Doppelleben By: LoisLane The Full Story Here.. (New)

Doppelleben
October 31 2008

It had been so long since Angela had been able to distinguish the difference between reality and imagination she was not sure that the sounds that invaded the darkness were real or just another cruel joke her mind was playing. Struggling, she listened to what she thought was the rapid fire of gunshots and quite possibly an explosion. Her body was so weak Angela wrestled to understand, wondering, no hoping that the darkness would engulf her once more but this time it would be jealous enough to keep her.
As was its way she could feel the darkness creeping towards her like a lion stalking its prey. She prayed this time she would be allowed to die. A small sigh washed over her lips a she sank into silent unconsciousness.

Urs stood, his back hugging the wall and pushed the small red button on the small black box (no bigger than a matchbox) he held in his hand. He was safe but as the door exploded he still turned his head in a protective move.
Walking up to the now buckled metal door Urs had the stride of a man on a mission, his cold steely gaze matching his very purposeful steps. He wore a black T-shirt and denim jeans rounded off with a pair of cowboy boots. His T-shirt now bore several knife cuts, the stains of his own sweat as well as blood, his blood, a bullet had grazed his side but Urs felt none of this. His tanned and well-toned body tensed as the site before him assaulted his senses.
“Dear God in heaven.”
His emotions told him to rush to her side. His training kept him in his place. All his finely tuned senses surveying the room, looking for booby traps and exit sites other then the doorway he was now standing in. Listening for anything that would alert him to trouble. Satisfied that the room was empty except for Angela and there was only a small window so high up the wall it would be of no use, he took a step closer to her securing his gun in his belt in the middle of his back as he approached. What he saw gripped at his heart. Angela was shackled to a bed by her wrists and ankles. All four appendages stretch to their full length. Urs grimaced knowing that she would have suffered agonising cramps as her body tried in vain to relieve the tension in her muscles. His eyes fell on the raw, bloody wounds around her wrists and ankles where the shackles had cut deep into her flesh.
Urs had spent a lifetime keeping his emotions, his feelings buried so very deep that he had almost forgotten how to feel but kneeling next to the bed looking upon Angela’s face, a bruised, swollen face Urs had to swallow hard to stop his rage from escaping. Silent tears cut a path down his face as he gently ran his finger over her cracked, dry lips. Then lovingly he touched what was left of her hair. She’d had the most luxurious light brown hair with a small hint of a curl that Urs loved to watch as it cascaded down her back to her waist seeming to bounce while she walked. It looked like someone had taken to her with a blunt knife. Her hair was now mattered with her blood and sweat, cut short, to short. Urs tried hard not to think of the other atrocities that would have been inflicted on her in the weeks she had been missing. How deep would the scars search for a home? Would she be able to resume her life? How much would her ordeal change her? Most importantly, would she ever find it in her to forgive him? For Urs was the reason she now lay before him, tortured, punished for her choice to befriend him, to help him.
He lent in to kiss her on the cheek. “I am sorry Ange. I promise I will get you home.”
Urs heard a small groan escape from her lips and her eyelids fluttered just a little as she struggled to open her eyes. They felt so heavy but Angela had heard something different, a new voice. The groan that Urs had heard was a sigh, a realisation that she was still alive. Death had tormented her yet again, inviting her to be embraced by it then pushing her back. She wanted to look upon the face of this new assailant. Maybe they would be the one to end it all for her.
“Angela….Ange….Angel …..Can you hear me?”
Her eyes fluttered open and Urs sucked in his breath, the Angela he knew was not looking back at him, she was gone, no light, no life shone from her eyes. In that moment Urs understood that he had arrived none too soon. He swore not realising he had said it aloud until he got a reaction form Angela.
There was something about the face she looked into, there was no malice, his eyes were kind and sad yet they held a distance in them. Was this how it would be? Her deliverer was to look like an angel, ironic as she remembered her nickname. Her captives had saved him for the very last. Her final earthly pain was to die at the hand of one who, who what? Her thoughts drifted. Angela did not now it but it had been Urs’ voice that had stopped her from falling back into the darkness. “Ange….It’s Urs.”
Again her eyes flickered open. She stared at his face and waited for the torture to begin, willing it, wanting it, waiting to be consumed by it. What happened next scared her more than anything else since she had been taken. His touch was so gentle, so tender as he placed his lips on her cheek yet Angela flinched and turned her head. So this was how it was to be, this assailant was to torture her with the very thing she had been without for so long. Angela would rather be beaten, be dragged by her hair around the compound, left in the sun for hours to cook than to die by the soft touch of this man. His touch would indeed be the cruellest blow. But like his voice it held some familiarity. Had he been to torture her before and she had forgotten? Angela groaned as she tried hard to put all the pieces of the puzzle together.
“Ange.” Urs lent in a little and spoke softly in her ear. “It’s me Ange…Urs. I don’t want to hurt you.”
Once again Angela turned her head and tried to focus on his face. “No more. Please……let me die. I can’t tell you anything.”
Urs gritted his teeth understanding she had no idea who he was. He went to run his hand through her hair and again she flinched, closing her eyes to wait for the pain to start.
Urs took his hand away from her, swore, stood, looking around the room for something to throw. Apart from the bed that Angela lay on and the shackles that hung from the wall there was nothing. So frustrated was Urs that he let out the most gut wrenching cry, clenching his hands into tight fists as he let all the air escape form his lungs. As Urs had been shouting Angela had drifted back into the darkness, his cries travelling with her.
As he swung around to look back down at her Urs pulled his radio from his jeans pocket. “Seb, how far out are you?”
Through the static Sebastien replied. “Holding pattern about five clicks out. We can be there in minutes.”
“Move in.” Urs once again knelt down beside the bed and gently stroked her cheek. “We need to get her home.”
Sebastien’s voice came through the static once more as Urs could here the thumping sound of the helicopter getting louder as it got closer. “Urs is she…..”
“She’s alive.”
Now that she was unconscious Urs gently ran his fingers through her hair, giving her a sweet, soft, tender kiss on the lips before bowing his head and wondering how they had ended up where they were.
Dopp

Chapter 2
Five years earlier
Simon Cowell looked down at the four photos on his desk then back at the man who sat opposite. The two men had been friends for a long time but Simon was in shock; up until ten minutes ago he thought he knew everything there was to know about Reg, apparently not. His friend had left out a small detail of his life. He was a Director of Interpol not the CEO of Hubble and Hyde, one of the largest shipping companies in the world. Oh he had not been a Director when Simon and he had met but he had still been with Interpol.
Simon shook his head again. “Bloody hell Reg drop a bomb shell why don’t you.”
Reg smiled, he liked Simon, no beating around the bush Simon, told it like it was Simon. That is why when the idea had first been born Simon had been on the top of his list to recruit to help. “So what do you think?”
Simon was still dazed. “What do I think? Give me a minute will you. Not only are you telling me I have no idea who my best friend is but you want me to pull these guys together into a band. One bomb shell at a time.”
“You know who I am Simon. You just didn’t know what I did and even that is not entirely accurate. I was, I am the CEO of Hubble and Hyde but the company belongs to Interpol.”
Reg got the surprised look from Simon he was expecting. “Wait a minute. You are telling me that the biggest shipping company on the planet is ….”
Reg smiled again. “Yes….. Interpol. What better way to move people and equipment around the globe without raising suspicion.”
“And the whole time we have known each other?”
Reg nodded. “Afraid so old chap.”
“Hey watch with the old.”
Both men laughed and it seemed to Reg that Simon relaxed just a little though a small frown appeared on his face as he picked one of the photos off his desk. “And these guys, they all work for you, spies?”
“Agents, they all work for Interpol.”
Simon dropped the photo back on the desk. “Do they know each other?”
Reg had a glint in his eyes as he replied. “Not yet.”
“Reg, seriously. I don’t know about this. Can they at least sing? They have to be able to sing.”
In that instant Reg knew Simon would come on board. He loved a challenge and what he was asking him to do was nothing if not a challenge. Reg pulled a small recording device out of his breast pocket and put it on top of the photos already on the desk. “Find out for yourself Simon. I think you will be impressed.”
Again Simon frowned as he lent over to switch on the device. Both men sat in silence as they listened to four tracks, each one showcasing a different singer.”
As the recording came to an end Simon just sat, not moving. His mind racing then he looked at Reg. “Opera. Reg they all sing opera except for one. I might be able to do something with him but the others. Opera…… You have got to be kidding me right? Has Interpol got some kind of secret singing school for classical singers? Reg they sing Opera. Damn good voices but Opera. What am I supposed to do with that?”
“Make them famous for twelve months?”
Simon opened his mouth and shut it again.
“Simon if anyone can do this you can and Interpol will pay handsomely for your services.”
“Pay. I’m not worried about being paid; I’m worried about my reputation. Let me think about it. I need to think about it.”
Reg stood and shook Simon’s hand over the desk. “Call me tomorrow Simon. We need to move on this as soon as we can.”
“Reg even if I agree to help you this is not going to happen over night you know.”
“That’s what we are counting on. We want you to do everything just how you would with any other up and coming stars. Tomorrow Simon.”
Simon waited for Reg to leave the office and returned to the recording device on his desk and played back the songs. He listened to them over and over again for almost an hour. In that same hour an idea was forming on the outskirts of his mind. As it nudged its way to the surface Simon smiled. If he pulled this off it would be a miracle, if he pulled it off there would be a lot of kudos, if he didn’t…. Well that thought was not one he wanted to ponder for too long.

So as it was Simon found himself sitting opposite his friend once again the next morning. “You knew I couldn’t let this go didn’t you Reg?”
“Well I was hoping you would see your way to helping us.”
Simon raised his hand. “I need some answers first before I agree to anything.”
Reg nodded. “I will answer as many questions as I can for you Simon.”
Simon took a deep breath, he already knew he was going to help, what he wanted was information as much information as he could. “Why these four? Why do you want them in the music industry? Surely they would be a better way to go undercover if that is what you are after.”
Reg adjust himself in his seat. “Undercover as you put it would have been simple. This is just a little more complicated. As I said before they all work for Interpol, they all got plucked from their lives fairly early for their talents.”
Simon still had the photos on his desk so Reg pushed one towards him. “This one for his linguistic abilities, he’s Swiss by birth.”
Simon looked at the photo; he would have thought Italian, even a percentage of Asian was not out of the question with his oval eyes and olive complexion. Reg pushed another photo forward. “This one for his IT skills, even as a teenager this one was way ahead of the game. I am guessing Interpol wanted him before the CIA or FBI grabbed him for the homeland.”
Simon smiled. He had no idea why but the guy looked like a yank.
Another photo was pushed towards him. “This one.” Reg smiled before he continued. “He almost did not make the cut. They were looking at him as a linguist but as a young man he was far too…”
While Reg looked for the words Simon helped him out. “Passionate.”
Reg smiled. “Exactly, that is a very good description of our Spanish friend. He was sent back to the Spanish government but once Interpol have you in their sights it is very hard to become invisible again so they kept an eye on him and it seemed that he surprised them with his all round abilities. Master of disguise as well.”
Simon pulled the last picture towards himself. “And this one?”
“Arh. Sebastien, our French Prince.”
Simon gave Reg a puzzled look.
“Not a real Prince but he has such a boyish way about him he can make anyone believe what he is telling you is the truth, get people to trust him so completely they will do anything for him. And that boy can fly anything with wings.” Reg paused and smile just a little. “Actually I think that is an understatement if it was meant to be in the air Sebastien can fly it. I think he could probably fly things that are not supposed to be in the air as well. Totally waisted in the French Police, totally.”
Simon looked to his friend. “Okay I get why they were picked but now you want them to be singers.”
Reg sighed. “How about I give you the condensed version and when I am done if you still have any questions…”
Simon nodded his agreement and Reg launched into what he hoped would be enough history to keep Simon on side. “Without going into all the details while these young men were being trained by Interpol other gifts began to surface, were worked on, their skills fine tuned and they all ended up as field agents. Very good field agents. Simon these four guys have been with Interpol for over ten years. Considering some of the missions they have been on that is a long time.” Reg paused and Simon saw the shadow creep across his face. “A long time.” Reg shook the oppression off. “I guess without knowing it all four of them came to a decision at the same time. Simon these guys have a few things in common. They all want out and they are all singers. They’ve all made reference to wanting to try their hand in the world of music.”
“So what are you trying to do, set them up with a new career? Just let them loose and they can try for themselves. They may find working for Interpol is a whole lot easier than trying to get a break in the music industry.”
Reg gave Simon a tired smile. “Simon, have you ever heard of a retired spy? No such thing. The company has a strong hold on all its agents. I should know. These days I am a Director but I really was the CEO of Hubble and Hyde, Interpol’s way of putting me out to pasture as I was past my used by date as a field agent. Thought I was going to be stuck in the damn shipping office for the rest of my life. Be it a gift or a curse I was nominated for Director. Not a position you turn down if you get my meaning. I have no illusions as to who my employer is even at my rank. But these four are upsetting all the wrong people of late with their talk of wanting out. Simon I am trying to keep them alive.”
This news was a shock to Simon, not what he had expected at all. “Alive, you mean they cant just quit, walk away?”
“No, well yes they could but their life span would be rather short. I am hoping this plan will give them what they want, for the powers that be to allow them to keep breathing. A chance to pursue something that is obviously very dear to them all. A chance to do what I didn’t get to do. A chance for me to keep them alive.”
“So you’re giving them a leave of absence for twelve months?”
Reg shook his head. “Not really. They will be approached with the option of pursuing this singing career, Interpol will pull them out of the field for a while but they will still need to be available for some smaller assignments. Mostly the transfer of information.”
Simon smiled. “And you are hoping that in twelve months they will have it all out of their system and go back to being good little Interpol agents.”
“Pretty much….. Simon I could just let them try and walk away but I have dealt with these four men over the years and….” He never finished.
“You old softie Reg, they got to you didn’t they. Somehow. I wonder what Interpol would say if they knew why you are really doing this.”
Another dark cloud crossed Reg’s face. “To save four lives Simon. To save four lives.”
Reg had other reasons, none of which he could or would discuss with Simon. He had to smile at Simon’s next comment; it only confirmed he had been right to push to have him come on board.
“So Reg. Do I guess right that there are reasons why Interpol want them all together?” Simon paused. “Don’t worry I’m not going ask what they are. But you sure have given me a challenge.”

Reg stood on the footpath looking back at the office building he had just come from while his chauffer waited at the car with the door open. He took a deep breath. “I really hope this works Simon for all our sakes.”
By the time Reg was back at his office he had drafted several memos on his laptop and sent them to the armature theatre companies that the four agents belonged to. One to Simon as well as a memo to all four agents knowing that each one had not long completed an assignment.

David was relaxing back at home in his New York apartment listening to a Broadway recording of La Bohem. He had been on assignment for the past few months and it had been tough. His cover almost blown in Prague only getting out by the skin of his teeth. It seemed to him that he had spent more time in Europe than he did in his own country. The reality was that he was right. Looking out over the nightscape of New York he was thinking about going back to his home town and spending a few days with the family. This always made him feel human again after a rough assignment. David adjusted himself in his seat and winced a little, pulling up the side of his shirt he could see the bruise that had developed around his broken rib. He was going to have to take it easy for a while. He smiled, picking up the phone to call his mother to say he would be home for the weekend and wondering if signing up for Interpol at such a young age had been the right choice. Wincing again with the pain in his side he also wondered if it was time to give it up, try a new life. One that did not involve trying to live in the shadows and lying to his friends about what he did. All of whom including his family thought he was some hot shot IT trouble shooter. Yes, a few days at home was exactly what he needed.

Carlos was standing off to the side unnoticed at the passenger terminal of Madrid Airport. All his hard work of the past few months had come down to this. So Carlos watched the arrivals while others watched him for the signal. Seeing her come through the gate he smiled and walked out of the shadows. She was a black beauty. At least that is how Carlos saw her. Jet black hair, pale skin, striking features but her heart was black as well. He was dealing with a formidable adversary, one wrong move and his life would be over. Her reputation preceded her. So far she was unaware of Carlos’ hidden identity or agenda. He knew she was selling Spain’s national secrets, he knew that today she was returning to Spain with information on terrorist attacks planned for the near future in a hopes of black mailing the government into handing over a ridiculous amount of money. He also knew that the information she had was very real. His own sources had confirmed that. He needed the information to bring down the terrorists and he needed to stop her as well. Today was that day.
They smiled at each other and Carlos gave her a welcoming Kiss. “Welcome home Bella.” He dropped his eyes to the ground and took her briefcase from her. “I am sorry.”
She looked at him a little puzzled until several other men surrounded her as Carlos stepped back. They introduced themselves for the agents they were, handcuffed her and lead her away.
Carlos felt a pat on the back. “Well done Carlos.”
Carlos handed the case to his boss, Reg and walked away in silence. He knew she was a dangerous woman and she had betrayed the country he loved. But he felt like he had betrayed her somehow. Not that she would have hesitated to but a knife into his own heart if she had found out. Carlos walked out of the terminal feeling weary and worn. His life had not been as he had expected. His first contact with Interpol had not gone too well and he had felt dejected at not being accepted into their ranks but now that he had been with them far longer than he cared to think, he was wondering whether he had been too eager when a few years later they had approached him again.
Back in the confines of his car he sat with his head back, eyes closed and thought about his life. In some ways Interpol had been good for him. They had allowed him the freedom to pursue his singing hobby and he had been lucky enough to find himself in a number of productions over the years. He frowned remembering how Interpol had used some of these productions and his performances for their own purposes; they had taken the innocence out of the art. Carlos opened his eyes and stared straight ahead, sighed heavily and wondered if it was not time to cut his ties with Interpol.

Sebastien was livid, looking at himself in the mirror, his face all bloody and bruised. Even when he cleaned himself up he was going to look a mess. Moving to wash his face he winced and grabbed at his side. Gently he took off his ripped shirt. Another one that would need replacing. His upper body didn’t look much better than his face. Bruised and swollen, dried blood clinging to his skin from several superficial knife cuts. Cuts that could have been much worse. He had been under cover for almost a year and this was not the first time he had taken a beating. Sebastien had been sent by Interpol deep undercover in the French Secret Police to compile a report on the corruption. He had been saddened by what he had found out about his countrymen. Men that if Interpol had not recruited him could have been his colleagues. Today’s beating at the hand of corrupt police because he refused to hand over protection money was the last straw. He’d had enough. He was going to finish his report. Looking into the mirror he wondered if he should be thinking about a completely different career. He smiled at the thought that flashed across his mind...... Singing. Maybe he could go back to eking out a living as a singer. It was the one thing that had kept him sane all these years and the one thing he would have pursued with more determination if not for Interpol. He’d been undercover and pretending to be so many other people for so long Sebastien was wondering how much of himself was left. Cursing as he moved and his body told him he was in for a painful recovery he decided it was time to call it quits.

Urs sat at the edge of the bed pulling on his t shirt and shorts as a hand came over his shoulder and gently pulled him back onto the bed. With a very seductive voice his female companion spoke. “Urs are you so eager to leave after such a delightful experience?”
Urs bent over and kissed her tenderly. “What would you have me do? Did you not say you wished time to get ready for this evening?”
She pulled him a little closer. “Have a shower with me.” With that she playfully pushed him back on the bed and stood, walking to the bathroom in all her naked beauty. Urs smiled a little as she disappeared, then stuck her head around the corner.
“Well… Joining me or not?”
Urs stood, walked to the bathroom with a little sadness in his eyes. This evening was coming to an end. Before she got into the shower he pulled her towards him. She smiled and kissed him and he pulled away just a little, placing his hand on her shoulders so he could look into her eyes.
“I am sorry I have to do this.”
“Do what Urs?”
In a swift almost silent move he broke her neck, catching her limp body as it fell lifeless into his arms, taking her back to the bed where he replaced the shirt she had been wearing and covered her with the sheets. She looked as though she was sleeping. Urs went back into the bathroom, took a shower, dressed, wiped down everything in the room he had touched, left nothing behind that would suggest that he had even been there. Holding a bag full of garbage in one hand he took one last glance at the body in the bed before he cleaned off the door handle, closing the door behind him.
Once in the hallway he cleaned the external handle to the room and rested against the wall, his head bowed just a little. He had done the right thing of that he was very sure. What worried him was the fact that he felt nothing. No remorse, no guilt, no pity for his victim, no empathy, nothing. He was numb and it seemed he had been numb far too long. There had to be more to life than this? Moving from one assignment to another. In the beginning it seemed so easy; all he ever did was translate until that fateful day when he had shown them he was made of so much more. He felt like Interpol had owned his heart and soul since that day.
Urs walked down the hallway throwing the bag into the hotels incinerator chute the only thought in his mind was to be free. Maybe being free one day he would learn how to feel again.

Chapter 3
Reg was having the last of the meetings he had set up with Carlos, Sebastien, David and Urs. He had made the decision to stagger them over several days to make very sure the men did not run into each other. He could have gone to them but considering what he was doing and the fact that the men where used to being called into his office for debriefing he felt more at ease behind his own desk and this morning Urs sat opposite him. As with the others he had started out with the usual debriefing meeting, Reg always found Urs the hardest to connect with, if he was honest with himself, the young man who sat opposite scared him. So cold…. never giving anything away. Yet Reg had heard him sing and it was hard to believe that a man, who was so cold, so unfeeling could be so passionate, so tender and gentle with the songs he sang and such a voice. Reg had seen Urs weave his magic and watched women crumble at the sound of his voice. He also knew that Urs would be the most sceptical about the plan he was trying to unfold.

Urs stared back at Reg wanting to believe what the Director was saying but having been with Interpol for so long he waited for the BUT………..Letting out a small breath when it came, learning early on that things were never what they seemed with his employer.
“Yes Urs there is a condition to all this so called leave. We need you to be available for smaller runs, nothing major just information transfers. To be honest not knowing what you plan to do with yourself for the next twelve months you could just make yourself unavailable.”
Again Urs just looked at the Director, was he giving him an ‘out’, a way that he could truly be free for twelve months. It was certainly better than the alternative as Reg had made it perfectly clear that quitting was never going to be an option. “They are not going to pull me in after six months for an assignment? This just seems too simple, to easy.”
Reg shook his head. “No Urs twelve months.”
After a few moments Urs stood, shaking Reg’s hand across the table. “Then I think we have a deal.”
Urs did not let go of the Directors hand immediately but gripped it a little tighter. “But I warn you Reg…..”
Urs’ inference was not lost on Reg or the fact that he had used his name, something that Urs never had done before always calling him Sir or Director.
Reg gave Urs a hesitant smile and tried to make light of what had turned into a very dark situation. “I know Urs you’ll have to kill me.”
Urs did not answer only bowed is head just a little as he squeezed Reg’s hand one more time to make his point before he left.

As Urs pulled on his helmet and mounted his motor cycle he mulled the meeting over in his mind. It was too simple, his instincts were screaming that there was much more to it than trying to keep him happy, giving him a well deserved break, much more. Nevertheless, if it meant he got some time to himself he was willing to play along…..for a while at least.

Back in his office Reg updated each of the men’s files and wondered if the plan would work, absentmindedly rubbing his hand.

Several months after his meeting with Reg, David was sitting in a small waiting room which he had been shown to when he had arrived at the office of Delfin Productions, audition invitation in hand. At first he had thought it was some ones idea of a joke. Knowing he was to have more time on his hand he had spoken to the theatre company to see if there was any up coming productions they would consider him for. He had been pleased when they called him back with a part. But only a few days into rehearsal David had been given the invitation he now had in his hand surprised that the company had found a replacement for him should he get the part he was auditioning for. A part he was still very much in the dark about. All he had been told when he had called was that they were looking for classical singers with stage experience. David began to pace around the small room, rubbing his hand down the side of his trousers, they were damp with perspirations. It was the first time he could remember being so nervous. He didn’t get nervous; he had nerves of steel, All the Interpol training had made sure he knew how to cope with intense situations. But waiting to sing for someone who may hold the key to your dreams…. David let out a small nervous laugh just as a young lady stuck her head into the room. She gave him the biggest, friendliest smile she could. “They are ready for you now Mr Miller, if you would follow me.”
David nodded and followed her out the room and down the hall in silence only stopping when she stopped to knock on another door. David heard a male voice invite them in. The young lady opened the door and ushered David into the room but stayed in the hall. As he passed her she smiled again. “You’ll do just fine Mr Miller.”
As David entered a man excused himself as he walked passed him, briefly looking David in the eyes. David’s gaze followed Urs until the young lady closed the door. There was something familiar about him but all thoughts of the stranger vanished as David turned to greet the others in the room. He nodded to several individuals but once his eyes fell on Simon his smile left his face and questions began screaming in his head.
Simon stepped forward holding out his hand for David to shake. “I’m guessing by the look on your face you recognise me?”
Both men shook hand as David answered. “Yes Mr Cowell, sure do. I’m not sure I am in the right place. This is not an audition for some amateur production is it?”
Simon walked back to the desk where the other two men sat taking up his seat between them.
The fact that it looked very much like a panel from the TV show that Simon participated in to find up and coming stars was not lost on David. Suddenly David felt even less confident, the butterflies in his stomach very much alive.
Simon’s voice drifted through David’s thoughts. “I should hope I am not wasting my time on amateurs Mr Miller. How about you show us what you can do with that voice of yours and if I like what I hear I will explain what I have planned.”
About an hour later the same young lady escorted a very bewildered David back down the hall passing the waiting room just as Sebastien came out. The men came face to face. “Was that you I heard singing a while ago?”
Silently David nodded his answer and Sebastien shook and dropped his head at the same time. “I am so in the wrong place. I sing pop not classical.”
David was surprised. “You mean you are here for the audition as well?”
It was Sebastien’s turn to nod in silence, not even looking at David but David’s booming laugh got his attention and that of the young lady with them. “Hey buddy if anyone is in the wrong place it was me. Go for it; just give it your best. I am sure you will do just fine.” David held out his hand for Sebastien to shake. “All the best.”
“Mercie.”
David walked to the end of the hall wondering if it was too late to get his part back as the young lady escorted Sebastien into the audition room. It seemed the long haired guy before him and this pop singer who looked like he was recovering from a black eye were more suited to the plans that Simon Cowell had explained to him. David really was not sure if anyone could pull off such a thing but then again if anyone could it would be Simon.

Like Urs, David dismissed the idea as he returned to the hotel. Well he still had twelve months off and he had auditioned for Simon Cowell, which could be a good thing for the future. In a few days he would be back in New York. What David did not realise was Urs had been watching the building, he had waited for David to come out, had seen Sebastien go in and was now watching as another person looked from the paper in his hand to the building in front of him knowing it was another person for an audition as he heard him go through a quick practice vocal scale just before he went inside, Carlos. Urs wondered how many they would see. He watched and waited, seeing Carlos leave about forty minutes later. Urs had thought about following him but mentally chided himself for being so suspicious, shook his head and laughed at himself as he began to walk back down the street to the Tube station. He had decided not to ride his bike into town but now wished he had done so, it would have been the perfect opportunity to take himself off for a ride on the city outskirts, get a feel for that freedom he so longed for. When he got back home he would take his bike out for a spin, do some thinking about this so-called vacation Interpol had given him.
It was not very often that Urs dropped his guard but in those moments as his thoughts ran to all things Interpol it would be one of the very few times, so her voice startled him somewhat as she called his name from behind him. Immediately he turned to see the receptionist from Delfin Productions approaching him with that same sweet smile on her face she had worn while looking after him. Urs frowned a little but she did not seem to notice stopping in front of him. “Do you always mutter to yourself while you walk the city streets Mr Buhler?”
Urs was a little taken back. He had no idea that he had been speaking aloud let alone that anyone had heard him and just a little worried about what she had actually heard considering what he was thinking about at the time. “I hope my err…muttering did not cause you distress Miss?”
Her laugh was as light as a summer breeze as it sailed effortlessly over her lips and Urs understood that the smile she wore was genuine, not a professional put on for her job. “Maybe.”
Again Urs frowned just a little.
“Are you alright? Not worried about the audition are you? Because I have it on good authority that you are in like Flynn.”
Urs was about to ask her to explain her last comment but she continued as they both walked down the street. “You have a wonderful voice Mr Buhler, haunting at times, very beautiful.”
Urs was stunned. He knew he could sing, had been able to from an early age and it was only by chance on an assignment that someone else realised his talent and had offered to train him classically. At first Urs declined knowing that his job would make it almost impossible to put in the kind of hours needed. Nevertheless, Professor Urban had waved off his excuses and a life long friendship had developed along with his voice.
Urs smiled at the receptionist. “That is very kind of you to say. Do you like classical music?”
He had to smile as she wrinkled up her nose. “Well up until today I would say I was more into Ozzie Osborne, heavy metal, eighties music. But if you are an example of what I have been missing I think I need to do some serious research into this classical stuff.”
This time it was Urs’ turn to let out a hearty laugh. It had been a long time since he’d had a reason to do so and it felt good. “Don’t suppose you’ve heard of a band called Nightwish.”
The receptionist put her hand on his arm making them both stop, her eyes so wide with surprise. “You’re kidding right. You know who Nightwish are? I mean you sing Opera.”
“That maybe but I am rather partial to Ozzie myself.”
“I would love to see the look on Mr Cowell’s face when he gets to know this piece of information.”
Instantly she saw the shadow cross his face, feeling the tension ripple though his body realising she must have said something to upset him. “Oh don’t worry Mr Buhler he won’t hear it from me. I am very good at keeping secrets, very good. However, I think you are quite the conundrum. Are you taking the Tube?”
Urs answered the question almost automatically. “Yes, Why?”
She pointed behind him. “Then I guess this is your stop Mr Buhler.”
Urs turned his head to see that they had stopped outside the entrance to the Tube Station. Turning back he put out his hand. “It has been very pleasant talking to you Miss….I’m sorry I do not know your name.”
Again a beautiful smile appeared, seeming to light up her face and radiating to everything else around her. “Names Angela Mr Buhler. It has been very nice to talk to you as well.”
As they shook hands Urs bent a little as he raised her hand to his lips and gently kissed it. “Angela is a beautiful name and please call me Urs.”
Angela had a somewhat cheeky smile on her face. “Why?”
Again Urs was a little bemused. “Because that is my name.”
“Oh…” Angela made emphasis on the O sound of his name as she went to great lengths to make sure she pronounced it exactly as he had said it. “Unusual, but it fits you almost as well as those jeans you are wearing.” With her words ringing in his ears and his face getting hot as he blushed a little Urs watched as she seemed to skip, and bounce down the street rather than walk, waving her hand behind her as she did. “See you around Urs.”
He smiled as he watched her disappear out of sight then all of a sudden her first statement to him knocked on his consciousness. ‘I have it on good authority that you are in like Flynn.’ Did this mean that Mr Cowell was seriously thinking of asking him to join this group he wanted to put together? Now more than ever Urs needed to get on his bike and just ride for a while. It was where he did his best thinking.

Chapter 4
After signing up to help his friend out Simon began to realise just what a challenge Reg had bestowed upon him. It was fair enough to get these men to jump through the hoops of auditions and call backs but getting them up to a point where they were ready to be seen by what could be a very finicky public and in less than twelve months was an entirely different matter. A matter that had given Simon a few sleepless nights. So while the four Interpol agents were being primed to accept a spot in Simon’s new group, Simon was scouring every part of the music industry for songs that would meet firstly with his approval and then hopefully the approval of his new group. The list of songs was growing but so to was Simon’s frustration at the reaction of almost everyone he talked to. It was the same, one of disbelief, sometimes followed by hearty laughter and questions about his sanity. His current phone conversation was no different and Simon’s temper was beginning to get the better of him. “Well do you want to give me the damn song Phillip or not? I have plenty of other places I can go.”
“No, no Simon, of course you can have the song but I seriously doubt I will have to worry about getting any royalties from it. I mean cross over from opera to pop. Are you nuts?”
“Apparently.” Simon sighed, hung up on Phillip and tried to keep his temper in check while he added another song to the list and barked an order for whoever was knocking on the door to come in and who should it be but his new secretary.
“Well sounds like someone took too many grumpy pills this morning.”
Before Simon had a chance to fire back at her Angela glided across the room and handed him a steaming mug of coffee.
Again Simon sighed but this time he sat back in his chair, taking the cup of coffee, closing his eyes and breathing in its aroma.
Angela smiled. “Better?”
“Getting there.”
Simon had been none to pleased when his secretary of many years had up and left due to some family situation and the company had found Angela as her replacement. He was comfortable with Betty, she knew his ways, how he worked, what he needed and when. The thought of having to train another sent shivers down his spine but he had to admit that Angela had been a quick learner. Oh at first she made him bristle but he realised it was because she was so good at her job. He likened her to the Radar character in the TV series MASH. She seemed to have a sixth sense about what he needed, what was required of her. Angela had only been with him a few weeks when he found out why she seemed so intuitive. She remembered everything. If she heard it spoken, saw it written, watched it on TV she remembered. She had tried to explain it to him but even the explanation gave Simon a headache. Angela did not have a photographic memory that was something different but she did remember everything. Trying to unremember as she put it was the hard part.

Simon had found her invaluable during meetings. She would take notes but if there was ever any discrepancy as to what had been said by whom he would ask Angela to recall the conversation and she would; word for word. She had amazed him during a meeting with some Japanese businessmen when the negotiations seemed to have fallen apart and his Japanese counter parts had resorted to speaking their native tongue. He had asked Angela to recall what they had said and she did it as if Japanese was her mother tongue. The look on their faces was priceless. Simon was even more amused after the meeting to find out that Angela had no idea what she had said. She did not speak Japanese; she just remembered what she heard.

Simon opened his eyes as he took a sip of the bitter sweet hot brew to see Angela smiling down at him. “I wouldn’t worry about your new group Mr Cowell, I heard them, they maybe thought of as amateurs but you put them together and it will be magical.”
Simon gave her a questioning look. “Who are you???”
Angel just laughed and bounced out of the room.
Under his breath Simon let his words follow her “Too many happy pills if you ask me.”
Angela turned as she went to close the door and gave him one of her most beaming smiles. “I heard that grumpy.”
No one else would ever get away with calling him that, no one; but somehow she had made him feel better. There was something different about her and it was not the fact that she could remember everything. Normally that kind of thing would unsettle Simon until he could find out exactly what it was but he just settled back into his chair and took the time to enjoy his coffee. A smile creeping across his face as a new idea formed. “What a good idea Simon, even if I do say so myself. You might loose the best damn secretary you ever had but what a plan.”

Angela got back to her desk just as the phone rang. “Good Morning Delfin Productions can I help you?”
“Hello Angela its David Miller.”
“Hello Mr Miller what can I do for you today?”
“Well you can start by calling me David and I am just checking up on the meeting, it is tomorrow right? I am still a little jet lagged.”
“Correct Mr Mill…..David. A car will pick you up at nine. Now may I suggest you get some sleep. Have fun tomorrow.”
Angela hung up on David, leaving him staring at his phone as he walked into the bathroom to take a shower in the hopes that he would feel a little better. He had said yes to joining this new group because it was Simon at the helm but David wondered if the great Simon Cowell had lost the plot. Didn’t they say there was a thin line between genius and insanity? David shook his head trying to clear his thoughts and ended up having to lean against the bathroom wall. “Jet lag my ass…Too much partying before flying boyo…”
David laughed at himself. It was only just eleven in the morning but maybe Angela had been right a little pillow time was a good idea.
The flight from New York to London was not a particularly arduous trip, sober. A trip that David had done many times, sober. But he was off duty so to speak and he had played up BIG TIME. So when the call had come in to say there were tickets waiting for him at the airport and he had less than four hours to get on his flight he was anything but sober. Once in the air he also found out that flying and being drunk was not a very good combination. After he had lost count of the amount of trips he had done to the bathroom and the not so nice glares from other passengers, David vowed never to drink and fly again.
He had managed to get undressed and was letting the soothing waters of the shower wash over him, head bent forward and hand up against the wall for support. Across his back David carried the scars of his life, his Interpol life. Several knife scars, two left by bullets and a burn scar about 6cm long just under his right arm acquired while wrestling with some despot intent on trying to take his life with an acetylene torch. David sighed as he ran his hand over the burn. Thankfully not many people had seen his legacy of life as an Interpol agent.
The beeping as a text message arrived on his mobile phone brought him back to reality. David sighed again, switched off the shower and wrapped a towel around his waist as he walked back out into the hotel room to retrieve his phone. He laughed and smiled when he read the Message. It was from Angela, all it said was ‘Sweet dreams.’
David dropped the phone on the bedside table and dropped himself onto the bed with the droplets of water clinging to his body slowly evaporating as he fell asleep, not moving, not stirring for several hours.

