Chapter 1
Chapter 1
Bien to begin with, it was a day in April 2013 when we kidnapped the girl. Je sui, je sui, even my classmates asked me what the point was of kidnapping a little girl, and I obviously kept quiet so as not to ruin the surprise. I like surprises when I surprise others, but I don't like life surprising me. I hate it when that chienne decides to trip me up, and I can assure you she's done it, but I've always bounced back like a spring. Something that, a few years after this story, I'm sorry to say, I won't do. That chienne killed me like a dog. But let's move on, ladies and gentlemen, because I'm not here to talk about myself; I'm just a failed actor and a total piece of shit, and if you don't think so, well, it's only because you already know too much about me. But it's the girl I want to talk to you about! Well, I don't know what goes through the mind of a little girl who has just been shot with a powerful sleeping pill and then loaded into a van, but knowing her (because trust me, I know her) while she was sleeping she must have thought something like:
"I hate you, Mother
With all my heart.
Now stop breathing and go, go to Hell where you deserve to rot.
Where I deserve to rot."
Or maybe I'm wrong, maybe I'm being too theatrical and melodramatic, and in reality while she was sleeping she took the saints off the calendar or she had a perfectly normal dream without realizing what had happened. Maybe she dreamed of her sister and her mother and... I wonder if she ever thinks about her father, I've never asked her much about it. But never mind, let's move on and now, calme people, the prologue is over, the first act begins.
(Vincent)
<<What is this? A kidnapping? We're doing fine, Naples never disappoints me>> the girl exclaimed.
<<No, it's not a kidnapping, we're just having fun>> said the kidnapper in the leather jacket with the soft "r."
<<It sounds a bit pedophilic>> she replied.
<<Okay, okay, I'll rephrase that... could any of you tell me how to make it sound less shady?>> the kidnapper in the leather jacket then asked the other two with him.
<<This was all his idea>> said the kidnapper in the hat, nodding at the guy with the soft "r."
<<It still sounds pedophilic>> she reiterated.
<<We're not pedophiles>> replied the kidnapper, wearing unusually high-necked clothes and a belt with knives tied to it and a pendant with the Chi symbol. <<And we don't usually kidnap people>> he added.
<<Hey, it’s not a kidnapping>> said the one with the soft “r” and the leather jacket. <<It’s just the indefinite abduction of an individual. We’re good, honest people, after all>> he said innocently.
<<Yeah, if your idea of ‘good, honest people’ is kidnapping random people, we’re in good shape>> she replied ironically.
The kidnapper in the leather jacket chuckled, approaching with little leaps in the back seat. <<Oh, come on, puce, the fact that we only kidnapped one little person -...today- doesn’t make us bad people>>
She pushed him. <<Oh, sure, sure, not at all...>> she said ironically.
The kidnapper in the leather jacket kept smiling so much that she began to believe it was a nervous tic or a sign of mental instability. <<Of course, of course, puce, I understand that from your point of view we must be huge pieces of shit to have shot you with this>> he said, taking what resembled a small syringe the size of a bullet out of his pocket. <<A kind gift from a little friend of ours that put you to sleep better than a hibernating bear before you even knew it... but as I was saying>> he said, putting it back in his pocket. <<How about we play a game to break the ice?>>
<<Forget it>> she replied.
<<Okay, you really looked like a pedophile this time. Get a grip, you’re creepy>> said the kidnapper with the knives and the Chi symbol pendant.
The kidnapper in the leather jacket laughed at her words. <<Between you and me, I’m not the creepy one, but okay, I’ll rephrase>> he said, taking a deck of French cards from his jacket pocket, held together with a rubber band. He removed the rubber band and began shuffling them. <<Draw three cards>>
<<Oh, no, again with this>> exclaimed the kidnapper with the knives in the front seat.
The kidnapper in the hat shook his head before adding, <<Let him do it, time has to pass. Either he does this, or he’ll ask me to pull over to the next gas station to practice disabling the cameras remotely...>>
The kidnapper in the leather jacket’s eyes lit up. <<Oh, oh, would you do that?>
<<No>> replied the kidnapper in the hat.
<<Ugh>> the kidnapper in the leather jacket pouted. <<Anyway...>> he said less than five seconds later, regaining his smile. <<Draw a card, puce>>.
