She called the apartment just earlier.
When? I was there less than two hours ago.
Isadora couldn´t believe it. It was, I think, maybe 30 minutes?
The living/dining room is in shadows with the plastic shutters down and Kabe has only turned on the lamp on his desk. It might be because he slipped into the kitchen to get me some grapefruit-flavored soda and didn´t have time to turn on any other lights. And I suppose he would keep the shades down with the afternoon heat. But then again, it also means we´re not visible from the street or anywhere else. Although the neighbours must have seen us entering his home. Didn´t they?
Here.
He pulls up a chair for me and goes and sits behind his desk. I slowly sit down. Had he ensured the street was empty when he drove up and parked his car? I stare at the plastic handle that you whirl around clockwise to raise the shutters. We have one as well and sometimes walking down Balcarce for example, they sound like bats screeching as shades are rolled up or lowered. I sip at the soda. Normally I´d gulp it down. It´s cool and tangy-sweet.
Who are you?
I ask trying to keep my voice steady. I realize it´s a line from Apartment Zero, the wonderful Martin Donovan film. Colin Firth´s character asks the question of Hart Bochner´s character. But Kabede doesn´t give a verbal answer. His face changes to a blank neutral and he quickly slides open the top right hand drawer of his desk. It´s a sudden movement that freezes me for a moment. I can´t see what´s in the drawer and I look back at Kabe. It´s a strange look on his face. It must mean that he´s ready to do what it takes. A direct simple threat so I have to assume there´s a gun in there. His right hand rests comfortably on the edge of the drawer and he continues to observe me. I can´t say he doesn´t blink. I´m not sure. But it feels like an unblinking stare. I must be sweating a lot again.
How did you find me?
You have to be careful Allard. And you have to be logical.
Kabe´s answer throws me. I´m not sure what the rules are. Obviously he´s a charlatan, and he might be very dangerous. Or the drawer might be empty and he´s just another con man about to pull up and leave town.
Are those real?
I point at the diplomas. A fact hanging on the wall? Or just a fraud?
Yes.
Are you married?
Does it matter?
Right now, everything about you matters Kabe.
Yes, I am.
Are they alive?
My voice almost breaks.
All three are alive. David was sick for a while I think.
Kabe´s voice is matter of fact. I feel tears of relief flow down my sweaty face. He looks at me silently and then closes the drawer with a soft efficient push of his hand. He takes a sip from his cup of soda and pauses.
You must miss them very much right now ... seeing that they are doing well.
Fuck you. I half burble through my tears but then quick anger fills me.
You can´t. You fucking won´t ... But I can´t finish and it suddenly feels foolish to rage. His eyes shine.
They miss you too, I would say.
More realizations. What do they think has happened to me I wonder? Ok. Time to get as much cleared up as possible. I have to be careful. And logical. Just as he says.
How did you hack the emails?
We got David to give us your webmail page and then blocked your access and forced you to change your password. He thought we were systems administrators at Xplornet.
I breath deeply and change tack.
So if you´re telling me this I guess you´re not going to shoot me? I try to joke.
Allard be logical. What should you do?
I´m lost. How much did you take? You did take didn´t you?
Allard, listen. I can offer you a way out.
Very efficent. He goes right to the point when he senses an opening. Was he ever a policeman? Couldn´t be ... not if those diplomas are real like he says. I´m tired suddenly but I´m also aware of how fluid things are right now. I have to be precise when dealing with this very precise con man who still might use violence.
What do I have to do Kabe?
Kabe´s body seems to relax a little and he leans forward.
Go back home for a visit. He waits a beat.
No. Don´t worry about your parents or David. You make sure they are fine. Then you will have some more work to do. He pauses again, then adds,
And I think Isadora should go with you.
Isa. I feel a swirl of notions shaking inside me, crystallizing quickly. Who else is involved in this scam? Diego? Cagnazzo? Is the supposed inheritance really funds stolen from my parents? I don´t dare think it ... but I can´t avoid the final name. My love. My partner. Isa too? Kabe´s mask slips a little and shows some cruel disdain. Like Ulpiano Suarez´s disdain for Otálora in Borges´ El Muerto. But at least I´m not the walking dead like the kid from Balvanera whose short-sighted vile ambition leads him to a humiliating death at the hands of Bandeira´s henchman. I´m more like the older brother in Nueve Reinas. No, not even that. I´m just the victim of a fraud whose depth I still don´t know. I want to throw this plastic cup at the wall but instead I greedily gulp down what´s left of the juice. My choice is clear. I could have fought. But now Kabe is in control. And has been for some time. I try to rescue a shred of optimism, a cleaner view of the world from somewhere inside me. But I can´t. I lower the cup and wait for Kabe to speak.
