TS 2 Part VI Chapter 22

Chapter 22

May 17^th, 2012

Zurich

Friederich looked at the young Serb standing in front of his desk in awe. “Do you affirm that Guntram is here?” he asked very slowly, still unable to believe the news.

“Yes, he arrived this morning but you must keep the secret. He's convinced that somebody in the house has targeted the princes. We need to search the castle thoroughly. I have the Duke's permission,” Mirko said with a firm voice.

“That's impossible! People work with us since several years! We have checked them all,” Friederich protested. “I vouch for these people.”

“Please, Mr. Elsässer. Do not interfere now. Where is the butler?”

“Dieter? He's in Zurich with the cook. They went to visit a wine merchant.”

“Good, we start with their rooms. Ask all the servants to stay in the guards hall. They should remain there. You also, Mr. Elsässer.”

“This is impossible!” he shouted. “What about Mr. Guttenberg Sachsen? He's writing in his room. He was the last who joined us...”

“I'll take him downstairs myself,” Ratko growled and left the group of five men standing in the old man's office.

* * *

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TS 2 Part VI Chapter 21

Chapter 21

May 17^th, 2012

Zurich

John parked the Porsche in the underground parking with a heavy heart. “Are you sure about this? Maybe he's working at this hour. If one of my employees tells me that someone...”

“Please, John, don't make it harder than it is. I have hundreds of doubts but he has to see me once more. You don't know the whole story behind our breakup,” Guntram said slowly.

“Don't you want that I take the little one for a ride? What if he's nasty to you? After all, it's his workplace. Can you not go to his house? I still think you should have warned the guy in advance...”

Guntram placed his fingers over the man's lips and sadly smiled. “You're my first option,” he muttered.

“It doesn't make me feel better, Fedia. I think even after this two weeks you never gave me a chance to prove you what a great guy and perfect for you am I. Heck, we are perfect for each other.”

“I know and I'm terribly sorry for this. I have no words to apologise to you,” Guntram muttered. “I wish I could have loved you but we would never be more than friends and we have to split our ways now. My boyfriend would never understand why we are friends.”

“Hey, staying together was my idea! Don't sweat over it.”

Guntram smiled and kissed him on the lips. “You're a great guy, John. I'm really going to miss you.”

John watched how Guntram released his sleeping baby from the seat and wrapped him over a small blanket to place him over his right shoulder. “Wait! I'll go with you,” he said.

“Thank you. It's just around the corner.”

“All right.” John buttoned his trench coat up ready to face the cold morning.

Both men climbed up the concrete stairwells in complete silence and Guntram felt his heart cringe when they emerged in the bustling Bahnoffstrasse. He tried to swallow but his throat was dry and the hammering of his heart numbed his ears. He took two steps backwards to let a group of young girls, dressed as secretaries and briskly walking, pass over them.

Still holding Conor, like a lifesaver, he turned around the corner and decidedly walked down Börsenstrasse the two blocks to the familiar turn of the century building and contemplated the caryatids guarding the upper floors. As usual, two men were discreetly guarding the crystal door. “It's here,” he whispered and stood frozen in the opposite pavement.

“Here? This is a private bank.”

“Yes, Lintorff Privatbank,” Guntram answered with his eyes fixed on the two towers of bodyguards already looking at the two pedestrians standing directly in front of them.

“Private banking means you have to have an account there if you want to enter. This is not a normal bank. This is only for VIPs. Come, Fedia. You should make an appointment with the guy before you go in there. There's no way you can....” John started to tell but the words died in his lips as Guntram simply crossed the street, ignoring him. “Shit!” he cursed. 'Those gorillas are going to eat him alive,' he thought and ran after the young man.

Echoes from the Past

Echoes from the Past

April 23^rd, 2006

Zurich

Dieter poured the hot liquid into the white china dish, glad that the chef had had the good idea of making it. As the Duke's favourite broth, perhaps it would lift his mood a little after Mr. de Lisle broke up with him two days ago. The butler stoically ignored the furious look he received from the nobleman once he had finished serving.

'He must be the guilty party, if Mr. Elsässer does not even want to speak to him,' the servant thought as he slightly bowed his head to the fuming Duke and took several steps backwards, clutching the tureen in his hands.

“Leave it here,” Konrad growled as he took the spoon in his hand, and Dieter obeyed.

'Guilty and furious. Bad combination.' The butler closed the door behind him. 'I hope Mr. de Lisle turns a blind eye to his misdeeds as usual. Nobody has so much patience as he has.'

* * *

TS 2 Chapter 20

Chapter 20

April 28^th, 2012

Stockholm

Both men looked leaned on the parapet of the bridge with their gazes lost in the horizon.

“It's certainly going to be boring without you, boss,” Dima said softly.

“Are you getting sentimental on me, Klatschko?” Constantin sneered.

“After so many years... Almost twenty now. Not many marriages last so long,”

“Twenty-two years working together,” Constantin remembered with a pinch of melancholia as he lighted another cigarette.

