Turbinio

Watercress and Wine

A moment of silence was established, giving space for the wet sand on the floor to move gracefully in ripples and letters. In a rush, you knelt beside Gyro, taking in every detail the sand revealed. Words in Latin, too familiar. Words that writhed still fresh on your memory membranes. You felt that you were just postponing the moment for your subconscious to conclude – or perhaps you felt the need, however remote, to spill everything you and Reverend knew to Gyro and Johnny.

Reverend Innes. You stared at the map formed on the floor, the careful, small handwriting, the illustrations perfectly consistent with Joseph of Arimathea's map, although a few things were still missing.

''This... is a part of the Reverend's map...'' You muttered to yourself. ''Duo auris e dexter brachium... Right arm and two ears... audi recte tenere vinum...''

''What are you talking about, (Y/N)?'' Gyro knelt beside you.

''Listen properly, hold the wine... or something like that. It was written on the Reverend's map along with those two other words. Listen properly and raise the wine... I don't know.''

''Looks like this part chooses Johnny... I know what this map in the sand looks like! Lakes... The great lakes! This one is Lake Michigan!''

''It's the finish line of the next stage... Yes.''

''Duo auris and dexter brachium, you said, didn't you? Two parts... Yeah! Two parts! The next two corpse parts are located next to each other! There are two parts in Lake Michigan!''

''That's not... That's not all, Gyro!'' You heard Johnny say as he bowed. ''Look, there are three places! It's right on the destination for the sixth stage!''

''Duo pespedis... two legs.'' You read, your voice fading as you remembered the map you had. ''Movere crus...''

''Whoa, whoa, whoa! All this from just the spine?!'' Gyro said, smiling.

With strangely heightened senses, you could hear the slightest activity in the place. When the storm ceased, you could hear your heartbeat, painfully accelerated. Your palms were damp with blood and sweat and you wiped them surreptitiously on your clothes. You turned to look at Lucy, undeniably intrigued.

''What is this?'' She questioned. '' I... I just saw the corpse part move and go inside his back... What is it? The president is looking for it too.''

The president. You remember Blackmore saying he was warned about you. Your name and your fame within the race reached the president's ears.

''We want some information regarding the current situation, Madam Steel.'' Johnny said heartily while still recovering from his sudden sickness. ''What were you doing near the president?''

''Do you know whose corpse the president is collecting?'' Gyro added. ''And what were you doing with her, (Y/N)?''

''I don't have the slightest idea either. I just heard her screaming and I shot at Blackmore when I saw he was attacking her. Then she explained everything to me and asked me to take her to you. I'm pretty sure the letter on the carrier pigeon she saw was from Ringo.''

''I... I don't know whose body this belongs to. The president has a very old map and he's setting up the race based on it... My husband is just being used for the president's purposes.''

When you heard Lucy's words, a dizzying clarity washed over you. An old map. You remembered, once again, that many decades ago the Reverend kept the original map of Joseph of Arimathea when he still lived in the United Kingdom. The map was taken from him, but he had a single copy, which he gave to you. Now, things made more sense.