Chapter 16

[Salamis Island, Athena-Dimokratia]

[8:00 AM]

The smell of sea salt fills the air, carried by winds running from the rising sun in the east. The bright body shines just above Athens in the distance. Large boats drift on the water, carrying cargo to the ports of the sprawling city. Flocks of pigeons rise in unison from nearby forests. The ambient sounds of the surrounding seas set the scene. From the highest point on Salamis Island, all is peaceful.

Lucas leans against one of the only trees in the area and looks out towards Athens, engulfed in his own thoughts. For nearly half an hour, he’s been up and pacing the camp site only to come to this spot and find its atmosphere conducive for contemplation.

The sudden sound of splashing water nearby startles him to a small degree before recalling that he isn’t alone. He turns to find Wren kneeling before a pail of water, rubbing her face with wet hands. Her hair drapes over the sides of her head. It is only when she looks up from the pail and her hands slide down her cheeks that Lucas can see her face.

“The gates will open soon.” He walks over to the tent and begins removing the tarp and collapsing the wooden limbs.

Wren takes a deep breath and stands. “Did you see Homer riding towards the city?”

“No. I think he’s still in Perama, maybe preparing to move out now.”

The tent is rolled up into a manageable package of metal sticks surrounded by cloth. Wren takes this from out of Lucas’s hands, kicks over the pail of water, and places the tent into the now empty pail.

She hands Lucas his satchel while throwing on her backpack. “If we’re quick, we might intercept them before they get to Athens.”

With the campsite evacuated of all belongings, Lucas and Wren mount the bicycle parked nearby and proceed down the hill towards the bridge leading off of the island. On their way, they pass through the town of Ampelakia and return both the pail and the tent equipment to the woman who lent them. They continue from there to cross the bridge to the city of Perama.

While in Perama, Lucas opts to travel the road closest to the center of the city and decreases his speed. He and Wren look down every road they pass, but find no sign of the Smiths. There are no horses to be found. Wren thinks about asking Lucas what he can determine by the smell of the area but decides against it, knowing that it’s perfectly possible that even the faint scent of a horse is nonexistent. Lucas finds himself relieved that she doesn’t ask. He’s already concluded that, by the lack of any trace in the air, there hasn’t been a horse in the city for many hours.

They exit the city at its other end, closer to the walls of the Athenian capital. The change in ambient noise is stark, transitioning quickly from the morning business of Perama to the bustle of the fully occupied harbor of Athens. The noise increases in intensity as they follow the main road across the coastline and along the towering wall that surrounds the city. In a few minutes, Lucas slows to a stop, having arrived at the docks proper.

[Athens, Athena-Dimokratia]

This section of land, as a nearby sign implies, is known as the peninsular port of Piraeus. Along its shore, boats large and small are tethered to thick metal stakes erected out of the ground. The entire area is cut off from the city itself by the wall. It is here that the wall sports the iconic gates leading to the metropolis within.

Lucas wastes no time pedaling towards the queue. He and Wren dismount the bicycle, walking it forward until the line shortens. They find themselves before a clerk seated within a compartment of the wall. He waits a moment, expecting them to speak or present something. Some time goes by as Lucas and Wren do nothing, enough to let the clerk know that neither of them have entered the city before.

The man sighs. “First, go secure that along the wall. Bicycles may not enter the city without a permit held by the rider.” He reaches into a smaller compartment next to him, out of view from where Lucas is standing, and presents a lock and key on the surface in front of him. “There is no spare key.”

Lucas takes the metal items and walks the bike to a section of the wall nearby where other such vehicles are secured. He attaches the lock to connect his bicycle to a notch in the wall and returns to the clerk.

“Now, as for entry, are you here under summons by the Republic of Athena?”

Wren steps forward, finding that the conversation is entering her domain of experience. Lucas steps back in turn. “No.”

“I thought not. Are you here under orders from any government aside from the Republic of Athena?”

“Yes.”

“Under whose orders do you seek entrance into the city?” The clerk readies a quill by dipping it in ink and lowers the tip to a sheet of paper.

“The High Court of the Grand Kingdom of Patrae, Amaliada, and Pyrgos.”

A moment goes by in which the man scribbles. He finishes and looks up, first at Wren then at Lucas. “Do these orders apply to him as well?” Wren nods in response. “Your full names?”

“Wren Atkinson and Lucas Grey.”

