Chapter 28

March 2nd, 2006

“You're very early today,” Guntram was very surprised that Konrad was at 5 p.m. at home, standing in his own studio, kissing him on the neck and checking what he was doing. “Playing the ant or inspection visit?”

“Both, of course,” he answered and continued his kissing for a few moments more. “Besides, I couldn't get those two in the bank without losing all my credentials there.”

“What have you been doing?” the boy asked with a mixture of puzzlement and fun. Konrad certainly looked as if he had been naughty.

“I saw them in Frankfurt this noon when I was leaving the meeting, and thought that maybe they could fit in here. I'm glad I have a jet of my own. Any airline would have forced me to buy a ticket for them.”

“What did you bring home this time? We said nothing more till the rooms are finished. The furniture should arrive in three weeks and they're painting it. That woman has still to choose the fabrics. Wait, there are no toys stores in front of the European Central Bank.”

“Around the corner then. I'm not a GPS,” Konrad protested.

“You went for it, you mean.”

“I might have taken a detour on my way to the Airport. I need a bigger car, coming to think,” Konrad pondered, hoping that this new topic would distract Guntram.

“How big is it?”

“Natural size.”

“And it is a…”

“Comes from an old German company. Everything manufactured in Germany in the old tradition. I was surprised by their quality. We have the whole family now; the mama, the papa and two children. I think if we buy animals they should be in the form of families.”

“What?”

“Wildschwein mit Frischlingen. I don't know the words in English. I think the men had finally got them in one of the rooms near the nursery.”

“So that was the noise I been hearing for the past hour?”

“You can't get them without a fight. It's a well known fact of life.”

Guntram sighed, trying to do his best to look serious, but it was impossible with Konrad. “You're going to spoil the children!” he whined before cleaning his hands with a rug, decided to see what was there. He left his studio, next to the nursery and walked toward the babies’ playroom that was interconnected with the bedroom, bathroom and studio for when they were much older. There was also a small room for the night nurse.

Friederich was in the corridor and caught him by the arm. “Not in the rooms, they're just painted and wet. The hunting pavilion is in the nanny's bedroom,” he said very sarcastically, opening the door to the medium size room.

Inside was a big wild boar, one big sow and three small piglets, in natural size and very sturdy. “You can ride those things!” Guntram said very shocked.

“It was designed and built to hold a thirty kilos child. If they're heavier, they don't care so much about plush animals,” Konrad explained gently.

“As his Excellency can testify,” Friederich said from the entrance. “If I remember correctly we had one of them.”

“Now that you mention, I remember so. What happened to it?”

“The Duke and Dr. von Kleist used it as target for your arrows when you were ten years old.”

“I don't remember that part. Perhaps Ferdinand knows something about it.” Konrad kept his sternest face and poise, while Guntram looked at him astonished. “Tea in the winter garden, it's warm enough today.” Friederich smirked and left the room, leaving a still shocked Guntram behind.

“Where are we going to put those two? Should they not be exactly the same animal?”

“No, Klaus and Karl should learn to share their things. It will be good if they do.”

“How big is this? Do I want to know how much they costed?”

“About 125 cm and you don't want to know because I don't want to tell.”

“And the shop just had a family standing there?”

“Not really, they had it for me,” Konrad confessed finally.

“I see. How long?”

“One month to manufacture it. It's a painstakingly long process. Quality has always a good price. Don't you like them?”

“They're fantastic, but this is too much. They're babies. They will sleep the whole day when they come!”

“Not forever. Sooner than you think, you'll get two young Lintorffs jumping on top of you or using your dog as horse. Better they have these ones. They should play with the pigs and leave you for me.”

“You're impossible! Worst than children!” Guntram smiled and kissed Konrad. “You can't be jealous of your own babies!”

“Our babies, kitten and I know that the minute they cross the door, I'm out from your life!”

“No, you can't be out of my life because you have to support those two pigs and their family too,”

Guntram joked and hugged the much larger man. “Do you have any idea how much they can eat?”

“If it's too much, then we have something for next Christmas. Albert plans to return with all his children once more.”

“Konrad, you know I love you,”

“I know,” he answered strangely embarrassed and took the youth's head with his hands to kiss him possessively. “You're mine and I would never let you go away,” He intoned the words looking into the soft blue eyes and Guntram smiled warmly. “Now, show me what this woman has been doing,” the man broke the spell.

“It's a very nice beige and she has taken several of my drawings for framing. She liked them and wants to buy some more for her other clients, but I told her no.”

“Good, they are for our children, not for others.”

After a late walk around the forest, they returned to the library where Konrad decided to look at his laptop and Guntram carried on with his reading: “The First three years of a Baby”, losing his courage more and more with each page he read.

Friederich entered the library and whispered something unto Konrad's ear.

“Send the Prince and Adolf in,” Konrad said and rose from his desk to receive his visitors, but against many years of education and self restrain, both men almost ran over Friederich in their mad entrance to the room.

