Chapter Twenty Four
The next morning began bright and early. Andrea and Camilla were awakened by the phone ringing and a voice announcing it was 7 a.m. Since Andrea had placed a request for the early morning wake-up call, she couldn’t grumble, at least not too much anyway. Camilla wiped sleep from her eyes. Within seconds, she was bounding out of bed, ready to take on the world. Children. Andrea’s eyes refused to focus yet.
“Let’s get some breakfast before we get dressed for ‘church’, okay?” Andrea had stocked the kitchenette with cereal, milk, juice, and some cookies the night before.
“Okay. I’m ‘ongry. Will monsieur Brian eat wit us?” Camilla stopped jumping on the bed. Hmmm. Andrea opened the tiny refrigerator to grab the bottle of orange juice. In this country, orange juice was the freshly squeezed kind and tasted as if the fruit had just been picked off the trees. “Yes he will, I guess. I’d better get dressed.” She poured each of them a glass taking hers to the bathroom.
A knock sounded on the door that connected their room to Brian’s. Camilla excitedly jumped off her chair, knocking over the glass of juice in her haste to be the first one at the door. Brian sent a questioning look toward Andrea who was mopping up the spilled juice. “Spill your juice. I guess you’re not a morning person.” He poured himself a glass of juice from the same container on the table.
“Camilla spilled this. I think she’s actually excited about the visit to the orphanage.” Andrea spoke for their ears alone. “Last night, while we were getting ready for bed that was all she could talk about … her new home as she calls it. I’m glad that she’s so happy about this idea, but what if it doesn’t work out?”
“We’ll just have to find another solution, that’s all. Let’s eat.” Brian grabbed a bowl and made himself right at home. Camilla finished her breakfast in record speed. With the last mouthful, she drank the rest of her juice. She started to climb down from the table. “Wait a minute, little lady. We need to talk.”
“Oh, oui monsieur Brian,” She planted her feet firmly on the floor ready to listen to anything he had to say. “We talk, non?”
“Yes well …. You know that today we visit the orphanage. Father Bertrand has not met you. We do not know if he will accept you yet, so you must not get your hopes up. We will only leave you there if we…” He pointed to Andrea and himself. “…think it’s the best place for you. Do you understand?”
“Oh oui monsieur. I ‘ave ‘eard many good things about dat place. I think maybe my friends are dere. They disappeared a long time ago but maybe ….” She shrugged her shoulders. “You never know.”
The look on her face was comical to say the least as she tried to behave in what she thought was a very grown-up manner. The adults couldn’t fault her logic, nor could they stem her excitement as the morning progressed.
Brian led a time of worship and praise as he and Andrea taught Camilla some of the simpler choruses they knew. When they took out their Bibles to read the words of Jesus, Camilla finally sat as still as a church mouse. She raptly listened to every word, drinking in the newness of her faith and getting to know in a small way who Jesus was. Brian read the accounts of Jesus healing people and feeding the five thousand, all stories that brought a look of pure wonder on the face of the child.
“My Jesus does all dat!” She sat in rapt attention as Brian read the account of Jesus driving out the demons into the herd of swine. “People ‘ere ‘ave demons, I think.” Her face reflected a memory best forgotten, Andrea surmised.
Worship time over, Brian left to do something else. Andrea began to pack Camilla’s clothes into a small bag purchased for just that purpose. Both girls put on swim suits, with shorts as a coverup. Andrea pulled a jacket from the closest and lay it on the bed beside Camilla’s clothes. Everything was ready when they got back from the dive shop.
•
Brian quickly went downstairs to find a computer. He sat down, punched in the hook-up to the internet and began his search. He wanted to find out what some dive experts would recommend for their surveillance tomorrow night. Once they were in the water, following that boat of thugs, they did not want to get lost or lose track of the boat. There had to be a simple solution.
Within seconds he had an answer. Without explaining exactly why they needed this information, Brian received an answer from a dive shop in California. They provided him with enough information about the equipment they needed to keep their whereabouts underwater covert and give them help for a longer than usual swim. He printed off the information just as Andrea and Camilla stepped off the elevator.
The dive shop had a complete line of diving gear for sale, some which looked pretty expensive. There were other gadgets as well. It was to these items that Brian was drawn.
