Chapter 2

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

"He's not telling us everything he knows." James thumbed through the journal as Ayana battled with the heavy traffic, "There is something else, something hidden, I'm sure of it."

"He's just worried we'll lose his book." she replied as she turned onto a side street seeking a route around the jam that had brought the long line of cars ahead of them down to a snail’s pace.

"No, I think it's more than that," admitted James, "But I can't quite put my finger on it."

"OK, let’s just say he's nervous that we won't take him seriously, probably lots of people have laughed at him because of his beliefs and ideas, some have probably been very rude... does any of this sound at all familiar to you Jim?" she glanced across at him, "Do you know anyone else who ever felt like that?"

"Yeah, you're right," he sighed, "It's probably nerves, but I still want to do a bit of research before we agree to this."

"OK baby." she smiled, but her thoughts were clearly miles away.

Probably on the Zambezi, he thought with resignation.

***

"Well, for someone who has done his research, there are certainly lots of errors in his story," announced James as he turned his laptop screen to face Ayana across the table, "Mamlambo is from South Africa, famous in the Mzintlava River to be precise, where they call it "The Brain Sucker," the beastie that allegedly lives in the Zambezi is called Nyami Nyami?" James paused for a moment, gathering his thoughts. "Now it strikes me as strange that this guy claims to be obsessed with finding the creature, yet... he doesn't even know it's proper name? And what is even stranger, there don't appear to be any records of inscriptions on any of the stonework’s of Great Zimbabwe."

Ayana studied the screen but her expression remained neutral.

"I had a feeling in my gut that he wasn't telling us everything, now we have two choices, either we give him his book back and walk away, or we get the true story out of him."

"Let’s give him a chance to explain," she replied after a moment of thought, "I have to admit I've been getting quite excited about the expedition, maybe he has a good excuse for the deception?"

"It better be good," exclaimed James, "Lies are not a good start."

***

Doug stared nervously at the table top as James probed him with searching questions and it soon became crystal clear that he knew nothing about his quest.

"You'd better start talking soon," warned James as he finally caught the young man's eye, "Or I promise you, we will walk away from this."

Instantly a flash of fear registered, "Please don't do that," he whispered, "You're my last hope."

"Hope for what?" asked Ayana.

He had expected anger, yet her voice remained calm and in a strange way, comforting. "To find my father." he admitted as he folded a paper napkin and laid it just so beside his coffee cup, not satisfied he straightened its position slightly all the time avoiding their searching looks.

"Doug, why don't you start from the beginning, and tell us the whole truth this time?"

He glanced up and saw a sympathetic understanding in her deep brown eyes, "OK," he nodded, "Sorry I lied, I just wanted to make sure you would help me."

"Just give us the whole story," replied James, "And then we will see if we can help."

Doug began his story hesitantly but was soon pouring out the nightmare that he had lived through for three long years. "Grandpa Douglas loved Africa," he began, "Well, that's what I have been told because I never met him, but my Pa, sorry, my dad, I keep forgetting you're British, he used to tell me stories about how Grandpa Douglas worked all over Africa, he was a civil engineer, he worked on roads and bridges, dams, that kinda thing, well he would write, real regular but suddenly his letters stopped."

Doug paused deep in thought, "That was about thirty years ago, his letters just stopped, well dad waited for a couple of years then he started to get worried, Grandpa worked in some really remote places so sometimes it would be months between letters, then he would get six or seven all together. To cut a long story short, as soon as he could afford it my dad came out to Africa to look for him. He did it every couple of years, he would just fly out to places Grandpa had worked, he asked around to see if he could pick up the trail. It wasn't like Grandpa not to write, so he feared the worst, I guess he just wanted to put his mind at rest. Well, three years ago dad came out to Zimbabwe, somewhere up by the Kariba Dam, Grandpa had worked there in the 50's, he told me it was a long shot but he was getting desperate. I mean, fifteen or more trips out here and nothing to show for it."

