TS 3 Chapter 6

Chapter 6

August 12^th, 2015 

Cavalli Islands. New Zealand

“There's something I want to show you,” Constantin shook Guntram awake. 

Still groggy, Guntram opened his eyes and watched the barely containing his laughter man. “We might have busted the trading ghost.” 

“What?” 

“Come with me,” Constantin pulled Guntram from the bed and the young man followed him, crossing the corridor to the library Constantin used as his office. “Just watch,” he pointed at the iMac large screen. “We have it in HD, too.” 

Guntram rubbed his eyes and heard a chuckle before Constantin pressed the play of a video of his children's corridor. Right under the Abstract blue painting, he saw Kurt's door open slightly, wait for a few seconds before his head emerged and peered both sides. On tip toes, the boy crossed the corridor and entered in his brother's room and quickly left it, carrying in his arms Kostya's beloved plush frog. 

“I'm killing him,” Guntram mumbled as he watched his son carefully closing his brother's door. “On top, he’s suppressing evidence.” 

“It's not over,” chuckled Constantin as he fast forwarded the film some twenty minutes. 

Guntram never expected to see his youngest child's sleepy face to come out of his room and walk like a duck to his brother's room, disappear inside it and emerge carrying, half-dragging the very expensive Nao robot Kurt loved above everything. Just as his brother had done, he closed the door behind him but left his own one open in his haste to return to bed. 

TS 3 Chapter 5

Chapter 5

August 9^th, 2015 

Zurich 

'Who the hell cares about a lesbian in prison? She did a bit of trafficking and she's down. As if a soap and beauty potions business and a whiny boyfriend are going to change a thing.' 

Alexei grabbed the beer bottle on the coffee table and grimaced at sight of the label. 'Not a fancy thing again. Can't he buy normal beer? From the supermarket? What the hell is this thing?' He took a long sip and grimaced again with deep disgust for a brief second before his facial expressions went back to normal when he saw Jean Jacques enter the room and sit next to him. 

“I can't wait to see if she really did that awful Pennsatucky.” 

'Who the hell is that tart?´Alexei was well knowledgable on the consequences of asking as Jean Jacques considered to be a sin any display of ignorance about his favorite TV series. “We'll find it out soon,” he said instead and left the bottle on the table. 

“Where's your glass?” 

“It's a beer,” Alexei nearly moaned. 

“Double the crime. How many times have I told you that glasses have a reason to be. Let it breath before you swallow it. It's a Weissbier! You're shaking everything inside it!” 

“You know I like Budweisser,” Alexei protested mildly.

“I'm sure you'll find an open fuel station to get one at this hour,” Jean Jacques ostensibly picked up the remote control and switched the TV on. 

“Fine,” Alexei growled, rose from the sofa, walked to the kitchen and took one of the large glasses, returned to the sofa and began to pour the dark amber liquid inside it, just as Michael and Ferdinand had taught him to do. 

The TV’s flickering images meant nothing to Alexei and he could almost not follow the plot. After the fourth “you lesbianing!” yelled by a girl with serious dental care problems, Alexei shut down his mind to the noise ambiance and focused on the real matters at hand as he distractedly petted Jean Jacques' head. 

'The duke is nuts. The prison turned him nuts. There's no other rational explanation for all this shit. Letting Guntram go? With all what he has on us? That's suicidal!' 

'It's all Goran's fault. He should have stayed away from that lawyer. If he was conspiring with di Mattei, I would have fixed things with my own team. If they bark, they don't bite. Don't they know that already?

'Where could he be? He isn't in any Arabic country, that's for sure. But where? I have to get him back before the duke finally explodes and Goran screws things up again.' 

'But how? This time he really disappeared.'

'That lawyer left him several millions if Gorgazali told me the truth. That guy a real piece of shit; a filthy alley-cat always falling on its paws. “All was a misunderstanding” he tells Goran and he buys it! Di Mattei showed more class and shot dead a few idiots before he capitulated!'

'If Guntram has millions, then he could be anywhere!' Once more, Alexei’s recurring headache said hello to his brain and Alexei grimaced but quickly forced a smile before Jean Jacques would suspect that he hated the TV show.  

'Yet Guntram has the money but not the know-how. He needs someone for that and the Argentinian has had no contact with him in the past weeks. Who else does he know who can pull a stunt like that?' Alexei gulped down one of the focaccia toasts and heard Jean Jacques huffing at his lack of manners. Alexei ate the next toast with small bites. 

'Repin but that's crazy.' 

'Guntram is crazy considering the things he does. If he was furious because of that man's accident, he should have talked to me or Goran. No, Goran no. Maybe Ferdinand or Michael.' 

'And he has something Repin wants; Kurt.'

'No, that's too crazy, even for Guntram's standards.' 

