Even so, the number of facts ‘lost in translation’ are a constant source of debate among member states: for example, ‘frozen semen’ was recently translated into French as ‘frozen seamen’; and ‘out of sight, out of mind’ was translated as ‘invisible lunatic’.
This list of translation errors goes on … and on … and on, and is often less funny and more important than the above examples.
Chapter Nine
Friday, 25th September. London, England.
‘Do you feel that you could go back to work, with protection of course?’ Clive asked Anna.
Carefully scanning the three people at the table, Anna seemed to be assessing whether she could trust them. ‘I could, but I’m scared. Everybody knew that I was close to Nick. If Blom had him killed, then he’d probably guess that I also have the information.’
‘We can provide you with round-the-clock security; professional men. You’ll be safe,’ Clive encouraged.
‘Okay,’ Anna said, hesitating slightly.
‘There are still a few things I don’t understand: firstly, why didn’t Allsop just expose this in the Parliament, or go directly to the media?’ Liz said.
‘To expose this one instance in the Parliament before the reading yesterday was his back-up plan, but remember he thought there may be many more instances which hadn’t been found. And he did go to the media: you.’
‘Okay, the other thing that I don’t understand is why he wanted to meet Sean again the night after the first meeting? Surely he could just have put this information on the memory stick? We could easily check it. Was he onto something else?’ Liz asked.
‘He wanted us to both meet somebody, a whistle-blower in the translation services directorate that brought this to his attention. Apparently, he has proof of who might be behind it,’ Anna replied.
‘Did he tell you who it was that he was meeting? Or who this person had fingered?’ Clive asked.
‘No. Unfortunately neither. I knew he suspected Blom, but that’s all I knew.’
‘Why me? Why not one of the thousands of political journalists that line the streets of Strasbourg?’ Sean asked.
‘Because they’d never print Nick’s comments. They didn’t like him much. They too have a vested interest in seeing the EU grow stronger. It makes their jobs more important.’
‘Is there anybody who doesn’t have a vested interest in this circus?’ Clive asked rhetorically.
‘Only me,’ Anna said, holding his stare.
Chapter Ten
Monday, 28th September. Brussels, Belgium.
On the two-hour train journey to Brussels Midi from London’s St Pancras station, Sean took the seat next to Anna. Liz had chosen to stay in England to meet with the lawyer about Praew’s immigration status, and work on the background research into Blom, while Clive was already in Brussels with Terry’s team, working out the lie of the land.
Anna looked different from the day they’d met in the lobby of the May Fair hotel, when she’d been scared and tired. A weekend’s rest, a change of clothes and some make-up had transformed her from the frightened little girl Sean had first seen, to the image of the modern career woman. When he sat down, their eyes made contact and he noticed the deep blue sparkle of her irises, before he quickly looked away, embarrassed by the brief interchange.
‘Frau: that means you’re married, doesn’t it?’ Sean asked.
‘It did. I’m divorced.’
‘Any children?’ Sean asked.
‘No, just me. Too much time working and not enough time playing. It’s why my marriage broke down. I was just never home.’
‘Some time apart could strengthen a relationship though,’ Sean said, speaking more about his own situation with Liz than Anna’s.
She picked the change up quickly. ‘Liz is very beautiful. Have you been together long?’
‘Only six months.’
‘That’s very quick to be living together and supporting a child.’
‘Yes, more circumstantial than anything. We worked together on a story and I was badly injured. Liz looked after me and nursed me back to health.’
‘And the child?’ Anna asked.
‘A long story, but we’re fighting a losing battle to keep her in the UK. If she gets deported to Thailand, she’ll be sold straight back into the horrific life we rescued her from, and I won’t let that happen. She’s a really sweet girl, who’s seen too much of the bad side of life already, and she needs a break.’
‘Maybe I could help? I am an MEP after all; that must be useful for something. I could lobby the European Court of Human Rights to force the British Government not to deport her,’ Anna said, tilting her head to one side and looking into Sean’s eyes.
