It was time for Eric to leave Muanda. We parted ways as we left Earl's hotel, then saw each other again the next morning, shortly before his departure. We sat at the same table where I'd had breakfast the day before; having grown closer, we now talked about anything and everything.

Two small children passed by near us, and I asked him:

"Do you have any kids?"

"Not yet. The time will come..." he told me enigmatically.

"Is it that you're too busy with work?"

"You make time for your family. Even if it's hard sometimes."

"I'm wondering if joining the Union will allow me to start a family and devote enough time to it. I didn't dare ask Veedha that question."

"You are free to have a private life. I can see you being married and a mother, by the way," he reassured me.

"What about Veedha, then?" I asked, curious.

"Her late husband was the Nepalese mathematician Munnah Prasad, who was also a respected Dayli. Their daughter, Drishti, who currently lives in Mauritius, isn't in the Union."

"I find Veedha so charming with her long, gray hair."

"She feels the same about you. With your black hair, of course."

"I had a nice time with you and Earl yesterday. I hope to see you again very soon," I told him.

"I'll come visit you in the capital, whenever you're there, if you'd like. I really enjoy your company," he said.

"But I keep pestering you with questions. Doesn't that annoy you?" I asked.

"Your questions are relevant. It's always a pleasure to respond to them."

"You're all so polite in the Union. Extremely sweet, too," I replied.

"Then you'll have to become a member, too, because I always find it hard to leave you."

"Thank you, Eric. I hope we will come back here often. This place is like paradise."

"You know... The first time I was able to see you in person was when you returned to the capital last year. I always had to watch over you from a distance, without being able to speak to you or look at you. Initially, no interaction between us in Bakunga had been intended. When the Union decided that I should personally hand over the instructions to you to thwart Hollace's plans, I was very happy to finally get to really meet you. This matter of chance allowed me to experience one of the most memorable moments of my life."

"But you didn't even look at me at the police station in Bakunga."

"I'd already seen a lot of you... And maybe my eyes would have revealed something that would have compromised my work. Besides, you weren't single..."

"I wasn't exactly engaged, either, you know. Dendu was a friend, nothing more. I have to admit I've thought about you often. In fact, after I left Bakunga, I was hoping to see you again soon and be able to get a clearer story about Tehla and the Union."

"I understand. With time, you will also understand that I had no way to resist who you are," he said, looking at me straight in the eye.

"And... who am I, exactly?" I asked, troubled.

"You'll find out. The time will come," he replied, standing up.

As we had to avoid being seen together by my brothers or anyone else who might recognize us, we split up, then met again near the city limits, where his car was waiting. He reminded me how important it was for me to review, in detail, the information I'd received from him and Earl regarding the plan, so that I could give them my opinion.

There was a shortcut that led to his car, but we chose a circuitous route from which he could see the ocean one last time. During the short stroll, he took my hand, which was hanging close to his, and told me of his great admiration for me. He revealed that he had heard of me and my high sense of values for the first time shortly after he'd joined the Union, five years earlier. However, he'd never thought he'd get to know me personally.

Eric was the epitome of an admirable man. Passionate about his work in the Union and very determined in his actions, he seemed to me both exacting and empathetic. A meticulous person, he carefully observed everything in his environment. The Union was his religion. Nevertheless, I needed to get to know him better if there was any question of considering a relationship with him, other than a professional one. The impression I tried to give him was that I was open, serious, but certainly not captivated by him. With a brief but warm hug, and after an exchange of looks, we ended our meeting. I felt special in his eyes, but that was also the case with all the other Union members I had met. In the end, it was just common nature in this organization, I told myself.

I then recalled the moment with him and Earl, and the astonishment they'd caused me, when they'd informed me that my opinion on the execution of the plan would be taken into account, whether I was a member or not. This was justified by the fact that every action by the Union was decided after consultation with each member and several non-members. Veedha had explained to me that all the scholars in the world together could never be smarter or wiser than the rest of the planet. I found this fact curious, but, as with most of the Union's principles, it was first necessary to understand its science, the "language of the stars."

The first phase of the plan was supposed to take place at the U.S. Embassy in Kinshasa. And I was supposed to leave the country before it was carried out, if it was approved. My brothers and I spent an extra day in Muanda after Eric left. My next step was to meet up with Eric and Didier, another Dayli living in the capital, a week later. For my cover, I was supposed to sign up to wait tables at a promotional event bringing together some of the country's officials and businessmen.

The two Daylis had been invited to the event, and we were thus able to talk without arousing the slightest suspicion. It wasn't until Eric introduced me to Didier that I realized he was a famous local personality, known by the nickname "D.J. Fonf." He must have been a little over forty years old, and he had acquired a great reputation in the artistic world. He, Eric, and I did not share any apparent common characteristics. I would understand, later on, that the notoriety of several members of the Union and their various origins also served as their covers. This was an effective way to divert the attention of those who were looking for a typical profile among the members of the organization, in order to identify it.

The three-way discussion, which lasted only a quarter of an hour, was an opportunity for me to decide on the plan and on my membership in the Union. Easily, my decisions were affirmative on both questions. I had reviewed at length all the terms of the contract with the Union, which had seemed acceptable to me. No signature was required on my part. My word was enough to commit me to them. As for the plan, I was happy that it was beneficial for my country and, more generally, the continent. Didier informed me that everything was in place to allow me to travel to Wellington within the next three days.

On the day of the trip, my brothers drove me to the airport in the middle of the afternoon. I was kissing them goodbye when I noticed the now familiar silhouette of the Regional Minister of Mines. We had to wait for my brothers to leave before we could speak to each other. Eric was present to ensure that everything went well until the departure of my flight.

"I would have been mad at you if you hadn't come to say goodbye to me," I told him.

"I would have been mad at myself if I hadn't come," he replied, his eyes locked on mine.

"I should be able to come back every summer vacation, and you'll just have to be here each time."

"I'll try to be, you can be sure of that," he said tenderly. "A shadow protects you; be without fear, wherever you go."

"I know. Another shadow is probably protecting you, too."

"I am but your humble servant, Liza."

"Do you also have an object like Tehla on you?"

"Negative. Only Tehla is like Tehla, and it is only to you that Tehla is handed down."

"Why did I inherit this unique object, Eric?" I asked him.

"It chose you as its guardian. It is fate, unmistakably."

"Is Tehla 'the vehicle of the living'?"

"It will be up to you to make it 'the vehicle of the living,' Liza."

With that, we agreed to meet the following year, and then I set off for the airport's waiting area.