Revons Plus Grand

Chapter 4:

Raging

Georgette Lemare and Sadako Shimohara looked at the owner of Paris Saint-Germain Football Club, Nasser Al-Khelaifi, with looks of surprise on their faces, a collective gulp on cue. Here he was, the boss, one of the richest men on earth owning one of the richest clubs on earth, apologizing to a couple of new fans from out of city, out of timeline and out of dimension, for a football match that ended in a draw.

"So you are the owner of PSG, huh?" asked Jose with a sympathetic smile.

"Yes, I am," he said. "I don't think you've actually seen the entire stadium in particular so, let's take a tour of the place with me guiding, since I asked the staff to keep the place open while you are here."

"Really?" Sadako asked. "That would be wonderful, Mr. Nasser!"

"Sure, follow me." They did and the three of them walked around the stadium, seeing the different rooms, Georgette and Sadako taking photos along the way. "Please, tell me who you are."

"Mr. Nasser, my name is Sadako Shimohara, from Hiroshima, Japan. I am on an extended stay visa so I will be in the country for a few months with my chaperone and partner."

"And my name is Georgette Lemare, from Barenton, Normandy. I am Sada's chaperone, guide and partner. We've known each other for quite a while," Jose said.

"So you two are together," said Nasser.

"Yes, we are, and we are very happy together as well!" Jose and Sadako blushed, holding each other's hands. Jose's heart skipped a beat as she looked into Sadako's deep red eyes.

"Very nice. I have learned that in my time here in France, I do not need to discriminate on who to love, how to love, and so on. I decide that I will let people choose who they want to without being questioned for it. That makes everyone satisfied and not fearful. I am actually from a place in the world called Qatar."

"Qatar?" asked Jose.

"It's a small country located on the Arabian Peninsula full of oil refineries and a number of nobility and royalty that I am partners with and have relations with. The capital is Doha, where a number of top companies in the world are located. I am also chairman and chief executive officer of beIN Media Group, chairman of Qatar Sports Investments, president of the Qatar Tennis Federation (QTF) and vice president of the Asian Tennis Federation for West Asia (ATF)."

"Whoa," Sadako said. "You're involved in a lot of stuff."

"Yes, I am. beIN Media Group includes beIN Sports, which is a dedicated broadcaster to Ligue 1 and PSG matches."

"Speaking of which, my partner slept through the entire game."

"Oh my, really? Our fans were vocal, there were two intense halves of action, there were some cautions issued, a goal to each side late in the second half, and you slept through it all, Ms. Lemare?"

"Yes, Mr. Nasser, I am sorry that I didn't watch the game. Please forgive me, it was not on purpose!" Jose said, bowing in shame.

He chuckled. "Don't worry about it. My friends at beIN Sports are creating an archive of the transmission so you can watch the replay at home. Where do both of you live, by the way?"

"Sir, we reside in a hotel room at the Radisson Blu since we are not staying at a chateau or any other space," Sadako replied.

"That's what I thought."

"That's what you thought!?"

"I wanted to confirm this because I received a report on where you are staying and a local from here volunteered to house you at an apartment he owns. I paid him online for the duration of the time you will be here and he has allowed you to rent the place. All of your possessions are inside the bedroom he has for you, and all the toiletries and other stuff from the hotel has been moved there."

"Waouh," they both said.

"What is the address?"

"24 Avenue Edouard Vaillant, 92100 Boulogne-Billancourt, France. Actually, it's across the street from the Radisson Blu."

"So...you moved our stuff over the road, then?" Jose deadpanned.

"Yep."

She wanted to die. "Ahahahahahah...sigh."

"Anyway," said Nasser, "this is our trophy room."

"Wow," said Sadako. "What's the orange thing, it's so cute!"

"That's the Coupe de La Ligue, the French league cup. We have won more of this than any other professional club in the country and will be defending this trophy on April 1 against the team we drew against, Monaco. The game will be in Lyon."

"Wow. And this slender, tall thing here."

"The Trophee des Champions, the French Super Cup, contested between the winners of Ligue 1 and the Coupe de France or the second-placed side if the Ligue 1 champions wins the Coupe de France, which we have done two times in a row."

"Hmmm..."

"This exquisite silver trophy here that looks like a sugar bowl," Jose said. "This is the Coupe de France, right?"

"Yes. We have won this 10 times and will be continuing our defense of this trophy in a few days away to Rennes at Roazhon Park."

"Roazhon Park?"

"Formerly known as Route de Lorient, which is the street that stadium is on, but I suspect is renamed to not be confused with FC Lorient. But that's just my guess, please do not take my word for it. Lorient, like Caen, which you, Ms. Lemare, would be associated with, is also facing relegation."

"That's why PSG are my team," Jose said with a hesitant laugh, scratching the back of her head. "Oh, and this beautiful looking trophy that has a hexagon sign on it." Some powerful background music played, along with a montage of highlights in the distance. "! This is..."

"Yes, this is the Hexagoal, the official trophy of Ligue 1. We have won this trophy six times in the history of our club, having also won the last four. AS Saint-Etienne are the most successful team in this competition with 10 league titles, which is why they have a star above their crest."

"I see," Jose noted.

"But I personally will not change the crest even if we reach 10 league titles because our brand is designed to be timeless, unmistakable, and associated with the great heritage of one of the best cities on earth. It is the product of a long evolution dating to the merger of Paris FC and Stade Saint-Germainois in the 1970s. Thus, our actual history dates all the way back to 1904...back to when you two were around in your own timeline."

"You...know the truth about us?" Jose said, surprised.

"He does, Jose," said Sadako.

"I will explain more. Follow me to my office, I have some important details to disclose," Nasser said, and the two of them followed the owner to his private office in the stadium, with a view of the ground, still illuminated, perhaps for effect at his request.

