Collective Mind (30 page)

“Actually,
it would be cool to break into the New York branch,” Bike declared pensively.
“America is the motherland of rock’n’roll. Jerry Lee Lewis, Chuck Berry, Buddy
Holly! I’d like to take a look at it. But what I love most about America is
Elvis, Harleys and the know-how for making money!”

“We’ll
do it,” said Isaac, slapping his friend on the shoulder. “You can be sure of
that. It is the only option. Dig up as much useful information as you can. I
think you can even find a plan of the building. After all, it used to be a
museum.”

Isaac’s
mobile phone started chirping. A text had arrived.

“Yes!
From Michelle!” Isaac exclaimed delightedly and read the text avidly. It was
very brief and rather strange.

“The
Monte Carlo Bay Hotel in 30 minutes. Dress code white. If you’re one second
late, I’ll leave.”

“Who’s
got white trousers,” Isaac shouted. He had a white short, but no white
trousers.

“Are
you joking?” Bikie chuckled.

“I
have,” Pascal responded. “I found some pretty good outfits at my place.”

“Pascal,
please, let’s dash!”

“Where
to?”

“To
your place, of course! For the trousers!” Isaac commanded. “Sorry guys, but our
conversation has to wait a while! See you this evening!”

Twenty-eight
minutes after Michelle texted, Isaac screeched to a halt at the hotel. He was
wearing a white shirt, white pants with the bottoms rolled up slightly and
light-colored shoes. Pascal’s pants were a little too long and baggy for him so
that they slipped down slightly, but with the belt tightened up they were
basically okay. The shoes fitted him perfectly. The ex-Veggie’s wardrobe
offered up about a dozen pairs of different-colored pants and half a dozen
pairs of shoes.

He
did not see Michelle by the hotel. And she has not shown up two, five, and even
ten minutes later. Isaac was getting nervous. He texted her: “Hi! I’m here” –
but got no answer. He reread her message again and again. Everything was right.
It was from Michelle. The Monte Carlo Bay, there it was. There couldn’t be any
mistake. “Maybe her text got delayed,” Isaac thought anxiously. “Maybe it
wasn’t even from today? Maybe it’s just a nasty trick?” Theories flashed
through his love-struck mind with ferocious speed. Some of them frightened him,
others gave him hope.

After
twenty minutes Michelle finally emerged from the hotel. She was dressed all in
white too: a short, semi-transparent frock, white Roman sandals with straps
that wound round her legs from the ankles almost up to the knees and two large
pearl earrings. Everyone turned to look at her, both men and women.

Stopping
two steps short of Isaac, she spoke to the parking attendant: “Park his
scooter, please. And I need my car.” Then she turned to Isaac. “Well done. You
can do it when you want to. I saw that you arrived in time. I was finishing my
coffee in the lobby.”

Isaac
turned a bit sulky, imagining her examining him indolently through the dark
glass of the lobby in his nervous, emotional state, twisting his head in all
directions. To anyone watching, he looked rather funny and stupid. But he did
not reply or show his hurt feelings. He waited to see what was coming next.

“Don’t
be offended. You were so amusing and terribly charming.” Michelle cast an eye
over his outfit. “I see you didn’t have time to buy flowers? Or you think the
ones you left with the concierge will be just enough?”

Isaac
could not help blushing. He should have guessed! What a fool! He could not
really have done it in time, but she had a point. He blundered again, dammit!
Even one simple rose would do.

The
parking attendant brought up a silvery Jaguar Silverstone. The classy old-time
convertible was in an ideal condition. Retro cars like that are quite usual in
Monaco, although in other places you hardly ever come across them.

“Will
you drive?”

“Yes,
of course,” Isaac answered warily, that car was worth a fortune. “But where are
we going?”

“To
Saint Tropez.”

Isaac
got in the driving seat without asking any more questions. Not about where
exactly they were going, or what kind of white party this was, or when they
were supposed to come back. The important thing was that Michelle had forgiven
him, or at least given him a chance to put things right. What was really
important was that she was finally with him, and he would figure out the rest
later somehow.

