"Tabia"


"We've had some interesting times together," Triela stated from the head of the bed as Kara finished packing her things into a suitcase at the foot.

"We have at that," Kara agreed.

"Why Dubai of all places? I've never even heard of it. I had look it up on an atlas," Triela noted.

"Michele has a new place there," Kara replied. Before that fateful 2004 day in Madrid that changed his life, Michele purchased a full-floor 1250m2 apartment in the planned Le Rêve residential skyscraper planned for the Dubai Marina district waterfront. With construction of the tower having been recently completed and the interior decorators he'd hired about done working their magic, Michele decided that in the face of recent events, he wanted to put some distance between himself and Italy so they were heading to the Arabian emirate for at least a year.


When Kara revealed Michele's plans to take her to Dubai to live, it floored Triela. She'd never imagined a life outside of the SWA, always assuming that when her time came, she'd be buried in the monastery's crypt with those sisters who had gone before her. She'd known Hillshire long enough to be able to read him pretty well, and she knew he felt regret at both his situation and hers. If Michele successfully left, she wondered if maybe they'd let her and Hillshire go…

Triela had sought out Michele to thank him for what he'd done for Claes. She'd have hated to see Claes leave with them, but she knew that if she'd stayed, she might equally have been lost to her. Without Michele's deal, she knew Claes would probably have been paired with another handler and if her new handler re-wrote her, would she have become a stranger?

As Kara and Triela both expected, Henrietta did not take the news well. She knew her youngest sister suffered from the same memory lapses she herself was experiencing and that they were causing her emotional distress, leading to a breakdown during the Venice mission. She'd been the first girl to extend greetings and friendship with Kara and even though they were years apart in age, experience and interests, they'd been close and losing another sister affected her deeply. Still, sufficient tea and cake raised her spirits back to their normal level. Triela thought that Rico didn't seem to understand that Kara would not be coming back, instead thinking Kara and Michele were merely going on a trip. However, she didn't feel the energy to try and explain it so she let it pass for now.


Kara laid the final item on top and closed the suitcase, the metal latches snapping closed with the sharp sound of finality. Dressed in a sleeveless ivory embroidered silk dress from Escada, she sat down on the chair and pulled on a pair of black Yves Saint Laurent patent leather boots.

"I'll walk you out," Triela said. She grabbed Kara's suitcase and started for the door.

As they stepped onto the bottom landing of the dorm, Henrietta, Rico, and Petrushka were all present to wish her goodbye.

Petrushka shook her hand, wishing her well and then heading up the stairs into the dorm. Rico also shook her hand, telling her to have fun on her "trip". Henrietta fought back tears with varying degrees of success, and Kara came forward to give her a hug. "Take care of yourself and Jose, little sister," she said. Henrietta, sniffling, nodded.

Triela stepped outside and down the steps. Out front, the Prime Minister's Rolls Royce Phantom sedan stood parked and Michele and Claes were speaking with each other. The chauffer came forward and took the suitcase from Triela, placing it in the trunk before slipping behind the wheel.

"Ready to go?" Michele asked Kara as she came forward and Kara nodded.

"Claes, Triela. Take care of yourselves and your handlers," Michele said. Both girls nodded.

"We're going to hold you to your promise to let us come visit," Triela noted with a smile, which Michele returned. They then stepped back to join Rico and Henrietta at the foot of the stairs.

Kara waved goodbye and climbed into the back, followed by Michele, who pushed a button in the C-pillar, automatically closing the rear-hinged door.

The car turned in a wide circle and proceeded for the private compound exit. Kara and Michele both resisted the urge to turn and watch, instead staring straight ahead.


The chauffer dropped them off at the Emirates Airline section of Leonardo da Vinci-Fiumicino Airport. He removed their luggage from the trunk and carried it in to the First Class check-in counter then bid them a good trip.

They checked in and were shown to the lounge where they passed the thirty minutes until their flight boarded.


When they arrived in Dubai it was just past 23:00 local. A woman in a business suit and skirt holding a sign with Michele's last name met them outside Passport Control. Beside her stood a man in a chauffer uniform.

"Welcome to Dubai, Mr. and Mrs. Pagani," she greeted. "My name is Anisa and I have been sent by Le Rêve to escort you to your new residence."

Michele groaned inwardly at the faux paux while Kara beamed.

"If you will follow me, please," Anisa requested. The chauffer lifted their luggage and trailed behind. They stepped outside and into what Kara felt was a blast furnace. A Bentley Continental Flying Spur with the motor running stood parked directly in front of them, the doors unlocking as they approached. Anisa opened the back door and Kara and Michele climbed into air conditioned comfort.

