Revons Plus Grand
Chapter 16:
Chariots
Paris went on to win the game over Bordeaux, 3-0, with the return of Marco Verratti and Kevin Trapp setting up for some expert game management from Alex Hunter and Danny Williams. Morning came, and a lone busker from out his window in another flat in Boulogne Billancourt, his old and weathered fingers pounding an old and dusty grand piano, played some light Gospel music in English as a flock of doves flew toward the Bois to feast on some breadcrumbs. It was Saturday morning, and the light was just breaking through the clouds over the city of Paris. Actually, it was an old song by Bruce Hornsby, Across The River.
The cat tracker that the Hartmann Sisters created like to go different places around the city. The Saturday after another difficult shift for Paris Saint-Germain's men's first team away to Girondins de Bordeaux, it chose to actually get on The Metro and ride to the northeast suburbs of the city, the banlieues. In the background, a looping melody with infectious backbeat played, "Chariots" by Paper Route, an arrangement with some orchestral tones.
Georgette Lemare and Sadako Shimohara were watching the scenes from the impoverished parts of the metropolis on their tablets while riding on the shuttle to the Camp des Loges for their next shift. Defaced posters of Marine Le Pen on the walls. A vandalized building with crude rhetoric. Nique La Police. Fuck The Police. A mob of picketers, arms entwined in black and white, representing different persuasions, singing and chanting as they marched, passing by destructed vehicles, broken down windows, shards of glass and debris while the embattled law enforcement in riot gear watched from a distance. Later on, the cat would meet with them back at the apartment.
"Surreal, isn't it?" Jose asked Sadako. "It's all happening before our eyes."
"This is the modern era for you," she replied with a grim tone and an emotioness stare, watching the drama and feeling sympathy for the afflicted that were in full throat under partly cloudy Parisian skies. "If you want to be successful as a newcomer, you need to work hard, earn your bread and integrate into the mainstream society and its norms, otherwise, you end up with this."
"The many, the marginalized, the hopeless," said Mr. Sami with a grim expression of sympathy as the coach continued to roll along. "When their own nation will not give them a chance to work hard, to be respected, to be wanted and love, those from the departement of Seine-Saint-Denis resort to fleeing to the Middle East to join the Islamic State and waste their own lives because do not choose to integrate and be important tools in making our world safe."
"So I can see with my two eyes," said Jose, "Why Madame Le Pen, as I will call her now, is leading the polls and being tipped to take over the nation. This is all the hopeless in France can do, wage war against those who work hard to be great and successful because they lack the intelligence and self-respect to survive in this world. The only religion they know is the type of Islam that advocates violant means to avenge those who have been supposedly wronged by them."
Sadako looked out the window, her mind deep in thought as the tracker continued to walk with the marchers, who then gathered in a cordoned area to rally and make their voices heard amidst the desperation and hopelessness that lay out and about. "We will leave it to those in the know to keep us posted, then."
The shuttle then arrived at the door. As they got off, Mr. Benoit Rousseau was there to greet them. "Ladies! Good morning," he said.
"Good morning, Mr. Benoit," they replied, bowing to the chief.
"After taking care of our men's and women's first teams," said Benoit, "you will be having dinner with the mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo, who will talk to you about the city's Olympic bid for 2024 and why she needs your support to ensure the games come here. So, get going."
"Right!" said the two of them.
The day was nothing too spectacular. Drills, strategy, lunch, more drills, more strategy, and that was that. After the teams had called it a day, Jose and Sadako went over to the door to meet Benoit again. "A limousine will be taking you two a location in the 7th arrondissement, where Mayor Hidalgo will be greeting you. Be sure to be sharply dressed for the occassion as this is a very important, though private function."
"We will do so," said Georgette. "Trust us."
"Very well then, on your way. Enjoy." And so the girls returned to the apartment to get showered and dressed.