“Good afternoon, mein Fürst, Adolf,” Konrad said, frowning just a bit because he had already realised that there was something very wrong ad this was not a social call. Guntram left the book and stood, slightly bowing his head to the old man, but both Löwensteins didn't pay attention to him.

“I'm sorry to interrupt you, Hochmeister, but this is a most urgent matter,” Adolf said gravely.

“Please, do sit down, gentlemen,” Konrad said indicating them the sofas where Guntram was gathering his book and things to leave as the magical word told him that those were “Order's business” and he didn't want to be a part of them.

“If you would excuse me, Sire,” Guntram told to the old Löwenstein, looking more ashen than normal.

“Father, this also concerns the Consort,” Adolf stopped the boy by the arm, much to his surprise. “This is all your fault. Your boyfriend kidnapped my little Claudia!”

“Konrad was with me the whole afternoon!” Guntram protested energetically.

“The Russian!” Adolf roared, unable to restrain himself any longer. “Six of them stopped my wife's car on the sixty-two near Forch when she was taking the girls to their classes. They took Claudia away!”

“Constantin wouldn't do something so stupid!” Guntram said, unable to believe it. “Why? He has no need to! ”

“Be quiet, Löwenstein! Konrad shouted. “Leave Guntram out of this!”

“Out of this? This is all his fault! Go back to Russia!”

“Enough, Adolf!” the Prince ordered his son very sternly. “We need to speak with the Hochmeister, not with a young boy. Our family has already enough troubles.”

“Guntram, go to your room,” Konrad said, but the young man looked at him in disbelief. “Very well, stay but be quiet.”

“Yes, sir,” Guntram whispered, already feeling very sick and in need to sit.

“What was your wife doing so far away the country club?” Konrad asked.

“I don't know!” Adolf roared. “Six Russians shot against her car and forced her to stop aside.”

“On the 62? It's impossible to do something like this there! It's a highway!”

“On a small road near it! By Forch! They took the girls out of the car and the oldest hit my wife several times and told her that Repin wants a friendly talk with Guntram. You should return the boy to him!”

“Why only one girl?” Konrad said very coldly. “Knowing them, they would have taken the two.”

“He came up with the crazy story that “he would be delighted to put a bullet in the head of the little slut who tried to poison Guntram! Repin is crazy!”

“What??” Guntram croaked, but no one paid attention to him as Konrad and Adolf were arguing more heatedly than before.

The old prince sat utterly defeated next to Guntram, but didn't say a thing to him. He only looked the bitter argument rising and raising more in volume and intensity. The discussion continued in German and increasing its volume. Guntram felt very tired and utterly disappointed at the two men; Konrad and Constantin. Like two children who didn't care about anything beyond their desires. One had taken a little girl as hostage and the other didn't mind if the child was hurt in the process. He took a pill from his box and slid it back to his jacket, a gesture that Gustav zu Löwenstein didn't miss.

“Mein Fürst, may I use your phone, please? I don't want my number to be registered. It's a long distance call,” Guntram whispered to the old man as the other two men were on the phase of shouting with each other.

“Certainly, my child,” The old man extended his mobile phone to the young man and he took it, without minding any longer the heated argument.

Guntram remembered by heart Massaiev's and Constantin's private numbers. Probably the later had been changed many times over the last year, but if Constantin was after him, Massaiev should not be far away. He dialled and nervously smiled to the old prince, looking at him astonished. “Hello, Mikhail Petrovich. May I speak with him?”

“This is a surprise, Guntram. I was not expecting your call. How are you?” the man said, almost dashing to get his boss, shouting enraged on the phone with Oblomov.

“Fine, thank you. It's very important that I speak with Mr. Repin. Could you get him for me, please?”

“One second please,” and he entered in the room without knocking or anything. He stopped dead on his tracks when he saw the semi automatic weapon pointed at him. He took a deep breath and only said: “It's Guntram, Mr. Repin.” and offered the phone to his boss, who tore it off from his hands. Massaiev left the room without waiting to be asked.

“Hello, my angel.”

Guntram felt his heart rush at full speed when he heard the well known voice, but he gathered some courage; 'if you show weakness now, all is lost,' “Good afternoon, Constantin. I understand that you have something that belongs to the Order and I would be very grateful to you if you return it before nightfall.”

All the Germans in the room were speechless and stopped their heated argument, but Guntram ignored them as he focused on Constantin's reaction.

“Indeed I have something, but I want something in return and you know perfectly well what it's. I've paid my debts and want all my guarantees back.”

“Constantin this is the most stupid thing you have done in your entire life, my friend,” Guntram used a calm voice, doing his best to conceal the fear in his stomach. “If you don't return what you took this afternoon, you will open the hunting season on your own children! Sofia, Constantin, Vladimir and Vania deserve much better than this! Lintorff will not negotiate with you and cares nothing about this matter!”

“Come by yourself to pick up what I have.”

“I will meet you, if that's what you desire so much, but the girl should be tonight at her doorstep, unharmed and before her bedtime.”

