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. 

The lady was extremely happy to have her picture in a museum with her name on it. Not many can say that and that places her on the top of the Parnassus, well above of Tita and the others who collect paintings but “are not in a museum, unlike me”. 

Mission achieved? I don't know; it depends on how we define the original goals. Meister Ostermann has mixed feelings about it; happy because “one Museum more to the list increases the price” and sad because he's sure she sold the painting for much more than what she paid me. He should ask for his share. 

As I had nothing to do with this outlandish business, I'll say nothing to Konrad. It's none of my business if nobody can quietly sip a cup of coffee in Gulya's living room from now onwards. 

The boys are in school the whole day and they like it. Perhaps that's why Konrad decided to pay attention to his doctors' advises and stay at home and work from there. I think that that and the Saturday talk eased the tensions between us. 

It was quite amazing to have him letting me do the talks or making decisions in many projects I had started. In a way, it was strange to sit in the same table as he and hear him leading a negotiation or interrogating someone. But we got along and there were no clashes between us and we agreed in almost everything. It was a bit spooky to see that the connection we share in the private life could be also present while doing business. 

By Wednesday night we were both treating each other like old pals and had dinner together and then worked a bit longer at the library. At eleven we called it quits and walked to the stairs to our bedroom. We stopped at my door and just when I was about to open it he caught me by the waist and kissed me on the temple. I was shocked because he left very clear the “no sex between relatives” thing very clear. 

I turned around and looked at him with thousands of questions in my mind but I couldn't open my mouth. 

“You're not against me. I know that now,” he told me and I was aghast. 

“Of course I’m not!” I protested. “Maybe I made many mistakes or didn't follow your plans, but I did my best to... survive this.” 

“I know,” he cupped my face with his hands and I nearly melted down right there. Since his return home he didn't touch me that way. “Other people tricked you.” 

I frowned at his words. Was he blaming someone else for his own money laundering business? Please. 

“Konrad, let's face it. You all screwed it up. There are no conspiracies here; only our own stupidity and arrogance played a major role in all this mess. This was meant to happen and we have to draw some lessons from this.” 

“Shh,” he cut my words and kissed me on the lips. Brotherly, alas. “I know you're loyal to me. There are no ill thoughts between us.”

I pushed him a little away from me but he didn't move an inch as usual. I was trapped between his body and the door. “Why don't you sleep with me tonight? There must still be one of your pyjamas upstairs.” 

For a second I thought about sending him to hell because you can't do this to someone. One day you love them, the next you kick them out. I'm a person, not a fucking Kleenex. 

But I couldn't. 

I have to be more furious with him to send him to hell. Heck, I can't also get him out of my life. I never could and I don't think I'll ever be able to do so. 

“Maybe,” I muttered and he led me by the hand back to his bedroom, our bedroom. 

With a single gesture, Konrad got the dog out of the room. Just by grabbing Johannes by the collar, something I never achieved. The dog went to sleep to the living room without a single moan. I took my pyjamas from under the pillow and went to change in the bathroom. 

I was a mess. Was this only sleeping or did he want sex? Well that one not, considering he was out of surgery a month ago and it took me about five months to be allowed (well, not really, I sent the doctor to hell) to do something in the bedroom. I washed my face and brushed my teeth as everything was still in its place. Konrad “kicks me out” but he can't move any of my things away. We could be married for the next hundred years and still I would never understand him completely. 

I slid under the covers and waited for him. He returned later and asked me if I was comfortable in my own bed (?). I said “yes” and he turned the lights off and turned around. 

OK, no sex or anything like that. Not that I was expecting any. 

I turned around too and began to wonder where we were heading to. I wasn't even sure if he was still “upset” or “disturbed” at/with my doings as Hochmeister. I did my best to contain the situation in France and more or less things were back to normal with some minor loses from our part, nothing that couldn't be solved. The Serbs were irked with me because I hadn't used their resources and Alexei and Fefo worked better with the Komturen than with them. Let's admit it, it's hard to work with someone who might behead you at your first slip. 

Ratko and his pals would have never, ever, not in a million years, preferred the use of pigs' blood in future holy grounds to a good shooting. And that was a “funny one” compared to other things they did, but a dirty war isn't known for being “fair”. 

For the Komturen’s soldiers (and Gorgazali’s  Georgians look more like ex-KGB boys than greasy mobsters from the films) the whole experience was “funny” and “highly educational” (?) If something was going wrong, they could always blame it on the Front National or a drugs deal gone wrong.