“Don't you want to try it once more? Just for Conor's sake.”

“If I run after him, I'll make a mistake and we will all pay for it. We are in their territory now. Oblomov must have told them everything.”

“It's a huge sacrifice, boss.”

“It's just a pause in the game. Let Guntram run to Lintorff. They will be so busy congratulating themselves that they won't notice a thing. When the times come, I'll get my Conor back. After all, he's the only good thing I got from his father.”

“He's a beautiful child indeed,” Dima agreed. “I'm sorry for Massaiev, he really liked and cared for them.”

“He was getting too old. Can you imagine him in a nursing home? It was a good end for him.”

“My family arrived to Puerto Vallarta three days ago, boss.”

“I'm leaving for Rennes tonight. It's time for Mr. Dubois to return home. France was always my second homeland.”

“I think you should consider another place, boss. It's like courting with disaster.”

“It's perfect. I almost went mad in the middle of the jungle. I need to see a theatre or a Museum now and then. What's the use of having so much money if you can't enjoy it? Maybe, I'll write my memoirs,” Constantin joked and Dima laughed.

“It would be certainly worth buying it. At least the whole first edition to burn it down before somebody reads it.”

“Good bye, there are no debts between us any longer,” Constantin said after some minutes spent in amiable silence and companionship and he offered his hand.

“Thank you, boss,” Dima said earnestly. “I'm really sorry it didn't work as you planned. We should have taken the boy the minute we saw him. He was perfect for you.”

Constantin sadly smiled and once more looked into the glistening waters. “Breaking a conditioning like his one is almost impossible, Dima. Didn't Massaiev tell it to us hundred of times? Guntram was seriously damaged since he was a child. A real pity. The world lost a true genius. I can already imagine his future; living in Lintorff's cage, terrified of his own shadow and sick. He won't last long. Sverdloff was not very optimistic after the surgery.”

“You should get your baby back before Lintorff drives him mad like he did with the father. He was very happy to be with you.”

“I will do it when the time is right. Good luck, my friend.”

* * *

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Monopoly

Monopoly

September 21^st, 2005

Zurich

The hands placed over his eyes, made Guntram giggle. “How old are you really, Konrad?” He grabbed the hands and kissed the fingers with tenderness.

“The idea is that you act surprised and take your time to guess who it is,” the older man said, but quickly bent his body over the man crouched on the floor to deeply kiss him under the astonished yet curious looks of their children.

“Konrad, the babies,” Guntram said a bit shocked, quickly looking at his eighteen-month-old sons. “You're early.”

“I'm playing truant,” Konrad said very proudly. “At forty-seven.”

“You are a dangerous rebel indeed,” Guntram joked. “Can I do the same?”

“Not if you want to be able to sit for a week,” Konrad smirked. “How is university going by the way?”

“Konrad!” Guntram whined.

“It's a simple question. So?”

“Fine,” the young man grunted sullenly.

“You need to practice a lot more, Guntram. One word sentences are the pinnacle of human communication. Your ‘fine’ should have come out a bit drier and commanding.”

“Impressive lecture, Konrad,” Guntram answered softly, hoping to divert his attention from the topic.

“Anyway, I already saw your preliminary grades. Good work.”

Guntram had to take a deep breath before he would express his opinion—once more—on Konrad's “constant meddling” with his school life. 'My lawyer was a hundred times better than him. He only wanted to know if he had to pay for any extra tuition or not.' With a forced smile, he said ironically, “I'm glad you approve of them.”

“Indeed,” Konrad replied in a haughty tone, calculated to make Guntram smile at his antics. “But there was a good reason for my ‘constant meddling’ as you call it.”

“Which was?” Guntram asked as he buried his smile in his love's chest, giving him a light hug as the boys looked at them again.

“Checking that they were fine and that you didn't need to study this weekend.”

“No, I don't. I'm just finished with the first round of exams.”

“Then, I have a surprise for you and these two gentlemen,” Konrad answered with a smile. “We fly away tomorrow at dawn.”

“Don't you have to work?”

“Yes, but I can finish everything in the plane.”

“Where are we going?” Guntram asked curious, and quickly removed a toy from Klaus' mouth before it was chewed into nothing.

“It’s a surprise. Curiosity killed the cat, Guntram.”

* * *

TS 2 Part VI Chapter 19

Chapter 19

Copenhagen

April 30^th, 2012

A very tired Guntram descended from the car before the valet parking in the expensive hotel could open his door. He only nodded to the man and proceeded to untie his son from the baby car seat. Konrad looked everywhere with clear excitement. The bright lights decorating the façade were absolutely fascinating for the child.

“We just saved the trip to Bollywood,” John chortled, examining the large Moorish inspired building. “This looks like the frigging Taj Mahal... or Las Vegas without money.”