“Can I help you?” The man had a definite British accent.
“Yes, I am looking for a couple of rebreathers, two scooters, and a sonar navigation system. Do you have any of these in stock?” Brian read the list from the computer printout.
The dive shop owner looked at him, surprise written all over his face. His mind seemed to be calculating the cost of all these items. “As it turns out, I have everything you’re looking for. Are you planning a long trip underwater or something?” The store owner’s curiosity was aroused. Brian had his answer already prepared.
“We’re planning some dives off the coast of the Dominican Republic. We just want to go prepared.”
“Well you will certainly have the best equipment there is with this list of supplies. Have you used any of it before?”
“No, we thought you would be able to suggest an instructor for us, someone who could help us familiarize ourselves with these pieces.”
“Well yes, Bertie over there has training in rebreathers and has used the scooter a number of times for treasure dives. Bertie can also help you with the sonar but I can’t imagine that you would need that just for a simple dive. But if that’s what you want…let’s get you outfitted for your adventure.”
•
While Brian went into another room toward the back of the shop with the sales clerk, Andrea selected two wetsuits that the sales clerk said would fit them. She also purchased booties, swim fins, and gloves. Just as she was about to select a vest, Brian approached from behind.
He whispered, “We won’t need these vests. I am purchasing rebreathers for both of us. They will allow us to follow the boat undetected since a rebreather does not emit any bubbles. It will also allow us to stay under for a much longer period of time. We’ll need training though, a requirement of purchase, which will give us some more dive time. You’ll need to act as if you have hundreds of hours though instead of only a couple. If they suspect that we’re novices, they won’t sell us this equipment. Do you think you can handle that?”
“I’ll do my best, Brian, you know that. If this is what we need, then so be it. How much?”
“Well, these are top of the line. We are looking at $12,000 each but the cost will be well worth it. I also want to purchase each of us a scooter, and one sonar navigation system. They have these in stock as well. That will add another $4000 to the bill. They take credit cards, but I told them that we would pay by check. They said they would phone our bank for verification and because they can’t do that until tomorrow, they want us to leave the equipment here until our check has been verified. That should be tomorrow. Since the ceremony isn’t until tomorrow night that will give us time for another workout with the equipment tomorrow afternoon.”
Andrea felt giddy. Knowing they could purchase this stuff without worrying about how they were going to pay for it was a heady experience. “I’m curious, Brian. What did you tell the man about why we wanted this stuff? I assume he was somewhat curious.”
“Well, yes he was. I told him we were going on a long dive in the Dominican Republic.”
“Oh, I hate all these lies, don’t you?”
“Yes I do, but we don’t want to raise any suspicion. Since we’re going to that country to
day anyway, I thought it would be a good cover. We can say we’re going to explore some good dive sights and hire a guide.”
“I think you definitely have some hidden talents for intrigue and mystery in that body of yours. Now let’s get these purchases made so we still have time for a dive lesson … oops! … I mean training on the rebreathers,” she whispered.
It took only a short time to write the check for everything. And a hefty check it is. Andrea decided to take Camilla back to stay with Mrs. Gevin again. This time the child didn’t object to spending one last morning with her other friend. With promises to be back by lunchtime, Brian and Andrea set off in swim gear for the boat that was already loaded with their gear.
The trip to the dive sight didn’t take nearly as long since looking at the beauty around them was not the objective of this particular dive. Andrea began practicing her deep and slow breathing the minute she hit the water to ward off the panic she had experienced the day before.
The rebreathers did not leave a trace of a bubble, as Brian had said, and they were no heavier in the water than regular tanks. They allowed each breath to recirculate within the system, be cleaned of carbon dioxide and made usable again. How that worked, Andrea could not comprehend, but she trusted the equipment to do its job.
•
Once his new pupils adapted to the rebreathers, Bertie showed them how to use the scooters. Before long they were motoring all over the area but close enough together that Bertie could keep a close eye on them. He sensed they were not as practiced at scuba as they had implied, but he couldn’t see any reason for worry. Besides where they are going, he thought, they will have a good guide.
