Alisa was definitely not bored during the next four hours. She found that Cazvar was as organized and charismatic as Korgan had said. Once Korgan turned her over to him, he took full advantage of having another pair of willing hands and eyes at his disposal. Most of this shipment consisted of small farm equipment and carpentry tools, but there were also toys and board games and special teas and spices. After the helicopter was unloaded and the goods designated for various households on Cazvar’s list, they put them on a small truck, delivered them, and checked them off the list. Those homes were just as poverty-stricken as Korgan had told her, but most of the people were polite and contained their bubbling excitement at receiving the gifts. Except for the children. They were like children everywhere. A basketball or a Hula-Hoop or a doll was magical, and magic could never be contained.

Korgan caught up with them when they were almost through with the deliveries. Alisa was outside in the street with a young boy and didn’t notice him until she heard his voice behind her. “I send you to work and find you out here playing with the kids?” he asked, amused. “Cazvar must be too easy on you.”

“Hush.” She unfurled the Star Wars yo-yo with a flourish again. “I’m teaching him Walk the Dog and he’s almost got it.” She watched the child copy her movement. “Yes.” She beamed. “Wonderful.” He gave her a toothy grin and ran across the street to join two other boys. She turned back to Korgan. “I’d almost forgotten how much fun yo-yos could be. Very simple, but you can amuse yourself anywhere.”

“Did you teach Sasha?”

“No, she taught me. I told you that I never knew who was the kid sister. We taught each other so many things. We both had to catch up on things we’d missed.”

“I can see how you would.” He turned to Cazvar, who had just come out of the house. “What’s her progress? Evidently you’ve put her in charge of the yo-yo and sundry toy division.”

“She’s doing well enough for not knowing the language. She speaks fluent Arabic, but not the Amazigh Berber dialects,” Cazvar said. “She makes herself understood combining Arabic with sign language.” He frowned. “But she gives too many orders. I turn my back for one moment and she told Harris to go back to the helicopter and take off for Casablanca and bring back another shipment.”

“We didn’t need him once we had the cargo unloaded,” Alisa said. “It seemed the reasonable thing to do.”

“I would have told him myself when I got around to it,” Cazvar said. “You should not have done it.”

Alisa nodded. “You’re in charge. I’ll remember.”

Korgan chuckled. “Which is more than I’ve been able to make her do.”