Living by Gaslight and Blue Oranges

 I saw Vittorio last night, which surprised me

Really why?

Because he died a long time ago. He said he had a message for me, but I didn't understand what he was saying so I left. Not before checking out his lacklustre restaurant. It all seemed like a big comedown from his London and Marbella heyday.

Were you wearing fatigues?

No. Why? Why the fuck would I be wearing fatigues? You and your 100 stupid fucking questions!

Because I saw a message on your phone while you were sleeping, it was 

from Jean - Luc in London.

What did it say?

He wants to know if we can shift some firearms from Zurich. Don't sweat it, they're antique. Or so he says.

What? What are we now? Arms dealers?

Hahahaha!

I wonder who's behind this? The Saudi's? 

The hotel in Geneva. The art gallery in St Jame's Place. I am so tired of all this shit, I have been since the Middle East. The hyperbaric chamber crap. Please look at me and tell me what you see?

I see you, as very interesting.

I wondered about you Mr Frenchie,  as you sipped coffee in my kitchen after accidently knocking at my door looking for someone else. Someone else really? How quiet and genteel you were, stirring the sugar and sipping at the hot liquid so discreetly, so politely, so sophisticated. So mysterious. You made me think alright.

What were you thinking?

I was wondering if you were watching me, if you were some sort of agent come to find out who I was. It all seemed very strange. I wondered why you were here in front of me. The fact that you said you thought I was German. 

I did think you were German, possibly Dutch. You don't look English really.

People used to think I was Russian. I would get my menus in Russian when I was at any Restaurant.

Ahh. That equates.

It very well may equate, but it used to irritate me.

You, so easily irritated my tiny fair. Now tell me. Who is the dumpy short legged scruffy dressed woman who used to come here, the one with the fat ass who's sit down air used to stink?

I don't know, she has no background, only lies and a fictional past. I cut her loose because I didn't trust her, why? Sit down air? Jesus... but yeah you're right.

She's the quintessential loose cannon, heroin junkie, ex-hooker - you name it. Think of the junkie mentality, say or do anything to get their next fix. Keep the door closed on her. Keep her fried brained fucked up logic out of our business. She is the enemy. Because above all else, she is jealous.

Or whatever, yes she used to try and gaslight me, convince me I needed therapy with her friend! Can you imagine! Alors!! But aren't we all dealing on a short circuit somewhere? I am, you aren't so tightly wrapped yourself! Are wenot damaged goods?

Yes, but her damage is chemically induced, so it's a short circuit on a whole different level. Investigate it.

Oh I see. Okay. Oh god, I need to go back home at some stage, I can't stay here, I don't like it. I don't like it at all. 

No, me neither. But we have to go back to the cafe.

I'm telling you there is something going on in the back of that cafe. The owner is very suspicious. He looked us both up and down, he thought we were undercover. He was selling food with no food avilable.

What do you think is going on?

The curtain sheilding the back room, he's very guarded over it, doesn't risk you seeing what's behind it when he has to walk through.

What's your opinion?

At first I thought porn, or gambling or an illegal place of worship sheltering a radical hate speech type of Iman. But no. I discounted all of that after what I saw in Barcelona.

What did you see in Barcelona?

A sleeper cell.

In a world where danger lurked around every corner, he knew the risks 

of going undercover as a radical Muslim to bring down a violent extremist 

group. But when he met her - a beautiful and cunning female who 

seemed to see right through his facade - things became even more 

complicated. As their cat-and-mouse game unfolded in the gritty streets 

of New York City, he found himself torn between duty and desire, unable 

to deny the growing feelings he had for the very woman he was 

supposed to be hunting down. With no escape from the web of lies and 

deception they had spun around each other, he realized too late that his 

heart had already been captured by someone who could never truly be 

his.