didn’t even attempt to answer any of these questions. When you are a bodyguard, you know that actions speak louder than words. They pushed back their chairs and sprinted toward the door, chasing after the three children and the dog.
Colonel Zinfandel turned to his fellow diners. He was a handsome man. When he smiled, his white teeth gleamed under the bright lights. “I am very sorry,” he said in a calm voice. “I appear to have been the victim of an assassination attempt. I hope it hasn’t spoiled your lunch.”
Colonel Zinfandel was cruel and vicious and brutal, but he could also be very charming when he chose to be.
“We’re absolutely fine,” said one of the other men at the table.
“Of course we’re fine,” said another. “No one tried to kill us.”
“But what about you?” said a third. “Are you hurt? Do you need to see a doctor? Shouldn’t we call an ambulance?”
“No, no, there’s no need,” said Colonel Zinfandel, shrugging his shoulders. “I’m used to events like this. I come from a complicated country, you see. Stanislavia is not like France or England or the United States of America. In my country, people don’t settle their argumentswith words. They use fists and guns. So I know how to defend myself.” He smiled again. His white teeth seemed to gleam even more brightly. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to go and see whether my men have caught those assassins. I would very much like to know who they are.”
Some of his fellow diners wondered whether they should call the police. Others offered to accompany him.
“Thank you so much,” said Colonel Zinfandel. “But there’s no need for you to interrupt your meal. My men are sure to have everything under control. I will be back in a moment. While I’m gone, please just enjoy the food and the wine and the view.”
With another dazzling smile, Colonel Zinfandel turned his back on the table and marched toward the door.
As soon as his back was turned, his smile vanished.
It was replaced by an expression of intense anger.
Colonel Zinfandel was boiling with rage.
He had been made to look like a fool.
Before his limousine even arrived at the Eiffel Tower, his bodyguards had surrounded the Jules Verne restaurant. His men had been watching every entrance and exit. They had been given strict ordersabout exactly what to do. No one should have been allowed inside without proper authorization.
The restaurant should have been the safest place in the whole of Paris. But a child had slipped past the bodyguards and got inside.
Three children, in fact. And a dog.
And not just any children. The son and daughter of Gabriel Raffifi. And that English boy, the one called Tim, who had helped them escape from prison.
Now they had come back to haunt him.
They had attacked him. They had sneaked up behind him and tried to kill him. They had come
this close
to burying a knife in his heart. He had been too quick and too clever for them, of course. But they had still managed to escape.
It doesn’t matter, thought Colonel Zinfandel. I’m going to catch them now.
And when I’ve caught them, I will make them suffer.
I will show them that no one makes a fool of Colonel Zinfandel.
Chapter 21
Max came to a standstill in the middle of the second level of the Eiffel Tower. Natascha and Tim and Grk stopped beside him. They looked around, searching for any sign of Colonel Zinfandel. He hadn’t got here yet. Nor had his bodyguards. But they would be soon.
Max looked at the others.
He knew that there wasn’t any time to ask all the questions that he wanted to ask. What are you doing here? What are
you
doing here? How did you get here? How did you find me? How did you know where to go? And why couldn’t you do as I asked and leave me alone? Those questions could wait. First, they had to escape from the broad-shouldered and heavily armed men who were chasing them.
“Up or down,” said Max. “That’s the question.”
Three large lifts
Colonel Zinfandel turned to his fellow diners. He was a handsome man. When he smiled, his white teeth gleamed under the bright lights. “I am very sorry,” he said in a calm voice. “I appear to have been the victim of an assassination attempt. I hope it hasn’t spoiled your lunch.”
Colonel Zinfandel was cruel and vicious and brutal, but he could also be very charming when he chose to be.
“We’re absolutely fine,” said one of the other men at the table.
“Of course we’re fine,” said another. “No one tried to kill us.”
“But what about you?” said a third. “Are you hurt? Do you need to see a doctor? Shouldn’t we call an ambulance?”
“No, no, there’s no need,” said Colonel Zinfandel, shrugging his shoulders. “I’m used to events like this. I come from a complicated country, you see. Stanislavia is not like France or England or the United States of America. In my country, people don’t settle their argumentswith words. They use fists and guns. So I know how to defend myself.” He smiled again. His white teeth seemed to gleam even more brightly. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to go and see whether my men have caught those assassins. I would very much like to know who they are.”
Some of his fellow diners wondered whether they should call the police. Others offered to accompany him.
“Thank you so much,” said Colonel Zinfandel. “But there’s no need for you to interrupt your meal. My men are sure to have everything under control. I will be back in a moment. While I’m gone, please just enjoy the food and the wine and the view.”
With another dazzling smile, Colonel Zinfandel turned his back on the table and marched toward the door.
As soon as his back was turned, his smile vanished.
It was replaced by an expression of intense anger.
Colonel Zinfandel was boiling with rage.
He had been made to look like a fool.
Before his limousine even arrived at the Eiffel Tower, his bodyguards had surrounded the Jules Verne restaurant. His men had been watching every entrance and exit. They had been given strict ordersabout exactly what to do. No one should have been allowed inside without proper authorization.
The restaurant should have been the safest place in the whole of Paris. But a child had slipped past the bodyguards and got inside.
Three children, in fact. And a dog.
And not just any children. The son and daughter of Gabriel Raffifi. And that English boy, the one called Tim, who had helped them escape from prison.
Now they had come back to haunt him.
They had attacked him. They had sneaked up behind him and tried to kill him. They had come
this close
to burying a knife in his heart. He had been too quick and too clever for them, of course. But they had still managed to escape.
It doesn’t matter, thought Colonel Zinfandel. I’m going to catch them now.
And when I’ve caught them, I will make them suffer.
I will show them that no one makes a fool of Colonel Zinfandel.
Chapter 21
Max came to a standstill in the middle of the second level of the Eiffel Tower. Natascha and Tim and Grk stopped beside him. They looked around, searching for any sign of Colonel Zinfandel. He hadn’t got here yet. Nor had his bodyguards. But they would be soon.
Max looked at the others.
He knew that there wasn’t any time to ask all the questions that he wanted to ask. What are you doing here? What are
you
doing here? How did you get here? How did you find me? How did you know where to go? And why couldn’t you do as I asked and leave me alone? Those questions could wait. First, they had to escape from the broad-shouldered and heavily armed men who were chasing them.
“Up or down,” said Max. “That’s the question.”
Three large lifts
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