The Grasshopper (7 page)

Seneca was silent.

“Mr. Mayor?” Raul was uneasy
again.

“Listen to me carefully, Raul. I
will not send the bus to take you to the airport.”

“But, Mr. Mayor…”:

“It’s too risky. Many people would
be involved. I’ll send you my airplane.”

“Your airplane?”

“Yes. My airplane has a wide opaque
tube, like a large hose. For the event of an emergency, for
evacuation. The airplane will hover over the hotel and lower the
tube to the roof. Your people have to attach its opening to the
door that leads to the roof, so that nothing can be seen. Do you
understand what I mean?”

“I do. So that no one can see who
all is entering the tube.”

“That’s right. In the tube there is
a conveyor belt. There are straps that you use to attach yourself
to it and it raises you into the airplane. You can also attach your
suitcases.”

“Excellent, Mr. Mayor.”

“I’ll send a squadron of fighter
planes to protect you,” Seneca said and hung up.

“It’s better that it turned out
this way,” Raul thought. “Much better.”

Chapter 20

Pascal lay in the bathtub with his
eyes closed. “What was it that you said to me, Raul?” he recalled
their conversation. “To find a woman my own age… just a little
younger. To have children… There is such a woman, my friend. I’d
marry her immediately, trust me… immediately,
immediately…”

“Immediately!” Pascal shouted out
loud.

Then he sighed and submerged his
head. When he ran out of air he came up and rested his shoulders on
the edge of the tub. He barely visibly shook his head.

“But no. You would never be
satisfied, Raul. You would think that a wife that already has two
children is not becoming of a democratically elected president. And
do you know what I would tell you, Raul? I’d tell you that I didn’t
care at all what you thought. And what was becoming and what was
not. As long as she’s mine.

“And I’ll tell you that I’m not
going anywhere from Megapolis anymore. I cannot leave without
knowing… my Raul. And I always knew. We’re going to that city for
three days, then there… for five days… never longer than five days.
I couldn’t stand not seeing her for more than five days. How could
I?

“And you were cross, Raul. ‘Since
we’re already here, why don’t we just stop by over there,’ you
said. ‘What’s a few more days? Better than going back to Megapolis
and then hitting the road again.’

“You didn’t get it, why we always
went back to Megapolis. I didn’t either. Actually I did, but I
wouldn’t admit it to myself.”

“And now… I’m not going anywhere
from this city, Manami. I’ll die in it. Here, close to you, my
love. And what if they don’t kill me? Hmm? What do you think? I
make it through today, no one shoots me… The people disperse from
the square. Raul and the team have flown somewhere far away… and
I’m left alone.

“Do you know what I would do? You
wouldn’t believe it. I’d climb that chestnut tree in front of your
house immediately, tonight, like a teenager. I’d watch the lit
windows. I’d see you go into Peter’s room. Kiss your son on the
head, tell him good night, turn off the light and leave. And your
husband’s not home. He’s at his office, on TV or at the Mayor’s
office… or somewhere… wherever. So you enter the room of your
little Eir. And she’s uncovered herself. You cover her up and
caress her. And then you go to your room.”

Pascal opened his eyes and abruptly
rose up. “That isn’t only your room, Manami! You share it with your
husband!” he shouted.

He covered his face with his hands
and rested his forehead on his raised knees.

“Why isn’t there an ‘our room’,
Manami? Why?” he whispered.

After some time he lowered his
hands into the water, raised his head and looked at the bathroom
wall.

“My friends are gone. What am I
waiting for?”

He got up out of the tub. “I’m
going out. I’m going to get killed. Immediately. A bullet to the
heart, the head. Aim wherever you want, wherever you please. Just
as soon as possible! As soon, please…”

*****

“I won’t wear something… just
usual… like always… Pants, unbuttoned shirt, sleeves rolled up,”
Pascal thought, standing in front of the open closet. “I’ll dress
elegantly. I’ll wear this dark blue suit… and a tie. This one, with
the wide dark blue and dark red stripes. Like blood… But they are
diagonal. They will intersect with these gray lines on the suit. Do
they go together? I guess they do… these lines are discrete… you
can hardly see them. But the shirt must be plain white. Or perhaps
that light blue one? No, no, white it is. I’ll unbutton the jacket
so the blood on the white shirt is visible.

“So that you can clearly see how my
heart bleeds for you, Manami.

“And the shoes… these, yes… black,
shiny… Like for a evening dance in some lavish hall…. You in a
kimono… a gold kimono… in my arms. A huge orchestra… just the two
of us. And no one else… in the whole world.”

Chapter 21

Having received his orders from
Erivan, Alpha left the President’s office and reached the elevator
with fast, nervous steps. But he didn’t enter it. He first just
stood there and then walked down the hall, looking around, leaning
over, crouching, getting up and hitting his fist against the wall
several times.

When he finally calmed down he took
the elevator down to the garage. Once he got there, without saying
a word he nodded to his subordinate White, he passed around the
presidential car and made sure that the interior was not visible
through the tinted windows. He then took his telephone from his
jacket, took a deep breath, glanced once more at White, and called
the driver who worked as a member of the residency
staff.

“Please put on your uniform and
come immediately to the garage,” he said without saying hello,
after the driver of the presidential car had picked up.

“Yes, of course, Mr. Alpha,” the
driver responded.

“Why are you calling the chauffer,
Alpha? Won’t the care be remote controlled?” his unit member
asked.

“Be quiet, White, just be quiet.
Don’t ask anything. That’s the order.”

“Erivan’s?”

“Yes.”

“But…”

“But what?”

“Well, I think… the chauffer will
see them… as soon as he opens the door.”

“He won’t open the door,
White.”