“The Copenhagen elite used to come here at the beginning of the Twentieth century,” Guntram said tiredly. “The Nimb is still one of the best hotels in the world. They don't serve cheap Martinis here. We are in the middle of Tivoli Gardens, a few steps from the best area of the city. If you don't believe me, ask the people at Conde Naste. The Hotel d'Anglaterre is being refurbished at the moment. I was very lucky to get a suite and a room here,”

“Together?” John asked before he climbed the large marble stairs.

“On different floors.”

“Hey! I want to sleep with you,” he protested but not too loudly. “I'll fix it.”

“It's really not...” Guntram started to say but John ignored him and went in a straight line to the receptionist. 'With his manners, it will be a miracle if we can keep the reservation,”

Walking very slowly, with his son in his arms, Guntram approached the desk, hoping to save something from the disaster but he was greatly surprised when he heard John kindly requesting the woman to change the reservations for two suites en suite. She looked for a long time in her computer and she smiled to the American before she told him that they could stay in suites 11 and 12 and that she will send a crib to suite number 12 as it was smaller and the baby would be more comfortable there.

Still smiling with a superior air at Guntram, John entered the elevator, followed by the astonished young man.

“So you can be nice to Europeans,” he huffed.

“Whenever it suits me, prince. Do you think you get money out of a posh Vanderbilt without rubbing his ego and dancing the same waltz?”

“I assume you can also read a menu in French,”

“Oh yes, but it doesn't prevent the waiters to serve sh... rubbish here. My eating improved since you're around. They must mistake you by one of the locals,” he said innocently. “Fedia is almost a Russian name, right?”

“Yes, indeed.”

“Russians have a lot of money nowadays, right?”

“They have large fortunes, yes,” Guntram answered puzzled, not truly understanding where John wanted to go. He was glad when the elevator stopped and the door opened letting him escape from the inquisitive look.

* * *

TS 2 Part VI Chapter 18 B

Chapter 18. Second Part 

“Hey kid, no oral sex while I'm driving. I don't understand a single road sign,” John chortled as Guntram ducked down when he saw Constantin and his men standing at the harbour exit door, hiding Konrad under his body.

“I'm holding the baby, I thought he was falling down,” he said, clinching his teeth so hard that he felt some pain in his jaws. He kept his crouched position till the van speeded up and crossed the gate.

“Yeah, right. I'm irresistible and you know it. Wait till the hotel and what about the “never in front of my child” part?”

'Asshole thought Guntram, but kept his lips firmly closed.

“You see? Why don't you call me 'asshole'? You're dying to do so. Or is that word not included in the “posh prince” dictionary?”

“As I said there is no need to be vulgar,” Guntram answered as he sat upright once more, putting Konrad against his chest.

“Tell me one single word that has the same “emotional power”,” John smirked. “I can think of asshole, shithead, dickhead, ass, wanker and my grandma was smashing my head against the wall every time I used them.”

“Idiot,” Guntram blurted out as he was becoming irked with the man.

“That's for ladies!” John gloated. “Come on! You can't be always “speaking conscious”, kid.”

“You must understand that I'm not an English native speaker, but dunce, blockhead, lime-brain, dime-wit or simpleton would do very well in this situation. Please, refrain yourself from using that foul language in front of my son.”

“All right, I'll do that,” John said earnestly and glad that the “prince” was holding his ground. 'This is going to be certainly fun.' “Can you read the f... signs and tell me how to get downtown to the most modern and posh hotel this city has?”

“Do you mean the Nobis?” Guntram asked mind absently as he started to program the GPS.

“Yeah, that one.” 'How the fuck do you know about it? You're supposed to be here for the first time,' John mused but kept himself quiet, focusing on the driving and the soft voiced instructions he received from the young man.

* * *

TS 2 Part VI Chapter 18 Part A

Chapter 18

April 27^th, 2012

Moscow

With his hands trembling from exhaustion and terror, Ramazov tried several times to get the key in the keyhole. The five men surrounding him, one of them holding his eldest girl drove him more and more nervous. “Please, let her go. I did my part.”

“You have not returned what you took from me; my child and lover,” Constantin answered coldly. “Pray they're here.”

Ramazov opened the door and immediately saw the empty flat. He closed his eyes and waited for the final blow at her daughter but he heard nothing.

“Release the girl,” Constantin said. “Let the local scum decide what to do with her.”

Ramazov looked at him without comprehending the words.

“If she's clever she'll go to a policeman, if she's not, she's good as dead,” Constantin sneered before he entered the small flat.

“Run, Nadia! Run to your mother!” Ramazov shouted and watched how she fled through the stairwells.

“In, you piece of shit,” one of the men growled and shoved him inside.

Constantin sat in one of the sofas as his men searched the rooms like rabid dogs, watching carefully the man standing in front of him. 'What happened to all of us? This one is not even worth to go for cigarettes.'

“He was certainly here, boss,” one man said “He also slept here too.”

“There are rests of baby food. Breakfast,” another one added, shouting from the kitchen.

One of the intruders found the slightly hidden computer and began to inspect it at an incredible fast speed. “He sent no messages at all. He only created one e-mail account. I'll break it in a minute, sir.”

