The Quest: A Novel

in Ristorante Etiopia, drinking wine out of the Holy Grail. That was not going to happen, but it was nice to think it.
    Henry was getting to the good part—the part where Frank Purcell shot down an armed Ethiopian Air Force helicopter. Henry said to Purcell, “Perhaps you’d like to tell this, Frank.”
    Purcell understood that this was a good story for a bar, far away from Ethiopia. But here, it was not a good story. In fact, he had put them all in mortal danger. Though in Ethiopia, that was redundant.
    “Frank?”
    “Well, I think this chopper was looking for us, and I think our old friend General Getachu had sent him. So the game was up, one way or the other, and we—I—decided to take this guy out.”
    Gann asked, “Do you have weapons with you?”
    “No.” He explained about the rocket pod, and his creative use of the smoke markers. He didn’t go into detail, but he did say, “I rode in a lot of Hueys in ’Nam, covering the war, and I saw them using smoke rockets.” He added, “Looked easy.” He also explained, “We were dead anyway. Or worse than dead if we landed in Gondar.”
    Gann nodded. “Quite right.”
    Vivian let Gann know, “They fired a machine gun at us. Frank was very brave. I was petrified.”
    Mercado admitted, “I was a bit anxious myself.”
    Gann thought about this, then asked, “Did you see any other aircraft?”
    Purcell replied, “No.”
    Gann said, “They’re probably looking for you on the way to the French territory.”
    “We thought about heading there, instead of here. Or Sudan.”
    “Well, good that you didn’t.” He informed them, “You wouldn’t have made it.” He let them know, “The Ethies don’t have many jets—just a few Mirages—but they are getting Russian helicopter gunships with Russian pilots, and you would probably have met them on your way to Somalia or Sudan.”
    Purcell nodded, then said, “Sorry, though, if we’ve put you in a difficult situation.”
    It was Miriam who said, “We are already in a difficult situation. You are most welcome here.”
    “Thank you.”
    Vivian assured her, “We won’t be here long.”
    Miriam looked at Vivian and said, “You are welcome to stay, and you are welcome to leave for French Somaliland, and we can help you with that journey.” She continued, “But I would prefer if you did not go to the place where you wish to go.”
    Vivian replied, “We have come a long way to find this place.” She assured Miriam, “We mean no harm to these monks, or to their religious objects.”
    “I understand that from Edmund. I understand, too, that you think you have been chosen to find this place. And I respect your beliefs. But I can offer you no assistance with your search.”
    Purcell asked, “Why not?”
    She looked at him and replied, “We here in Shoan have a sacred covenant with the monks of the black monastery.”
    Purcell reminded her, “You’re Jewish. They’re Copts.”
    “That does not matter. We are of the same tradition for two thousand years.”
    “Right. Well, all we’re asking then is a good night’s sleep and food to take on our journey.”
    “I will gladly give you that, but I wish you would reconsider that journey.”
    “Can’t do that.”
    Miriam didn’t reply.
    Purcell said, “And we may have to return here at some point.”
    “You are welcome to do that, but we may not be here when you return.”
    Purcell looked at Gann and reminded him, “You let us know you were here.” He asked, “Why?”
    Gann hesitated, then replied, “I would like to go with you.” He explained, “I’ve spoken to Miriam, and she understands that we believe that the object you are looking for is in danger, and it must be taken to a safe place, though she believes the monks themselves could do that.”
    “Maybe they can.” He asked, “But if
we
took it, where would we take it?”
    Gann glanced at Mercado, then said, “It’s not my decision to make.” He let them know, “We need to discuss this.”
    Purcell pointed out, “We don’t have it yet, and to be honest with you, we probably never will. So maybe this is moot.”
    Vivian said, “When we find it, we will know what to do.”
    Purcell thought that Henry had undoubtedly promised the Grail to the Vatican, and Gann may have promised it to the British Museum, to take the place of the Ethiopian royal crown the British had snatched and given back. But in either case, the Grail, if it existed, and if they found it, was to be held in