With underwater signals, universal to dive instructors it appeared, Bertie demonstrated how to attach the sonar device to an object and then track it using another piece of equipment attached to his wrist. This item was battery operated with a ten hour run time. The instrument’s display was highly visible underwater during the daytime so it was sure to be even more noticeable when all was dark and murky.
•
Their morning flew by. With the rebreathers, the duo did not have to surface within the hour, as was the case with the usual tanks, but Bertie was not using a rebreather. That hour gave them enough time, however, to learn what they needed. Surfacing as they had been taught, stopping every so often to allow their bodies to adjust to the change in depth, Brian and Andrea boarded the boat for the return trip to Port Au Prince. As Bertie doused their equipment in a barrel of fresh water, they sat at the back pretending to enjoy the scenery.
“Those rebreathers are just what we need. Our bubbles won’t be seen and the scooter will help us keep up with the boat as long as it doesn’t travel too fast. Somehow, I don’t think that little motor we saw on the boat that night can go very fast. And that sonar device…it will shine clearly, I think.” Brian checked his watch. 11:30 already. “We’ll just have time for a quick lunch before meeting the boy from the orphanage.”
Andrea’s face held the seriousness of what they planned to do. “Brian if all this is a wild goose chase, I don’t know what I’ll do. I just keep thinking of Trent and Diane with these guys. What could they want with them anyway?”
“All I know is that Trent was upset over something to do with Max the last time I spoke to him for any length of time about work. And that wasn’t often.” Brian sat back and sighed. He too hoped their mission was a success.
At the dock, they waved good-bye to Bertie. The man seemed much more personable than their last instructor. They arranged for another lesson the next day and then walked quickly to the hotel. Camilla was sitting on the veranda as before, with her friend. “Come, come, we must eat, so we not be late.”
“This child has an overabundance of excitement running through her veins today.” Mrs. Gevins shook her head and smiled a grandmotherly sort of smile. She accepted their thanks and walked ahead of them into the hotel.
Brian and Andrea laughed. They were so grateful that someone at the hotel cared as much for the little girl as they did. Back in their room, Andrea quickly dressed in shorts again while Camilla fidgeted on the bed. She had her bag of clothing in hand and was waiting not so patiently by the door long before Andrea was ready.
A hasty lunch in the hotel’s dining room took the next half hour, and then they were off to wait at the designated spot for Troy. They spotted his jeep before he saw them approach, and it was then they tried once again to caution Camilla. “We don’t know if this will work out, sweetie,” spoke Brian. “Let’s just have a wait and see attitude, shall we?”
“What is wait and see?”
“That means, we won’t make a yes or no decision until we check everything out, okay?”
“Oh, oui monsieur, but I am so excited to be going where maybe my friends are.”
“Oh boy, I give up.” He grinned. Andrea led the way toward Troy. The teenager smiled in recognition when he spied Andrea but then looked curiously at Camilla. Andrea made the introductions making sure that Camilla was not made to feel awkward in any way with this young boy who seemed so intent in his scrutiny of her.
“So ma petite…” Troy bent to look her straight in the eye.”…we go home to Father Bertrand, okay. He will give you good meals, warm clothing when it gets chilly, and cool clothing when it is so hot that it is hard to breathe. Then he will make sure you learn to read, and how to use money, and a lot of other things to make a living when you are old like these two, non?’
Camilla smiled her delight at her new friend. It was amazing to watch such a young boy care so deeply for one as young as Camilla. “Troy, you have a great way with children.” Andrea spoke out loud.
“Oui, mam’selle, I know how they feel. I’ve been there. We must go if we are to reach the border before six o’clock. New rules make it necessary to cross the border by then if we are to even go into the Dominican Republic these days.” He threw up his hands in frustration and rolled his eyes. “Government rules, humpff!”
“Do you want us to follow in our car? We have a rented vehicle.” Brian spoke for the first time.
“No, it is better that I drive. I know the rules and besides rented vehicles are not allowed into the country. You need some American cash with you however, to pay the fines and your American passports. Many times the police stop cars, which have Americans in them because the car is dirty or because we don’t step on the brake fast enough. It is just their way to get extra for their job. The rules of the road are not so strictly enforced though.”
