THE FIRST ANGEL 7

Dietmar chose a small table in the corner. People watched us with surreptitious side glances while a waiter took our order. No one approached.

‘You’re more famous than you think, Jonny. They’re curious because you’re not on the grapevine.’

Tiredness and the atmosphere made me jumpy. I just wanted to get to my room and call Marge in private to find out what was happening with Sally.

‘They probably know more about why I’m here than I do.’

‘Actually they are wondering why you are here at all.’

‘Well that makes about a hundred of us.’

‘At this moment we are just old friends having a beer, but you are here because I insisted on it. Sorry about the terrible short notice, but it was necessary.’

‘What the Hell is this about . . . sorry.’

‘I understand your frustration. I can’t say much right now. Our organisation is fighting off the politicians and their goddamn military. There are major changes on the table. You’re not going to like it any more than I do. I need your help.’ He put his on my arm as he spoke. ‘Smile Jonny like I’ve just told you my latest English joke.’

Remembering Dietmar’s passion for English humour I chuckled involuntarily. Ever since I’d known him he’d beg any English person he met to tell him English jokes.

Dietmar was a good friend. I’d known him since we were young doctors studying the same subject at same hospital in Geneva, but he’d grown older since I last saw him which wasn’t that long ago. His brow was farrowed and his eyes tired or perhaps sad. His hair more salt than pepper.

For me it had been an annoying whirl which I drifted through accepting everything happening to me in a puzzled daze. Recalling Dietmar’s penchant for English jokes kind of woke me up and the question I didn’t want to ask bubbled up.

‘Is this about the Australia?’

‘You’ve heard something?’

‘Guessed.’

‘Natürlich. I should have known you would read every word in the dossier.’

‘It was the words that weren’t there.’

‘We can’t speak about this here. Let’s have one more beer then you can get some rest, but first you must try to remember a joke for me.’

I told him a groaner about a dog that chased people on a bike. I think he knew it, but he laughed heartily probably helping to release his tension. Finally in my hotel room I called Marge, but other than her concern for me, and mine for Sally there was nothing to tell.

My day started at seven thirty. The alarm was set for eight. I didn’t see the point lying in bed for thirty minutes only to drop asleep for ten minutes and wake up feeling wrecked. Wandering around the plush room, the view of the conifers surrounding the building and the flat rooves of some of the old cabins reminded me of my childhood. My parents occasionally took us on a Center Parcs break, ironically we once stayed at one in nearby Erperheide. Dad always booked a cabin, he insisted we self-catered. I recalled how, David, Julie and me ran around the wooded site chasing rabbits and red squirrels to no avail. All traces of Center Parcs now wiped off the walls of my room.

On the table near the bed a blue leather-bound file lay open the top sheet listing the day’s itinerary. I’d flipped it open the night before and decided I was too tired to bother with it.

It began of course with a welcome by Dietmar Wolfenhausen: President of Euresco. It was the following subjects which soured the flavour of the fresh coffee I’d just brewed in the room’s K cup device.

1, Overview of the history and current situation of the AVA effect: Manuel De La Hoyos -- Head Virologist WHO - Centre for Human Restructuring Organisation (CHRO).

2, Overview of the effects on human culture since 2023: Prof Damon Maskell -- Psychological studies NATO Anthropological Support sector.

3, Global pubescent and adolescent population future developments: Anders Eriksdotter – New Nobel University (NNU) Stockholm

<<< Lunch in the sub-tropical waterside bistro >>>

4, Geopolitical positioning, current and future developments: Lila-Grace Langley – DUIA

<<< Cabin Meetings 14.30 – 17.00 >>>

<<< Dinner in the Banquet Restaurant 19.30 >>>

It wasn’t items one and two that concerned me. I’d heard many lectures on those subjects and even given versions of my own. The third item interested me, but the fourth brought a bad taste.

Why, I asked myself, would we be lectured on Geopolitics?  And worse still by the Democratic Union Intelligence Agency, the powerful daughter of the old CIA?