“How won’t he? You don’t mean… I
can’t do it, Alpha! Call someone else. Why didn’t the Grasshopper
also… the chauffer…”

“I will do it, White. I have to.
This is what it’s come to. Life and death struggle. We have to be
up to the task.”

Alpha slowly unbuttoned his jacket
and pulled it back. He took out his pistol from the belt holster,
raised it and aimed towards the elevator door.

Chapter 22

Pascal, dressed in the dark suit,
stood in front of the window watching the square filled with
people. “You’re not taking the shot?” he spoke without any fear to
the imaginary sniper. “Very well, I understand. Who would see that
you’ve killed me? They would show my dead body on television. It is
better to wait for me to leave the hotel, and then, in front of the
crowd… For it to be shocking, to scare them… for them to scatter.
It works better for me that way too. Let her see me fall, on her
beloved husband’s television channel…”

“Will you cry when you see me lying
in the square with a bloody stain here?” He raised his hand and
placed it on his chest. “No, you won’t. Because you can’t. So that
your husband and children wouldn’t notice. But tonight… when he
goes to sleep, will you at least shed one tear? At least shed one
tear for me, Manami.”

Pascal slowly got up and went
toward the door. He left the room and walked towards the elevator
with brisk, decisive steps. Then he stopped in
disbelief.

The elevator was at the end of the
hallway. Between the elevator and the first rooms was the stairway,
from where Mayor Seneca was walking towards Pascal.

When he saw Pascal Alexander stop
in his tracks, Seneca slowed down his pace, waveringly went up to
the door of the first room and also stopped. The two men, on
opposite sides of the hallway, watched each other in
silence.

“Why is Alexander just standing and
not saying anything,” Seneca thought. “Does he suspect something?
No, surely not. Why would he? I could have arrested and banished
him by now. And I haven’t. It’s probably clear to him that I don’t
pose a threat? It’s probably logical that I just want to welcome
him and escort him through the echelon of inspectors?”

“I have to be careful” Pascal
thought fervently. “How stupid I am. How is it that I haven’t
thought of this earlier? That the man will come and take me through
the cordon. Now for the first time I have to look him in the eye
and speak to him… while I’m aware of… well yes… That’s why I’m not…
of course, that is the only reason why I haven’t admitted to myself
earlier… how much… I’m in love with your wife, Seneca.”

“Don’t be crazy,” Pascal commanded
himself. “Stop thinking about her. This instant. Do you understand?
What do you want? For him to see in your eyes… and for him to
pester and torment her for the rest of her life. Is that what you
want? Come on… calm down. Everything is over. Let the man nicely
escort you to your death. Be at least a little afraid of dying, you
fool! OK, there… I’m afraid. That’s what I’ll look like. As though
I’m afraid of dying. I’ll be desperate. How will he know why I’m
desperate?”

Pascal hesitantly stepped towards
Seneca, and then continued with a firmer and stabler
stride.

“Mr. Mayor,” he said while
approaching him.

“Mr. Alexander, it’s as though you
were surprised to see me. I just wanted to escort you through the
cordon.”

“Yes, yes, of course,” said Pascal,
already nearing Seneca and putting out his hand.

The door to the room that they
stood in front of suddenly opened. Pascal turned around and
wide-eyed in shock he looked at Raul, who stuck a needle into his
outstretched arm through the sleeve of his jacket, and with his
thumb he emptied the small injection. Pascal’s body went limp the
same moment. Raul and Seneca caught him, not letting him fall to
the floor. Without saying a word they dragged the unconscious
Pascal Alexander to the elevator.

Chapter 23

“There, son, you see how everything
is going well today. Even that which we did not plan,” Mr. Kaella
told Prince, who was sitting across from him in the limousine
driving them to the dock.

“Yes, really. It’s a good sign. But
it won’t save Seneca,” Prince responded.

“Certainly not, son. He must be
held accountable for his crime. Like all the mayors and other
officials that have crossed over to their side. We must punish them
mercilessly. To make an example of them.”

“I never thought that Seneca could
be so stupid. He panicked, and drove Alexander out of Megapolis,”
Prince responded. “Well, he stopped his speech. That is why I will
reward him with a quick death. You know, father, Alexander is the
enemy. But one worthy of respect, I must admit. And Seneca is a
traitor. He betrayed us, and now Alexander too. He is a despicable
guy.”

“I’m not sure that he betrayed
Alexander. It seems to me like some maneuver on his part. Erivan
says that Seneca gave him his airplane. And a squadron to escort
him.”

“What maneuver, father? Seneca
wants to be sure that Alexander has left and that he will never
return.”

“Yes, you’re probably right. The
important thing for me is that he didn’t give that speech. Because
I couldn’t sleep all night because of your words.”

“What words? Why didn’t you sleep?
If I have upset you with anything, father, any time… you must tell
me immediately. So that I can explain, if need be. And not for my
father to worry and not sleep.

“Well… you said that even after our
victory, there will always be a sore on your heart.”

“Yes, I did. But let’s forget about
that now. There will be no wounds on our hearts. And on there’s –
I’m not exactly sure.”

Father and son smiled
wholeheartedly as their limousine slowed down, approaching the
submarine tied to the dock.

“Here we are, “ Prince
said.

When the bodyguard opened the door,
Prince got out of the car and helped his father out. He held him
under the arm as they crossed the gangplank, entered the submarine
and went past the room where the television crew had improvised a
studio control room. All the way to the doors of the grand
salon.

Then, having seen Babe, who was
already standing with her hand resting on the backrest of one of
the black leather armchairs, he let go of his father’s arm, his
eyes and mouth wide open. For Babe was wearing Earth’s flag… She
was draped in the flag… No, no… She was… she… Babe was the flag
itself. The symbol, the meaning of everything… his work, his
creation… his achievements… The reflection, the image of his…
being.