Angela took calls from Sebastien and Carlos both having similar questions as David but neither sounding the same, both men had flown in the day before. The only one she had not heard from was Urs, so just before she was about to leave for the day she called him.
“Hey Urs, its Angela.”
Before she could continue Urs answered. “Is there a problem with the meeting tomorrow?”
“No, no, just confirming that is all.”
“A car will pick me up at nine in the morning yes.”
“Yes it will. See you tomorrow then.”
“Angela. Have you met the others from the group?”
“I have Urs and don’t worry you guys will be fine, you all sing wonderfully.”
He almost cut her off in his attempt to find out who else had been picked. “Can you tell me who they are?”
Angela laughed. “I could but then that would spoil the surprise. You’ll just have to wait until tomorrow.”
There was a long silence while Urs thought about that, not sure if that was the kind of surprise he wanted. What if they did not get on, surely a pre recording meeting would have been beneficial.
“Urs, you still there?”
Angela got a curt yes in reply. “Promise me you will be here tomorrow. I don’t want to have to tell Grumpy you pulled out.”
“Grumpy. Who is this Grumpy?”
Again she let that sweet effervescent laugh drift down the phone. “My boss, Mr Cowell. See you tomorrow Urs.”
Urs stood looking at his phone for a few minutes a little unnerved that Angela had called her boss Grumpy. Would this mean he would clash with the man that held his dreams in his hand? Throwing the phone onto the bed and picking up the key card for his room Urs headed for the hotel gym. He needed some serious work out time to get his thoughts in order before tomorrow.

Tomorrow found David perched on the edge of Angela’s desk trying with all the charm he could muster to get her to tell him who the other members of the group where.
“Well you really have pulled out all the big guns haven’t you and I am sure your charms would work on almost any female that fell under you spell David.” Angela rose from her seat leaning in very close to David. “But alas me thinks you waste your effort on me good sir.” She gave him a small kiss on the cheek that took David by surprise before she continued. “Besides here is one of them now.”
David turned to look down the corridor, a smile crossing his face as he recognised the new arrival Angela had gone to meet. With her arm entwined in Sebastien’s and a mischievous smile on her face she guided him toward David who was now standing.
David threw out his hand which Sebastien had no other option but to shake also a little surprised at who he was seeing.
“Hey Buddy. Nice to see you. So we both got the call.”
Sebastien nodded to David as Angela retook her seat behind the desk. “Bon Jouir to you again. I am Sebastien. I am sorry I forgot your name.”
David laughed and patted Sebastien on the shoulder. “David, names David. What are the odds we would ever see each other again?”
Without looking up from her work Angela spoke. “Very good I would have imagined.”
Both men looked at her in silence but Angela refused to be drawn by their stares, instead the men’s attention was distracted as Simon called to them as he stuck his head out of his office. “Well come on in lads, the others will be here shortly.”
Both David and Sebastien kept their eyes on Angela as they passed but she never once looked at them. Although David thought he saw the edge of her mouth curl into a smile. Once he had the men settled into the office Simon turned back to speak to his receptionist but she was already halfway down the hall to the small kitchen. He shook his head; she did it to him every time.

David and Sebastien chatted to each other, David assuring his new friend that he was indeed in the right place. He was just explaining to him who Simon was and that he did not make mistakes, so if he thought this cross over stuff was a good idea it was probably a brilliant idea.
Simon smiled as he took his own seat behind his desk. “David is right Sebastien. You were all picked for your unique abilities.” Only Simon knew the double meaning behind his words. What he did not know was the way in which he had said them made both men think about their other abilities, their Interpol abilities. “You are both in the right place.”
Sebastien was still unsure. “But He, David he is classically trained. I, I am how do you say. Own taught… self taught and not classical.”
Simon leaned into his desk just as Angela entered with a tray of tea, coffee and juice. “That is the beauty of it all Sebastien. Together the four of you will compliment each other.”
Angela left them a parting statement as she closed the door behind her. “Amen to that.”
Simon had to smile at her, he couldn’t help it. “Look lads, have a drink and when the others get here we will go through everything.”
They did not have to wait long as Angela knocked on the door and ushered both Urs and Carlos into Simon’s office. “Look who I found just hanging around outside.”
As the men stood and Simon did the introductions Angela shut the door and went back to her desk, sighing heavily. “Now if that isn’t a room full of heaven.”

Simon did go through everything, what he wanted, what he expected, the songs he had picked, his ideas for their stage look, their first album. It was quite some time before any of the other men spoke, so overwhelmed at the daunting task ahead of them. Simon obviously had thought further into the future than they had. Each one had come to the conclusion that they maybe putting an album together but none of them had expected to be doing videos and possible live appearances. Urs was first to gain his senses and just a little abrupt when he did. “Mr Cowell, at what point in this venture do we get to express our own creativity? I do not want to be part of some manufactured gimmick I….”
Simon put up his hand stopping Urs. “And neither do I Urs. Look, I have over a hundred songs here and apart from Regresa A Mi I want you guys to come up with the others, make them your own, see how you fit together. Make Regresa A Mi your own. We won’t do anything about the video until you are happy but we need to move on this pretty much straight away.” Simon saw them look at each other so he looked to David. “David….You know who I am right?” David nodded. “You know I would not go into something like this if I did not think it would work right?” again David nodded. “You would argue that I know this business pretty damn well.” Again David only nodded. Simon let his eyes fall on the other three. “If you trust me with this I know it will work I promise. If you really don’t want to go through with it I will not stop you. You can walk out that door no hard feelings, no retributions.”
Urs looked over to David and caught him in a cold steely stare. “You would trust this man with the next 12 months of your life?”
“Yes Urs I would.”
David’s answer seemed to help the others make a decision but again it was Urs that approached Simon, as he did Simon thought he saw part of the Interpol agent that Reg had told him of. His gaze was hard and it seemed as though his eyes had grown darker. Simon was left in no doubt by the coldness of Urs’ voice that the man sitting before him would have no hesitation in killing him. He shivered just a little.
“Mr Cowell, I will do this thing, this group but I warn you……”
Again before he could finish Simon interjected. “I promise Urs. All of you. If you want a chance to sing, really sing this is it.”
The four men looked to each other and nodded giving Urs the silent approval to accept on all of their behalves.
Urs held out his hand for Simon to shake. “Then we will accept this and we will come to you if we do not like something right?”
Simon was not sure whether Urs was asking him a question or if it was just a statement to cover up the real meaning behind his words. He was too busy trying not to cringe as the pain from the handshake seared through his fingers.
Urs nodded to the other three once more for confirmation. “We accept Mr Cowell. But I have one more question. The name…the name of this group we are to be?”
Rubbing his hand Simon smiled as the name rolled off his lips. “IL Divo.”

Chapter 5
The recording studio was at the opposite end of the long corridor to Simon’s office and once he had taken Il Divo into the studio and introduced them to the musical director Simon found himself perched in the same place on Angela’s desk as David had been earlier.
Angela let Simon talk for a while delighting in watching him trying to turn on the charm. He was a brilliant man but that was not something he was very good at. “You know I think David is much better at this than you are Grumpy and I am almost certain that Sebastien is a natural. But you….. Just shoot straight, that is who you are.”
Simon stood putting his hands in his trousers pockets looking like a dejected child. “I was only…”
Angela stood mirroring his image with her hands on her hips. “You were trying to soften me up to get me to do something you think I might not want to do.”
In a swift action that took Simon by surprise Angela gave him a small kiss on the cheek as she passed him. “I would be happy to keep an eye on our new recruits Boss. Make sure they don’t forget what they said. Happy to have the chance to listen to them sing.”
Simon just shook his head and went back into his office realising once again that his receptionist has gotten under his skin, pre empted his motives and called him on it. All with a smile on her face and a twinkle in her eye.

The argument stopped suddenly as Angela walked into the studio, the four men stood in silence looking at her.
“Well put four strong willed independent, passionate men in a room together and world war three is bound to happen but I had expected you to get through the first day before you decided to rip each other apart. Bad form gentlemen, very bad form.”
Angela could see they were all going to accost her with questions so she held up her hand stopping them all in mid explosion and turned her attention to the musical director who seemed to be trying to hide behind the piano. “Hey Henry would you like a break for a while?”
Henry did not say anything just looked at Il Divo and left the room. It was only then that Angela gave them her full attention, somehow managing to ensnare them in her gaze keeping them silent. “Mr Cowell sent me down to see how things were going, see if you needed anything. Seems I know two things about you now.”
They looked from each other back to Angela but remained silent, that soon changed with her next remark. “You can all sing and you’re all Prima Donnas.”
The cacophony of disagreement that came from the four men was hysterical, at least to Angela. She had a very hard time keeping a straight face while they all berated her with reasons they were certainly NOT Prima Donna’s, all the time stepping closer and closer to her. Again Angela put up her hand to stop them from both talking and advancing. “You get any closer and we’ll have to get married.” She was not sure if it was her comment or the smirk that had crept across her face but it had the desired effect.
David was the first to realise she had been playing with them. “Fellas I think the little lady has jut had a lend of us.” He could see the frowns of confusion on the other three men. “She’s taking the Mickey, right Angela? Playing with us.”
The flicker of understanding hit Urs first and he went on to explain to Sebastien in French and then to Carlos in Spanish at which time both men nodded that they understood and all four relaxed just a little.
“Maybe so Mr Miller but trying to out manoeuvre each other. I am disappointed. You know this will not work unless you become a team, find out each others strengths and weaknesses, work together not against each other. You do know what Il Divo means don’t you?”
They all answered in unison. “Yes.”
Angela raised her eyebrows waiting for them to make the connection; it seemed they were being a little dense. “Divine male singer as in single, one voice. You four have to become that one voice.”
Angela let her words echo around the studio watching the four men in front of her process the information. Urs sighed heavily and took her hand in his. “We are sorry Angela. You are right. We must be more professional. Please accept our apology.” The other three nodded and waited for her answer.
“Guys, you are professional, just give each other some time to adjust okay.” She looked Urs straight in the eyes and for an instance he thought he saw a flicker of something else but it was gone before he could catch it. “Urs you are going to have to help Sebastien and Carlos with the English for a while.” She could see that Carlos was going to protest and turned her attention to him and Urs felt her hand slip gently out of his. “I know you speak English Carlos and very nicely but don’t be too proud to ask for help when you need it.”
Turning her attention to Sebastien who was now staring at the floor. “You either Sebastien.” As he lifted his head and their eyes met it was Angela’s turn to sigh.
“ God, do you have any idea what you are going to do to the women of the world who get to hear you, see you, your eyes alone will have them melting into puddles.”
This made Sebastien blush and the other three burst out into laughter.
Angela smiled a smile that seemed to light up the whole room. “That is much better. So what was the big issue causing all the hot air when I came in?”

In a more relaxed way they guided her over to the piano and showed her the extensive song list that Simon had suggested.
David held up the list. “Some of these songs are just wrong, just too many.”
“Okay. I have a question. What it the song that Simon wants you to do first?”
They all said it together “Regresa A Mi”
Again Angela smiled her smile. “So at the very least shouldn’t it be the song you are arguing about? Forget the rest, they will come later.” Angela took a breath. “Next question. An album would only have what ten, twelve songs on it right?”
The four men nodded in silence.
“Surely you could pick out twelve songs that you all liked from a list of, let me see.” Angela ran her eyes down the list of songs. “One hundred and eight two. If you can’t find songs you all like…..” Angela shook her head then looked from one to the other. “Have you even tried to sing Regresa A Mi together?” She shook her head again and sighed. “From the sheepish looks and your silence I am guessing that is a no.” It was Angela’s turn to advance on the four men making them step backwards until they were all up against the piano. “Well then I think it is about time you did.”
Without another word she took herself off finding a seat near the drum kit. Sitting, folding her arms she waited as the four men just stared back at her. “I am not going anywhere until I get to hear you sing together so get to it will you. I have a cat at home needs feeding before the week is out.”

David, Carlos, Sebastien and Urs spent the next few hours taking turns at throwing out ideas as to the best way to sing the song while Angela sat quietly watching amused as they seemed to have forgotten she was in the room so intense were they about their work. That was until Henry returned. The four men greeted him like a long lost friend apologising for their earlier outbursts and ushering him to the piano. It was only when Henry dipped his head to acknowledge Angela that the other four men remembered she had been watching. Angela hopped off her chair and went to stand behind Henry, placing her hand gently on his shoulders. “I think the boys have a good idea for Regresa A Mi Henry.” Leaning over she took David by the hand and pulled him closer to the piano. “You should show Henry what you have come up with David.”
Henry rose so David could take his place. As he did he looked back at his three companions. “I think Urs should play, he’s much better at piano than me.”
Urs smiled knowing what Angela was up to. “I think she wants you to play David. After all it is your idea she thinks will work.” He looked to Angela. “Right?”
Angela nodded as everyone looked at her. David was looking over his shoulder at her. “But what idea? Which one?”
Without another word Angela began to hum the tune she thought would be the best to the amazement of all. She did not realise she had done it with her eyes closed until David picked up on what she was doing and began to play. Hearing the song Henry smiled. “Yes, yes this is good, we can do much with this I think. Nice choice Angela, very nice choice.” He shuffled David off the piano stool and resumed his place beginning to play with the piece of music as the four members looked to Angela in disbelief. Carlos stepped forward and took her hand. “Bella, how could you remember this idea? It was one of the first.”
Angela smiled, shrugging her shoulders. “Because it is the best idea I guess, it sang to my heart.” She smiled at them again. “Now do you think you boys can play nice while I go and see about lunch?” She had to laugh at the expression on their faces.
Once Angela had left Henry got their attention by playing a few notes. “Okay boys let’s work on this some more.”
For the next half hour Il Divo worked with Henry to find the right places for each of their voices.

Angela was in the kitchen preparing the food for lunch. Assorted gourmet sandwiches, a salad, a fruit and cheese platter. She was just putting the finishing touches on a tray that carried the tea, coffee and water when Simon joined her resting himself on the door jam. “So how did it go this morning?”
“Fine. They are working on Regresa A Mi.”
Simon smiled. “That’s good. I have a great idea for the video to go with that song.”
Turning to place the trays of food and drink on a trolley Angela gave Simon a look he could not quite understand. “I wouldn’t throw that at them just yet, they are still a little overwhelmed and you don’t want to scare them off now do you?”
“But.”
Simon did not get the chance to finish as Angela pushed the trolley towards him so that he had to move out of her way, she also changed the subject. “I was thinking they could have lunch in the conference room. That way they will get a break from the studio, I won’t have to search half the cafes in London to find them and we can get them into a routine. More time efficient don’t you think?” Angela just smiled at Simon as she pushed the trolley down the hall.
It took Simon a few moments to react. “Hey where’s my lunch?”
Angela shouted over her shoulder. “Conference room like everyone else Grumpy.”
A few minutes later Angela was standing back in the studio listening to Il Divo singing the last half of Regresa A Mi. She had no doubt that once they fine tuned the songs they wanted to sing the sound they made would be outstanding, they would indeed become one divine voice. They all smiled at her once they finished expecting her to say something. She did knowing full well the reaction she would get. “Grubs up fellas, in the conference room and I wouldn’t dawdle if I was you Simon is already in there.” She turned to walk out so they could not see the grin breaking across her face.
Davis sprinted after her. “Hey wait up Ange. What did you think about the song?”
David walked beside her as the others followed eager to hear what she had to say. If any of the men had a precious ego she was well on her way to squashing it with her next remark. “Oh its okay, still needs a bit of work, right Henry?”
Henry was a little surprised to hear his name but he replied. He had been working with Simon for a long time and although Angela was new he had managed to understand some of her ways. He smiled knowing she was not going to give them false praise as he played along. “That’s right. Always room for improvement.”
She was right, the song needed a little bit of tweaking but Il Divo were brilliant and he thought Angela could have given just a little more encouragement than she had.
It was if you could feel the collective sigh of disappointment from the others as they entered the conference room. The smile left Simon’s face when he saw them. “What happened?”
Sebastien stepped forward clutching his hand to his chest over his heart and sank to his knees in front of Angela giving a rather over dramatic performance. “Thy sweet maiden has doth plunged and icy dagger of rejection into our hearts and I fear we may never recover.”
Angela looked down at Sebastien horrified; Simon looked to Angela with much the same expression on his face. The three other Divo’s as well as Henry looked to Sebastien in disbelief when David let his booming laugh ring around the room. “Good one Sebastien. I could not have put it better myself.” He pulled Sebastien back to his feet and slapped him on the back. All eyes were back on Angela including Simon’s who was simmering on the point of exploding thinking she may have undermined all his work to that point. “What the hell did you do Angela!!!! I sent you down there to….”
It was Sebastien who cut him off. “No, No Mr Cowell. You misunderstand. Miss Angela, she has done no wrong.”
Urs stepped in. “Except deflate our egos just a little. Which I am sure was her intent all along.” All Angela did was raise her eyebrows and shrug her shoulders while holding her eye contact with Urs.
Simon was not convinced. “Angela????”
At the sound of her name she looked to Simon. “Boss….” It was Simons turn to raise eyebrows. “All I said was that Regresa A Mi needs a bit of work, which it does.”
Henry could see that Simon was still not happy. “Mr Cowell. Miss Angela is right the song does need a little more work. But for the first day we have come a very long way, a very long way indeed.”
As Simon seemed to relax so did every one else and Angela ushered them all over to the conference table. “Okay dig in everyone.”
As she turned to leave is was Urs who spoke. “You will not be joining us?”
Once again Angela gave them that disarming smile as she looked from each man to the other and then back at Urs. “With all this testosterone in the room. I think I will be safer with the girls in the café. Besides it is the first Friday of the month. Right Boss.”
Simon was just about to swallow part of a sandwich he was devouring when he saw all eyes on him. “Friday….” He was a little confused at first but then the others saw the recognition cross his face. “Friday, yes of course Angela. See you Monday morning then.”
Angela departed leaving the four men from Il Divo looking at Simon waiting for an answer as he finished off his sandwich. “Dig in Lads. Angela’s mighty fine at laying out a spread.”
As they took their places at the table David asked the question they all wanted answered. “Angela, she gets a half day on a Friday?”
As Simon began to pick out another sandwich he absentmindedly gave them the information they were seeking. “Yeah, don’t ask me how she managed to get me to agree to that but it is only once a month. Besides it is for a good cause after all.” Simon took a sip of his coffee and realised that they all wanted to hear more. “It is nothing earth shattering fellas. She helps a friend out who runs a charity. She’s on some roster. Each Friday the local bakery gives them all the bread they do not sell. But it is up to the charity to pick it up, transport and then slice a good deal of the loaves before they can give it out. First Friday of the month you will find Angela in her kitchen madly slicing bread.” He could see the looks of doubt on all their faces. “I am not making this up. You don’t believe me go see for yourself. I must admit I didn’t believe her in the beginning either.”
Sebastien swallowed hard. “But you do now?”
Simon nodded. “Because I have seen it for myself and the night I did she roped me into helping out. The very next day after soaking my blisters I went out and bought her a bread slicing machine, she had been cutting hundreds of loaves of bread with and electric bread knife and you know how she thanked me?”
The whole room was silent while they waited for him to continue. “She gave it to others on the roster. She reasoned that she was only on the roster once a month. Others did it every week so they needed it more than she did. I tried to buy her another one but got down graded to a new electric knife.”
Henry smiled, he knew he liked Angela and this was just a little bit more information that endeared her to him. The four men of Il Divo sat quietly, each one processing the information, each one filing it for future reference as they had been trained to do. Each one subconsciously knowing there was more to Simon’s secretary. Urs in particular wanting to, needing to know more. There was something about her that unsettled him just a little. If he was honest with himself he was mad at himself because he could not put his finger on what it was. It was like part of her was hiding in the shadows not wanting to be seen. Urs shuffled uncomfortably in his seat, wasn’t that exactly what he did, what his life has been about for so many years. Was that the reason Angela unnerved him so much? If he sensed her secrets could she sense his?

Chapter 6
Il Divo worked long and hard for the next few months, getting to know the songs they wanted to sing, getting to know each other better, finding where their voices fit. Not that it was all plain sailing. More than once a recording session had deteriorated into a screaming match with Henry walking out threatening to quit. Angela sighed as she saw Henry walk passed her desk muttering knowing he would not be back that afternoon. “Prima Donnas.” She marched herself down the hall and flung the door to the studio open so hard that it bounced against the wall and she had to stop it on the rebound. At first she shouted, then she whistled, when this got no response from the four men who all seemed to be yelling at the same time she walked over to the drum kit and began to play. Not just tapping out some noise so they would pay attention but really play, her actions had the desired affect. Each man stopped and turned in wonder looking even more surprised when they saw Angela sitting behind the drum kit not only playing and playing very well but scowling at them all as she did. She gave the cymbals one last thump before silencing them and unceremoniously throwing the drum sticks down on the floor as she stood, her words being delivered with razor sharp precision as she advanced on the four men. “You keep this up and we will be looking for a new music director and believe me when I tell you Simon will not be happy.” She saw Urs getting ready to say something but she kept talking.
“Professionals my arse, its more like a dog fight in here than a music studio. Get out of here all of you!!! Go on and figure out a way to release some of this pressure without killing each other.”
The four men just looked at her dumfounded, they could see by her body language she was not in the mood to listen to any sort of apology but Sebastien had to try. He stepped forward putting on his most charming of masks. “Cherie.”
He never got the chance to finish as Angela made it very clear she was not interested in hearing what he had to say. Holding up her hand to stop him, her voice chilled them all to the bone, more so because they all caught the cold stone darkness in her eyes. “No…. I don’t want to hear anything from any of you unless it is the door hitting you on the rear end as you leave. Now GET OUT!!!!!!!”
All four men hesitated for just moment watching to see if Angela’s demeanour would change. As she took a deep breath and her eyes grew even darker David made the first move to leave the studio. “Come on guys before she finds something other than words to throw at us.”
Urs was the last to leave the studio, as he did he turned to look back at Angela. She was till standing with her arms folded across her chest glaring at them. What he did not see was the cheeky grin creep across her face once the room was empty.
By the time the four of them had reached Simon’s office Sebastien and Carlos were trying to figure out how to make it up to Angela. “Cherie was right Carlos we were not very professional back there. It is not good to leave a lady so mad.”
Carlos nodded in agreement. “Si, she could become madder that would not be good.”
David and Urs smiled at his remark but it was Simon’s voice that stopped them. “Who would become madder Carlos?” The four Divo’s looked back down the hall as Simon noticed that Angela was not at her desk. “What did she do now?”
Urs stepped forward to answer. “She dismissed us for the day and rightly so considering our abhorrent behaviour.”
Simon raised one eyebrow just a little looking down the hall and then back at the four men. “Do I need to do some risk intervention lads?”
David clasped his arm around Simon’s shoulders. “Don’t worry Simon we all just need some fresh air. We’ll be alright tomorrow.”
Simon was still wondering whether he should get the four men and his exasperating secretary together when another thought jumped to the front of his brain when his eyes fell Urs. “Urs, wait a sec, a letter came for you, hang on and I will get it.”
As Simon ducked back into his office the others looked at Urs. “I am not sure I will be staying where I am so I organised to have my mail sent here.” That wasn’t entirely true, the fact was that Urs wanted Interpol to touch as little of his life as possible, they had given him the time off so to speak but if they were going to call him for an assignment he did not want it to touch what he considered his private life.
Simon handed him the envelope and the four men left the building each going in separate directions. Urs waited until he was at the entrance to the tube station before he opened the envelope, a small key fell out, then he pulled the letter out, he sighed. It was an assignment, not a big one, not a dangerous one but an assignment all the same. All he had to do was pick up a package from a locker at a tube station that was on his way home and deliver it to the address on the paper in his hand. It had been a while since Urs had done such a task but if it meant he kept singing it was worth it.
Since they had effectively been given the rest of the day off Urs decided no time like the present but instead of getting off at the designated station he continued on home, changed his clothes and only then did he make the return trip. He had contemplated taking his bike but that felt too much like Interpol nudging their way in to his world so he rode the Tube instead. Once he had retrieved the small package Urs did not immediately depart, he made himself comfortable at a small café, ordered a coffee and watched the world pass him by. He looked like so many others, waiting for trains or waiting for others to arrive but Urs was not merely waiting, he was watching, observing, making sure he had not been followed, making sure that when he did leave the Tube station he did not have a tail. It would be twenty minutes before Urs casually sauntered to the exit of the station and flagged down a cab. He was not familiar with the delivery address; even so he had given the cab driver some misinformation. The number of the address he was suppose to drop off the package was 144 but Urs had asked the driver to stop at 158 without even knowing if there was a 158. He rode in the back of the cab in silence taking in all that passed him by knowing he would not ask the cab driver to wait.
“Here you go Sir, 158.” The cab driver told Urs how much the fare was and Urs paid, getting out of the cab and waiting for it to leave the street before he walked back to number 144. Reaching the right address Urs pulled the package from out of his jacket and dropped it into the letter box before he continued down the street. After a time he doubled back and took up a vantage spot across the road between two other buildings and waited to see who, if anyone would collect the package. Without checking he could not be sure that it had already been claimed but Urs was prepared to wait and wait he did. It had been dark for almost two hours before there was any sign of life at number 144. Urs watched as a man walked down the street as he got closer Urs took in his features. Early fifties, maybe, dark hair, sad face. Walked like a man tired of the pressures of life, shoulders slightly hunched. As he got to number 144 he turned in, opened the door, switched on the hall light and collected the mail that was lying at his feet. He searched through it and Urs was almost sure he saw the man sigh and his shoulders drop even more as he got to the package he had delivered. It was only then that he shut the door and Urs knew it would be no use staying. He walked the full length of the street and down several others before he called a cab to take him back to his own home.
All thoughts of secret packages were washed from his mind as he arrived at Delfin the next morning. Purposely Urs had arrived early hoping to apologise to Angela before the others turned up. Her desk was empty and for a moment he thought his idea had been a mistake when he heard noises coming from the kitchen. Walking down the hall Urs stopped at the door to the kitchen and just watched her work for a few seconds, weaving his apology through his mind, making sure it was just right. Her voice startled him, she had not turned around, still had her back to him. “Well Mr Buhler are you going to stand there all day or did you actually want something?”
Angela did turn around from making the coffee when she heard Urs stumble over his first few words. “No, well yes, I mean.” He took a deep breath as he looked into her eyes; they were softer than the day before, no fire or anger behind them. “I came to….I wanted to apologise for yesterday.”
Angela flashed him one of her smiles as she threw a tea towel his way. “No need to apologise Mr Buhler but help me clean up and all will be forgiven.”
Urs did not see the cheeky smile on her face as he walked up beside her and began to dry the dishes she was washing. At a loss for what to say he looked around the kitchen and noticed it had a dishwasher. “It does not work?”
Angela looked at him a little puzzled for a moment until Urs pointed to the dishwasher. “The dishwasher, it is broken yes?”
Urs did not see her bite her top lip before answering. “Mmmmm, not exactly.” Now it was Urs’ turn to look puzzled. “Well how else was I going to get a gorgeous man such as yourself to help in the kitchen?”
Urs tried to stop the smile he could feel creeping across his face along with the warmth of a blush and wrinkled his forehead in dismay. “You could just ask me.”
In that instance Urs knew he had hurt her as he saw the sadness flash across her eyes and she tried to take the tea towel away from him. “I’m sorry Urs, I didn’t mean to imply that you would not help, I was just…..”
As she turned away Urs pulled the tea towel so that Angela had to turn back to him. “It’s okay Angela, you just caught me off guard with your remark, forgive me for making you sad.”
Just as she was about to answer the coffee machine beeped to let them know the coffee was brewed. She smiled at him, surprised him by leaning in and giving him a small kiss on the cheek. “You want coffee?”
Urs smiled back at her. “Yes please and thank you for calling me Urs.”

Urs was perched on the corner of Angela’s desk finishing off his coffee as they heard David’s voice before they saw him, followed by Sebastien and Carlos. David gave Urs a smug smile watching him stand from his perch on Angela’s desk. “So Urs, trying to win brownie points with the teacher I see….”
Before Urs could answers Angela rose from her seat, gathering both their cups. “Well as a matter of fact he was and I think this mornings effort affords him a silver star.”
Angela walked to the kitchen leaving the four men speechless for a few moments, Sebastien, Carlos and David wondering what on earth Urs had done.
Sebastien shook his head. “Well what ever you did Urs at least she is in a better mood.”
David whistled. “Way to go Buhler.”
Urs was horrified when he understood David’s inference. “No….. it was nothing like that. I helped her wash up, that is all and apologised for my behaviour yesterday.”
David shook his head as he walked passed Urs meaning to get to the recording studio. “S U R E you did. Washing up, never heard it called that before.”
The smile left David’s face and both Carlos and Sebastien tensed up as Urs grabbed hold of him by the arm and swung him around, pulling him close so David could not mistake the darkness that clouded his eyes or the latent rage behind it. “No!!!! This is not how it is!!!! We talked, I apologise, we have coffee nothing more!!!!!”
David pulled himself out of Urs’ grip. “Geez Louise Switzerland. I get it ok. I’m sorry.” He walked down the hall not even looking into the kitchen as he passed.
Carlos and Sebastien walked either side of Urs. Carlos patting him on the back. “I find it hard to understand the American humour. I am sure he did not mean any harm.”
Sebastien nodded his head in agreement then put on his biggest, brightest, most charming of smiles when they reached the kitchen and once more Angela found the man on one knee in front of her. It was too hard not to smile. “Dear Angela what does a simple human such as myself have to do to gain your forgiveness, the promise of a lowly bronze star some day?” Sebastien looked up at Angela like a lost puppy and it was all she could do to keep a straight face. She sighed and slapped him on the shoulder with the tea towel. “Well for a start you can get up. God you’re good Mr Izambard, very good but don’t your wear a lot of holes in your trouser with stunts like that?”
At her words Carlos lost his hold on his laughter and it bounced throughout the building, Urs just shook his head and Sebastien took both of Angela’s hand and kissed the back of them one at a time. “For you I would wear holes in my knees themselves.”
Angela shook her head. “Just promise me that you will all try and get along today.” She looked passed Urs. “Where is David?” Then frowned. “Don’t tell me you’ve already had a fight?”
None of them wanted a repeat of the day before so they all jumped in to reassure her that nothing had happened and promptly made their escape to the recording studio, finding David tinkering at the piano.
Urs walked straight up to him, David not sure what was going to happen. “I apologise David, I do not understand your humour sometimes but I will learn.”
David stood smiling at Urs. “That’s okay, I guess I was a little over the top. I know we have not known Ange for very long but if anyone tried to hurt her in that way you know I would…..”
Urs placed his hand on David’s shoulders. “As would all of Il Divo I think.”
They both turned to look at Carlos and Sebastien who were nodding.
What none of them knew was that Angela had heard their conversation. Not convinced that they had not had a fight she was ready to burst in, to stop anything from escalating. Her breath caught in her throat at what she did hear. She did not understand what had happened but she got the meaning behind David’s words.
Silently she walked back to her desk thinking they all deserved gold stars.

Chapter 7
With the help of an impetuous, mischievous, sometimes frustrating and very intelligent secretary, that being Angela, Il Divo did begin to meld together, their misunderstandings fewer, their fights were fewer and less explosive, the magic of their voices and the music began to take over. Before they knew it Il Divo where being primed for public appearances. They had all been a little apprehensive when Simon had mentioned his idea for their very first video but with a little persuasion and a few costume change ideas from Angela it seemed that the four men had become more settled and were at ease with being filmed. Sebastien was a great help bringing with him his experience of the pop world. He may not have been a fully fledged member of that world but he knew enough to guide the others. The other three all had some stage experience and it did not take them long to adjust.

While their singing careers had been developing each one of them had been touched on the shoulder by Interpol and each one being the good little agents they were had not been satisfied with just delivering packages. It had not taken each one of them very long to delve deeper into why they were being used as ordinary couriers. At first they had all been amused that the information they were carrying had something to do with the music world and wondered if this had been the reason that Interpol had been so gracious in giving them time off. If they had talked to each other they would have understood the severity of what they were carrying and may have been far more concerned for themselves and the future of the music industry. As it was without all the dots to connect each man came to the conclusion that it was just a coincidence as there was another matter that consumed their thoughts to a much deeper level. Their twelve months was almost up. Three more months and their dreams of freedom and new lives could once again be swallowed by the darkness of Interpol. At the beginning of the project none had suspected that they would get as far as they did but now that they were preparing for their first live performance each man was hoping that maybe if they were good enough they could hold Interpol at arms length for just a little longer.

Simon had done his best to make sure that the Il Divo project was given as much as any of his other projects and his reputation remained intact but even he was surprised at the results. From a very sceptical beginning to standing in the studio listening to what he knew was great music, Simon had no doubt that Il Divo would be a success and like the four men from the group he wondered if Interpol would step in and make it a very short success considering the twelve months that Reg had given him was fast approaching its conclusion.