They
arrived at Club 55 in San Tropez. It was a fancy party, with people in white
dancing, drinking cocktails, and champagne, running to the sea now and again to
take a dip. A totally awesome DJ fired out hit after hit.

Isaac
took Michelle out to stroll along the beach in the dark. The long, sandy arc
ran off into the night as if it would never end. Along the shoreline little
white craft and beautiful motorboats bobbed about on the water and a bit
further luxurious yachts were riding at anchor. Among them, Isaac recognized
the black and white beauty “Michelle.”

The
owner of this opulent floating home had thawed out and wasn’t angry anymore.
She radiated affection and warmth. When she thanked Isaac for his beautiful
poem, he decided to tell her everything. From beginning to end. Starting with
how he almost became a Happy, and ending with stealing back Pascal’s
creativity.

Michelle
listened attentively, not believing her ears, occasionally asking a clarifying
question. As he spoke, Isaac sensed how he was gradually transforming in her
eyes from an ordinary, quite attractive, maybe somewhat mysterious guy into a
serious, ambitious man who was risking his freedom for an important goal. She
was very intelligent and Isaac enjoyed the conversation. By telling her
everything, he took a tremendous weight off his shoulders: now that nothing was
being held back any longer, he was not afraid of losing his girlfriend because
of yet another unplanned emergency.

“You
know, Isaac, you’re turning out to be a really cool guy” Michelle’s admiration
was genuine. “Somehow I never expected this kind of thing could really happen.
That anyone was capable of this sort of thing.”

“Oh
come on,” he replied, embarrassed. “This is a team project. Everyone supports
each other. I couldn’t come that time because my childhood friend was quite
heartbroken. He had lost the girl for whose sake he became a Veggie.”

“Yeah,
I can imagine. And what are you going to do next?”

Although
Isaac has presented everything as the doings of the team, Michelle sensed that
he was the leader and the linchpin of the entire group. Isaac could see that,
and his self-confidence was growing.

“At
first, we wanted to tell the police everything but we decided not to risk it
and to hack into one of the servers. So next up is America, New York. So far
it’s not practical to get to the servers in the other branches. How and when
isn’t clear yet. There’s no hurry, the most important thing is to prepare
properly. Now that we have Pascal’s money, everything has become much simpler.
And then Pascal’s waking up, his reaction… Now I know I’m doing the right
thing. While we were rushing to fetch the white pants, we almost crashed at a
turn and you know what? He shouted “oops, fuck!” and then he smiled. I mean,
really smiled.”

“Why
didn’t you tell me all this earlier?”

“I
really wanted to, honestly. You can’t even imagine how much. But it was too
dangerous. And above all, it would have been stupid. I would have felt worried
about you. If anything happened, you’d be an accomplice and could have gone
down with the rest of us.”

“Then
I’m going to New York too! I adore it, I’ve been there a hundred times!”

“No,
that’s out of question. We don’t know how all this will end. We’re men and we
can stand up for ourselves. Everyone joined in voluntarily and knows what they
had gotten themselves into. The very thought of you ending up in a cell gives
me cold shivers. So better not come. When UNICOMA is brought down, then we can
be together as much as we like.”

“But
I can stay in a separate place from you. We’ll have coffee together sometimes,
for instance. What’s wrong with that? You have no right to say I can’t. Well,
please?”

“Let’s
not talk about that right now. We are alone together, strolling along the beach
at night. I don’t want to talk about this anymore. I’ve missed you so much!”
Isaac turned towards Michelle, took hold of both her hands and added: “I love
you.”

Michelle
wound her arms around his neck and kissed him. At long last, not in a social
way on both cheeks, but for real, the way Isaac had wanted for so long.

That
night they did not go back to Monaco, they got picked up only by launch time.
Isaac did not have time to take a good look at the gorgeous yacht or the huge
bedroom. Drowned in Michelle’s tender embraces, he felt most content.

