by Arthur Rawl
“Yes, we know that. I would have asked for a different table but BrasTel has so many people with you and Sra. Robin we placed four to watch that side of the building and both sidewalks. It is the highest risk except for the other people inside the restaurant.”
“You mean …”
“… every unknown person could be an unknown danger and cannot be trusted. This room may be nothing more than families having pizza. There is no way for me to know so I have to consider them all a possible danger to Sra. Alana. A planned danger, an assassin or an accidental danger, an angry person who becomes violent. There is no difference. It is why we must always be on guard. Do you understand Sr. Matthews?”
“Yes, I understand but it is a very narrow way of looking at the world.”
“It is possible but we are responsible for Sra. Alana’s life. It is a very big responsibility that we can never forget, never turn away from for even the shortest time. It is our sworn duty to our General.”
“Thank you, I will join the ladies feeling more secure.”
Robin and Alana were well into a review of the day’s spending spree when I took the open seat next to Alana, “Sounds like your day was a success.”
Robin looked across the table wearing an uncharacteristically wide smile, “That’s for damned sure. Alana’s going to have a special freight shipment to get it all home. She is going to have it shipped directly to the Consulate as her property since she has diplomatic credentials. No duty into the US … isn’t that great.”
“It is nothing special. When I go to New York for business I do the same thing. The consulate is used to it by now only this time there will be an extra box they will send to Robin’s apartment in the Consulate’s van.”
I held up my hands, “No details please, I wait for a showing at Robin’s flat and then you can tell me the whole story. I have only one question, did you leave anything in your size in the stores?”
“Maybe a few things. With the currency exchange rate what it is and everything will be shipped ex-vat tax, everything was a bargain. Can we order, lunch was so quick I don’t remember eating”.
Two pizzas and a large platter of salad later Alana leaned over the table and quietly said to Robin, “Will you take my aunt to the bathroom, I want to talk to Carl alone for a few minutes. She will not have a problem leaving me alone because this is a very public place.” Then she turned to her aunt and whispered a few words that were answered with a nod. “It is alright with her Robin so when you are ready she is.”
“What is so important?”
“Not so important, we all have a busy day tomorrow. Also, I am not good at airport goodbyes. If you could come to the General’s house for lunch. There is more than one place to eat so it will be just you and me. My aunt of course but she does not understand English so it will be like being alone. Before you leave my mother will come to say goodbye to you and she will send my aunt away. That way we can share hugs and kisses, say goodbye for the few days until I can join you and I can hide my tears.”
“If it will make you a little less unhappy about being left behind we can certainly do it. I have been so hungry for you I will very happily give up an airport visit for a kiss. Tomorrow Juan Batista is coming to my office at ten to see Robin and I. We will keep the meeting short and depending on traffic I should arrive at your house around noon.”
“Thank you my love. I will send my car for you at eleven thirty so Robin will have your driver with her. As soon as they come back we should call it a night. I will take her to her hotel and I assume you will walk up to your apartment. Be careful and please listen to the BrasTel security people. I know how you feel about being guarded.”
“Not to worry, I will be good.”
“Good morning Juan, you are right on time. Please come into the conference room and sit. Jóse Carlos is just getting coffee from the bakery downstairs and Robin is confirming our flights for this evening.”
“Thank you, the head of your security team called just as I was getting out of the car. He will be here in a few minutes. His office is on Paulista so traffic is always unpredictable.”
“We are all a few minutes late except for you. While we are waiting, I have a question about this office. You told me we would have use of this space as long as we wanted it.”
“Yes, I did, and it has recently been confirmed by the owner.”
“There is no limit? This space is very valuable.”
“I understand the owner visited you so I will be more open in what I will say next. Regarding this space, the owner cannot rent it and he cannot sub-divide it from his other holdings within the building and sell it alone. He must sell all the space he controls in the building to a buyer who is acceptable to every other owner. If only one says no, there is no sale. The only other way his holdings can be transferred is by bequest to a family member upon his death. My understanding is the heir to this holding is his adopted daughter Sra. Luz.”
“Thank you for being candid Juan. I suspected what you just said but it is good to hear it confirmed. When we became engaged Alana told me her Guardian adopted her a number of years ago and also told me of the burdens that will fall on her when he dies.”
“I assumed she would tell you. Her future responsibilities will have considerable impact on her and therefore her husband. Ah, I hear Eduardo so we may begin.”
Jóse Carlos followed Eduardo into the conference room carrying a tray with coffee and pastries. Robin was right behind them. An hour later the coffee and pastries were gone and Robin and I had been told BrasTel security had been asked to provide continuing protection for us in the United States. We also were told BrasTel maintained security details in New York and London to provide security for BrasTel personnel who routinely came to the financial centers on business as well as any trips to the cities by senior company officers whether for business or not. We were given papers outlining how the process would work in New York including a discussion of how our apartments had been swept for listening devices and otherwise secured. In the packet of papers were BrasTel identity cards that would be used to identify us as consultants to the company if the security detail’s presence was questioned by New York City Police who were fully aware of BrasTel’s presence in the city.
