, and I didn’t know about the schoolroom. But I know that I will go to hell forever for being such a coward.” Her voice broke. “When I heard about the children…”
“Yes, the children…” Jill said dully. The children who had died only yards from where she was standing. She couldn’t stand here, thinking about it. She had to get out of here. She turned and headed for the ladder.
A few minutes later, they had all surfaced by the boulders. It was only twilight, Jill realized. It had seemed a very long time ago that she had descended that ladder. She looked at Dalai as she got to her feet. “Yes, you’re sorry,” she said jerkily. “I can see it. But now you have a chance to change your story. To not let a massacre like that ever happen again. Can we count on you?”
Dalai looked away from her. “I’m here, aren’t I? I’ve told you things that would get me killed…or worse.” She lifted her chin as she turned to face her. “I’ll do whatever I can. But I’m still a coward. Don’t expect me to be something I’m not.”
“All I want now is for you to listen and call us if there’s anything we should know.” She added, “And I’ll do the same. We’ll do the rest together, Dalai.”
Dalai gazed at her for a moment before she turned and went toward her car. Then she suddenly looked back at them. “You’re going to do it, aren’t you? You’re actually going to take them both down?”
Jill nodded. “I promise you. And you’re going to be there when we do it. No one deserves it more.”
“I…believe you.” Her dark eyes were filled with wonder. “And I think I might be able to…trust you.”
“Good.” Then Jill had a sudden thought. “Have you been here too long? What if Zahra’s missed you?”
“Then I’ll lie to her. I’ve learned how to do that very well. I’ll make her believe me.” She shrugged. “Then Madam will beat me, and I’ll weep and be very contrite and afraid. She’s too busy right now to do anything else to me.”
“I wish you wouldn’t call her Madam,” Jill said bitterly. “It sounds so subservient. It reminds me of the way she’s treated you all these years.”
“It’s what she wants me to call her. If I stopped, she would think it odd and punish me. But someday I will not care what she thinks.” She got into the car. “Because she won’t be able to use her fine, golden cage if Robaku is no longer available to her. Isn’t that sad?” She didn’t wait for an answer but drove away from the brook area and headed for the road.
“She’s certainly not the rabbit Gideon said Zahra called her.” Novak’s thoughtful gaze was following her. “And she might say she’s a coward, but I don’t see that either. It’s as if she was opening, changing, revealing new facets, every moment she was here.”
“She’s a survivor,” Jill said. She turned and headed for the museum. “And what she’s done today may make us survivors, too.” She glanced at Novak, and said fiercely, “Because we know how to fight Zahra and Varak now. We know what holds them together. You know damn well we have a weapon if we use it right. And it’s got nothing to do with Varak’s compound. So don’t tell me that you’re going back there.”
“I wouldn’t dare,” he said dryly. “You’re so savage, you might throw me in