She looked older than her thirty-eight years and her short hair made her seem stern, but she had attractive features and a lean body. ‘I may take you up on that, if our current plans fail,’ he said.
‘Why did you become an MEP?’ Sean asked, changing the subject.
‘Ambition, I guess. It’s very hard to get ahead in domestic politics in Germany. I think you call it dead men’s shoes. I was young and I believed in the EU passionately, so … ’
‘What happened to make you change your view on the EU?’
The question caused Anna to pause, seemingly considering her response. ‘It wasn’t what I thought it would be. Instead of the shining light of change for good in Europe, it’s become a forum riddled with political infighting and an unquenchable thirst for power.’
‘And Nick Allsop?’ Sean prodded.
‘I met Nick in my first year; he was very good to me. He also seemed to be the only person in the Parliament that didn’t have a separate agenda to expand his power base, and he was the only person that was prepared to criticise the Commission openly. He was a good man and a loyal friend.’
‘Were you in love with him?’ Sean asked.
‘Yes. No. Maybe. We weren’t having an affair if that’s what you mean. He was very dedicated to his family.’
‘Was he a Nazi?’ Sean asked.
He’d expected that Anna would be shocked by the question, but she wasn’t, she simply held his stare. ‘No. He told me that you’d asked him about his past and the alleged neo-Nazi ties. Strangely, I think that’s why he trusted you. When Nick first became an MEP he had a reputation for being a racist. It wasn’t true, but given that his party is seen as right of centre, people naturally believe it when he’s called a racist. Out of some perverse idea of patriotism, he agreed to make contact with some neo-Nazi groups and pass information to MI6. His reputed racism gave him some credibility with the groups, so they accepted him readily.’
‘And what happened?’ Sean probed.
‘He made contact with a few and passed the information to MI6, then suddenly people started to disappear and Nick didn’t know who he trusted less: the security services or the Nazis.’
‘He said they were still watching him.’
‘Somebody was. He said they looked and acted like MI6, but in truth, he wasn’t sure.’
After the train pulled in to Brussels, they made their way quickly through the busy, cave-like Midi railway station and out over the cobbled footpath, where they got into a taxi. When they turned off the central ring road, Sean was surprised by how rundown the area was, so close to the magnificent Baroque Palace. The buildings were covered in graffiti and at least half looked empty. Then slowly, they began to get cleaner and newer. Another kilometre and they were driving between massive steel and glass structures, with EU flags hanging from every lamppost and draping from every building.
Anna kept an apartment on the Avenue du Maelbeek, overlooking Parc Leopold. On the other side of the park, the huge towering glass and marble structure of the EU Parliament building dominated the skyline.
When they arrived, Terry was waiting for them at the main door and informed Anna that he had already checked the apartment out, noting that it hadn’t been entered or damaged. Clearly relieved, Anna blew out a gasp of air an
d made her way inside, watched carefully by her protection team.
Happy that Anna was safe, Terry then escorted Sean the fifty metres or so to the Sofitel, where they’d booked rooms for the stay. Clive was waiting for them and once Sean had checked in, they met in the lobby for a coffee. A large map was laid out on the table and Sean was quickly taken through the key places.
‘The hotel is in Place Jourdan,’ Clive said.
‘Which is the only sign of civilization in the EU Quarter. The whole place was a ghost town yesterday,’ Terry added.
‘Most of the politicians and lobbyists go home for the weekend, I think,’ Clive said.
Fifty metres away and visible from the hotel, Anna’s apartment building sat inside the edge of the park. The European Parliament was just 200 metres away on the opposite side of the park, and the Berlaymont Building, the home of the Commission, and where Blom’s office was located, was just one kilometre away.
‘We think he keeps a weekday apartment here,’ Clive pointed to the map, ‘in a new tower on Rue Belliard, but he commutes each week from Stockholm.’
Following Clive’s finger, Sean studied the map. Rue Belliard was between the hotel and the Commission. Everything they were here to watch was contained in an area no bigger than one square kilometre.