"Have a seat," said Nasser as Georgette and Sadako sat down. "Miss Lemare and Miss Shimohara..."

"You can call us Jose and Sadako," Sadako said.

"Miss Jose and Miss Sadako, then. Anyway, the reason you are here is because of this: this city is under an unknown threat that has a direct correlation to the attacks on this city in November 2015 and the Bastille Day 2016 attacks in Nice. The attackers in particular, which we confirm we can associate with the Islamic State (that is who they are called), have collaborate with a threat that you are very well familiar with."

"Familiar?" Sadako asked.

"Yes. Allow me to pull up a couple of visuals." Pressing his remote, the high definition television in the room, bedecked with the crest and the wordface on the wall as well as the slogan, showed some familiar pictures.

"Don't tell me..."

Jose was horrified. "This is..."

"THE NEUROI!" they both exclaimed, covering their mouths.

"I do not know who they are called, but since you do know, I shall take your work for it," Nasser said. "Anyway, an unconfirmed source with high credibility gave me a communique on what could be happening in a few months from now, the possibility of a combined terrorist/Neuroi attack on the city, with the Neuroi jumping dimension and timeframes to the present day, targeting this part of the city...and this club in particular."

"Why would the Neuroi come here," Jose said. "Why would they affect so many innocent people. I am sure you have suffered enough!"

"Well, this city has long been scorned by the Islamic State because this is Paris, and they prized it as a target to shake, perhaps, the resiliency of America and the West. So they have chosen to team up with the Neuroi, as you call them, to get their point across. They have not hinted when their next attack, or rather, combined attack will be, but since you two are familiar with the Neuroi and have battled them before, I have enlisted you for a special duty."

"Us?" Georgette asked. "But I thought we...?"

Nasser laughed. "You thought this was going to be just a regular vacation for you in France, or, as you say, Gallia, in 2017, right? You're going to be doing some work as well."

"Eh?"

"Aside from miliary work, what else are both of you good at?"

"Cooking and cleaning," they both said in unison.

"Excellent. Our attendants at our club's training facility have requested an extended leave due to personal matters, which we have honored. And this is great timing too, perhaps even destiny."

"Destiny, you say?"

"How would like to work as personal housemaids to the players of one of the greatest football clubs in the world?"

"You want us to work for you, Mr. Nasser?" asked Georgette.

"This is PSG, and we will pay you very well so you can make a living here. The rent is paid for, and the landlords have left the country to do some sightseeing as of right now, so the apartment is all yours to reside in, and everything is there."

"Wow," Georgette said. She noticed a paper in front of her. "What do I do with this?"

"Sign this, as well as you, Ms. Sadako."

"Yes, sir," she said. They both signed.

"Okay. So, now that you have signed, you are now contracted to work in support of the first team, and also our academy and women's team's with management on at at-call basis. You will be upkeeping the Camp des Loges, our training ground, while also providing meals to our players and also doing game-day preparations during home matches. We have another team that will do away games, but if need be, we will have you come in during away games to provide assistance."

"Wow," Jose said, amazed.

"It really isn't any different to what you're accustomed to doing, just in a different setting, timeframe, dimension, maybe... Something like that."

"I'm glad. I won't feel out of place."

"You'll get used to Paris after a while. It's just a big city in the world, like Rome, Berlin, London, New York, Los Angeles, Tokyo...and of course Ms. Sadako is very much familiar with the latter. Correct?"

Sadako laughed. "Yes, Mr. Nasser, correct."

"All right, well with that all said, the landlords, Mrs. Aurelie and Mr. Kevin, have given me the keys to the property. Here you go." Nasser handed the two of them their keys.

"Thank you, Mr. Nasser," said Jose.

"You two should have no problem taking care of the property given what you do for a living. A shuttle will be waiting outside to take you to the work site and take you back to the apartment. You will given a schedule of what you need to do and if any player need anything from you, you know what you have to do. You will meet the players tomorrow. They are very good people to work with and bear the expectations set by our organization."

"It will be a pleasure to work with you. Will we see you at the training ground tomorrow?" Sadako asked.

"I have some engagements but our staff based at the Camp des Loges will give you directions and ease you into our fold."

"Great."

Nasser then gave the girls the training schedule for the next week, as well as a USB drive. "Be sure to get some rest because you will start early the next morning. And that USB drive has the game. Okay, with that, welcome to Paris Saint-Germain FC and enjoy your time working with us. Thank you very much!"

"Thank you very much, Mr. Nasser," said Georgette and Sadako, bowing before shaking hands and leaving the stadium to walk to the apartment, located a few blocks down.

"Ahhhhhh, so tired," Georgette said, stretching in the cold as they got to the apartment. There was an elevator that took them to their room. "I really want to sleep so badly, mon dieu." A yawn.

"I know. And that think, which I think you would plug to a television, based on what I read, will allow you to watch the replay if you want."

"I don't care, Sada, I want to sleep. I'm so sleepy." They both got to the bed and undressed and were down to their underwear again. "Oh? This must be a body pillow." Blue with the PSG crest and wordmark. She felt it and gave it a squeeze. "Ahhh," she sighed. It was big and tall anough for her to wrap her arms and legs around it. "Ahhhhhhhh," Georgette sighed, the snuggling causing her ears and tail to sprout out.

"Good night..." Sadako smiled and turned off the lights, pulled out the blanket and covered the two of them, her arms and legs around Georgette and her ears and tail popping out as well. Immediately, both of them were fast asleep, the two young girls in love with their club, each other and the city. Tomorrow, the next part of their adventure would begin. Or, at least several hours from now.

END CHAPTER 4