Chapters (58)
- Cover
- Also by Oliver Harris
- ONE
- TWO
- THREE
- FOUR
- FIVE
- SIX
- SEVEN
- EIGHT
- NINE
- TEN
- ELEVEN
- TWELVE
- THIRTEEN
- FOURTEEN
- FIFTEEN
- SIXTEEN
- SEVENTEEN
- EIGHTEEN
- NINETEEN
- TWENTY
- TWENTY-ONE
- TWENTY-TWO
- TWENTY-THREE
- TWENTY-FOUR
- TWENTY-FIVE
- TWENTY-SIX
- TWENTY-SEVEN
- TWENTY-EIGHT
- TWENTY-NINE
- THIRTY
- THIRTY-ONE
- THIRTY-TWO
- THIRTY-THREE
- THIRTY-FOUR
- THIRTY-FIVE
- THIRTY-SIX
- THIRTY-SEVEN
- THIRTY-EIGHT
- THIRTY-NINE
- FORTY
- FORTY-ONE
- FORTY-TWO
- FORTY-THREE
- FORTY-FOUR
- FORTY-FIVE
- FORTY-SIX
- FORTY-SEVEN
- FORTY-EIGHT
- FORTY-NINE
- FIFTY
- FIFTY-ONE
- FIFTY-TWO
- FIFTY-THREE
- FIFTY-FOUR
- FIFTY-FIVE
- ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
I looked at his face and tried to think where I’d met him before.
FORTY-EIGHT
Six hours to party time. I looked a mess. At the Ramada Plaza they seemed surprised to see me.
‘Mr Bell.’
‘How have things been?’
‘All very fine here. We have an oriental buffet in the restaurant tonight, if you are interested.’
I went up to my room and stood there in the light of the TV holding a crumpled shirt, Semey on the TV. I glanced across the faces in the angry crowd, and thought of my experiences there. Thought of Akan Satayev and his men, who weren’t on the TV yet.
No answer from Stefan when I called him. Marius in the Evotec office answered, told me Stefan had messaged to say he was booked on a flight a few hours ago. I hoped he was well on his way, enjoying the complimentary G&Ts.
‘One other thing,’ Marius said. ‘You asked for alerts on “Catalyst”?’
‘Yes.’
‘He sent us an email tonight: said he’d intercepted someone or something about an issue regarding Catalyst attending a party tonight. Does that mean anything?’
‘He said Catalyst was going to be at a party?’
‘Someone said that. Stefan picked it up.’
‘Galina’s birthday party?’
‘I’ve no idea. Stefan couldn’t get hold of you, but wanted us to pass the message on.’
‘I need the exact message.’
Marius read it out: ‘If you speak to EK, tell him that Catalyst will be at party tomorrow. People are concerned re issues arising. More details to follow. He’ll understand.’
I wished that was more than half-true. Marius believed the information had come from a phone or computer Stefan had gained access to, but he’d refused to give details over an open line.
‘Any idea when he lands?’
‘No.’
‘Any suggestion what the “issues” are?’
‘That’s all we’ve got.’
‘Okay. Would you tell him to contact me as soon as he’s on his phone?’
‘Will do.’
The party had gained a new edge of significance. I watched the clip of myself and the Central Asian man again, to ensure I had his features memorised, as if I hadn’t been dreaming them each night for a week.
I shaved. I went to the Kerulen mall and bought a new shirt and tie. On my way back I told the taxi to stop early and walked to the river. It was getting dark but there were lights on the ice, music playing. People sledged down the sides, others skated in the centre. I wondered how they knew when the ice began getting too thin; who told them it was time to stop.
The front drive was full of cars when I got to the Marriott, the hotel lobby thick with bodyguards. I went through three security checks to get to the lifts, then had to share them with half of Gazprom’s board.