Lahon has his territory back but I'm sure Goran is upset with me. I'm not ready for a full crusade in Europe. Maybe we will come to that at a some point, but it's a regular army's job. Not ours. I'm sure of that. I told my father to increase the money for the Christians in the Middle-East by 23% at the same time di Mattei continued with his “Libya tours” for them. I also gave some money, at my father's insistence to Yazidi refugees and they can't be mad at me because these girls follow a religion from before Christianity. These women needed the money more than the Christians and the Lintorff Foundation should be more open minded.

I'm sure Ratko had something to do with those reported attacks on migrants dinghies in the Aegean Sea but I can't prove or even complain about it. They would suspect of up to Sufi people. It's impossible with them. Even Friederich had Sufi texts among his books. The truth and beauty of Rumi's poems can't be denied. 

I see all this like a political confrontation with some people who want to gain power over us, nothing related to God but no one around here sees it my way. 

“Stop thinking and sleep,” Konrad told me and put his arms around me. “I can't sleep with all this thinking.” 

“What? I'm quiet,” I protested and he held me closer. 

“No, I can hear you thinking and becoming incensed with the world.” He kissed me on the temple and again I melted down. “I'm on your side, Guntram.”

“Do we have sides now?” I asked. 

“I support what you did,” he clarified. “It's not what we had in mind or what we outlined beforehand, but we can take things from where you left them.” Konrad said and kissed me again. 

“What about the “other side”? Look what they did to Barashi.” 

“With the sole exception of you, who never was in any single of our meetings or knew about any procedures, everybody in the Order knew what needed to be done. All of the associates and councillors had their orders.” Konrad sounded quite upset. “They all knew what to do. Naming you wasn't an innocent coincidence.” 

I turned around and his body was placed over mine. I gulped because no matter if we were surrounded by darkness, I knew his expression very well. “Konrad, I never wanted to thwart any of your plans. I think we all played fairly here. Maybe you don't like our ways, but I thought it was for the best.” 

“You should have never been placed in this position. You lacked the training or the knowledge for it. I don't criticize your actions and I know you were truthful to me. Now go to sleep because tomorrow is going to be a long day.”

* * * 

Guntram de Lisle's diary 

October 3^rd, 2014 

I'm writing this at the hospital. Funny, I got Konrad's room for the time being and perhaps the Lintorffs have it permanently booked. 

“This is the result of an emotional overload,” told me Wagemann and then, the cardiologist who took care of me confirmed it this morning. 

In a way, I'd rather be here than at home Konrad's house. I can't stand it any more and probably I won't return to it. 

I'll go to Michel's or to my flat. Better there; with all the heat at the moment, the best is to keep distance from my father. 

I've known Konrad for many, many years but I never expected him to be such a dirty player with me. 

He duped me and I was a fool to believe all his sweetened lies. “We are friends”; “I don't blame you”; “It was the others who tricked you,”; I know you're loyal to me”; “I love you more than my own life,” and etc., etc., etc. 

I should have known that things were wrong since the moment he told me that the boys had been invited to that bitch of Elisabetta's house. “Confidence building measures,” he told me. “She's my aunt and we have to bury the hatch; especially you, Guntram.” 

Sure, I'm the bad guy here after the old hag refused to give him money and then accused my father of embezzlement for 5 or 6 millions. She fired him by SMS and that was it. Konrad supported her and didn't want to speak about the matter. 

I agreed to send the boys to her house as Ernestina, Albert's youngest was also there and they could stay for the night. She's their cousin too and I missed having a family when growing up. That's the last thing I want for them.

It's the same thing always. “Non members” are kicked out of the house each time the Order has some murky business to run. Konrad was so hypocrite as to kiss me before the meeting started and to tell me to wait upstairs so I wouldn't grow tired. “You only have to sign a few papers and that will be all.”  

So, there I was at seven. Konrad had spent the whole day locked up in the library with Ferdinand, Goran and Michael. Surprisingly, Lavrov had been invited to the “inner circle”. I have no idea of what they spoke about but they started at 12 and didn't stop for lunch. Lavrov was sent home right before the big meeting started. 

Fefo, looking like hell, came to my room and told me to go downstairs. I followed him and then, he grabbed my arm and nearly pushed me down the stairs to the cellar.

“Are you nuts?” I pushed him back as I disengaged myself from his hold. 

“Your Italian friend is here,” he mumbled. “It took me some work to smuggle him in right in front of Mirko's nose.” 

I was shocked to see Enrico coming out from the shadows, a bit dusty from the wine bottles. Things aren't as clean as they were when Friederich was around. The man had some cobweb stuck to his elbow. I greeted him but he looked quite gloomy. 

“Is it true?” Enrico asked me and I looked at him clueless. “That you're stepping down today.” 