'Yet he's been the best Hochmeister we had in years. Better than the duke.' 

'Could it be? It's unthinkable but Guntram always makes these wild twists in the middle of any river he's crossing. He turned everything upside down in less than a week and we're getting richer and more powerful everyday.' 

‘It must be Repin.’

'How do I find that piece of shit?'

TS3 Chapter 4

Chapter 4

June 17^th, 2015

Auckland 

“Will you lighten up? You're depressing everybody around you,” Constantin huffed once Guntram sat in the leather couch at the doctor's office. 

“I'm sorry for being in mourning.” Guntram answered back. 

“I envy Kurt for going to the Aquarium with Dima and his daughter.” Constantin rose his eyes to the cream pastel ceiling dramatically. 

“How do you know a personal shopper for children?” Guntram put away the iPad he had.  

“Don't tell me she didn't come in handy.” Constantin answered disdainfully. “You'd have died of a heart attack if you'd had to check all those stores.” 

“She knew you very well and not even you can be so obsessive compulsive as to have all this prepared in advance.” 

“Ah, preparation is all in my line of work,” Constantin sauntered and Guntram huffed back. “Be quiet now, you're starting to sound like an old wife. It doesn't suit the Instagram star.” 

Guntram had to bit his lips to prevent himself from starting a fight with Constantin in the middle of a fancy hospital's waiting room. “Be glad, you have a famous boyfriend. For the first time,” he answered with false sweetness. 

“The thirties don't suit you well too. What happened to the doe-eyed boy I knew?” 

“Lived with you and Konrad for nearly fifteen years.” 

TS 3 Chapter 3

Chapter 3

June 15^th, 2015

Abu Dhabi Airport

“Otets!!” Kurt yelled as he strongly pulled Guntram's jacket to get his attention. Guntram looked down at the little boy, astonished by the use of that unfamiliar word and his eyes followed the small finger pointed well beyond his back. 

Guntram's blood froze when he saw the figure standing in front of him. Kurt disentangled himself from Guntram's hold and ran to the man, quickly jumping to his open arms. 

'He can't possibly remember him,' Guntram shook his head as the phrase went over and over through his head. He felt dizzy and needed to support himself against the pristine marble corridor wall. The coldness of the material permeated itself through his jacket and shirt; his back spine could feel each irregularity in the stone. He lifted his eyes to look beyond Constantin's frame and saw Dima and three other men he vaguely remembered from his years in Siberia. 

Constantin prattled in Russian with his child although the boy couldn't say many words and even less form a full sentence but the way he clung to the man's neck showed how happy he was to see Constantin again. 

The Russian smiled, kissed the child on the cheek and quickly passed him to the arms of Dima who also spoke a few words to him, making him smile. With long strides, the men walked away and Guntram sprang to his feet and walked towards them but Constantin's stare silenced him. 

“Of all the stupid things you've done in your life, Guntram, this is by far the greatest.” Constantin used that calm, slow and patronizing tone he employed each time he was about to explode in a burst of deadly violence. 

Guntram took three steps back as his eyes followed the four men quickly going away. 

“Are you really considering to throw a tantrum in an Islamic country, Guntram? Remember, Dima is a Muslim Chechen and he has the upper hand over you.” Constantin said softly as threw a disdainful gaze over Guntram. 

Guntram forced himself to calm down and quiet his mind, bombarding him with thousands of questions. 'Panicking won't help me,' he told to himself. 

TS 3 Chapter 2

Chapter 2

June 12^th, 2015

Geneva

“You and the child must stay with us. I insist.” Charles de Mornay fidgeted with his dish. The old banker was truly concerned about his nephew.  

“I'm afraid this could only cause you more problems, Charles.” Guntram answered meekly, unable to find a delicate way to refuse his “adoptive” uncle’s help; he was well aware that if the old couple had agreed to see him, it was because of his mother’s memory and nothing else. 

“Nonsense,” Clara protested. “I want to spend more time with this gentleman and we are family. I loved your mother as if she were my daughter and Jerôme brought you several times to my home before you left for Buenos Aires. You were such a cute baby!”

“Papa was a baby?” Kurt frowned at the thought. “Really?” 

TS3 Book IX The Hochmeister

Book IX

Chapter 1

Guntram de Lisle's diary 

June 11^th, 2015

Geneva

I never thought he would do something like this. I know he's a compulsive liar and most of the time he lies out of  habit. 

But never to this extent. 

I'm staying with Kurt at a hotel, glad that he's in bed, sleeping like a log, after dragging him to the train and then, looking for a place to stay. At least I had enough cold blood as to gather all our papers before leaving. 

I'll probably need new papers to avoid the Order but if anything happens with the police, I’ll still keep the original ones. 