“Where’s
Isaac?” Pascal asked uneasily the next day when he arrived at the villa earlier
than usual.

“He
texted to say he’ll be back after lunch. He spent the night in Saint Tropez.”

“Doing
what? I’ve got some urgent news.”

“If
it’s urgent, out with it. What happened?”

Pascal
told the others he had been summoned to the police station where he was
questioned for a long time. What interested them most was why he had given
money for the operation. They also inquired where he was on that night when he
wasn’t at home. And the alcohol issue, certainly. Pascal had played a Veggie
the best he could, answering briefly in monosyllables (the video that had been
made of him when he was still a Veggie was really helpful). He didn’t really
know how plausible this show was, though. The commissioner was very
considerate, he had not pressed him at all.

 “Oh,
yeah,” Bikie chuckled. “He’s a real tender-heart for sure. But he keeps digging
and just won’t let up.”

“Digging?”
Link was surprised. “You mean this is not the first time?”

“No.
Isaac’s been to see him once. But everything went OK. We thought there wouldn’t
be any more questions.”

“That’s
not good. Bikie, call Isaac and find out exactly when he is coming.”

Two
hours later Isaac hurtled into the sitting room. Michelle followed him in,
gazing around curiously. She said hello and sat down quietly in the corner.

Bikie
gave Isaac an inquisitive look.

“She
is in the loop,” said Isaac, answering the silent question. “What happened?”

“I
was questioned,” Pascal answered. “Commissioner Pellegrini called me in. He
suspects you of forcing me to pay for Vicky.”

“What
about you not being a Veggie?”

“I
don’t think he realized that. Or if he did, he didn’t show it.”

“What
exactly was he asking?”

“Many
things. Like where I was that night, what I was doing between Lyon and Paris,
why I smelled of alcohol, why I gave the money for the operation. I said I
didn’t remember that night. I thought maybe I’d been riding in a car. About the
alcohol, I said I didn’t drink and I don’t drink at all. About Vicky, I said
you’d been trying to persuade me for a long time and I agreed.”

“I
see. And how did he find out that you were between Lyon and Paris?”

“I
don’t know. Maybe he figured it out from my mobile. You switched it on at about
nine when we were expecting a call from my administrator. That’s probably how
he noticed.”

“Dammit,”
Bikie grunted. “We left our own phones at home, but we didn’t think about
yours. What a fuck up!”

“Okay,
we’ll wriggle out of it somehow. What else did he ask?” Foreseeing another encounter
with the commissioner, Isaac wanted to know all the details.

“Nothing
else. I asked him if I was entitled to a lawyer under my contract. The
commissioner gaped at me, of course. He was really surprised. He said there was
no need for a lawyer. After all, I was the potential victim. At the end of the
conversation, he gave me his card and wrote down his personal mobile number.
Asked to call him after every time I see you. That’s it, now I remember! He
asked me about the hospital and who we went there with. I said it was a friend
of yours, but I didn’t remember his name.”

“Shit,
Looks like the hospital’s snitching on us! Bastards!” Bikie was not that
worried about having been spotted, rather consumed with rage.

Before
Isaac had time to digest the information, his phone rang. It was Pellegrini,
asking him to come to the station.

“Stay
cool,” Bikie reassured him. We’ll think everything through right now.”

An
hour later Isaac walked into the station harboring a couple of moves up his
sleeve. Pellegrini was waiting. He greeted Isaac and started talking about
Pascal without much further ado.

“So
Pascal is completely OK, isn’t he? You haven’t noticed any changes recently?”

“No,
nothing particular. What do you mean?” Isaac knew that he had to ask questions
too. That way he might also fish something out of the commissioner.

“Why
did he suddenly go and pay for your sister?”

Isaac
was not taken unawares.

“I
was trying to persuade him for quite a long time. Talked to him about ten
times, and finally succeeded.”

“What
persistence!”

