The Grasshopper

Chapter 72

Pascal heard the quiet distant turning of a lock. Someone was unlocking the door. But not in his apartment, not his door. Some other door, beyond it. He stood against the wall. He heard someone’s fast steps come towards his door. The steps of only one person. No conversation. Someone was approaching the door alone. This person unlocked the door, opened it, and stepped towards the bedroom, as Pascal had anticipated. The person entered from a lit room so Pascal could clearly see who it was.

“Seneca!” he shouted in surprise.

“Alexander!” Seneca jolted and turned towards Pascal. “You scared me! I didn’t expect you… I though you were still…”

“And where is your…” Pascal fell silent. “Shut up, Pascal!” he shouted to himself in his thoughts. “She’s safe, if Seneca is here.”

“Raul? You mean Raul… He is… They are… well. Come here, Alexander. These aren’t your quarters…”

“What quarters?” Pascal asked, entering the large lit room.

“A living room… some kind of armchairs… a couch… my clothes from the hotel…” Pascal’s eyes quickly glanced around the room. “It is all together… and a dining room… table… six chairs… a kitchen,” Pascal was stunned.

Through the door on the wall left of Pascal, entered the Mayor’s son Peter and immediately behind him Manami with little Eir in her arm.

“Manami, Peter, come here,” Seneca said quickly. “These are your quarters,” Seneca pointed towards the door behind which Pascal had been locked.

“Good day, Mr. Alexander,” Peter greeted him cordially, passing by him and entering their quarters.

Manami looked at him, just nodded as a sign of greeting, walked in after Peter and closed the door.

“Alexander, I have to immediately return to my office. Your quarters are over here. Here, take a look,” said Seneca, opening a third door and standing in front of it. You have a large room and bathroom… everything that you need. You can take your clothes from the couch. We brought all of your things from the hotel room…”

Pascal didn’t move.

“You don’t want to take a look… alright. You can do so later… in peace. You see… there is a kitchen too. My wife will cook for you too… She is an excellent cook, you’ll see… I’m really in a hurry… You just settle in… and rest…”

Pascal was silent and standing in the same place where had been in when he saw Manami.

“You can also wait for me here, in the living room, if you wish. I will come as soon as I can. Tonight, before morning… I will tell everyone that I will take a nap in the office, and that I’m not to be disturbed. Ah, yes… I haven’t explained this. This is Prince Kaella’s shelter. He built it while he was building Megapolis. It is located between the television station and your hotel. It has entrances on both sides. The quarters that you were in were for his family. That is why my wife and children will be there. And the others, which are now your quarters, were for his bodyguards. We brought you from the hotel, and we now came down using the secret elevator in my office. I really have to go now. People will get suspicious…” said Seneca, while going out the shelter door.

“Their quarters… my quarters… The living room… I was lying on her bed… Get it together, man! What are you doing?! Don’t you have at least a sliver of dignity left? The man sedates you, drags you to some shelter, he comes… and I? What do I do? I ask him where his wife is? And when I see her I go numb. He tells me about Raul… and I don’t even think of asking him. Instead of hitting him. Hey, this man took me captive, deprived me of my freedom… and I didn’t say a single word! What will she think of me? What does she think of me? Well that won’t do, Pascal! That simply won’t do!”

“Alexander, lock the door! The card is on the dining room table,” Seneca shouted, quickly making his way to the elevator door at the end of the corridor.

“Seneca!” shouted Pascal while running out of the living room and down the corridor after him.

“Yes?” the surprised Mayor turned around.

“What is the meaning of this, sir?!” shouted Pascal, stopping in front of him. “Release me immediately! Call and open that elevator of yours! Immediately!”

“Back!” Seneca shouted at Pascal. “Return to the shelter! You are my prisoner, sir!”

“What prisoner?! Don’t be ridiculous! Open the elevator! Take me to Raul immediately! Where is he, anyway!? Why has he conspired against me?!”

“Raul is not in Megapolis. He has ordered you to remain in the shelter. Go back!” Seneca pushed Pascal.

“Don’t do this, Seneca! You know how much I have respected you! And trusted you! Don’t make me hit you!” shouted Pascal walking backward, pushing Seneca’s hands away from him.

“Raul is dead! They’re all dead! All your people, Alexander, are dead!” shouted Manami, running into the corridor.