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You
think that Svetlana was crying last night?”
    “I don’t think so, Jin. I know so.
I pried open the door and see her unlock her room. And she noticed
me. I don’t know how. I was absolutely quiet. She felt me, I guess,
in that deserted hallway and she looked at me.”
    “And?”
    “Eyes red, makeup smeared.
Distraught… she looked distraught. I mean not only physically,
because of the makeup. But… how should I describe it…
psychologically, mentally… desperation in her eyes, desperation on
her face… you couldn’t recognize her. You know yourself what she’s
like. Beautiful, dignified… all important next to her
Pascal.
     
    At that moment Margot walked
towards the two of them, on her way to the toilet.
    “Margot!” Jin rose from her
seat.
    “What’s wrong with you, Jin?”
Gloria got scared when Jin called her boss. “I told that only to
you.”
    Margot had already come up to
them.
    “Yes, Jin?”
    “What are you hiding from
us?”
    “What do you mean? We’re not hiding
anything.”
    “Gloria saw Svetlana last night,
all in tears and distraught.”
    “No… it was dark… I’m not sure…
Jin, really… Margot, please…”
    “Is it possible?” Margot was
surprised and concerned.
    “No, no… I probably thought I saw
something…” Gloria stuttered.
     
    Margot wasn’t listening anymore.
She also didn’t continue to the toilet. She briskly turned around
and with vigorous fast steps went towards the first row, towards
Raul.

Chapter 25
    The shortest street in Capital
City, only a hundred and twenty meters long, was not only referred
to as Short Street – it was also its official name. It was located
in the very center of the city. It connected Cypress Avenue and
Olive Avenue, in the part where the two streets were closest to
each other. This is why Short Street was always full of pedestrians
and cars.
    It was also narrow. It only had one
lane going in either direction. The sidewalks were not very wide
either. The few restaurants and cafes could only put two small
tables outside.
    Shops selling the most exclusive
and most expensive were the norm on Short Street. Anyone who bought
anything in any of the shops on Short Street could be certain of
seeing envy in the eyes of people they knew. This is why Prince
Kaella kept the highest price of rent in all of Capital City for
offices on Short Street.
     
    Short Street also had another
characteristic. Motorcades carrying important individuals from the
State or the Company very often took it, in order to shorten their
route, and therefore the time that they were exposed to potential
attacks. It was not always required to cheer and wave these
motorcades and the important individuals in them. Only on State
Day, on Company Day and of course on the birthdays of Mr. Kaella
and his son Prince. Of course, there were exceptions. Today was
such an exception, due to the electoral speech. It was necessary to
wave to President Xing’s motorcade.
     
    Short Street was ideal for this
purpose. The television crew needed only one crane to shoot the
crowd of excited admirers which looked even larger in this small
space, with wide and sincere smiles, children on their fathers’
shoulders waving balloons painted like the planet Earth, two young
people happily handing hands, a grandpa holding his arm around
grandma’s shoulder, while the love for the important individual
sparkled in her old wise eyes. And of course, unavoidably, in a
space specially cordoned off for them in the middle of Short Street
– the pupils from one of the elementary schools.

Chapter 26
    Having reached Raul, Margot
said:
    “Liam, please give us some
privacy.”
    The head of security got up from
his seat and went towards the middle of the airplane.
     
    “Why did you lie to us, Raul, that
Svetlana had left Pascal and that he had gotten drunk because of
her?”
    “I didn’t lie, Margot. That is what
Pascal told me.”
    “What is happening, Raul? Something
much more serious is going