“Guntram, it doesn't work this way. I have the package and you should be nice to me. I set the conditions,” Constantin said with barely contained fury.

“It's you who wants to speak with me, not I. It's under my terms or nothing,” Guntram said coldly. 'If he wants to play Godfather, then we will.' “You have moved the game to a level that I don't like and there are no rules any longer for either side.”

Adolf looked at Guntram in terror when he heard the words he had pronounced and the old Löwenstein had to grab the table to avoid falling. Konrad was shocked that his kitten could be so cold and calculating. 'Exactly as his grandfather, I misjudged him all the time.'

“So Constantin, it's your turn to make a decision. The girl and we meet in a neutral point on March 6th at 11 a.m. If not, start to pray when Pavicevic and his people go after your own children,” Guntram used an even and soft voice, without quivering or faltering. Adolf felt like dying in this particular moment.

“You really don't mean it, Guntram. I know you.”

“No, you don't know me. Any kidnapped person is as good as dead; therefore you have nothing to negotiate with me. That's a lesson I learned thanks to your wife.”

“Where?”

“In Vienna,” Guntram said as it was in neutral grounds for everybody. “I will inform Massaiev of the meeting point half an hour in advance.”

“Good, I like Sacher cake,” Constantin retorted and hung up, already thinking how to punish his angel for his rude behaviour. 'That's Lintorff's doing; he totally ruined my angel! He was a sweet and polite child; a butterfly to keep in a glasshouse, away from everything that could stain it. Once its wings loose their powder, they can't fly any more.”

Guntram had to close his eyes for a moment to release the tension. His ruse had played off and he hoped that Claudia would be returned home soon. He knew Constantin; he had honour despite Konrad's opinion. He would go to Vienna and speak, once more with him and this time he hoped his former lover would see reason.

“Are you insane or just stupid?” Konrad roared the minute Guntram returned the phone to the prince while Adolf looked at him expectantly.

“Claudia should be home by nightfall, Adolf. Repin will send her back. We must hope that he fulfils his part of the deal,” Guntram said, deciding to ignore Konrad's upcoming rant. He already had a headache and didn't need a fight on top of everything.

“I have no words to thank you, Guntram,” Adolf stammered.

“You have nothing to thank me. Your daughter should have never been involved in this. I'm sorry that my former lover has caused such pain to you and your wife. I'm confident to solve this matter very soon.”

“I can't believe you can be so stupid, Guntram!” Konrad yelled louder than before as he was furious beyond measure. Not even Roger and his adventures could enrage him so much like Guntram had just done. He stormed out of the room before he would loose all composure and do something he might regret later.

“What did you offer Repin, my child?” the prince asked.

“I will meet him on March 6th in Vienna. I can choose the place, but he mentioned something about Sacher cakes. Is there a hotel of that name?”

“Yes, in front of the Opera house,” Adolf said. “Guntram you can't go! He's a criminal! He could kill you!”

“Let's see first if your daughter is safely returned. I will go as I've given him my word. We have to stop this nonsense. What if he goes next against our children after they're born?”

“Guntram, he will not stop after a talk. He has shown this today with my granddaughter's attack.” the old Löwenstein said. “You should leave the Griffin to fix this. You have our gratitude and support.”

“Thank you, but we must try once more with diplomacy. There should be a way to reach an agreement.”

“Does your health allow you to take such a risk?” the prince asked.

“I would feel worse if I don't do all what's in my hands for Claudia. Will you call me when you have any news?”

“Certainly, Guntram.”

“Go with your wife, Adolf, she needs you,” Guntram smiled and the man could only embrace him and pat his back strongly, before leaving the dinning room.

“Guntram, We will always indebted to you. You had no reason to be so generous to us. If my grandchild is back, reconsider your promise to this criminal. We will protect you with everything we have.”

“Mein Fürst, we have to stop this. Already two men died in Rome because of me. The man who saved my life last December was beaten and seriously hurt. Today, it was your grandchild. What's going to be next?”

“Good night, my friend. You're an excellent Consort. It will be an honour to have you in the Council when your health allows it.”

“I don't want to be in the Council. I only want to look after the children, stay with Konrad and paint.

Nothing else.”

After seeing the old aristocrat to the front door, Guntram knew that he had to face the other tiger; the one brooding in his studio or plotting something horrible against Repin, his assets or partners. 'This spiral of hatred and violence is leading us nowhere.' He climbed up the stairs very slowly, needing to support himself with the walls. He felt exhausted when he reached the first floor and had to sit in one of the chairs in the distributor for a few moments.

He couldn't believe that Constantin had been so bold, no idiot as to defy a simple basic rule among gangsters: never the families. Not only the Order would have gone after his head, but his own people because that was too much.

Which guarantees could you have from someone who kills your children? 'This has to stop, for Constantin's own sake, this has to stop.'

He looked dejectedly at his old bedroom's door and remembered how terrified he had been on his first day. Konrad was not the person he had thought and he had fallen in love of him; he had saved his life and was going to share his babies with him. 'How can Constantin think that I want to return to him? I love Konrad as I never loved him. I realise it now.' He took a deep breath before going to face Konrad, 'in his Hochmeister persona' because I've defied him in front of two Council members. He's going to be very upset with me.'