The morning started quite normally. I was feeling much better and decided to finally drive to my flat in Zurich and start working again. The boys went to school and Marko drove me to the city. Just as I had imagined, everything was pristine and set in order with the exception of my atelier where the people who brought part of my things to the house, had made a little mess. I began to make a list of the things I needed to replace. 

The bell rang and there was Julius, exuberant as always. He just stormed  my place saying that he was so happy to see me alive and began to tell about all what I've missed the past eleven months. I was a bit overwhelmed by his prattle but did my best to follow him. He knew a lot of stories and was trying to talk me into returning to the public spot and that I was a fool to reject “Big Brother”. 

“No, that was the best thing I did in my life.” I said and he frowned. “The lawyers had to work hard to get me out of the hook of that contract with those awful watches. I'm sorry for Marina but I'm not ready to face all that jazz again.” 

“I'm so sorry about that lawyer. It shows how fragile everything is,” he sighed. 

TS 3 Chapter 23

Chapter 23 

Guntram de Lisle's diary 

January 12^th, 2015

Christmas holidays are over and the boys are back in school -the most marvelous invention in human history-. Since the holidays started on December 22^nd all my time had been taken hostage by Klaus, Karl and Kurt... and the cousins shipped by Carolina to us. At first, I thought that it was a good idea to have two little girls of their age around, but Maria and Carolina are quite handful and then, we added little Marco, 13, who did his best to become gang leader but was left out of the game by Kurt in less than a week. That added some frictions to the whole thing. 

It was a whole day long fight; just as if you were trapped -with no parole- inside of a Tom and Jerry's cartoon... but all the children cried the day Albert's children were sent back to Italy. My own cousin took a leave of absence the moment he saw the Italian Lintorffs in full. It was too much for Eberhard's nerves. I still don't know how Friederich could cope with Konrad, Albert, Armin and Ferdinand every summer and even get them to do some “cultural stuff”. 

Truth to be told I haven't done much in the past months. The first weeks after I returned from hospital, I didn't do much besides reading a bit and sleeping the whole time. I only was up when the boys were coming to do their homework and stay with me until bedtime. I guess I was depressed over my father's doings and recovering from the heart surgery. Leaving the bed was already a huge task for me. I felt beaten after doing the smallest thing, like going to the toilet or eating a full meal. The best I could do was to lay down and let the boys show me their things and help them a little. They were sent back to the house at 8 p.m and I was asleep at 9 p.m. 

TS 3 Chapter 22

Chapter 22 

October 8^th, 2014

Zurich 

The half an hour car ride had been almost a trial for Guntram. Perhaps arguing with Konrad in the morning, during his brief visit before work, had had something to do with the feeling of absolute misery Guntram was experiencing when the large Mercedes parked in front of the summer cottage outside the castle. 

“Why don't we go to the main house?” he asked Anke, the nurse, sitting next to him. 

“Stairs, too many stairs,” the woman answered shaking her head gloomily. “You can't climb them and you won't want to be all the time trapped in the bedroom.” 

“Why are you always so bossy?” Guntram couldn't help to blurt out. 'She nearly drove the chauffeur mad with all her remarks. Don't go there, be careful, don't speed. This man is going to resign tonight.' 

“Because I'm your nurse and I clearly told you I didn't want to see you ever again in my ward. You didn't pay attention to me and now I will set things right,” she answered and Guntram sighed. 

'That was like fourteen years ago. Now I see why Konrad was saying she's like a Panzer.' He looked helpless how the poor bodyguard was shushed away by the lady when he tried to open the door for Guntram. 'Poor Martin, he's on her wrong side now.' With difficulty, Guntram managed to stand up and before she could say something for moving around without help, he greeted Monika, who quickly placed herself between the young man and his nurse. 

“I'm so glad to see you on your feet again,” Monika kissed Guntram effusively and ushered him to the house before he could say anything. 

“Am I staying here?” he asked once he was inside and one of the maids took his coat away. 

“The Duke ordered this house to be fitted for you, darling. The stairs it that old house are too much for anyone. They're everywhere.”

'Kicked out like an old dog,' Guntram thought but only forced a smile for Monika. He crossed the small foyer to enter in the cosy living room where he and Konrad used to come in the early summer to read while the boys played outside. 

TS3 Chapter 21

Chapter 21

September 11^th, 2014 

London 

'Kostya may have inherited Galina's genius but he certainly inherited Guntram's obsessive constance for perfection,' Constantin sighed loudly when the child started again to bang the piano in the nursery upstairs. 

'Hannon, number twelve now.' Constantin recognized the set of scales the child played for the thousandth time that morning. 

