Chapter 15 5. Face the facts

Alan Rock is a person who accepts challenges at any time, even if this fact is surrounded from all sides.He would never admit that he was Jericho.Coincidentally, a series of events unfolded on adjacent tracks, sometimes combining the fate of two people. Yes, he agreed with this assumption, and the events that happened before and after did not allow him to deny it.However, saying that these two people are actually one person, he absolutely disagrees! He shook his head, dismissing the possibility entirely, and then, coming up and sitting in front of the Italian woman, knee to knee, eye to eye, he said to her: "You're not making something up, Pascaella, Isn't it? You're not talking about a nightmare, are you? Boniface wasn't crazy when he said those words, was he?"

"No," she said affirmatively, "after he revealed his secret, perhaps unintentionally, he said it again the next night, and he said it in great detail and calmly." "Is there nothing new?" "No." "You can't get it wrong, can you? Certain details can't be ignored. For example, the name Jericho...is that his real name?" "I don't think so," said Pascaela. "However, he can't use this name when dealing with people outside the gang?" "Indeed, he had had him called Monsieur Leprince. Speaking of which, I recall, he was really a prince, according to Boniface, as Jericho himself admitted, saying he was of An old aristocratic family that used to live in a castle in Brittany. But, between Boniface and Rudovic, it was Boniface who, after all, had a conscience. He couldn't forget the murder of Jerry. Jericho. Jericho is still a great man in his heart, a man who fascinates him. He respects him, he fears him. He sees his shadow everywhere, whether it is night or in broad daylight. , he heard him cursing, heard him strike down with a stick to avenge himself."

"You're talking nonsense, Pascaela, you've imagined it..." "No, I can swear it." "Then they really killed him?" "yes." "Tied to a wreck?" "yes." "Throw him in the sea?" "yes." "So, what day is it?" Allen Rock asked loudly, becoming more and more excited. "You didn't say what day it was..." "Five weeks after Mr Manoelson's death." "Five weeks? Around the end of June, then?" "To be precise, it was the thirtieth day." "June 30th." Alan Rock repeated.

He fell silent.He made up his mind.June 30th... He was rescued from the Cape of Antibes on July 6th...Seven days before and after...In seven days, a wreck can float from the coast of Sicily to the coast of France... Allen Rock rested his elbows on his knees and pressed his fists to his temples.The overly strong light made Natalie suddenly feel uncomfortable, and she quickly turned off three lights... Only one light was left in the room, and there was a lampshade covering the light. Maxim was deeply impressed, and to break the silence, he said: "Actually, all this is too vague to be worth paying attention to. Attention should be concentrated on tonight. Pascaela, since Jericho has Dead, I don't quite understand why you still let us gather here?"

"Because Boniface is coming." "so what?" "Now, to me," she said, "Boniface is the one who ruined my sister. To you, didn't he kill Mr. Manoelson? Through him we can know the truth... ...and now there is only one person to take revenge on." "You're right, Pascaela," Allen Rock said, looking up. "Are you sure he's coming tonight?" "I am sure." "What is he going to do?" "I finally found out that for the last two weeks, Rudovic has been working as a bartender here, and..." "Don't Rudovic know Jericho?"

"I don't know him. He worked for Jericho, acting as Jericho's eyes and ears from a distance, mainly preparing for various operations. Later, Boniface recruited him. After Rudovic was hired by the hotel, The task is to monitor Miss Manoelson and record all her living habits. He even sneaked into this suite, because he knows that the maid goes to the movies every Saturday, so he set the time of action tonight." "That is to say..." "That means he will take Boniface into the hotel and have him take the working elevator to the small hallway facing the suite that connects to the main hallway. Rudovic picks up the keys in the lobby, and all the keys are the same Two copies hung on the service desk, and then he stayed in the elevator until Boniface got the reliquary and sent him downstairs immediately."

"Just for the reliquary?" "yes." "Did they make an appointment?" "Eleven forty." He looked at the clock, then at his watch. "That means fifteen minutes. Very well. What are your plans? . . . " "Leave Boniface to you, because at last we have a chance to trick him. What you do with him is none of my business. You make up your mind." "What if I let him go?" She revealed a dagger hidden in her bodice. "He's got to pay off Jericho's debt," she said quietly. "To me, he's Boniface, and he's Jericho."

Alan Rock pulled Maxim into his room. He seemed to have a high fever and was unable to control himself. Maxim only felt the pain of his arm being squeezed: "Maxim, you are right, It's all unclear and meaningless. Apparently there's a lot of coincidences in it...writing...a big mallet...a broken ship...and some hazy memories in my mind...but, anyway, there's nothing That's for sure... Don't you think so, Maxim?" He didn't wait for Maxim's answer.He himself gave an affirmative answer, and relieved, he continued: "Besides, we will get confirmation from Boniface. In fact, I have confidence, and I have already confirmed it in my heart. Of course, some things still need to be confirmed." Explain clearly. Boniface knew Jericho. He will provide us with information on this man. I will soon know the relationship between Jericho and me. Ah! I can finally find out."