She rolled her eyes and drew three cards at random. One with a three of clubs, a nine of spades, and finally a ten of hearts. <<And now?>>
<<Who knows? I only know how to play cards, I don’t know how to read them. I should definitely learn>> he said, addressing himself more than her, who huffed and put the cards back. <<So, did the icebreaker work?>>
<<I’d rather stay on the ice, pedophile kidnapper>> she said.
<<Cooperating will be much worse than I thought>> said the kidnapper with the knives, leaning his head back against the seat.
<<It’s just that if three people kidnap you, you don’t take it too well>>she replied ironically.
The kidnapper in the hat blew smoke from his cigarette and leaned his arm against the window of the pickup truck while keeping his eyes on the road. <<Don’t be so dramatic, he says you’re smart>> he said, nodding toward the one in the leather jacket. <<If we wanted to kill you, we would have already done it, don’t you think?>>
<<Yes... and besides not killing me, you could tell him to be a normal person?!>> she exclaimed, pointing to the one in the leather jacket. The kidnapper in the leather jacket laughed at her words and moved closer to her.
<<Isn’t that funny for you? For the first time, you’re leaving the house because you want to.>>
<<No, it’s not funny, and could it be because you literally kidnapped me?!>> she exclaimed, impatiently. The kidnapper in the leather jacket continued to laugh at her remarks, seemingly amused by the situation. <<Well, I suppose that’s an interesting point...>>
<<Okay, is there a normal one I can talk to?>> she exclaimed.
The kidnapper with the hat let out a gasp that she barely caught before looking at her with contempt at the question.
<<We’re just passing the time>> the one in the leather jacket said innocently.
<<Yeah, kidnapping’s a pastime, so blowing up a building is a walk in the park?>> she asked wryly. The kidnapper in the leather jacket chuckled again, while the other two seemed even more irritated by his words. <<Oh, you’re adorable when you’re angry... you look like those little dogs with all those brown curls and wet noses, you know? Did I mention I love dogs?>>
She rolled her eyes, looking disgusted. <<Tsk... stop calling me adorable... that’s weird, not to mention illegal. And don’t call me “puce.”>>
<<What? You don’t like being called that?>
She looked borderline irritated. <<Not at all, you literally kidnapped me. You’re the reason people should walk around armed... or ready to kick people in the balls>> she said.The two in the front seats stiffened, while the one in the leather jacket flinched slightly.
<<Hey, hey, it doesn’t have to go that far>>
She gave a sadistic smile. <<It certainly does when three people kidnap you completely at random!>> she exclaimed.
<<Oh, come on. It’s just part of the thrill. Where’s your sense of adventure?>> he said.
She gave him a sarcastic look. <<I think I left it at home, where I had better things to do, anyway>>
He was starting to look exasperated. <<Like what? Watching TV?>>
For a moment she was tempted to spill the beans just out of spite, but she decided to continue on the path of the impertinent little girl. There was a slim chance they’d find her so annoying they’d throw her out into the street. <<Yes, you should try.>> It worked, faster and faster, because he replied.
<<You really are a daughter of a bitch, you know that?>>
<<Of course>> she replied indifferently.
He looked a little disappointed. <<Aren’t you even a little curious about us?>>
She rolled her eyes. <<Let me guess: like he said, you don’t habitually kidnap people, but if you find it fun to remotely disable cameras and know how to make something (or someone) disappear without being noticed, it’s likely you’re a thief, even accustomed to female company. I can tell from the slang you used with me>> She paused. <<It doesn’t take a genius to say the guy with the hat is good with guns, you can also tell from the fact he has a SIG Sauer P320, and the guy with the knives is either a chef or a murderer, just like the guy with the hat>> she said. The three remained silent, stunned. "Maybe because I got it right... or because I made fun of them less subtly than I thought" she thought with a triumphant smile. She was sure she’d nailed it. "After all" she thought, “like-minded people recognize each other.”
<<Well... yes, but...>> said the guy in the leather jacket.
<<I’m not finished>> she said immediately, trying to swallow her dose. <<There’s a woman in your heart. I doubt it’s a wife or girlfriend, so it could be a lover you’re particularly close to, right? I can tell by the fact that you’ve kept that slight distance from me even by calling me “puce,” which is a more affectionate nickname than others like “mou cherry” or whatever>> she asked, even though she knew she was telling the truth. It was rare for her to be wrong.
