“We have not seen Agus or your friend,” Fajar’s mother said.
“Did you see anyone in the village?”Patar demanded.
She shook her head.“I didn’t look.I was terrified I’d get caught in the medical centre when the next wave hit, so I went straight there and then headed up the mountain.”She glanced around.“Maybe Agus stayed at his house.Have you heard from him?”
Patar hesitated.“Yes.Agus is safe.”
“Good.”Mila faked her relief.“Is my friend with him?”
“I don’t know.”The man stepped back, his expression a little wary.Agus had obviously told him something.
Fajar’s mother frowned.“There are a few people missing.They may have left on their boats to deeper water.Where was your friend staying?”
“I thought he was staying with Agus.”She had a part to play.She stood, wincing as she did so.“What time is it?”
“Almost seven.”
Still a little early to ask Patar to call.
“How bad is it?”Fajar’s mother asked.“In the village?”
“Bad,” Mila admitted.“It’s mostly piles of debris.”
Tears appeared in the woman’s eyes and Mila hugged her.“We’ll work it out.”
Across the square she spotted Ibu Minar, the woman who had stolen her moped.She was lying on a makeshift bed watching Mila.Guilt crossed her face as Mila caught her eye and she looked away.
Mila didn’t have the strength to be mad.It had been a terrifying situation.But it meant her moped should be around here somewhere.She scanned the square and spotted it tucked along the wall of the house Ibu Minar was lying in front of.
If she couldn’t sneak out of the village, maybe she could ride out.
Would Agus search for her if he arrived and she’d gone?Or would he head straight back to his house?
This was a lot harder than she’d expected.She casually looked around, trying to spot Damien in the jungle.Nothing.Maybe he hadn’t made it yet.
She would have perhaps fifteen minutes to escape after Patar confirmed Agus was on his way.Any longer than that and she would risk running into Agus on her way down the mountain.
“You didn’t see the men in black?”Patar asked.
His words shocked her out of her thoughts.“What?”
“Ibu saw you talking with men in black when she was trapped.”He gestured to his mother.
Shit.Maybe Ibu Minar had been conscious longer than Mila had realised.“They appeared out of nowhere and then disappeared.”
“Did they speak to you?”
“They asked how they could help.”
“Anything else?”
“No.They helped lift a couple of things and then left.I assumed they were heading for another part of the village to search for survivors.”Mila met Patar’s eyes, knowing she was a terrible liar but also knowing if she looked away she would seem like she was lying.She needed a distraction.“Is it too early to call Agus?”she asked Patar.“I want to know if my friend is safe.”
A pause as he studied her and then he said, “Of course.I’ll contact him now.”
“Thank you.”
Mila moved closer to Patar’s house but stayed outside, eating her bowl of porridge.She couldn’t hear the conversation inside.
