Chapter 1

A taxi drew up to the dilapidated office structure, and a blonde woman aged in her mid-twenties got out, and approached the building, walking with a false confidence to her stride. She inhaled deeply, reminding herself of the dire urgency of her situation, and continued directly past the two people in the outer office, to the inner sanctum without pausing to look at them, she knew she would be expected.

Inside the office, a seedy looking man, who matched the run down nature of the building, said, “Ah, Mrs King, I wondered how long it would be before you came to see me.” The woman placed an envelope on the desk the man was idly lounging against. “I think you know what this is for,” she replied coldly.

“I assume you want me to arrange for your husband’s release from his predicament.”

“Naturally, that is the only reason why I am here.”

The man looked into the envelope and pursed his lips. “Are you attempting to bribe me Mrs King? Because that’s what it would appear to be with this amount of money.”

“Not at all, after all you have no official standing here, so how could I be accused of bribery, but it is well known that you have certain contacts, and, that for the right fee seem to be able to arrange things that to others would be impossible. I am merely paying any fees that appear normal to secure my husband’s release, on what are clearly trumped-up and malicious charges. From what I have heard the money there is more than the price normally agreed in these circumstances, of course any extra is to expedite things.”

“Ah, but this is simply money.” The man paused, looking at Lisa. “Mrs King, you know the true value of anything is not what the world sees it as, but what somebody is prepared to pay for it. If a person wants something that another person has, or can get for them, then what they are prepared to pay for that item is the true value.”

Lisa sighed exasperatedly, which the man noted. “Why are you playing word games with me? You know what I want, and what the price is.”

“Ah, yes, the price. Well as I said, a price is what the world sees it as, but what we really mean is the true value of an object as it appears in the eye of the beholder and how much they are prepared to pay to own or to enjoy what that other person has. Don’t you agree?”

“You’re still playing word games, please state your price and stop playing about. I’m prepared to pay the going rate, and we both know what that is.”

“It’s not that simple, Mrs King. I have something that you want ... that you place a value on. But what is more interesting, and important to me is you have something that I ... desire. Let us see if our valuations match. If we can come to some form of mutual agreement?”

“What on earth can I have that you want?” Lisa asked.

“Mrs King, please indulge me in a little philosophical debate, and maybe you will see things more clearly.”

“I’m sorry, I haven’t got time to indulge in discussions with you, you know what I need from you. And as I’ve told you I’ll pay the price you are asking.”