“The Uganda Parliament had just passed the Anti-Homosexuality Act then, which not only introduced the death penalty but reinforced the power to incarcerate individuals who promote LGBTQ rights. Omala, along with activists from various countries, walked right into their trap and ended up behind bars.”

“And you had to negotiate for her release in your capacity as the Minister for Foreign Affairs,” Sharon conjectured.

“I made a pact with conditions attached,” Elvis explained. “The Uganda courts agreed to suspend the charges against Omala and arranged for her deportation back to Singapore. On our end, we confiscated her passport for the next ten years. She needs to apply for a special permit from us every time she wants to leave the country. If at any time Omala engages in activities that disrupt internal security, we reserve the right to forfeit the agreement and send her back to Uganda to stand trial.”

“That is a very tight leash,” Sharon had to admit. It also dawned on her how naïve she must appear to Elvis to have spent time drafting an essay of rebuttals. She was behaving like a college debater eager to showcase her brilliance. She had to start thinking and strategising like a politician.

Yu Chun rejoined the table and declared that they would be feasting on steamed marble goby with supreme soya sauce and deep-fried cereal prawns, and washing the dishes down with double-boiled chicken soup with sea whelk, Chinese yam and wolfberries. Sharon veiled her distaste; she had an aversion to seafood. But she also understood that they had to capitulate to Elvis’ preferences. No one knew Elvis’ preferences better than Yu Chin.

Over dinner, Elvis and Sharon discussed their strategy for the upcoming press conference. The police commissioner would quote from the initial investigation reports. He would explain that the riot had started when a bus driver accidentally ran his vehicle over an inebriated migrant worker who earlier had been thrown out of the same vehicle for creating trouble. The group of migrant workers who witnessed the tragedy was goaded into mob violence. The police commissioner would highlight that many among the 122 rioters apprehended admitted to being in a state of intoxication. Sharon would follow that up with the announcement of the complete ban of alcohol sales in the Little India district until further notice. The media would also be informed that Sharon was considering the possibility of fencing off some areas specifically for the migrant workers to gather during their rest days.