Chapter 10

Chapter 10

The waiter brought the snack she had asked for. The ceremony of serving herself the tea filled her with anticipatory pleasure, and Alisha proved again that her spirit was prone to all rituals. She was so absorbed by the procedure her mother had inculcated her long ago that she did not notice the presence of the figure approaching her in the large room of the restaurant. When the man came to her side he coughed softly to reveal his presence to the busy woman. Alisha gave a startled jump that caused the man to apologize.

"Excuse me, I did not mean to upset you."

The sight of the newcomer and his words did not have the effect of calming the young woman but quite the contrary. Despite having seen him only once from her hotel window Alisha immediately recognized the Chinese who had been talking with Romain in Victoria and remembered his menacing attitude then.

As he realized the state of agitation of the woman he had caused the Chinese was in turn momentarily disoriented but then recovered and said.

“Ms. Chand, my name is Zhang. I assure you that you have absolutely nothing to fear from me. My purposes are honorable and peaceful.”

“What is it that you desire?”

"My associates and I have an urgency to communicate with Mr. Mercier for something of mutual interest.”

"I do not know who you are talking about.”

“Ms. Chand. Please do not insult my intelligence. I know exactly who you are and what your relationship with Mr. Mercier is. But I assure you again that all I want is for you to give your friend a message.”

Understanding the futility of continuing to deny Alisha answered in a low voice.

“What is your message?”

“We are aware of the problems that Mr. Mercier is presently going through, but these problems are not caused by us and that on the contrary we are willing to help him with our resources, which are many.”

“In exchange for what?”

"Mr. Mercier knows in return for what."

"Unfortunately I'm not in touch with Mr. Mercier."

With a slight nod, Mr. Zhang retreated, and Alisha followed him with her eyes.

The saddest thing, the girl mused, is that what she had said about the lack of contact with Romain Mercier was true.

Arriving at her apartment Alisha showered and arranged to lie down because her head ached, possibly because of the nervous tension suffered by Zhang´s untimely visit. At that moment the cell phone she had bought exclusively to get in touch with Romain rang. With her heart pounding she took the call.

The two youngsters spent a long time exchanging tender and plaintive sentences lamenting the distance and the time of separation that the destiny had imposed upon them. Alisha tried at first to suppress the tears, but at last she burst into a cry of liberation from the effects of contained anguish. Romain allowed her to relieve her feelings with a knot in his stomach.

Then came the news exchange phase, as both youngsters were eager to know each other's circumstances.

"Today at tea time I had an experience that I cannot yet finish processing." Alisha suddenly remembered. " That Chinese Zhang appeared out of nowhere while I was having tea at a restaurant.”

"What did the man want?" Romain nervously asked. “Did he try to intimidate you?”

"No, he obviously tried to sound friendly. He left me a message for you, although I informed him that you were not communicating.” The last sentence had a reproachful tone.

“And then?”

"He told me they are aware of your problems, that they are not responsible for them and that they are in a position to help you solve them." Alisha paused. "What do they want from you?

“The access to the information on the location of the raw materials I already told you about.”

"The coltan?"

“Yes.”

"But did you not tell me that China is one of the world producers? What else do they want?”

“I imagine that closing the access to other competitors and perhaps also fixing the international price in a monopoly move.”

"That is what the English did during the eighteenth century with many raw materials. That's what they were after in India.”

"China has the same imperial pretensions today as the English had then.”

Alisha paused once again. "Tell me what happened to you since the last message you left me. I never knew anything more about you.”

Romain began a long narrative of what had taken place, but bypassing all that could frighten the girl. However he did give an attenuated explanation of the message that had appeared in the room he occupied in Yashi's store.

"But that is clearly a threat." The woman lucidly reflected. "I do not understand why you are treated as a heretic. It is a term out of use, which belongs to black ages of Humanity. What does that have to do with the coltan?”

"I still cannot understand that either. Maybe nothing. Perhaps it is only related to my family history, not the current one but the remote one.”

“What are you saying? I do not understand what you mean.”

"I do not understand it either. Tomorrow I'll try to get in contact with someone who might shed some light on the subject.”

The conversation continued until Vijai knocked on the door of his daughter's room inviting her to dinner.

"Promise me that you will call me." Demanded the young woman.

“I promise.”

“…everyday.”

"I could not afford the cost of the calls. I will call you at least once a week and every time I have news.”

Berthe dialed a phone number in France. She was promptly attended by a woman with a strong accent.

"With Mr. Bertran Rostanh, please."

“Who is calling?”

“Berthe Gabriac.”

"Wait, I'll transfer the call to the tobacco shop."

After a few moments answered a voice that despite the time elapsed Berthe could still individualize.

"Berthe, is it really you?" The man's tone sounded excited.

"Bertran, it´s me indeed."

"How long has it been…?" Bertran could not speak for the excitement. Both had had a romance many years earlier, before Berthe emigrated with her family to Canada.

"The last time I visited Carcassonne was thirty-five years ago," Said the woman.

In this way the woman began a long exposition about her marriage in Quebec and the birth of her son and ended in the present day.

"You say the boy has problems because of his lineage?"

Berthe explained the message that was left to Romain in the raid in his hotel room in Mumbai.

"Do you think it could be related to our origin? So many centuries afterwards?”

"Unfortunately there are precedents.”

"He's in Carcassonne now. I have taken the liberty of giving him your address. I asked him to see you and ask for your guidance. I hope it does not bother you.”

“Of course not. He could have been my son. I will receive him with pleasure and try to help him.”

Berthe paused again and asked in a puzzled voice.

"Who is the woman who answered the phone?"

"She's ... Latifa, my wife.”

"Latifa?"

"Yes, she's a Moroccan."

“ Well.” Replied Berthe in a cheerful voice. “That is an unexpected novelty for a depository of the oldest European traditions. Have you got children?”

“Three. Two girls and a boy.”

At that moment Berthe heard the voice of the so-called Latifa, albeit far away.

“Forgive me. I must join a meeting of our…group that is about to start. I'll tell you about later. I hope we will speak more often now.”