The Black Onyx Pact (8 page)

That man, the head of that operation, is Drakkar.

He turns to give the last orders to his men for that intervention, and talks via earphone with the commander of the second group, whom is approaching in another helicopter. They need to act with precision and concentration.

He lowers the visor and gets ready to drop on the roof of the building. The helicopter doesn't land, but stays in the air a few feet in height allowing the men to slide down with the cable. Once on the roof, Drakkar gives orders on how to move and split the group in three, and they all go in different directions. He and two others secure their wire on a safe place and begin to descend on one side of the building. Drakkar walks down vertically on the wall, then twines the wire around his ankle and begins to descend upside down, preparing to attack when arriving near the window at the third floor. He looks at the two men with him and motion them with his fingers to coordinate their actions with precision. The men nod. As soon as he receives the position of the others on his ear-set he waits until all are ready, then he gives the order to enter in action all at the same moment. He and the men with him bend elegantly their legs against the wall before breaking the windows with their feet, entering in action.

“If you are depressed you are living in the past. If you are anxious you are living in the future. If you are at peace you are living in the present.”
 

—
Lao Tzu

~

The next day, Sibylle, is at home painting.

The ideas are many and the inspiration is now inexhaustible. She is completely absorbed by a new paint: an imposing man dressed in black and with a dark mask on his face. He is sitting on a wooden throne and is looking at a naked girl hugged to his legs.

He was conceived as Claude, but he becomes Drakkar at every brushstroke. Late in the morning she goes out heading to the offices of the Club D, to deliver the black folder carefully filled in every field. She takes the subway, and after twenty minutes she arrives at the majestic building of the Club. With her membership ring she can now move freely inside. She arrives at the top floor, heading to Saphir's office. The woman is dressed in stylish purple suit and is busy talking on the phone. From the glass door she politely motion Sibylle to wait. After a few minutes Saphir ends the call and opens the door.

«What a pleasure to see you again,
madame
Améthyste, please forgive me for keeping you waiting but it was an important call.»

Sibylle goes to sit on a chair, smiling affably. Saphir goes to sit behind the crystal desk.

«Please, don't worry Saphir, I don't mind if
—
»
She pauses because she notices Saphir's red face.

«Saphir, are you okay, were you crying?»

The woman takes a deep breath.

«I'm fine now, thank you, but I had
24
hours of nightmare. A friend of mine has been injured yesterday and now it was him on the phone, he called to assure me he is ok.»

Sibylle shudders.

«Thank goodness, I'm glad to hear it. What happened to him?»

Saphir takes her time to decide what to say. She is not a woman accustomed to confidences, and she never speaks with anyone about her personal things, but with that sweet looking woman she feels inclined to confidences.

«A horrible accident with a firearm.»

«Oh! That's dangerous to play with guns
—
»

«If there is a person in this world who knows how to handle a gun or how to use any other kind of weapons is him,
madame
Améthyste, believe me. He has been injured while protecting other people.»

«Oh, is he a cop?»

Saphir wets her lips.

«Yes.»

«Please, keep me informed about his recovering and if you or him need anything, don't hesitate to let me know.»

«You're a nice person indeed, my dear, thank you.»

Sibylle rummages in her funny colorful bamboo bag and pulls out two tickets.

«Before I forget: Saturday the
18
th
of May there will be an international exhibition at the
Galerie d'Art Sibylle
, I would love to have you as my guest, and it would help you to get distracted by all your worries. All the income of the evening will be donated to the animal rights association Le Chat Sibylle.»

Saphir takes the tickets and look at them for a long time, then looks at Sibylle.

«Sibylle
—
», she murmurs thoughtfully. «You are Sibylle the painter, aren't you? Funny, usually the well-known people in the Club use always a mask. I really like you, I like the fact that you don't hide behind that, that you are not afraid to show your face. The anonymity is sacred in our Club, but I still appreciate when people are genuinely themselves even in certain situations. Anyway, I know both your association and your Art Gallery and I would be honored to come, but unfortunately I have to decline. I don't meet with our members outside the Club's events.»

She hands the tickets back, but Sibylle smiles.

«Give them to someone else, then.»

Saphir thinks about it for a second then accepts, putting them in a drawer.

«Well, thank you again. And now back to us,
madame
Améthyste. This morning I read your
response
about the rendezvous with Drakkar.» She leans back against the chair and stares into her eyes. «I've never read such a enthusiastic
response.
It was so vibrant, so full of appreciation. But
—
forgive my arrogance
—
it doesn't surprise me. I know Drakkar, he is a unique man in the Club.»

«I can understand why now that I met him.»

They both smile.

Sibylle starts to play with her own pendant, still staring into Saphir's eyes.

«Did you have sex with him too, if I may ask?»
«Pff. He's like a brother to me.»

«Oh, so you really know him well.»

«Yes.»

«Look, Saphir, there is something that intrigues me: Drakkar took his ring off before I could see it. Why? It is mandatory to wear it during the rendezvous.»