'Guntram was depleting ream after ream when he was obsessed with achieving something; nothing that the cleaning lady couldn't take away and make us all happy.' Constantin took away his eyes from the freshly printed papers he was getting out of the laser printer standing next to him. The headache gave him nausea but he stubbornly focused on the reading, doing his best to ignore the music coming from the room upstairs. 

He was very sorry to have bought the piano for Kostya. 

'Now I know why nobody ever wrote a novel about Mozart's neighbors. They all moved away after a week.'

'I'll give a bonus to that stupid music teacher if she can persuade him to play something different, like a tune or something.'

TS 3 Chapter 20

Chapter 20

Guntram de Lisle's diary 

September 5^th, 2014 

It's been quite a week but at least Konrad and I smoothed some of the issues between us. I did exactly as he told me and the portrait was sent to London on Tuesday. Ostermann was happy about it and glad it was all over. He was beginning to doubt my ability to finish it and to be honest, I also. But it was like with Stefania's painting; finished in seven days by sheer miracle. I worked on it during the nights I couldn't sleep because Konrad was at the hospital. It's not a masterpiece, but the falcon looks great; if we could just cut that part and frame it, we would have a winner. 

On Wednesday, Gulya phoned me to tell me how happy she was. She had “framed” and was placing it over the mantelpiece for everyone to admire it. I was a bit puzzled because I swear I paid for a frame and said something like “didn't you like the one I chose?” 

No, she loved it but the “other”; the drawing was too delicate to have it unprotected. I swear I lost my wits there. 

“The oil with Merlin goes directly to the Modern Arts Museum in Abu Dhabi, darling. I'm putting the nude on display!” 

I couldn't speak and she spilled the whole story; she had shown photos of the thing with the mean parrot to Altair and he said something like “a beautiful depiction of a lady; it would look fantastic at the new Museum; we're associated with the Louvre and looking for new things and artists”; and so on.

The thing was sold on the spot on Wednesday night and shipped to UEA because it's so “classical” and “maidenly” that it complies with all Islamic regulations for having Western Art hanging from their walls. 

Shit! Konrad will kill me when the father of the model sees the virtues of his daughter spread all over the marble mantelpiece. 

TS 3 Chapter 19

Chapter 19

Guntram de Lisle's diary

September 2^nd, 2014 

A sort of colder than the Arctic peace has been established between Konrad and I. I moved downstairs and sleep there but we still do “things together” like taking the boys to their new school, speaking with the new teachers, going once to the zoo (but that was a fiasco as people I never saw in my life suddenly felt the urge of asking for autographs, selfies, kisses or whatever they came up with. I had to leave my family behind so they wouldn't be disturbed by “fans”) 

Needless to say, Konrad was very upset with me (not with them, “brainwashed media cretins” as he called them) Then, he was angry when he saw two or three media pieces about me. “This is worse than with Stefania,” he told me and I had to bit my lips to prevent myself from saying; “I was gathering support for you, asshole!” My ruse certainly played off because he got nothing but a small article in the Financial Times telling about his release and fine. No journalists banging on his door because they're busy banging on mine. 

We had a row over Altair's offer to buy the building and even if I showed him the papers rejecting it, he was pissed off with my father for even taking it into consideration (?) I showed him the many other offers we got and rejected and said the truth; we were cashless and I had no idea if the HFT thing was going to work at all. The row had no clear winner but we both were certainly upset with each other for a few days. 

Someone showed him that stupid photo of me and Altair in that stupid party and he went ballistic with me again and I didn't know if the cause was his natural jealousy or if he was angry that “a Muslim” was breathing next to me. Who knows. He made a scene of epic proportions for somebody who isn't any longer “sexually attracted” to me. 

I'm starting to see how the whole thing is going to be; he wants to be friends without sex but if any man or woman breaths next to me, he will explode in one of his jealousy fits. Konrad is like the dog in the manger.  

TS 3 Chapter 18

Chapter 18

Guntram de Lisle’s diary

August 19^th, 2014 

“You didn't come to bed last night,” Guntram's soft voice broke the dense silence engulfing the small living room. A sombre Konrad rose his eyes from the iPad where he had been reading the news. 

“It was very late and I didn't want to disturb you. I slept in the blue room.” 

“I was waiting for you,” Guntram insisted softly. 

“I'm afraid that both our medical conditions will refrain us from sharing the bed for a few months more.” Konrad answered. 

“I'm perfectly aware of it but we can still sleep together.” 

“We'll see,” mumbled Konrad as he returned to his digital newspaper. Guntram drank his tea as the room fell again in complete silence.

TS 3 Chapter 17

Chapter 17

August 17^th, 2014 

Veiled tears, fighting to fall from Konrad's eyes were the last thing Guntram wanted to see. He would have preferred a thousand times to have Konrad openly crying than doing his best to keep his emotions in check. Self restraining never brought anything good to them; Konrad would withdraw to himself and become silent. A silence Guntram feared. 