“Do it,” Constantin agreed still looking at his abashed prey. “What was the name in the papers you gave him?”

“Fyodor Tarasov from Uruguay. He kept telling that was his name,” Ramazov stammered. “I swear he didn't want to come with us. Oblomov forced him to follow me.”

“Boss, I have something,” the young man engulfed in the computer's screen shouted. “He made several reservations in hotels around Europe under the name of Fyodor and Conor Tarasov. He also bought a ticket back to Buenos Aires from Zurich on May 4^th and he's supposedly travelling tonight on the ferry from Helsinki to Stockholm.”

“Why would he do that?” Dima enquired puzzled.

“He's travelling as a tourist as he's trying to sneak into the European Union. He checked the conditions for Uruguayans to remain in Schengen territory,” the man in the computer explained.

“Now, you all know why Lintorff had so many troubles in the past,” Constantin sneered. “Crazy or not, Fedia still knows how to run away. It's a clever move indeed. He knows that I'm expecting him to run to Lintorff and attack the children the minute he's there. He's playing the lunatic to make me think he's somewhere, wandering lost and crazy and waste my time looking for him when I should be preparing our next operational phase. Little vixen. Perhaps he inherited more from his father than I originally estimated.”

“What do we do now?” Dima asked. “With the plane we can intercept him in Stockholm.”

“We do that,” Constantin agreed with a cold smile. “If he's not there, we proceed according to the plan.”

“And the other thing?” one of the men fearfully asked, gesturing with his head toward Ramazov.

Constantin took his weapon out and killed the man with a clean shot in the head, without changing his position. All the men in the room blanched but said nothing, fearing they would be next.

“Vassily, If we don't get our recalcitrant Fedia back in Stockholm, then you may proceed with Lintorff's bastards. Give the order now but do it very slowly, With any luck, he might be able to attend their funerals. I had enough of this childish game.”

“What about the baby, boss?” Dima said respectfully.

“I have all the time in the world to recover my son, something our enemies don't have. I will not risk our positions or lives for something that is already worthless. We proceed as agreed, is that understood, gentlemen?”

“Yes, boss,” the men said in unison.

* * *

Under the Sign of the Cross- Part II

Torcello Island

Under the Sign of the Cross. Part II 

December 28^th, 2001

Venice

The glaring midday sun almost blinded Konrad, partially dazed by the deafening noise caused by the cooing of thousands of doves pestering the tourists on San Marco Square. A sleepless night in a train going from Paris to Venice during which he had evaluated all his options had left him drained.

The boy, Guntram, was obviously meant for him. He was everything he had ever dreamed of in a companion for life. They had met at the Lord's house, and for the first time in his life, Konrad had felt a sense of calm—of bliss and completeness—he had never experienced before. Nothing in Guntram's character, from what he had seen so far, reminded him of Roger.

The only question in Konrad's mind was how much Guntram knew about his family's past. 'De Lisle swore he made sure the boy always remained away from Europe, and that might be well true. According to the records, this is the first time he is here after leaving France in 1985.

'Even if we don't work out as a couple, I am responsible for him. I am his legal guardian, and even if he's nineteen years old, it would be very senseless from my part to let him go wild. Look at my nephew, Armin. One of these days, I will have to bring him home and straighten him up.

'But Guntram looks like a good boy who works, studies, goes to Church and stays at home every night. Anyway, he should attend a good university and have a job more suitable to his upbringing.

'It's all a matter of letting things flow and see what the outcome is,' he decided.

Under the Sign of the Cross - Part I

Under the Sign of the Cross

December 24^th, 2001

Paris

'This is a bloody disaster,' Ferdinand von Kleist thought when he was informed in the middle of their early flight to Paris that, due to an electrical storm, their plane had been diverted to Strasbourg. 'We can't cancel the meeting in such a short notice, and the bad weather will continue until tomorrow afternoon, so taking another plane is out of the question. So much for planning and getting up at four in the morning!'

The loud snort he heard from the man at his side, let Ferdinand know that his long-time friend was irritated at the problems caused by a ‘minor occurrence’ such as bad weather conditions. 'Marie and the pilots should be glad if they can keep their jobs after tomorrow. He is going to blame them for… not being on good speaking terms with the Almighty and convincing Him to grace us with nice weather.'

“Do you have any idea if there are early morning trains from Strasbourg to Paris, at least?”

“I assume so, Konrad. Monika is working on it,” Ferdinand answered with a sufficiency he didn't feel. “TGVs are very fast.”

“This is most annoying. We could have saved us the flight and taken the train directly from Zurich,” Konrad buffed as he once more returned to his reports, nervous and cranky because of the upcoming meeting with the associates.

For the first time in his life, he was going to be late. He hated to give them any cause to talk or be suspicious of him.

* * *

TS 2 Part VI Chapter 17

Chapter 17

April 25^th, 2012

Moscow

The piercing howls from his son, woke Guntram up and he looked around disoriented for a brief moment. He was not in Siberia any longer and nothing had been a dream as he had feared it would be. He bit his lips to prevent the laughter from escaping once more as the shrieking sounds of a furious baby, returned him to reality.

