CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Ian, Bodhi, Devin, and Frank sat on the floor of the small attic space, enjoying the breezes blowing through. Marguerite sat in a chair across from them, two men beside her.
“This is Nico and Leonidas.”
“Like the famous leader of the three-hundred,” smiled Ian.
“Yes,” he nodded. “Only more handsome.”
The men all chuckled. Leonidas was as round as he was high and his balding head glistened in the light of the attic.
“These men are helping us,” said Marguerite. “They are helping Nicolai.”
“He is alive?” whispered Leonidas.
“He is very much alive. He was able to escape on a small fishing boat and then to a cargo vessel that took him to New Orleans. A friend found him, homeless and hungry on the streets.”
“He is alive,” said Nico folding his hands in prayer, nodding his head.
“We have to find out what those men are doing on your island. But we can’t do it alone. It’s too risky for you to help so we’ve called some friends of ours in to add strength and numbers. They’ll need a place to lay their heads. Marguerite has been a most gracious hostess but we’re large men.”
“We both have cellars where we store the olive harvest,” said Nico. “I can put three or four men your size down there.”
“Alright. We’ll put three men with you and two with Leonidas. Do not tell anyone that we are here. It will be risking your life and certainly ours,” said Bodhi.
“What are you going to do? What can you do?” asked Nico. “There are so many of them and they’ve already dug into the center of the island.”
“I know you won’t like this but at some point we need to get you all off this island. It’s too dangerous and as long as you are here, they hold leverage. Innocent lives are at stake.”
“It will be very hard to convince people to leave their homes. The men, they’ve told us that if we tried to leave, we would be killed and if we succeeded they would burn our homes,” said Leonidas.
“This is going to be very hard for you but we need you to trust us. Trust that we’ll do the right thing by you. Our men are specially trained and have done this sort of thing before,” said Frank.
“How many islands have you saved?” frowned Nico. The men chuckled, smiling at the two men.
“More than we care to count,” said Frank. “For now, don’t tell anyone about us. Our friends will be arriving this evening, after dark. We’ll direct them to your homes.”
“How will we know them?” asked Leonidas.
“They look like us. They’re built like us and they’re all Americans.” The two men nodded.
“You trust them Marguerite?” asked Nico.
“I trust them because I spoke to Nicolai and he trusts them. We must help to keep them safe so that we can save our island.”
“Nicolai? He is okay? He knows about his wife?” whispered Leonidas.
“Yes. He knows about his wife and he’s doing well, considering the circumstances.” The two men nodded, looking once more to Marguerite for guidance, then back to the four giants.
“We will help you.”
Marguerite walked the men downstairs and then outside. Through the small attic window, they listened to their conversation, praying that they weren’t plotting against them.
“They are very large,” said Nico.
“Of course, they are,” said Marguerite. “They are men who save others. Do you think tiny little men could do such things?”
The group wanted to laugh but held it in, not wanting them to know they were listening.
“I’ll make the cellar ready for them,” said Nico. Leonidas stayed back for a moment wanting to speak to Marguerite alone.
“Marguerite, I don’t want to leave the island but I agree with the men. We need to leave or they will continue to hold us hostage. The supply ships aren’t bringing enough to the island to sustain us. And what of Diana? What if she struggles with the birth?”
“The midwife is prepared for anything. If something goes wrong,” she started, staring off across the water, “if something should go wrong, we can only pray that these men who are destroying our home will have mercy on her and call for help.”
“Do you honestly believe that the men destroying our island will care at all about one pregnant woman? About one child?”
“I have to believe that they will. I have to believe it.”