Carefully and feeling full of doubts, Guntram placed his head on Konrad's shoulder and took his hand within his. He hoped that his presence would be enough deterrence to prevent Konrad from falling into the dark abyss of cold fury he well knew. 

“Why didn't you tell me before?” Konrad whispered furiously.  

“You were very sick and then... I couldn’t do it,” Guntram admitted with a broken voice. “I didn't want to make you... sad.” 

“Didn't you think that I had the right to know?” 

“I did but I thought it was for the best.” 

“I didn't attend his funeral, Guntram. Friederich was like my father.” 

“The judge didn't allow it when it happened and then, you couldn't have come. He's resting next to your father, just as you wanted.” 

“He died while I was in prison. I failed him.” 

“No, you didn't! It was a set up...” 

“Please.” Konrad put his right hand on Guntram's lips to silence him. “I want to see him now.” He rose from the bed and walked towards the door. “Alone if you don't mind,” he added before he closed the door behind him. 

*  * * 

TS 3 Chapter 16

Chapter 16

August 17^th, 2014. Sunday 

Zurich

The summer was nearly at its end but Konrad was utterly fed up with the view of the glistening water and boats. He had seen nothing else for the past weeks since his heart attack. Each time he rose his eyes from a book or a newspaper smuggled by the “Bulle”, the boats would be there; gently rocking.

Despite Konrad had been staying in the hospital for almost a month, he still couldn't find any logic to the sanitary staff habits. He would be woken up at six in the morning to get an army of nurses and young doctors asking how he felt and extracting blood; getting his room cleaned up to the walls and being given breakfast. At eight, all of them would disappear, not to return until seven p.m and repeat the same ritual. He should consider himself blessed if one of the doctors would deem necessary to perform any further tests on him so his boredom wouldn't be so overwhelming. 

On working days, Guntram would visit him for an hour or two. He would be nice and lovable as always but keep his mouth closed regarding anything that wasn't family, the weather or the books Konrad was reading. Ferdinand had once called Guntram “a Calvinist of the worst kind” and now Konrad was beginning to understand how close to the truth his friend had been. Guntram had promised to obey the prison's regulations regarding communications and he wouldn't falter for a single moment in his determination to keep him out of trouble. 

'Nothing surprising here. He didn't speak to me for two years.' 

On Sundays, they had agreed that Guntram would take the children to the service and then, somewhere else like the zoo or a museum. Sundays were the most boring day of the week. 

TS 3 Chapter 15

Chapter 15

July 30^th, 2014 

London 

Dima's pouting face was enough proof to Constantin that his henchman was about to explode. Flying to London had been a bad idea. The city had changed so much in the past seven years that the Russian couldn't recognize it any more. 

Constantin had had enough of the countryside quietness and needed to see some action. He took the plane and flew to London with Kostya. The two-year-old watched everything wide eyed; the tall buildings and all the people walking down the elegant streets briskly. 

According to Constantin's original plan, his new house in Knightsbridge, with its interior yard would be a lovely place for his child to play in while he visited art galleries. Constantin had brought the nanny along so he could escape to a gallery or to a theatre in the evening. 

But the loud music and boisterous laughs from the mansions at both sides of his home, had forced him to change his mind. The finding of some female lingerie along with champagne bottles scattered in his own yard had killed all Constantin’s hopes of letting the child play there. 

Young people from the Middle East celebrating the end of Ramadan -along with a roaring Lamborghini under his window- was the final straw to break Constantin's nerves. Rap music was something he hated with passion and seeing his baby covering his ears while he cried because of the noise, was too much for his patience. 

Just when he was going to take justice into his hands, a well aimed watermelon flew from one of his windows to smash itself against the shiny, golden car windshield. A furious Dima ran over him and began to shout in Arab with the wild youths and their call-girls right in the middle of the street. The only word Constantin could understand was “haya” as Dima reminded them of their Islamic duties. 

The roaring cars’ noise came to a halt but the indoors party remained. 

TS 3 Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Guntram de Lisle's diary

July 22^nd, 2014 

I started the day very early. At 4.00 a.m. to be precise. I was never an early bird, but this was simply ridiculous. At 5:30 a.m. I took the plane to Rome and at 9:00, I was in San Capistrano, ready for the stupid second photo shooting. How top models do this every day is beyond me. I have a growing respect for them. 

Once more, the nice journalist, Mariana Paschi was there like in Zurich, and she quickly chose where she wanted to make the photos; the living room, the corridor, the stairs and under some of the pictures in Konrad's collection. We spoke about art and that was it. She and her photographer left at twelve, just as agreed.