For her part Angela had come to see some changes in the four members of Il Divo. Some good, some very good but in the last few weeks she had sensed a shift in each man’s mood. Yes they were apprehensive about their public debut but what she sensed was something else, a foreboding that did not fit, and a sadness that did not belong. She was contemplating having a talk to all four of them when Simon walked out of his office to see a small frown on her face. He didn’t like that look as it usually meant more work for him or she had hatched some plan or worse, something was wrong. He sighed a little before he broke her concentration. “Is it something I need to know about or can I go and get a coffee?”
The sad smile she gave him meant his coffee was going to have to wait. “Something is wrong.”
Again Simon sighed and sat on the edge of her desk. “With what and do I need to know about it?” In his heart he already knew the answer. Angela would have changed the subject if things were in control or he really did not need to be bothered.
“With the guys.”
Simon was a little surprised; maybe he had read the signs wrong. “The lads….. Oh Ange they are just nervous, that is all.”
Angela had begun to shake her head even before Simon finished. “No, it’s not that. It almost feels like something is finishing not beginning. I think we need to have a chat to them.”
Simon stood a little nervous that Angela may have insight into the secret that surrounded him and Il Divo. He knew if she went looking, really looking she would more than likely find things to fire up her curiosity and he could not have that. Not now. He didn’t want Interpol breathing down his neck.
Simon placed a reassuring hand on Angela’s shoulder. “I am sure what you are sensing is a combination of a lot of things. They are all new to this. Would you feel better if I had a chat to them, make sure things are okay, you know between them?”
“Yeah Okay Boss, but things are good between them.” Angela continued. “You know what I mean, they are more like a family now, Yeah families have fights but I think there is something else, something lurking that might pull this little family apart and I don’t like not knowing, I don’t like it. They have done an amazing job in such a short time. You and I both know that this is not going to be a one hit wonder if they decide to stick together and I want them to stick together.”
Simon had to smile. Angela had seen in Il Divo what he hoped the public would see. “Well we will just have to make sure they stick together then. They are coming in this afternoon before they head out for their charity appearance right?”
Angela nodded.
“I will have a talk to them okay. Don’t worry Angela, you’ll see.”
Angela was not convinced but the fact that she changed the subject lead Simon to believe that she was happy to leave it with him. “I know you have been pushing the video Simon but so far they have had no air play on any radio station. Will these public appearances be enough?”
Simon gave her a smile she knew very well. It was his confident, I know what I am doing smile and he was never wrong when he smiled like that. It did make her heart feel a little lighter and she gave him a small laugh. “Okay, silly question.”
“Trust me Ange, with what I am hearing on the grapevine these lads are in for one hell of a surprise. I think the music world is in for one hell of a surprise as well.”
That afternoon Angela made herself scarce not trusting that she could not interfere when the men showed up and left the meeting up to Simon.
The five men sat in the conference room firstly discussing their appearance that night and then Simon’s mood changed just a little making then all shift in their chairs. Urs was the first to speak. “What is it Simon? You have some unpleasant news you have to tell us?”
“No, no. It is Angela.”
All four men moved forward in their seats looking very concerned. David spoke for them all. “She is alright isn’t she Simon, nothing has happened to her?”
“What….No she is fine. Just seems her intuition has been in overdrive and she is concerned about you all.”
At his words all four man sat back and smiled, Carlos letting out a little laugh. “Arr, yes our Angel, she is always concerned for us and most times for good reason.”
Sebastien looked from Carlos to Simon. “So what is she concerned about this time Simon. She would normally just herd us together and speak her peace.”
Despite himself Simon had to smile. “I volunteered to talk to you. It is nothing serious but she is worried that something other than being thrust into the limelight is bothering you, all of you.”
Again all four men sat forward in their seats and again it was Urs who spoke. “Did she mention what she thought it was? Have we offended her in any way?”
Not only Simon but the other men shot Urs a curious look at his last statement.
“I am sure if you had offended her Urs you would be well aware, we all would. As for what she said. Mmmm let me see if I can get this right, she’s the one with the great memory. She said there was a feeling of ending not beginning and something lurking waiting to pull this little family apart. She’s not happy about that. So my question to you is, is she right? Do I need to know about something? I didn’t put all this time and effort into you just for you to throw your hands up and say it is all too hard.”
Simon’s first statement had stunned them all for the same reason although they did not know it. His second had ruffled their feathers. David’s more than the others as he got to his feet to defend himself and his colleagues. “Now wait just a minute Simon!! We’ve worked damn hard to pull this together, you know that and none of us are quitters so why would you think we would even contemplate throwing it all in?!!!!”
Before Simon spoke Urs quietly interjected and shocked them all. “Perhaps Simon has other information that would make him think this of us. I am right Simon?”
The others looked from Urs to Simon. They had been together long enough to know that their Swiss friend was a deep thinker and would never have said such a thing without a very good reason as he usually opted for silence.
Simon shuffled in his seat wondering if Urs actually knew the whole story or if he could risk telling them. “No it is just Angela…..” Simon stopped mid sentence and looked at each man. “Oh to hell with it!!!! Yes I do have other information…Shit!!. I can’t believe I am going to do this. Wait here. I will be right back.”
Simon left the conference room in silence; no one spoke, each man just looking from one to the other. Sebastien was about to say something when Simon returned dropping a file on the table in front of him. As he began to pull smaller files out of it Sebastien asked the question that was on all their minds. “What is this all about Simon?”
Simon handed each man a file then sat down. “You tell me.”
Again the room was silent but Simon could feel the tension oozing from each man as they realised what they were looking at. He had given them the Interpol files that Reg had given to him and in that split second Simon realised he had probably put himself in the most danger of his life. Before him sat four Interpol agents who for the past nine months had worked together without knowing it, without knowing that Simon knew who they were, without knowing it was all a set up. Simon saw Urs shift in his seat and not wanting to end up dead in some alley hoped he could make them understand. He raised his hand to stop anyone from talking. “Urs before you want to put a bullet in my head hear me out.”
No one spoke, the silence was suffocating and frightening, each man simply replacing his file to the table open, for the entire world to see, each man with the full understanding of who, what the others were and still silent.

“Reg came to me almost twelve months ago with a ridiculous plan he wanted to set in motion to save your lives.” Simon had thought his statement would have rendered a reaction from at least one of them, it didn’t. Well not one he could see so he continued and explained what he had been asked to do and why. By the time he was finished the four Interpol agents had the full story yet remained silent and Simon was at a loss as to what to do. “Look, I know I have probably breeched some Interpol protocol by telling you all this, If Reg every finds out……”
David cut him off. “You’re a dead man.”
Simon went pale, sinking back into his seat not expecting them to be so blunt. “Look lads can we sort this out?”
Urs gave Simon an almost malevolent smile. “He means you are a dead man if Reg ever finds out you told us Simon. But then again Reg has breeched protocol. Have you spoken to him lately?”
“No.” Simon caught the hidden meaning behind Urs’ word. “But I am sure he is fine.”
Urs stood looking at his three counterparts. “I think we have much to discuss gentleman.”
David, Carlos and Sebastien stood, following Urs to the door when Simon remembered their appearance. “What about your charity appearance?”
Urs turned back to him. “We will be there Simon. After all like you said we have put too much time and effort into this assignment not to see it through.”
Simon was left standing alone in the conference room a little miffed at having his new shining star Il Divo relegated to the place of an Interpol assignment, but eternally grateful he was still alive and standing, however what was to come??????

Angela had not been able to stay away from the office any longer and was walking down the hall as the four men left the conference room. The shadow that clouded them was worse than before and she guessed the meeting with Simon had not gone well. “I knew I should have talked to them.”
Before Angela had time to ask any questions Sebastien took the lead in more ways than one. He had been walking with Carlos behind David and Urs but on seeing Angela pushed his way to the front oozing as much charm as he could muster. As they reached her he took both of her hands in his and pulled them to his chest. “Cherie. Our sweet, sweet Angel, you worry about us far too much.” He kissed the top of her knuckles. “It overwhelms us that you take on this burden, this responsibility. As much as we do not deserve such attention, we are humbled by it and we love you for it Cherie but please do not be sadden. We are all very well.”
Angela looked to his three silent companions before she looked back at Sebastien. “Are you sure? I mean things ….”
David sounded in with probably just a bit too much enthusiasm. “Yeah sure Ange. I think we just got cold feet. You know stage fright there for a minute.”
Angela frowned just a little not convinced when Carlos spoke up taking her hand from Sebastien. “Bella. It is what David says.” He gave her a small kiss on the cheek. “You worry too much for us. You will be coming to the gathering tonight yes?”
Once again Angela’s eyes washed over each man’s face before she answered. “You are okay? No thoughts of running away just when things are going to get interesting.”
Her wording had not gone unnoticed by the men. It was Carlos that answered. “No running unless it is into the arms of a beautiful woman.”
Everyone laughed and Angela gave Carlos a playful slap on the arm and then a hug. “Okay. I’ll be there tonight with a few friends maybe. Got to boost those CD sales.”
The atmosphere was lighter as the men left but as Urs passed her Angela took hold of his arm. “Urs, tell me the truth one day?”
He gently squeezed her hand, looking into her eyes, wanting to tell her everything. He was amazed at how she seemed to be able to disarm him so easily, all his training evading him; it took all his strength to remain silent. No one had ever affected him the way she did.
Angela took his silence as hesitation. “Just one day Urs.” She let his arm go and walked back to her desk, Urs left to join the others.

Simon hesitated seeing Angela back at her desk putting on his best happy face. “Hey Angela you’re back.”
Seeing he was struggling she played along. “Yep, meeting went well I take it, the guys assured me they are all fine just cold feet. You want a coffee Boss?”
Simon just nodded his head and watched her walk off to the kitchen. “Okay, well some things are back to normal.” Simon looked at the files in his hand and decided he needed to give Reg a call, not to discuss what had just transpired just to make sure………….
Angela made Simon’s coffee knowing something had changed.

Chapter 8
Urs, David, Sebastien and Carlos took a quiet booth at the local pub. Having become somewhat regulars in the last months their presence would not have caused suspicion, yet the owner noticed their sombre mood as he delivered their usual drinks. “Gentleman, another business meeting away from the office?”
They all nodded and David answered. “Yeah just need a change of scenery.”
“Well you need anything else just holler.”
Each man took a sip of his drink looking around the table, Urs keeping his stare on David, his voice flat and unemotional as he spoke. “What division?”
David sighed. “Charlie.”
Urs turned his attention to Sebastien who answered without being asked. “Bravo.”
Carlos offered up his answer. “Delta.”
All eyes looked to Urs and waited. “Zulu. I guess now we know why we have never crossed paths before.”
Sebastien frowned. “Reg. We all know Reg right?” The other men nodded in agreement. “So what do we do now?”
Again all four men fell silent, no one grumbled about feeling like he had been duped, deceived and fooled. Something they all felt should not have happened considering their training. They all felt like they had failed in some way.
Again it was Sebastien who spoke. “I do not understand how we did not recognise each other.” Carlos went to say something but he stopped him. “I don’t mean facial recognition but surely you have known when others like us have been around, been close, that feeling…….”
David slumped into his seat pushing his legs under the table. “Geez I must be slipping. Nine months and not a clue.”
Urs cleared his throat and the others looked at him. “I do not think we have slipped David. I think it has more to do with the fact that we all wanted nothing to do with.” He looked around the room before he continued. “With our company for the twelve months, we all wanted this singing and some freedom so much we have all let our guards down.”
Again for a moment the group was quiet until Sebastien softly spoke, not willing to look at the others he cradled his drink in his hands and stared into it. “Guys I have really liked this last nine months. I did not know that music was such a part of my life, I feel like I can really breathe for the first time in such a long time. Can remember who I really am.” Sebastien looked up to the others. “I don’t want this to end, not because of THEM. If the public do not like us, so be it but.”
Sebastien did not know it but he had verbalised how the others felt.
Again Urs’ voice carried with it little emotion as he spoke. “We have a way to make sure we can keep going. We do our best to become popular enough so that if Interpol decided to do something about us it would get noticed and not just by the industry.”
David straightened back up in his seat. “Urs, I like your idea but this was a million to one gamble in the first place and how the hell do we make sure we get popular?”
Urs smiled knowing he had the attention of all three men. “That is Simon’s job, one that he does quite well.”
Carlos addressed the little group. “But we all know that Interpol will not just let us walk away, we are here because Reg knew that as well.”
Urs interjected. “That is the beauty of this plan Carlos. If we make this work. Interpol will realise it would be too difficult to get rid of us, but before then we can accept the fact of who we are, who we really are and make it work for us for a change. We let them use us as they always have but this time the terms will be somewhat different. We get to stay together as Il Divo, they can use us as cover, as couriers, what ever the hell they want as long as it does not impede on what we have created in Il Divo.”
David began to shake his head. “Urs, there is a lot of holes in this plan, whoppers. I still like it but …”
“Yes there is but we are four united now not four separate. Together we have shown what we can accomplish. The biggest hurdle is popularity, if we can jump that we can do the rest. If we do not manage the first hurdle then we have some very hard decisions to make.”
It was Sebastien’s turn to slump into his seat. “Yeah like going back to THEM or trying to keep one step ahead of THEM so we don’t end up dead.”

The four men discussed the plan a little more and then got down to the business of finding out more about each other, each one knowing of assignments that the others had done. Sebastien toasted David when he realised he had been the agent responsible for the successful completion of the assignment in Prague. “David, I am impressed, we all thought that was a suicide mission.”
“It almost was.” David took another drink remembering how close he had come to not returning. Absentmindedly he rubbed under his arm, his fingers knowing where the burn scar was.
Urs gave him a knowing smile. “Your wounds have not healed, they still cause you pain?”
David shook his head. “No they have healed no physical pain.”
The other three men needed no more explanation; they all had similar scars to carry.
They discussed some of the lighter moments of their assignments and the owner of the pub was glad to see them laughing thinking that the shadow they had brought with them had been cast away.
Urs looked at his watch. “Time to go I think. We have a performance.”
All four men stood when Sebastien flashed a look to Urs. “Do we tell Urs? Do we tell them we know of each other now?”
Urs shook his head. “No. In time it will become necessary. For now apart from bringing Simon in, we remain as we have been for the past nine months.”
They all nodded in agreement and left the pub with a new determination in their hearts.

Simon was more than a little relieved to see the four men from Il Divo being escorted to a small room where they were expected to wait until it was time to perform. The Paul Hamlyn Hall of the Royal Opera House of London was not a large capacity room but it had a light airy feel about it that seemed to help everyone relax and Il Divo could get their heads around performing for about 500 people. While Simon went to check on his newest project the charity auction was coming to a conclusion and the entertainment for the night was to start. As he shut the door on the world the soft tones of a concert pianist could be heard. It was not very often that Simon felt out of his depth, usually he commanded the respect, if not the ire of those around him. But with four Interpol agents staring at him and not knowing what they had discussed that afternoon he was feeling very vulnerable indeed. “Hey lads, ready for tonight?’
David stepped forward and planted his hands on Simon’s shoulders. “We are Simon, we are and for much more as well. We have a few things we need to have a talk about though.”
“Oh.” was all Simon could muster.
David gave out a booming laugh. “Don’t worry Simon. We’re not going to take you out the back and torture you. We need you.”
Sebastien nodded. “Very much so. I like being Sebastien the singer.”
Again Simon retorted with a single word. “Okay.”
David smiled at Simon. “You get the easy part Simon. You get to do what you do best. You get to make us famous. Famous enough that Interpol will have no other choice than to play by our rules.”
They all watched Simon for a moment a big grin appearing on his face. “Really? I mean you want to keep going as Il Divo.”
Urs stepped forward. “We want some freedom Simon and Il Divo can give us that. Maybe not as much as we all would like.”
There was a knock at the door and a young man stuck his head through the small opening. “Five minutes gentlemen.”
Once the usher had left Simon addressed the four men. “What about Reg?”
Again David put his hands on Simon’s shoulders. “We continue as we have been Simon. No need to shake Reg up any earlier than necessary.”
With that each man passed Simon and shook his hand as they left to take their place on the stage.

Angela stood at the back of the crowd with a small smile creasing the corners of her mouth and a twinkle in her eyes anticipating the reaction from the others around her once they heard Il Divo. Simon had organised for the video clip of Regresa A Mi to be played behind them as they sang, no introductions just the four men stepping on stage waiting for the music.
As they waited Sebastien searched the crowd for Angela, when he found her he managed to get David’s attention and both men blew her a kiss. Urs and Carlos saw her just before they had to start. All four men surprised at how relieved they were that she was in the audience.
Simon smiled through the whole song knowing he had another winner on his hands. Angela had her eyes closed through the whole song feeling every note, every word with her heart. It was the complete and total silence as they finished that made her open her eyes expecting to hear applause. Just as she began to worry seeing the uncertainty in the eyes of the men on stage the whole room exploded into applause and loud shouts of ‘Bravo’, and ‘More’.
Il Divo had only been going to sing the one song but Simon had been ready for just this very reaction and cued another song. ‘Passera’ to the surprise of all. The four men looked from one another then to Angela who had the biggest grin on her face, giving the thumps up with both thumps. As they sang Angela watched as mobile phones came from their resting places as people took photos and video of Il Divo.
As Il Divo finished and left the stage the whole room erupted into shouts and applause, people stopping them to shake their hands as they made their way back to the small room they had been in before. David caught part of a conversation between two females that made him blush. Once back in the room he let out a laugh. “You should have heard what I just did.”
Urs frowned just a little. “Good or bad?”
“Good. Oh boy was it good. Some woman out there wanted to know why four hunks like us were not on the auction list!!!”
David’s announcement had stunned the others as there was a knock at the door and Simon entered smiling like a Cheshire cat. “Well lads. What do you think? You ready for the music world?”
Before anyone could answer there was another knock on the door and Angela stuck her head in. “May I come in?”
The four men from Il Divo beamed at her as Sebastien took her hand pulling her into the centre of them all. “Cherie what did you think?” He paused a little before continuing. “But be gentle, we are but fragile vessels.”
David groaned but the most exquisite laugh poured over Angela’s lips as she answered. “Oh Sebastien, the women of the world wont know what to do with you once we let you loose. You really are Prince Charming.”
Sebastien bowed. “You are too kind. But what about our performance, you approved?”
Angela smiled giving Simon a quick look. “I really don’t think it matters that I approve. As far as I can tell there are women out there willing to do just about anything to hear you sing again including giving money to the auctioneer and they are not leaving tonight until they at least get another look at you four. So be prepared, you’re not leaving here in a hurry. One woman was contemplating if her husband would mind if she took the cute one home with her.”
All four men blushed and Simon laughed. “Wonder which one of you is the cute one then?????”
Concerned, Urs stepped forward. “Simon, is this normal?”
Again Simon smiled. “Normal, for fans yes perfectly normal, I just didn’t expect it to happen so fast. We are on a winner lads. So get out there and shake some hands. Make females swoon and this CD will be a winner as well.”
Carlos, David and Urs looked to Sebastien as David pushed him towards the door. “Prince Charming first.”

What none of them knew was Reg had been at the auction and seen for himself Simon’s handy work. The only person to see the smile on his face was his driver. Under his breath Reg mumbled a few words. “This may just work.” as he absentmindedly stared out the car window.

Chapter 9
Several days later the men from Il Divo were back in the conference room of Delfin Productions listening to what Simon had in store for them. As he laid out his ideas and plans for radio and television time as well as a few more live performances he had to wonder if Interpol could do anything to upset what he wanted to do. He stopped in mid sentence and just looked at the men before sighing as David asked the obvious question.
“Simon, are you alright?”
Simon nodded. “Yes. But now would be the time to pull out if you don’t want to go through with this.”
David looked to his three companions and Simon knew some kind of silent communication had taken place before David gave him their answer seeming to know what was bothering him. “We’ll take care of Interpol Simon, you just take care of the music but it does seem to me like you have us doing a lot in a short period of time.”
Again Simon smiled, this time it was a smile of relief. “Yes, I do, I want as much exposure for you where I can, most popular radio stations will not pick you up as quickly as we need them to.”
Simon put up his hands to stop the questions. “I know I have booked you into a few radio interviews but mostly TV appearances. I need people to see you as well as hear you. I also think we are on a good thing with the suits on stage. It went over really well the other day. You looked like a team, you looked like you belonged together and from what I can gather from Angela as far as the female public are concerned you could walk out on stage and just stand there and they would be happy.”
Simons statement caught the men off guard and they all shuffled a little uneasy in there seats. They were all used to being under scrutiny but this was new and Urs made his thoughts known. “But Simon, the music. That is why we are here not to be ogled by females.”
Carlos laughed. “Speak for yourself Swiss. The more ogling the better. The ladies they are beautiful yes but they are not without wisdom. They like what they see, they listen to the music, they buy right?” At his last words Carlos looked to Simon.
Simon had no choice but to smile. “Yes Carlos, they buy. But do not underestimate your public. If we do this right you will have a very devoted and dedicated fan base that will do far more to promote you than I ever could. You want freedom, you need them Urs, you need to let them ogle you, adore you, admire you. They are the ones who can give you that freedom.”
David tried to lighten the atmosphere. “I for one would rather be ogled than shot at Urs, you never know this could actually be fun.”
The room fell silent waiting for Urs to reply, when he didn’t Simon continued with the briefing of which Urs heard very little. All of a sudden he wasn’t sure if he would rather be shot at. In his own regimented, stoic way he understood his life as an agent, he could control it to a certain degree. Urs’ stomach began to turn and the palms of his hands were moist with the anxiety building up inside as he suddenly realised that for all the things he had done with Interpol, all the places he had been, he had remained invisible to the rest of the world. That was all about to change, he would be invisible no longer and for the first time in his life Urs was very unsettled seeing the control slip from his grasp. In that very moment his self confidence paled, he could almost feel it shrinking within him, trying to hide. Did he really have what it would take to be this new person? This singer? For the first time in his life Urs second guessed himself and he did not like it.
David’s voice brought him back. “Hey Urs don’t look so worried. Simon is a whiz at this stuff, he’s not about to screw this up.”
Unknown to all Sebastien had been watching Urs so it was not so much his words but the tone of his voice and the understanding in his eyes that Urs caught as he spoke. “Urs, my friend. Do not be anxious, you will not be alone.”
Urs gave them a weak smile letting Sebastien’s words settle. Maybe that was it. He had always been alone.
David was not sure that Sebastien’s words had helped. Although Urs looked okay there was something in his eyes that seemed to register with David. “Urs… You’re damn good at your job.” His eyes scanned across the others. “We all are, so think of this as another assignment. Do what you would normally do to get ready for a new job, become the character of Urs the singer just like you would take on the persona of any other to be able to do your job.”
Urs’ eyes settled on David and he gave him a definite nod. Little did he know that the other three men had battled with many of the same reservations he himself was struggling with and all David had done was voice the decision each of them had made to deal with this new world they had found themselves in. They would do what they did best and to help in the transition were going to treat Il Divo like an assignment.

Simon broke the tension. “Okay lads, time for lunch I think.” He was just about to pick up the phone when Angela pushed a trolley through the door, smiling as she placed lunch on the conference table. As her eyes fell on Urs her smiled disappeared. Something was wrong but now was not the time to address it so she continued on. “Time for a break guys. Don’t let Grumpy here keep you hostage.”
All the men smiled including Simon as she left the room. “No one else on the planet can get away with calling me that.”
Carlos swallowed part of a sandwich. “Then way do you let her do it Simon?”
“Because she is who she is.”

David had excused himself to make a phone call and wandered up and down the hallway as he spoke passing Angela at her desk several times.
As he finished the call he smiled at her. “Thanks for lunch Ange, as always it was great.”
Angela smiled back belaying her concerns for Urs and not wanting to put the spotlight on him she decided to make her question a general one. “You guys okay, seemed a little tense in there?”
Unconsciously David perched himself on the edge of her desk, this was something they had all taken to doing and Angela thought it rather sweet.
“Yeah, I think we all just got a little nervous about what Simon wants us to do.” Before she could say anything David continued. Don’t get me wrong we all want this to work, more than you know but still it is all new to us.”
Angela took hold of one of his hands in hers. “And you’ve all made peace with it?”
David nodded and squeezed her hand.
Her next statement shocked him. “But Urs, he is struggling more than the rest isn’t he? Seems to have shaken his foundation more than you or the others. I can see that you, Carlos and Sebastien have figured out how you are going to deal with this but Urs; even though he has convinced you he is alright he is still uncertain, maybe for the first time in his life.”
Again David squeezed her hand. “How could you know that?”
“I know people David. You for instance, you hide a secret behind that laugh of yours a hurt you have not shared with anyone.”
David paled, trying to stand, remove his hand from hers but she held him both with her hand and with her gaze, her eyes shone with understanding and sympathy. “I’m sorry David. Discernment is not always a gift. But I am here for you and for the others. I didn’t mean to hurt you truly.”
David’s voice was almost a whisper. “I know…But how could you know me?”
Standing, Angela guided him to his feet and she shrugged her shoulders. “Just like I remember everything, it is something I do.” One more time she squeezed his hand leaning in, giving him a gentle kiss on the cheek. “When you want to talk David…… And don’t be too hard on Urs over the next couple of days. He’ll get to where you are he just needs time to do it okay.”
David hugged her than pushed her back a little so he could look into her eyes. “I should be trying to put as much distance between us as I can right now, I should be angry, I should be screaming at you that you have no idea what you are talking about but I’m not. Who are you?”
“Someone you can trust, depend on. I promise David when the time comes I will be ready to help.”
David kept looking into her eyes, looking for that tell tale sign he knew so well that betrayed people, that shimmer as they lied. All he saw was her genuine desire to help. “You would help wouldn’t you? Any of us.”
“Of course.”
“If you know us so well would you talk to Urs if you think he is having trouble? He might listen to you where he may not listen to us.”
Angela smiled and repeated her words. “Of course.”
Angela watched David walk halfway down the hall when he stopped and turned. “You remember everything?”
Angela suddenly realised her mistake, Simon had not told them of her gift and she had not intended to, not yet but now it was out there. “Did I say that?”
With a smile David answered. “Yes you did and I WILL remember you did.”

Since Il Divo’s first public appearance Angela’s life in the office had become a little busier, fielding phone calls from trades people as well as the public wanting to know more about this new group. She was more than happy to give them the information they wanted, next appearance, when the CD would be available and had started up a mail list. As she added a few more names to the list she smiled. “Mmm just maybe the beginnings of a fan club.”
Simon’s voice surprised her. “Whose fan club?”
“Well certainly not yours Boss. I have over 300 people on this list waiting to hear more about Il Divo, wanting more.”
Simon leaned over her shoulder to have a look at the list on her computer screen. “How many in the trade.”
“About 40. Just quietly seeking information. Maybe you should make sure they don’t want to quietly pinch your new creation Boss. Would be a shame.”
Simon smiled as he straightened back up. “Never going to happen.”
The confidence in his voice startled Angela it was so unyielding. “You sound very sure.”
There was a glint in Simon’s eyes as he answered while walking into his office. “I am. Very sure.”

Angela was on the phone not long after when the others left all waving their good byes as they passed her desk. That was all except Urs. Angela took a few more calls and kept an eye on the time, after ten minutes she switched the phone to DND making sure any new calls went to her voice mail. If Urs needed someone to talk to she did not want to be interrupted.
Before going to the conference room Angela made a side trip to the kitchen arming herself with two glasses of red wine.
Entering the conference room she found Urs with his back to her, standing gazing out the window. Silently she walked up beside him and offered him a glass. It seemed to take him a few moments to register he was holding the glass. When he did Urs turned his head slightly giving her a quizzical look.
Angela’s voice was soft and soothing as she spoke. “It’s almost five pm and this is one of Grumpy’s best vintages. Unless you would rather drink alone.”
Urs looked back out the window before he spoke. “No…. you can stay.”
“Well gee thanks; with an invitation like that how can a girl refuse.”
Angela had meant the remark as a joke. When she got no response from the man standing at her side she changed tact, placing her hand gently on his upper arm. “Sorry Urs, I didn’t mean to offend.”
He did not move, did not answer, all she saw was his chest puff out just a little more as he sighed. As she had done with David she squeezed his arm just a little. “You did the right thing Urs.”
At her words he looked at her. “Did I? My life before……”
Angela cut him off. “You life before was your life before. Your life now is here. Do not start second guessing yourself Urs that is where your mistakes will come from.” Much the same as David she saw the shocked look flash across his eyes no matter how hard he tried to hide it so she kept going like she had not seen it. “Besides this is not all your life, it is only part of it, what you do, not who you are and you know who you are?”
Urs turned from the window to face her making Angela remove her hand from his arm. “I thought I did. I tried very hard to keep my job and ……and my life very separate.”
“And did you succeed?”
Urs only nodded.
“So you will succeed again, as you have in the past.”
“But the lines, they blur, much more than I had expected them to. I am alone.”
Angela went to say something when Urs shook his head. “No, that is not what I mean. “I mean I am a very private person. I do not know if I can handle the intrusion of so many, the public. I fear their attention will bleed over into that part of my life no one sees.”
Angela gave him a sad smile. “Is that part of your life so horrible, you have to keep it hidden?”
Urs was mortified by her words and she could see it written all over his face, he made no attempt to hide this time. “NO!!!!!Maybe….. Please Angela can we not discuss something else?”
Angela knew she would have to be very careful or he would dismiss her and she would never get him to understand he still had the strength he thought he had lost. “Okay, just answer me one more question.”
By this time Urs had retuned to staring out the window. “How did you keep your work and life separate before? Are you telling me that this strategy that has worked for so long is no good, you can’t do it?”
There was venom in Urs’ reply. “Of course I can!!!!!!”
The room fell silent while Angela waited for Urs to realise what he had said. He turned to look at her, his voice softer. “I can.”
Angela touched the tip of her glass to his. “Yes. You can.”

They stood in silence, side by side watching the day turn into night, sipping on the wine, allowing its warm tendrils to seep into their very souls and Angela wondered just how much hurt these men where hiding, first David, now Urs. She was contemplating leaving Urs to his thoughts when he spoke. “It is horrible, that part of me, that monster I keep hidden. People would run if they knew what I had done. You would run.”
Again Angela placed her hand on his arm. “No, People that truly know you would always be at your side. You may have had to do horrible things for the right reasons but you…. you are not horrible. You are not a monster Urs, you never could be and I would never run from you, with you, for you, beside you but never from you.” silence settled over the room once again as Angela finished the last of her wine. “When you are ready to face those horrors Urs. I will face them with you.”
She squeezed his arm and Urs placed his free hand on hers. “Thank you.”

The chill of the room nudged at Urs’ thoughts, he turned to ask Angela how she could understand him so well but she was gone and the conference room was dark. He had no idea how long he had been standing there working his way through the turmoil he had created for himself but he smiled. Angela had given him just what he needed, the time and space to think things through and a reason to keep going. Looking at his empty glass Urs sighed and walked to the kitchen, placed it in the dishwasher and then began to leave the building to find a note on the exit door in Angela’s hand writing telling him how to disengage then set the alarm so he could actually leave. He smiled as he read the last line which told him to swallow the paper so that the information did not fall into the wrong hands. Urs had already memorised the instructions by the time he finished reading the note. He chuckled to himself, if Angela had been there he might just have tried to eat the paper, instead he waited until he had reached the tube station, tore it up and placed it in a bin that was to be soon emptied.

Chapter 10
Simon had been right, the right words in the right ear at the right time, the influence of word of mouth and Il Divo found themselves much more popular than they ever expected. The CD had made it into the top ten and to number one without any serious airplay, Delfin Productions had set up a website for their fans and it too was very popular. All this and Il Divo now stood on the stage of a morning TV show in Australia ready to promote their CD, their tour and themselves. The four men were tired and happy and overwhelmed by the response they received as they travelled around the world. But among the light, always the small shadow that cast itself on their lives. They had succeeded in wrestling some freedom from Interpol but still they were expected to take on assignments. With them travelling the globe it seemed that Interpol was making good use of them. Even in Australia two members of the group had assignments and still the only person to know of their double lives was Simon. Although a few times the four men had discussed the idea that Angela knew. She had joined them on their tour and her discernment and perception of people had stunned them more than once, had helped them more than once and had unnerved them more times than any of them cared to remember. They all knew of her other gift, the gift of remembering everything, the very reason that Simon had sent her with them. This only enhanced their suspicions as to whether she knew their secret.

As Il Divo finished singing and being interviewed Urs let his gaze drift to where she stood off camera and his heart almost froze. Standing beside her was the man he was supposed to meet, he knew Angela well enough to read the look on her face. She had glanced at the man a few times and the warning bells had sounded for her. She did not like what she felt. As she caught Urs looking at her she smiled, trying to relax. This was Il Divo’s last appearance for almost a week when they would do it all over again in Hong Kong and Angela would be glad of the down time.
As the interview finished the four men wandered over to where she was standing. “Nice work fellas as always. The car is waiting, so back to the hotel for a few hours before the sight seeing tour?”
She nerves bristled as she saw Urs give a quick glance behind her before he answered.
“Sorry Ange I will have to miss the sight seeing, I have something I need to take care of.”
“Fine, you coming back to the hotel or not?”
The way she addressed her statement stunned the other men, it had been a little spiteful but Urs did not seem to notice, he just patted her on the shoulder as he walked passed. “No, I can find my own way back.”
With that Urs left and introduced himself to the man that Angela really did not like but she was unable to do anything about as the remaining three men gathered around her. All knowing where Urs was going and trying to deflect her attention. Sebastien spoke first. “You know how he gets Cherie, just needs his own space for a little while.”
Next David tried. “Yeah I bet he is even back in time for the sight seeing.”
Lastly Carlos took her hand and began to guide her to the exit. “You mentioned the car Bella and if we are expected to sight see this afternoon I will need my space on my bed for a little while. These early morning interviews disturb my beauty sleep.”
Angela did her job and got them to the car but on impulse she returned to the studio determined to find Urs, she needed to warn him, of what she was not sure. That was until she saw him talking to that man.
She walked up behind Urs and gently took him by the elbow. “Excuse me Mr Buhler can I have a quick word.” She nodded her apology to the other man.
Urs was a little surprised to see her and it showed on his face. “Angela I said I……”
She cut him off as she pulled him to a safer distance. “I don’t know why you are with this man Urs but you need to be very careful, I don’t like the feel of him.”
All the men of Il Divo had come to respect Angela’s perception of people and trusted her judgement so Urs’ anger at her interruption dissipated just a little. He sighed and gave her a warm smile. “Okay. I promise to be careful Ange, but I can take care of myself you know.”
Angela went to say something but Urs continued. “But I will be careful I promise. Now off you go, I dare say Carlos has fallen asleep in the car.”
Urs watched her leave before returning to the other man. “Sorry about that just a slight change in the itinerary.”
The other man nodded and began to walk. “Can we get this over with, I don’t like being this exposed.”
An iniquitous smile crept across Urs’ face as he followed the other agent. He was supposed to gain some information from him but he was also to dispose of him once the transaction had taken place. Angela’s words heightened his alertness and was probably what stopped him from getting a knife shoved into his chest.
Urs had followed the agent to a warehouse as arranged but once inside the agent turned, lunging at Urs. Urs had been scanning the inside of the warehouse for danger not expecting to have to defend himself from the other man so soon. Urs grabbed hold of the man’s hand seeing the glint of the knife heading towards him. His actions deflected the knife from its original course but did not stop it from digging painfully into his side. If the other agent had expected this to slow Urs down he was mistaken, all it seemed to do was urge him on, give him more strength. Still holding the mans hand Urs pulled the knife from his side, twisted the agent’s wrist until they both heard it crack and the agent screamed falling to the floor giving Urs the chance to stand over him with the knife to his throat not a hint of pity or empathy on his face, his voice as cold as steel he held in his hands. “Where is it? Where’s the disc?”
The agent did not answer so Urs whipped the knife across the agents face, cutting off his ear while still keeping him pinned to the ground. Again the other agent screamed. Urs was unmoved. “You can tell me or I can take you bit by bit.”
Urs only waited a moment before changing his grip on the knife so he could plunge it into the man’s shoulder. As he did the agent relented, shouting in desperation. “Up there!!!!!.” His eyes moved to the next floor of the warehouse to a small office. “Up there, Hidden in plain sight.”
Urs tapped the knife on the man’s cheek and began to pull, drawing blood as he did, he never spoke just stared menacingly into the agent’s eyes. “In the disc box on the desk, It’s just called My play list.”
Urs smiled at the man under him but it was not a smile of appreciation, it was a smile of death. Urs uttered the last words the man would ever hear. “Thank you.” As he pushed the knife into the man’s chest and straight into his heart.
Standing, Urs winced at the pain in his own side, running his hand across his shirt it was covered in blood. He looked to the dead body on the floor knowing that his orders had been to terminate the man but it seemed he had been given the same orders about Urs and this unnerved him more than a little. There had been contracts out on him before but now he had to wonder if it was his own team, Interpol that had sent the contract out or if it had been a legitimate hit. If it had been a real hit it only raised more questions. As far as Urs could gather the information he was to retrieve was not that important. So again he had to reason that it was Interpol. If they got rid of one of the members of Il Divo then the group its self would be no more and it would be much easier for them to pick off the other members one by one. As he walked slowly up the stairs to the office Urs pulled out his mobile phone. He knew that Carlos had an assignment scheduled for later that evening and wanted to warn him. All he text was ‘watch your back’.