“I'm coming Con...” he said and realised that there was no need to call his son by his false name any longer. “Right away, Konrad,” he said for the first time his name out loud, feeling an exhilarating happiness in his heart. He winced a bit at the pain in his back, stiff from sleeping on a chair, but dashed to the bedroom where his child was crying at top of his lungs. He picked him up and squeezed him against his chest and caressed the soft head to calm him down. “I'm sorry, Konrad. Papa was asleep. I'll get you something to eat very soon,” he said, feeling very guilty because his child was hungry once more and this time was entirely his fault.

“Dada!” Konrad shouted, glad to see him, his earlier malaise completely forgotten at the sight of his father. He smiled broadly and buried his head on Guntram's shoulder.

“You're too good to me,” Guntram whispered, still feeling guilty, no matter if the child was not upset at all. “First, you need fresh clothes. These are very dirty.”

Calculating that his son good moods would not survive a bath, Guntram decided to only clean him and change his nappies before dressing him with new clothes. With practised ease, he laid a towel over the bed and put his child on top of it, using his left hand to prevent him from rolling over it, as he loved to do. In less than a minute, he undressed and cleaned his son, getting him dressed with the beige corduroy trousers, shirt and red sweatshirt that he had found in one of the bags. The soft leather shoes included fitted him very well and Konrad seemed to be happy with the clean and warm clothes.

TS 2 Part VI Chapter 16

Chapter 16

April 14^th, 2012

Moscow,

Guntram followed his companion meekly across the train platform, still too afraid to do anything against him. Although the man had been kind to him, buying two glasses of food for Konrad and offering to get extra diapers, Guntram knew better than trusting men. He wondered when he would ask him to do “a special favour” or would turn him back to Constantin where he would be punished for trying to run away.

As the train continued his journey, he became more and more restless, thinking that the Russian would kill his child in a horrible way to punish him.

Ramazov studied at the man-boy sitting across the small compartment and sighed. 'No doubt he was really tamed the hard way. He must be thinking this is a set up. Poor creature, a bullet in his brain would be an act of mercy.'

“I have two daughters myself,” Ramazov said and took his wallet out, noticing how stiff the boy's back went at the simple gesture. With ample and slow moves, he opened it and showed Guntram the photo of two girls. “Natalya and Lara. They are twins and look like their mother. Good for them.”

Guntram said nothing at all and briefly peered at the photos, returning his attention to his now deeply asleep son. He rearranged the child over his shoulder and leaned against his seat, fighting against the tiredness and the mixed feelings battling inside him. Was it true? Was that man really taking him back to Konrad's? Was he going to see his boys? Would they remember him?

Would Konrad want to see him? After all, he had broken up with him in the worst possible way. 'I have to thank that to 'daddy dear'. We should marry him with Konrad's mother and send them on a cruise to the Easter Island. They are perfect for each other. How could I believe him? Why didn't I trust Goran's judgement? He sounded so sincere and concerned about me! And here I am, the toy of a mobster by daddy's courtesy,' he thought bitterly. 'A ten roubles whore. I'm not even clever enough as he is to get a fantastic price for what is worthless.'

Keeping Lýkos Out of Trouble

Chapter 6

The five black cars stood at the entrance that early morning and Julian suppressed a sigh as big cars meant “big shots” were visiting Koiranos and most probably the man would be cranky in the afternoon instead of charming and talkative about his own study subjects.

“Assholes on parade,” he whipered to Lýkos and the wolfdog rose his ears, indicating he agreed with Julian's evaluation.

“Let's go to pick up those magazines and use the long way. It's not too cold today. We'll be back at noon and eat something good.” A vigorous shook of the tail showed Julian that Lýkos was happy with the plan.

Slowly the big dog left the boy's bedroom and walked towards the living room. “No, not that way. Kitchen today,” Julian said and tried to grab Lýkos by the choke collar, but he was faster and sprinted towards the end of the corridor, pushing the door open with one single push of his powerful paws.

The low and loud growl Julian heard coming from the living room could mean nothing good for his job or the person on the other end of Lýkos wrath.

Encounters

Bookstore El Ateneo-Grand Splendid, where
Guntram used to work.

Encounters

October 28^th, 2000

Buenos Aires

The closing of a thick folder with a dry thud was, in general, a very bad omen for all of Constantin Repin's men. “Boss, maybe there's something in the next file,” his henchman, Ivan Oblomov, spoke in a conciliatory tone.

“Number 72 or 73?” Constantin asked in that acrid tone that forewarned of nothing good for his people. “This is a pathetic waste of my time!”

“Boss, it isn't that bad. You’ve only seen a few photos,” Ivan said lamely. “I helped with the other folders too.”

“It's the least you can do, ‘Mr. Romanov’,” Constantin barked.