“Of course. It's Goran's position.” 

“You can't,” he told me. “If you do it, we're dead.” 

“What?” 

“We don't want that crazy Serb back. He's nothing but a butcher. All the Komturen agree with me. You can't resign now.” 

“I was not even supposed to be named in the first place!” I yelled but both of them shushed me. “This is Goran's job. You voted him last year.” 

“Lintorff named him which is quite different from voting someone. All of us want you.” 

I was speechless. Had they lost their minds? Me??? 

“You and Antonov understand the business and...” 

“The business?” I croaked. “If it were by me, all of you would be in prison. I did it because there was no one else available for the job.” 

“You're our natural leader.” 

“Don't start with that. Your brothers have the chalice and I trust you to guard it well, but I won't start a war just to steal the Lintorffs’ organization. My grandfather tried it and look how it ended. No way.”

“The Lintorffs stole the Order from their rightful leaders.” Enrico said heatedly while Fefo gaped at him. “They wanted to finish your bloodline and nearly accomplished it.” 

“The ruler here was Konrad von Lintorff, not Armand de Lisle. Enrico, stop this nonsense before people get hurt. I'm the last person you want to have in charge of anything.” 

“Do you have any idea of what they're planning? Heads will roll if you step down.” 

“More heads will roll if I stay. I'm not even qualified for this.” 

“This Marvin thing has changed everything.” Enrico said and I gasped. 

“You're not supposed to know about it,” I recriminated him. 

“Why not?” 

“Because it's a dangerous thing. I used it because we had no other way out. I agree with the duke; that thing can only cause harm.” 

“Lintorff has given green light to it. I know because of Michel Lacroix's doings.” 

Once again, my father was speaking too much. He knows it or better, this “lawyer girlfriend” of Lavrov is a good informant. I should have known he would place a mole in my own nest when he was acting so friendly. 

My own father was instigating (and fueling) another “rebellion” like he did thirty years ago. 

“You put this organization in the XXI century,” Enrico “flattered” me. “Without you, it's rubbish. We are going away if you quit.” 

“You're going nowhere,” I seethed but he wasn't impressed at all. “I'll resign and perhaps I'm named councillor or something like that. It's not as if I'm going to be sent back to the kitchen.”

“You'll be kicked out and we will be killed for standing on your side.” Enrico said. “Gorgazali and I are leaving now, before the Serbs start chopping heads off.” 

“Don't be so melodramatic.” I scolded him. “Why would they...” 

“You should also take your son and leave this place.” He added. “Your life is also endangered and you'd be a fool if you stay with Lintorff. He's king before husband. Learn that quickly before it kills you.” 

“What?” 

“You know nothing if you think this is only signing two papers and be done. Remember Barashi. He was doing what you told him to do. Lacroix is right and you should go away too.” Enrico turned around and left the place in haste. 

“Should I stop him?” Fefo asked me. 

“Do you want to have the Italian Mafia on you too?” I asked softly.

“No, I have enough with Russians, Colombians and Argentinians,” he shrugged. “Do you want to go away now?” 

“Go where?” 

“Away. I don't get what’s this guy speaking about, but that's been the best advice I've heard in years. I know the Serbs want war and Lintorff will give it to them.” 

“That's ridiculous!” 

“Guntram be very careful tonight. They hate you.” 

“Are you... nuts? These people have been my friends for the past thirteen years.” 

“These people are crazy motherfuckers and you beat them in their own game. I know for sure that Lintorff plans to keep everything as you planned and take over from there, taking all the credit to himself. You're going to be sent back to the kitchen and it will be the end of you. They can't keep you because all the others want you and not them. They're out and they know it. Have you ever seen a shark hunting along the shoreline?” 

“Konrad isn't like that.” I protested feebly because Fefo was right. 

“Your Konrad is a dangerous motherfucker. He might look nice to you, but I know him much better than you. Remember Venice.” 

I stopped it right there because if we went down Accusation Road, it was going to be a very, very long way. I just ignored Fefo and I was an idiot for doing that. Fefo went away, looking quite furious and I was left there, in the middle of the corridor. I heard some voices far away and I walked towards the grand room where the Order meets since the Lintorffs bought this place. 

As I had imagined, Konrad -not Goran- was sitting on the Hochmeister's place while only the Komturen and the council were present. Hating myself for it, but well aware that I was still the Hochmeister, I had to climb the two steps to the dais and put on my best dork face as I shushed him away. He looked at me quite crossed. 

Pissed off, really, but my love, how can I start and direct a meeting from the orchestra? 

