FicWad

As they got off the plane in Cyprus, it was late morning and they were both quite drained from the very long trip. A negative from Australia’s location was that it was so far away from everything and getting places was a hassle. This however didn’t matter now as they had arrived and they walked through the airport seeing and feeling the sun, but still being rather cool in the winter. Alpha looked over to Boreas who had taken a blanket from the plane to keep over him with no winter clothing. The airport was tiny, it was very small compared with Sydney airport let alone Heathrow and it didn’t take long at all to get through customs, collect their bags and get outside for a taxi to be there to take them to their hotel, which was in the main city of Nicosia, or as it was known to the people of Cyprus-Lefkosia. He had read about this little fact, that the city of Nicosia was what it was before it was split in half with the Turkish invasion and the people no longer recognised it as what it once was, which was why they wanted the name Lefkosia to be known as a worldwide name but have so far been unsuccessful. A short while and a taxi arrived for them and they got in and set off on their way into the city. Neither of them said much for the trip as they were taking in the environment around them. The terrain they were dealing with was very mountainous and was very green in some parts with bare lands in others. Many of the people they saw coming into the city were farmers and worked every single day to produce their goods and make a living off selling it. The further in they got, the houses and establishments grew bigger and newer. They had gone through the rural parts to the suburban areas and although the houses here didn’t look too different, the small enclosures looked much different to back home. The suburbs of Sydney still had numerous houses together, with shops and neighbouring communities bordering each other so it could often be hard to tell which exact suburb you were in. Here the housing estates were isolated and spaced out from the others so getting to another estate would mean driving or riding a bicycle and it seemed for some of the estates people would have to get their living supplies from somewhere closer to the city. After 3 quarters of an hour, they finally reached Lefkosia and Boreas was taking all the sites in. It was coming to lunchtime so it was busy as the city of Cyprus could get. For this city, this was busiest time of day, but much quieter and relaxed than Sydney, it would actually make a very nice holiday spot for tourists to come to. Before they realised, they were at their hotel, the Holiday Inn, where the Agency was completely paying for their accommodation.
Alpha was distracted from getting his bags out of the taxi as their hotel was right across the street from the wall that separated the Turkish and Greek sides of the city, or as it was known-the Green line. It was a very high wall that you couldn’t see to the other side of without going up the hill and peering through the wire fence. On the other side, there were a group of young Turkish men standing against it-watching the local Greeks go about their business and pretending they were not there. Boreas saw Alpha staring and asked, “So that’s the wall huh?” Alpha nodded and they headed inside to check in. After this, they went up the elevator to their floor and rolled their bags to their rooms, which were conveniently located next to each other. “So what do we do now?” Boreas asked as they both opened their door. Boreas sounded hopeful they were starting right away. “Rest for now. We will have a good meal this evening and it will cover lunch and dinner, then we get an early night and set out to the crime scene tomorrow. If you need anything come and knock, but I might be asleep.” Boreas went into his room and shut the door and Alpha quickly opened his door, chucked his stuff in and headed back towards the elevator. There was no time to rest and he was going to see what he could find out on the streets of Lefkosia.

