Pigment (12 page)
July 19 (later)
A majestic sun shines high in the sky full of gold and heavy with the heat it blares down on their backs. The waters are low, thirsty for the rains. Rhadi fills a pliable water container with a filter he had in his satchel at the river’s edge. As the water seeps through to potable, he rubs his jaw and studies his reflection in the surface. It’s swollen where he took the new hit. “You have a strong punch. Aliya said you were Special Forces.”
Jalil glares at him. “If I was, it was a long time ago. And it wouldn’t be something we’d talk about.”
“We should. I should know who I am walking into a room with. I should know if you could lose it and cut someone open.”
“I haven’t...yet.”
“Will you?”
“I might.”
Jalil darts another intimidating glance at him, a warning, and then starts walking downstream. Rhadi follows lagging slightly behind.
#
Hours into their journey, Rhadi barters with an old fisherman, naked but for the shorts on his lower extremity, a thin and poor character, the lines on his face and the scars on his hands reveal his hard long life. How much to carry them on his small rickety boat? He is resistant at first, but Rhadi trades him his sunglasses, which he heartily accepts and sports with zeal. In another life this man could be a star in Hollywood. They push off and are 20 yards out when Creepy Man comes running to the shore, calling after them. “Mr. Scott!” His voice echoes across the water and is nearly lost to the vast expanse around them.
They look to the shore. Jalil recognizes him. “Stop. Go back.”
Rhadi motions to the Fisherman to stay on course.
“Wait. He’s the man who was following Aliya.” Jalil adds.
“Something isn’t right.” Rhadi studies the trees and bush. “He is not alone.”
Jalil looks back at the man on the shore. He sees motion and hints of other men in the bush behind Creepy Man. Something in the fishing net catches his eye. There is albino hair woven into the net. He touches it, drawn to remember a day many years ago when he was holding a restless toddler, trying to keep her still, playing patty-cake and peek-a-boo, while Tamika corn-rowed her reddish-blonde African hair.
Fisherman speaks, bringing him back to the present, “Ni inanileta bahati.”
Rhadi translates, “He says it brings him luck.”
Jalil pulls his hand away, looking at the man who is partly responsible and looking again at the strands, believing they may be the very same hair he helped Tamika braid in an earlier life in LA.
They glide deeper into the vacant wilderness.
#
Hours later, the river is dried up in front of them, so the boat can go no further. They pull off to the side. Rhadi gives the Fisherman a push off and he drifts back the way they came. He watches them walk on, still wearing the sunglasses.
Rhadi walks in front of Jalil, keeping some distance between them, on this dried up riverbed. Hours have passed but the sun is so big it doesn’t appear to have moved and its rays don’t relent. They are sweating.
Jalil sees Aliya’s standing in the brush on the side of the river, looking alive as ever. Just standing there fresh, but somber. He walks toward her, astounded. “Aliya?” He can’t believe it. He wipes his eyes. She is gone.
“What? You see something?”
Jalil shakes his head. Rhadi takes a swig from the water bottle and hands it to Jalil. Jalil comes closer and accepts it.
They come upon the hard bend in the river, deeper into the uncivilized part of the country than they’ve been. There is a group of people in indigenous dress at a hut, keeping in the shadows for shade. They watch the strangers.
#
Jalil and Rhadi approach a dark cave-like hut, half dug into the earth. Broken tree brush makes for the walls. There are drums playing. A ritual is underway within. As they close in, Jalil draws his knife.
Akida’s police SUV descends seemingly out of nowhere. He has three armed officers with him. Jalil puts the knife in his pocket.
Jalil asks, “What are you doing here?”
“
Nous avons eu un appel de votre ambassade. Quelqu'un ne veut pas une autre disparition américaine ici
.
We got a call from your embassy. Someone doesn’t want another American disappearing here.
” Akida takes Jalil’s knife. “
Vous auriez dû me dire à propos de votre ligne de travail. Ils ne veulent pas vous courir perdent dans notre pays. Surtout quelqu'un avec votre reputation.