Guntram entered in their quarters and softly knocked the studio's door. “Please, Konrad, let me in.”

“Go away.”

'Great, he's crossed like a baby.' “Please, my love, let me explain myself to you. I don't know if this will work out at all, but we needed to try it.”

“Guntram, leave now! I have work to do!”

'At some point you will have to leave this place.' “As you wish, Konrad. I'm going to bed. I feel very tired.” 'No, I feel like shit but I can't tell it.'

Guntram crossed the living room and entered the large bedroom to change into his nightclothes although it was no more than 9 p.m. He showered to release the tension and the soreness in his neck muscles, but the hot water didn't help much as he was becoming more and more concerned as had received no call from Adolf yet. He redressed with his pyjamas and slid under the covers, trying to read a book, but the words were meaningless. His mobile beeped and the SMS only said: “Everything is fine. Thank you. A.” Guntram felt the relief wash him over and jumped out of the bed to share the good news with Konrad. Once more he knocked the door, but he only got a “get out!”

Very late in the night, a still furious Konrad stormed in the bedroom with long strides, only looking for his nightclothes under his pillow. Without looking at Guntram's side, he took them and turned away to leave the room once more.

Guntram jumped and caught him by the left arm with a “wait!” but Konrad turned around and pushed him away from him with force, making him land on the pillows. “Konrad!” Guntram protested, but the man was out of himself and crossed his face with a slap.

“How dare you to intervene in a matter of the Council? Who gave you the right to correct my policies in front of them? You're seriously mistaken if you think I'm going to allow this insubordination! No one, not even you, comes between me and the Order! All of you are the same!” He roared and slapped Guntram for the second time.

“I did what was necessary to get Claudia out!”

“You're nothing more than my consort! You live with me and keep me company, but whatever happens in the Order is none of your concern!”

“Repin had a small girl at his mercy! If he wants to talk, we will! What was your big plan? Deny me and let him kill Claudia so you have an excuse to kill his children?”

“We do not negotiate with these people! It's zu Löwenstein's fault! His stupid wife had an affair with the man who sold her to Repin! That happens if you fuck with your tennis trainer! He should have controlled her much better, but he was busy with his own mistress!”

“I don't understand you. The children have to pay for the sins of the parents?” Guntram yelled, out of himself. “You hit me! I will not tolerate this once more! I don't give a damn about your policies if you endanger an innocent person! Are you also a gangster like Repin?”

Once more Konrad was ready to slap Guntram, but this time his arm was stopped in mid air and before he knew, the boy bit him with all his force, making him howl in indignation more than pain. Konrad moved away from the bed as he pressed the left hand on his wrist to alleviate the pain and avoid the contusion. Guntram took a deep breath in an effort to calm himself down, but he couldn't and he fell back on the pillow raggedly breathing.

Konrad was in no time at his side holding him, all his fury transformed into worry because he realised his deeds. He hugged Guntram against his heart and rocked him mumbling words of comfort and asking for his forgiveness, till he heard the youth's breathing return to its normal pace and felt his hands caressing his hair to sooth him.

“Should I call Antonov?”

No, it's all right. I feel fine. How's your wrist?”

“I'll survive it, don't worry. I've had worse.”

“I'm sorry. I never meant to disobey you or ridicule you in front of the others. I didn't understand a word of what you were speaking and I could only think in Claudia. I needed to try it. Please, don't go away now. I'm afraid.”

“Guntram, meeting with Repin is simply stupid. You can't afford the luxury of a fight with him; not even some shouting. What if he tries something like in Rome?”

“You're right, but we have to stop this before it consumes us. What if he goes against the babies? For him, they're the perfect target,” his voice was desperate. “There should be a way to make him understand!”

“Guntram, I know him since many years. He's determined to have you back. Nothing you say or do will change his mind. We are at war and this is just the beginning. This is why you should have not interfered. None of the Löwensteins were expecting that I would give Repin what he wanted. They expected retaliation.”

“I will be careful and you can come with me. We will choose the meeting place in Vienna.”

“Kitten, this is crazy, I can't let you do it!” Konrad hugged Guntram once more. “I can't lose you now!

“Let's try it for a last time, please Konrad. This is also no life for me!” Guntram kissed Konrad on the cheek and buried against his chest. “If you come with me, I will be braver.”

“Of course, I'll be with you! This is nonsense!”

“Let's try this time my way and then, I will let you do what you think best, please.”

“Next, you will want to be on the Council.”

“No, never. That's a Dinosaurs' gathering!” Guntram said before he could refrain his mouth. “I'm sorry, I didn't mean you're one!”

“No, I just party with them,” Konrad smirked but held the youth close to him, feeling how he was relaxing. “Kitten?”

“Yes, Konrad.”