“Ouch! Boss, you can't still be cross about that! It's for the best! Imagine if you had to deal with all these vulgar fellows.”

“Am I your secretary? Your secretary?” Constantin hissed incensed.

“I said ‘personal assistant’, boss. That’s better than ‘secretary’.”

“Ivan Ivanovich, you do like to play with fire.”

Books and dogs

Chapter 5

The pompous Royal Holloway, University of London seal engraved over the brown kraft paper package, left over the desk in the bedroom was the last thing Julian expected to find no later than two weeks after his second “working interview” ever.

There had been nothing dangling in the air that could have forewarned Julian of the impending doom. He had diligently walked Lýkos; done a good job of keeping him well away from the strange people, riding in very expensive cars that came to visit his new boss; kept his black long hair shinning; the dinner warm and his more than reasonable anxiety at the lack of signal for his mobile phone well under control. Koiranos had not exchanged more words than “Good evening” or “Good night”, so Julian had believed, in all his innocence, that the “master” had forgotten all about his education plans.

There was nothing further away from reality as the package proved the young man's first impression that his new “master” was as inflexible regarding school as his late grandmother had been.

“Shit!” he cursed as he tore the paper. “It's all your fault,” he told the wolfdog, making himself comfortable for the customary nap that Julian had identified as the main culprit of his current misery.

TS 2 Part VI Chapter 15

Chapter 15

April 23^rd, 2012

Khanty Mansiysk

Unexpectedly the weather had turned into an early Spring and Guntram was able to get Konrad to the garden more frequently than in the previous months. The young baby had started to try to walk on his own since three months ago and was a source of permanent stress as he couldn't stay put in one place for more than ten minutes. Konrad loved to crawl at full speed everywhere and then, use anything as support, preferably people's trousers, to stand up and try from that point some trembling steps.

The house was getting small for him as he always could find something new to investigate. Sasha, the cat preferred to keep a safe distance from the baby and had taken a liking to sleep in high places to avoid the chubby hands that simply loved to pet his soft furry hair. All the household staff loved Konrad and the two maids and nanny were making shifts to have the baby with them.

Nevertheless, nothing could shake the terror off in Guntram's heart. No matter how nice the staff, Massaiev, the original guards or Constantin were, he feared for his child and was well aware that his son would pay any slip in his behaviour. That horrible night, almost half a year ago had finally made him understand that Constantin's nice and loving words were nothing more than a pretence and he was the cunning and ruthless killer Konrad had always spoken about.

Guntram feared his child could upset Constantin in any way and did his best to keep him quiet and away from the Russian's path, but he was always picking up the baby and playing with him. Konrad truly liked the man and crawled toward him at full speed, happy to be picked up and spoken in Russian.

Since Guntram's behaviour had improved so much, being attentive as ever and working diligently, never refusing to have sex with him, Constantin allowed more freedom to him, letting him take the baby to the city or even taking Guntram to Moscow to visit the Tretyakov Gallery once. Guntram had been unable to enjoy the voyage as the haunting thought that something bad could happen to his child in his absence, mercilessly tortured him.

Constantin couldn't understand the source of Guntram's fear. True, he had to put him back to his place using the baby, hating himself in the process, but since that day, nothing else had happened. Conor was a happy child and a few hours starving couldn't do much to a child. 'Guntram becomes hysterics when it comes to Con, but he gave me no other choice. Only six hours without a bottle and he almost went mad. Artists, even the nicest one, are nuts. A little crying and he almost killed himself. Unbelievable.'

'Fortunately, he has seen reason and obeys me. Maybe he loves me again when he calms down or maybe he never loves me, but he will remain with me. It's a pity we can't take Conor to a good school in Russia, but maybe we could move to America. The Order has not much influence there and Lintorff has given up to look for Fedia since mid 2011. All depends on Fedia's good behaviour. I believe he's finally subdued. We could move to Colorado; it's a nice and safe place to rise a child. He's growing so fast that sooner than I think, I will find myself with a primary school child. Con is sweet boy and good tempered as his father. To have him was my best idea so far.”

'But I don't think he will paint like his father. He likes construction blocks and tools too much and shows no interest for pencils. Maybe he wants to be an engineer like me. He will inherit a large fortune one day. He is so nice that I'm tempted to order a second one. Being only child is lonesome and we could spoil him, no matter how carefully my Fedia educates him. He must be the only baby in world history who doesn't get too dirty while eating. I wonder how he managed to achieve such miracle. Babies are natural born pigs.'

* * *

TS 2 Part VI Chapter 14

Chapter 14

December 2011

Khanty Mansyisk

Much to Guntram's dismay, the psychiatrist was a young woman in her mid thirties. With a man it would have been much easier for him to speak with but he had not idea of how to speak with a lady around his age. He had not seen many of them during his childhood and the women he had met in Switzerland could all had been his mother... or grandmother.

He briefly told her about his lapses, his lack of goals, his worries about being unfit to be a father, what had transpired when he took Konrad out of the house, showed her some of his paintings, the same he used to draw during his trances and nothing else.