Walking out into Lefkosia, the cold air hit him straight away. The weather was very strange as it was fresh air with a cold breeze but the sun was shining brightly, which heated him. It was the kind of weather that was too cold to only wear a shirt and too hot to wear his jacket. The warm summers of his own country ran through his mind while he walked and he decided on what direction he should head. People were going about their daily routines and Alpha walked down a narrow street heading towards the main shopping district. By accident, he came across a jewellery shop that bought a smile to his face. He had accidentally found his relatives in the first 10 minutes of walking without meaning too. He would go in on the way back as he knew his relatives would keep him for a chat. Walking further down the street he would soon come to the main shopping part of the city, Ledra Street it was called and there were all kinds of shops. He was amazed at the opposite end of the world there was still a McDonalds and a Starbucks Coffee. What did catch his attention were some of the menswear stores and he was reminded that Boreas had no winter clothes so he browsed around in some of them. During his browsing, he found some people were more than willing to have a chat about things going on in Cyprus. In one of the shops he was in, he was talking to an elderly man and asked about the ceremony that was happening, which involved both the Northern and Southern parts of Cyprus. He explained how the ceremony was being promoted as the hopeful bringer of peace between the two sides. It was meant to involve the Ambassador’s walking from the Greek Cypriot side at the House of Representatives through the border using no passport to Ataturk stadium in Northern Cyprus. It was supposed to represent free travel between the two sides of the nation with no distrust between the two. Alpha couldn’t help but feel this was where Anarchy’s plan was going to happen. It didn’t take much thinking either of what exactly was going to happen. A public event with a lot of people there for a potentially social changing event-the terrorist attack seemed the most logical solution, before he left the shop, he had one more question for this man who had been so helpful. “Do you know of any rebel groups or gangs in Southern Cyprus?” Straight away the man stopped talking and hushed and beckoned him to leave the shop. A very strange reaction to a man that was very happy prior to him asking this. Alpha had considered the idea of a non government rebel group being at the heart of Anarchy’s plans and having their own separate motivations from the state. He figured because Cyprus was so small, many people would know a few things and it looks as though they did. He made his way back up Ledra Street which was the main shopping street of Lefkosia. Making his way back to the hotel, he once again came to the jewellery shop his relatives owned and thought he should go in and check it out.
As he opened the door, there were two people inside. A couple working behind the counter who smiled as soon as he entered. The man looked at him and pointed, “You are a…”
“Hi.” Alpha said interrupting not believing his uncle whom he had never met recognised he was a relative. His 2nd uncle and aunt were so happy to see him and ran over and he felt guilty he couldn’t express emotion as they did. it didn’t take long to realise his 2nd uncle couldn’t speak a word of English and his aunt only spoke very little. They got him coffee and cakes, which they remarkably had tucked away for someone they knew whoever it may be at whatever time to sit and talk with them. They were catching up for a little while before someone entered the store. Alpha looked over to see his new partner Boreas in there, “Hi Alpha, I thought I would have a look around-like you did.” Alpha eyed him off being very frustrated that Boreas had obviously followed him, but he remained polite and introduced him to his relatives-while also making sure to remind them to only refer to him by Alpha and not his real name. After formalities Alpha explained why he and Boreas were there and his family were more than willing to help. They went back over the ceremony and its importance for Cyprus economically and socially. If something were to happen to the representatives of the country and even take out a few bystanders as well-all the better for war. This could mean that the Ambassador’s murder was a mistake as he should have been part of the plan, if this were the case then the crime scene he would soon be inspecting may prove useful. If they couldn’t solve the problem before the bombing and nobody claimed responsibility, both sides could be held accountable for it. This would mean an all out war. So it seemed the person responsible wasn’t going to take the credit for it, which is unlike most terrorist attacks. Alpha had to take advantage of his family being there and asked, “Are there any rebel groups or gangs in Southern Cyprus?” Once again, the faces of his relatives changed as the man’s had before. But this time he was luckier as they were willing to speak. His uncle would explain in Greek so only Alpha could follow. “Cyprus is very small so word spreads very quickly. There are whispers of ‘freedom fighters’ that promise us peace as a land one day-but nobody has proven they exist and not just a myth to give us hope and scare the Turks up north. In other words, to ensure they remain uncaught and on top of their work-if they do exist, they need to keep secret otherwise they would be found out as information spread.” This made perfect sense to Alpha-it then also put in perspective that nobody talked about it as they feared if they did talk on anything they had heard that the word will get around and they will be in danger.
Alpha told his relatives what he thinks may happen and by the look on their faces, they too knew the severity of the situation. Boreas not understanding a word being said but seeing their moods change stood up and spoke to Alpha’s aunt who could speak a little English, “Don’t worry, we will stop the person responsible for this.” His aunt thanked him in Greek not realising what she had said but Boreas had was familiar with this term ‘Ef-ha-risto’, replied with “Para-kalo”, meaning you’re welcome. Alpha couldn’t help but feel less frustrated with Boreas for following him. When they got out of the jeweller Alpha waited for Boreas to say something and surprised to hear nothing at all. The quiet made things more tense than if he had got angry. When they got back to their rooms, Alpha leant over to unlock his door and was suddenly grabbed from behind and slammed into the door. Boreas had waited for him to let his guard down, which really didn’t come often and Alpha wasn’t able to release himself. “Why are you angry for? You followed me.”