“Don't you ever get in the middle again. This is my first and only warning,” he said very seriously and Guntram nodded, knowing he had gone through the flames and escaped unscathed by very little.

March 5th, 2006

They had almost not spoken in the plane to Vienna, only sat together, Konrad holding Guntram's hand while the boy only looked through the window to the darkness, hypnotized by the position lights.

The car had been waiting for them and took them to the hotel in front of Ringstrasse. During the trip, Konrad had tried to distract Guntram by showing some of the buildings, but he had almost not reacted to his comments. Inside the large suite, Guntram had refused to dine and after many, many blandishments Konrad was able to convince him to nibble half of a chocolate cake.

“Guntram, you don't have to do this. I'll manage Repin in my way,” Konrad told him for the tenth time once they were in bed and his kitten had curled in his arms, looking exhausted and afraid. “You're almost on the brink of a collapse.”

“We have to.”

“No, we don't. He's not a civilized man. He will not sit to hear what you have to say and then, look for a joint solution. He will hurt you if he can't get you! Please, Guntram, let me do it in my own way. I know how to treat this scum.”

“This is the last time I try. We have to stop this madness. I worry about the babies when they're here.

What if he attacks them now?”

“The carrier is well protected and she will be well provided after the birth, don't worry about her, kitten.”

“Tell me you love me,” Guntram whispered.

“Guntram, you're my life. I love you and I need you. Without you I could never have had my children. I can't do it alone. Drop this and let me deal with Repin. You can't risk being sick because of him. Klaus and Karl need you too. What if Repin hurts you?”

“Constantin will not hurt me. He could have done it in Rome, but he didn't. He frightened me, but didn't touch a single hair from me. His men were sometimes brutal to me, but he always was very careful with me. He took care of me when I was sick. He's not such a bad man, Konrad.”

“Guntram, you don't know half of what I know,” Konrad said dejectedly.

“Maybe that's why he let me know his true self.”

“My love, this is a huge mistake.”

“Perhaps, but we are here now. Let's be together tonight, please.”

March 6th

Guntram did his best to hide that he was taking one of his white pills when he was left alone with Milan in the suite. “Are you OK, Guntram? You don't have to keep your word to this scum,” the Serb said concerned because the youth looked very ashen and tired and they had not even started.

“I'm fine, Milan, let's just finish this, shall we?”

“All right, the Duke awaits for you in the established room. Repin will come in ten minutes. Remember we are next to you all the time, and back you. If he comes near you or tells something nasty, we enter.”

Both men took the elevator to the sixth floor and entered in the large suite where Konrad and Goran were standing already. None of them spoke as they all sat at the table, too focused in their own private hells.

Milan opened the door to let Constantin enter and he was alone. “I said a private meeting, Guntram,” he said, ignoring the other two men already looking like lions ready to jump.

“I'm here to oversee your behaviour, Repin. Guntram's health is frail at the moment,” Konrad retorted defiantly only willing to get an excuse to launch himself against his adversary.

“My next move will not be so courteous as before.”

“Nothing would please me more than a reason to unleash war upon you, Russian,” Konrad growled, but Guntram only placed his hand over his arm to calm him.

“Please, my Duke. Leave us alone. I'm certain Mr. Repin does not plan to harm me in any way.”

“Of course, Guntram. I only want to speak with you freely,” Constantin intoned seriously.

“Please, Konrad. Leave us alone,” Guntram whispered.

“If I see that you touch him or come near him, I'll kill you myself,” Konrad said in Russian and left the room.

Constantin waited for the Serb, still very reluctant to leave the youth alone in the same room with Repin, to close the door before sitting in front of his angel. Guntram looked very nervous, sad and sick, with his eyes glued to the polished table and his right hand absently drawing imaginary lines over the furniture. Carefully, Constantin took the hand and stopped the movement and caressed gently the small hand, hearing the boy gasp in shock.

“It's just me, Guntram. No need to be so nervous. I only want to speak with you. One last time.”

“Constantin, I swear I never wanted to hurt you. It just happened. I fell in love with Konrad in the summer and I still don't know how. I was very unhappy with you and he gave me the opportunity to start again. I would have hated you in the end and this way I still look at you with deep affection. You showed me the way and without you, I would have been very frustrated and never explored Art. I will always be very grateful to you and no one, not even Konrad could change this. It's just that I can't live with you any more. I don't love you, just appreciate you. This has to stop, my friend, before we hurt each other more.”

“Guntram, nothing is as you say or how Lintorff has made you believe.”

“He wants to share his children with me. The first thing I told you when I met you was that I wanted children. Do you remember?”

“Yes, I do. Children of your own and I was never opposed to it. You can have them if you want with me.

A wife would be hard for me to accept, but I would finally do it. Lintorff is offering HIS children to you, not yours.

They will never be blood of your blood. It's just a loan, like the many he does per day.”

“No! Konrad loves me!”

“Does he really love you or someone else?”

“He loves me, Constantin. I'm sure of it and I love him back.”

“Has he always been forthcoming to you?”

“Yes, but he had nothing to do with my family's death.”

