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A Verdict
Rupert Townsend stood up as Kurt walked up to his cafeteria table. "Good to see you again, Kurt, thanks for taking a few moments out of your day." The two men shook hands and sat down.
Kurt didn't know Rupert well. They had spoken a few times regarding Luisa since Rupert was on her oversight committee. He was the consummate stereotype of a clerk: short, thick glasses, balding and tending to overweight. No one would guess he also doubled on a part-time basis as the deputy director of Island security after retiring from a long career with an Australian counter-intelligence service.
It wasn't until Kurt approached Luisa's committee and expressed his intent that Rupert had taken him aside and explained the irregular nature of her presence on the Island. Kurt had been shocked to discover she had in effect been kidnapped to silence her attempts to reveal their secret to the public. When Rupert had presented Luisa's articles as justification Kurt had spent most of a night reading them over and over. He could not reconcile the person he worked with during the day to what she had written in the evening, and said as much to Rupert the next day. They had argued but in the end Rupert had agreed to allow Luisa to continue in the company program with Kurt.
"I trust Luisa is doing well? I see she is using her real name now. Was that a decision on your part?" Rupert picked up his cup of tea.
"She's doing quite well, thanks for asking. She's very excited to be working on the Central Asia pipeline project. I thought it best for her to return to her real name since the false identity wasn't necessary any longer. And I like the sound of it, reminds me of her Brazilian roots." Kurt took a bite of his sandwich. He watched Rupert closely. This was no casual conversation no matter how low key the small talk between them.
Rupert for his part didn't miss the way Kurt scrutinized him from across the table. His long career had honed his ability to read people's reactions using the slightest of cues. Kurt was apprehensive about Luisa's fate and ready to defend her if the outcome wasn't to his liking. Luisa's owner would be a dangerous adversary to anyone who threatened her.
Some people had to be eased into news, good or bad. Others liked it blunt and quick. Rupert could tell Kurt was one of the latter so he skipped the preliminaries. "We have reviewed Luisa's progress since you chose to become involved." The we was a shadowy group who made sure threats to the Island were dealt with in a satisfactory manner, no matter what it took. "After careful consideration we have determined that no further action will be taken in the matter of Luisa Calvaho. Her conduct will be solely your responsibility, Kurt. The only restriction we ask is that you keep her on the Island for the next two years, and after that you notify us in advance if you intend to allow her to travel. And of course neither Luisa nor anyone else is to be made aware of the arrangements or my part in it."
Kurt nodded in agreement. The provisions were reasonable, better than he had expected. "I guarantee her behavior? No one second-guessing me?"
Rupert smiled. "She belongs to you. We aren't going to tell you how to run your life, or hers. No one will be looking over your shoulder. Do what you think best.
"But I have a personal request. Promise me, Kurt, your word on this. See to it she never has a reason to criticize what we have here. Those of us who have to place the Island's interests as a whole above personal consideration are not monsters. Tricking her into coming here wasn't a high point in my life and I'm not proud of what I did, even though it was necessary. Promise me the Island will never have to call on my services to deal with you or Luisa."
Rupert's odd request caught Kurt off guard. Kurt sat up in his chair, thinking over what he had just heard. Behind the bland expression of an accountant Kurt saw the weariness of a man who had faced too many ruthless decisions where common decency and a sense of fair play were handicaps. Kurt held out his hand. "My word on it, Rupert. Whatever may come of the future, I know my obligations. When you go home tonight you carry one less burden to worry about."
"Good enough." Rupert shook his hand, and then pointed to Kurt's plate. "Try the potatoes, for once the cook got it right. Think the Brazilians can stop Germany in the World Cup? Joe tells me that last year their soccer team was almost as bad as their beer."
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