When? I was there less than two hours ago.
Isadora couldn´t believe it. It was, I think, maybe 30 minutes?
The living/dining room is in shadows with the plastic shutters down and Kabe has only turned on the lamp on his desk. It might be because he slipped into the kitchen to get me some grapefruit-flavored soda and didn´t have time to turn on any other lights. And I suppose he would keep the shades down with the afternoon heat. But then again, it also means we´re not visible from the street or anywhere else. Although the neighbours must have seen us entering his home. Didn´t they?
Here.
He pulls up a chair for me and goes and sits behind his desk. I slowly sit down. Had he ensured the street was empty when he drove up and parked his car? I stare at the plastic handle that you whirl around clockwise to raise the shutters. We have one as well and sometimes walking down Balcarce for example, they sound like bats screeching as shades are rolled up or lowered. I sip at the soda. Normally I´d gulp it down. It´s cool and tangy-sweet.
Who are you?
I ask trying to keep my voice steady. I realize it´s a line from Apartment Zero, the wonderful Martin Donovan film. Colin Firth´s character asks the question of Hart Bochner´s character. But Kabede doesn´t give a verbal answer. His face changes to a blank neutral and he quickly slides open the top right hand drawer of his desk. It´s a sudden movement that freezes me for a moment. I can´t see what´s in the drawer and I look back at Kabe. It´s a strange look on his face. It must mean that he´s ready to do what it takes. A direct simple threat so I have to assume there´s a gun in there. His right hand rests comfortably on the edge of the drawer and he continues to observe me. I can´t say he doesn´t blink. I´m not sure. But it feels like an unblinking stare. I must be sweating a lot again.
How did you find me?
You have to be careful Allard. And you have to be logical.
Kabe´s answer throws me. I´m not sure what the rules are. Obviously he´s a charlatan, and he might be very dangerous. Or the drawer might be empty and he´s just another con man about to pull up and leave town.
Are those real?
I point at the diplomas. A fact hanging on the wall? Or just a fraud?
Yes.
Are you married?
Does it matter?
Right now, everything about you matters Kabe.
Yes, I am.
Are they alive?
My voice almost breaks.
All three are alive. David was sick for a while I think.
Kabe´s voice is matter of fact. I feel tears of relief flow down my sweaty face. He looks at me silently and then closes the drawer with a soft efficient push of his hand. He takes a sip from his cup of soda and pauses.
You must miss them very much right now ... seeing that they are doing well.
Fuck you. I half burble through my tears but then quick anger fills me.
You can´t. You fucking won´t ... But I can´t finish and it suddenly feels foolish to rage. His eyes shine.
They miss you too, I would say.
More realizations. What do they think has happened to me I wonder? Ok. Time to get as much cleared up as possible. I have to be careful. And logical. Just as he says.
How did you hack the emails?
We got David to give us your webmail page and then blocked your access and forced you to change your password. He thought we were systems administrators at Xplornet.
I breath deeply and change tack.
So if you´re telling me this I guess you´re not going to shoot me? I try to joke.
Allard be logical. What should you do?
I´m lost. How much did you take? You did take didn´t you?
Allard, listen. I can offer you a way out.
Very efficent. He goes right to the point when he senses an opening. Was he ever a policeman? Couldn´t be ... not if those diplomas are real like he says. I´m tired suddenly but I´m also aware of how fluid things are right now. I have to be precise when dealing with this very precise con man who still might use violence.
What do I have to do Kabe?
Kabe´s body seems to relax a little and he leans forward.
Go back home for a visit. He waits a beat.
No. Don´t worry about your parents or David. You make sure they are fine. Then you will have some more work to do. He pauses again, then adds,
And I think Isadora should go with you.
Isa. I feel a swirl of notions shaking inside me, crystallizing quickly. Who else is involved in this scam? Diego? Cagnazzo? Is the supposed inheritance really funds stolen from my parents? I don´t dare think it ... but I can´t avoid the final name. My love. My partner. Isa too? Kabe´s mask slips a little and shows some cruel disdain. Like Ulpiano Suarez´s disdain for Otálora in Borges´ El Muerto. But at least I´m not the walking dead like the kid from Balvanera whose short-sighted vile ambition leads him to a humiliating death at the hands of Bandeira´s henchman. I´m more like the older brother in Nueve Reinas. No, not even that. I´m just the victim of a fraud whose depth I still don´t know. I want to throw this plastic cup at the wall but instead I greedily gulp down what´s left of the juice. My choice is clear. I could have fought. But now Kabe is in control. And has been for some time. I try to rescue a shred of optimism, a cleaner view of the world from somewhere inside me. But I can´t. I lower the cup and wait for Kabe to speak.
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