“I wouldn't be so certain, Guntram. Is this room clean?”

“I don't know, I suppose.”

Constantin sighed and mumbled a: “Of course not,” before he took a simple white envelope from his coat. “Don't say a word while you look at the pictures, Guntram,” he whispered as he set it over the table and the boy took it with shaky hands. “Lintorff never loved you by yourself but for another person who passed away on December 14th of 2005, in Madrid. He was cremated in January because no one claimed his body and his ashes were scattered in the general cinerary as a homeless person. There's not even a plate to remember him. The person who died along with him was luckier. His family claimed the body and Trevor Jones is back in the United States.”

“Who was he?”

“Look at the pictures.”

Guntram took out several colour photos where was a very young Konrad with a man looking very similar to him. In several of them, they were holding each other and in one, sharing a kiss. 'This person looks very much to my uncle Roger.' He turned them around and read the dates ranging from 1982 to 1988, most of them taken in Paris or Rome. He left the photos aside, already sickened and feeling very afraid. 'It's just a coincidence, Konrad told me he loved someone who looked very similar to me.'

“Read the letters if you want. Your family gave them to me. All belong to Lintorff.”

On the brink of tears, he took one of the neatly folded papers and opened it, doing his best to calm himself down and fight the nausea, but it was useless. He had to read the header several times to understand the words.

Paris, July 15th 1985

My adored Roger,

I was forced to leave you this morning as I have to be in Tokyo tonight the latest. You're so beautiful when you sleep that I can't stop looking at you making me forget how cruel you are to me. If you were just a little more kind to me and didn't fight me all the time, we could be so happy together. Understand that we both have a position and obligations to fulfill. I can't grant your desires. I love you with all my heart and I wish you were truly my kitten, but you're not. You demand from me what I can't give. Alas, I love you and you're like a drug that will finally destroy me. If you would be just less demanding and selfish, I would let you be my Consort, but we never change our natures; a seat for your father should be sufficient for your family. Don't be mad at me and punish me for my decision.

I will always love you.

Konrad

“That's the first name he called me; kitten,” Guntram whispered slowly and almost inaudibly. “Where is my uncle?”

“I've told you. In Tres Cantos, Madrid. He and Trevor Jones, from the Independent Times, were executed in the tunnel that crosses the mountains. Car accident. The other journalist, Linda Harris, she tried to contact you last Christmas, was shot in London four weeks ago. They discovered her among the guest list in that party when someone almost poisoned you and accused her of doing it.”

“This is not true!”

“No, Guntram. Your uncle and Lintorff were lovers for seven years. Roger rose against him along with your whole family and lost. Most of them are dead now. Only his wife and daughter had been spared, but live in horrible need.”

Guntram rose from the table and gathered all the papers automatically, without removing his eyes from Constantin's dark ones. “Come home with me, angel. He deceived and used you. I will let you have a baby, if you want one so badly. Come with me and meet your own family.”

“No,” Guntram answered with a raspy voice, looking desperately for the door. His head felt heavy and the room seemed to rock him like a boat, but it didn't prevent him from reaching the door. He jerked it open and saw Konrad standing there with Goran at his side.

“Are you all right, little brother?” Goran asked feeling the deep anguish and terror that poured out of the boy toward the Duke.

Guntram only looked Konrad in the eyes and threw the papers at his feet. “You're a disgusting creep!”

He howled, hurt like a child with such deep pain colouring his voice, one like Konrad would never forget in his all life. “You loved my uncle and fucked me out of spite!”

“No, it was never like this!” Konrad shouted outraged. “I love you like I never loved him!”

The cry of pain was like the howl of a dying animal and Guntram would have collapsed on the ground had not Constantin held him from the waist, steadying him. “Come home now, angel.”

“No,” Guntram whispered and pushed him away to move to a corner of the room. “I hate you, Lintorff!”

“This is all your fault!” Konrad shouted and jumped on the Russian, ready to kill him once and for all, without caring that Goran had tried to stop him because the place and the audience were not the appropriate.

While the three men were fighting like ferocious beasts, Guntram only looked at them, incredulous at what was transpiring. Still breathing raggedly, he removed the seal from his left hand and left it on the table and opened the corridor door, locked from the inside. He was almost crushed by Heindrik and the Russians waiting outside in their mad run to reach their leaders. No one cared about him any longer as the fight was what all in their minds.

Guntram walked down the corridors like a zombie and took the elevator down. He didn't know what to do, but he needed to leave the place and everything behind. Milan stopped him in the middle of the lobby and asked what had happened, but he only said: “they're fighting upstairs with all the Russians. This is too much for me,” Milan just pushed him aside and dashed to the suite.

Alone in the middle of the luxurious place, surrounded by gigantic ferns, marbles, carpets and chandeliers, Guntram never felt so alone in his life or displaced. His only wish was to leave the place and escape from this madness and that his dreams and life had been crushed in an instant.