He laughed. <<Well... Jiwon... and, well, if only it were what you called her>> he said with a vaguely dreamy look that she found disgusting. Jiwon... a curious name, it must have been Korean or Japanese, and if he knew a woman from those parts, it implied that he and his gang were perhaps not a group of local criminals, but rather international, which led her to think they probably wanted to sell her into the organ trade or prostitution.
She snorted. <<Reproductive instincts... I don’t understand them>> she commented.
He laughed. <<Hey, they’re not that disgusting, are they!>>
She felt disgusted. <<Well, honestly, I doubt she gave it to you>> she commented, barely holding back a laugh. "This is cruel" she thought to herself. "I’m really good at it."
The kidnapper with the knives pursed his lips, and the one in the hat put one hand over his mouth while holding the other on the handlebars. Both were desperately trying to hold back laughter. She must have been right; she’d been too quick to call her a lover.
The one in the hat let out a small exclamation. “Es stimmt” he repeated to himself, thinking back. They were German words, meaning “it’s true.” He had said them instinctively, otherwise he would never have revealed his country of origin.
And if he’d said them instinctively, it also meant he was starting to like her, perhaps.
Meanwhile, the kidnapper in the leather jacket turned pale, looking offended, noticing that all three of them were barely holding back their laughter. <<Hey! What makes you think I can’t sleep with Jiwon!?>> She made a noise somewhere between a laugh and a snort.
<<Well... it’s pretty obvious why>> she said, pretending to look him over <<And besides, you’re a kidnapper>> she added.
He chuckled, then said in an almost regretful tone <<Do you seriously think I have nothing to offer her?>>
She looked at him for a moment. She was convinced that he wasn’t just a kidnapper; in fact, the fact that they had kidnapped her in an area where several cameras could have filmed them made her understand that kidnapping wasn’t their specialty... but they were used to doing things quickly.
The kidnapper in the leather jacket sighed. <<I tried everything with Jiwon: jewelry, money, artwork... but no go.>>
It was all becoming more and more incomprehensible to her. Risk jail for some random girl? She gave a sneering smile. <<All the gifts were stolen, I imagine.>>
<<Of course>> he replied.
She thought for a moment. So that woman was aware she was dating a thief, so either she was stupid or she was... <<She’s a thief like you, isn’t she?>> Her question sounded, as usual, more like a statement than a question.
The one in the leather jacket laughed... he was seriously starting to hate that irritating sound. <<Yes, yes, she’s a thief, and a good one at that>> he replied <<Like me, by the way>> he added proudly.
The one with the knives snorted in irritation. She assumed it was because the one in the leather jacket had labeled only himself as a “good thief,” excluding the other two, whom she had labeled murderers.
<<Good thief, huh?>>she said mockingly. <<From the way you said that, you must be very sure of yourself... I guess it’s because they’ve never put a real “Sherlock Holmes” on your tail>> she said. <<Or someone like ZETA>> she added. As soon as she said that name, she had the desired effect: the kidnapper’s smile faltered, as if she’d punched him. The one with the knives pretended to be suddenly interested in the scenery outside the white van they were in (if those colorful, decaying buildings could be considered a scenery), while I swallowed hard. The one in the hat, on the other hand, bit his lip, his grip on the handlebars tightening.
<<Well>> the man in the leather jacket began, trying to regain his composure. <<No criminal wants that asshole on their trail, am I right?>> he said with an evil smile.
“H-that’s just a joke,” she thought. “There’s no way he knows... I was paying attention!” she shouted to herself, still looking bored. Yeah, that’s just a response to mine... after all, I was the one who brought up ‘that asshole’ as a topic of conversation. It was stupid of me.” <<I suppose that could be quite annoying>> she replied, looking nonchalant.
He laughed, but almost unnaturally this time. <<You have no idea how many I’ve seen arrested by that bastard...>> His voice faltered. <<...how many we’ve seen locked up on death row because of him>> His gaze dropped involuntarily as she continued to observe them. The one with the knives had taken on a look similar to hers, a mixture of anger and anguish, combined with a great desire for revenge. It was a feeling she knew, perhaps not as strong as theirs, but she knew it. The one in the hat, however, pretended to ignore the topic of conversation and tried to remain impassive.
Could this be a good time to reveal who he was? Assuming they didn’t already know.