Urs made it back to his hotel room, threw the disc on his bed and went to the bathroom to attend to his wound. His fellow band members would have not long left for their sight seeing tour and Urs was hoping that Carlos had passed on his message.
He winced as he twisted to take a look at the damage to his side, pulling his shirt off as he walked back into the large room discarding it on the bed next to the disc, knowing he would need to dispose of it later, sending such an item to the hotel laundry would only raise suspicions that Urs did not need.
He winced again as he leaned over and pulled a small sewing kit out of his bag.
Once more he looked into the bathroom mirror and took a deep breath before cleaning the wound and beginning to stitch it closed. The cut from the knife was not too deep but deep enough to need the attention that Urs was now giving it.
Finished with his needle point Urs put on a fresh shirt, warmed up the laptop that sat on the coffee table and placed the disc inside ready to send the information to Interpol. He hesitated for just a moment deciding to have a look at the information. It took him almost fifteen minutes to get through all the encryptions. Again this tweaked his suspicions, if this information was so inconsequential then why such a fire wall? Once he got to the actual information he found several files: My play list….My bible.
Urs opened My play list first scanning for anything that would make sense. At first it seemed like any other list of songs that someone had decided to compile. It was when Urs opened the song that things got interesting. The file did not play a song but gave up all the information about it. The song, the performer, the production company, financial information, company information, private information about Directors and CEO’s and at the bottom of the list was a small symbol ♫$. Urs opened more songs and the information was the same. Moving to the next file My bible all he found was more encryption and a code he could not crack. He smiled to himself and thought of David. This was right up his alley. To make sure that no one could point a finger at him he sent the information to Interpol but was determined to find out what it meant. Probably nothing but that feeling in the pit of his stomach told him other wise.
With nothing else to do and feeling the pain in his side Urs took a few pain killers and slept while he waited for the others to return.

The sight seeing tour for the others was to take off from Darling Harbour on a boat. Apart from the three members of the band there was only Angela, the skipper and a crewman. She had convinced Simon they did not need a photographer to follow their every move, she was quite capable of clicking a few pictures. Simon had not been sure at first but he should never have worried, Angela’s gift of remembering included her time studying photography. Her shots were brilliant and the fact that the men felt more relaxed around her meant that she caught some very candid shots that would not have otherwise been possible. She smiled to herself as they made their way out of the harbour, all the while the skipper giving them a running commentary on where they were and what they were seeing. They all seemed relaxed but her mind drifted back to the one that was missing. Why did she feel it would have been better if he had come with them? David’s voice made her jump a little. “Don’t worry about him Ange. His loss, he’s a big boy and can take care of himself.” His last words were for Carlos and Sebastien as well. “I bet he is back at the hotel just being lazy all ready, He’ll be there when we get back I promise. Don’t spoil such a nice day with your worrying.”
Angela smiled. “Sorry David, didn’t mean to be the grey cloud.” She shook herself free of her worries and spent the day taking photos and generally having fun. It was not until they got back to the dock that she allowed it to consume her again.

Carlos had received Urs’ text not long after they set out but had waited until they got back to the city before he showed it to David or Sebastien. As they walked back to the car in silence each man gave Carlos a knowing look. Urs was worried about something. Carlos spoke softly so that Angela could not hear him. “We should ask him why the warning.”
Once they were back in the car Angela gave them the itinerary for the next day. “Don’t forget to pack up tonight we have to be at the airport by eleven.” There were a few quiet groans from the three men and Angela had to smile. “Come on guys it is not that bad. You get a few days off and no one said you couldn’t go out tonight. Just as long as you are in the hotel lobby with bags at your side by ten fifteen I wont ask any questions. If I have to come looking for you I will be expecting full details of your nights adventures.”
All three men gave her the biggest grins they could in answer and she laughed shaking her head.
David patted her on the knee. “Would you like to come with us tonight. Sebastien and I were going to check out that night club just down the road from the hotel.”
“Thanks but I don’t want to cramp your style.”
Sebastien jumped in playfully. “What style Cherie. You will bring the style with you. This one is all arms and legs.”
They all laughed as Sebastien and David wrestled like brothers and Angela questioned Carlos about his plans for the evening.
“Arr Bella I have a pre arranged appointment.”
“A secret rendezvous Carlos. Well just as long as she has you back in time to leave tomorrow that is all I ask.”
Angela did not see the look Carlos gave his two male companions. It was not a lady he was going to see.

Once back at the hotel Angela stopped at the reception desk to see if there were any messages, as she waited another clerk phoned Urs with the news that his friends had returned. He had left a request that he be informed as soon as they arrived. He checked himself in the mirror, looking down at his side to make sure there were no tell tale signs of his injury except for the pain when he moved. Just as he ran his fingers through is hair there was a knock at the door and the sound of Sebastien’s muffled voice. “Urs, you okay?”
He opened the door to all three men. “Yeah I am fine. Things got a little more complicated than I expected.”
As the men entered the room Urs walked over his computer, they all notice him wince as he bent over but said nothing. “David I think this is more your field than mine. I can’t unlock the code.”
Without a word David sat in front of the computer and began to work as the others gathered around. Carlos patted Urs on the shoulder. “You have been hurt?”
Urs just shrugged keeping his eyes on the computer screen as David worked. “Just a scratch.”
Sebastien smiled at him. “You’ll have to lie better than that my friend or she’ll know.”
Urs was about to answer when David sat back and pointed to the screen.
“Geez Urs. Why the hell would they try and hide this stuff it’s just the names of music and production companies. Most of this is available on any Google search.”
They stared at the information more intently when Sebastien pointed to the screen. “Look I think the list is in regions. Yes, see these are all from Europe.”
David slid the cursor further down the list and sure enough Sebastien was right. All the companies had been grouped by region, some with the same symbol that Urs had seen in the other file. He told the others by pointing to the screen. “That symbol is on some of the information on the other file.”
David stood. “I still don’t get it. This is no international secret, no world changing event that needs to be stopped.”
“Then why was I told to kill the courier once I had the information and why did he try to kill me before we even exchanged.”
Urs’ statement shocked them all. Carlos was still frowning as he spoke. “This was the reason for your message to me, in case we did not meet before tonight?”
Urs just nodded and Carlos continued.
“But you have a theory yes?”
“I do but I cannot connect it to the information we have here.”
“So spit it out Urs.” David was getting a little edgy as he waited for Urs’ reply.
“I think Interpol is planning to try and get rid of at least one of us. This way Il Divo will not be able to continue.”
Sebastien shook his head. “And we shall be punished for our foolish behaviour. Once they have one it will be easier to get the others. Why did we ever think they would ever let us get too far from their grasp?” Sebastien slumped into a chair.
Urs bristled just a little and the others all felt it. “Sebastien, it is just a theory and even if I am right may I remind you that this was not our plan. Reg started this. How long do you think we would have survived if we had all just quit on our own? I dare say none of us would be breathing right now.” He held up his hand to stop anyone from interrupting. “I do not think the two are connected. I have my suspicions that the information on that disc is just how David said. Worthless, it was me they were after.”
It was David’s turn to frown. “But I don’t get all the encryption if it is worthless.”
“Maybe it is not worthless. Tonight I am supposed to pick up information, also on disc. If the information is not worthless this would be the way to ensure they got what they wanted. Urs dead and the information.”
Urs sighed. “Well they know I am not dead, I sent the information.”
“Okay.” David pulled himself to his full height. “If they are trying to get rid of us we need to send them a message, dead bodies will get their attention.” His eyes danced to Carlos. “Carlos, what was your assignment?”
“Pick up only, no disposing but I am guessing that has all changed.”
David nodded. “I think Sebastien should go with you, keep to the shadows.”
Urs slipped his hands into his jean pockets and winced just a little, his side was beginning the throb. “So you are suggesting this is how we let them know what we are prepared to do to keep what freedom we have?”
David Nodded. “Once the bodies start piling up I think they will get the idea. We need to get Simon to rev up our appearances as Il Divo as well. Keep us in the spotlight, the more public attention we can get the better. I’ll keep working on this info.” David looked back to the computer. “See if I can find something.”

Later that night is was Urs who was to keep Angela occupied so she did not notice that David had not gone out for the night. He had deliberately not taken any more pain killers that afternoon and was now standing at Angela’s door not having to fain his symptoms. Urs was beginning to regret the last twenty minutes in the hotel gym to help his cause but knowing it had worked by the look on Angela’s face as she opened the door.
“My god Urs you look dreadful, Come in.”
“Yeah thanks, nice to see you too.” He tried to smile as she pulled him into the room. “Just wanted to know if you have any aspirin, my heads killing me.”
Angela sat him down on a chair and placed her hand on his forehead surprising him. “You’ve got a temperature.”
Urs removed her hand from his head. “I’m fine really.” He saw the change in her eyes and knew he was about to get berated.
“Bull. Here am I all worried about that creep you left with and I should have been worrying about your health. Is anything else wrong, stomach ache, aches and pains, anything?”
All Urs could do was shake his head.
“Well if you had any ideas of taking a few pills and heading out on the town with the others, it’s not happening. You are staying right here where I can keep an eye on you.”
Seemed their plan to keep her occupied had worked too well.
Urs smiled. “You worry too much Ange. Besides the others have already gone and I can just go back to my room and rest.”
“No, I want to make sure that temperature is not a sign of something worse. We have to fly out in the morning and travelling while sick is just the pits.” She pulled back the sheets to her bed. “You get comfortable while I check my first aid kit.”
Urs was about to argue then thought better of it. What better way to keep an eye on her. So instead he stripped off to his boxers and did what he was told. By the time she got back he was sitting up in bed with the sheets pulled strategically so she could not see his wound.
Angela had seen all four men stripped down to their underwear on several occasions but it never ceased to amaze her how good they all looked. Simon was right, looks and they could sing, it was always going to be a winner. Seeing Urs made her stumble over her words just a little. “I ….I can give you these for the fever but they might make you a little drowsy. Don’t suppose that matters too much considering the time.”
She handed Urs two white pills and a glass of water. Urs noticed she seemed a little happier that he had not put up a fight about taking them. He was actually grateful of her attention. He really was feeling the effects of his work out. “Thank you.”

Angela sat at the table and worked on her computer while Urs watched a little TV, every now and then she would look over to check on him yet all the time knowing there was something more, a deeper reason ,a deeper pain..
After a while Urs did feel very drowsy, he wasn’t sure if it was just the pills or the combination of the medication and the fact that he felt safe, he never remembered falling asleep.

Angela was about to ask him what happened with the creepy guy from the TV station, seeing him sleeping instead she decided to adjust the sheets, make him more comfortable. As she pulled on the corners to tuck them in she saw the small plaster on his side and the stain of blood as it had tried to seep through. First her brow furrowed, then she sighed whispering to herself. “What did you get involved in Mr Buhler?” reaching out to gently touch the site of Urs’ wound she was caught by surprise at his quick reflexes as her fingers touched him but even more shocked at the tight painful grip he held on her wrist and the dark thundering look in his eyes. Angela tried to pull away but that only made Urs’ grip even tighter. For a moment Urs was confused to where he was. It was the tremble in Angela’s voice that brought him back to reality. “Urs, please let me go.”
Immediately he dropped his hand and his eyes once again returned to their soft hazel colour, yet his body was still tense. He knew that she had seen his wound but was at a loss to what she would do or say. He did know he had scared her and seeing that she had moved several steps away from the bed he was sure he had damaged their friendship, so her actions very much surprised him. Her voice was tempered with care, love and understanding as she came back to him, kneeling by the bed and taking his hand. “He did this to you didn’t he? I knew he was trouble.”
Urs just stared back at her unable to answer.
“Can I check? It might be the reason you have a fever.”
Again Urs remained silent but nodded his approval however he did wince a little as she removed the plaster.
For her part Angela sucked in her breath when she saw the wound not expecting to see the stiches. “You did this yourself Urs, Why?”
He was just about to answer when he felt her fingers touch his side and again he winced. It was far more painful than he had expected.
“Urs, it’s infected, it will only get worse if we don’t do something. You must have missed something when you cleaned it.”
She looked apologetically into his eyes. “We need to do this again.”
He began to swing his legs over the side of the bed to stand. “I’ll take care of it.”
Angela stood her ground in front of him. “No, we’ll take care of it. I need to make sure it is very clean.” She touched his side as she spoke. “Take these stitches out.”
Once again Urs grabbed her wrist but this time his touch was far gentler “I’ll do it.” So too was his voice.
Without another word he strode to the bathroom closing the door behind him.

While Urs took care of the stitches Angela readied what she had and placed everything on the table.
Urs retuned with a towel wrapped around his waist, already a stain of blood on the rim. Angela beckoned him to sit near the table. Taking a deep breath she held the disinfectant in one hand and a swab in the other. “This is going to hurt.”
Urs neither flinched nor spoke while she cleaned his wound, just staring off into space, concentrating on anything but her touch or the pain in his side. He heard nothing of what she had said and it was only his bodies reaction when she began to re stitch the whole in his side that brought him out of his trance.
Every muscle in his torso tightened as Angela pushed the needle into his skin. She in turn held her breath. “I can give you more pain killers and wait if you like.”
Urs shook his head not daring to look at her, not understanding why he was letting her treat him. Once she was done what did he do? If he had been on assignment it would have meant her death, no hesitation so his own words rang sour in his ears. “No…. just get it over with.”
Angela was amazed at the pain he was enduring yet it was the gentle brush of her fingers over the new plaster that made him turn his head and look at her. She could not read the expression on his face, confused, pondering. “Did that hurt much?”
Urs forced the word over his lips. “Yes.” As he lent in, placed his hands on both sides of her neck and kissed her. It would be over in seconds.

His movements shocked Angela so much it took her a few moments to regain her senses and move her head back while pulling Urs’ hands from her neck. “Hey hold up there Urs.”
Immediately Urs stood and began to pace the floor. “I’m sorry, I have no idea where that came from. I should have, I should have……I should have not done that.”
Angela stepped in front of him so when he stopped they were almost touching. Urs stepped back a little but Angela still placed her hands on his bare chest. “It’s okay Urs. Lets just put it down to the pain okay. I just didn’t want you to do something you would regret later.” She stepped back feeling his unease. “I am still here for you, whether you want to tell me how you got stabbed or not. We all have secrets Urs but sometimes you need to share the load.”
Urs went to protest but she stepped back into him, placing her fingers on his lips. “In your own time.” Changing the subject she moved to the phone. “I think I need to see if the hotel has a doctor on call. I’d be happier if you had a tetanus shot.”
“I’ve had mine.” Urs walked up behind her and placed a gentle kiss on the top of her head. “Thank you.” Then he made a move to leave her room forgetting he was not dressed.
“And where do you think you are going?”
Urs did not get a chance to answer. “You still have a fever and I am not letting you out of my sight until I am sure you are okay.”
Angela took a small bottle out of her first aid kit and gave Urs two more pills. “Take these and climb back into bed.”
Urs smiled cheekily, threw the pills to the back of his throat and swallowed. “Yes Mum.”
Angela gasped as he dropped the towel to the floor before getting into the bed naked.
Urs had no trouble drifting off to sleep, he had made the right choice he was sure of it.
It took Angela a little longer to get her own temperature under control as she tided up the room and got rid of the evidence of the nights events. “Get a grip girl, You know it was just the fever. But damn that body!!!!!”

Chapter 11
Sebastien and Carlos reported back to David’s room, Carlos throwing the new disc at David. “It is done.”
David loaded the new disc into his computer. “Did you have any trouble?”
Both Carlos and Sebastien shook their heads but it was Carlos that answered. “No. I guess the suspicious death of two members of the same band on the same night would have brought too much attention. It would have been a simple exchange if not for…..”
David answered absentmindedly. “If not for the changes we made.”
Sebastien moved closer to the computer. “Did you find anything?”
“Sort of. It’s a list of pretty much every music company on the globe and who owns them. I worked my way up the chain and it looks like there are four main players.”
It was Carlos’ turn to move closer. “What are you saying David?”
“I am saying that apart from a handful of companies the power of the music industry lies with just four players or it will and I think they have been quietly buying out companies for a few years now.”
David paused just a little and shifted in his seat. “Let’s have a look at your disc shall we.” The only sound in the room was that of David’s fingers on the keyboard. “You were right Carlos, the information on this disc is exactly the same as the one Urs gave me, exactly….. right down to the encryptions.”
“Merde… Urs was right. They have decided we are a liability.”
Sebastien began to pace the room as Carlos went to sit next to David. “So this information was not just a decoy, they are interested in it for a reason also. But why?”
David sighed and sat back. “The why, is what we need to find out.” Again he began to play with the keyboard. Both Carlos and Sebastien wanting to know what he was doing.
“Urs said he sent the information already so they have it. I am just going to send it again with a little gift attached that’s all.”
Carlos placed his hand on David’s arm to stop him a little concerned. “What kind of gift?”
“I have dropped a virus amongst their own encryption. As soon as they disable it the virus will kick in and spread to any computer attached to the system. If things have not changed in IT that means I have given them a headache. Just a little one for a few days but they will get the message.”
Sebastien stopped pacing. “Two dead bodies is not enough of a message?”

For two days Interpol would find that each time someone logged into their computer all they would get was the sound of Il Divo songs. David had not damaged any of their systems or erased or stolen any information and the smarter IT geeks had figured out how to stop the music from playing and retrieve their files. However others seemed to be very happy to wait for the clean up crew to do their job and listen to Il Divo while they did.

David showed Sebastien and Carlos what he had sent. “You think they will know it is from us?” his cheeky smile earned him a thump in the arm from Carlos and a flurry of French expletives from Sebastien.
David sobered them all up with his next remark. “Wonder how Urs did with Angela?”
Carlos shrugged his shoulders and smiled a little. “Very well I should imagine. He has not been in contact to say otherwise.”
Sebastien shook his head. “Do not be too sure. Angela, she is not easily swayed by the usual charms. We all know this. She may not see what people try to hide but she understands what is hidden.”
David gave his friend a concerned look. “Don’t you trust her Sebastien?”
Sebastien shook his head. “This is what scares me. I would trust her with my life.” He looked pleadingly at the others. “You feel the same yes?”
The silence in the room was his answer, they all knew what he meant, they all felt the same, each man knowing he was vulnerable, that is what scared them, yet she had done nothing to harm them just the opposite, with her abilities and gifts she had been an asset.
David moved to the hotel phone and called Urs’ room and got no reply. “Well he is not in his room. Maybe we should check?”
Carlos Smiled. “He will not have left her side David. What ever she wanted to do he would have accommodated.”
Both David and Sebastien caught the undertone of Carlos’ words. Sebastien just a little more shocked at what he thought Carlos was implying. “But he is injured… He would not risk her seeing.”
Again the room fell silent, they all knew each other well enough to know that Urs would do whatever it took to make sure she did not find out what had taken place that night. They all would have done the same but somehow knowing it was Angela made them uncomfortable. David began to walk to the door. “I still say we go and check. We are done, he can complete his mission.”

Angela was surprised to see all three men standing at her door as Sebastien put on his best Prince Charming act. “Ah Cherie, sorry to disturb you so late…or so early but we are concerned for Urs. He was not well and he is not in his room. Have you heard from him?”
Angela smiled sweetly at them all as she opened the door wider so they could see him still sleeping. She spoke quietly. “He had a fever. He came looking for some aspirin and I made sure he stayed. I think it has broken he has not been too restless for a while now.” Angela looked back into three stunned faces.
No one spoke as they looked from her to Urs trying to make up their minds about what had happened between the two, surely Carlos had not been right. The one thing that stopped them jumping completely to the wrong conclusion was the fact that Angela was still dressed in the clothes she had been wearing that afternoon. She let them feel uncomfortable for a little longer before she spoke. “Fellas, he’s okay, he’s resting and I suggest you do the same since you all have to be up in a few hours.”
Again it was Sebastien that was their spokes person. “And you Angela? One of us can keep watch over Urs if you need to sleep.”
She smiled and placed a caring hand on Sebastien’s arm. “That’s okay, you guys are the ones doing all the hard work in front of cameras. I think you need the rest more than me. Besides I can sleep when we get back to England.”
They all laughed and Urs stirred a little. “I promise he can come out and play tomorrow, now shooo.”
The three men were still stunned and David shook his head. “Tell me how that was supposed to work again. He was supposed to keep and eye on her right?”
Carlos and Sebastien shrugged their shoulders. They would have to wait for Urs to fill them in.

Angela checked on Urs first by stroking her fingers through his hair, then brushing her hand down his check. Next she lifted the sheets up just enough so she could see the wound on his side. As her hand drifted towards it Urs caught her wrist in his own hand but this time he was tender and caring in his touch. Angela smiled as she felt his gaze engulf her. “You need to rest.”
Angela was about to protest when Urs simply pulled her to him, wrapping his arms around her as she lay by his side. Although she lay on top of the sheets she could feel the heat of his body wash over her. “This will hurt you Urs.”
As he felt her move to get up he just held her tighter. “No, just be still and rest, you will not hurt me.”
Angela could not see his face but could feel his eyes on the back of her head. “Are you sure about this Urs, really sure?”
In that moment Urs could say that he was sure and yet so unsure, to answer her question he kissed the back of her head.
He stayed awake until he saw her breathing change as her body relaxed more into his arms and the tension dissolved. Satisfied that she had fallen asleep Urs did the same. It would be the first time in a very long time that he had held a woman in his arms for no other reason than to be near her.

The morning light pushing its way through the gaps in the blinds stirred Urs from his slumber. At first he just lay there but as his mind cleared he realised that something was wrong. Moving too quickly the pain in his side reminded him of the previous nights events, the empty, cool bed beside him told him that Angela had been up for sometime. As he sat on the edge of the bed his mind raced, he had held her in his arms and it had felt good, no agenda, her body next to his, drinking in the aroma of her perfume still with the scent of her day lingering on her skin. Falling asleep listening to the gentle hypnotic rhythm of her breathing. Thinking about it his own heart pounded harder in his chest. This was a dangerous situation; Urs knew he could so easily take the next step. Ask more of her. Ask her to be with him. It was something he had not had in his life and now there was a chance it scared him. The consequences of such a relationship danced through his mind. He would have to tell her the truth about who he was, who he really was. That thought alone was enough to make him shiver. If he did tell her the truth would he see his desire die as suddenly as it had been born? Would he be risking her life? His stomach tightened as he tried to make a choice then he heard the door to the room open and Angela walked in pulling his suitcase behind her. She gave him one of her smiles. “Morning sleepy. You where sleeping so peacefully I did not want to disturb you so I had a shower in your room.”
Urs looked down at the case. “Okay,yeah, I packed it but I know how you like things so if you want to re do it we have time.”
Urs remained silent; it seemed to him that Angela was carrying on as if nothing had happened. She stepped closer to him. “How’s your side this morning?”

If Urs had known how hard she was trying to control her own emotions his actions and words may have been different. As Angela bent down, touching his side Urs inhaled, not from the pain but from uncertainty. “Angela, about last night…”
Angela straightened back up, not wanting to hear him say it had been a mistake she spoke. “Urs, it is okay, you needed to be close to someone last night. We all need to be held close from time to time. I am happy I could be there for you.” She touched his shoulder and squeezed it gently. “I am just glad that you are alright.” Angela put back on her PA hat hoping that Urs had not noticed how hard it had been for her to say what she had. Like Urs she had wrestled with her own feelings for him. “Now…. you up for some breakfast before the other three come charging back through the door to make sure I haven’t tortured you.” She saw the frown creep across his face as he looked at the door. “They all came to check on you when they got in. I am guessing when they find your room empty they’ll be back.”
Urs was about to stand but remembered that he was naked so pulled the sheet round his middle, dragging it with him as he retrieved his mobile phone from the side pocket of his case. “I’ll send a text. No point in them worrying. I can just meet them in the lobby as planned.” Without another word he took some clothes from his case locking himself in the bathroom.
Angela stared after him. Listening as the shower began to run. “Shit. For someone who professes to be smart how many other ways could I have possibly screwed that up?”
Urs had turned on the shower but as yet he had not got under it, still staring at his reflection in the mirror wondering if Angela had the right idea. To get involved was too dangerous even if his heart was telling him otherwise. As the mirror began to fog up with the steam Urs stepped under the water hoping it would wash away the feelings he had. Feelings he had never had before, feelings that made him unsure, feelings that unnerved him, feelings that he would have to fight very hard to subdue, no amount of water was going to help.

The room was empty when he re-entered. Urs shoulders dropped just a little. By leaving Angela had given him his answer and suddenly Urs did not feel like breakfast. He called the concierge to let him know his bags where ready to be picked up. Replacing some of his things in his case he did smile just a little, he had not noticed before and had expected to have to repack but Angela had outdone herself, packing his case almost as he would have. She truly did remember everything.

On cue at ten fifteen Urs walked out of the elevator into the hotel lobby, seeing Angela standing by all their luggage but no sign of his companions. He had hoped not to be the first to arrive. No sooner had the thought raced through his mind did the others step from the second elevator. Urs slowed his walk so they could catch up and reach Angela together.
David patted him on the back. “I see spending the night with Angela seems to have been the medicine you needed.”
They all saw the flash of anger dart across Urs’ eyes so before things could get out of hand Sebastien stepped in. “You look much better Urs. We have much to tell you but that is for a more private place.”
The conversation stalled as they reached Angela. “Morning fellas, your chariot awaits.” Angela pointed to the black Hummer parked at the front door. They could see Matt, one of their entourage already loading bags into the car behind. “I need to catch a ride with Matt today, got a few things we need to iron out. So I will see you at the airport okay.”
All four men felt like they had been dismissed as Angela turned to talk to Matt as he came back in for another load of bags. It was not until they were in the back of the hummer that David broke the silence and wished he had not. “That was a little icy. What the hell did you do to her Urs?”
Urs reacted without thinking, the acrimony in his voice clear to all. “Back off David!!!!! Just back off!!! You have no idea what happened last night!!!!”
David was about to fire back when Carlos stopped him with a hand on his wrist as he spoke with determined calm . “No my friend we do not but what ever it was has upset you. Did you need to do something that you wished was not necessary to continue our subterfuge?”
Urs looked from one to the other before he answered, lowering his eyes as he did. “No. For a moment I thought …. After she saw my wound. But no. She….”
Carlos continued. “You did not tell her how you got hurt?”
Urs only shook his head. “And for a moment you thought of disposing of her.”
Carlos’ words shocked both David and Sebastien, the thought of one of them having to kill Angela was not a thought they wanted to harbour but Urs had obviously calculated the risks and had come close to doing just that. Even so Carlos was not convinced that this was the reason for his mood. “So my friend you made a hard choice.”
Urs looked back at his companions. “But maybe the worst choice.”
Carlos frowned just a little. “What could be worse than killing someone?”
Sebastien understood as soon as he looked back at Urs. “Loving someone.”
The pain that ingrained itself on Urs’ face told them all that Sebastien had been correct.
Sebastien’s words from the night before rang in David’s ears and he knew he had to say something. “Do you trust her Urs?”
Urs nodded his head and Carlos spoke the words he thought Urs could not. “With your life?”
Urs anguished look almost tore the men apart. “With my soul, Carlos, with my soul.”

Chapter 12
Angela did sleep on the plane, not sure if it was her emotions that had worn her out. As she slept she dreamt of Urs, his arms around her, the feel of his chest under her hands, the look in his eyes as he had pulled her to him.
The fact that she had gone to sleep gave Urs even more reason to think she had dismissed what had happened as simply being the result of his fever. It also gave the men a chance to talk of more serious things.

The four agents took the opportunity to go over the information that David had been able to gather. What they knew was that it looked very much like the music industry would be controlled by very few in the not too distance future. The four major players where all very well established international companies with extensive portfolios. So on the surface it did not look unreasonable for them to be testing the waters in the music industry. Two of the companies already had dealings with entertainment via TV stations and newspapers. They also knew that the purchases of such a large amount of one genre had gone unnoticed, no ripples of concern. The four men came to the same conclusion. That the four major players were acting together, each with a percentage in the music industry.
David sighed. “But why? I mean why all the secrecy that is what I don’t get. Another thing, does Interpol want the information to stop them or are they involved?”
”Merde.” Sebastien shook his head. “We cannot win if this is the case, we still end up working for them.”
Carlos frowned. “Provided we stay alive that is.”
Urs had been processing the information and uttered one word. “Delfin?”
David gave them all a weak smile. “Seems Simon’s company has been left untouched for now.” he paused just a little. “When we get into Hong Kong I think we need to dig a little deeper. Asia Pacific Mining’s head office is in Hong Kong.”
Carlos shook his head. “Good idea but I still don’t understand why a mining company would get involved in music?”
Urs patted his friend on the shoulder. “Maybe for the same reason the worlds largest producer of IT products is. They bought out Microsoft and Apple. They own the computer industry and already a potion of the music industry.”
Sebastien spoke up. “Urs could be right. If it was just them buying up I would say it was so they had total control. They already have a strangle hold. But then why Asia Pacific Mining? Why are they buying?”
David sighed. “My gut tells me there is more to this than we are seeing. Let’s see what we come up with.”

Restlessly Carlos, Sebastien and Urs drifted back to their own seats leaving David to troll through the internet for anything that would help them understand what was going on, why and who was behind it all. Their past experiences told them there was always a WHO and usually the WHY was either about power or money or both.
As each man passed the sleeping Angela they all gave her a quick glance and smiled to themselves. Urs absentmindedly ran his hand over his wound, sighing as he took his seat. He felt more trapped than ever.

The thump as the plane touched down stirred them all from their slumber. The only one who had not slept was David.
Angela was surprised that she had actually slept for most of the trip but then again considering the previous day, sleep was what she had needed. Gathering her gear and trying to shake the cotton wool from her head thinking a longer flight might have been better, gaining a few more hours sleep. She was about to replace her camera in its bag when she looked down the cabin and took some candid shots of the men as they got ready to disembark. Urs looked up at her but never smiled, David gave her a quick look as he flung his computer bag over his shoulder and she was a little surprised as Carlos and Sebastien gave her a gentle kiss on the cheek as they passed but no one said a word. Their silence was eerily disturbing and it gripped her heart, she wondered just how much Urs had told his friends, what he had told his friends about the night before. Urs was the last to pass her so Angela took the opportunity to speak to him.
“Urs, how are you ? How is you side after the flight?”
Urs tried to smile but only succeeded in sighing. “I am alright, my side is a little tender but healing.”
Angela heard his sigh more than the words he had spoken and placed her hand on his arm to stop him from moving passed her. “You…Urs, are you alright?”
He knew she was not referring to his wound. “I am. But last night was.”
Angela jumped in before he spoke the words she did not want to hear. “A mistake.”
Urs was as surprised at his answer as Angela. “No…” He looked deep into her eyes, his voice compassionate and hushed. “It was…… unexpected. I… we have a job to do and I am not sure if.”
Angela interrupted him again. As much as she may have wanted to explore a deeper relationship she knew she had to let him off the hook. “I understand. But we are still okay right, friends, you, me, us, the team?”
It was as if she could see the weight lift off his shoulders as he took her hand squeezing it tenderly, pulling her to the exit. “Yes Angela, we shall remain friends.”
Angela gave Urs’ hand a hard squeeze in confirmation just before they walked out of the plane and he let it drop to her side. As if to say thank you Urs brushed his hand down her back as he guided her into the airport.

As it turned out several of Il Divo’s engagements gave them great opportunities to investigate and research. Through Simon’s contacts they had been invited to several large functions. Not to sing or be the centre of attention but just to mingle, get themselves known. Angela took every chance she had to gush about the group to anyone who was willing to listen, handing out promotional cards, singing their praises. David thought that single handed Angela was making sure that every person in Hong Kong would know who Il Divo was by the time they left. He tapped Carlos on the shoulder. “You know with Ange around I don’t think we need to be here. She’s a one woman promotion machine. We could have stayed in the UK and just sent her out.”
Carlos laughed under his breath. “Si my friend if not for the other reason we are here. Then of course how could we deny Sebastien his bit of fun.”
Both men looked over to where Sebastien was talking to a rather beautiful women, tall, elegant and breath taking. It was obvious by her body language that she was completely smitten with Sebastien. She laughed just a little too loud, touched Sebastien on the arm every so often as they talked, tilted her head and several times David and Carlos saw her run her tongue suggestively over her lips.
When she leaned in and whispered to Sebastien and they left arm in arm the two men gave each other a knowing smile.
Urs had also been watching Sebastien and walked up behind Carlos and David. “Prince Charming has made his choice for the evening.”

Indeed he had.

The woman had taken Sebastien back to her room, now with the door shut on the outside world she pushed him up against the wall, pressing her body into his as she kissed him. Sebastien reciprocated while he ran his hands down her back and around her waist. Just as she thought something more was to happen he gently pushed her from him, looking deeply into her eyes. “Something this special should be savoured Cherie, not rushed. We have all night yes?”
She nodded and Sebastien smiled while he guided her to the bed, sitting her gently on the edge while he brushed gentle kisses along her neck from her ear to her shoulder. He heard her sigh and felt her shiver just a little under his touch. He whispered to her. “Do you trust me?” Once again Sebastien kissed her neck, ran his hand through her hair and waited for her answer. It came as his companion groaned and nodded without opening her eyes, he smiled. “Then give yourself over to me tonight and I will make your body sing.”

Sebastien’s departure had not gone unnoticed by Angela and the feelings that rippled through her were a surprise. She did not sense any danger for him but instead jealousy began to breathe in her even though she had no reason for it. She was well aware of Sebastien’s charms. He had accosted her with them more times than she cared to think and yes she did find him charming, who would not but she was never fooled by them. She was also well aware of Sebastien’s passions. Good wine, good food and good women. So why did she feel jealous? She felt the knife of reality strike her heart as her eyes rested on Urs at the opposite end of the room. He was the reason, it was not Sebastien, she was jealous of the women. Angela wanted to leave with Urs at her side. Her jealously turned to anguish and her internal pain escaped as tears, quickly wiped away so no one would see. It had been a long time since Angela had allowed such feelings to surface, a very long time.

David found her sometime later as she gazed out the window into the darkness. Without a word he took her empty wine glass and handed her a full one, he took up the same stance, shoulder to shoulder, his eyes forward looking out into the same darkness. “Has anyone told you how beautiful you looked to night ?”
Angela kept her gaze forward. “Thank you David.”
David let his arm brush against hers. “You know we think of you as part of this family.”
Angela turned her head looking into David’s eyes as he met her gaze and gently took one of her hands, glancing over to where Urs was standing before he spoke. “Give him a chance Ange. He is scared about pursuing a relationship. You know I don’t think he has ever really been confronted with such a choice. If he is really the one you want can you be patient? Show him he can trust you with….”
Angela stopped his words as she gave him a tired smile. “He can trust me with his heart and soul David. You all can but I understand you have to be sure of my trust.” She dropped his hand and stepped back a little and David could feel his blood turning cold even before she spoke, the sadness in her eyes engulfed him. “You all have such deep, deep secrets I just don’t know if you will ever trust me, if he could ever trust me enough to let me that close to him. You say we are a family but I am the only member of that family you have not shared these things with.” Stepping back closer to David she gave him a gentle kiss on the cheek. “I said I would be here for you, for you all when you need me and that has not changed. I trust you all with my life but I can’t help you with the secrets that bind you until you are ready to share that part of your lives with me.”
Angela began to move away when David caught her hand, his voice just above a whisper and tinged with grief when he spoke. “When the time is right Ange I promise I will, we will.”
“Then I will wait and hope that I can be the person you need me to be until then.”
“You already are Ange, You already are.”
Angela gave David her glass and left him standing at the window oblivious to the fact that Urs had been watching them the whole time.

David saw the steely look, determined walk and dark cloud of his friend as he made his way across the room. Not wanting Urs to jump to the wrong conclusion David took a deep breath and began to speak even before Urs had reached him. “Urs we’ve been together as a group for a while now right?”
Urs nodded as he clenched his jaw.
“We consider each other as family if not friends right?”
All Urs did was give David a curt nod but David also saw him ball both hands into fists at his side.
David continued. “So I am going to tell you something as a brother. Tell her how you feel about her Urs for Gods sake.” Urs went to interrupted but David stopped him. “No let me finish. I get it. We all get how hard it is to have a relationship in our situation but you have a chance Urs, a real chance at a real relationship with one incredible woman. If you need time tell her. She’ll wait. She as much as told me she would. But if you have made up your mind not to pursue her then damn it !! Tell her. She deserves that. Don’t make her wait for something that will never happen.”