“She’s
my sister! I was ready to download my creativity for her sake!”

“Yes,
yes. I remember. Very laudable. But even so, how did you manage it?”

“Manage
what?”

“Well,
to persuade Pascal. You didn’t threaten him by any chance?”

“My
god! Of course not!”

“That’s
strange. Going to download your energy was fine, but threatening a rich friend
for a relatively small sum of money was not? Have you been drinking with him?”

“What
are you getting at? I didn’t threaten anyone! Or get them drunk.”

“All
right. But even so. Could you possibly remember the last words you spoke to him
before he agreed?”

“I
don’t remember. I implored him. I recalled lots of things we did together in
our lives. Vows we made. And it seems to me, commissioner, that the questions
you’re asking are too personal for a witness interview! Maybe I went down on my
knees! Do you need to know that too? I can refuse to answer, after all. You
know that I’m no idiot, far from it, and I might not have been at any
interrogations before, but I’ve seen films and I more or less know my rights!”

Isaac
got carried away in earnest and was about to start shouting.

“Calm
down, Isaac. I’m doing my job. I’m not accusing you of anything,” the
commissioner said very gently. “But that’s for the time being! And if I don’t
understand something, I’ll keep asking as long as I like,” he added, suddenly
raising his voice.

Pellegrini
literally hovered over Isaac, who was not really expecting this abrupt
aggressiveness after the soft beginning. Films are one thing and the real life
is another. This was the first time Isaac had been in a situation like this.

He
shrank away from the commissioner.

“I’d
like to hire a lawyer. After all, I have that right.”

“You’ll
hire one when I want you to. Or will you get the money from Pascal again?”

“Where
I get my money is my business.”

Isaac
tried to behave confidently, but he did not really know how to behave: whether
to answer politely or aggressively, or not answer at all. He thought in any
case it was best not to get the commissioner angry.

“Isaac,
we’re not enemies,” the commissioner continued gently. “You raised your voice
at me. I know how to speak loudly, too, as you can see. Let’s just get on with
it calmly and peacefully. Everything’s all right, you haven’t broken the law,
have you?”

“I
haven’t.” Isaac was clearly glad of this change of course. He was afraid of
being too impolite and getting himself charged with something like insulting an
officer in the course of performing his duty or something of that sort.

“If
you haven’t, then good for you! But what Pascal did is very unusual. Not really
a Veggie style.”

“All
people are different. And anyway, I got the documents for the patent on my
invention. And I guaranteed that I would pay back everything down to the last
cent sometime very soon.”

“Of
course, people are different. If Pascal gave you the money, I am only for it.
Why should I be against people doing good deeds? You’ve got a great sister. A
fine girl. She will recover, you’ll see!” Pellegrini gave Isaac a friendly slap
on the shoulder. “Don’t worry. She’ll recover.”

Isaac
relaxed a little. If warm words about anyone could win his sympathy, then that
person was Vicky.

“Have
you ever thought of joining the police?”

Isaac
had got completely confused by Pellegrini’s questions.

“I
never thought seriously about it. But I like films about good cops,” Isaac
added, just to be on the safe side.

Pellegrini
grinned.

“Just
another couple of minutes, Isaac, and then you go home, OK? As for me, I’m
already getting hungry. Feel like going to a little Italian restaurant.”

Isaac
was really glad that the interrogation was finally about to come to an end. He
realized he also was ravenous and exhausted, so he shifted closer to the desk.

“Two
minutes, I’ll finish filling out the papers and you can go.”

“Thank
you.”

Commissioner
Pellegrini wrote quickly and Isaac waited. The commissioner finished, slammed
his palm down loudly on the desk, which apparently signified the end, looked at
Isaac and suddenly asked in a casual voice.

“Tell
me, where did you put the board from the computer?”

Isaac
had probably slipped up somewhere. He guessed immediately that the commissioner
had spoken to Elvis. Had Elvis given Isaac away or not? Apparently he had since
Pellegrini had asked Isaac the question. And the cunning commissioner had
slipped it in so underhandedly when Isaac was already thinking about where to
go for supper. He wasn’t ready for this sudden U-turn.