You should have told me about your line of work. They don’t want you running around lose in our country. Especially someone with your reputation.
” He orders his men, “Hoja!
Move!”
Rhadi and Jalil stand back and watch as the police barge into the hut, one goes around the back. A hunter and an HIV client run from the hut. The Officers catch them and bring them into custody.
Akida goes into the hut and comes out with an albino woman, draped with a blanket, her face is hidden. Jalil is hopeful. She raises her head into the light to see, to believe that she is free. She squints at the light. Jalil sees she is not Aliya and runs inside.
#
Jalil looks frantically around the room. There is no one here, only ghosts, only albino body parts and chachkis made from albino persons strung up around the hut. He examines each. The little hands and feet are too small to have been hers. Another arm is too masculine and sun damaged. None of these belong to his daughter, but each did belong to someone. He holds the severed hand of a toddler gently in his palm. The weight of it brings him to his knees. The wet ground seeps into his pant legs. Blood wet. The soil is drenched. He looks at the ground where women and children were shackled, raped and butchered. He finds a bowl and collects the drenched earth with his bare hands. Rhadi looks on from the doorway, tears swell in his eyes.
Jalil holds the bowl close to him as he steps out of the hut and approaches Akida. He offers it to Akida. “
Où puis-je avoir cette testé pour l'ADN?
Where can I have this tested for DNA?”
Akida is in disbelief. He softly takes the bowl in one hand and places his other on Jalil’s shoulder.
They are boarding the vehicle. Jalil is still standing there. He looks at the Albino woman in shock in a blanket in the back of the truck.
Rhadi gets out of the truck. “Come.”
Jalil just keeps looking around.
Akida signals two of his men to get Jalil and bring him.
They each take an arm. Jalil resists.
“
M. Scott, vous devez venir.
Mr. Scott, you must come.”
“Leave me. I must find her. This is the closest I’ve gotten.” Jalil breaks free. Akida’s men chase him down a few yards away and cuff him. They bring him back to the truck and as they load him into it, Akida explains, “
Je dois suivre ces orders.
I have to follow these orders.”
July 20
In the back of the police station, the Hunter is in a chair with his hands bound behind him. Akida is there with one of his men questioning him. Jalil is in the hall outside with Rhadi, seeing and hearing what he can through the doorway. Akida holds a picture of Aliya in front of the Hunter’s face. The man is worn out. He turns his head away in silence then it lulls low back and forth like a pendulum as he utters, “Mimi siwezi kusema.” Rhadi, “I cannot say.” He translates this and continues conveying each utterance of the interrogation in a soft voice.
Akida prompts him, “You must.”
The Hunter continues, as does Rhadi, “Bui Bui has cursed me. My children will die if I tell you anything.”
“Practicing witchcraft is illegal. I will bring him in and you can press charges. Then he can’t hurt anyone.” Rhadi translates Akida’s words.
“You think prison can hold his magic?” The Hunter’s eyes widen.
“He scares you. I see that. We will find him, put him in prison with or without your help. What you tell me now will determine if you are in prison with him or on the other side of the wall.”
Tears stream down the Hunter’s face. He is terrified. “We didn’t want to do this. We had no choice.”
“There were more of you? How many? Then what happened?”
With each word out of Rhadi’s mouth, Jalil’s greatest nightmare is realized.
#
We captured her out in the woods and brought her to Bui Bui. His name suits him because he does look like a spider. He was looking for an American zeru-zeru for a special customer who would pay top dollar for her. I stayed to help deliver her to the buyer so my crew gets paid, but we all couldn’t wait around for this. I held her to the ground.
Bui Bui, a thin dark elderly man dressed in ritual robe, charms and feathers is shaking a rattle over her and chanting.
Rhadi translates, “...So he had me hold her down and he took the machete and cut…”
Bui Bui raises the machete and it comes down on the girl’s albino hair, drawing blood...
