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?”