Anisa took the front passenger seat and moments later the chauffer settled in and they started off. They exited the airport onto the E11 heading towards downtown Dubai. The city skyline lay awash in lights, glittering like thousands of precious stones spread across the dark sand.

They exited the E11 just past the American University of Dubai and proceeded towards the coast to the Al Sufouh Road and Le Rêve Tower. They quickly crossed from the air conditioned comfort of the car to the air conditioned comfort of the main lobby and approached a bank of four elevators. Anisa pressed a keycard against a reader followed by the appropriate button and they were quickly whisked to the 45th floor. They stepped out into an entrance lobby with a door at each end. Anisa went to the left and pressed the keycard against the door. She pushed it open and they stepped into a small reception area. The chauffer placed both suitcases there and returned to the entrance lobby while Anisa, Michele and Kara turned left again and stepped into the Living Room.

Kara gasped in astonishment. Through floor to ceiling windows directly in front of her she could see a huge terrace and beyond that the dark expanse of the Persian Gulf and the Palm Jumerirah artificial islands. To her right the Burj Al Arab hotel stood like a sentinel on the shore, lit in multiple layers of color. Beyond the living room was an adjoining bar area.

Anisa took them along northern side of the apartment, through the Dining Room, Breakfast Room and massive Kitchen. They then moved to a connecting hallway past the Family Room and the fifth of five bedrooms, which had a view of Dubai Media City, the American University of Dubai and the coastline. Two more slightly smaller bedrooms lined the eastern side with yet another bedroom taking up the southeastern corner. Next to it was a library lined with an attached study with still more bookshelves. Across from the study was an office with a glass wall that could be made opaque at the touch of a button. All of the furnishings were modern Danish in the finest of leathers and woods with plenty of glass, chrome and piano black lacquers.

They walked down another connecting hall and Anisa pushed open a door into a small vestibule. "And this is the Master Bedroom," she said and once again, Kara's jaw almost dropped.

A king bed dominated the far wall and plush leather recliners with ottomans nestled against the windows. Between them in the center stood a burled walnut entertainment cabinet with a 50" LCD television that could be raised or lowered out of it. Beyond the southern windows lay the glittering Dubai Marina and the Emirates Hills 1 complex. Further down she could see the lights of Jebel Ali port and the lights of the construction crews working on the Palm Jebel Ali artificial island. A set of doors opened out onto the terrace.

"Back here is a sitting room and two dressing rooms. I take it you will be using the larger?" she directed to Kara, who nodded her head to be polite. She looked inside and marveled at the sheer amount of closet space. The two dressing rooms and sitting room together were larger then her old room at the SWA compound.

The bathroom spanned almost 41 square meters and included a deep whirlpool tub and His and Her sinks. Beyond were a wall of vanities, a toilet and a bidet, a sauna and a shower stall whose walls were lined with computer-controlled motorized showerheads.

"If you will excuse me for a moment," Anisa stated and left the room.

"To heck with my own room. I'm sleeping with you in this one," Kara noted and Michele wasn't sure if she was kidding or not. He decided silence was the better part of valor.

Anisa returned with a silver serving tray and two flutes of champagne, which she laid on the table between the two recliners.

"Does it meet your expectations?" she asked.

"It exceeds them by orders of magnitude," Michele noted and Kara briskly shook her head in agreement.

"I am pleased you are pleased," Anisa replied. She removed a small envelope from the leather portfolio she carried and handed it to Michele.

"Inside are two digital access cards. They are programmed to take you directly to this floor so you need not press the button. It also unlocks both entrance lobby doors, as well as grants access to the swimming pool, garden, Gymnasium and Sauna, and the garage."

"Thank you," Michele said as he took the envelope. They both followed Anisa out to the entrance lobby where she handed them her card with contact information and once again bid them welcome before stepping into the elevator car and disappearing.

"How much was this place?" Kara asked as soon as the doors closed.

"I bought in during the initial offering so I paid €5 million. I understand the going rate is about €8 million now."

"I'm impressed," Kara said. "I mean being with you I've come to expect only the best, but this…this is epic."

They made their way back to the master bedroom and each grabbed a champagne flute. They exited onto the terrace and noticed that the temperature, while still quite warm, had moderated thanks to the proximity of the water and an offshore breeze. Before them, the full moon hung above the dark waters of the Persian Gulf.

Michele raised his glass to Kara. "To a brand new life," he toasted.

Kara moved next to Michele and placed her arm around his waist.

"To a brand new life together," she replied and drained her glass.


The End