MY TREASURED DESIRE

Chapter TWENTY-FIVE – The Abductors Were Smart!

Day 3.

4:50 am Local Time. (11:50 pm. GMT.)

Orient Imperial Villa, Grande-Terre, the Kerguelen Islands, France.

Princess Alexa’s Note.

I felt a soft kiss on my lips, and I heard the unique tune oozing from the suite’s in-built stereo… I remembered how my dad wakes my mom up on their wedding anniversary mornings. Quite romantic that we would all hear the tunes all over the palace. But in each room, it would be so soft and nostalgic. I daydreamed about Reynard and moaned softly, “My Prince Charming.” But I regretted it when my alarm broke that moment… It was time to pray, and I gently arose from the comfort of the bed; when my eyes opened to see a well-dressed person carrying a pinkish-looking porcelain tray bearing a cup of steaming, hot tea, and cookies on it…

“Prince Liu?”

“Je t’aime, Ma Princesse,” he said with his trademark soft, smooth voice. I instinctively wiped my mouth with the back of my hand. At that time, he was looking at the cup of tea. “I sure hope to see you in the chopper at the helipad… Alistair had left the space for your blonde acquaintance. She would be here in a bit… No time for food. Just freshen up. You have less than 30 minutes, Gorgeous!”

“Any need for the hurry? I guess…”

“I will be having a meeting at Réunion before I leave for Ai, Middleville… Not to worry, I left a little envelope in your new suitcase. I know you don’t need it – Just a way of saying ‘Forgive the inconvenience I brought to you,’ please.”

“Are you sure you need to do that?”

The air conditioner blew a whiff of the monarch’s perfume to me, suddenly! It was exactly the scent of Reynold, and I almost threw away the tea – in shock. He turned aside to feel my soft cheek. Then, he left the room in a hurry! The blonde lady came in immediately he left… But I took my portable Holy Bible, which I always keep in the bag I carry around, and I entered the bathroom. I prayed for fifteen minutes, freshened up in five minutes and dressed up in another four minutes. The blonde lady hugged me when I was done and packed my new luggage and took it away. I joined her at the top of the building, which they use as a helipad.

Well, the prince had earlier caused the party to move to the Orient Imperial Villa, Grande-Terre, Kerguelen Islands. That strategic movement – apart from creating another hindrance because the internet radar would never be able to track the abductors’ specific location - also has the reputation of creating an atmosphere of bleakness and isolation, which he removed by providing succour – party, comfort, et al... The name, Îles de la Désolation, meant a lot … Kerguelen is very far away from any civilization and was discovered in 1772 by a French expedition. It is currently a territory of France and is home to a weather base. The Kerguelen Islands are located at 49°15′S 69°35′E. This places the archipelago just outside of the Antarctic circle. That is the part that people know. But there is another silvery, savoury, sweet-toned part, which only the truly knowledgeable and adventurous people know – call them felons or racketeers if you like. They create it for themselves!

.

7.00 am Local Time. (11:00 pm. GMT.)

The A.S.S.S. Headquarters, Achaia.

The Crown Prince and the General summoned the meeting of the Intelligence Team. Travelling to the Kerguelen Islands requires careful planning, as the islands are not easy to get to. Tourists can book a cabin in the base support ship Marion Dufresne for around €9,000 to €10,000. There are four trips open to tourists per year... Although very infrequent, a few small cruise ships have made stops in Kerguelen. But State Missions would neither take that route nor have a need to count costs like Tourists!

Meanwhile, the radar got a signal that one Achaiacopter had just reached the Kerguelen Islands with the French team, searching the 93-mile-long Island for the probable location of Orient Imperial Property in the area. But the place seems so desolate and should not boast of more than 200 people.

The Kerguelen Islands are located 2,051 miles away from any sort of civilization. There are no native inhabitants of the island, but as part of the French Southern and Antarctic Lands, it is permanently occupied by 50 to 100 French scientists, engineers, and researchers at any given time of the year. The reputation of Îles de la Désolation, as the real island of solitude and glumness, meant a lot to General Raymond, and he does not want to waste the taxpayers' funds chasing shadows there. Instances of many failures of intelligence Missions in that area were highlighted – not to steer up incessant fear – but to avoid the pitfalls of over-confidence and lack of sufficient preparation.

In the light of the fact that the abductors, which the security teams are in pursuit of, are security-aware and mobile - the team sent signals to the advanced party not to land, or take any action, in the Kerguelen Islands but use the opportunity to gain more time and move to Réunion Islands before the abductors did. Hence, the team is expected to lay siege for the abductors - waiting for the latter’s arrival.

Meanwhile, an intelligence report was simultaneously given about a new plot of Miss Greta Merkel and his uncle – the Prince of Middleville – to team up to create a huge gap between the Crown Prince and the African Princess in the event of the failure of the abductors getting Princess Alexa blackmailed into their planned hapless marriage.