When Clive had finished, Terry took over the conversation. ‘I’ve assembled a team of six men: three for round-the-clock protection of Anna; and three to assist with the surveillance of Blom. I’ll float between the two and coordinate activities.’
Can he really always be as happy as he looks? Sean thought, as he examined Terry’s smiling face. He was in his early forties, lean and strong, and had an as-yet-undiscussed military background. During the BW investigation, he’d saved Sean’s life more than once and Sean trusted him without reservation.
‘Blom’s at work in the Berlaymont Building now. Beyond that we don’t know, as we can’t get in. I’ve got people on the door. They’ll know as soon as he leaves.’ Terry continued.
‘What if he leaves by car?’ Clive asked.
Terry raised his eyebrows at the comment. ‘It’s covered,’ he said, shaking his head at Clive.
‘And Anna?’ Sean asked.
‘Two men outside, one inside. She’ll be okay,’ Terry replied.
Author's Note
Brussels is a city divided by two languages: French and Dutch. It is now geographically divided between Belgian Brussels — vibrant and filled with historic buildings, shops and tourist attractions — and the EU Quarter, to the east of the centre, dominated by huge glass and steel edifices to the new order, completely soulless and deserted outside office hours.
Chapter Eleven
Monday, 28th September. Brussels, Belgium.
Sean spent the day getting to know the area around the Berlaymont Building, their hotel, Anna’s apartment and Blom’s apartment. The Berlaymont Building itself was a massive glass and steel structure, built in the shape of a Las Vegas casino, with four independent wings attached to a central core. Outside, twenty-eight EU flags, one for each member country, flew from high stainless steel posts. That’s odd, why aren’t they the countries’ own flags? That would make more sense, Sean thought. Then he was reminded of something that Allsop had said.
‘The EU is the new dictatorship and it wants to make sure all remnants of the old states are wiped out.’
Suddenly his comment made sense.
Sean thought about the number of EU flags he’d seen flying from the buildings in the rest of EU Quarter; they were everywhere, and he couldn’t remember seeing any national flags, not even the Belgian flag. The only comparison he could think of was Nazi Germany, when the red flag with the white disk and black swastika, had flown from every building in the country. The thought made him shudder. Was Allsop right? Was there something more sinister at work?
The British had always viewed the EU quite comically in Sean’s opinion, commonly believing that that they voted on the names of sausages or the shape of a banana. But walking through the new mega-city, which was under permanent construction to house the rapidly expanding EU bureaucracy, the reality was obviously something entirely different, and much more serious.
Before Sean could take a closer look at some of the other huge EU buildings, Terry’s voice came over his concealed earpiece.
‘Blom’s on the move. He’s just leaving the south door of the Berlaymont now.’ Sean could almost see Terry grinning as he spoke.
Once Sean had located the south door, he scanned the area looking for his target, as a blonde man in his late fifties exited the glass doors. His leather courier bag looked like a woman’s handbag as it sat against his enormous frame.
‘He’s huge,’ Sean said, as he observed the lumbering blonde-haired frame of Blom stooping to get through the door of the building.
‘He’s walking. Probably heading home,’ Terry’s voice appeared again.
‘Anna’s just arrived home safely too,’ Phil, one of Terry’s men and another veteran of the BW investigation, added.
‘Great. Let’s stay alert,’ Clive said.
Lurching into a jog, Sean caught up with Terry, who was walking thirty paces behind Blom. They followed him to his apartment building, where Sean left Terry to keep watch and then made his way along the leafy street which bordered Parc Leopold, looking down over the ornate lake and the weeping willows surrounding it. Just above the treetops, the sky was punctured by three glass towers, which jutted out from a massive reflective glass building that Sean had visited earlier: the European Parliament building.
The entrance to Anna’s apartment was just a small doorway with a keypad to enter apartment numbers. Once in the hallway, Sean was surprised by how utilitarian the communal spaces were. The white floor tiles and grey walls seemed more suited to a hospital than an apartment block.