<<You’re French, right?>> she said suddenly.
The one in the leather jacket was shocked for a moment, then chuckled. <<You’re the first one who doesn’t say "African">>he said. <<And by the way, yes.>> His expression was slightly more serious now. <<How did you know that?>>
<<Just as I can say here that he...>> she nodded at the kidnapper with the hat <<is German, and that he...>> she nodded at the kidnapper with the knives <<is Chinese and probably Taoist>> she said quickly and coldly, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
<<Okay, seriously, how did you know that? the one in the leather jacket exclaimed, as if asking a magician to reveal a trick.
<<You have a speech impediment with words that contain the r... I think it’s called rhotacism or something, but it’s a typical French way of speaking. Plus, you called me ‘puce,’ which is a nickname for people you have an emotional bond with, which we DON’T have>> she said in the best cold tone she could muster. She could also have mentioned the French playing cards, but that would have been silly and banal; after all, they could be bought anywhere. <<It was easier with him>> she continued <<He has some stereotypical features generally associated with ‘Asians,’ but obviously I know Asia is a continent and not a country, so I’ll tell you I understood it by looking at your pendant with the Chi symbol, typically associated with Taoism, a religion spread especially in China>> she concluded, then fell silent, trying to give emphasis to her words. <<Am I right?>> she added to sound confident, bordering on arrogance, noticing their almost shocked expressions.
The kidnapper in the leather jacket seemed to be halfway between astonishment and anxiety when he laughed. <<Okay, you got it, huh?>> he paused to catch his breath after that high-pitched belly laugh. <<What about Hans, though? How did you know he’s German?>> he asked at that point.
That’s a good question, she thought to herself. That man in the hat named Hans didn’t look anything like the stereotypical German: no blond hair or braces, though he did have blue eyes. She felt like a magician explaining her tricks to a group of children. "That’s why the great ZETA hasn’t arrested you yet" she thought to herself. "He doesn’t consider you worthy opponents. And in fact, you’re not." She swallowed, trying not to show it. <<When I asked if there’s a normal one here -a question I’d like an answer to- he exclaimed ‘verdammt’ and when I mocked you, he said ’Es stimmt,’>> she said, with a beginner’s pronunciation.
<<And?>> asked the kidnapper in the leather jacket, whom she had determined to be the leader of that “gang.” He was testing her, wanting to see how far she could go.
<<‘Verdammt’ is a German word, it means ‘damn,’ while ‘Es stimmt’ means ‘it’s true,’ and they’re also German words, but even if he hadn’t said them, I would have gotten there anyway,>> she said confidently, smiling a little.
<<Really?>> Hans asked mockingly. <<How, if I may ask?>>
<<You remind me of a certain German gentleman, but he had a mustache instead of a beard... they say that with a certain type of mustache you can conquer either a blonde, a brunette, or a redhead... he conquered a Poland>> she added to emphasize the point.
Hans gripped the handlebars of the car, seeming annoyed by her not-so-subtle comparison, but he gave a tight smile. <<How would you feel if I compared you to a fat, bald fascist just because you’re Italian?>> he asked sarcastically.
She pretended to think about it for a moment. <<Well, I suppose that was a little mean of me>> she said.
The one in the leather jacket chuckled <<Yes, yes, and I’m Maximilian-No-Head-Killer-Nobleman>> he exclaimed, ending the conversation. He turned to Hans and the other kidnapper, <<I told you the girl was strong>>
"I told you the girl was strong." <<Your choice of words suggests my kidnapping was premeditated>> she said.
He laughed loudly. <<Well, we’ve heard rumors about you>>
She paled <<What kind of rumors?>> she asked cautiously. So he was right? Did they know?
He continued to laugh <<You’re not so naive as not to know that your cheerful, wonderful Naples is full of criminals, are you?>> he said. <<No less than many other wonderful cities in your country, of course, but it still deserves a place of honor.>> She nodded slowly, trying to keep her nerves steady and her cool, carefree expression intact, without letting her cold sweat show. If small-time, low-level criminals had discovered her misdeeds, then the great ZETA would surely have figured it out too.
<<Well, rumor has it you’re pretty good at stealing,>> she said cheerfully. She breathed a sigh of relief, even though she didn’t know where those voices could come from, but deep down she thought she’d overestimated those two-bit thieves. They knew nothing.