He walked toward the door and the doorman opened it for him, bowing his head, surprised that the guest had noticed him and briefly and sadly cracked at smile at him. The man looked how the young man descended the stairs toward the street and stopped in the middle of it, looking around, disoriented and lost till a grey Opel Corsa parked brutally in front of him in the reserved space for passengers and a man opened the window door from the car and only shouted “Guntram, jump in!”

The boy's back went rigid but he went to the car and entered in the backside when the door opened by itself.

Milan burst the door opened and saw the men fighting like crazy. 'The last thing we need is a scandal and the Austrian police asking questions! Shit!' 'I'll regret this all my life!' he thought before pulling his weapon and screwing the silencer to stop his Duke from strangling Repin or Goran and Heindrik beating some Russians. He fired against one of the small table lamps, breaking the porcelain in hundreds of pieces that fell all over the fighters.

All of them stopped and looked at him with ferocious murder in their eyes. He put his gun down and sneered. “Gentlemen, none of us want the cops and much less the press! It's bad for the business!”

“Mihailovic is right,” Goran said and released one Russian, making a great effort to control himself, 'I almost had him' “Please, my Duke, there will be another chance.” He took his knife out of his pocket, but rose and went to one of the corners. Heindrik and Oskar were not so willing to leave their prey, but the Russians loosened their holds on them and moved away as one sharp look from Goran was enough to convince them.

The last one to release his hold was Konrad and he got a strong final punch from Constantin before he moved aside.

“Great,” Milan mumbled nervously, while both leaders were still looking exchanging murderous looks.

“Gentlemen, this is not the place. We can finish this discreetly somewhere else.”

“You're a piece of shit, Repin. I'll take my time to finish you,” Konrad swore.

“You're a pervert that ruined my angel. You killed him.”

“Not I, it was you, tattletale! Scandalmonger! You don't even follow the most basic rule!”

“Incestuous bastard! I'm going to take him back to where he belongs. He hates you now.”

“Yes, he hates me. That's a hundred times better than only being friends. Guntram feels something for me while for you he feels nothing at all! He would have never loved a filthy rat that can't keep his mouth shut!”

“You will never have him! He's mine and you stole him!”

“I stole nothing! He's not yours but mine!” Konrad roared, ready to resume the fight, but Goran restrained him before he could launch himself against Constantin once more.

“STOP! Where is Guntram?” Goran roared.

“He's down, in the lobby,” Milan said, realising his mistake. “Shit! I left him alone!”

“He must be with Massaiev on his way to the airport,” Constantin gloated much to Konrad's horror.

“What are you doing here?” Guntram asked, still not believing that from all people in the world the driver was none than his lawyer and tutor, Luciano Martínez Estrada while Nicholas Lefèbre was sitting next to him.

“Living off your relatives. They paid two weeks of holidays in Paris for me and my wife. Carla sends greetings and a new sweater. It's in the trunk,” Chano answered, smiling broadly over the rear view mirror. “You don't look very well, Guti.”

“Do you need to take your pills, Guntram?” Nicholas asked with real concern. “Jerôme will kill me if something happens to you.”

“What the hell are you doing here?” The boy shouted, without caring about the lawyer.

“Saving your ass, it seems,” Chano shrugged, focusing again in the driving because he had changed lanes without warning and another car had blown the horn, against all traffic regulations. “How can you be so dumb as to date two mobsters? Didn't I teach you better? I should spank your bottom for not telling me that you were going to London with a gangster! What the fuck were you thinking?”

“How did you know I was here?”

“Someone told us, Guntram. You know him very well. We needed Repin to get you out of the Order,”

Nicholas said softly and offering a bottle of water to Guntram, who rejected it with the head. “Chano will drive us to the train station and you will leave for Munich with this person. It's the only way to get rid of Repin and Lintorff at the same time.”

“I'm going nowhere with a stranger!” Guntram shouted and took another pill swallowing it dry.

“He's no stranger to you. We are here. Follow me and don't make a sound or raise any suspicions. I have your new papers with me,” Nicholas said as Chano parked in the second level of the Central Train Station garage. The lawyer got out of the car and went around opening the door for the shocked boy, while Chano did the same and opened the trunk to get a paper bag from “La Martina-Buenos Aires”.

“Clara knitted it for you, Guntram. Be a good boy and don't get into troubles any more. I love you like a son,” the large man said and hugged the inert boy standing next to the grey car. “Bye, Nico, almost like in the old times.”

“Return the car in Linz and take the train from there,” Nicholas said in French and Guntram was tempted to tell him that Chano couldn't speak a word, but his lawyer answered in perfect French that he had much more experience than him in operations.

“Remember who taught you all the tricks.”

“Remember who saved your ass from that terrorism and kidnapping charges,” Nicholas smiled. “Thank you for your help.”

“Don't mention it, my pleasure. Give my regards to Jerôme,” Chano said hurriedly and went inside the car once more to drive it away.

Guntram was gaping at Nicholas, unable to process the last words or what had just perspired. “Come, little one, I'll take you to your father,” Nicholas said, gently pulling from the pale youth. “You two have a train to catch and I a plane back to Paris.”