Inside, Anna’s apartment was just big enough to fit in a small sofa, a tiny dining table and a kitchenette along one wall. MEPs’ expenses mustn’t be all they’re cracked up to be! Sean thought. Seeing Sean, the bodyguard left the apartment, choosing to stand guard outside the door instead; offering them some privacy. Anna had just showered and wore a white towelling robe, pulled tight at the waist, with her hair covered by a towel stacked up like a turban.
‘I’m sorry. I can come back later,’ Sean said.
‘No, it’s fine,’ she replied, pouring a glass of wine and offering Sean one, which he gladly accepted.
‘Anything of interest happen today?’ Sean asked.
‘No, I did as you said; just got on with work as normal. Nothing out of the ordinary at all,’ she said, sitting on the small leather couch in the living room and curling her legs underneath her body. Sean couldn’t help but think how much younger she looked like that. Gone was the impressive façade of the MEP and just the girl was left, lost and scared again.
‘Blom’s in his apartment,’ Sean said.
She just nodded her understanding, gesturing for Sean to join her on the couch.
A pang of guilt shot through him as he sat on the small couch, close enough to Anna that he could smell the soap on her body. He glanced down at the freshly moisturised skin between the folds at the top of her robe and then looked up quickly, blushing as she traced the movements of his eyes.
She smiled, intimating that she wasn’t offended by his looks. ‘It’s been a while since an attractive man looked at me that way,’ she said, leaning forward.
‘I’m surprised at that,’ Sean said.
‘I don’t mix with many people my own age. Some of the other MEPs hit on me, but I’m not interested in them: they’re either too old, or too fat; and always too conceited.’ She looked straight into Sean’s eyes, letting him know that it wasn’t how she felt about him. Then she looked down, drawing Sean’s eyes with hers. He noticed that the front of her robe seemed looser now, exposing her breasts almost to the nipple.
Sean looked up again quickly.
‘Liz will never know,’ Anna said, still looking int
o his eyes.
‘I can’t,’ Sean said turning away. ‘It just wouldn’t be fair on Liz.’
‘The world isn’t fair, Sean,’ Anna said, as she pulled her robe apart and took the towel from her head. Her small breasts were now completely exposed and her large pink nipples were standing erect. She was breathing heavily as she stood and pulled on her belt, slipping the robe off her shoulders onto the floor.
Sean took in the athletic shape of her body; her frame was lean and strong, like a gymnast and she was completely hairless.
A loud rap on the door made Sean jump from the sofa. Pulling her robe back on, Anna opened the door and gave Sean a suggestive glance.
‘Sean, is your radio off? Clive’s been trying to get hold of you. Blom’s on the move again,’ the bulky bodyguard said, as he walked in to the apartment. Standing behind him so that he couldn’t see her, Anna licked her lips with her tongue provocatively.
Sean ignored the gesture and fumbled around inside his jacket pocket, while trying to conceal his erection, before he switched the radio back on. ‘Clive?’ he said.
‘Sean, don’t ever switch that thing off again. Blom’s in a restaurant in Place Jourdan. He’s just joined three other people for dinner.’
‘Okay. On my way,’ Sean said, relieved to have an excuse to leave the small apartment.
As he walked out of the door, Anna parted the bottom of her gown and showed her vagina to him. ‘Later,’ she mouthed silently.
*
Blom was sitting at a round table in the window of a small restaurant, tucked into the corner of Place Jourdan, adjacent to Sean’s hotel. His huge frame overhung the sides of the flimsy wooden chair and he dwarfed the three other men seated with him. A bottle of red wine and some bread crowded the small circular table between them.
The meeting appeared to be far from convivial. Blom’s dinner companions seemed to be arguing vociferously, pointing at each other, mouths open in anger. For his part, Blom didn’t seem to be joining in. He merely glanced from one man to the other as the heated argument continued.
sThe Quiet Wart Page 6