Guntram feared he could get her into troubles if he spoke too much.

Nevertheless, she prescribed him anti-psychotic drugs in a blink of an eye much to his dismay. Only some blood tests after, he found several boxes in his hand and a recommendation of visiting her every two weeks.

Massaiev took away the medications and Guntram found a small white pill next to his morning tea every day. Around mid of November, the feeling of permanent terror began to subdue and he could concentrate more on his work and son, glad that his lapses seemed to have disappeared.

Contrary to his beliefs, the pill didn't make him drowsy or feel “high” as he had imagined. He felt at ease and more focused and aware of his surroundings. The Fall turned into Winter and his walks to the forest abruptly stopped. The temperature was too extreme for his taste and he preferred to remain inside the house with his child.

There's No Such Thing Like an Easy Job

Julian returns, so does Tionne from her holidays in... Sylt. 

Yes, you can laugh all what you want. 

No, I didn't bump into Konrad or Guntram there. 

Thank you very much for all the comments you left me over the past month. I will try to answer them over the weeks. 

Chapter 4

Instant-YOU. Connect with the world

TEXT: Got the best job ever. No sweat at all

MOOD: Happy

The Moving

The Moving

December 10^th, 2000

Buenos Aires

“God exists and he's Argentinean!” a very excited George shouted to his friends having breakfast at the Classic and Modern café that hot December Sunday morning. He slouched on the Thonet chair and gestured with the hand to the young girl at the turn-of-the-century marble counter. “It's suffocating out there!” he complained, letting his black dog's leash fall carelessly over a chair while the animal, without making a single noise, crouched at his feet.

“Is that not a cliché? So vulgar!” Pedro Antonio Lanusse smirked. “Did the Tax Office send an Adonis to your hair salon, and he will forgive you all your debts to them?”

“Something much better, but a lawyer like you couldn't imagine it in his wildest dreams,” George answered disdainfully to the much younger man, tall, dark-haired, and informally dressed in a white shirt, beige trousers and a yellow scarf knotted around his neck. 'So he doesn't miss his tie,’ thought George. ‘You don't wear such things unless you're over sixty!'

“Then regale us all with your adventures,” Pedro mocked him, mentally preparing himself for another story about a crazy little prima donna dying to be a TV popstar. 'When will he learn that he should act his age? Little boys mean only troubles and large bills.'

“Irony makes you look much older than you really are. How old are you by the way? Thirty-two? And you should stop shopping at Rhodes! That's for your father! It's friendly advice, Pedro. You need more colour in your life.”

“I represent several foreign firms, therefore I wear a tie. Should I wear a Hawaiian shirt?”

“Your mother selects your clothes, dear. Face the truth and you'll be a happier man.”

“No, she doesn't.”

“Will you tell us the story?” Juan Cruz interfered because he knew exactly where the argument was leading them: an epic fight between the young, conservative lawyer and the mature, radical hairdresser and image consultant. Too much for a Sunday morning. He took a cookie from his dish and discreetly offered it to Lola. The dog kept the secret, swallowing it in one bite and quickly returning to her original position.

“Yes, of course,” George answered while the young waitress served him his coffee and croissants with apricot marmalade and butter. “Thank you, darling. Could you give something to drink to Lola? The poor animal is exhausted with this heat.”

“Right away, sir. I saw Miss Luna yesterday on TV, at the awards gala, and that dress, the hair and the makeup were to die for,” she said very excited.

“To die for was to get her inside the dress. Juanjo is going to kill me when he sees that we had to cut the lining and add a triangle. The trained skirt effect was partly ruined,” he commented, and the waitress sighed at the memory of the long train, pink silk dress with marabou feathers. “If you like it, I can give it to you. He will not want it back, and it will look better on you than on her.”

“I can't accept it, sir. It's a Principessa!”

TS 2 Part VI Chapter 13

Chapter 13

October 22^nd, 2011

Khanty Mansiysk

For two days Constantin didn't let Guntram come near Konrad no matter how many times he pleaded to be allowed to see him. “Earn your privilege to be near him. You don't behave like a sensible person at all. You have everything you could want but yet, you reject it. That's quite a self destructive behaviour in my opinion. Not very sane, right?” Constantin had taunted him and Guntram remained speechless.

“I'll do anything you want. I'll stay here, but let me be with him,” he whispered.

“I'll think about it,” Constantin answered nonchalantly. “I'm also tired of your permanent tantrums and dramas. If you're nervous, take the pills the doctor prescribed you, but don't take it on me.” He left the underground bedroom without casting a glance at Guntram's huddled form.

Time passed slowly as his thoughts assaulted him. The loneliness was not so terrible as the uncertainty. Guntram was well aware that Constantin's patience with him was well over. He had played his last card and he had lost. 'He knows I don't love him, yet he wants me. If he were through with me, he would have killed me without a single second thought. He will not give up or feel any regrets like Konrad would. He has no mercy in his soul and we are only good for him as long as we are useful for him.'

