Friday 04.11.2016 Port of Piraeus

As a result of recent events, I have called a small meeting to review the current evidence and show the boss our progress. Dimitri and Phillipo, who are slowly becoming our actual mentors, have agreed to help. 

"...and that's why we went to Taurus and got more information, including names and pictures of the suspects," Tobias finishes our presentation. We take turns pointing at the evidence on the wall. "Wait a minute, Pisces, Taurus? Have our zodiac signs come to life?" asks Mr. Krupakis, shaking his head.

"Okwundu... Um, Okwundu Ibori is his name," I reply with embarrassment and tell my boss Taurus his real name.

What's also new is the fingerprint data from the chest of drawers. The International Police in Africa was probably the only one where the search yielded a helpful result. 

They are those of a certain Ugonna Babangida. According to the reports, he has already served time behind bars for theft. "I hate to interrupt you," Dimitri interrupts, looking up from the documents. 

"A yacht was stolen in the harbor last night and since you think they were going back; it could be possible..."

I look at him, irritated, and Tobias lets out a sigh. Unfortunately, there's a very good chance that it really was like that. We have fugitives, they want to go to Africa, across the Mediterranean, as quickly as possible and a stolen yacht, even Narcissus could have put that together.

"When and where did you read that?" Tobias wants to know.

"This morning on the news." He raises his hands protectively. "But I'm not sure if it's connected to that."

"It's all right." I tidy up the things and pack them into one of the ugly red plastic baskets so we can carry them safely out of the conference room. The meeting is temporarily over.

Dimitri promises to take care of the harbor owner's address while Tobias and I put everything back. I file the important documents and writings in a sand-colored folder. 

Some people find it hard to believe how many documents there are, let alone know which documents are actually important. For the most part, we have the papers for legal reasons. 

"Marcos, do you think we'll have to go to Africa, or will the case be passed on to our colleagues there?" So far, I've only gained experience during my training at a normal police station, but: "I'm sure we'll work with them." Otherwise, it would be unfair. We do the work, and they get the attention.

A few minutes later, we are on our way towards the sea. The port of Piraeus is southwest of the city, near the apartment where I once lived with my mother. 

I couldn't understand why they chose an expensive yacht, as the part of the harbour with the fishing boats is unguarded. Lucky for us. Today is a typical fall day in Greece. Sunshine, a few clouds where rain can be expected at any time and a light wind from the sea. 

The marina is located in a round bay surrounded by stores and restaurants, a suitable place for tourists and locals to go about their business. 

We meet the harbour master on a bench by the jetty. He is in his mid-forties, wears an old T-shirt and is eating something gratinated with cheese. I don't know what it is, but it whets my appetite. 

He also runs the 'Sunsail' boat rental company and I wonder why the men didn't rent a boat and run off with it, because stealing an expensive yacht is far more conspicuous.

Our visit has already been announced by Dimitri, so the man stands up when he sees us. After wiping his hands on his trousers, he gives me and Tobias a firm handshake.

"I actually thought no one would come by. Well, if you want to look at the CCTV again, please follow me." It seemed that the colleagues from the police station had already started investigating. We should definitely request the results.

He leads us back up the jetty to a hut made of corrugated iron, with windows that promise a view over the entire bay. Before I enter the house, I take a look over my shoulder, another habit I picked up during my training. Sure enough, I see a conspicuous man on the other side of the water and he sees me too. Has he been watching us for a while?

I stop and memorize his outward appearance. He is Asian, but comparatively tall. He is wearing dark clothes that were in fashion a few centuries ago. His penetrating gaze gives me goose bumps.

Then, after we stare at each other for seconds, he realizes that I see him and he runs up to the street.

"Marcos?" Tobias sticks his head between me and the doorway. "Is there something for free outside, or why are you stopping here?" I'll tell him about it later and blame my pause on childhood memories.

"Oh..." I follow him into a dark back room. There are countless screens on the wall showing live footage of the port area. I immediately look out for the mysterious man, but I don't see him. He was probably just confused. Maybe I imagined it, he probably won't necessarily have anything to do with the case. 

While the port owner, master, caretaker or whatever you call it makes copies for us, we both look at the originals. To my astonishment, there are actually six men sneaking along between the boats.

No, there are seven figures and the seventh of the men is lying on my couch at home: Taurus, but he has decided not to take part. The scene changes the screen several times until they find a suitable boat, or rather one where the key fits, as we find out later. "Do you know anyone who can read lips?" I ask Tobias. He shrugs his shoulders. "If only we knew where they got the key from."

"Surely stolen from someone in the area, where else?" I could have thought of that myself. I'm still distracted by my observation. There was something strange about this man. A certain radiance, as if he was glowing. 

After they finally drive off in the yacht, I pull myself together. "If we're quick, we'll fly there and receive them at home." Tobias prefers to make his own suggestion.

"We should ask the coastguard to keep an eye out for the ship first. Do you think they've already arrived?" I can't tell him that. I'm starting to get the feeling that we shouldn't underestimate them. In the meantime, the harbor guard has loaded the copies onto the USB stick he brought with him, which are needed for further investigations. We might even find someone who can read lips. Then we go out into the fresh sea air.

"Just make sure the boat doesn't come back, because the owner never paid his stall rent on time." He shouts after us, laughing. 

I smile, if he's lucky no one will see it again. We decide to eat in a store somewhere. Eventually we end up at Starbucks, which is mercilessly overcrowded. 

"Toby?" I try to get his attention before he can finish his Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Brew. "What is it?" He puts his drink down.

"I saw someone today he was watching us. I'm not sure if we should follow this trace." He thinks. Trying to put different pieces of the puzzle together. "What did he look like?" I describe his appearance and the strange feeling that swept over me.

"Hmm, that sounds strange. What would an Asian man have to do with African family heirlooms? He may have tracked them down for the men to steal the artwork, but for what purpose?"

It gives me new points of reference to rethink my thoughts, which is the good thing about working in a team. Two heads think more than one and there's always someone you can rely on.

"What if he's not acting with them, but against them. You know. He wants the figures himself and we lead him straight to his goal." Tobias agrees with me and my concern grows, this matter is more entangled than we first suspected. "Should we put him on the wanted list?" he asks.

"I think it's a good idea, if we find him, he can explain everything," I reply after taking a sip from my Java Chip Chocolate Cream Frappuccino. Then it's time to head back and perhaps turn our thoughts to Africa.