Falling Leaves II, Part Three

Rebecca and her Father are getting their luggage and negotiating the crowd at the airport in Istanbul. A man walls up to them.

"You must be Thomas." The man holds up a picture. You look like your brother. And you must be Rebecca? You do not look like James."

"How is my brother and why did he not come himself?" Thomas hands him a bag.

"I only work for him. I couldn't say. But I am glad he sent me. I'm Alec," he takes Rebecca's hand and tries to kiss it, she pulls it back. "So you are here to dig for artifacts?"

"Yes," Thomas signals a taxi.

"If you work for my uncle what do you do?" Rebecca questions.

"I am a guide into Turkey, an historian, and an expert on the land. A specialist hired by the financier of this expedition to protect his investment. I am at your service my sweet.

"Where has my brother set up?"

"We're here in Istanbul, until we can get an aerial view of the target spot. We are using SLAR and infrared imaging to locate something of interest. We will probably end up in the eastern area."

"SLAR?" Thomas removes his cap.

"Yes, Father, it's the sideways technology I was telling you about."

"Oh yes. I'm very excited to hear about the new technology we will be using."

"Yes," Alec continues. I understand these new concepts are very helpful. I have some interest in the Euphrates River area. There's a lot of historyŠ"

"The Euphrates River," Rebecca interrupts. "So are we going to be searching there?

"Yes." They get out of the cab and go into a house."

"Thomas, Rebecca," James greets his brother and niece. " My goodness look at you! Come in. Nina, some tea please." He takes them into a sitting room. "Are you hungry? Nina, some sandwiches too. Has my associate been filling you in on the details?"

"Hello, James, how are you? Yes, somewhat, we are looking at four riverheads?"

"Well, yes we will be looking at the Euphrates River. Here look." James shows them a huge map hanging on a wall.

Rebecca looks at it and almost gasps. She looks at her Father. He takes her hand and pats it.

"Rebecca are you all right"? Her uncle is concerned. "You look white."

"I'm, I'm hungry."

"Nina, dear, where are the sandwiches?"

"The Euphrates River?" Rebecca repeats. The phrase "Jumped in an interfered" plays in her head.

"Yes. That's going to be our main focus, the region of Erzurum." Alec takes a seat. "The area is known to have had a great wealth of gold in ancient times."

"Gold?" Thomas questions. "I thought we were looking for pottery and bones?"

"Well what ever we can find." Alec counters. "But our investor has financed this project on the auspices that we will find something of value for him to include in his collection."

"That is an area significant to the location of the Garden of Eden." Rebecca points to the area on the map.

"Oh Well, I don't know about that my dear but, yes that is the river mentioned in the Bible.

""The Garden of Eden?" Alec raises an eyebrow.

Nina brings a tray of sandwiches and fruit.

"Tigris the third and Euphrates the forth," Rebecca is staring at the map, mumbling to herself. Alec hands her an apple, she looks down at it for a moment then drops it, like her fingers become limp.

"Rebecca, are you feeling ill?" Her Father takes a sandwich.

"No, Father I'm fine." Alec smiles at her. She glares at him.

"Tonight I'm taking you all out to eat at one of my favorite restaurants." Alec picks the apple up off the floor and bites it. "But you should eat now Rebecca to keep up your strength."

"I'll take a sandwich thank you, and I'll take it to my room. Uncle James? I really need to rest."

"Certainly, darling. Nina!"

Nina takes Rebecca her room.

"Thank you Nina. Do you know who owns this house? I assume my uncle rents it."

"Yes, Mr. Newman does."

"Mr. Newman?"

"Yes Miss, Alec owns this house. This one and lots of others I would assume."

"Is that right."

"Yes, will there be anything else?"

"No. Thank you."

To be continued.

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Contributed by Marjeana Martin
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