David’s outburst took Urs by surprise. He was expecting to confront David about Angela, Urs was also shocked at how raw his own feeling towards her were.
Equally Urs’ lack of tirade took David by surprise, his voice barely above a whisper. “How David? I don’t know how, we have secrets we cannot share. A relationship must be built on trust, to have secrets…”
David patted his friend on the shoulder. “She knows we have secrets Urs. She may not know exactly what they are but she knows and she knows they weigh heavy on us. Has she pushed you to tell her how you got hurt?”
Urs shook his head. “She just offered to be there when I needed her.”
David smiled. “I see she gave you that talk as well.”
Urs frowned. “Still I cannot, we cannot tell her who we really are.”
“Then don’t. Tell her you can’t, tell her you may never be able to and let her make up her own mind whether or not she can live with that. She’s unique Urs, she will surprise you. Don’t let the past hold you.”
Urs just stared at David unsure of what to say or do when David nudged him towards the exit.

Urs stood outside Angela’s hotel room without any concept of how he had arrived. That thought alone unnerved him, he had never before been so unaware of who he was, where he was or how he had arrived. It was like he was someone else. One way or another he knew he had to sort things out. Without doing anything Angela had become a danger, his mind wondered, he lost his focus, he had begun to second guess himself. Anyone of these things could be fatal in his line of work and Urs was not thinking of Il Divo.
His hand poised motionless for a moment before knocking on her door, Urs wanting so much to turn away but knowing he could not.

Angela was a little shocked to see Urs standing at her door. “Oh Urs. You okay? does you side hurt?”
It took Urs a few seconds to reply noticing that Angela was already dressed for bed.
It amused him to see her dressed in a pair of yellow pyjamas festooned with bright red butterflies. “I’m sorry, you were in bed. I should not have called so late.”
Angela looked down at her attire then smiled back up at him. “Well I can’t be giving room service the wrong impression now can I. I save the slinky stuff for special people.” She sighed when she got no reaction from Urs. “It’s a joke Urs. I don’t own any slinky stuff so you’re safe, come on in.” She perched herself on the end of the bed. “So what’s so important to tear you away from the party?”
Urs stood in the middle of her room looking down at her wondering just how to say what he had to, deciding to just let it all out and take the consequences. “I need to tell you something Angela but I need you to listen, don’t stop me, just let me finish.”
Feeling the tension rise in the room Angela just nodded and waited for him to start, dreading what she was going to hear, her heart already pounding a warning.
“I like you Angela, I like you very much. The other night…” Urs stopped himself, he did not want to think of what he almost had done that night. “I have feelings for you, deep feelings. Feelings that I have never had for someone before.”
Angela began to bite her bottom lip in an attempted to stop the tears from escaping. There he was standing so straight and ridged, no emotion on his face. There was only one thing he was going to tell her. He could not be with her. So his next words came as a total shock.
“I want to have a relationship with you Angela but I have things in my past I cannot tell you about. Not now, maybe never. I cannot tell you why, I will not be able to answer your questions. A relationship should have no secrets, we should be able to trust each other. This is the only relationship I can offer you and I will understand if you do not wish to be involved with me in such a way.”

The room echoed in silence as Angela realised Urs had finished and was waiting for her answer. Slowly she stood, walking towards him, never taking her eyes from his. Closing the gap between them she placed both her hands on his chest. Urs dared not moved . “We all have secrets Urs. Just answer me this. You can’t or won’t tell me?”
Urs took her hands in his. “Can’t.”
“And this darkness it links you all doesn’t it? David, Carlos, Sebastien.”
Urs nodded.
“You can talk to the others about this secret, you are not alone right?”
Again Urs nodded.
“Do you trust me Urs? Trust me even though you do not know everything about me either?”
Urs bent in and kissed her on the forehead. “Yes.”
“Then I will walk by your side and I will be ready to listen when that time comes when you can tell me. I will guard your heart and soul as if they were my own.”
Urs pulled her to him and held her tight daring to wake up from the dream. “This will not be easy.”
With her head on his chest, eyes closed Angela answered. “Be as honest with me as you can Urs and we will figure it out. I might not know what your secret is but I understand how it affects you. I will stand with you Urs. I promise I will for as long as you need me to.”
Once again the room fell silent. Urs closed his eyes tightly, with his head resting on top of Angela’s, tears of relief began to flow. Urs could not remember the last time he had cried, the last time he had let his heart feel anything for someone else.
Had he been looking for freedom in the wrong place? Was this the freedom he had yearned for? The freedom to love someone?

Much later that evening David, Sebastien and Carlos sat around the table in David’s room after Sebastien had text them all he needed to speak to them. When Urs did not arrive after several calls David filled them in on his last conversation with their absent band member. Carlos let out a sigh. “So….. our Swiss friend has possibly resolved the situation and is in the arms of an Angel or working out his frustrations in the gym. Either way I think we should leave him to it.”
Silently Sebastien and David agreed with Carlos as they watched his face light up with a cheeky smile as his eyes rested on Sebastien. “And you Sebastien did you call us to brag about your evenings conquest?”
Sebastien waved his arms around, shaking his head. “A gentleman never tells……Unless…….”
The others waited for him to resume.
“Unless that gentleman came by some information that was most important and needed to be shared.” Sebastien could see he now had their full attention. “Opal has graciously invited us to a party she and her husband will be throwing tonight at their home. She was quite happy to share the knowledge that he is a rather high ranking official of Asia Pacific Mining and has been seconded to oversee a new project. A project I think we would be very much interested in. A project whose files are kept on his home computer.” Sebastien pulled a small card out of his inside jacket pocket. “A computer to which I have the password.”
David and Carlos looked at each other then back to Sebastien when David asked the question. “Did you know about her husband before you …..,.”
Sebastien nodded his head. “Someone pointed Opal out to me, telling me who she was married to. I thought it would be a good opportunity.”
Carlos was a little shocked. “But her husband. Sebastien, how can you turn up, surely he will know about you and his wife.”
“I expect he already does. Don’t worry Carlos”
Again David and Carlos where surprised.
“They have a marriage of convenience. Opal lives in a manner she very much likes and Martin her husband has the wife he requires to keep up the façade while keeping his real preferences hidden.”
The room was quiet while Sebastien waited for his friends to digest his last words. David seeing the light just a fraction earlier than Carlos. “Oh I get it. He’s gay.”
Carlos took a deep breath. “You think it is worth the risk Sebastien?”
“I do, she is expecting me to attend. I can keep her attention, keep an eye on Martin while David works on the computer.” He looked to Carlos. “I thought that maybe you could help David out with a disguise and the both of you could attached yourselves to the catering team, slip in unseen so to speak.”
Carlos nodded his agreement. “Si, this I can do. What of Urs?”
David laughed. “I think he should attend with Sebastien, you’ve seen how women are around him. You both can be the charming entertainment for the evening.”
Sebastien frowned. “Yes but what of the men in attendance?”
“Like I said, the charming entertainment.”
David laughed a little but Sebastien did not. “David you are too cruel.”

Once more Urs found himself with his arms wrapped round Angela but this time it was not to stop her from leaving it was because they had spent the night together, really together and he had not felt the need to leave in the darkness to become a shadow before dawn. Their night together had not been an assignment, it had been real, it had been powerful and it had been passionate. Angela had understood all his trepidations and washed them away with her caring tender touch. Urs’ body tingled as he remembered her fingers slowly weaving down his chest. The feel of her lips as she laid tender kisses upon his neck, the pressure of her body on his and she gave herself to him. She had shown him how to make love not just have sex and Urs felt as though he would never be the same. With her love making Angela had allowed him to be the man he never knew he was and for those few hours last night he had not been afraid to be himself.
He pulled her a little closer to him as the first beams of the mornings light danced across her face and she stirred. Urs heard her gentle sigh as he felt her squeeze his hand. “You stayed.”
Without replying Urs kissed her neck.
Angela stretched, turning so that she was facing him, the face she stared into settled an easy ache in her chest. It was the face of an angel, soft, caring, no hint of the worry or stress it usually carried. The eyes like pools of honey, sweet and innocent, no darkness invaded. It was pure and it was perfect.
She kissed him. “I thought you may have wanted…..”
Urs put his finger softly to her lips and whispered as his eyes drew her ever closer to his heart. “I stayed.”
She gave him a simple gracious smile as she once more pushed her body to his. “Yes you did.”
They brought in the new day as one.

Urs had never known a morning like the one he had just spent with Angela. No hidden agenda, no pressure to be something he was not but it ended all too soon as he read and answered the messages from his companions. Which was why he found himself in the hotels restaurant having brunch with Sebastien, David and Carlos being informed of the nights assignment and not with Angela.
The others could tell that something had changed and with business out of the way it was time to find out. David was almost sure he knew what choice Urs had made. “So Urs, spill the beans.”
Sebastien shot David a look before Urs could answer. “David, so uncouth.” He looked to Urs. “Please Urs, if you feel comfortable enough to talk…..”
Urs looked from one to the other before he spoke. “Angela approved of my proposal as to our relationship”
They were all stunned at how Urs had delivered the news. Carlos regaining his senses first. “Urs… You mean to say that you and Angela are now……now together. What of our other life? Surely.”
Urs began to shake his head. “She will ask no questions.” Urs looked straight at David. “I told her I had secrets I might never be able to share with her. I did not speak of it but she already knows that the same secret binds us four together.”
Carlos and Sebastien moved a little nervously in their seats but David just smiled. “I told you she was special, that she would surprise you Urs.”
Sebastien sighed. “She has surprised us all I think.”

Chapter 13
Carlos opened one of his cases, a case he had not needed to open for over 12 months. In it were the tricks of his trade so to speak and by the time he had finished applying a disguise to David even his own mother would not have recognised him. Looking at himself in the mirror David was amazed at the transformation. His eyes, his hair, his face were so totally different. There was a stranger looking back at him. “Carlos you are a genius. Not even the other guys are going to recognise me like this.”
Carlos smiled as he applied his own disguise. “That is the plan.”
David was still looking at himself in the mirror. “You know this gift of yours could come in handy to out manoeuvre some of the more unusual fans we have picked up along the way.”
“There is one person I am thinking we might not be able to out manoeuvre.”
David turned to look at his friend. “Angela…”
“Si.”
David sighed. “Then I guess we make sure she does not see us like this.”

David and Carlos left earlier than the others to take their place with the catering team. Later that evening while Sebastien waited in the hotel lobby for Urs, Angela appeared at his side clutching one of the hotels many brochures in her hand. “Thought I would give the hotel’s spa a go while you were out.”
Sebastien returned her smile but it disappeared with her next words. “You be careful Sebastien. Opal can be very protective of her things. Do not charm yourself into a web you cannot escape.”
Sebastien was dumbfounded, how did she know about Opal? He took her arm gently “Cherie you know Opal?”
Angela tilted her head. “By reputation only, once I realised who she was. It is my job to help you, look out for you guys.”
Sebastien mustered up his best smile before kissing the back of her hand. “I shall be on my best behaviour tonight Ange.” His eyes glanced past her for a second. “Besides I have our Swiss friend to keep me in line.”
Angela turned to see Urs walking towards them. “The two of you keeping each other out of trouble, I’d like to see that.”
Urs frowned a little. “What trouble???”
“No trouble Urs just make sure Sebastien here does not charm himself straight into some husbands left hook.”
With that Angela gave both men a small kiss on the cheek leaving them to ponder her words.
Once she was out of sight they began to walk to the exit. “Sebastien, Angela knows Opal? You told her?”
Sebastien shook his head. “No, no. I guess she must have seen us leaving the party together and done her own little search. She is doing what she always does. Watching out for us.”
Urs sighed. “I wish we could tell her she doesn’t have to. We can look after ourselves.”
Sebastien smirked at his friend. “And you think that would stop her?”
Urs just pulled a face. He knew the answer, they both did.

The rest of the evening went as planned. Sebastien charmed the gathering of dinner guests. Those that were not enthralled by his varied and humours stories found themselves drawn towards Urs. Who had done nothing more than be gracious and polite, yet seemed to smoulder with animal magnetism.

As charming as Sebastien was being with the dinner guests, Carlos was of equal prowess as he engaged the catering team in the kitchen. So much so that no one had noticed one of their number had been missing for some time….David.
As each member of the Il Divo team had arrived they all noticed the perimeter security for the house but once inside it was non existent and David had found it very easy to slip away. It had been so easy he was a little nervous but sat at Martin’s desk, accessing his computer. David shook his head, again the access had been too easy. Yes he did have the password but there had been no firewalls, no extra precautions. His eyes danced around the room making sure he was alone as his fingers skimmed over the keyboard. It did not take him long to find the files he was looking for. Once again David’s eyes danced as he glanced over the information before sending it to his own computer back at the hotel. What he saw un-nerved him and made him wonder if Reg had any idea and was this the reason that the four of them were now Il Divo. David’s anger began to brew as he returned to the kitchen. He did not stop, just gave Carlos a silent signal and left by the back door. It was not too long before Carlos was able to join him. “You seem agitated my friend. You found trouble?”
David’s shoulders sagged under his sigh. “I might have Carlos. Let’s head back to the hotel. I want to check this information out very thoroughly.”
Carlos looked over his shoulder. “What of Urs and Sebastien?”
David had already begun to move away from the house. “They will know when enough time had passed to make a gracious exit I am sure.”
To keep them in the loop David sent both of them a text message informing them he had accomplished their goal.

It was several more hours before Sebastien and Urs returned heading straight for David’s room.
Urs gave David a curt nod of acknowledgement as he and Sebastien entered the room. Carlos smiled at them both. “The party went well?”
Sebastien laughed and patted Urs a little too hard on the back “Seems That several of Martin’s friends, male friends would like to get to know Urs better.”
All three stared at Urs and the look on his face was enough the tell David and Carlos that Sebastien was telling the truth and Urs was far from impressed, changing the topic. “What did you find David?”
They all knew it was useless to try and get any more information from Urs and the look he was giving Sebastien, he was not about to offer up anymore than he already had.
Urs flashed a look back to David about to repeat his question when David beat him to it. “You asked what I found? If I am right about this and I am not saying I am but if I am, this is…..” David ran his hand through his hair before continuing. “I don’t know if we can put a stop to this. I really don’t and it concerns us more now than it ever did.”
Both Sebastien and Urs stepped a little closer to David but it was Carlos who spoke. “David…What do you think you have found?”
Again David was silent for a moment, almost wishing he did not have to tell them. As if by not speaking it would not be true, could remain hidden. The others gave him time to gather his thoughts.
“You know how it looked like four major players were vying for the music industry?” He did not wait for them to answer. “Well we were right but we were also right about Interpol.”
Carlos jumped in. “They want to stop this….This buy up?”
David’s steely glare and his silence gave them the answer before he spoke. “No….They instigated the whole thing. At the very least someone high up at Interpol is behind this. Guys from what I found it looks like either Interpol or someone there wants total control of the music industry.”
Again they all fell silent as they absorbed David’s words and Sebastien’s voice was tempered with concern when he spoke. “But why? Do you know David? Is there any clue in anything you found?”
They all saw the frown crease David’s brow. “Like I said. I am not sure but yes Sebastien, there are clues and I don’t like what I found and hope to God that no one figures out we have this information.”
It was Urs’ turn to speak. “Why? They are already trying to kill us. What are the clues David? What has you so worried?”
David turned his laptop around so they could all see. “I don’t expect you to understand but this is a frequency file.” David hit a button but it seemed like nothing had happened.
Urs was scowling. “What are you trying to show us?”
“Not show you, for you to hear.”
Sebastien shook his head. “But I don’t hear anything.”
“Nor me.” Carlos sighed.
David pushed a few more buttons and all of a sudden the others were covering their ears with the hands trying to protect them from the high pitched noise that was accosting their senses.
David shut the computer down.
Urs was furious. “What the hell was that !!!!!!”
“THAT! was the reason I think they want control.”
Carlos was only slightly less angry than Urs. “What, so they can damage our hearing?”
David shook his head. “If it was that simple. I turned up the volume so to speak so you could hear the transmission. It’s not to damage your hearing Carlos, it’s to transmit subliminal messages……Do you know what that means?”
Sebastien spoke as he slumped into a chair. “Brain washing on a global scale.”
“David are you sure?” Urs’ voice was cold and unfeeling. It seemed that he had slipped all the way back to Urs the agent with no trace of Urs the singer to be found. “If you are right then their efforts seem somewhat futile. The way I understand it once a message has been imbedded there is no way to change it. So all of this is to send one single message?”
David shrugged his shoulders. “But think of it Urs, just a single message transmitted could start world war three. I said I wasn’t sure but I think they have figured out a way to change the message as well as embed the message. Oh it is too hard to explain but I think they will be able to attach a message to any transmission audible to the human ear. They will be able to deliver it on anything, CD’s, I Pods, video’s, mobile phones. Guys this is serious, they will not only take over the music industry but there will be nothing stopping them from….”
Carlos finished off the sentence. “Taking over the world.”
“I need to get this information to a friend of mine in Zurich. He’ll be able to tell me for sure.
David began to type away on his keyboard while the others pondered their situation. Urs spoke only after he had everything sorted out in his own mind. “Even if this is not as bad as you are saying David, we still have four multi nationals buying up big to possibly hand over to one person. If that is the only thing going on it needs to be stopped.”
The others nodded their heads in agreement.
David pushed the computer away from him and sat back in his chair. “I agree Urs but what is to stop the same kind of thing from happening again?”
Carlos gave Urs a curious look. “You have a plan maybe?”
Urs nodded. “Instead of stopping the buy ups we let them happen. We move then, let them do all the hard work. We know that Interpol or someone there is expecting to gain all the fruits.”
Sebastien smiled. “You are proposing at this point we step in and take the fruit. How exactly?”
Urs looked to David hoping he had kept up. He had and began to explain how he could write a program to keep track of all the transactions and at the right time trigger a transfer to a company they could set up. But he would need to find out who was behind it all to make sure he could block the transaction.
Sebastien was still unsure. “What if we can’t stop this?”
David did not get a chance to answer it was Urs. “You should be asking what happens if we are successful Sebastien.” Urs gave David a cold hard stare. “Who owns the music if we are successful David?”
Urs’ question made him feel uncomfortable so his answer was not as confident as he had hoped. “We will Urs. We will but you knew that?”

Angela was not surprised or concerned when Urs did not call on her after the party. She had not expected any of them to but she was curious as to how things had gone. What she did not know was that Urs had stood at her hotel door for a good ten minutes before returning to his own room. He had gone to her with the conviction of telling her he would not be pursuing a relationship with her. However when he had arrived at her door all the feelings she had awoken in him surged into life and David’s words rang in his ears about how special she was.
For now those feeling had won the battle so instead of knocking on her door Urs returned to his own room and sent her a text message. It simply read. ‘We are back.’
Angela smiled as she read the message and sent one of her own. ‘Sweet Dreams.’

Chapter 14
Il Divo had two more days in Hong Kong before flying back to England. Sebastien took the opportunity to keep up the pretence of appearing to be Opal’s newest plaything. The local gossip columns were rife with conspiracy as to what they were up to and how long Martin would allow Opal to continue before he pulled in her reigns yet again. Their open relationship was always good for a slow news day.

David, Urs and Carlos along with Angela made sure they were seen in public, doing the ordinary tourist things. In two days they managed to cover Lantau Island and the Giant Buddha, The Peak, where David almost lost his camera, Hollywood Road and Cat Street, where they all spent far too much. Madame Tussaud's and Ocean Park where Angela almost lost her breakfast and lunch when she challenged the men to see how many rides they could go on before the day was over. Urs was all for getting on the back of a motor bike for some speed therapy but even he had to admit defeat and was left standing next to David and Carlos watching Angela secure her crown as queen of the carnival with a few extra rides. David nudged Urs gently in the ribs as they watched. “I’ve been on some rough assignments Urs but she’s nuts, you do know that don’t you?”
Both he and Carlos laughed as Urs just nodded, sighed and uttered a single word. “Yes.”
Their laughing turned to concern as Angela got off her ride. At first they thought she was ill but the look on her face told them other wise. She stepped closer to them but seemed to be looking passed them as she spoke. “We need to leave….now.”
“You got one of your feelings Ange?” David’s tone was very serious. The men had come to know they did not question when Angela got this way. She was usually right.
Angela said nothing just nodded and they all began to move to the park exit.
David got Carlos’ attention. “The guy in the pale blue jacket. off to the right.”
Carlos replied. “Got him. I’ll tell Urs.” With that Carlos caught up with Urs but his companion was already aware of their shadow.
“Carlos we need to split up, see which one of us he is after.”
David, Carlos and Urs switched into agent mode and for a moment Angela thought she had lost them when she too again saw the reason for her agitation, she was sure it was the man in the blue jacket and she meant to confront him.
Mean while the three Divo’s had intended to split up and circle the man, then act but as they did they also realised what Angela was about to do and they were too far away to stop her. They gave each other worried glances as they edged a little closer.
By now Angela was almost on top of the man in the blue jacket. He on the other hand had been paying too much attention to his target to understand what was going on until it was too late. Angela was in his face yelling at him to stop following her loud enough for all the park to hear. He had been holding a knife and was about to plunge it into her stomach when she pushed him back making him lose his balance and another park patron saw the knife and screamed out. David, Carlos and Urs pushed their way through the gathering crowd fearing the worst to come upon a very rare sight.
Angela had knocked the knife from the mans hand and was now sitting on him as he lay face down on the ground, his arms pulled up around his back unable to get them free from Angela’s grip. Every time she spoke Angela bounced up and down on the man making him groan. It was only when the park security came to take him away that she would get up, giving him a parting kick in the shin. “Serves you right for messing with a female with serious PMS issues!!!!”
As she reached the three stunned men she smiled at them like nothing had happened. “So which one of you pissed off a local husband? I can’t blame Sebastien he’s still doing whatever it is he is doing with Opal.”
Urs did not move but David and Carlos pointed to each other and Angela rolled her eyes. “Men!!!”
Urs took a step towards her. “Angela…..How? I mean…”
“PMS is a bitch.”
Again the three men watched her walk towards the park exit and again David nudged Urs on the arm. “If that is how she works out her pms…. Urs buddy you need to spend more time in the gym.”

It was five very weary people who slept for most of the flight home to England. A flight attendant smiled as she passed a couple sleeping, holding hands. That couple was Urs and Angela. All thoughts of bad men and scary hormonal Angela far from their minds. By the time they landed hands had parted and Urs was not aware he had actually been holding Angela’s. He was also a little curious at the smile the flight attendant gave him as he left the plane, as though she knew something. He was even more curious when he heard her talking to Angela who was coming up behind him.
“He’s a keeper that one.”
Angela smiled at the flight attendant. “Yes, very much so.”
As they walked through to baggage claim Urs slowed his stride so Angela would catch up. “Why did the flight attendant say that?”
Angela smiled knowing that Urs was still unsure about their relationship. “You where probably nice to her and seeing us sit together she just assumed we were a couple.”
Casually Angela let her arm brush against his. “Don’t worry Urs. No one outside this little family of ours will know the truth about us until you decide it is time. I said I would wait and I will. The rest of the world does not need to know your every move.”
With that she walked to the carousel and waited for her bags leaving Urs with the feeling that she was trying to protect him. It was not a feeling that settled well with him and he was frowning just a little as the others caught up to him. Carlos questioned him. “Urs, why the frown? Did you leave something on the plane?”
Urs looked over at Angela and Carlos gave him a knowing nod. “Ahh……She is most perplexing, you are unsure of this relationship?”
Urs did not answer just sighed.
“If she had not given her heart to you my friend I think maybe I would not flirt with the other ladies so much.” Carlos saw the darkness creep over Urs’ eyes and continued so that his companion would not get the wrong idea. “Do not worry Urs. Although I know she is willing to do just about anything for this little family, Hong Kong proved that yet again. Her heart truly belongs to you; she will not forfeit this love unless it is you who wishes it to be that way.”
As Urs pulled his bags off the carousel he wondered how others could be so sure about his relationship and yet he still struggled with the idea that he had made the wrong decision. “Carlos, How can you be so sure. I mean about how she feels towards me?”
Carlos pulled his own bags off the carousel and both men began to walk towards Angela, David and Sebastien who where still waiting. “Because she told us as much Urs. She got the three of us together and made sure we were very, very aware of the situation and not to push you into something you needed to figure out for yourself. Urs believe me when I say this; she scares me at times with her intuition, with her pms, her knowing of …..”
Urs interrupted. “Our secrets?”
“Even those Urs but in my heart I know she is very special, she is unique and if anyone will, can understand our situation it will be her. Do not give her up without a fight, even if that fight is with your own conscience Urs.”
By the time they had reached the others all but David had retrieved their bags. David shook his head and pointed to their luggage. “I don’t get it. It doesn’t seem to matter if my bags get loaded first or last they always manage to be at the end of the queue. I swear it is a conspiracy.”
The others all laughed happy to wait with their friend while he kept a watchful eye out for his bags. As they did David’s mobile phone beeped as a message came in. As soon as he read it David gave the three other men a look that Angela had seen before. A silent communication that meant they needed time without her. So she obliged handing her bag to Sebastien. “Would you mind, I need to visit the little girls room.”
Angela’s departure gave David the chance to tell the others what the message had been. “Seems my friend in Zurich wants to have a talk about the stuff I sent him and soon.”
Sebastien did not like the way the Interpol intruded on them. He understood he was an agent and a singer but he still did not like the shadow this part of their lives cast on them. “Maybe it is nothing.”
Urs’ voice was cold. “Nothing would negate the need for such a message.”

Angela had walked some distance before she found a place where she could watch her four male companions without being seen by them. They were very good at concealing their body language. Anyone passing would have thought they were just four men in idol conversation waiting for luggage. Angela had been with them long enough to be able to pick up on the smallest changes. She had always been sensitive, intuitive and it had served her well. Now she waited and watched until she saw that tiny change that told her it was safe to return.
She retrieved her own bag from Sebastien and tapped David on the shoulder then pointed to a bag that was just about to disappear back out into customs for another ride around on the carousel. “David isn’t that your bag about to disappear?”
Everyone looked as David shot off to save his bag from escaping into the inner recesses of the airport very nearly taking him with it. He sheepishly walked back to his friends as they laughed and applauded his efforts.
Angela gave him a kiss on the cheek. “Five minutes, I am gone five minutes and you manage to cause a scene.”
David was about to answer when Sebastien cleared his throat, he was not looking at his friends when he spoke but further down the concourse. “I think it might be you that has just caused a scene Cherie.”
The others were all confused until they too looked in the same direction as Sebastien and saw someone with a camera and a smile on their face. The stranger dipped his head at them before he walked away.
Urs was none too pleased. “We could stop him.”
Angela put her hand on his arm. “Why? Even if the picture makes it to the papers or the internet, why stop it. They will have the wrong story.” She looked him straight in the eyes and without giving away too much to those around her helped to calm the turmoil she could see. “The truth is still safe Urs.” She gave them all a cheeky smile. “Next time I will have to remember to kiss one of you others just to keep them guessing.”
The photographer had left the baggage area but he had waited to see if he could catch another sellable shot. What he got was a picture of the five of them coming out of the airport all smiling. It would be a photo that each of them would cherish for years to come and unbeknown to them play an important role in their futures.

They all took a taxi back to the Delfin office where they dropped Angela off then the men headed to their own homes. Simon had convinced them that the record companies offer of setting them up in their own apartments was a good deal and they agreed until they found out they were all in the same apartment building. In the very beginning it looked they there would be a mutiny but now with a new understanding of who they were it had made life a little easier for them when they needed to regroup as agents not singers. Just as the door to the lift opened on their floor David spoke. “My place, ten minutes.” He did not need to look at his companions for confirmation.

Ten minutes later Sebastien, Carlos and Urs entered David’s apartment, the smell of fresh brewed coffee putting a smile on Sebastien’s face as David handed him a mug of the hot steaming liquid. “Arr, You will make someone a good wife someday David.”
They all laughed while David offered coffee to the others before Urs brought them back to the real reason they were together. “Your friend in Zurich David. Did you reach him?”
David took a sip of his own coffee before answering. “Yes. I suggested it best if we were all together to hear what he had to say and after some convincing that I actually trust you he agreed.” David took another drink of his coffee. “He sounded a little stressed that has me worried that is not like him.”
David’s statement had Carlos worried. “David you think he will confirm your suspicions?”
David just shrugged his shoulders as he walked over to the phone on the table and began to dial. “I guess we will find out.”
David placed the phone on speaker and they all listened to the dial tone before someone picked up. “Wolf hear.”
“Hey Duncan it’s ….”
David never finished as Duncan cut him off. “Yes, yes. David before we go any further answer these questions.” David gave his three companions a puzzled look just as Duncan began to speak again. “Did you use your laptop to forward the information you sent to me?”
David gave his one word response. “Yes.”
“Was it a straight electronic transfer or did you use a disc at some stage?”
“Straight transfer from their computer to mine to you…. Look Duncan .”
Again David did not get to finish. “Did you at any time use your mobile phone in the transfer?”
Again David gave a one word answer but they were all beginning to get a little agitated. “No…”
“Have you used your computer to download any information from a disc that might have been connected to what you sent me?”
David was about to say no when he remembered the disc that Urs and Carlos had retrieved. “I sent information to HQ after we got a few discs they wanted.”
There was a longer pause before Duncan spoke again, this time they could hear the tension in his voice. “David….where is your computer?”
David was close to loosing his temper. “ Duncan !!! Why the hell does the location of my laptop matter???”
“Where is it David?”
David let out a big sigh. “Oh for heaven’s sake, it’s in my bedroom.”
For the first time Urs spoke. “David did find something didn’t he Mr Wolf. Something that has you very worried.”
“Yes he did. David …It should not matter but for my own piece of mind go and unplug your computer and make sure you shut the door to your room on the way back out.”
It was a very odd request but David did what Duncan asked before returning to the others. “All done, now what the hell is this all about?”
“This information you sent me. You thought it may have something to do with subliminal messages….That was just a smoke screen, a cover. The truth is much, much worse.”
“Geez Dunk what the hell did we stumble onto?”
“Something I did not think was going to be possible for at least another ten to twenty years and not at this level.”
David shouted out his words. “Duncan !!!! Will you just spit it out!!”
“The program you sent me, it is an infection they plan on placing on every known mode of communication we have. Not a one time subliminal message, not even a message that can be imbedded and changed. They don’t want to alter people’s thoughts, they want to listen to us…..all of us….everyone, everywhere, anytime.”
Sebastien shook his head. “I do not understand and this infection it can do this.”
David spoke up. “No, there is nothing like that. It would take…….”
As David went quiet they all heard Duncan . “Nanos.”
Urs, Carlos and Sebastien looked to David for an answer now completely lost. “No way Dunk. That is impossible. Nano technology is still on the drawing board. “
“Not according to your information David. Which is why I was worried about your computer. Let me explain how this is supposed to go down. They infect CD’s DVD’s CD rom’s to start. You place them in your computers and players and immediately the nanites activated and infect your equipment. They are programmed to turn every CD player, every DVD player, every computer into a listening device. The beauty of this infection is the fact that the equipment only needs residual power for them to use it, for them to hear what anyone with in range is say. David if your computer had been infected and was on the table in front of you they could hear the conversation going on in the room.”
Carlos shook his head. “Nanos, nanites. What is this? I do not know these things.”
David looked at his three companions but spoke to Duncan. “Dunk you want me to explain before you make their heads explode?”
All Duncan said was “If you wish.”
Then David tried to explain to his bewildered friends. “Nanotechnology is a futuristic application of microscopic robots that assemble other machines to work at a molecular level. Nano robotic technology, nanites, nanos it’s all about robots.”
Before the others could fire questions at him David raised his hands. “Let me finish. Forget what you are thinking about robots. These things are so small you can’t see them with the naked eye. I know there is research into using them medically. Putting them in to the human body programmed to destroy cancer cells things like that. But as far as I was aware there are still so many obstacles, the Brownian motion for a start, that nanites were still in the realm of science fiction not science fact. Duncan are you telling us that someone has figured this out?”
“Yes David. Can I continue?”
The room fell silent once more. “So now you understand that little robots have infiltrated your computer and it is now a listening device. You are thinking this is not so bad but wrong, it is very bad. Not only will the nanites do this but once they are in the machines they can infect anything that comes in contact with them. You plug in an Ipod to download music, infected. You transfer a file to your mobile phone, infected. What better way to make sure of global coverage than via the entertainment industry. It will not take long before every electronic device on the planet will allow them to hear everything no matter where you are. David, do you and your friends understand that MI6 and GCHQ already have a powerful, searchable database that can tell them who contacted whom? And now someone is ready to deploy and operate new probes that will let them eavesdrop not just on phone calls but anywhere.”
Again the room fell silent as they all absorbed what he had said and the ramifications if it was true and if it actually happened. Urs was the first to find his voice. “You think that David’s computer might have been infected. This is why you did not want it in the room with us?”
“Yes. I am almost a hundred percent sure they have not gone into production but I didn’t want to take any chances. David, you still here?”
“Yes Duncan .”
“They know you hacked into the computer to get this file. I found an alarm embedded. They may not know it was you exactly but they know someone tampered with the original file. Watch your backs boys.”
“Thanks Duncan.” David was about to say good bye when he had a thought. “Duncan . Do you know who is behind this?”
“Someone who knows a hell of a lot about computers. I tried but my snooping triggered off a virus. I only just managed to save my own systems. I can tell you it is someone in Interpol. Like I said….watch your backs. I need to do some scrubbing and house cleaning and maybe a move. Will get in touch when I have a new number. ”

Sebastien sank into a chair. “Can this be possible? What he says…can it be dome?”
David poured himself another cup of coffee. “If Duncan says it can be done. It can be done.”
Carlos followed David into the kitchen and got himself another coffee. “What of us? What do we do now?”
Urs was looking out the window to the city that spread out below them. “We go on as we had planned. We need to make sure this never happens. We wait for who ever it is to gather all the companies on the list then we take….” He looked to David. “We have to find this person…take them down at the same time.”
David Nodded. “Yeah and make sure they don’t figure out it was me that hacked into Martin’s computer.” David was just about to take a sip of his coffee when he stopped. “Maybe that was the reason for Mr Blue Jacket. They already know it was me.” He looked to Sebastien. “Did you manage to? …”
Sebastien nodded. “Yes David. I managed to add to our body count, he is not breathing anymore.”

Chapter 15
Angela busied herself with updating files and returning e mails that had not been given any attention while she had been away from the office. She had to smile at the yellow folder sitting quietly in her in tray, this was from Simon. She knew there would be nothing urgent to attend to just filing, something Simon never did.
The phone chimed and automatically Angela answered. In his office it was Simon’s turn to smile as he saw the red light divert to his receptionists phone. “Brilliant. She’s back.” He waited for the light on his phone to go out before heading for his door. As he opened it Angela gave him one of her disarming smiles. “Hey there grumpy.”
Simon pulled Angela to her feet so he could give her a hug. “You survived and back in the office so soon. Didn’t you just fly in a few hours ago.?”
“Yep, the guys dropped me off on their way home. Just need to tidy a few things up.” With that her eyes dropped to the yellow folder.
Simon laughed. “I tried to keep the filing to a minimum.”
“So how much did you shred?”
Simon placed his hand on his chest over his heart. “I am devastated that you would think such a thing.”
Angela shook her head. “That much.”
Simon just shrugged his shoulders. “Coffee?”

Angela rested against the kitchen sink while in idle conversation with Simon, sipping on her coffee. She could see he was working his way up to asking her something but gave him no help. Finally he had to ask.
“So what happened in Hong Kong and I am not talking shopping trip? Your little performance in the park made news back here before you got home.”
“So sue me the guy was a creep.”
“Yeah Angela a creep with a knife, he could have hurt you or worse.”
“Yeah, well he didn’t and everyone is all right so chill.”
Simon was going to continue his line of questioning but one look at Angela and he changed his mind. “Ok… All reports I have so far suggest we really are on a winner with these lads. You think you might like to stick around for a few more years see how they do and keep this grumpy music exec in line?”
Angela smiled. “That invitation come with a pay rise?”
Simon rolled his eyes. “I guess it does.”
The phone began to ring and Angela headed back to her desk to answer it.
Simon shouted after her. “Well is that a yes?”