I gathered my papers and the special package I had to deliver in Bari. I couldn't trust anybody with it. Maybe one of my father's men, but something inside me told me to go by myself. After all, I nearly destroyed the cup last night. It was the most stupid accident. I had Enrico's copy of the cup and I took it to the cabinet where the original was kept. I took the copy out of its box and compared it with the original. Both were identical. I felt a bit bad about “cheating” the Order with the copy but I'm more and more doubtful about our abilities and commitment to our Lord, Jesus Christ. 

I took the original and closed my eyes because once more, its shiny nature was giving me the creeps. This is no ordinary glass. I carefully placed the cup inside its velvet layered wooden box and did my best to cover it well, so no harm would befall upon it. I closed the lid and placed the box on top of one of the benches. I closed the tabernacle again, I knelt down in front of the real chalice with the forms and turned around to pick up the box. 

It fell from my hands. 

The box was slippery as butter. 

I closed my eyes and swore because I was sure the crystal wouldn't have survived the fall. I know my left hand is generally useless and I hardly use it, but this time there was no cause for the accident. I had gripped it well. 

I opened the box, expecting to find the chalice in shards but it was perfect. Not a single scratch on it. Without thinking it, I mumbled “Thank you, God,” and pressed the closed again box against my chest. 

I don't know how to describe it and probably it was the product of my stress and imagination but the thing felt warm. Warm as hot. A kind of warm that comforts you and suddenly, I knew I had to take it to Bari by myself. The warmth also gave me strength to continue with all the tasks that laid in front of me. 

“You're not happy here too,” I said to the cup and bit my lips because speaking with things leads to you know what. I had enough with Russia. I walked to the bench in front of Friederich's tombstone and sat there for a long time. 

“I wish you were still here and tell me what you think,” I said to Friederich and in a way, it didn't feel strange to be speaking with someone gone. “I'm doing my best to get Konrad home.” I said. “I only wish that you were here to see him back.” 

In that precise moment, I knew we were going to be fine. Don't ask me why because I don't know and there's still a lot to do before I have him back, but I just knew it. 

TS 3 Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Guntram de Lisle's diary

July 13^th, 2014. Sunday

Today was a strange day. Maybe I'm too set in my old ways or as usual living in the wrong century. I'm still getting over Friederich's but it's hard not to see him in the mornings or in the afternoons. Following John's advise to relax a bit (or “do some me-time”) I decided to give a second chance to Gulya's portrait and finish it. I'm also getting sick of having that thing pending since forever. 

In the morning, Pater Bruno came for the mass and it was hard to cope with it because everything made us remember Friederich. His presence was everywhere in the chapel and I couldn't stop looking at his tombstone, next to Karl Heinz'. I hope they rest in peace now. I had lunch with the boys and asked them if they wanted to come with me to my old flat, just to pick some things I needed and the twins found “a previous engagement” in their busy agendas and went to play with some friends from their former school. Not everybody had an account with us, it seems. 

After bribing Kurt with the promise of a piece of cake at Sprüngli (we are still banned from the other (and better) confiserie) I took him to my flat, doing my best to ignore his big pout in the back seat. 

The place was empty and that was very welcome change. No journalists, protesters or fans around. I guess they also take Sundays off. 

As I knew where my stuff was and I only needed a few minutes inside, I parked at the main entrance and as I was getting Kurt out of his chair, I heard two muffled yells of excitement. Standing behind me there were two Asian girls bouncing like rabbits. Even Kurt looked at them in total disbelief. 

“You are he!” one yelled at me and I was speechless as usual. I saw the doorman running towards me and the back up car nearly hitting my own car with the gas they gave when they saw the two dangerous ninjas in ponytails and colorful handbags. 

“We've been waiting to see you for so long!” the other girl cried and Fedérico and Marko nearly jumped on their necks for “security breaching”. 

“I'm afraid we don't know each other, ladies.” The whole thing was ridiculous because it had started to rain and they were still there. 

Chapter 12

Chapter 12

Guntram de Lisle's Diary 

July 10^th, 2014

Speaking with my “grand-uncle” wasn't as horrible as I thought it would be. Of course, Monika lost her fingers dialing his office number but she took with lots of sport the “dragon-secretary” at the end of the line. As I was imagining, Charles de Mornay had little interest to see me, especially after what happened to Nicholas Lefebre. I understand that this was too much and that Goran crossed every line when little Mirko killed the poor man. He was in league with the Masons, true. He and Michel for years gladly helped Constantin to hide his money and played a part in my kidnapping, but his brutal murder was too much. 

In a way, I'm glad I sent Mirko away. I heard that he's in France and I pity the people on whom he will vent his frustration. Komtur Lahon was thinking of letting him loose in Nice and save himself all the cleansing work. 

TS 3 Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Guntram's de Lisle diary. 