Plain-clothed Combat Police were detailed to be on the trail of Miss Greta Merkel everywhere, to sniff out what her next plan would be since it would not be easy to lay a finger at the ruler of the neighbouring nation without solid evidence. Miss Merkel’s phone calls were also to be followed up, with its content tracked and stored away for analysis.

8.40 pm. Local Time. (4:40 pm GMT.)

Lé Cuisine, Grande-Terre, Réunion Island.

To us, Sarah Kingdom introduces Réunion Island - in the Indian Ocean - as an overseas department (region) of France that is located approximately 340 miles east of Madagascar and 109 miles southwest of Mauritius. The population here is close to 900,000 people who speak Réunion creole and (officially) pure French. She noted that little was known about the island, which was uninhabited prior to the arrival of the Portuguese, who landed here in 1513. In the 1640s, the island was occupied by the French, who claimed it as their own, renaming it Ile Bourbon. The island of Bourbon was renamed Réunion in the 18th century, and became prosperous, along with the nearby island of Mauritius, because it was on the shipping routes between Europe and Asia.

Sugar plantations, worked by slaves imported from Africa, formed the major sector of the island’s economy. Slavery was abolished on December 20, 1848 (a date celebrated annually on the island), though indentured workers continued to be brought to Réunion from other places, predominantly South India. The island was a French colony until 1946 when it was granted the status of “Overseas Department.” Réunion is now one of the most far-flung parts of the European Union.

The prince’s meeting started with only 14 members at 7:20 pm Local Time - after about 14 hours flight - at a secure restaurant named Le Cuisine. It kicked off immediately after the Middleville team arrived at Réunion Island. Of course, almost half of the team alighted and stayed at the Grande-Terre Beachside Guest House accommodation. The prince of Middleville and a few of his disciples were present at the meeting. The resolution of the meeting stemmed from the fact that the authorities need to meet those who could continue with the care of the victims and their remaining soldiers – who are all Réunion inhabitants, or else, speculations will lead the discerning hearts to the actual perpetrators… To the prince, this was just a means of catching fun, even when he was determined to win the African princess’ heart at all costs. To him, the fund he burns on this quest determines the extent he would go in reaching his target. His keen watchers amongst his disciples – though they admit that love matters have not been part of their boss’ pastimes – believe that he is a long distant runner in dangerous games.

The third leader – and the most senior of the Pirates on the ground – presented his final submission in his usual, thick French accent: “We appeal to His Majesty to understand that diversion of attention is the best way to get absolved from abduction crimes. We know this trade and we have been grounded in it. Leave the French Authorities to us: We are French citizens. Pay the cash, for us to do our business on the high seas, and you go away! At the instance of your demand, we can send your two beautiful captives on a flight to your nation, or as you may desire.”

The new chief of the Middleville Monarch’s emissaries spoke up, in response: “You may, please, open that box for the agreed payment of 10 million euro. Nothing must go wrong. Feed them like queens and be good to them in all ways. No abuse must come to them, please. This is purely an abduction to help your business: There will be enquiries, but no information must link you or this matter to Asia, not even Middleville… And those two young ladies must be saved alive in case of any armed confrontations. Is that deal settled?”

At the end of the meeting, a pre-designed agreement was read and signed by the two parties. The Monarch’s chief of Imperial Emissaries signed for Orient Imperial and the most senior leader of the Pirates signed for the new abductors. A French legal practitioner was a witness and arbitrator. The names on the agreements neither connect Orient Imperial nor implicate the sovereignty of Middleville in case the deal was exposed to the Legal Community. No penalty was attached to a situation of the victims being rescued by the authorities. The signed memorandum was only a secret agreement for each party to fulfil its side of the bargain.

Delicious meals were served, but the main aides of the Monarch left the scene on their way to Asia, boarding a single helicopter from Le Cuisine and - with their principal - fled to the Saint Dennis Airport where the private jet of the President of another Middleville-ally-Nation was waiting...

9.13 pm. Local Time. (5:13 pm. GMT.)

The Grande-Terre Beachside Guest House, Réunion Island, France.

At the same time, the second set of the abductors' team – with princess Ndidi Alexa George-Orji and the blonde detective – arrived at the Guest House at 7:15 pm (3:15 pm. GMT.) Naturally, Alexa and the team went to their suites to freshen up and take their dinner while Pirates arrived at their ship that had, since, berthed at a nearby dock. Things were peaceful while the princess and – even - the remaining abductors were gathered inside the Restaurant before the pirates’ armed men started disturbing the peace of the Restaurant at 9:15 pm…

Would there be some hope for freedom, with the consequent deliberate change of abductors…?