Simon followed her down the hall listening to the conversation she was having smiling as he re entered his office. She was the best damn secretary he ever had, even if Il Divo did not continue he was certainly going to try and make sure he kept a hold of Angela. Yes….she drove him to distraction but she also understood him in ways that no one else ever had. Could make him laugh when he should be venting, could calm him before he even knew he was angry. Sitting behind his desk, taking the last sips of his coffee Simon realised for the first time what it was about her. She made him feel safe. That was it, he felt safe around her. Discarding his empty cup on the side of the desk he sighed and shook his head while he continued with his work. How could such a person make him feel safe?

Just before she was ready to leave for the night Angela stuck her head into Simon’s office. “Anything you want done before I leave Boss?”
Without looking up from his work Simon answered. “No…” Then changed his mind. “No wait, can you call the lads and ask them to come in tomorrow. I’d like to go over a few things.
Angela gave him one of her smiles. “Already done Boss. They will be here by eleven; you’ve got a meeting with a suit from Imperial at nine.”

Carlos, David, Sebastien and Urs sat in the boardroom of Delfin Productions waiting for Simon to finish his nine o’clock meeting, it had just turned eleven. Angela arrived with coffee in hand for all, each man smiling as they inhaled the aroma. Urs took Angela’s hand and squeezed it gently as she passed by, neither one saying a word just looking into each others eyes and understanding.
Then it was Angela’s turn to sigh knowing that Simon would be along very soon. “I think Simon will give you guys a grilling about what happened in Hong Kong so be prepared.”
The members of Il Divo flashed each other a look before Sebastien spoke. “He was not happy with you Cherie?”
Angela shrugged her shoulders a tiny crooked smile appearing on her face. “Oh, there’s ways around things like that.”
David also had a cheeky look on his face. “Hey guys. Ange survived. I am sure we can.”
Simon entered the boardroom just as Angela spoke. “We shall see.”
He gave her a puzzled look as Angela left the five men to their meeting.” What did she mean by that?”
Sebastien did not look at Simon when he answered knowing the real implications of what they had been involved in and his tone was flat. “Hong Kong.”
Simon made himself comfortable at the conference table sighing heavily. “ mmmmm, Yes. So are you going to fill me in on the real story or do I get stuck with the one I read in the papers? Angela dismissed it like a shopping list.”
The four men looked at each other and with silent consent David spoke on their behalf, explaining everything to Simon.
When he was finished Simon just stared at them shocked and overwhelmed. “I think I prefer the story in the paper. For the love off… Shit….What the hell do we do now?????? No one gets their hands on my company unless I say so, my way, my rules. David is it all true? Those nanite things, the push to take over?”
David nodded in silence knowing that Simon was trying to process all the information he had just bombarded him with but like his three companions very glad that Simon had not gone into a tailspin. The fact that he was more angry that someone might try and take his company than what had happened in Hong Kong was a relief in itself and the other fact that he had indicated he wanted to help by saying ‘What can we do’ was enough to give David the confidence to go ahead with the next stage of their plan. A plan that needed Simon’s special touch.
Simon looked to the door. “Angela, does she know any of this?”
David gave him the short answer. “NO.”
However Simon’s gaze fell on Urs. “But she knows you got hurt and the man in Hong Kong ….. Lads are you sure she has no idea?”
Carlos raised his hand. “Oh but Simon we did not say she had no idea. Bella she is…. She is unique, special. She knows we have a secret that binds us four. She is too intuitive not to understand that we are more than we seem.”
Carlos could see that Simon was about to speak however it was Urs who cut him off. “She has pledged her allegiance to us even with the restrictions we have placed on her.”
Simons looked around the room utterly amazed; his secretary had spun some kind of spell over these men. “You trust her that much? You ALL trust her that much?”
The four men gave Simon their silent, poignant confirmation. They did indeed trust her that much which is why it was so very dangerous.

Simon understood why they trusted her, he had to admit that he also trusted her more than he trusted most people. However he would not have understood the undercurrent of danger that the others felt.
“So you are very sure the man in Hong Kong was after one of you not Angela?” Simon shook his head. “She could have been hurt.” Simon saw the small smile appear on David’s face and was not amused. “David!!! You think her getting hurt is funny!!!”
Immediately David realised his mistake. “God no Simon, of course not. But you didn’t see her in action. She clearly has learnt how to defend herself at some point. Even if he had been after her I don’t think he stood much of a chance.”
Sebastien re enforced David’s point. “Yes Simon, I think our little angel is able to look after her own well being.”
Simon looked around the table. “And she really sat on this guy?”
All four men nodded, David trying very hard not to break out into a laugh. Only doing so when Simon did. “Well all I can say is I am glad she is on our side.” Simon rubbed his hands together. “So lads where to next?”

They spent the better part of the next few hours discussing what they needed to achieve and Simon began to draft a world tour that would fit in with their plans. Some of which had changed. Instead of waiting for the big buy up Il Divo were going to start buying up smaller companies around the world, give themselves some bargaining chips if they ever needed them and David wanted to infiltrate as many companies as they could before Interpol got its hands on them so he could set up a computer warning system to alert them to any unusual movements.

They also need to be out there in view of the public as Il Divo to add a little safety to their lives. It was not comfortable being on Interpol’s hit list. They all agreed that Carlos’ gift for disguise would come in very handy for those times they wished to remain in the shadows. Simon was sure that the persona of Il Divo would carry them to most of the places they would need to get to. Urs was about to ask a question when there was a knock at the door and Angela entered pushing a trolley laden with sandwiches and drinks.
She smiled at them all saving her brightest for Urs. “Time for lunch, you boys have had enough time to figure out how you are going to take over the world.”
Angela had her back to them as she placed the tea, coffee and cold drinks on the side cupboard so did not se the look that flashed between them all. She did however feel the tension. “What no snide comments, so quiet, so serious.” She frowned at Simon as she placed the trays of sandwiches on the table. “You haven’t been chastising them about Hong Kong all this time surely.”
Simon spat out his words in his own defence. “No I have not!!!!”
Before anyone else could say anything Urs caught hold of her hand and looked deeply into her eyes, she could feel him drilling his way to her soul with just his look. “Simon has been very helpful Ange. He was not so upset about Hong Kong. We have been discussing a tour, a world tour.” As he spoke his last words he squeezed her hand.
Angela was fully aware of what he was trying to say without saying it. Seems their secret now involved Simon. She looked to the other members of the group and gave them a weak smile that made them feel just a little uncomfortable before turning her attention back to Urs. Bending down over him she brushed her lips gently over his then whispered in his ear. “No questions but please be careful. All of you.”
Angela left them to their lunch, everyone waiting for the door to close before letting out a sigh of relief and looking to Urs for an answer.
“She will not ask any questions.”
David rolled his eyes. “That is all she said?”
Urs got up from the table and began to walk towards the window. “No, she actually said… No questions but please be careful. All of you.”
A ripple of doubt gripped him and not for the first time. She was the one he wanted to be with, he was sure of it but he wondered if he was being selfish. Maybe he should have let her go then he would not worry that being with him would be dangerous, for both.
Not turning from the window he heard Carlos. “She has the knowing. I do not see why we cannot tell her what we are doing, who we are.”
This time Urs did turn form the window with fire in his eyes and an untamed anger riding on his voice. “No!!! The more we tell her the more danger we put her in. No… If she knows she will only offer to help.”
Sebastien went to say something but Urs stopped him. “No…” His voice softened just a little. “I know she already watches out for us, yes she is very intuitive but we cannot tell her, not yet……….. Maybe never.”
He dismissed the others by turning back to look out the window.
David made a move towards him but Simon stopped him with a hand on his arm and a shake of his head. “Let it be David. He’s right, we all know it. Come on… have some food. You know Angela will be at us for not eating otherwise.”
David nodded and joined the others back at the table. Urs remained at the window.

Later that night as she sat on the sofa in Urs’ lounge room with his head resting on her lap and the rest of his body stretched out along the sofa, she ran her hands through his hair and apologised. “I am sorry Urs. I will be more careful in the future with my flippant, throw away comments. It must be so hard for you, for all four of you to walk that line between two worlds.
Urs shuffled his body so he was now lying on his back looking up into her face. His first instinct was to ask her why she had made the remark about two worlds but his heart took over the conversation. “Was it wrong of me to ask you to be with me?”
Angela smiled down at him still running her hand through his hair. “Maybe, but I am with you. It was my choice Urs. You made it very clear of how things would be. I am prepared to wait…” She saw him begin to frown. “I know Urs. You may never be able to tell me. I can wait for that and I can wait for you to be comfortable with your choice.” She lent over and gave his a kiss. “I made my choice and it was to be with you. If you need to make another choice Urs I will understand.”
He looked into her eyes stunned. Was she telling him she would let him leave? “You want me to leave?”
“No Urs I want you to stay but if you feel you need to be apart from me to do what ever it is you have to do. I understand.”
Urs saw a small tear escape from her eyes, watching it slowly travel down her face. He gently wiped it away as it reached her chin. “And if I choose to stay?”
“Then I will take what ever you can give me and I will love you.”
“Then I will stay.” Urs sighed, closed his eyes as he felt a gentle peace settle in his heart and her lips settle on his.


The next several weeks seemed to pass in a flurry of activity and although their other lives still shadowed them it took a back seat for a little while. Things had been put in place, David had designed a program to track all the movements through cyber space they needed to be aware of, Simon was busy organising the tour and it was not until Simon mentioned it they realised that they had well and truly passed the twelve month mark that Interpol had set down. Not one member of the group was under any illusion that they had escaped Interpol’s clutches, there was still much work to be done but for now the music held their attention as it did many more fans than they could have ever expected.

Simon was sure he had accumulated a few grey hairs trying to iron out the logistics of their tour. It had a few unusual conditions attached to it. Il Divo needed to be able to tour in a certain way so that they could also make sure the momentum of their other plan did not slow down or snagged.
They had trialled Carlo’s disguises a few times in their local areas with resounding result and were happy that they would be very effective as they toured the world. However……… not one of them wanted to risk being seen by Angela convinced that with her insight she would recognise them.
They were discussing this very topic when David decided that maybe they should find out, after all she would be travelling with them, she was bound to find out eventually. The other three voted for later rather than sooner but David would not let go of the idea, going so far as suggesting that it should be Urs that should carry out the subterfuge, since it he was the one she knew so well. If he could fool her then the others certainly would.

The argument went on between the four men until David finally wore them down and they decided to conduct a small experiment.

A few days later Angela got a call to meet Urs at one of the café’s near the office. What she did not know was the other three would also be there, all four in disguise.
They had seated themselves at separate tables, Urs at a table close to the entrance and waited for her to arrive.
When Angela arrived she scanned the area for Urs, her eyes falling on each of the men and it would seem that she had not recognised any of them. She made her way to the counter to order something to drink. Looking back into the café as she heard the door open and close her eyes fell on Urs again and she smiled. As Angela turned back to the barista and then pointed to him Urs’ tensed up wondering if she had figured it out. His question was answered when she came to join him. “Don’t mind if I sit here do you since it was you who invited me………..Urs”
He shook his head and took her hand across the table. “How? Simon has been in here and never suspected a thing.”
Angela squeezed his hand. “Did you guys seriously think I would not know who you are.” At her words she turned in her seat and bowed her head slightly first to David, then to Carlos and then to Sebastien and then turned back to Urs. “Seriously you all look great but I know you, I know you all.”
By this time the others had come to join them, Urs looked to his three companions.
“These disguises will not work. She knew who we were the minute she walked in. Didn’t you?”
Angela sighed but smiled. “Sorry guys yes. Don’t look so despondent. They are really very good, whoever did them is a master indeed. It is only because I know you so well and I didn’t need to look at your faces to know who you were.”
Her statement made all the men shuffle a little uneasily. David was curious. “So what gave us away?”
“Well…” She looked to Urs first. “Your hands Urs. You had your back to me as I walked in but you were holding the paper. I would know you hands anywhere.” Before the others could ask questions her eyes fell on Sebastien. “As for you….It is the way you feel the need to check you jacket, make sure the buttons are undone and it sits just right.” Sebastien blushed just a little but Angela had already turned her attention to Carlos. “Carlos, with you it is the way you tap the table with your fingers, the pattern and rhythm are always the same.”
David jumped in just as her eye connected with his. “Don’t tell me it is my height that gave me away?”
Angela shook her head. “Nope…. The way you stir you coffee. Four turns to the right, one turn to the left and then another two turns to the right.”
“I don’t do that!!!”
Sebastien put up his hand as he spoke. “I beg to differ but yes you do David.”
David was shocked. “I Do!!!”
It was Carlos who took her hand this time. “Bella, you know us so very well.”
“It is only because we spend so much time together and remember I never forget anything. You know if you really want to find out if these disguises work you should show up at the TV station for your bit on GMT. There is already a small crowd of fans waiting for you.”
She could see the surprised look on all there faces even through the disguises.
“Tricia, she works down there called me a little while ago. So it would be a great opportunity. Just walk through the crowd.” She paused. “But may I suggest one at a time. Even in those gets up if you all turn up at once you are not going to fool anyone.”

Il Divo took up her suggestion and just walked straight through the waiting fans, feeling a little guilty as they did. They had a much harder time convincing the security guard of who they were until Angela stepped in. Once through the gate she ushered them to a small room where they could shed their disguises before heading to make up.

Just as they were being told to get ready to go on Angela pulled Carlos aside. “Nice work by the way Carlos.”
He frowned at her not knowing but the shock that registered on his face when she spoke told Angela her hunch had been right. “The disguises, they are your work are they not Mr Marin.”
Carlos was so dumfounded she had to push him out the door to keep up with the others, all with a disarming smile on her face of course.
He would have to wait until after their interview to tell the others that once again she had surprised him.

Chapter 16
The atmosphere was practically electric as the four men sat in the back of the car brooding and staring intently at Angela, all of them wanting to say something but knowing they would have to wait until they got back to the office.
Angela dared not look at any of them, dared not look at Urs for she knew if she did he would not be able to hold his tongue, she could feel their anger slowly consuming her, ever grateful that the trip back to Delfin was not a long one. She had gained their trust by not asking too many questions, by being so very careful and now with this one mistake she was worried that not only would she loose all the ground she had gained but she would loose Urs as well. Her feelings for him had certainly been an unforseen complication made even more complicated as he reciprocated. She had never expected to find someone she could love, let alone fall in love with but she had and now it was the thought of loosing this that gripped at her heart more than loosing their trust. So… she sat with her eyes fixed on the passing landscape waiting for the office building to come into view.
Arriving, barley giving the car a chance to slow down before she was out and already inside leaving four angry men to scurry after her. Angela did have a purpose to her quick exit. She needed to give herself the best advantage for the confrontation that was coming. She needed to get to the conference room, behind the conference table, waiting for them. She needed a physical barrier between them.
Angela did not have to wait long, all four men rumbling into the room like a human thunderstorm. Urs being the last one to enter locked the door behind him, Angela swallowed hard. The gesture would not have meant as much had one of the others done it but it had been Urs and it was now his eyes that caught her gaze and for the first time she felt her self confidence, her self assurance slipping. There was a quiet danger oozing from him, as she looked to the others it was the same. The few seconds of silence was almost more than she could bear, as she was about to say something Urs stopped her. He neither moved from where he was or raised his voice but Angela was under no illusion as to how upset he was. The others may have been angry but Urs was upset. “I, we want to know is how you knew…. How you knew it was Carlos that gave us our disguises?”

Angela had to swallow hard to stop the tears as she heard the ache and betrayal in Urs’ voice. He had opened himself up to her and now he thought she had betrayed him. She watched the other three men move, taking up defensive positions around the table as they waited for her answer. She never took her eyes off Urs as she tried to explain, hoping against hope that he would believe her. “Urs, guys, please. I know because I saw you, in Hong Kong.”
The four men continued to stare at her in constricted anger. Angela looked from Carlos to David. “The night of the party, when you came back. I saw you. Well that is not exactly true. I heard you in the lobby as I was coming back from the gym but I couldn’t see you. The voices were yours but I couldn’t match any of the faces. That was until you stood waiting for the lift. Carlos you mentioned to David how good the disguises worked and then David you spoke about how long before Urs and Sebastien could break away. I saw your reflection in the lift doors.” Angela sighed and looked back to Urs. “That is how I knew. You said no questions, to keep your secrets and I have. Do you know how many questions I had after that night? Urs I would never hurt you, any of you.” She moved closer to Urs trying to take his hand but he remained ridged and inflexible, darkness misting his eyes. “I would rather die myself than see anything happen to you.”
She kept watching Urs for a sign that she had broken through but it was David who confronted her. “Angela….”
He never got the chance to finish as Angela raised her voice above his. “No David. I am sorry, I have tried to be there for you without getting in the way, trying to show you that you could trust me, trying to help but I guess I screwed up. I am sorry. It won’t happen again.”
Angela ran from the room struggling with the door leaving the four men to look after her. Sebastien ran his hand through his hair. “I think maybe it was us that just screwed up.”
The others looked at him. “Awe come on guys. If someone had just accused us of being traitors how do you think we would have taken it?”
David practically spat out his words. “We didn’t accuse her of being a traitor!!!”
Urs’ voice was unnervingly quiet. “We did much worse. She has done nothing but be honest with us. Protecting, watching and all we give her are rules. She is very smart and knows far more than she is letting on, she is keeping secrets, ours, maybe others but isn’t that exactly what we asked of her.”
“Urs just because you are screwing the girl don’t……” David was cut off as Sebastien shouted and Carlos reacted by throwing a punch that landed on David’s chin. Urs just stood his ground clenching his jaw and fists even tighter.
All eyes back on Sebastien as he spoke. “DAVID!!!! Do not do this. You know he is right.”
David looked to Urs with his hand on his chin rubbing the red mark left by Carlos. “Shit… What do we do now?”
Sebastien was already headed for the door. “We apologise.”

They all walked down the hall expecting to find her at her desk. It was empty. Urs pulled out his phone to call her. All he got was the recorded message to say that her phone was switched off. He looked at the others just as Simon came out of his office. He looked from Angela’s empty chair to the four sombre men standing next to her desk. “What the hell did you guys do?!!”
It was Sebastien who spoke. “Where can we find her? We need to apologise.”
Simon’s eye almost popped out of his head. “What…. do you have to apologise for?”
Again it was Sebastien only giving Simon the same question to answer. “Where can we find her?”
Simon pulled out his own phone. “Just call her.”
Urs waved his phone in front of them all. “It is switched off.”
Simon sank back against the wall. “Then I don’t know, she always has the phone on. I suppose we could call the temp agency she came from, maybe they will know.”
Simon picked up the landline and called while the others listened to the conversation, not getting much from Simon’s response until he hung up and looked at him. “They say she called in and said she would not be available for at least a month.”
Urs had already started to walk down the hall to the exit. “Then we go to her apartment, if she is not there we keep looking.”

All four members of Il Divo turned up to Angela's apartment huddled around her front door as Urs rang the bell and knocked several times as well as shouting her name.
Carlos was about to knock when they were verbally accosted by a young lady in the apartment opposite and by the looks of her she was not happy. "Crickey!!! Turn it down !!. She's not bloody home."
It was very hard for any of them to keep a straight face at the sight before them. Stood in the doorway her brow crinkled by the frown she wore, hair looking like it had been attacked by a flock of birds, dressed in nothing more than a long grey t shirt that only just covered the essentials with a large picture of Australia on the front and the words Ozzie Ozzie Ozzie written over it was their attacker. She had seen them smile and was even less impressed. "Bloody Nora!!! Shift worker here, trying to catch a few. Go away!!!"
Sebastien stepped forward oozing with all his charm. "Cherie we apologise. But we are looking for our friend. Have you seen her?
"Okay Mister Smooth. Cleary she is not home and before any of you galahs ask me again. No I haven’t seen her not since she left for work this morning. So unless you want to come in and share my swag bugger off.!!!"
With that she slammed the door leaving them speechless for a few moments only to be shocked when the door opened again. “If she’s as mad as a cut snake, you could try Cathedral Park. She likes to walk by the river when she’s had enough of the yobbos in her life.”
Again the door slammed and the men stood in silence wondering what had just happened.
David shook his head. “Did anyone understand what the hell she just said?”
Urs began to walk way, his voice flat and emotionless. “We go to Cathedral Park.”

Angela had walked along the river pulling her emotions back into place. Angry with herself for letting her guard down, angry that she had just run out of the room and angry for how she felt about Urs. She did not class herself as a girly girl and did not cry very often but as she sat on a bench watching the river flow by, her eyes tinged with red and her face moist from tears she felt like jumping in, being washed away. All the things she had promised them ran through her head. She had promised to be there for each of them when they needed her, now she felt like she had broken that promise. She was stronger than that. She had promised Urs so much more and given him her heart. Had that been a mistake?
Taking a deep breath and standing she took a few steps closer to the river looking down into its dark depths, letting the mesmerising rhythm of the water consumer her. Life would be so much easier if she did not remember everything.

The four men had watched Angela from a secluded distance for a while but when she got close to the rivers edge it made Urs nervous. He had been on enough assignments, watched enough people to know she was thinking about her options. Had they hurt her so much that she was actually thinking about giving up her life? Urs did not like the way she made him feel, the fact that he felt anything at all was disturbing. Angela had broken through almost every barrier he had ever built to protected himself and trying to understand the feelings that washed over him every time he thought of her, every time he saw her was very uncomfortable and no matter how hard he tried to push them back down she brought them back to the surface. He loved her…….. and it terrified him to think that these feelings clouded his judgement, meant there was a chink in his armour but if he was honest with himself he was more afraid of loosing her.
Watched by the others he stepped out of hiding knowing what he had to do.

The gentle touch of a hand on her shoulder surprised Angela; she had not heard anyone approach. She knocked the arm from her shoulder as she spun around to confront her attacker only to see the despair in Urs’ eyes. He hadn’t even moved to protect himself. It was despair she saw, despair and the sadness that had been missing from his eyes these past months had returned. Seeing this, knowing this, did not stop her words from being venomous, she was still hurt and angry and could not stop herself. . “You didn’t have to come looking for me. I won’t be a hindrance. I will keep your secrets, I promised.” She turned back to the river so she did not have to look at him.
In reply Urs stepped a little closer pulling her gently so she had to turn back to face him. He placed his hands on her shoulders and sighed. “I am sorry.”
Watched by the others Urs lent in and kissed her. “Very sorry…..” The world seemed to fall into silence as he paused. “Angela will you forgive me, forgive us. We have made a decision.”
“What… to put me out of my misery so you don’t have to worry about me anymore.”
Even to Angela her words sounded icy and cruel. They cut Urs to the core remembering what he had almost done to her, knowing what he had done to others in the past.
Angela saw the flash of pain cross his eyes. Knowing she had put it there she took his hands from her shoulders and held them. “I’m sorry Urs that was uncalled for. I just…..”
He bent in once more and kissed her. “I forgive you….Will you ever find it in your heart to forgive me?”
He could feel the tension leaving her body as her smile washed over his heart. “I guess….. You said you had made a decision?”
Urs gently placed his hand under her chin. “We want to tell you.”
“Tell me what?”
“Everything.”
Angela looked at him in surprise, disbelief and surprise. “You mean everything. No more secrets?”
Urs simply nodded.
“Are you sure Urs? I mean. I might not know what they are but I know they weigh heavy on you. Are you really sure you want me to know?”
To answer Urs turned his head slightly and gave a whistle that saw the others come out of hiding.
Angela smiled. “I should have known where there is one there is bound to be another or three.”
As the others approached the silence was only broken when they had reached her. Sebastien smiled weakly. “We are sorry Angela.”
Angela could do nothing but smile at the Frenchman he was being genuine, no false charm. Here was Sebastien, the true Sebastien, the one she saw when he lost himself in song pleading for her forgiveness. She stepped forward and gave him a gentle kiss on the lips that shocked him and then looked at the others. “I know it is hard for you guys to trust anyone, but I thought you trusted me, it really hurt to know you don't.”
She saw them all tense up as they all moved a little closer. Again it was Sebastien that spoke. “But we do trust you Angela. I think that is why we reacted like we did. I think I can speak for the four of us when I say I don’t think there has been a time in our lives when we have trusted anyone so much. Then we find out you know this thing about us and before...”
Again Angela smiled. “And before this information would have been used against you in some way? What little trust you had would be lost?”
They all nodded their heads as Angela let her gaze fall on them one by one. “So are you sure? Urs said you wanted to tell me everything.”
David stepped just a little closer. “Yes.”
Angela looked to Urs. “But you don’t think it is such a good idea do you?”
Carlos slapped Urs playfully on the arm. “See, I told you she would know.”
Urs was still trying to come to terms with his emotions and how he felt about telling Angela, he had been out numbered and reluctantly agreed. His voice singing with doubt. “It is too dangerous.”
“For you or me Urs?” Angela had her answer by the look on all their faces. “Aw guys. Come on. What do I have to do to prove to you I can look after myself as well as your secrets? Sew my mouth shut.....”
David took her hand. “No but Urs is right what we are going to tell you is very serious, just knowing could be dangerous for you. If someone else was to find out.”
Once again Angela caught them all in her gaze. “Guys....I'm a lowly temp form Milton Keynes, who is going to think I have anything worth keeping a secret about?”
Carlos stepped forward in a flourish of bravado. “No, no. You are not lowly. Never, you are beautiful; you are sweeter than the sweetest wine, more radiant than the finest sunrise, never lowly.”
Angela was more than a little overcome by Carlos' words and tried to deflect. “Sebastien you'll have to be careful with your Prince Charming titled. I think you may have a contender.”
They all laughed and Carlos kissed her on the cheek.
Angela took a deep breath. “So how did you find me?”
Urs put his arm around her shoulder as they all began to walk along side the river. “You neighbour was very forthcoming with information.”
Angela stopped walking. “You woke up Oz? Oh My God.” Angela just laughed as she spoke. “You woke her. I am sure she was forthcoming with something and it wouldn’t have been pretty.”
“Well she did say a lot of things we did not understand.” Sebastien scrunched up his face as he remembered some of the phrases. “Mm like what is a Yobbo?"
David cut in. “I think the only thing I did understand was the fact that she was mad at us and when she said Cathedral Park.”
Again Angela laughed.

It took them a little while to tell her their story, they walked and they talked and she listened.
“That’s it, now you know everything.” Like the rest David watched her for a reaction.
“No shit Sherlock.”
Not quite the reaction they had been expecting.

Simon had been pacing, he had tried to work but he could not concentrate. He needed to know what was going to happen. Well aware of what his four new stars were capable of doing Simon was sure he could feel an ulcer growing in his stomach. Sebastien had said they wanted to apologise to Angela but he also knew they were angry and angry spy’s makes for a very nervous Simon.
He was so relieved when he heard the sound of laughter, Angela’s laughter it took all his self-discipline to stop from running to meet them. Instead he returned to his office to make it look like he had been working all afternoon.

Il Divo and Angela settled around her desk for the most part they were happy. Urs was still brooding but he kept quiet. “I can’t believe you told Grumpy who you were.”
At her words Simon opened his door to join them. “Told me what?” As his eyes fell on them his demeanour changed. “Oh you can’t have. What happened? Did you guys miss the lesson in spy school about keeping secrets? I can’t believe you told her after you ranted and raved about how dangerous it would be.”
Angela got up from her chair. “It’s alright Simon, I kinda put most of the puzzle together myself anyway.” The others looked at her shocked….. that was something they didn’t know. “Anyway they told you.”
It was David who spoke. “No we didn’t. Simon told us we were agents. Seems Interpol came to him for help. Gave us twelve months to get this singing business out of our system then we would be good little agents again.”
Angela smiled then frowned when a thought struck her. “Guys, you think the one who got in touch with Simon might be the one trying to kill you?”
Simon became hysterical. “What!!!!! Kill!!!! Somebody’s been trying to kill you!!!!!! You said the guy in Hong Kong was just delivering a message!!!”
Angela shouted back at him. “Simon!! What kind of message do you think you deliver with a twelve inch knife?”
Simon opened his mouth to say something then shut it again, that ulcer was getting bigger.
Carlos placed a reassuring hand on Simon’s arm. “Simon it is alright. We are all right. Did you forget who we are? We have been trained” Carlos looked around the room. “Very well trained.”
The meaning behind his words was not lost on the others and Simon swallowed hard. “But Reg. He can’t be behind this I have known him for years. He sent you to me to keep you safe. I can’t believe he would.”
“He would not Simon.” Urs’ voice made them all shiver just a little it was so lacking in emotion and so very, very cold. Angela could not read his face and knew he was in a dangerous place. She needed to get him alone, bring him out of the darkness he had cloaked himself in. “If Reg had wanted us dead he would have just let things be. Eventually we would have all wanted to leave Interpol and they would have terminated us. No Simon, Reg is not the person we seek.”
Simon sighed. “So all this has to do with that computer virus thing? Stopping you from stopping them.”
David spoke up. “Probably now that is right but someone had it in for us before we even knew about what they were planning. The guy that Urs met had instructions to kill him before handing over any information. I am still not sure if we stumbled onto something or actually walked into a trap.”
Angela was looking at Urs intensely. “The guy in Australia, the one I didn’t like, he was the one that stabbed you. I was right all along.”
Simon looked at Urs shocked. “Stabbed … no one told me you got stabbed. Angela told me you had a bit of a fever.”
Angela’s voice was a little sarcastic. “Well he did. I just neglected to tell you how he got the fever that is all.”
Simon’s mouth fell open, David, Sebastien and Carlos all smirked, Urs’ only reaction was to clench his jaw even tighter. Angela saw him, not sure if the others sensed how he was feeling or if they even knew. It was time to get him alone and try to mend a few fences.
“Okay, now that I don’t have to keep secrets from any of you can we go? I’m starved. It’s been a long day.” She grabbed hold of Urs’ hand and began to pull him to the exit. “Come on my brooding Swiss you are taking me to dinner. We have a few things we need to talk about.”
Everyone expected Urs to put up a fight. He didn’t; just following her in silence.

Urs had stayed silent, as it was the only way he knew how to keep a fragile grasp on his anger.

Chapter 17
Urs had pulled his hand out of Angela’s as soon as they were out of the building but had continued to walk by her said. He gave her credit that she had not pushed him to explain himself and for that he was grateful, giving him the time he needed to get his emotion under some kind of control. Emotions he was having a hard time understanding as they were all so new. Things were not so cut and dried in his life since Angela had arrived and in some ways he felt off balance.

As they walked Angela pulled out her phone and began a conversation. There was no point in going to dinner with Urs the way he was, they would more than likely get into a fight and she didn’t want any regrets later. Urs needed the vent and she was hoping the phone call would be her answer.
“Hey Moses, it’s Angela, any chance of using your place this evening?”
Urs listened to the one sided conversation.
“So you’re on your own?”
Silence while Angela listened to Moses.
“Yeah that might be a good idea. See you in ten.”
Angela hung up and smiled at Urs feeling his tension and hoping he would understand what she was trying to do.
They walked some more in silence before Angela stopped in front of a large building that housed both businesses and private residences but no restaurants.
Urs looked at her with suspicion.
“Come on Urs. You need this.”
Angela pulled her silent companion through the door, pulled a small card out of her pocket and swiped a senor next to the lift. Once inside she swiped the card again and pushed a button for the first floor. Urs was quite surprised when they stepped out into a gym. From what he could see it took up almost half of the floor if not more. There was the usual gym equipment, weights, cardio circuit, bikes, treadmills but as Urs looked around there was also a boxing ring, a section set aside for aerobic classes, a section for martial arts and if he was not mistaken towards the far end a sauna and spa section. Urs turned feeling the presence of someone else in the room. He watched as Angela greeted the man with a hug and a kiss to the cheek. He was tall, very well toned and very, very dark. As he spoke Urs picked up a slight accent. South African, maybe. “Hello my sweet Angel, you looking after strays again?”
“Thanks Moses, I really appreciate this on such short notice.” When she turned Urs noticed that she had not answered Moses’ question.
“Urs, this is Moses. You need to let out that anger and frustration. For the next few hours the place is all yours. Do what ever it is you need to.”
Urs looked from Angela to Moses who gave Urs a beaming white toothed smile. “Don’t look at me. Angel is the one with the sixth sense about people.” Moses washed his hands over the room. “Please use any equipment you like.” He saw Urs eyes sweep over the martial arts equipment. “Or would you prefer a more personal session.”
Urs just nodded; for some reason he resented the fact that Moses and Angela were friends. There was no logic to his thinking and physical combat seemed to fit his mood rather well.
Once again Moses smiled as he beckoned for Urs to follow him to the end of the room. “Come on then we’ll get you changed.”
The two men disappeared for a while then returned both wearing the traditional karate uniforms. Angela noticed they were both wearing black belts.
Moses said something to Angela in a language that Urs did not understand and as the two men entered the working space she explained. “He just said you are a man of few words. He thinks you would make a good friend.”
Just before they started to spar Angela said something to Moses in his own language. Urs would find out later that she had told Moses not to hold back as Urs was more than capable of holding his own.

Angela watched the two men for a while but as Urs let out his anger the session was becoming too brutal for her to watch. Each man stepping up to take what the other had to give. Moses had a good ten inches of height on Urs, as well as being broader in the shoulders but Urs seemed to have a reservoir of inner strength to call on.
Angela had taken herself off to Moses’ office to make a few calls and distract from the beating the men were giving each other, thinking that at the rate they were going it would be over in ten minutes. Forty minutes later she returned to the gym to see them still fighting but Moses was taunting Urs to give him all he had, to let go of all that he was holding onto. There was a subtle change in Urs’ stand, only slight but Angela noticed and shouted at Moses, she was afraid that Urs would let everything go and that is exactly what he did. Moses had been waiting for that exact moment knowing Urs would be like a ranging bull wanting to lash out and he was ready to take whatever was coming.
Angela’s shout had deflected Urs for a single moment, he looked into her eyes and back to Moses knowing that he could kill him, also knowing it was the wrong thing to do.
The noise, the cry of pain and anger that rose from Urs was chilling. He sank to his knees, throwing his head back and just let the wail escape. Angela was horrified; she had never heard a human make such a noise. Moses waited for Urs to stop, watching as his shoulders and head dropped. Only then did he approach sinking to his own knees in front of Urs and placing his big hands gently on his shoulders. “This is good my friend. You have been cleansed, let go. Trust what you feel.”
Urs looked up into Moses’ eyes. “I could have killed you.”
Moses smiled and pulled Urs to his feet. “As I could have killed you.”
Angela stood off to the corner until Moses gave her a silent nod. “He is a good man Angel but has been hurt by many things.”
Angela joined the men, holding Urs’ hands and kissing him tenderly on the lips tasting the salt from is sweat, her voice so quiet it was like dust in the air. “You okay?”
“I need a shower.” Urs paused, lent, kissing her a little harder than he had expected to. “Thank You.”
Moses pointed him towards the showers and he and Angela had a coffee while they waited. “You may still loose him Angel even though he has purged himself of so much he still struggles with the feelings he has for you."
"I know Moses but I will stay with him and if that day comes then it comes."
Moses pulled Angela into a side on hug and kissed the top of her heard. "I know you will stay. He will need someone who is so strong in spirit and soul as I once did."

