I am fond of them, of the inferior beings of the abyss, of those who are full of longing.
(Richard Wagner)
This was one of the more enjoyable jobs EVEG Security had to offer. Acting as escort for an important scientist, Charkaz Lomidze had the opportunity to dine in the prestigious Baku Kaiserhof.
Doktor Alfred Wegener was a very prominent geophysicist and meteorologist, not least because of his – hotly debated – theory of continental drift, but it was his quality as paleoclimatologist that made him interesting for EVEG. Charkaz didn’t know the details, yet she had heard that Wegener could predict were oil was to be found.
For the event, Charkaz had adorned herself in her finest attire and put on her jewellery. With much patience and skill, she had managed to place her Walther PPK beneath her gown without that it showed off – and she still was able to draw it quickly, if required. The threat wasn’t for Doktor Wegener’s life, but her superiors thought that someone might try to steal or rob his documents.
“You know, I had intended another expedition to Greenland in 1930, but then EVEG offered me a job in Arabia and Mesopotamia, followed by sojourns in Libya, the Emirate of Bokhara and the Khanate of Kokand.” Wegener had explained. “And now, I’ve been in Uyghurstan, have just come back. – Very interesting, I have it all here…”
He had pointed to a leather notecase sticking in the inside pocket of his jacket. So, Charkaz knew at least what she was supposed to guard.
The waiter appeared to take their orders. Wegener had chosen a fish menu, while Charkaz went for fowl. The restaurant was full – and hosts of waiters and sommeliers were busy to serve the customers under the supervision of the executive housekeeper, a hunky Georgian.
“That’s Shalva Maglakelidze, he was one of the fiercest fighters for Georgian independence – and he is an outspoken monarchist.” Charkaz explained to Wegener. “He – in earnest – tried to get a Hohenzollern Prince to become King of Georgia. – The owner of the Kaiserhof hired him when he fell from grace in Tblisi.”
“Who owns this house? – It’s splendid, there is nothing better to be found in Berlin.”
“It’s a German, born in former Austria, who’s married to an Armenian woman. – Actually, she was the one who had the idea of founding this restaurant. He’s kind of an architect, designed the house, but has nothing to do with the kitchen. – You may have heard of him recently, he’s building that gigantic Wagner festival centre with open-air stage, opera house – plus billets, restaurants and so on – on a hilltop west of Baku.”
“Oh! – Yes, I remember having read about it. Wasn’t there a huge scandal?”
“Yes, that was when he fired the architect, that Italian design wonder – Piacenti?”
“Marcello Piacentini, the most famous Italian architect of our times.”
“Yeah, that’s the one. – And he was fired for incompetence. All of Italy was up in an uproar, crying national disgrace and Teutonic arrogance. – Well, at present construction has been halted. It is said that the principal ran out of money…”
A sommelier served white wine to Wegener, while Charkaz had to be content with water. A waiter followed, serving the soups.
“Well, at least the restaurant seems to be flourishing. – My soup is excellent, by the way.”
“Mine as well, Herr Doktor. – I’ve heard rumours that my company has provided a loan in order to keep things running. – And I know for sure that the landlord has excellent connections to several leading EVEG managers. – Our leadership very often visits the houses of the Kaiserhof chain, I guess they don’t want to lose the service of these high quality restaurants and hotels.”
“Oh, there is more than this one?”
“Quite a lot: Tblisi, Sukhumi, Sochi, Groznyy, Rostov-na-Donu, Kiev, Moscow, St. Petersburg, Smolensk, Riga, Byalistok, even in Berlin there is one.”
“Well, the Hotel Kaiserhof in the Wilhelmstraße was built in the last century…”
“But it was bought some years ago and now belongs to the Kaiserhof chain.”
“Good to know where to get excellent food when in Berlin. – Might there one be planned for Hamburg as well, do you know by chance?”