Walking up and down the room, waving his arms, he repeated aloud, "I'll find out soon! . . . Maybe Jericho knows me! . . . I'll find out soon! . . . I'll find out soon! How exciting it is! . . . know . . . know . . . ” Suddenly, he controlled himself, calm as if his fate had nothing to do with it: "There are still a few minutes, Maxim, prepare everything that needs to be prepared." Indeed, the critical moment is getting closer.Preparations for a counterattack have been made, but the enemy's actions must be targeted more effectively.Alan Rock and Maxim returned to the living room.He hurriedly asked Pascaela a question: "You answer me clearly. You called just now to remind Miss Manoelson to pay attention to the wine served to her..."

"Yes, I repeat, at first I thought it was poison. But then I heard what Boniface said. He instructed Rudovic to dissolve a gram of something in a vial whose name I couldn't hear Clearly. The effect of the medicine will not take effect until Miss Manoelson returns to her room." Natalie didn't make a sound, as if she didn't want to hear Alan Rock talking to her.However, he still said: "If you can trust Maxim and me, miss, please continue to do what you have started. You have taken the medicine, so Boniface thinks, please pretend that you have no time to return." To your room, halfway through you fell asleep. Is that so? You opened the cabinet, took out the travel bag, put the reliquary and other jewelry together, and then, you were so sleepy that you couldn't stand it, you sat reading a book fell asleep in the chair."