“Surprised?
I know everything, Isaac. I’m only interested in certain details. It was
interesting to watch you lying to me.”

The
commissioner raised his voice, speaking with regret and disillusionment at the
same time.

“A
lot of things depend on me. But your lying made me upset. I could help if you
had done something stupid by mistake. But that’s not the case here. You clearly
acted consciously and deliberately.”

Isaac
felt like he was drifting. Thank God, he couldn’t say anything, his thoughts
were in a hopeless tangle. There was only fright. “Sign,” said Pellegrini,
handing him the sheet of paper.

“What
is this? I didn’t do anything with any board. I don’t understand what you are
talking about.”

“You
understand perfectly well. Sign it. It is an undertaking not to leave the area.
Or I’ll keep you here as a potential fugitive from justice.”

“What
would I run from and where to?”

“From
having lied to me.”

“I
haven’t lied to you.”

“Of
course not. Clearly you spent three weeks in Ibiza and Naples, as you testified
the last time while your mobile phone roamed about Italy and even took a
holiday on Sardinia.”

“What
do you mean Sardinia?” Isaac asked, unable to stop himself, although he knew it
was best for him not to say anything.

“It’s
the roaming, Isaac. Haven’t you ever heard of that old invention? Where you
phoned from. Where you phoned to. Where you were. You lied, Isaac, and that’s
included in the report. So read it and sign it. We’ll continue this
conversation on Monday. And don’t even think of shooting off anywhere. I’ll
find you quickly anyway and you’ll get an extra five for attempting to flee.
Your gain is plain: the money for your sister. But what you did with the board
and why you went to Sardinia still remains to be figured out. Perhaps you were
Elvis’s accomplice after all, and Captain Nero just didn’t notice?”

The
commissioner was clearly pleased with himself. In reality, he couldn’t have
kept Isaac at the station because that required the consent of the prosecutor,
and getting that on Friday evening was no easy matter. It could wait until
Monday. Where would Isaac run to? His sister was here and he didn’t really have
any money. And if he did run, that would be even more interesting. No,
Pellegrini himself couldn’t be bothered to request a warrant from the
prosecutor. Oh, that South of France! It would soften anyone into utter laxity.
And then again, it is all guesswork as yet, unfortunately. Or rather, he was
quite certain but did not have enough evidence for an arrest. There was a
victim, all right, but he was a stupid Veggie, and working with him was really
a drag! But never mind. Now that it was clear that something fishy was going
on, the questions of the victim and the charge will fall in place eventually.

Isaac
read the report of the interview. He broke out in a cold sweat at the part
where he talked about Ibiza and Naples, and the commissioner made a handwritten
addition that this was a lie. There were no any other notes. And even though
his thoughts were confused, and it was hard to read, and his head was
splitting, Isaac tried to remember as much about his answers as he could. It
was strange, by the way that the commissioner had singled out the section with
the lie in it. Isaac felt a brief flash of hope that it was just another police
trick to exert psychological pressure on him.

At
last everything came to an end and they let Isaac go. He walked home as if he
were drunk. Bikie caught up with him about ten minutes after he left the
station.

“Well
then? How did it go? Why so long?”

“Not
so great.”

Isaac
stopped and leaned against Bikie. He was emotionally drained and was already
eating himself away for being caught out like that. In retrospect, he realized
that even if Elvis had given him away, his own word carried exactly the same
weight as Elvis’s. He should have refused to admit anything and stuck to his
guns. And the commissioner has also given himself away when he suggested that
they were accomplices. Most likely it was a trick, and Elvis hadn’t told
Pellegrini about the board. Or maybe the old commissioner, insidious as he was,
had managed to trick him too? Damn, he’d thought he was well prepared. The team
had worked through heaps of questions about Pascal’s behavior. But Pellegrini
hadn’t even asked about that.