“Why are you trying to get away?”
“I just needed a walk.”
Boreas had held Alpha so that his head was facing the front of the door and he knew what Boreas’ next words were going to be and he had been outsmarted again by this amateur. “The doors have peepholes you didn’t even set foot in your room.” Alpha kept quiet as he had nothing more to say and could tell Boreas was offended he had started working without him being there. “I also know you drugged me on the plane as well, I don’t think one drinks can knock anyone out for that long so it must have been in the drink you gave me. Whether you like it or not I have been put with you on this and I plan to see it through, I will show you and anyone else what I can become and if you don’t want to keep me in the loop than everything you do will not only be getting around Anarchy, but me as well.” Alpha wasn’t easily impressed, but Boreas had impressed him, he seemed to have a few tricks up his sleeve. “I will go over everything I know at dinner, I will take you to this restaurant my dad recommended for me back home, says it is the best.” Before they went inside, Alpha noticed Boreas was shivering slightly and still had no jacket or warm clothes to wear. He had followed him all that time in the cold to make sure he wasn’t left behind on this job. Alpha remembered he had picked something up for him in Ledra Street. He bought out a nice warm and fashionable jacket and handed it to Boreas who was very appreciative and looked a little guilty for getting angry at Alpha.
A couple hours later and Alpha and Boreas had dressed up and were ready to go and eat. The taxi knew exactly where to take him when Alpha mentioned he wanted to go to ‘Irenia’s Tavern’ at Strovolos. Strovolos was a main district of Lefkosia with a lot of history and importance to the city. The night was cold, but bright and because it was winter there were not as many people out as there would have been in the summer. Still, it was interesting to look out the window and watch as they were taken through Lefkosia and dropped off at the top of a very quiet street. Alpha paid the driver and they got out and began walking down the street towards restaurant. It didn’t seem like a prime location for a business, but Alpha had spoken about it with his dad before he came. This place wasn’t known to the tourists of the country but all the locals in the area ate here and its prices were not expensive at all. There was also something else Alpha’s dad told him about this place, but he wanted to keep it a surprise for Boreas who was starving. They opened the door to see nobody else in there, people in Europe ate much later than people in Australia and they would have been the first ones there to eat but not the last. Two elderly men greeted them as well as an elderly woman and they showed Alpha and Boreas to a table and eagerly bought them drinks. “The people are very happy here,” Boreas said.
“Yes, the Cypriot people are renowned for their humour and hospitality.”
“So what happened with you?” Boreas joked. It annoyed Alpha that he was right; his father had always mentioned how he could be more like the traditional Cypriots back home, even though he knew how this wasn’t possible for someone of Alpha’s condition. The drinks were served and Boreas made sure that he watched his drink the entire time. His overly tight concentration on his drink made it late for him to realise there were no menus at the table. “Do you think you could ask them for some menus?” Boreas asked. Alpha shook his head, “No.”
“Hey I would do it myself if I could speak Greek so can you just grab one please?”
“I am afraid that is out of the question.”
“Why?”
“Because they do not have menus here.” Alpha could tell Boreas was very confused about what he had just heard so he had to fill him in, “We are served everything.” Boreas didn’t believe him and thought he was playing a practical joke, but it wasn’t long before the waiter men began bringing food out. It was only the entrees but there was so much to choose from and both of them began getting straight into it as they couldn’t hold off on their hunger any longer. While they were eating, Boreas was the first to bring up their assignment. Alpha began explaining the plan he believed Anarchy was up to, that he had created from scratch. Boreas wasn’t the smartest person, so Alpha found himself simplifying everything he said and having to repeat himself a couple of times. “Anarchy has allied with some group looking to carry out his plans at the peace ceremony between the two sides very soon. It could either happen in the Southern part or the Northern part which doesn’t help us right now. I came to the conclusion it is most likely a terrorist attack.”