40 minutes after they returned, Sadako and Georgette found the right outfits to wear. Jose wore a fluid V-Neck Sild dress, a soft lambskin bra, digital gate ankle boots and wish bone earrings. As for Sadako, she wore a structured cropped lambskin jacket, a cropped technical knit top, a technical knit skirt, a Persian Print skirt, black digital gate ankle boots, an ID Louis Vuitton Signet Ring and idential wish bone earrings.
"Looking very nice," said Sadako as the two of them procured their respective handbags. "Changing your hairstyle to Takami's again?"
"Yep, just because I can." It was a simple white bow with red and blue stripes.
"Fantastic. So, let's go." They exchanged fist bumps and went down the escalator to the door, where a few chaffeurs were waiting to go with a long stretch limo. Jose and Sadako stepped inside, and as the limo took off, the Paper Route song with its infectious back beat and piano melody.
"Love is never invincible
It's the mystical, a body into a soul
You, you thought of me differently
Traded everything, a moment in memory
You promised me that everything is fair
If it's love and war
But you're giving up the fight
Is it not worth fighting for?
All of this tethered to the heart
Holding what you meant
If it's really what you want
Then I confidently send
(Chariots)
I send my love to carry it
Without your guard our chariots fall
(Chariots)
No part of us left innocent
Without your heart our chariots fall
(Chariots)
Blind to think you would never thirst
In the burning earth
And trade what our love is worth
I am sewn to your sleeve
Refuse to retreat
I'm chasing every shadow off the wall
I am caught in time
All these chemicals I take
Can't erase you from my mind
All of this tethered to a thought
I am holding here
If it's really what you want
Then I'll patiently prepare
(Chariots)
I send my love to carry it
Without your guard our chariots fall
(Chariots)
No part of us left innocent
Without your heart our chariots fall
(Chariots)
I'm losing my faith
I'm losing it all
Just give me a chance before
(Chariots fall)
Where's the blood?
Where's the blood?
Where's the blood?
I'm losing my faith
I'm losing it all
Just give me a chance before
(Chariots fall)
Where's the blood?
Where's the blood?
Where's the blood?
I'm losing my faith
I'm losing it all
Just give me a chance before
Where's the blood?
Where's the blood?
Where's the blood?
(Chariots fall)
(Chariots)
(Chariots fall)"
The limousine cruised through some of the most important destinations in the city befor arriving at the restaurant, the L'Abeille at the Shangri-La Hotel Paris in the 16th arrondissement. The cat tracker had already joined the two girls as the limo arrived and was on Jose's shoulders as an unintended scarf replacement that no one else could see but her and Sadako. As they got off, Mayor Hidalgo greeted them. "Good evening!" she said to the two of them.
"Hello," said Jose.
"Your are Miss Georgette Lemare and Miss Sadako Shimohara, correct."
"Yes, Madame Hidalgo, we are," said Sadako with a bow.
"I've been expecting you, follow me." The two followed Mayor Hidalgo to the lobby, where the attendant on the premises escorted the three of them to their table. The resident chef was on the premises to greet them. "This is Christophe Moret, a good friend of mine. He will be your chef today."
"Pleasure to meet you, Mr. Moret," said Georgette.
"Take good care of us, sir," Sadako added.
"Thank you for coming to my restaurant, all of you," he said. "Our attendants will get your order, do you want anything to drink? We have an extensive wine list."
"I will have the Pays de L'Herault, 15cl," said Mayor Hidalgo. "What about the two of you?"
"Give me the Saint Joseph," Georgette said.
"Pommard," added Sadako.
"Merci beaucoup, thank you," said Christophe. "I will have my attendants take your order when you are set." As he went to the kitchen to get ready along with his kitchen staff, the sommeliers helped pour some wine for the three of them.
"I am so glad you are here with us in Paris," said Mayor Hidalgo. "Did you enjoy the tour?"
"We most certainly did, it was a magical experience," Sadako said.
"You're from Japan, right?"
"Hiroshima, Madame Hidalgo."
"Very nice city, blue collar place with committed men and women. You should be very proud of coming down here to help us. How's PSG, both of you?"