Doug swallowed hard and sipped his coffee, "I talked to dad on the phone, I remember it so well, he was excited, he said he had found a local guy who knew of Grandpa, he told me he planned to go into the bush the next day to meet him, but that's three years ago, and the last time I spoke to him."

"Somewhere around the Kariba Dam area?" asked James, and saw Doug nod.

"Have you been looking for him yourself?" asked Ayana quietly.

Again he nodded, "Yeah, but I'm no good at it, all that ever happens is I meet these guys who tell me they know something, then they just get me alone and rob me."

"Honestly Doug, I don't know what we can do to help you," James felt sympathy, the young man was clearly in distress but he really didn't know what use either he or Ayana could be.

"The note book is real," he opened the journal at the photograph, "All I did was add the circle and write Mamlambo, dad told me he was following some clues that he hoped would lead to Grandpa."

"How did you get the journal?" asked Ayana.

"The guys from the hotel gave it to me, he hadn't checked out, and when he didn't come back they kept his notes, just in case he returned or someone came looking for him. The book is real, it was my Grandpa's, then my Pa got hold of it," he insisted, "That's why I thought of you two, if anyone can make sense of what they wrote..." he trailed off, "I'm sorry I lied to you, but the picture of Great Zimbabwe, and the Mamlambo thing are genuine, I just can't work it out."

"In the Zambezi it's called Nyami Nyami." replied James after a moment of thought.

Doug shrugged, "I don't know, all I do know is that I need help, and I can't think of anyone else better qualified than you."

"Give us a minute please," replied Ayana as she tugged James to his feet, "I just need a moment with my husband."

"I say yes," she stated as they stood in the wide reception, "I want to help him, and I believe him when he says the journal is genuine, who knows Jim, Nyami Nyami might be real too, are we going to dismiss this simply because he bent the truth?"

"He lied Ayana, he didn't bend the truth, he twisted it and tied it in knots."

"So you're saying no?" she gave him her special look, the look that made his knees weak.

"I didn't say that did I," he grinned, "I just pointed out to you that he lied. I also say yes, because I'm ready for a new adventure as well."

"Have I ever told you that you're wonderful?" she giggled and rose onto her tip toes to kiss him.

"We're going to need some help if we intend to explore in the bush, someone we can trust, someone with plenty of experience!" added James.

Ayana gave him a broad smile and nodded, "Will you call him, or shall I?"

***

The look of relief that washed over Douglas the Third was almost pitiful when James announced they were in.

"Seriously guys? You're not playing with my head?"

"No games," replied Ayana seriously, "We don't guarantee we can find him, but we will do everything we can."

"So how much do you guys want?"

James shook his head, "We don't want your money Doug, just cover the expenses, nothing more, now, when do you want to start?"

"Right now." grinned Doug with enthusiasm.

James smiled, "I phrased that incorrectly, what I should have asked is when will you be ready to start... but I think you already answered my question. Doug, there are lots of things that we need to arrange and organise before a trip like this, we need to put logistics in place." Doug's expression flushed with confusion, "Do you have 4x4"s arranged? Tents? Provisions? Permissions? Visas?" prompted James.

Doug shook his head and returned his gaze back to the table top, "I told you I wasn't very good at this, I just sorta turn up and start asking questions in bars... guess that's why I keep getting robbed!"

"It could be," smiled Ayana, "But that ends now, just have patience while we put everything in place."

"How long do you think before we start?"

She saw the appeal in his eyes, begging her not to delay.

"What do you think love?" she turned to James, "A month?"

"I think it's safe to say we will be ready in a month," he nodded, "Why don't you go home and relax for a few weeks Doug, there's nothing here that you can help with, just leave it with us, and leave the note book with us also, we need a plan of action, and the notes are vital."

With a smile of resignation he nodded, they were the experts and his own attempts in the past had been frustrating and pointless, he had to trust their judgement. "Just keep me up to speed guys, and the second you're ready call me, I'll be on the next flight out here."

James chuckled, "Unless I'm very wrong, I think your next flight will be to Harare, so you better get your visas in order."

***

"It's not fair that so many people have taken advantage of him," sighed Ayana as Doug finally disappeared through...