“If there are no further questions there is one more item to be covered. You will be met at the airport by one of the company’s armored limousines. As you leave the immigration area one of our people will be waiting with the other limousine drivers. He will hold a sign with the name ‘Europe Limousines’ and the customer’s name ‘Mr. & Mrs. Schwartzmann’. Sra. Robin and only her should identify you both by saying ‘you misspelled our name, it has only one N, we are not German’. Is that clear? It is not in the papers so please do not write it down and be sure you remember it. Everything in the papers will be worthless to a third person without the verbal identification code.”
Robin chuckled, “I’m going to sound like one of those pushy New York broads I love so much. Yes, it’s clear.”
Juan who had been quiet for most of the hour straightened in his chair. “Naturally you will give your Brazilian emergency beepers to the BrasTel security agent at the airport before you leave. You will be given new ones in New York that will function the same as those you have had here. I think that is all so we will let you return to your packing.”
“Thank you, Sra. Luz is sending her car for me at eleven thirty so Robin can have Jóse Carlos with her. Eduardo, would you let you colleagues know we will be using separate cars until we leave for the airport. Then we will be going in our car with our driver.”
“We were informed of this last night Sr. Matthews.”
“Of course you were.”
“Children, forgive me but I will join you for lunch. My husband’s sister had to be at the doctor. It is nothing important I think so you should not worry.”
Alana almost ran to Doña Aranni, hugged her, “How did you arrange it?”
“My poor sister-in-law believes she is becom
ing frail. Sometime a simple question can grow to something else in her mind if it is asked more than once.”
“Mother, you can be so hard.”
Hand flying to her chest, “Who me, no. It was my maid who expressed her true concern to my dear sister-in-law. Come we should sit. Lunch is ready.”
Servants pulled out chairs for Alana and her mother while I took the seat across from Alana. “Doña Aranni thank you for giving up lunch with your husband. I know how important it is to you.”
“It is my duty to take may sister-in-law’s place while she believes she may require medical attention. It is not so bad for me. My husband is in the South for the day.”
“He did not mention it last night Mother?”
“No, I was told there was a telephone call early this morning and he was gone before I was awake. His secretary told me he would be back before dinner so it must not be anything of great importance. Ah, vegetable bisque, my favorite.”
An hour later one of the servants came in leaned over next to Doña Aranni and whispered in her ear, “Children you must excuse me for a minute or two, it is our oldest son on the telephone. He calls me every day at about this time”, and she was up and off to her office.
“Carlos, we will wait for Doña Aranni to return for coffee. It is so beautiful outside we will go out into the garden for a minute.” Alana took me by the hand, led me through the book lined study and into a sheltered corner of the garden, “I need a kiss Querido, I need a lot of them.” Her arms were around my neck and mine tightly around her as our lips found each other’s. We were anywhere, a desert island, a mountain top, anywhere but alone together lost in hopes and memories, just lost.
“Querido we have to go back. My step brother does not talk very long.”
“You should have had a stepsister. Maybe the conversation would be longer.”
We had just settled back into our seats when Doña Aranni returned, “Thank you for waiting for me. Carlos you may bring coffee and the sweet. After that you must leave my son. The dressmaker is bringing Alana’s gown for its first fitting and you cannot see it before the wedding. It will bring bad luck if you do.”
“The same custom is observed everywhere so I fully understand. Unhappily I will leave the two most beautiful women in my life with any protest.”
“You can be very gallant my son. It warms an old lady’s heart.”
Alana’s driver dropped me on Haddock Lobo just before three. When I stepped out of the car I recognized three BrasTel people stationed at various locations on the street in addition to the two in the car that had followed us from the General’s house. There were three more in the garden, one near the small elevator lobby and one outside my door who started to speak when I got off the elevator. I held up may hand, “I understand, there is an alert.”
“Yes Sr. Matthews. Not a specific warning, just a general alert.”
“Thank you. See you in about two hours.
It would take fifteen minutes to throw some things into my bag and to check through my briefcase. I had done it so many times on much shorter notice than today I was completely at ease. Sitting on the bed I decided a nap was in order and set my alarm clock for four-fifteen. Laying back I was trying to decide whether I was happy about leaving but sleep delayed finding the answer.
About five-twenty I settled on the garden bench my briefcase on one side and a small well-worn, brown leather carryon on the other. There were no deep shadows. I was surrounded by a hundred shades of green sprinkled with small white and pastel flowers. Peaceful, illuminated by the voices of birds, it was a place I should have spent more time. A place to decompress, to remember what is important and dismiss what was not. “Sr. Matthews, your car is here. I will take your bags.”
I walked through the gate behind one BrasTel operative and followed by two others. The usual chase car was behind my armored VW. Unusually there was another BrasTel car waiting at the curb in front.