July 1^st, 2014

To say that when it rains, it pours, is bullshit. I mean, nothing can describe what our family is going through. We are covered in shit and we are not even halfway through the storm. We lost our father. Friederich was our father and we lost him. And then, we nearly lost Konrad. I feel guilty because I can't mourn Friederich as I should but I'm sick worried about my love. 

In the early morning, Dr. Wagemann phoned me and told me that Konrad's constants were fine considering the situation and that he had passed the night well. He told me to pass by the clinic at six p.m., when things would be calmer. His results were good but Dr. van Horn would explain me more later. 

I went home and tried to work but I focused all my energy in speaking with the lawyers and accountants to start settling the transfers. At five, I drove back to the hospital and the gate was again crowded with journalists of the tabloid kind. Some days, I wish that the rotweillers wouldn't only be released at night. 

I spoke long with Dr. van Horn and the surgeon who performed the surgery on Konrad, Dr. Linzer. Both are optimistic and tell me that everything will be fine though Konrad will have to understand that his life is going to change; I got the talk for the relatives of a heart patient. Sometimes, it isn't that great to be on the other side of the street. According to the tests results, Konrad suffered a transmural infarction meaning the re-vascularization of the zone (if at all) will take a long time. Many pills per day, diet and no stress at all; he can kiss goodbye his crazy lifestyle and consider retirement at 56 if he wants to see his 70s. 

TS 3 Chapter 10

Chapter 10

June 30^th, 2014

Zurich

Despite the looming sensation oppressing his heart, Guntram decided to ignore all what he had read in the press and continue to work. Two days of rest had been enough to make him feel better again. The world wasn't going to stop while he licked his wounds and the competition wouldn't be more considerate to him just because one crazy journalist had suggested his marriage was incestuous. 

It drove him very nervous that in google his name's results had increased from 42.000 to 632.000 almost overnight. The wretched school photo used by the tabloid was now on the first result for “images” followed by Stefania's portrait. Someone had dug up the story of Konrad's first wedding and... he had violently shut down his laptop after reading the first blogger's ideas about it. 

Everything was a freaking circus and Twitter was the Roman Arena. 

'Everybody knew Konrad was no saint,' he told himself for the fifth time during that hour as his eyes struggled to keep track of the line in the contract he was trying to read. 'I forgave him for that lie.' 

'I really did,' he told himself once more. 

'I only need to wait till the waters calm down. Anyway, my social life was already in the trashcan.' 

TS 3 Chapter 9

Chapter 9

June 30^th, 2014

Zurich  

As usual, the round guard had brought him another book. Konrad did his best to suppress his sigh of annoyance. Maybe the man was a member, but he was not going to trust him if everything was so “in the open”. The many news articles the fat man had smuggled inside his cell drove Konrad very nervous. Almost everything about the Order had been exposed; meeting calendars, member names, some old operations dating from the nineties but nothing new. Somebody had been talking too much to that horrible newspaper which had made his life so hard in the past when journalists like that Trevor Jones were all the time trying to lure his impressionable young love into their traps. The cleaning had not been thoroughly enough and now, mainstream media was publishing their rants. 

All his days were spent in contemplation of who could be responsible for his predicament because Roger was well dead and he had been the press main source of information.  

Laying on top of the screwed to the wall desk there was a hardbound copy of “The Wealth of Nations”, once more left by his “contact” with the outside world. If the man was choosing such a large volume, it meant he had a lot to tell him. 

'Funny sense of humor. At least it’s a classic I haven't read in... forty years?'

The newspaper clip was hidden in the third chapter and Konrad debated with himself if he should read it or not. It was infuriating to feel so... vulnerable, useless, cut off from the world. Knowledge, in this case, was a curse. He had always been ahead of  events, carefully controlling the turmoil of his decisions, but now, he wasn't able to order somebody to bring him a glass of water. 

TS 3 Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Guntram de Lisle's diary

June 24^th, 2014

Zurich

Once Father Patricio told me that the hardest rocks to squeeze were rich people. Getting two pennies out of a homeless man was easier than getting them from a millionaire. 

How right he was! 

Today I met with all the families of the people arrested. Monika, came to me in the morning and with red-rimmed eyes told me that she could only give me 12 million Swiss Francs. “It's all what we have, dear. My first husband had money and with Michael we didn't make that much. I can't sell the house at the moment. These are our entire savings. The boys agree with me that Michael deserves it.” 

“I know, Monika.” I told her and I know it's true. Michael has brains but nothing else. All what he has made comes from the bank, and Monika, she was almost broken after her divorce and battle for the kids. She had to work for Konrad to get enough money to pay for their educations. 

Twelve million is a lot of money for she and her sons. Maybe six or seven belong to Michael.  

“Your support means a lot to me.” I told her. “I hope we don't need to take so much from you.” 