'What does he mean by earn Conor's keep? It can't mean money. He has more than enough.'

'What does he want from me now? Should I completely bend to his will?'

'What if he hurts Klaus and Karl? He's still furious for what I did.'

'I'm a piece of shit as father. Maybe it's for the best that I'm not near Konrad. Constantin always took better care of him than I.'

'Maybe I'm finally losing my sanity.'

He remained in the bed without moving and waiting for any new development, knowing that he couldn't do anything else, knowing that he had been reduced to nothing.

Once more.

* * *

The Players

Frog by Fabergé. 1898.
Formerly living at Guntram's bedroom  in
Constantin's mansion  in London during TS 1

The Players

October 9^th, 2000

Punta del Este, Uruguay.

The young personal assistant was sweating as he waited for his superior at the Carrasco airport. One nervous look at Landau, the man in charge of the Sao Paulo office, convinced him that he was also upset and on the edge.

“On top, we will have to drive for two hours,” Landau mumbled. “The Duke will be furious.”

“Don't tell it to me. What on earth possessed Repin to rearrange the meeting there?” the personal assistant, an athletic blond, answered.

“We need him. Therefore, he sets the rules, Heindrik.”

As they talked, a group of seven tall, well-dressed men approached the crystal-steel doors, which automatically opened for them, and both waiting men stood to attention when they saw their superior, already bearing a very serious expression under his sunglasses.

“Welcome to Uruguay, sire,” Heindrik said courteously. “The cars are waiting for you.”

“Everything ready?” Konrad asked without stopping his stride or even casting a glance at the young man jogging after him.

“We have to drive to another city. Punta del Este. Mr. Repin insisted on changing the meeting place two hours ago. There was no time to modify your flight's schedule.”

Konrad stopped abruptly and looked at Heindrik, while Goran Pavicevic, his head of security, came forward. “We don't change places with such short notice,” the Serbian pointed out. “Even you know this, Holgersen.”

“The place is secure, sir. Belongs to our people.”

“Why the change?” barked Ferdinand von Kleist.

“Mr. Repin says that he finds the place amusing,” a mortified Heindrik blurted out. “Hotel Casino Conrad,” he confessed, and this time Konrad really looked at him.

“Russians are very childish,” was his sole answer. “We drive now.”

* * *

TS 2 Part VI Chapter 12

Chapter 12

October 9^th, 2011

Khanty Mansiysk

Guntram de Lisle's diary.

Today Conor turns one year old and he's simply amazing. Sometimes, I can't believe he's here with me or with Alexander. He's the greatest gift I could ever had and I love to see him growing so much at such a fast pace. He started to crawl a bit better since a month ago and we ran after him the whole day. Conor hates to stay in his playpen and wants to explore the house on his own. For him, a closed cabinet is impossible to resist.

Alexander lets him explore as much as he wants... within reason of course. He's very proud of Conor and he showed him to his business partners several times. Some of them come now to the house to have dinner and bring their wives or children along too.

Alexander treats me very well. He's always pending that I have everything I need and I'm happy with my child.

* * *

Of Greased Pigs and Schoolboys

Of Greased Pigs and Schoolboys

October 19^th, 1999

Buenos Aires

“Sir?”

“Yes, de Lisle?” the teacher, without rising his eyes from the paper he was grading, answered with all the ironic contempt his voice could muster.

“Excuse me, sir, but there is a hog in the window,” Guntram said very shyly as he looked at the rosy, small pig walking back and forth on the long Victorian window parapet.

“How many times do I have to repeat that ‘in’ means that the poor animal is embedded into said window? The proper formulation for that sentence is... Any idea, de Lisle?” the teacher corrected him as the whole class did their best to hold their snickers in check.

“I mean, there is a pig at the window, sir,” the just turned seventeen-year-old blond youth replied in a shaky voice.

“That's much better, boy,” the old man said and returned to his papers, not paying any more attention to his student.

“Excuse me, sir, but it might fall from the window,” Guntram insisted shyly but desperately, looking how carelessly the hog paced along the narrow parapet, softly grunting as if searching for invisible truffles.

“From any other of your fellows, I would have expected such a childish prank, but from you, de Lisle? This is most annoying. Can you please explain me where is the fun in your little charade? Do I have to interrupt my own work and look at the window for your schoolmates' entertainment?” the old teacher answered with studied procrastination, stubbornly keeping his short-sighted eyes fixed on his papers.

“No, sir. May I take it out to the garden?” Guntram asked once more, and the teacher slammed his fist against the desk, furiously rising from his seat to face...

A small pig pacing back and forth on the window's parapet.

Fast as a comet, the animal jumped from the parapet and dashed for the classroom’s mysteriously open door as one of the teenagers used his pen as a blowgun, accurately hitting its hindquarters.

The squawking creature ran out down the corridor like a possessed soul, and the whole classroom, without waiting for their teacher's permission, went in its pursue, yelling their excitement to hunt such a dangerous beast.