We were taken to the same building where the meeting with Christof, Kicks Iron, and Carl had been held, but to the third floor, where we were directed to a large central area surrounded by numerous rooms which I suspected had once been offices of some Administrative agency or other. They had been converted into simply furnished suites. In the center of the open area, two women wearing chadors were busily arranging various foods around a basin of yellow rice on a large, circular table. The table was surrounded by wooden chairs at least as old as the building itself. The pungent, redolent smell of the local spices wafted through the air, reminding me just how hungry I was. Tiffany nearly frightened them when she lunged forward to grab a thick, ripe tomato slice.

“God, I’m hungry as hell,” She said immodestly, “I’m assuming this is for us?”

The women merely looked at her, ignorant of English.

“They’re Milquetoast servants. They don’t understand a word I’m saying.”

“Mr. Stroder, you may use this room,” the porter told me, though he seemed far too ministerial to fill the role, “and Miss Cronin may use this one. The toilet is across the room. Do you see it?”

“The room with no door?”

“Yes, but quite private inside. Your food is prepared. I shall return for you in the morning. Mr. Beyrouti left instructions I was to remind you not to venture from the building, not to venture outside. This would be potentially dangerous for you.”

I assured him we had no aspirations or intentions even to go downstairs again.

“Where’s Spritz?”

He showed no reaction. “Who is Spits?”

“Sorry, where is Mr. Hogan? I assumed he would be here.”

“Perhaps they put him elsewhere for the night.”

I thanked him for his assistance and he promptly took the staircase back down. Tiffany followed me into my room, still munching on the tomato slice.

“At least we’re together.” I said, opening my suitcase. “Frankly, in an alien environment, I want to be proximal to each other.”

“Forget unpacking, let’s eat.”

By the time I joined her, she was already heaping rice onto one of the ceramic platters set out for plates.