CHAPTER NINE
The Journey Begins
The next morning, Gila woke before sunrise.
For several minutes, she remained still, staring at the ceiling.
She had barely slept.
Every time she closed her eyes, she saw the photograph.
The river.
The symbol.
The man standing behind the others.
And the professor's warning.
Someone inside the university was protecting Rymus.
That thought bothered her more than the possibility of danger on the river.
Danger in a distant place could be seen.
A person sitting quietly in an office could smile at you every morning and still be part of something terrible.
Gila dressed quickly.
When she reached the courtyard, Thelma was already waiting.
"You look terrible."
"Good morning to you too."
"I mean you look like you didn't sleep."
"I didn't."
Thelma handed her a cup of coffee.
"Neither did I."
Gila took it.
"What happened?"
"Someone searched our room."
Gila froze.
"When?"
"During the night."
"Did they take anything?"
"No."
"Then what were they looking for?"
Thelma looked at her.
"I think they wanted us to know they could get inside."
Gila's fingers tightened around the cup.
"They're getting bolder."
"They've always been bold."
Gila looked toward the university buildings.
"We need to leave."
"Today?"
"Now."
Thelma nodded.
"I already arranged transportation."
Gila stared at her.
"How?"
"Don't ask questions you don't want answered."
A faint smile crossed Gila's face.
"Fair enough."
They walked toward the parking area.
But before they reached it, someone called Gila's name.
She turned.
He was standing beside the university gate.
The man she had met the previous day.
He had a backpack over one shoulder.
Gila stopped.
"What are you doing here?"
"Going with you."
"No."
He smiled.
"You didn't even ask where."
"You're not coming."
"Why?"
"Because this isn't a university trip."
"I know."
"This could be dangerous."
"I know that too."
Gila lowered her voice.
"You don't understand what we're dealing with."
"Then explain it."
She looked at him.
She couldn't.
Not there.
Not with people walking past them.
He stepped closer.
"You told me yesterday that you wouldn't disappear."
"I remember."
"Then don't disappear now."
Gila felt the argument leaving her.
She looked at Thelma.
Thelma raised both hands.
"Don't look at me. I'm staying out of this."
Gila sighed.
"You are impossible."
He smiled.
"I've been called worse."
She shook her head.
"Fine."
His smile widened.
"But you stay close."
"I can do that."
"And you follow our instructions."
"That might be harder."
Gila almost laughed.
Thelma opened the vehicle door.
"Can we leave before you two start arguing like an old married couple?"
They both stared at her.
Thelma grinned.
"Get in."
The journey began beneath a pale morning sky.
At first, there was little conversation.
The road carried them away from the university and deeper into the countryside.
Buildings became smaller.
Fields replaced streets.
Then the forest began.
Gila watched the landscape through the window.
She had traveled this way before.
But today it looked different.
Perhaps because she knew what waited beyond it.
The river settlement was several hours away.
According to the professor's documents, the location had once been nothing more than a small trading point.
Now it was marked as an active transfer point.
That word stayed in Gila's mind.
Transfer.
She wondered what was being moved.
And who.
After several hours, they stopped at a small roadside station.
Thelma got out to buy water.
Gila remained inside.
Her companion sat beside her.
"You haven't told me everything."
"I know."
"Are you going to?"
"When we know what we're dealing with."
He studied her.
"You trust me?"
Gila looked at him.
"Yes."
"Then tell me."
She hesitated.
Finally, she pulled out the photograph.
He examined it.
His expression changed.
"You know this place."
Gila noticed immediately.
"What?"
He pointed toward the background.
"The dock."
"You recognize it?"
"Not exactly."
"Then what?"
He looked at the picture again.
"I've seen this symbol."
Gila's heart jumped.
"Where?"
"On a building."
"Which building?"
He shook his head.
"I don't remember."
Gila stared at him.
"You don't remember?"
"It was years ago."
"Where?"
He closed his eyes.
Then slowly opened them.
"Near the river."
Gila felt a strange sense of recognition.
"Was it in the settlement we're going to?"
"I don't know."
Thelma returned.
She saw the photograph in his hand.
"What happened?"
"He recognizes the symbol."
Thelma's expression became serious.
"Where?"
He told her.
Thelma stood silently for a moment.
Then she said something neither of them expected.
"I've seen it too."
Gila looked at her.
"Where?"
Thelma shook her head.
"I don't know."
The three of them exchanged looks.
The symbol was no longer just a mark on an old document.
It was something all three had encountered before.
Something they had forgotten.
Or something they had been made to forget.
They returned to the road.
But this time, Gila watched the trees differently.
Every shadow seemed suspicious.
Every vehicle behind them seemed to be following.
Eventually, Thelma noticed it too.
A dark vehicle had been behind them for nearly forty minutes.
"It hasn't overtaken us," she said.
Gila looked into the side mirror.
"Maybe it's going the same way."
"Maybe."
They continued.
The vehicle remained.
Thelma reached for her phone.
"No signal."
Gila checked hers.
Nothing.
The man beside her looked back.
"It's getting closer."
The dark vehicle accelerated.
Gila's heartbeat increased.
"Hold on."
Their driver pressed the accelerator.
The road narrowed.
Trees crowded both sides.
The vehicle behind them came closer.
Then suddenly—
It disappeared.
Gila looked through the rear window.
Nothing.
"Where did it go?"
Thelma turned.
"I don't know."
They continued for another ten minutes.
Then they saw the river.
It appeared between the trees like a sheet of silver.
Gila stared at it.
She had expected to feel fear.
Instead, she felt something else.
Recognition.
As if some forgotten part of her had been waiting to see it again.
The driver slowed.
The settlement appeared ahead.
A few wooden houses.
Small boats.
A market near the riverbank.
People moving quietly beneath the afternoon heat.
Nothing appeared unusual.
But Gila knew better.
She looked at the photograph.
Then at the river.
The dock in the photograph had looked exactly like this.
"This is it," she whispered.
Thelma nodded.
"We found the place."
They stepped out.
A fisherman watched them from across the river.
His eyes remained fixed on Gila.
She noticed.
The man beside her noticed too.
"Do you know him?"
"No."
The fisherman turned away.
Gila watched him walk toward a small wooden building.
Then she noticed something carved into the door.
Three intersecting lines.
A circle around them.
The symbol.
Gila looked at Thelma.
"We found the first door."
Thelma nodded.
"But we don't know what is behind it."
Gila stepped toward the building.
"There's only one way to find out."