by Odeda Yaari
Ron said nothing.Dana pretended to apologize. “I don’t know what came over me, I was just so excited to meet you here.” She took his hand. “I didn’t even think to check whether my plans suited you.”
Ron sighed. “I hope I don’t lose you once you hear the whole story,” he started.
Dana leaned in, giving him her undivided attention. “You won’t lose me, I promise.”
Ron squeezed her hand.
“The truth is, there was no business meeting. I came here specifically to play in the casino. For a while now, I’ve been working on an almost scientific method to ‘break the bank.’ I think the scientist in me wanted to see if it could actually work. I was sure it did, till I bet on huge sums. The problem is, I took the money out of my company’s account, and played on the fact that the banker knows me personally. Now I’m in deep trouble, and I owe the company a hundred thousand dollars. I have no idea how I’m going to get that back, not to mention what will happen once my family finds out about this, since they invested so much in the project. Believe me when I say I would do anything to wipe out the last few hours. Meanwhile, I’m stuck with the project at work, which isn’t going to bring in any money until I finish it, and I know with this new problem on my mind, I’m not going to be able to focus on work.”
“You’re right, it is a lot of money. But I’m sure we can think of something. I could look into some things back home, and maybe I’ll find a way to help you. But I think we should take the next two days to enjoy ourselves. Look, we’re in an amazing city, and I’m with this amazing man. Why not make the most of it? We’ll put all the troubles aside for now. We can’t do anything about them right now anyway. Getting depressed isn’t going to fix anything.”
Ron gave a half smile. “I can’t get you involved in this, but if you do manage to find a way out, I’ll be grateful for the rest of my life. I’m sure I can pay you back quickly. The main thing is that no one else can know about this.” He looked at her, thankful for her very existence, “Just promise me that you won’t spend the money out of your own pocket. I think you must be my good fairy, sent for my aid.”
He leaned across the table and kissed her tenderly.
“So”, she said, “Are we going to have a good time, sweetie?”
Ron was feeling better already.
They paid the bill and went for a stroll along the boardwalk. Dana wanted to keep the atmosphere light, to make Ron forget about his problems, and to make him feel a little bit more dependent on her. She held his hand and spoke of everything other than work and money. She asked about his hobbies and his friends, and asked that he give her the Gaudi tour he had taken that morning.
“I’m going to quiz you. Let’s see if you paid attention.”
Ron led her through the city, telling her the few details he remembered about the artist and doing his best to keep up with her questions. Never before had he told anyone that his favorite color was blue, that the thing he hated to eat most was herring, that he used to love crossword puzzles as a kid, and that the first girl he ever loved was named Michal. They stood in front of Gaudi’s outlandish Casa Milà.
“He was a bit crazy and strange. That’s what I remember from the tour.”
“Yeah, I guess he was. But I love that,” said Dana. “And you know, speaking of strange things, how come you haven’t asked a single question about me?”
“Okay. If you had one wish, what would it be?” asked Ron.
Dana smiled. “I really don’t know. Wow! My wish has come true.” She pointed to a taxi.
They climbed into the backseat and Ron sat close to her.
“Dana…” He turned to her.
She looked at him, amused.
“I wanted to say thank you. You really saved me. I don’t know what I would have done if it weren’t for you right now.”
Dana nodded. He came closer and kissed her, and once again he felt the yearning that he had tried to push back for the past few days. He forgot about the money, about work, and gave in to the kiss.Her tongue moved around lustfully in his mouth and she whispered, “Let’s give the driver a little show. What do you say?”
Ron blushed, but Dana swept him on. She nibbled on his ear gently and then moved down his neck, kissing and sucking lightly. He pulled her head back, exposing her long, slender neck leading down to her breasts. Lustfully, he licked her tan skin, was drawn into her, his head descending beneath the straps of her dress.
***
When they pulled up at the hotel, they straightened their clothes hurriedly. While Ron paid the driver, Dana looked at him and gave him a sexy little wink.
“I’ll be in my room,” she whispered. “Don’t take too long.”
She went up to her room, rushing to conceal anything that could indicate her true identity, and ordered a bottle of wine. Ron came up to the door and knocked so lightly, his usual shyness acting out again, giving her the option of not even hearing his knocking. Dana waited for him, wearing the hotel bathrobe. Soon after, there was another knock on the door, and a room service waiter entered with a chilled bottle of wine.
“I ordered us some wine, to celebrate meeting up like this!” said Dana theatrically, and she poured the wine.Ron came up to her, his body boiling hot with passion. The wine and dim lighting helped him overcome whatever shyness was still in him. He could feel the stiff knots in his throat slowly unraveling, replaced by a real, pure desire for Dana. She was so beautiful and warm, so laid-back and understanding, that he yearned with all his heart to take her in his arms. He took off her robe and revealed the graceful figure he had dreamed about. His bashful hands slid over her soft skin, and the scent of her gentle perfume filled him. Her fingers undid his shirt buttons and moved down to his pants. He kissed every inch of her body, stroking her gently, powerfully, tasting and smelling every bit of her. When she took off his pants, his engorged member sprang at her, restless and impatient. She sat on top of him, her cat-like body moving ferociously, as if it had a life of its own. He moved toward her, feeling the vague waves become clearer and clearer, threatening to burst. They moved in sync for a few more minutes, sweating, panting, kissing, and weaving one into the other. Dana swayed on top of him, her movements resembling a dance. Then she leaned forward, clinging to him and kissing him, until the moment he erupted inside of her, trying to stifle the groan that escaped his throat, listening to her moaning.