They all piled into the cramped space in Troy’s smallish car. Once everyone was settled Andrea decided to get to know this young man a little better. “How long have you lived in the Dominican Republic? Were you born in Haiti?”
“Oui mam’selle, I was born here. I was restavic, so I know how those with no parents feel. But Father Bertrand found me when I was four years old and helped me to be a better person than restavic. Now I don’t steal anything except little children, non?” He chuckled at this last remark. Then he went on to tell his passengers about the trip ahead. “Santo Domingo is about 235 American miles from here, so we will be traveling a while. I will stop a couple of times to let Camilla stretch her legs since the small children get restless. At the border, you let me do the talking. They know me.”
Over the next hour or so Andrea and Brian found out a lot from the young boy about the country they were going to be entering soon. The road they were on, the one that connected Port Au Prince to Santo Domingo, began at Jumani, just south of Port Au Prince. Quisqueya - the original name for the entire island, which the Dominican people still use today - was discovered December 5th. 1492, by Christopher Columbus. He called the island Hispaniola for Spain, a land mass of 29,457 square miles which later, under the Treaty of Ryswick in 1697, was occupied by two different nations, the Dominican Republic for Spain and Haiti for France. The western one-third of the island belonged to Haiti and consisted of about 10,641 square miles. As Andrea and Brian had already disc
overed, Haiti was very mountainous. The eastern two-thirds of the island belonged to the Dominican Republic and consisted of 18,816 square miles separated from Haiti with a north to south boundary 195 miles long. The Dominican Republic also included several offshore islands.
A long chronicle about the island’s history filled the hours, as Troy’s captivated audience made their way to the orphanage. He regaled them with stories of dictatorships and ruthless men who ruled with an iron fist. Their eyes took in all the sights they passed, but their minds were filled with facts about the country they were traveling towards.
Andrea and Brian looked over at Camilla who had fallen asleep, the history lesson not in the least interesting to her tiny mind. Brian’s eyes winked at Andrea as Troy continued. “Rafael Leonidas Trujillo Molina became President in 1930…another dictatorship.”
Troy’s melodious voice filled the long trip. Andrea leaned her head on the back of the seat. Their morning’s activities had taken its toll. She, too, was soon sound asleep.
•
Brian loved history…of any kind. “How can you keep so many facts straight? I love history but I always have trouble remembering dates and the proper sequence of events.”
“Father Bertrand says that we learn from history how not to repeat mistakes made by our former leaders. He teaches us all about the history of our country so we can be better informed when we become adults. Maybe some of us will end up in a position to make a difference, non?”
“Father Bertrand sounds like a smart man.”
“Would you like me to continue? Is good practice for me, non.”
“Sure go ahead.” Brian leaned back in preparation for the rest of the story. Troy knew the events of this country’s colorful past to perfection, it seemed, as He regaled Brian with tales of this dictator and that. The American silently watched the passing scenery. The road they traveled led them through some territory that the couple had not yet explored. Camilla’s sleeping form became restless as the lurching vehicle gave the ride the feel of a rocking chair. With the mountainous terrain, the drive was slower than was possible in the city so the time crawled by but the scenery was worth the trip. Flowers were in abundance and the animals seemed not to fear the vehicles along this route, coming often to the roadside to take a look see.
Before long, Andrea joined Brian in his perusal of the landscape. They had reached the border crossing. Restricting vehicles to one lane, the guards inspected the inhabitants of Troy DePuiz’s car, noting the young Americans and the younger still Haitian native child. They did as they had always done when Troy brought a child across the border. They looked the other way. These adults did not like the Haitian system of restavic children so did whatever was necessary to help Father Bertrand give them a secure home.
“Senior y Senorita,” spoke one of the guards. “You must remember, this border closes at 6 p.m. Dominican time and does not reopen until 8 a.m. the next morning. So if you arrive too late, you will be unable to cross the border until the next morning.”
“We will remember.” They spoke in unison. The car proceeded to enter the Dominican Republic for the first time. Where houses all along the route on the Haitian side of the border had been in deplorable condition, the homes here were well constructed. The yards were clean. Not all homes were large and expensive looking by any means, but they were well looked after. Andrea’s hopes rose a notch or two, as did Brian’s. This already looked like a good place for Camilla.
* * * * *