Michel Lacroix had never been so nervous in his life. He didn't know what could be the outcome of the meeting or how Guntram could react. 'I can't leave him with Lintorff after he killed Roger and those two journalists.

He's too deranged to be left to his own devises. He could kill Guntram.'

He paced once more in the deserted third level of the parking lot and his nose wrinkled at the penetrating smell of the car fuel, oil and wet concrete, assaulting his senses in the cold noon. 'Please God, Nicholas and Luciano should have gotten him first.'

The elevator door opened and his heart almost stopped to see his child, almost dragged by Nicholas, only dressed with a jacket and tie despite the cold weather. He automatically removed his own coat to give it to him while he advanced toward the men.

Guntram looked at the medium size man walking toward them with a confident stride, exactly as he remembered him when he was a small child and his father would come to the school or the park to pick him up. The man was not as tall as he remembered and the face had aged and hair had turned grey when before was black as ebony, but the eyes were as green and piercing as before. He stopped in the middle of the parking lot, unable to believe his eyes.

“Viens ici, ma gosse, ” Michel repeated the words he was always telling his son each time he visited him in Buenos Aires. “Tu as bien grandi!”

“J'ai éte sage,” Guntram let the words flow automatically before he realised that it was what he was always telling to get a present from his father. He raised his hands to touch the ghost in front of him and the man let him roam all over his face, checking the bones structure so similar to his.

“Comme d'habitude, mon petit prince. ”

“You can't be him!” Guntram almost cried. “I saw your tombstone!”

“I received your letter my son. We must go before they come. If someone from the Order sees me, I'm as good as dead,” Michel said softly and embraced his frightened son for a brief moment. “We have to dodge the Russians too. They must be like crazy looking for you, too.”

“Papa?” Guntram asked once more very disoriented while Michel was almost forcing him inside his coat.

“We'll speak later. Get my coat; it's very cold for you,” He shushed his child. “We're going to Munich by train and from there to Frankfurt.

“You're dead!”

“Not yet, and I don't want to start now. I'll explain everything to you, but we must flee before they come.

I'm hoping they follow Chano if they took the license plate.”

“Or me to the airport, if they are clever enough, but those Siberian monkeys around the corner were very nervous. The fanatics were too busy checking on the Russians,” Lefèbre smirked. “We'll see each other in five days, Michel.”

“In Brussels, Nicholas.”

“Shout with the Russian. He's an idiot. Lost Guntram in less than thirty minutes,” Lefèbre snorted.

“Thank you, my friend,” Michel said.

“Take good care of him now. Good-bye, Guntram, be good to your father, he missed you horribly all these years,” Lefèbre removed his own coat and gave it to Michel. “I have the car and a flight later today. You have to cross half Germany and it's snowing.”

“Thank you again, Come Guntram we must hurry.”

Goran ran the stairs down toward the lobby, almost knocking down a small table standing in the hall, but Guntram was nowhere to be seen, with the corner of his eye, he saw Repin and his men go to the exit and leave the hotel while a large Mercedes stopped and one of the goons opened the door for the gangster. The Serb took his phone out and ordered his men to follow the Russian.

'If he has Guntram, he's dead, we have to get him back. Shit! How could he do something so stupid!'

He went to the door and the doorman opened the door for him and the idea landed on his brain.

“Excuse me, did you see a young man, blond, blue eyes with a tweed brown jacket and light blue tie? He should have been here no more than fifteen minutes ago. Did you see with whom he walked away?”

With no one, sir. He was alone. He took a car; a grey Opel Corsa. He knew the driver,” the doorman answered.

'Grey Corsa? What the hell? Who drives such thing?' Goran looked at the man puzzled. “Are you sure about the car's model?”

“Certainly, sir. It parked in front of us. Rented. Had a tag from “Cheapo—Rent a Car”. We don't have many of those stopping here.”

'This would be the first time I hear the Russians drive such things. Opel Corsa?'

“Opel Corsa?” Milan asked astonished as all the men looked at Goran as if he were mad. “This will be impossible to track! There are hundred of these things!”

“He's not with the Russians,” Konrad let a sigh of infinite relief escape.

“But with whom? The doorman said Guntram knew the man. It was a rented car,” Goran retorted.

“Rented?” Konrad asked shocked. “Who runs away in a rented Opel Corsa?”

“Someone crazier than the Russians,” Heindrik muttered. “I'll check the hotel's security cameras, my Griffin.”

“Milan, go to the airport with two men. Check it thoroughly,” Goran ordered. “I'll check the train station and the bus station with your team Holgersen.”

Konrad needed to sit in the couch the minute the men dashed out of the room, without waiting for his permission. His gaze wandered across the partly trashed room and saw over the table his family's seal. Discarded. He rose and took it, briefly looking at it, before he slid it into his breast pocket. He took the papers and pictures scattered all over the floor. 'I have to see what this animal has told him. I have to recover my kitten before he reaches to him.'