As they talked they drifted into Moses’ native tongue and this is what Urs heard as he approached, refreshed from the shower but tired from a workout he was beginning to think was more emotional then physical.
Moses smiled at him, handing him a small card. “You are welcome here anytime Urs, just put the card in the slot in the lift. I run classes but I have a private gym.” Moses pointed back in the direction that Urs had just come. “You use the same card for access if I am not around and you would rather work out alone. If you would like a sparring partner I would be more than happy to offer my assistance. It has been a long time since I have had someone up to the task.”
As the two men shook hands Urs looked to Angela and she gave him a small smile not sure if he was willing to truly forgive her. However it was Moses that continued to speak. “She is one of a kind my friend. I have found it easier not to try and understand.”
Angela took Urs’ hand. “You ready to eat now?”
The men nodded to each other as Angela and Urs got on the lift. He did not speak until the doors closed. “Why did you bring me here?”
Angela sighed a little under her breath and grief gripped her heart. Maybe he would never trust her again. “To help. I need to know exactly where we stand Urs and I didn’t want your anger clouding your answer. I need to know if you still trust me.”
Urs answered as he stared at the lift doors suddenly feeling very claustrophobic. “I said I forgave you.”
“But do you trust me?”
Urs put his arm around her shoulders and pulled her to his side. “Yes.”
“But you are angry that I know about Interpol?”
Again Urs answered with a single word. “Yes.”
Angela put her own arms around his waist and dropped her head on to the side of his arm. “I thought you would feel less pressure now that I know. I’m sorry if I made it harder for you.”
Urs turned, pulling her arms from around him, lifting her head so he could look into her eyes. “You need to give me time Ange. These feelings… I ….”
Angela cut him off. “You wanted freedom and now you are not sure if this is the best. You are afraid you will not be able to protect me as well as love me. Urs….I said in the beginning I would give you all the time you needed. Sometimes when two people love each other they get hurt. You wont be able to protect me from everything.”
Urs went to speak but again she stopped him. “I know Urs…..But we have others watching out for us now. Both of us are more protected than ever before.” She kissed him as the lift doors opened. “Take your time to work through this Urs. I’ll wait.”

The conversation had made him feel more uncomfortable than he had anticipated and Angela’s astute interpretation of their situation never failed to amaze him so he changed the subject. “That language you and Moses where speaking.”
Angela smiled knowing full well that Urs was deflecting but she played along. “Dinik. A dialect of Sudanese.”
Angela went on to tell how she had met Moses.
“We met in a pub. You know how I remember everything well Moses and his cousin were just sitting having a quiet drink when some drunken racist idiot decided to have a go at them. I had been listening to Moses speaking, fascinated with the language when all hell broke loose. This looser and his friends just wouldn’t leave them alone and Moses was trying his best not to get into a fight but both he and his cousin were getting angry. So was the guy I was with. Well the idiot through the first punch, unfortunately he lost his balance and managed to push me off my chair. My friend was not happy about that, neither was Moses and both of them took on the four drunks. You’ve seen Moses, you’ve gone a few rounds with him even back then he was very capable of taking care of himself but once the fight got outside you could see that he had lost hold of any control he had over his rage. He would have killed the guy he was pounding on. The others were all done and my friend was shouting at Moses to stop but he just kept going. I shouted something to him in his own language and he stopped beating on the guy. You should have seen the look he gave me.”
Urs shook his head. “What did you say to him?”
Angela laughed. “I had no idea at the time but apparently the phrase I had picked out of their conversation was ‘What kind of job are you looking for’. Moses told me later it was the fact that I had spoken his language so perfectly that had stunned him more than what I had said. But at least he stopped pounding the guy.”
“But you do speak it, you where talking to him before.”
“Yeah well that took a while.”
“And this is how you became friends; he taught you to speak his language?”
Angela shrugged her shoulders. “Kind of. If you ask him he will tell you he is Nubian, he escaped the bloodshed. He had only been in the country about four months but wanted so much to fit in, to earn is way, to have a proper job, to start fresh. He was so desperate to leave his past behind. His English is better than my Dinik and that day I convinced him to let me help him find a job.”
Urs gave her a curious look.
“I had a friend who had a gym and the rest is history.”
Urs pulled her into a hug. “I think there is much more to the Moses story but thank you for telling me this much.” He paused a little not really knowing what Angela’s reaction would be to his next question. “Did you think about jumping?”
Without missing a beat Angela replied. “For a split second.”
Urs inhaled smelling the restaurant before he saw it and his stomach rumbled.
Angela laughed. “Well I guess that settles it; Indian tonight.”


David, Sebastien and Carlos were rounding off their own dinner with coffee. “What is it Sebastien? You have been quiet all night.” David was concerned for his companion.
Sebastien played with his cup while he answered. “Did we do the right thing?” He looked to David then to Carlos before continuing. “She knows everything about us and we know nothing of her. She keeps secrets very well. What of her own secrets?”
David shuffled in his seat and Carlos sat a little straighter. “You do not trust her? There is something you know that makes you say this?”
Sebastien shook his head. “No… I know as much as the rest of you, that is my point, we usually know more about the people that surround us. As for trust……I would trust her with my life. Why?”
There was silence around the table as all three men thought about his statement. He was right, why did they trust her as they did?
No matter how hard he tried David just could not put Angela on the ‘Bad Guy’ list. “If she was with us for nefarious reasons, surely she would have done something by now.”
Carlos frowned. “Maybe is it not Angela that is in danger. Maybe it is the one she is closest to…Urs.”
David shook his head. “No. I don’t believe that. Urs of all people would not be taken in by a false love. Look guys, we are damn good at our jobs yet each one of us came to the same conclusion, we trust her, Simon trusts her. More than once she has warned us of danger, if she wanted the worst for us all she had to do was remain silent.”
Sebastien raised his hand. “David, I understand but I feel like I have been disarmed in some way because I do trust her.”
Carlos sighed. “It is because we have never had anyone we could trust as we do Angela. Our lives have been so filled with deceit and deception, ugliness and lies that when we find a thing of truth and beauty we do not know how to deal with it.”
It was Sebastien’s turn to sigh. “But we are agreed, she is hiding something?”
The other two men nodded in agreement, they knew he was right.

Simon walked out of the office to find Reg standing beside his car, back door open. “You can’t have them back Reg, not yet.”
Reg smiled and gestured for Simon to get into the car, he didn’t speak until they were moving. “You’ve out done yourself this time Simon. I must say I never expected things to work out how they have.”
Simon shuffled in his seat. “Reg these guys have turned out to be something special. I’m looking at a world tour, they are happy Reg and they won’t cause Interpol any trouble all they want to do is sing.” Simon wondered if he could lie as well as an Interpol agent, he sure hoped so or that ulcer he could feel bubbling away was going to be huge before this was over. Anyway he really was not lying, they did want to sing and they were damn good at it.
Reg smiled at his friend. “I’ve been keeping tabs on them Simon. You really are very good at what you do aren’t you?”
Simon wasn’t sure if he should answer and Reg continued. “However they are not as safe as I had hoped.”
Simon swallowed hard. “How not safe? Is something going to happen?”
“Has happened Simon. Some one tried to kill them, or at least one of them. I am not sure.”
At his words Simon did actually go pale, even knowing all he had learnt from the men as well as Angela. “Do you know when?”
The two places that Simon did not want to hear rode over Reg’s lips. “Australia and Hong Kong. There might have been a try here in London but I haven’t been able to confirm that without making too many waves.”
Again Simon swallowed hard. “Hong Kong, you mean to tell me that it wasn’t just my feisty secretary in the wrong place at the wrong time?”
Reg actually laughed. “I must say when I saw the newspaper article about the poor man it did brighten my day just a little but sadly Simon he was after one or the entire group.”
“But why? I don’t understand.”
“Bad timing on my part old chap. Someone seems to think they were placed on purpose and they don’t like it.”
Simon looked at Reg horrified. “Did you Reg? Did you place them here on purpose?”
Reg sounded like a defeated man, not looking at Simon as he answered. “No Simon. I came to you for the very reason I told you. If only I had known maybe I could have done something else.”
“So are you telling me I have to pull the plug on the world tour? Do you know why someone wants them dead? Do you know who wants them dead?”
Reg sighed. “To late to pull the plug and I can’t answer the rest.”
“Then maybe it is time you all had a talk.”
“Maybe it is.”
c

Chapter 18
The next morning the men from Il Divo arrived at the building just as Angela did so; they walked up to the office together.
Angela stashed her bag in its usual place under her desk but as she stood back up they all saw her expression change as she looked towards Simon’s office. “Something is wrong. I can feel it.”
No more was said and the four men charged into Simon’s office expecting the worst. Simon however was a little startled at the entrance. “Shit !!! Give a guy a heart attack why don’t you!!!”
David had been the first into the room. “Angela said something was wrong.” His voice died as his eyes landed on the other person sitting in the room. By now the other three where also looking at him.
Reg stood to face them. “Gentlemen.”
The chill in Urs’ voice made them all shiver as he directed his question to Simon without taking his eyes off Reg. “Simon….is there something wrong?”
Being the only one left sitting Simon was feeling uncomfortable so he stood. “That depends on how you define the word wrong.” Simon had to remember that Reg did not know that Il Divo knew about their little pact.
Reg shivered involuntarily, the atmosphere in the room suddenly as chilly as Urs' voice. Chilly and unnaturally silent, all eyes fixed on him. "I expect an explanation is in order."
Again it was Urs who spoke and if it were possible his voice was even icier. "Indeed."
Simon's nerve was about to betray him being well aware of the seriousness of the situation. "Maybe I should leave you to discuss things."
The looks that he got from the four men of Il Divo surprised Simon just a little. He had expected to see anger emanating from their eyes; instead it was a look of understanding. They knew he had put himself into a difficult place by exposing Reg’s plan and they understood just how uncomfortable he was feeling.
Reg interrupted the silent communication. “Maybe… Simon can we use your conference room?”
Without hesitation and in silence Simon escorted the men out of his office, hoping he would not have to explain to Angela. He sighed with relief seeing that she was not at her desk. However his relief was short lived as they walked into the conference room to see Angela placing water and juice on the table. She smiled at them all as she left. “I’ll be back with the coffee.”
Simon was hot on her heels as she walked back to the kitchen. “I’m going to need more than coffee.”
“This early in the day; Simon what ever for?”
Simon went to say something then caught the look on her face. “Angela!! Four spies, that we know are spies but they are not supposed to know that I know, they are not supposed to know that it was Reg who started all this. That is Reg in there with them right know.”
Angela shook her head and put down the coffee pot she had been filling. Looking straight at Simon. “I gathered as much. They are smart lads Simon; do you think that if you had not told them they would still be in the dark about each other? I don’t think so. They spend an excessive amount of time together, it would have happened at some point. Now they all need to clear the air so everyone is on the same page.” Picking up the coffee pot she held it out to Simon. “You want to take it in or shall I?”
Simon moved aside so that he was no longer blocking the door to the kitchen. “If you want to walk into that tempest be my guest.”
As she passed him Angela gave him a small kiss on the cheek. “It will be alright Simon, trust me.”

Back in the conference room no one had sat, each man taking up a strategic position. Reg had to smile, you might be able to take the spy out of Interpol but you could not take the spy out of the man. His eyes drifted over each man and back again. As he met David’s eyes for the second time he spoke his name. “David.” Doing the same with the other three until he reached Urs. “I was hoping that the next time I saw you would be as a patron at one of your concerts but things have changed and the body count you have been leaving as a message has not helped.”
No one spoke so Reg continued taking the advantage while he had it. “You all know me, now you all know each other. I am not going to ask how or when you figured it out but considering your activities, pretty early on and to answer your questions yes, when I first approached Simon it was as I had told you, to give you time, to give you some space. Unfortunately my timing was a little off not that I knew then, nor did I realise what we had stumbled into until it was too late.”
Urs spoke for the first time since they had entered the conference room, not even trying to mask the bitter distain in his voice and Reg knew he was walking on very perilous ground. “Exactly what did we stumble into Reg?”
Just as Reg was about to answer Angela returned with the coffee. Silently she placed it on the table then when it looked like she was going to leave in silence she stopped at the door and looked at them all.
“Play nice. Nowhere in my job description does it say cleaner.”
Angela gave them all a quick glance, sighed, walked back over to Urs and kissed him hard and strong on the lips. Before anyone could react she did the same to Sebastien who had been standing next to him, all though not with quite as much passion, Carlos was in her grasp before he knew it. Leaving three baffled men in her wake she moved to David who had a big beaming smile on his face and his arms open to welcome her much to Urs’ displeasure. Angela gave him his kiss and left without saying a word. The four men stood looking at each other and Reg was left to wonder what the hell had just happened.
“Would one of you like to fill me in. Did I miss something?”
For a few moments they were all as bewildered as Reg until David laughed. “The Airport, the photographer; remember. She’s telling us to trust each other. What others see is not always what it is.” David turned his attention to Reg. “Did you really do this to try to give us a chance Reg? No ulterior motive, no back door agenda?”
Reg stepped a little closer to the table. “As God is my witness I swear that was my one and only intention and a hope that maybe you could pull this singing caper off and Interpol would have to let you go.”
Sebastien came a little closer. “So why where people trying to kill us almost from the beginning?”
“Not people, person. I guess if I had not sent you out no one would be any wiser to what is going on.”
Carlos swore in Spanish. “Talk straight!!!”
Reg gestured to the table. “Please sit and I will explain as best I can.”
The other four men hesitated for a moment.
“Please…. sit, at least listen to what I have to say. It could save your lives.”
Reg went on to describe what he had found out and later on it would be agreed that his timing had been lousy. He had tried to shield the four men from Interpol as much as he could only giving them what he thought was simple courier jobs. Unfortunately someone at Interpol had been working on a plan and it seemed they thought Interpol had planted the four singers in an attempted to stop them. The agent in Australia was the first real attempt to see what Il Divo knew and get rid of at least one.
It seemed that being good at their jobs is what set off the chain of events as someone tried to stop Il Divo from getting any closer to what was really going on.
In Hong Kong it became apparent that the men from Il Divo had indeed stumbled onto something. Retaliation was supposed to be swift and cruel. Il Divo had raked up a body count so someone was going to return the favour. The man in the blue suit was not after them, he was after the one thing that was close to them. Angela. It was to be a warning shot across their bow so to speak.

Reg finished and the room was eerily quiet, almost oppressive. Urs cleared his throat. “Who……Who is behind all this?”
Reg took a drink of water before he spoke. “We don’t know. Each time we think we have a lead it goes cold but it is someone at Interpol or someone with knowledge that can only been gained at Interpol.”
David spoke up “Who also has a scientific background. That should narrow down the field.” He looked to Reg before he continued. “It’s real, the nanites, the contamination. It’s all real?”
Reg Nodded. “Who ever it is thinks you know more than you do. I was hoping that since you have become so popular having a public persona may have helped but now I am not so sure.”
You could hear the angst in Sebastien’s voice as he rose slowly from the table looking like he had the weight of the world on his shoulders. “Do not ask us to give up on Il Divo Reg.” Sebastien stood looking out the window feeling the dream slipping away.
Reg went to say something, stopped by David as he rose and went to his friend. “This does not change anything Sebastien. We go on as we planned only now Reg can chip away from the inside and we can do our best from the outside. We all agreed that this needs to be stopped.”
“And we can keep singing.”
David placed his hand on Sebastien’s shoulder. “Yes, we can keep singing.”

For the next twenty minutes Il Divo and Reg exchanged information, David explaining that Angela knew who they really were which surprised Reg but by the end everyone’s demeanour had lightened just a little, everyone except Urs, he was brooding, is eyes showing the depths of his torment, his silence understood by Sebastien, Carlos and David. Reg had the same feeling every time he met with Urs, the feeling that this young man was dangerous in a very deadly way and would not be forgiving if ever betrayed.
Sensing their friend’s mood Carlos and Sebastien ushered Reg out of the room hoping to persuade Angela into organising lunch, leaving David to attend to Urs.

“I heard what he said about Hong Kong Urs, we all did. Do not think this is all your fault.”
Urs shot David a fiery look; however David had the good sense to ignore it and keep talking. “She was in danger because of all of us, all four. No one outside this family of ours knows the real truth. No one knows of your relationship.”
Urs looked to David. “If I was not with her maybe…”
David shook his head. “We still would have been in Hong Kong, with her, Mr Blue Jacket would still have come after her. Nothing would have been different. Urs…..I know you well enough to see you are thinking about breaking her heart and your own. After all you have been through don’t do this.” David paused a little. “Do you still trust her, even knowing she has secrets she has yet to tell you?”
This statement got Urs’ attention but he nodded. “Yes.”
“Do you love her?”
“Yes.”
“She has promised to be there for us all Urs and I believe her. She said she would wait for you. If you love her, trust her, wait for her to find the right time to tell you her secrets as well.”
“Would you wait David?”
“Yes I would Urs, for eternity if I had to.”
“There are many more layers to her; she holds so much that others cannot see.”
David smiled at his friend. “Are you any different Urs? Are you afraid of what she might reveal? Or are you afraid that if she does you will see yourself?”
Urs Sighed. “I am afraid she will see me and want nothing more to do with me.”
“She already sees you Urs.”
David slapped Urs on the back as they walked to the door. “She sees us all, understands us all far better than we understand ourselves. She has a gift; she is a gift.”

Angela was shepherding Reg, Simon, Sebastien and Carlos down the hall having arranged a table at the local pub for lunch as David and Urs approached. The smile left her face as her eyes connected with Urs. “David would you mind if I borrow Urs for a minute?” She could see he was going to protest. “I promise, only a few minutes, he won’t miss lunch.”
David waited to get a nod from Urs before he left.
Angela started to talk before Urs had a chance to say anything. “You have a family here Urs, with the other three, with me. Families stick together through the good and the bad.” On her last word she pulled Urs close to her by his shirt and placed her lips gently over his. Her touch was so feather gentle it made not just his lips but his whole body tingle. Urs took hold of her arms returning her gentle touch with the pressure from his own lips.
As they separated Angela looked into his dark, sorrowful eyes. “Don’t keep us out Urs; let us be there for you.”
She breathed in his scent as Urs pulled her into a hug, laying her head on his chest.
His voice echoed with a tinge of pain. “Promise……Promise to be there always.”
“Always Urs. The Devil himself will not be able to take me away from you.”

Urs thoughts drifted, as he stood there with the only woman he had ever loved engulfed in his arms; it was not the devil he was worried about.
He could take care of the Devil.

Chapter 19

With Reg’s help Il Divo’s world tour was more successful than they had expected both musically and with regards to what they were trying to do. Being a Director had some advantages with a nice flow on effect to the men. The plan to buy up as many of the music companies on the list they had; proved to be more successful now that Interpol( without knowing it) were bank rolling the acquisitions.
The down side was the fact that no one could identify the individual responsible. Thankfully neither did said individual have information as to the buy up and Il Divo where hoping to keep it that way until it was absolutely necessary.
Though at the beginning of the tour it seemed that their luck had run out before they had even started. The attempt on Angela’s life having been thwarted in Hong Kong someone was making very sure that Il Divo knew they were being watched. With in the space of forty eight hours news reports of a tragic car accident that had taken the lives of an Asia Pacific Mining executive, Martin Gail and his socialite wife, Opal as well as the news that one Duncan Wolf had been killed in a skiing accident weighed heavy on the Il Divo family. These people were dead and there was nothing they could do. Wolf’s death hit David the hardest, they had been friends for a long time and he felt responsible, if only he had not asked him to get involved.

They had been on the road a few weeks and in her own way Angela had kept an eye on all four of them, yes there were agents, yes they had dealt with death before but they were also human. More than once she had consoled Sebastien about Opals death, like David he felt responsible and in his mind she had been an innocent victim which made it so much worse.
After her latest talk with Sebastien she wondered who they would have turned to in the past? Was there even such a person in their past they could talk to like they talked to her. Knowing the answer her heart ached. It was a long time to keep such things to oneself and have no way to release such pressure. She admired them for their inner strength and hoped that now they could confide in someone they would unburden the torments of the past that they had kept secret for so long.

David’s diatribe after a concert in San Francisco caught his band members off guard; almost causing a meltdown between the men before Angela managed to get him on his own.
Angela let him pace around the room while she patiently waited in the corner. It took David several minutes to register that she was actually there he was so upset. When he did finally acknowledge her the look he gave scared her for just a moment. She had seen the same look in Urs’ eyes; that look of sorrow masked by anger and pain and hate. She could see his nostrils flaring as David tried to control himself and felt sure if she waved a red flag in front of him he would have charged like a raging bull. So she waited silently, not even trying to calm him down, this was something he was going to have to do himself. David kept pacing but every time he passed Angela he looked at her, after a few moments he stopped right in front of her and she could see he was trying to figure out how to articulate the pain and rage in his mind. Angela flinched, took a deep breath and closed her eyes as David let out a yell and his fist went flying past her face as he punched a hole in the wall behind her only opening her eyes when she heard David swearing repeatedly. He had moved to the other side of the room and was cradling his right hand in the other.
Angela walked towards him. “So… you done???”
David was watching his knuckles swell. “I think I might have broken my hand.” He had released all his anger with the punch; he had nothing left.
Angela gave him a small smile as she took his injured hand in her own to examine it. “Not broken but it is going to be sore for a while.” Lifting his hand to her lips she kissed each of his knuckles. “Cant say the same for the wall. Better let management know they may have some extra fees to pay.”
David looked from Angela to the wall and then back to Angela, he went pale. “You didn’t move, you should have moved, I could have hurt you….badly.”
Still holding his hand she felt him tremble just a little under her touch. “No you wouldn’t have.”
David went to protest as Angela lowered her voice. “No David, you wouldn’t have.” She paused for a moment before asking a question. “David what got to you tonight?”
David sighed removing his injured hand from Angela and went to sit on the only chair in the room. “It sounds ridiculous but I could have sworn I saw Duncan in the audience and it just all hit me. What we are trying to do.” He looked at her like a man besieged by his own dark thoughts. “Can we really pull this off Ange? I mean who are we kidding.”
Angela gave him one of her warmest smiles as she knelt in front of him, placing her hands on his knees. “You aren’t kidding anyone David. This is serious, very serious and for you to be living this double life, one so very much in the public eye and the other you have to keep a secret. I am surprised you guys can sleep at all but never, ever doubt your abilities no matter which life you are looking at. As agents the four of you made the decision to do the right thing, keep the world safe from those who would do it harm. As singers you have brought beauty and harmony into a world sadly lacking in both. I know you anguish over the lives that have been lost, those that you have taken as an agent.” She saw an uneasiness flash across David’s eyes at her words. “But David as a part of Il Divo you have saved so many more than you have taken.”
David began to shuffle in his seat and Angela realised he was uncomfortable and did not believe her. “Come on. I want to show you something.”
Angela dragged him out the room to run right into a wall of Il Divo. “God I should know better. Where there is one the other three a bound to be close by. You lot might as well see this to.”
Still holding David’s hand she pulled him down the hall to the room she had been given and the others followed.
Sebastien lent in to whisper to Urs. “Do you know what she wants us to see?”
Urs shrugged his shoulders, he was just happy that she had managed to get David to calm down.
As they entered the room Angela sat herself down at her computer and the four men arranged themselves behind her so they could see the screen waiting to see what it was she wanted to show them. Angela made her way to the Il Divo web site and to a page that was discussing what Il Divo had done for people. Getting up from her seat she pushed David into it. “Gone on, read it. If any of you are feeling guilty about the lives that have been lost because you are agents, then have a look and see how many you have saved as Il Divo.”
Sebastien, Urs and Carlos stared at her in stunned silence. David was already reading the page. “If that doesn’t convince you. We have sold out concerts in over 50 cities before we are through.”

By the time they had finished reading the pages the four men were humbled indeed. Relationships had been started and relationships had been mended, engagements, marriages, friendships struck up between people who would never had met otherwise. But the messages that held them all in awe were those from people who had explained how Il Divo had got them through some really bad times, death of loved ones, having to deal with terminal illness, how Il Divo had given them a reason to get up in the morning just one more time, people were alive because of them.
David pushed his chair back and stood with the others. “We did this? Just by singing.”
They had all expected Angela to answer but she had left. When, none of the men knew.
Sebastien spoke up. “Do you think we have time to say hello to those fans that have hung around?”
Urs frowned just a little. “They might have left, it has been a while.”
Carlos could see that Sebastien wanted to make sure. “Sebastien, if fans are still waiting to see us then see us they will.”

A small group of die-hard fans were rewarded as the four men came out the stage door to the waiting cars. They signed autographs and had pictures taken, chatting with the fans for a long time.
A woman in her late forties pushed a small card into Sebastien’s hand as she shook it. “Thank you my dear for being part of this, you have no idea how much you have helped me through the past few months.”
Before Sebastien could say anything the woman had disappeared.

Sometime later the four men were being driven back to the hotel and Sebastien took the card from his pocket and began to read it, his eyes welled up with tears as he did. Urs was sitting opposite him. “What is it Sebastien?”
Sebastien looked to his three companions as he choked back his tears. “She is one of them, one of those we have saved. She says she lost her son in an accident a few months ago and was so grief stricken she just wanted to follow him. Then a friend gave her our CD and showed her the web site. She says the friends she made there saved her life. We saved her life.”
David choked back the lump in his own throat. “Did she say anything else?”
Sebastien looked back down at the card. “To keep singing and know that we have made a difference.”

Before leaving San Francisco David with the help of the others managed to infiltrate several music companies to set up his software to monitor any movements. They had already bought out the companies but they still needed to know if and when Interpol became interested.
Several of the smaller companies that Il Divo had procured had already been sold; of course they could have stopped the sales but they needed more information. Unfortunately the sales all ended up with one of the four big international companies they already had uncovered. It had been decided they needed more inside information about them, most of all who were Interpol’s puppets.
Reg had been working his way through files, red tape and anything else he could find to see if Interpol already owned the four companies. Having worked as the CEO of the world’s largest shipping company also owned by Interpol, Reg knew how many layers of protection there could be to get through. He also had to make sure his search did not set off any alarms so it was slow and tedious to say the least.
David had already set up his virus in the two companies whose head offices were in Europe. San Francisco would make number three and Il Divo would be going back to Hong Kong after their Australian concerts to place the virus with in Asia Pacific Mining’s network. Once they had been found out they had expected the operation to be taken away from Asia Pacific but someone else had stepped up to take Martin Gail’s place after his death.
Once Il Divo got to Hong Kong David would find that the computer security systems had been dramatically upgraded. David would report back to his companions later that he was a little disappointed at the lack of challenge he had encountered but his job was done. The four international companies and who ever was running them were in for one hell of a surprise when the time was right.

Urs was a little nervous about going back to Australia but for the most part the men were looking forward to it. This would be one leg of their world tour that was purely IL DIVO, no hidden agenda’s, no having to use Carlos’ disguises unless of course they wanted to.
Being a little more relaxed may have been the reason their guard was down. Possibly if Angela had been with them her intuition may have been enough to stop what happened but by the time anyone realised it was almost too late.

There was a crowd of fans at the airport waiting to say good bye to IL Divo and the men obliged by shaking hands and signing autographs. Urs was shaking the hand of one fan when she pulled him close and gave him a very hard kiss on the lips. It shocked Urs and the security guards who Angela had assigned to Il Divo shuffled Urs as well as the rest of the men into the customs area of the airport. Signing autographs and shaking hands yes but they would have nothing to do with such personal invasions as kissing.
Once in the customs lounge the others gave Urs a bit of a playful hard time. David slapped is friend on the back. “What’s Ange going to say when she hears about that kiss there Urs?”
Carlos laughed. “I can hear her now. Leave you alone for five minutes and you get into trouble.”
Sebastien was nodding his head in agreement. “Yes, yes that is exactly what she would say.”
It was David’s turn. “Hey Buddy she wont hear about this from us.”
Urs sighed. “But she will hear as I will tell her. Now….can we get to the plane?”
The other three just smiled at their companion knowing full well that Urs would tell Angela everything that had happened.

Angela had flown to Australia ahead of Il Divo to sort out a few things for Simon. She was glad to be back in the country. Although Urs had been hurt last time they were in Australia it was also the place where they had become a couple. An odd couple but a couple all the same.

About half way through the flight Urs began to feel ill; several times he had thought he was going the throw up but it never happened. His skin was clammy and although he was sweating he felt cold and was shivering. This time when he rushed to the bathroom he did throw up and David noticed how bad he had looked and followed concerned. He knocked on the bathroom door. “Hey Urs, you okay?”
David heard Urs throw up again before he answered. “Give me a minute.”
When Urs reappeared David was shocked, he looked even paler than he had before. “Shit Urs what the hell is wrong with you?”
“I think I caught a bug or something.” Urs stumbled a little as they walked back to their seats. “David I don’t feel so good.”
As David helped Urs get back into his seat he could feel the heat radiating from his body. “I think we should get you something for the fever at least. We’ll be in Adelaide in a few hours. Think you can hold on till then?”
Urs just nodded his head and smiled internally at David’s remark. He really had no choice than to hold on until they landed and he also knew that Adelaide was more than a few hours away.
By the time they landed Urs was in a bad way, so much so they had put him in a wheelchair. The smile on Angela’s face disappeared in an instant as she saw David pushing him into the VIP lounge. She only had to look at the other three to know how serious the situation was. Bending down in front of the chair she touched Urs’ hand, he was still burning up with a fever and almost unconscious. Her gaze went from Urs to David her eyes pleading him for an answer.
“He was fine when we got on the plane Ange, I swear then he complained of feeling ill. He’s been like this for half the trip and getting worse.”
Just as David finished they all heard the sound of running behind them and looked to see paramedics headed their way, there was no one else in the lounge apart from security and it made Angela nervous.
Sebastien stepped up to stand next to David. “The Captain, he called ahead for the medical services.”
“I think they may have just quarantined us as well. You notice there are no other passengers.” Angela looked back to Urs. “You stick with us Urs you hear, we’ll get you fixed up.” Leaning towards him she gave him a gentle kiss on the check just before the paramedics got to them. Angela stood as they began to open their packs and stunned them all. “He’s been poisoned.”
For a few short moments the entire lounge fell silent, everyone looking at her as she wiped her fingers across her lips. Before any of Il Divo could react the paramedics were firing questions at her. “Are you sure Miss?”
Angela just nodded.
“Do you have any idea what it might be and how the hell do you know he’s been poisoned?”
Angela ran a single finger over her lips. “I can taste it. I kissed him, its coming out his pours and no I don’t know what it is.”
One paramedic went back to working on Urs while the other called in their situation and Urs’ symptoms over the radio. David pulled at Angela so she had no other choice but to look at the other three men. “You can taste it?”
“He tastes funny David, he taste sour not like he should.”
Sebastien was about to ask her a question when the paramedic who was on the radio pulled her back around to face him. “What did you just say?”
“He tastes funny, like metal.”
The paramedic relayed the information back to someone at the other end of the radio and they all heard the response so Angela answered the question. “Metallic, but salty and a hit of …..”
They all waited while she tried to pinpoint the other tastes.
“Garlic.”
The paramedics looked to the other men. “Do you know if he vomited at any time?”
They all nodded but David answered. “He did quite a few times, we gave him some medication for the fever and one of the flight attendants gave him something to settle his stomach.”
One paramedic reported the information back over the radio as the words rolled over Sebastien lips. “Arsenic…..He has arsenic poisoning.”
The paramedics were startled that Sebastien knew, even more startled that he was now asking questions most laymen would not ask. “So that fact that he has thrown up and been given something for his stomach will help yes?”
The paramedics nodded in unison before one spoke. “We still need to get him to the hospital. All I can say is that it must have been a small dose considering how long you have been in the air.”

As Angela, Carlos, David and Sebastien waited for news of Urs they tried to figure out where and when Urs could have been poisoned. All of a sudden David jumped up. “I got it. that fan who kissed him, at the airport. It has to be.”
Angela sighed. “We know the where and the when but why?”

That question would have to wait as the doctor entered the waiting room. “Your friend is going to be fine, he’ll be a little weak for a while but he should be able to be discharged in the morning.”
The all heard the small tremor on Angela’s voice. “Can we see him?”
The doctor nodded. “Yes, he is awake.”

As they entered Urs’ room he smiled weakly. “Hey.”
Angela tried hard to smile, Urs still looked very, very pale. Silently she kissed on the cheek.
Urs looked to his three male companions. “The fan at the airport right?”
The other three nodded.
“Some fan.” They all heard the fury in Angela’s voice and Urs took hold of her hand.
“I will be okay. I guess she wasn’t really a fan.” Urs looked back to the others. “Someone wanted to send us a message.”
Carlos stepped a little closer to the bed. “But why? I do not understand? If they wanted to kill you they…..”
Sebastien put this hand on Carlos’ shoulder to stop him having seen the look on Angela’s face.
Urs pulled Angela a little closer. “The doctor said I will be ale to leave in the morning.”
“Will you be up to the concerts Urs, we have a few days but….”
He gave her a smile that only Angela could see. He smiled with his eyes. “Yes my angel. I will be fine.”

The Australian concerts did go ahead but by the time that Il Divo arrived in Sydney the main topic of conversation on the web site was Urs’ health. The fans were worried about him and it was true; on stage you could see that he was not well even if he did give his all. Most nights he was so exhausted he was asleep before they got back to the hotel, as always Angela by his side. She was there when he woke taking care of him, making sure he did not do too much during the day. If Il Divo had interviews that did not include performing Urs was absent. Even if he did attend he was subdued and restrained in any answers that he gave. It was obvious to all that something was amiss.
He was recovering and perhaps if they had cancelled the concerts he would have recovered much quicker but when they had broached the subject with him Urs had made it perfectly clear that cancelling was not an option.
If they had then maybe the message they received at the concert of March 10th would never have been delivered.
Il Divo had already performed one concert in Sydney and it had been a good one. The second one looked as though it was going to be the same. People loved the way the members of Il Divo interacted with the audience. Shaking hands and taking gifts. Something that Angela had tried to discourage. This night several younger fans managed to get a very, very large teddy bear down to the stage. David looked out into the audience as he tried to pull the bear onto the stage while still singing. It took him two tries, he nodded his thanks to the fans but his look out into the audience had been for Angela. She was sitting in the back row, something she liked to do from time to time but at the sight of the massive bear she had already made her way back stage, shouting at any security personnel she met on the way.
Back on stage David saw the nervous looks of his companions as he pulled the bear as close to the side of the stage as he could. As David moved to take his place centre stage the bear was still visible, that was until Angela got the attention of one of the guitarists and asked him to bring it to her. By this time security people had positioned themselves at front of the stage making everyone else on the stage nervous not just Il Divo.

Angela managed to drag the bear out of the building to a small alley where the group’s cars were parked. Just as she walked back inside to make a call and round up a few security personnel to keep people out of the alley there was a small explosion. The bear lost its head.
Angela was thankful;
She would find out later that the bear was big enough to carry enough explosive to kill everyone on stage and some of the audience if it had gone off in the theatre. The small explosion would have frightened a few people and probably caused a panic but no damage. Even the car that the bear was next to had escaped damage. Angela would have to wait until the end of the concert to explain what had happened but she worked her way back to the side of the stage and gave Il Divo the thumps up and a smile to let them know everything was oaky.

Before the concert the next night management brought in a security detail to sweep through the whole building to make sure it was clean. Fans still managed to give the members of the band gifts but they where taken off stage as soon as they were given and the band had no more problems in Australia. In fact they had no more problems for the rest of the tour. Even Hong Kong, a slight detour before they got to Ireland.

Chapter 20
With the tour over the four members of Il Divo may have thought life as a singer would be a little less hectic. They soon found out otherwise. Simon wanted to keep the ball rolling so to speak which meant producing and distributing a new album then sending Il Divo back into the world. The 2007 Tour would start in Asia in January and not finish until July.
On top of the rigorous tour schedule was Il Divo’s other commitments; bringing down the person intent on taking over the music industry. Thanks to Reg, David, Sebastien, Urs and Carlos as a team had managed to gain control of the four big companies responsible for the buy up of the smaller ones. They had thought to wait until it looked like the four companies would themselves be bought. Each man would have done so if he had been the one to want the singular control of so much power. It was their hope that their own power as owners of these companies would remain secret for a while longer. Now all they had to do was wait for the big take over. This was the plan if they could not uncover the Interpol agent beforehand.