He walked to sit with the rest of the band and they all looked quite upset with this “mixing with the populace” thing. 

I let the old Holgersen to start with the procedures for this extraordinary meeting. Only the Council and some of the Komturen were there; as announced, Gorgazali and Di Mattei were absent. There were also some Serbs, standing next to Milan and Mirko at the end of the room. 

I rose to speak and thanked all for coming here today and cut the preambles short because they all were looking like they were in a rush to deal with other things. 

It was “nice” to be king for a while; even Napoleon's second coming was longer than mine. I said something like “It was a great honor to serve this assembly in my role as surrogate Hochmeister but the time has come to choose new leaders.” Before I could sit back again, dear Ferdinand was already (nearly) shoving the minute book to my nose. Five or ten seconds more of me wouldn’t kill them!! 

I began to read my act of resignation when one of the Komturen spoke aloud and of course interrupted me. 

“Before the Vicomte resigns, we would like to know who is the alternative.” 

“The alternative is quite clear, Mr. Schiller; our previous leaders,” I shut him up a bit annoyed. “They were voted by this assembly before I was.” 

“You were also voted and obtained a clear majority.” 

“Their abilities to sail this ship are far greater than mine.” The guy was making a scene! Throwing a tantrum in front of everybody and Konrad was looking like being two notches before going ballistic. I didn't need a “fan-club” right now! 

“We don't agree with you,” Vickers -that one is from Belgium- said calmly and hell broke lose. Several of the Komturen, starting by Lahon, began to rise their voices in a cacophony of praises about my management skills. 

I was shocked and frankly, a bit frightened because all the Komturen were on my side, demanding to keep things as they were. 

They didn't want Goran back and probably Konrad also not. 

In a way, it was like being back in high school. All of them whined like teenagers; that there's no “democracy” in here; that they only pay and pay and the “lords” treat them like shit (well, the expression was “mere wallets”); that the Serbs want to drag them into a war that's not theirs; that our taxation scheme is worse than living with a pimp; that the Order has thousands of resources they don't share with them; that they foot the bill but are treated like maids; that de Lisle is more “discreet” than Bregovic; that he knows about business and that in two months he made a nice 7% profit for them (??). 

“Maybe it's true what they say; de Lisles were meant to be our Hochmeisters and not the Lintorffs. They're the real inheritors of Christ.” One I didn't know said aloud and I literally trembled there. 

“Really?” That was Konrad's voice and it sounded very bad. “Do you wish to continue, Guntram?” I swear he used my Christian name on purpose, just to remind the others who's wearing the trousers here.

“No. My resignation is irreversible. My health doesn't allow me to continue,” I said and prayed that was all. 

No chance in hell. They all continued to protest and rose their voices even more. Some ex-councillors, like Ferdinand, Adolf and Michael argued back but the others were too loud. 

“Sign the papers,” Goran whispered in my ear and I jumped because I didn't hear him coming behind me. Now, I know what creepy is. I obeyed without a murmur because after all it is his job. Once I had done it, he closed the thick leather bound book and passed it to one of his people. Nobody paid any attention to us because they were too busy shouting at each other. 

“Go away with Alexei,” Goran ordered and for a second I considered resisting him, but his eyes were really cold and one look at Konrad's stony expression was enough to tell me that we were on the verge of a crisis.

“He got 2.3 billion in less than two weeks!” Lahon shouted and I held my breath. “We know all about that computer you have been hiding from us! When were you planning to tell us, Lintorff?”

“You only take our money and use it to buy weapons and things in Russia!” another one accused Konrad and I began to truly fear for everyone's safety in that room. I noticed then, that the Serbs had distributed themselves along the room in a way that all exits were blocked and all “troublesome” Komturen were “controlled”. 

“It's crazy what you want to do.” I said to Goran but he didn't pay attention to me. “Their bodyguards are outside.” 

“Get out,” was the only thing he told me.  

Konrad looked at me and I began to feel very dizzy and the oppression in my chest became very painful. I couldn't hold his gaze and walked two or three steps towards the door behind the podium. I don't know how but Alexei caught me there and I think I staggered a bit but I'm not sure. 

“We are at war, indeed, gentlemen,” I stopped in my tracks when I heard Konrad's precise voice. “A war that started many years ago and of which you were all informed. The plans were laid out and presented to you. Plans that were approved by a large majority.”

“The challenge we faced from the Muslim world was something to be expected and we began to prepare ourselves since 2000.” Konrad continued and I gaped at him in shock while Alexei gave me one of his “friendly pushes” to get me out of the room. 

“If you were allowed to be a part of this organization it was because of your commitment to the Christian cause, gentlemen. Without it, you're nothing.” 