"They are having one heck of a race for the league championship," said Georgette. "I don't know if they will win it because Monaco's form has been so spectacular. Kylian Mbappe has been a godsend for the club; I don't think they will be caught!" The 18-year old Mbappe was instrumental in their 5-0 smashing of relegation bound FC Metz.
"They are a fine bunch of lads, Monaco are. They have been waiting more than a decade to get their hands on the trophy." She noticed the attendant coming in to take their order. "Order what you want on the A La Carte, and we will all share the truffle menu that Christophe has. Later on, of course, is dessert."
"Fois gras, of course," said Sadako, "and souffled potatoes."
"I will have the colvert duck and the squash," said Jose.
"Bresse chicken, good sir," Mayor Hidalgo instructed to the attendant, "and the entire truffle menu to share." The attendant noted them all done. "And for the two of you, your choice of dessert, as designed by another good friend of mine, Mr. Michael Bartocetti. Which one do you want for the three of us?"
"The quinces and the cheese plate," they both said.
"Good call," said the mayor. The attendant saluted and he went off. "So, with that out of the way, I want to show you the plans for the bid committee." She produced two books, one of each of the girls, and they were mighty thick.
"What's this?" asked Sadako.
"It's the finalized bid book for Paris 2024. We last hosted the games back in 1924, and none of us were alive to see that day."
"I wasn't alive either," said Jose to Sadako.
"Neither was I," she replied back.
Mayor Hidalgo went on, "Thus, we would like to host the Olympics after Tokyo in the 100th anniversary of the last Summer Games in this great city. A monumental occassion that will bring happiness, glory and peace through the power of sports! Your venue that you work at, Le Parc, will host the football finals and other select matches. And many of the top stadiums in Ligue 1 will be hosting matches so that the taste of the games is worldwide. And Marseille, our sister city to the south, will take care of the sailing."
Georgette leafed through the pages, filled with visuals and text in French and English, the two official languages of the International Olympic Committee. "Nicely detailed."
"With the ascendancy of Mr. Trump to the White House and the possibility of exclusivity posing great danger to Los Angeles's bid, the backlash from those in Budapest who rail against the city's own bid to host the Games, and your esteemed presence," said Mayor Hidalgo, "we won't lose!"
"You won't lose with us around, huh?" said Sadako as she sipped some wine while the a la carte appetizers were still being prepared.
"Absolutely not. But it can only be possible if we obtain your support. We believe that we will win the bid for the 2024 Summer Olympics. We came up painfully short a number of times but we feel that with all of the events currently going on, this will truly be our victory."
Jose giggled. "You have our support."
"Thank you so much. And get this: our slogan parallels that of PSG."
"Oh?"
"The slogan of our big is La Force d'un Rêve. The Strength of A Dream. Put your slogan together, and it echoes the message of our city. In Paris, we dream bigger, and the strength of our dream signifies hope and a vision of happiness and achievement to our ever-changing world. Today, Paris will lead the way into the future. This is our dream. This is our destiny. This is Paris, and Paris is Magical. Ici C'est Paris et Paris Est Magique."
"Awesome!" said Jose, who was applauding with Sadako. "Don't worry about it. Keep lobbying for the cause and when September 13 comes, your name will be called, I promise you."
"The IOC Evaluation Commission will be coming to our city from May 14 to 16. We will be the last city to be evaluated. Whether or not that works in our favor remains to be seen, but I am convinced that this will work out." Soon enough, the rest of the plates came. "But first, before we talk further..." The glasses were charged.
"A toast to Paris 2024, Paris Saint-Germain and to this city being the winner of hosting the Games of the XXXIII Olympiad!" exclaimed Jose.
"Here, hear! Bon Appetit!" they all said with a laugh, clinking glasses. And so they continued to talk into detail the venues and the layout of the event, which the cat tracker was able to convey to the observers on the others side by downloading the entire candidature file through the newly-discovered technology by the Hartmann sisters.
END CHAPTER 16