Jared Pond woke up the following day in a private Swiss medical facility overlooking Lake Geneva. His head was still sore from the concussion and he had burns on his body from running through the inferno when escaping the Chinese prison. Yesterday's events felt so surreal. In particular, the episode where Vladimir shot down two pursuing fighter jets with a sniper rifle.
Jared pinched himself in the arm and realised that he was alive. He heard that someone was in the shower and he admired Eileen's naked slender body covered in bath foam.
Eileen saw him and teased:
- Don't stand there peeking, Jared. Come join me.
Jared shook his head and smiled:
- I will join you in a couple of days. I have some pretty bad burns on my body.
Eileen:
- Oh really? Weren't you the horny one after we escaped those assassins in Shanghai?
Jared:
- That was different. That time I was unhurt but full of adrenaline. There is nothing more arousing. Now I am jetlagged, have a broken nose and several burns on my body. Believe it or not, I am not a machine!
Eileen:
- Then I better order one from China!
Jared:
- No, don't do that.
Eileen smiled:
- Don't worry, Jared. I am a big fan of the Aussie kind.
- You stay here and rest. I need to attend a meeting with Pierre Beaumont of the World Bank.
Jared:
- The World Bank? What does he want?
Eileen:
- I don't know. I think he was the one who sent Biyu and Vladimir to save us.
Jared:
- Okay. That makes sense.
Eileen:
- I still can't believe that we got out of Jing's captivity alive. This feels like a dream.
Jared:
- Then live the dream. Jing Xi is dead and the Columnist Party is collapsing. This could be a new start for China and the World.
Eileen walked up to Jared, kissed him, and replied:
- You're right, Jared. I'll better get dressed and prepare for the meeting. Take care.
Having said this, Eileen put on some of the hospital clothes and left the room.
***
A while later, Eileen's limousine dropped her off at Pierre Beaumont's mansion. Pierre's new butler, Jean, approached Eileen and bowed to her. Jean:
- Welcome, Mademoiselle Eileen. My name is Jean Valmont. Monsieur Pierre asked me to get you dressed for the meeting. Please come with me.
Eileen:
- Thank you, Jean.
Jean showed Eileen to a room full of expensive women's clothes. Eileen looked around and spoke in amazement:
- Wow. Does Pierre always have so many options for female visitors?
Jean:
- Monsieur Beaumont thinks a woman must look her best in a social setting. May I suggest the brown stiletto shoes, the black pants and the yellow blouse. I would recommend that you accompany the clothes with this diamond necklace.
Eileen:
- That would be great. But I am not used to wearing high heels since I am pretty tall.
Jean:
- Yes, but of course. Silly me. How about these blue ballerina shoes?
Eileen:
- That will be great. Thank you.
Eileen got changed and she studied herself in the mirror. She loved the outfit and the diamond necklace, but at the same time she looked tired and worn out, having escaped from captivity.
Eileen:
- Do I need makeup as well?
Jean:
- No. Monsieur Beaumont is aware of your current circumstances. Besides, excessive use of makeup ruins the skin.
- Please come with me.
Eileen followed Jean and she reached the grand hall of Palace Beaumont.
***
Eileen entered the grand hall of Palace Beaumont. It was newly built but the architecture borrowed many elements from the renaissance. Large panorama windows faced the lake below. Two men approached Eileen, and she noticed that they wore the same kind of monocle that Vladimir wore. Eileen studied the men. One of them was good-looking. He was a tall and muscular army guy with a crewcut hairstyle. The other man was balding and ugly with features that only a mother could love. The ugly man spoke to Eileen:
- Welcome to Palace Beaumont. I am Pierre Beaumont the CEO of the World Bank, and this is James Winter from the CIA.
Eileen:
- Nice to meet you, Pierre. I am Eileen Lu from the Chinese Civil Rights movement.
James:
- Yes, we know who you are.
Eileen:
- So, was it the CIA that freed me from China? I thought Vladimir was Russian?
James:
- The CIA has a widespread spy network and people of every nationality works for us. Vladimir Kravchenko, however, works for your host, Pierre Beaumont.
Pierre:
- Yes. Vladimir is the best in the world at what he does. Something I am sure that you have already noticed. I only hire the best. That is why I hope to associate with you.
Eileen nodded with an afterthought and replied:
- So, what exactly do you want me to do?
Pierre:
- Take it easy, Eileen. Please have a glass of red wine and come with me on a tour of my palace.
Eileen objected:
- It's 10 in the morning. Isn't it a bit early for wine?
Pierre:
- You would have died yesterday if I didn't intervene. Please accept my hospitality and the excellent vintage.
Eileen accepted the red wine and she acknowledged Pierre's request. Pierre guided her around the castle and he spoke about the different artworks that he had acquired on auctions recently. The guided tour stressed Eileen. She knew that Pierre had saved her for a reason and she wanted to find out why. Eventually, Eileen spoke:
- Pierre, I love your artworks and your passion for history. But you saved me for a reason and I need to know why.
Pierre cringed for a moment. He hated how Eileen had interrupted him when he spoke about the arts. He couldn't believe that James wanted to make such an arrogant bitch the new leader of China. Then again, James Winter was American, the birthplace of McDonald's, not the birthplace of classical music.
Pierre pointed to James and spoke:
- Bah. I saved you to help James and my American friends. James, please brief Eileen on what you expect from her.
James, who had remained silent during Pierre's guided tour, spoke:
- The Columnist Party is collapsing and their reign of terror is over. We will release evidence that Jing Xi was behind the outbreaks in New York and Xuwan.
- But we need to find a way forward to stabilise China. I believe you could be that way.
Eileen:
- What would you have me do?
James:
- There will be a global intervention to stop the budding civil war in China. After we have stopped the fighting, China will need an interim president. I want you to be that president.
Eileen:
- But you can't make me the president of China?
James:
- No, but President Mitchell Cent can. China killed a large number of world leaders at the United Nations summit in New York. The World and the Chinese Population will stand united against the remnants of the Columnist Party. You can lead the transition process. You will need to admit China's guilt, pay compensations, and dismantle the People Liberation Army.
Eileen:
- So, I will become the CIA's puppet president?
James:
- Yes, but you'll get what you want, and you'll avoid a global catastrophe.
Eileen sighed. She had wanted to free China from the Columnist Party, but she had never intended for western powers to humiliate her country. This would be a replay of the Opium Wars in the 19th Century. But Eileen understood why the world was vindictive after what had happened. Placating the world was the only way to save the Chinese people from complete destruction.
Eileen:
- I accept your proposal and I am willing to pledge my loyalty to President Mitchell Cent.
James:
- Excellent. I will make the arrangements.
- Please return to the medical facility and spend some time with your boyfriend. We have some busy days ahead of us.
After hearing this, Pierre rang a bell and a servant appeared. Pierre:
- Jean. Please take Mademoiselle Lu back to the Villeneuve Medical Facility.
Eileen nodded and she left Palace Beaumont.