As Il Divo toured throughout 2007, David kept a close watch on those music companies that had not been bought out. Amused that Delfin so far had been left alone. He had suggested to the others that they could initiate the buy out without being noticed. Simon was the first to express his concerns and the very fact that Delfin had been left alone made Reg nervous. Had it been done on purpose? Were they watching to see what Simon, what Il Divo would do?
It was decided to let the worldwide buy ups take place as they had been. Simon was a little miffed that he would eventually have to give in but he was not about to do so without a fight. His only solace in the fact that one of the four men from Il Divo would eventually own Delfin.

For their part now as the new owners of the four big companies the men from Il Divo were determined to let the music companies they now owned keep as much independence as possible. They wanted the music industry to thrive, be competitive, no to be used as Interpol’s private listening station. From the outside looking in things seemed to be going on just as before.

Angela had asked for a few changes to the tour. Most arguments she won and the few she lost just made her smile each time she thought about them. One of these was of the new suits the group would be wearing on stage. A few things had been given the tick of approval before enough thought has been put into the decision. Well that was Angela’s opinion. When she had commented that Il Divo looked like Telly Tubbies for grown ups in the new colourful silk suits it had not gone down well at all.
Once comments began to surface on the web site and it was apparent that fans liked the suits for all the wrong reasons, it was then that Il Divo understood Angela’s concerns. It was also too late to do anything about it.
There was one point that she had lost that did not make her smile. She loved the fact that Il Divo was so up close and personal with their fans but knowing the danger their other life placed them in made her nervous. For the 2007 tour she did not watch Il Divo perform from a vantage point at the side of the stage, instead she watched the audience always ready to make the call to security. Every time the men sat on the edge of the stage to sing, sign autographs and accept gifts her stomach tightened. Most of the time her intuition gave her the all clear. Ninety nine percent of the fans that came to see Il Divo were just that…. fans. Urs’ poisoning and the teddy bear incident made her very aware of how easy it was for someone with ulterior motives to slip unnoticed under the radar. Although the men had refused to give up their closeness to their fans, as agents they were all too aware of the danger they placed themselves in. Their two lives moulded into one when they were on stage. They had also agreed to hire female security to mingle with the fans at every concert. On several occasions it has been these undercover ladies that had raised concerns about certain fans. However the night someone stole Sebastien’s shoe caught them all off guard. As the concert started Angela had that familiar feeling that something was not right. She scanned the crowd, gave word to security but it was not until the very second that Sebastien’s shoe was taken that anyone knew it had happened.
Ever the professional Sebastien made light of the situation and many fans after realising what had happened tried to help. The true facts of that night would never reach the media and the comments and conversation on the Il Divo web site would turn out to be a blessing, a deflection from the truth.
After the concert Sebastien gave them his version of events. The fan had not stolen his shoe, that had been Sebastien’s idea. He had been trying to release the persons grip on his leg; it was only as they struggled his shoe had come off and given him the chance to escape.
The others questioned him, making sure he was all right. Apart from not knowing what the attacker was trying to accomplish, except for maybe trying to pull him off the stage Sebastien had no idea what to think. He was however able to give a very good description of his attacker and when she showed up at a concert several nights later the undercover security were ready and waiting.
They were also waiting with the culprit after the concert so she could be questioned….questioned by Sebastien.
Through their connections Il Divo had organised for the culprit to be taken to an empty, partially constructed office building. Sebastien, David, Carlos and Urs met two of the undercover guards on the ground floor and they all travelled to the 30th floor where they met two other guards who had restrained the culprit between them. The culprit’s eyes flared with anger and she spat at Sebastien as he walked towards her. His companions waited silent, unseen in the shadows.
She struggled to get free as Sebastien walked gracefully and with purpose closer to her, keeping his eyes locked on hers. His voice flowed like liquid velvet over his lips. “Cherie….You have something you wish to tell me?”
Seeing the slightest of changes flash across her eyes, Sebastien smiled to himself. It would not take long to get the truth from her…..not long at all. Sebastien stood face to face with his attacker watching her succumb to his unspoken charm. He took both her hands gently in his, giving the undercover guards permission to free her. They let her go but did not move far expecting her to turn violent. Instead they watched as Sebastien kissed the tops of both her hands and slowly pulled her closer so he could rest them on his chest. She did not resist, it was like watching a moth fly into a flame. Sebastien’s first question was simple enough. “Your name Cherie?”
She answered with ease and without hesitation. “TJ…Theresa. My name is Theresa Josephine.”
Sebastien gave her a disarming smile. “Well Theresa Josephine I need to know why you would want to harm me. I only want to sing. Have I done something to offend you?”
She swallowed hard never taking her eyes off Sebastien and he in return never released her from his gaze. “They said you were evil, had to be stopped.”
Sebastien smiled again and let his velvet voice wash over her once more. “Evil.. I am but a singer Cherie. You want me to stop singing?”
Therese shook her head. “No!! I mean… You have a lovely voice but….”
Sebastien patted her hands as they still lay on his chest, his voice soft, tender, almost as though he was talking to a lover not an enemy. “But you were told I was evil and you were paid to kill me?”
Theresa became a little agitated. “No!!! I can’t. I said I wouldn’t, didn’t care what they did to me. You were supposed to get sick, real sick.”
Sebastien showed no signs of alarm just kept up the questions. “How were you to accomplish this may I ask?”
Theresa dropped her head so Sebastien let go of one of her hands, tenderly placed a finger under her chin and raised her head again so she had to look at him. “It is alright Theresa, you can tell me.”
“I was supposed to inject you but just as I was about to someone pushed me and I dropped it. I guess I should have run then but I …. I thought I could, I kept hold of your leg I didn’t want you to move then your shoe came off.”
Sebastien placed both her hands by her side and stroked her cheek. He could feel her trembling beneath his touch. “You did this because you hate me so?”
“No!!!! I…. They… I got paid. Shit I’m no good at this stuff!”
Once again Sebastien took up her hand. “Then why would you try?” Sebastien began to walk towards the edge of the building, looking at the guards. “You may leave us. I think Theresa Josephine has private things she wishes to tell me.”
Sebastien felt her relax just a little under his grip as the guards left. By now Sebastien and Theresa were almost to the edge of the building, he was looking out into the night.
“Why Cherie?”
“Damn it….It’s all my brothers fault. He is the one mixed up in all the bad stuff. I owed him a favour. He said if I did this my slate was clean. Said a female had a better chance at getting to you.”
“Did he send you back tonight?”
“Yeah… I told him I stuck you and he wanted to make sure you were sick… Bastard!!!” I wish I could be free of him.”
Sebastien pulled her into a hug. “I thank you for your honesty Theresa.”
She smiled at him. “I am sorry, you seem like a really decent guy.”
“Maybe if you were free of your brother. I can help you be free if this is what you want.”
Sebastien saw the shine return to her eyes. “Really you can do that?”
Sebastien nodded leaning into kiss her then pushed her out of the incomplete window. “I am sorry.”
She did not scream as she fell, it was a quiet death.
Sebastien returned to the other three. “The brother will know more.”
The ride back to the hotel was a silent one, knowing they had more to do, another person to interrogate.

Due to the schedule of the tour Il Divo had to leave the tracing of the brother to others, with the information that Sebastien had given them it was not hard to track him down. So it was several nights later that Il Divo found themselves in yet another abandoned building waiting while Reg interrogated Theresa’s brother. He needed some painful persuading before he would give up any information. The information did not give them the person responsible just someone else further up the food chain. Reg told Il Divo he would take care of those involved.
Once more Il Divo rode back to the hotel in silence while Reg went his own way leaving Theresa’s brother to be found several days later by a demolition crew. He would be written off as a drug overdoes grieved by the suicide of his sister several days before.

Although concerts, sound checks, interviews and special appearances took up allot of Il Divo's time Angela could feel the underlying mood that stirred in the men. It was restless, she was fully aware of the incident with Sebastien’s shoe and though the men had not told her of the final outcome Angela knew something had happened.
She was also aware it was no the time to ask such questions. Yes the men had taken her into their confidence but some questions are better left in the shadows.

Since Helsinki Urs' moods had been ones of brooding solace, dark and intense and they had drifted over into his lovemaking. Angela wondered if the break from touring they expected in 2008 would ease his internal pain though she was not entirely sure she could last out the month. Sebastien had caused her to re evaluate her situation as they sat in the hotel café. They had met so they could talk. Sebastien was far more aware of his feelings than the others gave him credit and he was not afraid to call on Angela from time to time for help, advice or simply to be a sounding board and this meeting was supposed to be just that. Until Angela flinched under Sebastien’s touch as he took her arm while kissing her cheek. He was a little shocked. “You are hurt. What happened?”
Angela tried to wave it off as nothing as she sat but Sebastien would have none of it. He lifted the sleeve of her shirt to reveal a very nasty bruise. He let her sleeve drop as he sat across the table from her. “Who did this to you Cherie?”
How could she tell him? “It’s okay Sebastien. I just tried to go through a wall instead of around it that’s all.”
Sebastien was already shaking his head. “ No… That bruise was made by another, those are imprints of someone’s hands.” Sebastien stopped in mid sentence and Angela could see the cloud of anger gathering, she knew he had worked it out.
“It is not what you think Sebastien.”
“Then…. Tell me I am wrong. Tell me Urs did not do this?”
Angela dropped her gaze for a moment but it was all the time Sebastien needed for his own rage to rush to the surface. He began to stand and swear in French before Angela caught hold of his arm and made him sit back down. “Angela, why…He is supposed to love you…”
She smiled weakly at him. “He does.”
Sebastien frowned and pointed to her arm. “And this is how he shows you. No!!!!! ce n’est pas permis, this is not allowed.”
Angela’s voice was quiet and for the first time Sebastien thought a little fragile. “He does love me and I love him that is why I am trying to help him. There is so much rage. I thought if he could release it, with me…He would …But each time we make love it is like he releases what he has but there is more to take its place. I do not want this rage to devour him so if by making love …..”
Sebastien stopped her. “You wish it to devour you instead?” Sebastien began to shake his head and took her hands over the table. “No, Urs must know he is hurting you, he must and if he does not I will tell him. There has to be another way for him to deal with this darkness. I ……..”
It was time for Angela to squeeze his hand. “I know you have learnt how to deal with your own darkness Sebastien. Your secret is safe with me. So you understand why I must be there for him now.”
“I understand but you cannot go on like this. If the rage is so much I fear he really will hurt you and it will be too late for him when he comes to realise what he has done. Do not let him do this to you.”
Angela gave him a warm smile. “If you promise not to say a word Sebastien I will try and think of another way to help him.”
“I will not wait long Cherie.” Sebastien sighed as a thought drifted over his mind. “He has hurt you other places, left you marked?”
Angela shook her head. “No Sebastien. No other places.”
Angela felt the uncomfortable ache in her body from the other places that were hurt but healing both external and internal while she watched the flicker of doubt cross Sebastien’s eyes. She was not sure if he believed her.
He didn’t. “I will be silent for only a short while. If he insists on hurting you I will have no choice but to step in.”
“Thank you Sebastien. I appreciate your concern.”

Back in her room Angela aimlessly surfed her way through the television channels not really wanting to watch anything but not wanting her mind to settle on the problems at hand. She stopped surfing and a smile crept across her face as she watched a scene from the movie ‘The Godfather’.
“Perfect.”
She knew that night after the concert Urs would want to make love to her, he was almost possessed with the urge so her plan may not be able to save her tonight but it might just help and she could let Sebastien know she had found another way….maybe.
She punched in a number on her mobile phone and sent out a prayer. “Please be there…..Please be there.” A small tear escaped the corner of her eye.

That night Urs’ lovemaking had been the most brutal and the first time that Angela had been genuinely afraid of what he was capable. While he slept she had a shower and let the waters try to soothe away the hurt, not just of her body but of her heart. Her own blood mingled with the clear water as it washed over her, blood from the broken flesh on her back where Urs had clawed at her. Blood ran down her legs from the internal trauma he had caused. Angela could feel the sites where new bruises would appear by morning and she cried in her own pain and grief. She felt like she had failed him, could help him no longer. Sebastien had been right.
Standing at the bathroom mirror, looking at old wounds and watching bruises already forming she knew she could not endure many more nights like the one she had just had. Her phone chimed quietly as a message came in. It was from Sebastien, it simply read. ‘U ok???’
Angela text back one word. ‘Coffee.’ This was there little signal, or rather what Sebastien would usually text to Angela if he needed to talk. Ten minutes later they were seated in the hotel bar. Sebastien pulled her into a gentle hug when he saw her, he could feel her trembling. “A lover should only make you tremble with delight not with fear Cherie. This is not right.”
Angela had not realised she was shaking until Sebastien spoke. “I am a strong woman Sebastien. I would not let any other treat me like this.”
“Then why?”
“I have never followed my heart before, never had a reason to. It has taken me to a place of uncertainty.”
“Then you must come back from that place. You look so tired Angela. You need to tell him.”
Angela nodded. “I shall, very soon, I shall.”
“And you shall stay with me tonight. You can rest and know that no one will try to hurt you.”
Angela did not argue, she knew if she went back to Urs and he woke he would feel the need.
Sebastien guided her back to his room in silence afraid that if he said something his own rage would take over. He had seen the start of a new bruise on the lower part of her arm. It would take all his self-control not to let his fury overtake him when he saw the rest of the damage Urs had done to her.

Angela had excused herself to finish drying off her hair before she went to bed. While she was in the bathroom Sebastien rummaged around in the drawers and found what he was looking for, a silk nightgown left by one of his own conquests the night before. She never did wear it. He had meant to open the door to the bathroom only slightly to hand it to Angela. What he saw caused him to open it further. Angela had taken off her shirt to dry it as well as her hair had still been wet when she went to meet Sebastien. She stood with her back to Sebastien and only turned when she heard him swear.
Sebastien swallowed hard and handed her the nightgown. “I thought you would be more comfortable.” He took a deep breath and gritted his teeth as he took in the full extent of Urs’ rage.
“Please Sebastien don’t make me feel any worse than I already do…Please……”
Sebastien did not speak, just moved a little closer, placed his hand gently on her shoulders and turned her around so she had to look at him through the mirror. Blood from her wounds had seeped into the fabric of her bra and Sebastien felt her flinched as he undid it. He kissed her gently on the top of her shoulder. “Come out when you are ready.”
He left in silence.

Sebastien had pulled back the covers of the bed and was seated on the over stuffed armchair next to it. He stood and held out a glass of water and several small white tablets waiting for Angela to take them. “It is just something to help you sleep Ange, nothing more.”
Angela took the pills and the water then settled into the bed as Sebastien sat on the corner. “I will watch over you, as you have watched over us.”
Angela took his hand.” Sebastien you must be exhausted, you need your sleep as well. The bed is big enough for both.”
He gave her hand a gentle squeeze. “I promise when I can no longer keep my eyes open I will join you.”
With that assurance and with the help of the medication Angela quickly drifted off to sleep.
Not long after there was a knock at his door. At that time of night it would only be one of his companions.
David stood at the door ready to give Sebastien a friendly mouthful for ditching the party early when his eyes landed on Angela in the bed, then back to Sebastien somewhat confused.
Sebastien pulled David into the room with a warning to be quiet.
“What the hell are you up to Sebastien?”
“Looking out for our angel.”
David gave him a curious look and then looked back at Angela. It was then that the frown appeared on his face as he saw the tops of the marks on her back. He went to move closer but Sebastien stopped him.
“Don’t David. She needs to rest. I gave her some pretty strong stuff but all the same I don’t want to wake her.”
David gave Sebastien a hard look that told him there was no point in trying to stop him. He walked over to the bed and gently lifted the sheet. “Shit!!!! What the hell happened? Someone try to get to her?”
Sebastien’s voice was a whisper as he answered. “Someone.”
David dropped the sheet and walked back to Sebastien. “You know who did this?”
“Urs.”
“Urs knows?”
Sebastien sighed. “Urs did this.”
David looked from Sebastien to Angela and back to his friend, he knew he was telling the truth. “Why the hell would he do something like this?”
Sebastien warned David to keep his voice down and went on to explain what he knew.
To say David was stunned was an understatement. “How could we not have known?”
“She is good at keeping secrets David. I only found out by accident.”
David frowned. “We have to stop him. He cannot treat her like this. He must know that he is hurting her.”
“I don’t think he does David. Truly I don’t think he has any idea what he is doing to her.”
“Then we need to tell him.”
David went to leave the room and Sebastien pulled on his arm. “No. I made her a promise. I gave her some time to find another way to deal with Urs’ darkness. Do not take that from me. I was not supposed to tell you.”
Once again David looked to Angela. “How much time Sebastien?”
It was Sebastien’s turn to look at the woman sleeping in his bed. “Not long.”
“Then we need to protect her until we are sure she is in no more danger. Carlos needs to know. Between us we shall keep her safe.”
“This is to go no further than the three of us David. Urs is not to know unless……”

As it turned out their baby sitting duties were short lived. After the concert in Vienna the five of them returned to the hotel. Sebastien, David and Carlos making sure that things were in place so that Angela did not have to spend the night with Urs.
As they walked through the lobby Angela stopped dead in her tracks and smiled. “Moses.”
In return Moses gave her his big white toothed smile and held out his arms. She walked into them knowing she would be safe.
By now the four men had stopped walking and David lent over to Sebastien. “I take it she knows him?”
Sebastien shrugged his shoulders but it was Urs who answered. “They have been friends for a long time. He is a good man.”
The other three were a little shocked but Moses was still smiling as he walked to Urs and put out his hand. “We have much to talk about Urs.”
Urs shook the big mans hand feeling the power behind it. “We do?”
“Yes. I think it is time you and I did some sparring. The hotel has kindly offered us the gym for the night.”
Urs was about to protest but Moses was not finished. “You are a strong man Urs, in many ways very strong but in others weak. You let your darkness rule you. You need to learn how to tame it. I am here to teach you.”
Once again before he could protest David jumped in. “Hey Urs why not. You were just complaining you haven’t had a decent gym workout in a while.”
Urs looked to Angela, he could not make out the look on her face but she smiled. “You will come with me Angela?”
Angela looked to Moses. “Yes Angel you must come with us.” Moses looked to Urs. “This night a truth that has been hidden will be revealed.”
Angela, Moses and Urs left for the gym leaving David, Carlos and Sebastien in the hotel lobby a little perplexed at what had just happened.
David put his hands on his hips. “So… Sebastien that was Angela’s way of fixing things?”
Sebastien just nodded.
Carlos whistled. “You think Urs will survive?”
The three men were silent.

In the gym Moses and Urs began a gentle sparring as Angela watched. Urs had questions as to why Moses had shown up. Angela spoke before Moses could answer for himself. “I asked him to come.”
Her answer had stunned Urs and gave Moses a chance at a surprise move which left Urs on the mat on his back. Moses held out his hand to help Urs back to his feet. As the two men began to spar again Urs shouted questions at Angela. “Why did you call him?”
“Because you need more help than I can give you Urs. I don’t want to loose you and I didn’t know who else to call. I needed Someone strong enough to take on the demons you have. I don’t have the strength anymore Urs.”
Her answer pulled Urs up short and he put his hand up to stop Moses from attacking, walking to the edge of the mat to be close to Angela. “What demons have you had to fight Angela?”
Angela dropped her head a little and then looked back up at Urs. Moses was by his side. “The same ones you fight night after night Urs.
“How would you know what I fight every night?”
Before she could answer Moses pulled at Angela, turned her around and ripped her shirt so that Urs could see her back. “Because she wears the wounds of those battles Urs.”
Urs looked from Moses to Angela’s back not understanding but when Moses spoke again his words hit him like an anvil. “You did this Urs. By your hands she has been hurt. You try to rid yourself of this rage but each night it is back stronger than before. It has become your master.”
Urs stepped back then stepped in to touch the marks on Angela’s back, some old and healed some new. He felt her flinched as he touched her. “I would not hurt her. I would not hurt you Angela.” Urs stepped back. “No. I didn’t do this.” Even before Moses spoke the horror of the truth was devouring Urs. “Please tell me I didn’t do this? Angela why didn’t you say something?”
It was Moses not Angela that spoke. “Because she loves you and thought that if you gave her your rage and anger it would save you. All it has done is taken you both prisoner.”
Moses turned Angela around so she was facing Urs, tears streamed down her own face. “I tried so hard to stay with you Urs.” Angela made a move to get closer to him but Urs backed away.
Moses took her by the hand and led her to the exit. “It is time for you to leave us Angel. I shall do my best to bring him back to you.”

Moses stood in front of Urs. “Now we battle for your soul Urs.” Moses pounded on his chest. “Bring your rage to me. BRING YOUR RAGE TO ME!!!!!!!!!”
Urs brought all his rage, all his pain, his anger, his hurt, his fury, his wrath, his agony and his passion to the fight and fight he did but it was not Moses he fought. As each demon rose he fought, he fought his way through them laying siege to the years of torment he had endured because of them. He fought until there was nothing left to fight and fell to his knees screaming only one word. “ANGELA!!!!!!!!”
Moses sank to his knees next to Urs, breathing in the air his lungs so desperately needed. “It is done.”
The fighting may have finished but it would be several more hours before Moses would release Urs. He gave him advice, sat quietly while he cried; listened as Urs spoke of things he had never spoken of before and in the end hugged him like a friend would hug another.
Urs was exhausted. “Moses, you are a man with many sides.”
Moses smiled. “As you are my friend.”
“How did you come to know so much?”
“An Angel taught me.” Moses waited for his words to sink in. “I have only given to you what Angela gave to me when she rescued me.”
“What did she have to rescue you from Moses?”
Moses patted Urs on the back. “Many of the same demons you had to wrestle with my friend.”
“Then why did she send for you. Why did she not tell me?”
“Because her heart belongs to you Urs. She was trying to protect you both. She only realised just before it was too late to do that she had to let go.”
Urs’ voice was filled with pain, not the pain of the past but the pain of what he had done to her. “What do I do now. I have hurt her so much. In ways she should never have had to endure.”
“You go to her. You go and you let her make the choice. If she chooses to leave then you must let her leave. But I warn you, if she chooses to stay that could be harder to bear than if you never saw her again.”

Urs showered and slept until almost four the next afternoon. What he did not know what that his fellow band members had checked on him several times. Only after they had a long talk with Moses and made sure that Angela was no longer in danger. They could all see the big man had a fondness for Angela or Angel as he called her. They did hear a little about their history together but no more than Moses wanted them to know. Being the people they were they understood completely. For them it was enough that Angela trusted him and he had come to her rescue.
David had been fascinated by Moses’ native tongue and had tried to get his own tongue around some words with hilarious results. It seemed that Moses’ whole body shook when he laughed.
So it was on a lighter note they said good bye to their new found friend.

Later that evening there was a knock on Angela’s door. Urs looked pale and gaunt as he stood there with hands thrust into his jeans pockets, not sure if he should even speak. “May I come in?”
“Sure.” Angela moved so he could enter. Once the door shut she continued. “How are you feeling?”
“Like nothing I could say or do can ever make up for what I did to you. How can I say sorry when it is not nearly enough.”
Angela knew how hard this was for him. “Do you mean it?”
Urs looked at her a little shocked. To Angela it looked like he was on the verge of tears. Urs had to swallow hard before he spoke. “Yes…… With every part of me. Yes I mean it. I am so sorry.”
“Then sorry is all you have to say.”
Again Urs looked at her stunned not sure where to go from there. “Will you ever be able to forgive me? I will understand if you never want to see me again.”
Angela stepped a little closer to him. “Urs tell me how you are really feeling. Not how you feel about us. How you feel, what you feel.”
For a moment he did not understand then closed his eyes. “This might sound strange but I feel lighter. I feel like this deep darkness that was rooted inside me has gone and taken with it so many of those things that had me bound and I didn’t even know it.” Urs opened his eyes to find Angela smiling at him.
“Then there is nothing to forgive.” She kissed him, took his hands from his pockets and pulled him to the bed.
Knowing what he had done to her before Urs stopped and pulled away from her. In response Angela moved closer and let her lips brush against his with gentle passion.
“Don’t be afraid to love me Urs. We have all night.”

Chapter 32
The gentle tapping at the front door rose Urs from the fitful sleep that had taken him while he had been holding Angela. He put on his jeans, ran his fingers through is hair and answered the door bare chested. If it had been any other time his three friends would have been happy to have some fun at his expense. As it was they silently filed into the apartment sombre looks on their faces.
David’s uncertainly spoke for them all. “How is she?”
Urs told them how he had found her and what he had done. “I don’t know how this is going to affect her. With all my training I don’t know what to do, I can’t help her.”
They all could see his frustration, could feel it and understood.
Carlos approached. “We are here for you both my friend and we shall always be a family no matter what happens, Angela she knew this, she will know it again.”
A gentle female voice drifted from the corner of the room making them all turn. “I already know Carlos.” Angela gave them a small weak smile as she walked to Urs standing beside him, placing her hand in his. “You wrote me a song.”
Now three pairs of eyes were fixed on Urs waiting for an explanation but it was Angela who spoke. “It is such a beautiful song guys you should be very proud of it. I will treasure it forever. It helped bring me back from a bad place.”
Angela let go of Urs’ hand and moved towards Carlos pulling him into a hug and giving him a kiss on the cheek. In silence she did the same to Sebastien and David before returning to Urs’ side at which time he pulled her to him by sliding his arm around her waist.
He kissed her on the top of the head. “Are you alright?”
“No…..But I will be.”
David looked to Urs. “Do you want us to leave?”
Urs looked to Angela for her answer. “No. In fact I want you to stay. I think if I talk my way through this it might help. Would you do that for me? Will you stay, drink tea, eat toast and be my therapy?”
Sebastien smiled his charming smile. “Gladly but Cherie tea and toast……No. We must order food of the best kind and wine….yes I think wine.”
Urs raised his eyebrows but remained quiet. If this was the kind of therapy Angela wanted he would be at her side all the way through.
So while Sebastien was busy on his phone ordering they knew not what the rest of them got comfortable in the lounge room, all except for Urs who returned a few moments later fully clothed to sit next to Angela.
They talked into the early hours of the morning, Angela explaining what she had remembered that had made her collapse in the bathroom. The four men listened, helped fill in a few of the gaps, waited like helpless kittens when she cried, cried with her, held her and together they shared something so incredible that night that no one would ever be able to destroy the bond that wove itself through their hearts and souls.

At one point Angela had gone back into her room to get the photo that sat on the bedside table. It was the one of them coming out of the airport. She handed it to David. “You almost lost your luggage for the second time that day.”
Sebastien laughed. “We almost lost David when he tried to grab it.”
Urs was concerned there was a deeper reason behind her getting the photo. He took it from David. “But this means more to you yes?”
Angela nodded. “Yes…..It was the day I realised that we were a family. For the first time in a very long time I understood that I had others that would be there for me not just Uncle Reg and Moses. It was the day I realised that you cared for me as much as I already cared for you.” She could see the shadows of doubt and regret starting to cover them all. “Even with all the secrets you had yet to tell me I knew you cared for me and I knew you would tell me when the time was right and you did.” Angela looked at them all individually for a few moments. “I know you have things still yet to unburden yourselves of. Things you have told no one and I just want to say thank you for trusting me enough to let me so close, trusting me enough to allow me to feel it all. The things I have remembered have scared me but I am not frightened because you guys have let me get so close.” She looked to Urs. “Especially you. I understand you want us to keep our relationship out of the public eye for a while longer. I remember the reasons Urs.” She looked back at the others. “I also remember I said I would be there for you all. I still am.”
David went to cut her off but she stopped him. “This is not coming out the way I wanted it to.”
Urs took her hand again. “Angela you are right we are a family and we do care for you so please if there is something you need to tell us just say it as best as you can.”
Angela sighed. “I remembered something else.”
The room was quiet as they all waited but it seemed she was not going to continue.
Urs still had hold of her hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. “If it is too hard Ange it can wait….We can wait.”
Again she gave them that sad, tired smile. “I think it has waited long enough.” She paused and then said one word. “Alexandra.”
The four men looked from one to the other not knowing what to do or say.
“I had another sister Alexandra, Alex…She and Arianna where twins, my older sisters.”
Each man swore in his native tongue except for Urs who had remained quiet; by the way her grip had tightened he knew there was more to come.
“See…. I had a secret I didn’t even know I had.”
Carlos shuffled in his seat after all she had been through he was not sure he wanted to know why she only now remembered Alexandra. “It was something bad, the way she died yes?”
Angela nodded and gripped Urs’ hand even tighter. “Arianna.”
David shook his head as if he was trying to get his thoughts to settle. “You are telling us that Arianna killed her twin sister? Jesus she was some piece of work.”
Urs spoke. “You wish to tell us the whole story Ange?”
“Now that I remember it I think I need to deal with it. I have three wonderful brothers who I know are the exact opposite to the sisters I once had and I have you. Yes I need to be rid of the old family so I can be with my new family.”
Angela began to tell them her story from the beginning, from where the torment started.

Arianna and Alexandra had been born five years before her but even at such a tender age they were very competitive and jealous of each other. So much so that as they grew their parents realised that they needed to keep the girls apart. They were sent to different schools, had different sets of friends. The only time they were together was with family and even then they were always trying to out do each other. At first it was not so bad, even positive as it made the two sisters work harder at their studies gaining honours and being the dux of their respective schools. However as they got older their jealousy turned to acts of violence. When Angela was born things seemed to stop. Until their parents found out that the two older sister were ganging up on Angela every opportunity they got. So again the girls, all three of them sent to different schools. Angela to Europe where her parents would visit her giving her their time without the other two. Trips home were infrequent however they were not unavoidable. It was on one of these trips home with all three girls that Alexandra put Angela in hospital with a broken arm and a concussion and Arianna got jealous because her sister had beaten her to it so she set a trap for Alexandra, she poisoned her. By the time she was found it was too late…. she was dead.
No one could prove that Arianna had killed her sister but when the torture of Angela continued the family knew it was time to separate them again. Angela went back to school in Europe and Arianna was supposed to return to University but she disappeared and for a long time the family worried about Angela but it seemed that Arianna had given up on her quest to be rid of her sister. That was until the night their parents died and all her rage came back to the surface. Angela endured her sister’s wrath for years as it destroyed her friendships and relationships. When Arianna had nearly killed a boyfriend that was when Reg had decided to put an end to her. When Angela had made the mistake of pleading for her sister’s life.

As Angela finished her account of her life the four men could do nothing but stare in amazement at what they had heard wondering how she had ever survived to be the sensitive, caring person she was. Without saying a word David went to her and hugged her. When he had finished Carlos was standing behind him to take over and after him Sebastien took his turn. Having finished given her a hug he placed both his hands gently on either side of her face, touching his forehead to hers. “You are more than an angel, you are a true miracle.” Sebastien stepped back and Urs took hold of Angela from behind whispering into her ear. “Are you okay?”
Angela pulled him closer, tightening his grip around her and snuggling into his body. “I will be. I have you and I have a family.”
She turned to face him and Urs knew there had been some change in her as she looked up into his eyes. “Ask me something.”
Urs gave her a confused look.
“Ask me something you think I don’t know.”
The others all took a step closer, apprehensive as to what was going to happen while Urs asked his question. What he asked her made her smile, how he asked her stunned the others. Urs asked Angela to tell him what she had written on the paper so he would know to switch on the alarm the night she had left him in the office and he asked her in Moses native tongue.
Angela replied the same then in English asked him when he had learnt to speak Moses’ language as the others looked on astonished. Urs’ mind had already made the connections and David was the next to figure out what had just happened almost tripping over his tongue to get his words out. “Angela!!!! Does this mean you remember everything?”
Angela nodded with a big smile on her face.
“I mean everything!!!”
Angela took hold of David’s hands as she looked around the room at everyone else. “Yes David, everything. The good and the bad, even Alex and before you ask yes I remember everything like before.”
They all smiled, congratulated her and hugged her. Urs took her hand and pulled her back. “How does it feel?”
“Urs…I’m okay. The ….the bad stuff…After yesterday I think I will be okay. It all came so fast I just couldn’t process it. I felt like my head was going to explode but then ….” She smiled at him. “You sang to me and I realised I was okay. I would be okay. I fell asleep in your arms knowing when I woke up I would be okay. Urs you gave me that, you gave me my life back.” She pulled him into a hug and it was her turn to whisper in his ear. “You are my miracle, you came for me, you found me, you healed me.”
Sebastien interrupted their embrace. “Is there anything we can do for you Cherie?”
They all saw the cheeky look on her face. “I’d like to hear you all sing my song together as Il Divo.”
So at four o’clock in the morning in the middle of Angela’s lounge room Il Divo gave their first public performance of Angelina while Ozzie and several other neighbours stood in the hall listening. Their song touched more than Angela that day.

Simon was glad to have Angela back at her post in the beginning treating her like she was going to break until one morning she waltzed into his office and promised to do nasty things to his coffee if he didn’t lighten up. From then on things got back to their own unique kind of normal. This was not to say that every so often Angela had to deal with her memories but they all got used to seeing the signs; Urs being the one to notice them well before the others and usually able to help her through some of the anxiety that came with the flashes of her time in Arianna’s grip. Her episodes got shorter and the distance between them grew but there was always one of them around to help her if need. Her physical wounds healed and many of the scars she had expected to remain faded and she let her hair grow. Angela could feel the healing, could feel herself getting stronger, being able to live without that feeling of always having to look over her shoulder. Finally she could peel the past from her life and look forward to a future that made her smile, a future that had Urs very definitely in the centre of it, a future that held the promise of happiness.

The time for their next world tour approached and Angela was happy being in the midst of the organisation though not entirely happy with the schedule and had made her objections known on more than one occasion causing Simon’s ulcer to grow and endearing her to others on the team who felt the same as she did.
Something else besides Simon’s ulcer had grown……… A relationship between Ozzie and Sebastien.
Angela and Ozzie had regular get togethers and it was at one of these that Ozzie had confided in her that she rather liked the Frenchman even if he had no idea what she was saying half the time. So on the strength of this information, also knowing that Sebastien had mentioned his interest in Ozzie and knowing if there was going to be any hope of them getting to know each other they needed to be together, Angela managed to get Ozzie a job on the tour.
Her first day on the job there was not a member of Il Divo to be spotted however on the second day the group were to meet the new head of their security. The look on their faces was priceless when they realised it was Ozzie. Angela couldn’t help but laugh as their new head of security had some fun with them. “Crickey mates you all look like you just got spooked by a yowie. Give it a tick and you’ll get a line on the lingo.”
To his credit Sebastien tried very hard to understand the slang Ozzie used and to her credit she toned it down a little but every now and then when she was busy or in a rush she would slip back into it to be met with stunned looks. In the beginning Sebastien tried to counter act her slang by using French, unfortunately for him her kind of slang was even worse to decipher in French. Somehow the relationship blossomed.

After a long day Urs and Angela managed to get back to her apartment spending some time together. They only had a few more days before the world tour and they both knew that times of peace and quiet would be hard to come by in the months to come.
“You did a good thing for Sebastien. He is very happy, confused a lot of the time but very happy.”
“He deserves to be happy, you all do.”
“You realise that he was almost as afraid as I was of a real relationship given our other situation.”
“Don’t worry about Ozzie, she already knows there is more to Il Divo than just the singing. She’s good at what she does Urs but she will give Sebastien time to tell her about himself how he wants to.”
“How ever did you find out she was on secondment to Scotland Yard? She works nights.”
“Only cause the crims she was after work nights.” Angela laughed pulling Urs to his feet and dragging him closer to her room. “Now are we going to spend all night talking about the others or getting to know each other better?”
Urs smiled. “I think I like the last part of your plan.”

Three nights later Angela was in the audience listening to Il Divo begin the first concert of their world tour; a smile covering her face and a warm glow covering her body when they began to sing Angelina. As they sang all four men gave her their full attention. As they finished each man bowed to her and she blew him a kiss. Some of the audience around her wondered what had just transpired. Only a few people really understood. Reg, Moses, Ozzie they understood.
The music industry was safe
Il Divo was safe
She was safe
They were free.


The end