“Hi boss, these guys are really anxious to get us out of town. A pigeon landed on my window sill wearing a shoulder holster and rockets under its wings.”
“Good evening, good evening José. They tell me there is some kind of alert covering all ‘Class A’ people and selected guests in the country.”
“I guess we’ve been selected. Believe me I won’t miss them.”
“You can say that again Robin. It is one of the few things I really have not liked about this place.”
The heavy door slammed shut and José locked the doors. At the same moment the door closed the lead car slowly rolled away from the curb accelerating only when José started after him. “We’re a damned convey. I hope they get us to the airport on time.”
“I do not think we should worry Robin. I am sure they have done this a hundred times.”
A hundred feet down the hill flashing red lights broke out in front of us and behind and the speed increased. As we approached the traffic light at the bottom of the hill a siren started blaring from the front car. We went right through the red light without decreasing speed, through the maze of northbound interior streets and onto the northbound motorway towards Garrulous, São Paulo’s sprawling international airport twenty miles north of the city center.
It took us forty minutes for a ride that had taken José Carlos no less than an hour and twenty minutes when we had done it before and close to two hours at this time of day. We did not use the customary terminal entrance but went through a secured perimeter gate to an access road that took us under the terminal to an entrance way surrounded by heavily armed military.
The BrasTel leader who was in the front seat with José began to opon his door, “Please stay in the car until I come for you. We are expected. We will be taken to a private immigration area once I get preliminary clearance for you. It will take a very short time.”
Robin nudged my arm, “I guess this is how the big guys live here. The rest of Brazil never gets in their way.”
The rear doors were both opened by our BrasTel guards. Another from BrasTel opened the boot and took our few small bags. “Please come with us now. The three of us will remain with you until you go onboard the airplane. Come please.”
The five of us passed through a heavy, remotely opened door into a long narrow hallway. There were two armed soldiers in front and two behind and I wondered whether they were there to protect us or protect the air terminal from us.
At the end of the hall was a large high ceilinged room with a desk at its center. Standing next to the desk was a tall officer in full dress military uniform. As we approached in perfect British English he invited us to sit. “Your passports, entry cards and air tickets please.” After carefully examining our papers carefully he applied the required number in ink stamps in the appropriate places he looked up, “All is in order. Please remain seated.”
He got up and went to a door on our left, knocked, opened the door, said a few words and stepped aside. A man dressed in a khaki military uniform came through and behind us the four soldiers who had accompanied us from the car snapped to attention banging the butts of their automatic rifles on the floor. I looked at Robin, “It is General Aranni, something is up.”
“Yeah, and I hope it’s not us. I think we should stand up.”
We did and Aranni walked straight to Robin, smiled and took her hand, “Forgive me for delaying you.” Then he took my hand and shook it vigorously.
Sliding out travel documents across the table in front of Robin, “Sit please and put these in a safe place.” He smiled while watching Robin closely, “I am sure you have noticed the increased security presence. I will explain it and why you will continue to enjoy BrasTel’s attention when you are in New York, London or wherever you may go during the next, hopefully short period.”
Robin smiled back at him, “Respectfully General, we would have to have been blind not to notice and a bit crazy to believe it was the result of a general alert.”
“Thankfully you are as direct as usual. It makes things easier. First a little geograp
hy and history. In the south next to Brazil there is an area where a finger of Argentina points north along our border for several hundred kilometers separating that portion of our border from our neighbor Paraguay. At the top of the finger where the three national borders come together there is an area known as the ‘Tri-Border Area’. The three neighbors decided it would be a good place for a small free trade zone to encourage development in this very poor place. A city was founded on the Paraguay side named Ciudad del Este to encourage the start of the hope for trade.”
“I have heard of it.
“I thought you would have Carl. As you probably also know it and the area have grown and succeeded beyond expectations. Today it is beyond the control and laws of its three founders and is the home for every kind of black market and unsavory individual. To use a diplomatic term our three borders have become ‘porous’ and goods, currency, documents, information, fire arms, cash money and people flow like water across our borders using Ciudad del Este which has suburbs in all three countries as an open pipeline. Several days ago, our border security had its attention drawn to two men who we detained.” He reached out his hand and the immigration officer put a thick envelope in it. “When they were searched, we found firearms and these items.” He reached in the envelope. “Each had one of these photographs and one of these packages of used, untraceable One Hundred Dollar American notes containing ten thousand US.”
I looked down at the photograph he slid in front of me and found a frightening clear picture of my head and shoulders with the steps leading from Haddock Lobo to the garden at my apartment. “This is a recent photo.”
“Yes, it is. Our vegetation experts estimate it to be within a month based on the growth of the plants in the picture and their location. Our forensic people say the angle of the photograph indicates it was taken from above street level, perhaps an apartment across the street. We are investigating the apartments from where it could have been taken.”