Akida’s deputy escorts Hunter to a cell, past Jalil, who can’t move. If he moves he will reach over and snap the Hunter’s neck. Jalil rises and takes a bold step toward him, in his face, looking him in the eye, looking for answers. Akida steps toward them. The deputy pulls the fragile Hunter away and locks him in a cell.
Akida motions for Jalil to come to his desk. Rhadi goes with him. Jalil is too restless to sit. Rhadi takes the seat. Akida address Jalil. “
Il est une confession complete.
It’s a full confession.”
“
Non, ce ne est pas.
No, it’s not.”
Even in the face of this, Jalil seems unconvinced. “
Tu le crois? Croyez-vous qu'il a tué ma fille?
Do you believe him? Do you believe he killed my daughter?”
“
Vous l'avez entendu. Avez-vous?
You heard him. Do you?”
He throws his hands up. “
Vous êtes dans le déni. Votre fille a rencontré un mort atroce, M. Scott. Je suis désolé.
You are in denial. Your daughter met a horrific death, Mr. Scott. I’m sorry.”
“
Qu'en est-il Bui Bui et les deux autres hommes?
What about Bui Bui and the other two men?”
“
Nous essayons de les trouver, mais certains de mes hommes ont peur. Bui Bui est dit être un sorcier très puissant.
We are trying to find them, but some of my men are afraid. Bui Bui is a very powerful sorcerer.”
“
Vous croyez cela?
You believe that?”
“
Ils font.
They do.”
“
Mais même si vous le trouvez, personne ne va le poursuivre. Vont-ils? Vous avez dit au chasseur que vous pourriez l'arrêter pour sorcellerie...
But even if you find him, no one will prosecute him. Will they? You said to the hunter that you could arrest him for witchcraft...”
“
La moitié des gens en prison sont accusés de sorcellerie.
Half of the people in jail are accused of witchcraft.”
“
Cela ne veut pas assez bon.
That’s not good enough.”
“
Ceci est un vieux pays avec de vieilles manières. Une instance ne va pas changer les croyances des gens ou leurs craintes disparaissen
t
.
This is an old country with old ways. One instance is not going to change people’s beliefs or make their fears go away.”
“
Mais, il est la preuve. Vous pouvez prendre cette affaire à la pleine mesure de la loi. Pouvez-vous pas? Ils devraient être suspendus pour ce qu'ils ont fait. Akida?
But, there is proof. You can take this case to the full extent of the law. Can’t you?
They should be hung for what they did. Akida?”
“
Je vais faire tout mon possible. Mais je dois travailler dans le système.
I will do everything I can. But I must work within the system.”
One of his men signs to Akida from the doorway.
“
Un instant.
One moment.”
Akida steps outside.
Jalil sees the knife Rolf gave him on the shelf. He takes it and conceals it in his pocket.
Rhadi explodes, “Why didn’t you kill the Hunter? Just now when you had the chance?”
Jalil sees the rage seething in him. “I could have…”
“I would have done it myself if I knew you…”
“No.” Jalil is adamant as Akida steps back in.
Rhadi blasts past him. Jalil watches him pass the government SUV that just parked outside and go to the café across the street.
“
Il ya quelqu'un ici pour vous voir
There is someone here to see you,”
Akida says as he returns, with Creepy Man.
“Mr. Scott. You are a difficult man to catch up with.”
Jalil stands surprised, “Who are you?”
“Salim Mangonga. I represent the government. Tanzania is very sorry for your loss. The government has bought you a plane ticket back to the United States.”
He extends his hand holding the ticket. Jalil makes no motion to take it.
“Salim, you were following my daughter. Then me.”
“It has been a long hard trip for you. We want you to make it home safely.”
“I’m sure you do.” Jalil snaps, full of sarcasm.
“Let me be clearer. We know your history, what you have done in other countries. Azerbaijan, Burma, Somalia...You are not welcome in Tanzania. You will leave even if we have to deport you. This plane leaves tomorrow. You will be on it.”
