pandora21
Spectator
Hi everyone! Here's a story that I wanted to write for a while, and now I finally found the time to do it. So, please enjoy!
THE CHINESE PRISONER
1. The Task
The story began on a Monday morning. I arrived at 8 am at my office where I went through the files of my patients. Oh, please let me introduce myself first. My name is Pandora, like the lady from the Greek mythology, the one with the box. I’m not sure why my parents gave me that name. Did they think that I would bring a major calamity over humanity or what? Anyways, after High school I studied medicine and became a doctor. And then I got my first job as doctor in an institution for correction and punishment of female criminals. That’s about it what is to say about my life for the moment, let’s return to the events of my story.
Well, as I said before, I arrived at my office, and there was a knock on the door.
“Come in,” I said.
The door opened, and a man dressed in blue jeans and a leather jacket entered. He was about 20 years older than me, wore a cowboy hat and in addition, sunglasses. He was the only person I’ve ever met who seemed to wear shades 24/7 without being blind or an albino. Every time I saw him I had to think about that song by Cory Hart about sunglasses and nighttime.
“Dr. P,” he said, nodded slightly and tipped at the brim of his hat with one finger.
“Mr. T,” I replied and nodded back. We had our own code when we addressed to one another. In fact, Mr. T’s name was Tree, Tree like Bush, as he always used to say. “What can I do for you?”
“The Boss wants to see you,” he said.
“What? Right now?”
“Yep,” he said somewhat short-cut.
“Why?”
“How the hell should I know?” he snapped back, took a cigarette out of his pocket and put it in his mouth.
“Umm, I would rather appreciate it if you didn’t smoke in my office,” I said when he got his lighter out next.
Tree glanced at me with an indifferent look for some seconds, then shrugged his shoulders and lit his cigarette nonetheless. He inhaled, blew out a white smoke pillar and said: “Don’t be late, Dr. P. The Boss hates to be waiting.”
“The Boss” was a man in his late sixties. His real name was Admihoek. Close friends called him “Admi”, people like me however were supposed to address him only as “Sir”. His office was larger than some apartments I’ve seen, and it was filled with expensive furniture. When I entered he sat at his heavy desk of some noble wood, mahogany or some sort. At the right hand wall there was a big sofa, where Tree sat while smoking his cigarette. Next to the desk, a young woman knelt on the floor. She was stark naked, held her hands openly on her thighs, and was completely motionless like a statue made of marble. Eulalia, or Eul, as she was called by most of us, was the pet of the boss. Her only purpose was being there and looking pretty, at least that was what I believed.
“There you are, Doctor,” said the Boss. “Please, have a seat.”
I did as he said and noticed that Eul was following me with her eyes.
“How are you doing today?”
“Fine, Sir. I’m fine.”
“That’s good. Now tell me, how long have you been working here?”
“Five years, Sir.”
“Five years!” exclaimed the Boss and laughed. “How the time goes by… And you like your job?”
“Yes, Sir.”
“Well, whoever says he doesn’t like to see naked ladies every day certainly is a liar,” remarked Tree. The Boss laughed even louder, and for a second there was a smile even on Eul’s lips.
“Now, let me tell you why I called you,” said the Boss. “You’ve heard about the suicide bombing last month?”
“Yes.”
It would have been strange if someone has not heard about it. A bus exploded in the city center. Many people died, a lot more were severely injured. The FBI and the ATF got involved and found evidence of a suicide bomber. The big question was if there was a group behind the case.
“They’ve arrested a friend of this bomber,” explained the Boss. “She’s been found guilty and will be publicly crucified in two weeks from now. At this very moment, she’s on her way to this place. Now, I want you to get close to her and find out if there are more people involved.”
“But why me?” I asked. “Tree is the guy for interrogations. I’m only a doctor, I’m not even a psychologist.”
“But you have an advantage no one in this room has: You’re a Chinese, and so is she.”
“My parents are Chinese, I was born in Europe.”
“That’s not the point, there is a link between you and her… Use that opportunity. Well, what do you say?”
I thought about it for a while, and then I nodded.
“Okay, glad to hear we have a deal,” said the Boss. “I expect updates on a regular base. And remember: time is ticking…”
“Yes, Sir, I’ll do my best.”
As I went out, the Boss handed me the file of the new prisoner. Her name was on the front page: Yupar.