He whispers the names back to himself as he writes. “Proof of authority?” Wren starts going through her backpack for her crest. In the meantime, seeing that she will inevitably produce the required item, he continues with his next question. “And for how long will you be in the city?”

Wren removes the royal crest and hands it to the clerk. As he examines it, she looks at Lucas with an expression that asks him for the answer to the man’s question. He makes a long monotone sound of uncertainty before responding to the clerk. “Two days.” By his tone of voice, the man can tell that he isn’t too confident in his own answer.

“I’m going to write you in for three days.” He scribbles on his paper again before turning it around and handing the quill to Wren. With his other hand, he points at the bottom of the parchment. “Sign here.”

After Wren signs, Lucas steps forward and does the same. Afterward, the clerk hands the crest back to Wren, who puts it away.

“For my records, I must inquire about your orders from Patras. If they are confidential, provide a vague summary.” As he goes on, the man seems to become more tired.

Wren remains in front of Lucas to answer the clerk’s questions. “We are apprehending a fugitive. That’s all.”

“I see.” He sighs while removing a paper from beneath the desk and proceeds to read off of it. “I am required to inform you that neither the Athenian Assembly nor any persons who work for or represent that entity may aid your work in any way.” He looks up from the paper. “What this means is that, while I have a record of all who have entered and left the city for the past two days, I cannot allow you to check these records in order to determine the whereabouts of your fugitive.”

“Understood.”

The clerk pushes forward another sheet of paper detailing the costs involved in entering the city and remaining within its walls. Immediately, both Lucas and Wren recognize that they don’t have the money to cover even one day in the city. Lucas is about to speak, but the clerk does so first. Evidently, he notices the subtle surprise in their faces.

“Your Court will be charged for your entry and stay. Any expenses or fines incurred while in the city are your own.” He pauses before continuing. “Any crimes you commit while in the city will be prosecuted by the Athenian Assembly. Should it be found that your reason for entry is fabricated, you will be charged the additional cost of leisurely entrance and stay on top of the current costs. Failure to pay these fines will result in imprisonment. I assume you understand these terms?”

“Yes.” Wren’s answer comes first, after which the clerk looks at Lucas.

“Yes.”

In one motion, the man in the wall moves a wooden stamper over the papers in front of him. An insignia is imprinted on each in red ink. One of the papers is rolled up and handed to Wren. The others are placed in a drawer next to the desk. The clerk motions for both of them to move along.

A net spans the large gap in the wall left by the open gates. From behind it, a guard steps forward and lifts a part of the net. It opens as though it were a door, allowing Lucas and Wren to step through. Not far from the gates, a set of horses stand with official-looking men and women seated upon them. Their saddles have extra room for two more. The horses are lined up side by side at the mouth of a bridge leading farther into the city.

Looking down the sight of this bridge, Lucas realizes that the city proper is truly quite some ways away from the walls at the sea. The bridge stands elevated over decrepit ruins, ghosts of the distant past overtaken by nature. Among these are rusted railroad tracks stretching east to west and a plethora of once moderately tall buildings ripped from the ground and reduced to dusty corpses.

One of the women on horseback approaches them. “Hop on. I’ll take you into the city.”

Lucas and Wren climb up onto the saddle and the woman gently jerks the reins to direct the horse along the bridge. She picks up speed until the horse is moving at a galloping pace. From this higher point along the bridge, they are able to see the true city of Athens but five kilometers ahead.

# (scene break) #

Shortly after departing from the gates, the end of the bridge is reached. It slopes downward until it becomes level with the ground and takes on the appearance of any other street between two buildings. This is where the woman steering the horse pulls on the reins and has the horse come to a slow stop. She has the horse turn part way so that it stands perpendicular to the street.

“Here we are.” She looks into the bustling metropolis. Lucas and Wren dismount the horse.

“Before you go, would you happen to know where I can find the city’s customs office?” Wren asks.

The woman points down the street. “Follow this road until you reach the center square, then turn right. From there, the second building on your right will be the customs office.”

Wren follows her pointing until the directions are fully delivered. “Thank you.” Before Wren can pull out a few drachma to tip the woman, she and the horse are already on their way back towards the gates.

Lucas and Wren turn from facing the bridge to staring down the street ahead of them. The city square is almost visible, with buildings on either side of the road narrowing the view.

“She didn’t say it, so I will…” Lucas pulls on the strap of his satchel to secure it on his shoulder. “Welcome to Athens.”