«Knowing him, I would say not to intimidate you.»

«Intimidate me?»

Saphir smiles but doesn't answer, so Sibylle continues saying:

«Despite the strict rules of the Club he did what he wanted, staying at the hotel all night and requiring various services. Why? And I want an answer now.»

«Because he is Drakkar. We absolutely and deeply trust him.»

«Oh, what an answer! Look, Saphir, it's clear that you trust him and it's also clear that he is an assiduous member of the Club, I got that. But I want to know
why
you trust him so much.»

Saphir smiles again.

«You know that I cannot give personal information about our members,
madame
Améthyste.»

«I'm not asking for personal information. And I have the right to know the man with whom
—
Well, who I meet. All this mysteries are irritating.»

«
Madame
Améthyste, I do apologize if Drakkar or the Club upset you in any way, it wasn't our intention to make you feel
—
»

«Saphir, what are you saying? Drakkar did not upset me at all; on the contrary, he made me shiver with pleasure just looking at me, just with the sound of his voice. That man made vibrate my soul, Saphir. But it amazes me, and scares me at the same time, your absolute trust in him. Please, just tell me if he is part of an upper level.»

Saphir pursues her lips.

«All right,
madame
Améthyste. Yes, Drakkar is the member of a higher level.»

«I knew it! What level is he? Jade?»

«No.»

«Ruby?»

«No.»

«Oh my
—
! Diamond?!»

«No.
Madame
Améthyste, Drakkar is a member of the Black Onyx Pact.»

Sibylle narrows her mouth in astonishment.

«Saphir! What the
—
Why did you choose him for my first rendezvous?!»

Saphir leans her arms on the table.

«For two simple reasons. The first is that
—
right because you are a new member
—
we have every interest in making your experience unique, and giving you a playmate member of a certain level we have the assurance that all will go smoothly. The second reason is that I know Drakkar and his taste in women, and you were perfect for him. He loves wavy dark hair, he likes small breasts, he has a weakness for women with sweet eyes and a velvet voice, just like you. And above all he loves women that look like you intimately.» She raises an eyebrow. «As I'm sure he had the opportunity to show you.»

Sibylle looks away in embarrassment for a second.
«That's why he did what he wanted at the Hotel, because he is one of the
sublime
, of the Black Onyx Pact!»

Saphir smiles.

«That's not the reason, our operators treat the guests of the different levels at the same way. They were particularly respectful because that's what happens when the boss is around.»

Sibylle frowns, and Saphir adds:

«
Madame
Améthyste, Drakkar isn't just a member of the Black Onyx Pact, he is above that. He is above all. He is one of three founders of the Club D.»

Sibylle covers her mouth with a hand, dazzled by that revelation. They both remain silent for a long time.

«You are one of the three founders too, aren't you?» asks Sibylle.

Saphir almost jumps on her chair.
«H
—
how did you
—
»

«I had guessed from two reasons: you are the only person I met in the Club that doesn't wear any ring. An the second reason is that on our first conversation you said you were the legal and ethical person in charge. A simple secretary wouldn't have such responsibilities, it was clear that you were something more. But now I want to ask you something.»

«What is it?»

«I want to know the real name of Drakkar.»

«Absolutely no. You are asking too much.»

«I know a lot of things now, you should accommodate me, don't you think?»

«Are you threatening me?»

«Yes, but with class.»

They both laugh.
«I'm afraid your threats are useless,
madame
Améthyste, since everyone in the Club D
—
from the level Ruby
—
knows who the founders are, it's not a secret. I'd like to gratify your curiosity, really, but I can't. I like you,
madame
Améthyste, you are a kind and gentle woman, but at the same time you enshrine inside you incredible strength. There is no shadow of arrogance in your voice or in your eyes, yet you can silence people in a natural way, with your sweet firmness. It is a rare thing. I've met only a person like that in my life: my mother. And just like her, you are the living proof that a strong woman doesn't need to be necessarily a bitch.»

«Thank you. All this to say that
—
?»

«That I really cannot reveal his name, forgive me. Drakkar would kill me.»

«I just want to know his name, not the surname.»

«Why is it so important to you?»
«I just want to know something about him.»

«
Madame
Améthyste, I don't see why you should care to know the name of a man whom you will never see again.»

Sibylle frowns at those words, feeling her heart beating faster.

«Why do you say so? I want to see him again, I'm here also to request another rendezvous with him.»

«I'm sorry,
madame
Améthyste, but is not possible.»

Sibylle puts a hand to his chest.

«H
—
he didn't like me?»

Saphir touches her hand.

«No, is not that. Is not possible simply because Drakkar never meet the same woman twice.»

«Oh.»

That sentence makes her deeply sad.

«I know,
madame
Améthyste, I'm really sorry, believe me.»

«But you said that I am the kind of woman who he really
—
», Sibylle rustles, with the intonation of a disappointed little girl.

Saphir doesn't say a word, giving her the time she needs to put herself back. And after a few minutes Sibylle seems to find the strength to stand up.