Queen Zelda drove a hard bargain. Leterrible had met difficult negotiations in his business but not quite as this one. It was as if the arguments Queen Zelda issued were inspired by vital purpose. No request from Leterrible could be obtained. But he had managed two concessions or rather two gains because nothing was offered in exchange for the task he was required to perform.
Queen Zelda would not permit his meeting with his wife nor his joining the Mobilita Republica community. What he got was not so bad though. He could see that his daughter Cat, still in Montréal, could reunite with her mother and become a citizen of Mobilita Republica; if she wished so. And second he was allowed to see his wife from afar as to prove of her welfare and that she was alive.
He was then taken to a hill overlooking a tiny cottage nestled in verdant meadows and surrounded by trees, vegetable and herb gardens. Nowhere were animals to be found. All inhabitants of the island were vegetarian.
With beating heart he saw a woman in a vegetable patch. It was her, Carole. As he often saw her do, she was cutting leaves off tomato plants to allow the sun to reach inside and ripen the fruit... it reminded him of so many souvenirs; as he often at home sat under a shadowed porch, watching her do exactly the same as now. Gardening was her only hobby, the only time she felt good, surrounded by silent life, when neither kid nor husband was around to take up her attention. He loved to see her that way. It had always brought him joy. And so it was that way too. Tears welled to his eyes. She was smiling, beautiful in her peaceful activity.
A tall man pushing a wheelbarrow filled with vegetal debris moved towards her. Seeing him she picked up the cut leaves, rose up and put them on top of the pile. She turned to the man enlaced him and gave him a tiny kiss. That was when Leterrible understood that his wife was never to be his anymore, that she was someone else now, a person in love; happy. He silently wished her well, tears running down his cheeks and turned away from her for a last time...
***
The time ship was nearing Havana and Leterrible still had no idea what he would do after his tasks were done. Instead of mauling the thought over and over he let it go and concentrated on the rest of the trip. They were nearing the hotel where the poker game was to take place. Slowly they glided over the roof and started descent. They went right through the roof and came down three storeys to the level floor in the men’s lavatory. Two guys were there so they waited for them to leave before they broke the bubble and let Leterrible out. Then, a crack of light and they were gone, stranding Leterrible to the pang of panic.
Leterrible stopped in front of a wash-stand, looked himself up in the mirror and said: “Showtime!”
Then he left for the great room where the event was to take place. Before he got in he looked at the player roster to find Vera’s assignment. “There. Vera Wayne. Table five.” He muttered.
The people were starting to arrive and the room was already filled with the smoke of cigars. Vera was alone at her table near the stage. Her opponents had not arrived yet, now was the time to talk to her so he quickly covered ground in her direction.
She saw him coming and gave a little sign of annoyance, but she seemed prepared to talk. After all, their first encounter had been quite peculiar; if not downright weird. Their eyes met and she gestured towards the seat next to her.
“We have to talk she said. And no fainting this time. Who are you and what do you want from me?”She said.
Leterrible caught by her frankness answered: “...I am your father.”
Vera’s eyebrows shot up and replied: “Pff! (you must remember that Vera is Queen Zelda’s protégée)
That’s impossible. My father is John Wayne and he looks nothing like you.”
“Oh and where is he? Retorted Leterrible.
The young lady seemed awfully pale all of a sudden. “He’s back home, in Mobi...”
Leterrible cut her off and said: “I know where he is. I’ve been sent by Zelda. Do you remember her? Do you remember why you’re here?”
Suddenly she folded forward, put her elbows on her knees and her face in her hands, pinching her nose and let go a plaintive groan.
“Do you remember?” Insisted, Leterrible. “The fog did a number on you.” She nodded and sat back up. “You must regain possession of the ‘Stone of Eternity’” Continued Leterrible. “It is your only goal.” With that he stood and started to leave. She took his elbow to stop him and said:”Are you really my father?”
Leterrible was stunned, paused for what seemed like an eternity, lied, and said: “No.” With that he turned, shook off her hand and almost ran away because he hurt so much. There was no time to explain, no simple way to do it and time was pressing. And there was another task to perform...
This one was easy; all he had to do was to find the bowls containing the maple flavoured bean dip and get rid of them. For that he needed help and looked for the game’s MC; the perfect solution. He found him in an instant and went directly towards him, holding his gut, limping and pretending to be sick. He adeptly tripped and fell right on the man. Then he yelled: “I have been poisoned. Help me!” The man was paralysed with incomprehension so Leterrible continued: “I ate some of that bean dip and I’ve been feeling pretty ill since. Please... oh! I think I’m going to... “The MC realizing his suit was about to be ruined, quickly pushed back Leterrible to arm’s length and dragged him in the wash room, left him there and headed straight back out to the main room. Leterrible chuckled as he thought of the panic going through the man’s head. He Had to save the evening, at whatever the cost. He could just picture him running from table to table picking up all the bowls before anyone else ate any of their content. With that he just readjusted his garments and gingerly sauntered towards the exit. Outside, on the landing he slowed to take in fresh air and decide what he was going to do next since his part of the bargain was now done. But the following events made sure to precipitate his action.
At the end of the street he could see Nable/Elke, a tall British looking chap and three Cuban police officers... and they saw him... Without thinking he just ran in the opposite direction. He heard them shout. “Stop, stop you spy!” “Leterrible you old fool... you’re aggravating your case” He could also hear the Cuban police vociferating at him in their own dialect. All he could think was the he did not want to go to prison. He would rather die.
Shots were fired from the Cuban police to Elke's vehement protest. He even managed to stop one from shooting, but not the others.
It was then that Leterrible felt a hammer blow in his back. A bullet struck his spine just under the neck. He fell, flat on his face, but he was still conscious. He could not move. The pain was intolerable. He felt the packed dirt tremble on his right cheek from the arriving footsteps of an army of idiot law agents. “Fools” He thought.
His breathing was heavy. Blood ran out of his mouth and dripped to the dirt below. He realized that this was it...
A hand was shaking his shoulder. Sounds around him were getting dimmer. He could just barely hear Elke say: “Why did you run?”
It wasn’t important to Leterrible anymore. “Pff!” he thought. “Inconsequent.”
The pain was ebbing away. His sight gave way to the image of his wife in the garden... His heart smiled... And he was terrible no more...