Ron lay back next to Dana, sweaty and panting, and was full of gratitude. Something within him knew she didn’t love him. But he didn’t care. Right there and then she was his, body and mind.
***
It was late morning when they woke up. Dana’s phone was ringing, but she did not answer. She knew it was Yoni, waiting impatiently to hear of the night’s developments. But with Ron there, she couldn’t talk to him. She wanted to call home and talk to Matan, who was probably waiting for a call from her, and she also wanted to speak to Garry, who she had left behind at home.
“I want to take a shower and get ready,” she told Ron, giving him a good morning kiss. “So, let’s meet for breakfast in the dining room in half an hour? I’m famished.”
Ron quickly picked up his clothes that were scattered all over the floor. In the light of day, he felt awkward and clumsy, compared with the ease in which Dana carried herself before him, still naked. He kissed her back and left the room.
Sophie dialed Yoni’s number and he picked up straight after the first ring, all antsy.
“Where have you been? It’s almost ten, I was starting to get worried.”
“Relax, everything’s working just as we planned. Last night, Ron tried to pull a hit on the casino, and now he’s in a hundred-thousand-dollar hole, which he took out of the company funds. I promised him I’d try to figure something out, but in the meantime, I’m keeping him in suspense. We’ll fly back together on Sunday, and I’ll come by the office so that we can decide on our next move. Today, we’ll spend some time together. The guy’s scared to death, and I’m sure he’ll cling to what
ever help we’ll offer him.”
“I’m glad things progressed this way,” said Yoni. “The time we have at our disposal is getting shorter and shorter. I’m counting on you to do whatever it takes, which is why I won’t ask how you spent the night!”
His voice was calmer and more amused now. Sophie smiled. How well Yoni knows me, she thought.
“I’m just doing what my boss told me not to do if he were me. Yoni, I have to go. I’m meeting him for breakfast, and I want to call home before that. Unless there are any unusual developments, I’ll talk to you when I’m back in Israel,” she said and hung up.
Ron and Dana spent a pleasant, leisurely day together. Ron made an effort to smile and make interesting conversation, pushing back the concerns that burdened him.
Tomorrow, he thought, back at home, I’ll have to face the truth and see what I’m going to do. Right now, being here, I deserve to have a good time.
18
Four months had passed since Edo had begun working at the lab. He was over the initial shock of realizing he was going to work for drug manufacturers. At the lab, the sole purpose of which was the distillation of cocaine and heroin, he sold his scientific experience for cold, hard cash, and managed to enjoy the benefits of the status his job came with.
The lab was a secure, guarded factory, complete with the best, most modern equipment money could buy. It was located in a series of basements, dug deep into underground tunnels, and was absolutely undetectable from the surface.
Edo’s employers had spotted the potential in the young, Spanish-speaking man, and groomed him from the first moment. His doctorate degree gave him an honorable status, both in the eyes of the simple laborers working at the lab, and in the eyes of his employers. They called him “El Doctor” and started going to him whenever they had a problem. In return, they paid him handsomely to ensure he wouldn’t go anywhere.
In order to produce the substance required for the production of cocaine, one must carefully cut the head of a poppy, wait patiently for the sap to ooze, collect it in a vessel, and then process it in a lengthy technique that required both manpower and time. And so, time passed. Edo felt there was no need for him to hurry. He didn’t have a job waiting for him back home, and it couldn’t hurt for him to fill his pockets in preparation for the future.
In time, the lab supervisors started to get close to Edo. They asked him to eat with them, enjoying the services of a cook. Despite being naturally cautious and suspicious toward strangers, they felt at ease with Edo, and shared with him the way things operated, and the powers that were at play in that market. They spoke of the force the drug lords had, of the way they responded to any possible threat, and of the web of tangled connections they had with the authorities. Edo became their advisor. He struck them as someone who was smart, reliable, and quiet, and yet they were confident that he in no way posed a threat to their positions.
Edo’s status and the money he earned allowed him to move out of the hostel he had been staying in and rent a small apartment in a decent part of the city. He remembered his debt to Roberto and his wife, and would transfer part of his salary to them every month.
One day during lunch, the foreman laid his hand on Edo’s shoulder and asked him to stay behind when all the other workers left.
When they were alone, he said, “El Doctor, you are like a son to me, and I have a big problem. Perhaps you, such a smart young man, will know how to help me.”
Edo said nothing and waited for the foreman to go on.
“Yesterday, the boss called us in and said we needed more stuff. You know how the government ruined our livelihood, and soon there won’t be enough goods to keep up with demand. All these people will be out of work. And me, I will probably be killed, by the boss or by people on the street who hate me. You could have a lot of money, serious money, if you can come up with a solution.”