“The orders were very clear in the case of any attack from Islamic forces in our territories,” Goran said evenly. “Yet you disregarded them and took advantage of our  momentary absence to betray us, Lahon.” 

“How many of the Jihadis in your lands belonged to Barashi?” Konrad asked coldly and I felt like dying because I realized at that time that they had tricked me all the way. “Since when can't you hold a few wild youths with Kalashnikovs that you need a new Hochmeister to solve your problems? Since when you, di Mattei, Gorgazali and Konasherov threaten Bregovic with open rebellion if a new council isn't named? I have a name for it.” 

“You've robbed us for a long time, Lintorff!” Lahon shouted. “Your lawyer told us! He should have let you rot in prison!” 

I shook my head, trying to deny it but there it was. I knew without a single doubt that Michel had something to do with all this mess and I felt like a total idiot. 

He's my father, but he's a de Lisle above all. 

I've should have seen it coming. This “rebellion” was his doing or he had a lot to do with it. The Komturen wanted Marvin and its candy box... and who knew all about it? That good-looking redhead lawyer of his, so keen on the Russian genius. 

Girls like her don't waste their time with a geek when they can easily catch a banker or a tycoon.

My own father had been spying on me. 

I heard some Komturen also yelling something about the billions Marvin was able to magically generate and I felt as if my entire left side was being thorn with incandescent pincers. I could hardly breathe because the pain on my back was unbearable. Someone was shouting that the only thing Lintorff was doing was to cuddle Putin and his cronies by getting their investments, taking care of their money and piling up weapons. 

Constantin wasn't the only Russian in Konrad's life and right there, I understood many of his actions and who his real allies are. 

It's been a long time since I heard him speaking well about the Vatican; since 2005 to be precise and he always sides with the Russians instead of the Germans whenever Merkel screws it up. “Russia is the moral reserve of the West,” he tells. 

  Alexei put his arm around my waist and I guess he steadied me. I turned my face around to see him and then -and I curse that moment- back to the room. 

Mirko just cut Lahon's neck as if he were a pig. The thorn artery  sprinkled blood in all directions and the dying man felt to his knees, gurgling something. I closed my eyes but I heard that same horrid sound two or three times more. 

I don't know anything more. Alexei pushed me out of the room and all I can remember was how slippery the stone floor was. He walked me away fast and I could only think on all what I had witnessed. I wished everything was a nightmare and that Konrad hadn't ordered it. 

But I knew better and I feared for my father. I was sure he was next because if I was sure that he was behind all this, Konrad had already judged him as traitor and was after his head. 

I nearly collapsed when we reached the living room. 

“Are you OK?” Alexei asked me and had to held me against the wall to keep me straight. I nodded but he didn't believe me. To the piercing pain, I could add seeing big black, blurry spots everywhere, madly dancing around me. Alexei took my pulse and swore. 

“I have a defibrillator. It'll pass,” I slurred. 

“A defibrillator isn't a guarantee against heart attacks,” he told me and literally dragged me inside the living room to unceremoniously dump me on top of the love-seat next to the chimney. It was so cold that I wished that the thing was on. I tried to speak, but I couldn't. 

“Your pulse beats like crazy.” Alexei told me and began to examine my hands, watching the color of my skin. I wished I was getting the final heart attack. “Spotted,” he mumbled and pushed me again, forcing me to lay on my back. 

I opened my mouth and saw Milan entering in the room but Alexei shushed him and put his hand on my chest to force me to lay down. 

“Is he fine?” Milan asked concerned and that was a good time to ask about it, especially after your buddies just killed one or two men in front of me. “The heart?” 

“Don't know,” mumbled Alexei and took my pulse again. “Get an ambulance now.” 

“Now?” Milan asked surprised. “Did you see how things are? Outside isn't better than in here. Guntram, this isn't the time to get a heart attack,” he told me as if I could reverse it on my own. 

“If we don't take him to a hospital now, he'll die right here, bleeding like a pig.” Alexei said and Milan frowned, waiting for an explanation. “I think it's a fucking cardiogenic shock; there's something broken in his heart and the blood might be flooding everything. His pulse becomes much better while laying and he looks like death warmed over therefore his blood pressure must be low. The white spots in his skin are typical.”   

“What do we do?” 

“Get a big car here and help me to carry him there. He shouldn't move at all or...” 

I don't know what else Alexei said. I couldn't hear him any more. I remember he and Milan carried me to the Mercedes and put me on the back seat. Alexei forced me to lay down again and it felt better than sitting. The last thing I remember were the lights on the highway passing us.