Time: Present Day

Location: Paris, France

Mal managed to get Layla aboard the first available flight to Paris the next day. They were met by a patient transport vehicle and she was taken to Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital, the same hospital that Princess Di died in. They were taken to a room on the second floor. Mal was surprised to see all the Chevals there except Margot and Michelle, but technically they weren't Chevals anyway they were Thomases. Regardless they were busy still manning the shop. "How did you all know we were coming here, I wasn't sure which hospital they were going to take us to."

"Michy got a call about half an hour ago. From the hospital. Obviously someone knew where they were taking you, just didn't tell you. She just sent me a text, she's on her way. Aunty Margot is still held up at the shop but she'll be here as soon as she can. Oh Mal, we were so relieved when we heard you two weren't badly hurt. How could something like this happen after all that's already happened to this family?" Amanda groaned.

"Maybe it's somehow because of what happened to your family, Amanda. We thought you were on your way over here about an hour ago? Anyway you're here now. We all are except Michy and Margot, and Jean in Australia of course.

Carter watched as Anton explained the plan to Yazzi.

"So, let me get this straight, you will plant the bomb, for 1 million American Dollars, all you want me to do is for my organisation to claim responsibility. Is that correct?" Anton nodded. "Are your people mad, why pay me at all, let alone a million dollars. It will probably be blamed on one terrorist organisation or another anyway."

"You are probably right, but the people I am working for, they cannot be implicated in any way."

"Because it is a hospital?"

"Yes, partly, because of who they represent. It must never come out. It must remain a secret forever. My people have advice that your organisation is good at keeping secrets, and that 1 million dollars should go a long way towards ensuring that that secret is kept. They do not expect failure, nor more demands in the future. They will not be blackmailed. To do either will be very dangerous even for an organisation such as yours. I only need to remind you of two days ago, if you had been the target you would be in the ground or on a funeral pire by now. Cross us and I, or my replacement will finish the job."

"Friends do not threaten," Yazzi said calmly. "I will do it. I do not wish to know who you work for. Bitter experience has shown me it is much easier to keep a secret about something you know little of. When do I get the money. have a computer in my bag, as soon as we shake hands on the deal I will arrange the transfer to an account of your choosing. We do not care where the money goes nor what it is used for, so long as you keep our secret we will in turn keep yours."

"Are you suggesting that I would keep the money?"

"Keep i, spend it, give it away. It is of little importance to us compared to discretion."

"I agree then." They shook hands and Anton reached down to pull out his laptop.

Carter went to reach out to Anton, to try to stop him getting his laptop out, his hand passed right through him and he immediately faded into a shadow, almost like a negative, "Shit, it's already happened, what hospital? There are three or four in Paris, tell me which one."

Then Yazzi asked Anton.

"Which hospital are we supposed to have bombed? No, don't answer that, I don't want to know."

I do, Carter whispered and tried to read Anton's mind. He couldn't, he learnt something new now, seeing the past he no longer had the ability to read people's thoughts. They were gone as if they never occurred, only the shadow of the energy the body had left behind including emotional energy, but like a relection in a pond and just as fleeting when you disturbed the water.

How come I can hear them speak but not read their thoughts? he asked himself. Teacher's voice said, "Even on your earth you can hear an echo can you not, but you cannot recapture a thought that has been taken by the All. I remind you again Carter Cheval, you are not God. Hurry, you must catch up with the past if you are to bend it to your will."

Chapter 64 - Panic Stations.

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