“Why a terrorist attack?”
“Well if there is nothing better at getting worldwide attention than terrorist attacks are. There will be a lot of important people there, along with bystanders which means that a terrorist attack seems likely to deal the most amount of damage. The last reason is that the symbolic ideas of the ceremony taken down by the symbolic nature of terrorism also fits. The idea of modern terrorist attacks is that nobody will take responsibility and therefore leaves both sides accountable without evidence to having some part in the attack and this will mean war.”
“I see, but have you considered a mass shooting rather than a terrorist attack?”
“What do you mean?” Alpha was curious as to what Boreas had to say and once again he was surprised.
“Well by mass shooting I mean a group that will hide in strategic places and open fire on numerous people-taking down and potentially remaining anonymous. I only ask because this way-the group can control better who they kill-rather than taking out any of their own like the terrorist attack runs the high risk of. The Ambassador’s death also shows he was shot-most likely by multiple suspects who stormed him in some kind of formation or even barrage attack. I don’t think you can rule it out is what I mean.” Alpha couldn’t believe he hadn’t thought of this and how much Boreas had given him to think about now. A little later, more dishes were bought out to them and they were all exquisite tasting. Boreas was surprisingly willing to try different kinds of Cypriot dishes, even the fried snail that was laid in front. They were both so hungry and kept eating and eating, but no matter how many plates they emptied, more would be bought out to them and slowly they were getting fuller. After a couple more dishes, they decided they could no longer eat anymore and told the men they could stop cooking now. The men laughed and tried to make them more, “You cannot be full yet, we still have more.” When Alpha and Boreas pleaded with them they couldn’t fit anymore in their stomach, they finally agreed and went back to the kitchen. Boreas seemed like he had a question he really wanted to ask Alpha and Alpha gave him this look as if granting him permission to speak, “Do you think anyone from the Greek Cypriot side is involved?” The evidence at this stage is looking that way. The event starts in the Southern Greek part of Cyprus and runs through to the North. The North were the ones to instigate talks for peace even though it was them who invaded and refused to leave. I would also assume the Greeks don’t like how the Turks have shown off their gains.” Alpha saw Boreas’ face and knew he had no idea what he was on about so he kept talking. “The Turks have a huge flag on the Kyrenia Mountains so that all the Greeks who were displaced from their homes can look out over the land they lost on that day. The Turks play loud religious music, so loud that the city of Lefkosia can also hear it and be reminded of their enemy to the North. I am afraid it is the Greeks who have motive in this attack and the Greek Ambassador being killed in his home may only prove to be a more convincing argument. Anarchy allies with anyone wiling to help and it is the Greeks who he would turn to first.” This bothered Alpha, after all the non-violence and tolerance the Greek population had shown through most of it, a small group was going to wreck it for everyone and turn their country into war.
As they waited for the check, the two waiters/cooks bought some more dishes out for them. It was funny how good the service was here as compared with the rest of Europe which had a reputation for being terrible with customer service. Greece especially was noted for being quite rude and they ate the dessert dishes bought for them, which were some cakes and fruit. They couldn’t eat at all from their overwhelmingly full stomachs. The two elderly men and woman were impressed at how much was eaten and their food was enjoyed. That was enough for now and they got the check and saw how incredibly cheap the meal was and packed their things. Before they could leave though, they were given gifts by the waiters at the restaurant, which Boreas had never seen before in his life. Alpha had to explain what was going on to him as Boreas didn’t know why they were getting gifts for merely eating their dinner. “They knew we were not from around here and it was their pleasure to serve us, rather than our pleasure to eat there-that is how they see it anyway.”
“Kali-nickta,” Boreas said in Greek meaning good night and they got a taxi back to their hotel. When they got to their rooms Boreas had to make a crack at him for before, “So are you going to stay in your room now?”
“Yes I believe so, big day tomorrow so get some rest.” The meal had made them a little happier and after their talk, the only thing left to do was have good nights sleep. He got into his room and got out some of his sleeping pills. He took one and got into bed and waited for it to take affect. Tomorrow he would be meeting with some of the most important people in the Republic of Cyprus.