Natalie followed his instructions step by step.She unchained the reliquary and placed it and some rings on the table nearby.The book in his hand slipped from his knees to the floor.Alan Rock lowered the shade on the only lighted bulb and whispered, "You're not scared, are you? Besides, this man is just here to steal..." "Really," echoed Pascaela, "he promised. He won't carry any weapons. That's Rudovic's condition." "It doesn't matter!" Allen Rock said. "With me here... I guarantee absolute safety." The hands of the big clock pointed to eleven forty.On your marks. Pascaela ran to Maxime's room, leaving the door ajar.Alan Rock hid in a dark corner of the vestibule, a place no one else could see.Maxim was behind him, squatting at the door of the bathroom. In this part of the Grand Hotel there was no sound at all.There was the sound of cars passing by from outside. Maxim said in a low voice: "Hurry up, these things are always very punctual. Otherwise... Listen... No... This is not... Hey, Alan Rock, you are so nervous that you can't breathe , eh? Don't do that, don't do that... Boniface will figure it out. Oh, yes, some things don't seem real. Like, for example..." Alan Rock said according to his own thoughts: "When he left, I turned on all the lights at the same time, so that I could see clearly, his first reaction when he saw me." "and then?" "And then? Well, if he knows me, I'll know right away, and that's the point." "Dear friend, if I were you..." "Shh. Here they come." Not far away came the sound of an elevator starting.Then, everything fell silent.Alan Rock put his ear to the door.However, the carpet in the hallway absorbed footsteps. A minute passed.If it had been Boniface, he would have been in the hallway perpendicular to the main corridor, poking his head out to watch for movement so that he could pass safely.Alan Rock stepped back to the door of the bathroom. Suddenly, the door creaked softly. It's really slow.The visitor was very careful, trying not to let the door lock make any sound. The light from outside shone quietly into the dark vestibule, and the light gradually widened.A chunky shadow entered.The light then faded away.The shadow came to the door of the room where Natalie was waiting. Then there is the same process, with the same care.Not the slightest sound came out.Some are just quieter and quieter.Then came another ray of light, a fainter one, coming from the room. The figure suddenly entered.It walked forward, and Alan Rock immediately jumped out of his hiding place and leaned against the door. Natalie maintains the pose of a sleeping woman.But, through slightly opened eyelids, she saw in the mirror the figure approaching her, and recognized Boniface, the wandering singer whom she had seen at the Villa Mirador.You can't go wrong.He strained so hard that the muscles of his face tensed, and the superhuman effort made him more still than silent, more still than motionless.Two deep horizontal bars are carved on the forehead.There was a glint of light in the eyes.Natalie's arm resting on the table moved slightly, and he immediately reached into his pocket, as if for a weapon.Natalie didn't see the move. She is not afraid.With her own willpower, she tried to keep her face calm and breathe like a sleeping woman. Boniface walked on.Three steps away from him, he saw the jewelry and the reliquary on the dressing table.He probably felt a little suspicious because he stopped for about two seconds.Then he walked on again. Then, he stretched out his right hand without looking at what he was about to take.His gaze never left Natalie's peaceful face.His hands trembled slightly, ready to grab something or kill according to Natalie's actions. At this time, Alan Rock quietly pushed the door open, and according to the prior arrangement, he fumbled to find the two switches.He wants all the lights to shine brightly at the same time, so that the other party can see him clearly from the front.This test is decisive.He was looking forward to this moment with all his might.He, Alan Rock, said he was Jericho, and his reason and instinct were absolutely unacceptable.But he was surrounded by so many facts, front and back, that he was desperate to clear them up quickly and get rid of painful doubts. Things move quickly.Driven by greed, Boniface hastened his action.Regardless of whether he would be heard or if he would wake Natalie, he stretched out his greedy hands, gathered the jewelry and the reliquary, and swept everything on the table. This is down.The whole operation was a success.All he was thinking about now was how to escape with the booty, so he turned around on the spot, thinking about meeting up with his accomplices. Just at this moment, the chandelier on the ceiling and the two wall lamps on the wall came on together.The room was brightly lit. Seeing someone blocking his way, he rushed straight up.However, he stopped suddenly, as if he had been hit hard.He leaned back and almost fell to the ground.There was a look of horror on his face.Hell appeared!Is this a ghost?Is this the man he killed?He seemed to be choked by someone, and he yelled desperately: "Jerico! ... Jericho! ..." The cursed name echoed in the silent room.Allen Rock went soft.However, he immediately gained his footing, irritated by the other party's accusation, which he felt was the most despicable and shameless thing he could never tolerate, and he rushed towards Boniface, five fingers tightly. squeezed his throat. "You nonsense! You nonsense!" The other party's face was blue and his eyes were full of panic, but he was stubborn to the end, even if he wanted to die, he couldn't hold his mouth. Although he was getting weaker and weaker, he kept muttering the name: "Jerico!...Jerico!... He's alive... it's him... I recognize him... Jericho!... Jericho!..." Maxim ran over quickly, and so did Natalie, and the two of them pulled Boniface away vigorously.Alan Rock let go of his hand for a moment and yelled at Natalie: "He is talking nonsense! If I were Jericho, I would definitely remember it." Boniface took advantage of the opportunity of him letting go, and ran immediately, closing one door, and then closing the second door, Maxim jumped up like a seasoned hunting dog, and followed closely behind.Alan Rock, furious, not knowing what he was doing or what he was saying, tossed around like a madman, knocking chairs back and forth, avoiding seeing pale faces in mirrors , This is not only Jericho's face, but also his own face, Alan Rock said with difficulty: "Jericho? If it is true, I should know! There is something about me that will show... How is that possible? Me, Jericho? . . . He's talking nonsense! Just a resemblance. Ah! The bastard . . . " He became incoherent.He waved his arms, feeling himself sinking like a drowning man.Like drunk, like insanity, he spun around in place, holding his head in his hands, the original wound hurt like it was about to burst, and then he fell down on the carpet with a plop. Natalie stared at the long, motionless form and thought, "He killed my father. He's Jericho, the murderer and the pirate. I hate him!" is he still aliveIs he completely broken?Anyway, she wasn't going to bend over to save him or listen to see if his heart was still beating.This is a man full of evil, the kind of monster that should be shot by the judiciary or sent to the guillotine by society.She looked at him mercilessly. She looked at Pascaela at the same time.Pascaela had just entered, walking slowly towards the body or dying person.She, an Italian woman, had the guts to bend down, she had the guts to listen to his heartbeat.Jericho is still alive. Then, she pulled out the dagger she was carrying. Natalie didn't think about what Pascaela was going to do next.She knows what she will do.But she didn't take it as a real impending event, nor did she feel compelled to take care of it right away.Besides, she would not stop this fatal move.As long as she is not involved, fate can do whatever it wants!Let criminals get the punishment they deserve!She doesn't want to and can't say yes or no. Alan Rock moved a bit, and hummed softly in his mouth.It must be an old injury, because he groaned and banged his head against the carpet again and again. Pascaela raised her hand.Her face showed unrelenting determination.The time to avenge my sister has finally come.Her hand was raised a little higher, and the dagger in her hand was gripped a little tighter.Natalie let it go.That's how things should work out.This is reasonable and fair, she felt horrified, but at the same time felt a kind of satisfaction... But Pascaella was about to make a final effort when the Italian woman suddenly seemed to give way, and her original resolve was gone.She lowered her hand and the dagger fell to the ground.Her expression suddenly became benevolent and desperate.In fact, it was beyond her reach.She couldn't do it, she couldn't hit someone she loved from the bottom of her heart.She knelt in front of him and cried, not knowing why, neither forgiveness nor hatred. Maxim chased for a while, and when he returned without success, Pascaela had disappeared.Natalie shut up in her room...