All sorts of thoughts went through Edo’s head, but at that moment he was too confused to put them in order.
“I need to think,” he said quietly. “Perhaps I’ll be able to come up with an idea. I’ll give you an answer tomorrow.”
That night, Edo’s sleep wandered. He ran all sorts of chemical scenarios, formulas, and speculations in his head. Something in the back of his mind bothered him. It was as if he had passed by the answer once, by chance, though he couldn’t remember what it was. He knew he had enough money to disappear the next morning and go on with his trip, forget about the foreman and his troubles, about the laborers and their poverty. But the words “serious money” drew him in. The thought of a considerable amount of money, such that would allow him a better, more comfortable life than when he had grown up, and maybe even provide a better chance for his parents and two sisters, was incredibly appealing.
He fell asleep at the kitchen table, his head resting against his hands, like he had so many times during his university studies. Images of the lab started mixing in his head with images from the labs at university. Faces and test tubes and petri dishes, dozens of petri dishes swarming all around him, and the little spores growing in them bowing their heads at him, talking, but he couldn’t understand what they were saying.
Edo woke up. The only dish around was the one with leftovers from his dinner. He got up to shower and change for the new day. He felt bad about having to disappoint the foreman and the rest of the workers.
As he faced the mirror to shave, things started clicking in his head. Suddenly he realized what it was that had gnawed at the back of his mind since the foreman had spoken with him. He remembered the three guys he went to university with—David, Yossi, and Ron—who were a bit standoffish and strange. They would spend hours at the lab, much more than was required of them, and gave weird explanations as to why they had to stay behind. Edo was convinced they were working on some development they wished to keep secret from the faculty staff. When he checked out their petri dishes, he suspected they were developing hallucinogenic plants. Before leaving Israel, he had heard that the three of them planned to start a company, and he was sure those mysterious dishes were the grounds for their invention. Something in his intuition told him the solution to the foreman’s problem lay in those three guys.Feeling uplifted, he finished getting ready and left for the lab.
The foreman, restless, called Edo into his office the moment he spotted him. He shut the door behind him. “Well?”
“Look,” said Edo, somewhat hesitantly, knowing that once he said what he was going to say there would be no going back. “I think I know someone who has a solution, but to be sure, I would have to go to Israel for a short while to look into it. I may need money to convince some people over there.”
The foreman did not seem encouraged by Edo’s response. This was not a convenient enough solution for him. And he did not at all like the thought of things being out of his control. On the other hand, what choice did he have? He was sure the other foremen would have no answers whatsoever. Maybe, he secretly hoped, he would be the only one that came to Santo with any kind of lead.“I need to consult, I’ll let you know,” he said, and sent Edo away.
Over the following three days, the two said nothing of the matter. Then the foreman called Edo. “Come, we’re going to meet someone.”
The foreman’s big, impressive car was already waiting for them outside the lab. After about a forty-minute drive, they stopped next to a heavy iron gate. Two armed guards approached the car. The foreman rolled down his window, allowing the guards to look inside at the people sitting in the car, while muttering the guards’ names. They stepped back and opened the gate.
The large front door opened to allow them in. The foreman knew the house was wired with security cameras, observing their every move from the minute they had stopped by the front gate.
The housekeeper led them to Santo’s chambers, opened the door for them, and went away silently. Santo was waiting in his room, trying to look friendly and welcoming so as not to scare off the young man the foreman had brought along. He was well prepared for the me
eting and had all the required information about Edo. He knew about his education, the incident in Bogota, even his family back in Israel. He asked the two men to join him for lunch. The foreman, who had never been treated this way by Santo before, felt hopeful. His future, he knew, was in Edo’s hands. He started talking, eager to seem informed and on point, but Santo stopped him abruptly and said, “We have time. Let’s enjoy our lunch first and get to know each other, then we’ll get down to business.”
The two sat down on either side of Santo, with Edo on Santo’s right, per his instructions. The foreman felt insulted, but said nothing, reminding himself that Edo was really his asset.
Edo, for whom this was the first time in a house this grand, looked around in awe. This type of wealth and splendor was something he had only seen in the movies. Lunch was served on a huge mahogany table that could easily seat twenty. The meal was made up of eight courses and was served in ornate silver dishes. Edo tried everything—rich salads, prime cuts of meat, chicken, and seafood, and delicious side dishes, served on beautiful platters. Everything was immaculate, and each dish was accompanied by just the right wine. Whenever his glass emptied, a servant would quickly fill it right back up.
From the moment lunch started, Santo’s undivided attention was on Edo. He asked about his past and his family, and complimented his Spanish. The further the conversation went, the more Edo felt a strange uneasiness. At first, he felt flattered, being called to the general’s house like this and invited to dine with him. Now he felt exposed and helpless, like a butterfly trapped in a spider’s web. He knew how powerful Santo was, and understood clearly that he would be in his debt for this honor he was being rewarded.
When lunch was over, Santo started. “Young man, I understand you have a practical solution to our little problem. Santo would love to hear it,” he said, smiling insincerely at Edo.