TO BE CONTINUED
THE CHINESE PRISONER
1. The Task
The story began on a Monday morning. I arrived at 8 am at my office where I went through the files of my patients. Oh, please let me introduce myself first. My name is Pandora, like the lady from the Greek mythology, the one with the box. I’m not sure why my parents gave me that name. Did they think that I would bring a major calamity over humanity or what? Anyways, after High school I studied medicine and became a doctor. And then I got my first job as doctor in an institution for correction and punishment of female criminals. That’s about it what is to say about my life for the moment, let’s return to the events of my story.
Well, as I said before, I arrived at my office, and there was a knock on the door.
“Come in,” I said.
The door opened, and a man dressed in blue jeans and a leather jacket entered. He was about 20 years older than me, wore a cowboy hat and in addition, sunglasses. He was the only person I’ve ever met who seemed to wear shades 24/7 without being blind or an albino. Every time I saw him I had to think about that song by Cory Hart about sunglasses and nighttime.
“Dr. P,” he said, nodded slightly and tipped at the brim of his hat with one finger.
“Mr. T,” I replied and nodded back. We had our own code when we addressed to one another. In fact, Mr. T’s name was Tree, Tree like Bush, as he always used to say. “What can I do for you?”
“The Boss wants to see you,” he said.
“What? Right now?”
“Yep,” he said somewhat short-cut.
“Why?”
“How the hell should I know?” he snapped back, took a cigarette out of his pocket and put it in his mouth.
“Umm, I would rather appreciate it if you didn’t smoke in my office,” I said when he got his lighter out next.
Tree glanced at me with an indifferent look for some seconds, then shrugged his shoulders and lit his cigarette nonetheless. He inhaled, blew out a white smoke pillar and said: “Don’t be late, Dr. P. The Boss hates to be waiting.”
“The Boss” was a man in his late sixties. His real name was Admihoek. Close friends called him “Admi”, people like me however were supposed to address him only as “Sir”. His office was larger than some apartments I’ve seen, and it was filled with expensive furniture. When I entered he sat at his heavy desk of some noble wood, mahogany or some sort. At the right hand wall there was a big sofa, where Tree sat while smoking his cigarette. Next to the desk, a young woman knelt on the floor. She was stark naked, held her hands openly on her thighs, and was completely motionless like a statue made of marble. Eulalia, or Eul, as she was called by most of us, was the pet of the boss. Her only purpose was being there and looking pretty, at least that was what I believed.
“There you are, Doctor,” said the Boss. “Please, have a seat.”
I did as he said and noticed that Eul was following me with her eyes.
“How are you doing today?”
“Fine, Sir. I’m fine.”
“That’s good. Now tell me, how long have you been working here?”
“Five years, Sir.”
“Five years!” exclaimed the Boss and laughed. “How the time goes by… And you like your job?”
“Yes, Sir.”
“Well, whoever says he doesn’t like to see naked ladies every day certainly is a liar,” remarked Tree. The Boss laughed even louder, and for a second there was a smile even on Eul’s lips.
“Now, let me tell you why I called you,” said the Boss. “You’ve heard about the suicide bombing last month?”
“Yes.”
It would have been strange if someone has not heard about it. A bus exploded in the city center. Many people died, a lot more were severely injured. The FBI and the ATF got involved and found evidence of a suicide bomber. The big question was if there was a group behind the case.
“They’ve arrested a friend of this bomber,” explained the Boss. “She’s been found guilty and will be publicly crucified in two weeks from now. At this very moment, she’s on her way to this place. Now, I want you to get close to her and find out if there are more people involved.”
“But why me?” I asked. “Tree is the guy for interrogations. I’m only a doctor, I’m not even a psychologist.”
“But you have an advantage no one in this room has: You’re a Chinese, and so is she.”
“My parents are Chinese, I was born in Europe.”
“That’s not the point, there is a link between you and her… Use that opportunity. Well, what do you say?”
I thought about it for a while, and then I nodded.
“Okay, glad to hear we have a deal,” said the Boss. “I expect updates on a regular base. And remember: time is ticking…”
“Yes, Sir, I’ll do my best.”
As I went out, the Boss handed me the file of the new prisoner. Her name was on the front page: Yupar.
TO BE CONTINUED