TS 3 Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Guntram de Lisle's diary

June 19^th, 2014

My father has a funny sense of humor and I'm saying that just because I don't want to strangle him.

On the other hand, I'm sure that Gandini sent “my godfather” so I don't kill him right away. Fefo says that I have a very bad temper and that I snap at everyone, including a poor soul like he. “Guti, you terrified those poor hippies. They're only ecologists; there was no need to threat them with bankruptcy, property seizure and the seven-year embargo or whatever it's called in Germany. They only wanted to make a point.” 

Right. Make a point by striking on me. As if I didn't have enough trouble. 

Well, Gandini sent Michel and he told me.

“Do you want the good or the bad news first?” 

TS3 Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Guntram de Lisle's diary

June 16^th, 2014

Pubs aren't so bad for business. In fact, I think I might be starting a trend. After a hellish Sunday when my plans to paint in order to reduce my stress went to hell, I had little hope for Monday. 

First, I had to tell St. Claude that I was closing down the trading section. Temporarily. Second, I had to inform him that we were going back to the old and boring traditional banking business and the most exciting things that we were going to do was a takeover or a merge. Third, we were going to focus more on the new technologies (development of trading platforms for third parties and virtual coins). Fourth, creation of our own virtual trading platform for metals with an emphasis on physical storage of the goods. No more Comex for us. Fifth, why don't we play a mayor role in leading crowfunding projects? We could well design a platform for that. 

TS 3 Chapter 5

Chapter 5

June 13^th, 2014

At three, Guntram was able to drive to the Airport. In order to avoid the press people literally camping at the castle's gate, he asked one of his bodyguards to drive him in one of the “support” cars alone. No extra security or nothing that could rise the reporters' suspicions. 

He had had enough with that one single visit to the courtrooms to answer some silly questions about his commercial relationship with Konrad. There had been journalists everywhere and they were determined not to miss the story of the “gay billionaires” leaked thanks to those American fools.

Along with the paparazzi and journalists, the protesters, lead by Trevor Jones' heirs, were shouting “death to bankers” or “death to crusaders”. 

Just the sight of the blaring circus had been enough to make Guntram feel very sick. He would have loved to turn around, but it was impossible as Michel had told him; he couldn't miss the opportunity to speak with the judge one on one. So Guntram put on his sternest face and descended from the car, surrounded by bodyguards who didn't mind to push two or three journalists down. 

Guntram didn't bother to tell “no comments” to the many questions fired in German, English, French and Spanish at him. 

TS 3 Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Guntram de Lisle's diary

June 9^th, 2014

Today Michel was able to visit Konrad. He didn't tell me much, only that he's all right and that was it. Michel thinks that the judge will have to set a bail soon, perhaps at the end of the week. Most of our accounts are still frozen and I had to order some of the Serbs to “smuggle” cash into Switzerland to pay the domestic service. Incredible. 

It was very hard for Friederich to do it like this but there wasn't  any other way. Even my own money was seized. 

Fortunately, my cousin offered himself to teach the boys so they can take the final exams and don't lose the school year. It's only two or three weeks more and it doesn't make sense that they return to that school. Some parents are still sore with us and the other children could turn nasty to Klaus and Karl. I will have to send them to a new school after the holidays. 

My boys were even “cast out” from a birthday party they had been invited before all this happened. Oh, yes, I got an SMS from the mother. I felt like shit when I told them they wouldn't be attending it and really tried to place the blame on me, but Kurt isn't an idiot. 

TS 3 Chapter 3

Chapter 3 

May 30^th, 2014

Zurich 

“Come out, come out from wherever you are.” 

'If Ratko and Milan are so childish as to hide behind a tree, they should be treated like children.' The coldness of the night didn't help Guntram to relax or to convince himself that his decision was for the best. 

“Sorry, we couldn't help it.” Milan apologized, embarrassed like a child. 

“At least this is more comfortable than snooping behind doors.” Guntram sighed when the two of them towered over him, cornering him against the bench as usual. 

“Will you do it?” Ratko asked bluntly.

“I think that you're all mad if you believe, even for a moment that I can overtake this mammoth. Goran is going to be very upset with us and the “wifey thing” will be nothing compared to this.” 

“This is why we're asking you,” Milan shrugged and sat next to Guntram as Ratko did the same, squeezing Guntram between their bodies. “Any other person would be killed instantly.” 

“What makes you think that I won't be killed when I'm on the throne?” Guntram asked ironically. “The associates hate me. The Komturen despise me and even the new dog does whatever it pleases.”

“Your children obey you.” Milan tried to cheer Guntram up, already knowing that the decision was made. 

“Not the smallest one,” Ratko shrugged. “But that little one has a mind of his own. It's nothing personal Guntram.”