Scene 3

Why was Maille here? What was he searching for in Sweden? The GPS coordinates he had obtained from Zhang in Beijing had led him to the «Skärgården» near Stockholm, an archipelago of thousands of little islands that often protruded out of the water like bloated pebbles. Marie had booked him into a youth hostel of sorts on the island Bullerö – it was apparently the only accommodation she had been able to find via the Internet. The coordinates provided by the Chinese gent, however, indicated a point on the island Möja somewhat further north. «That's not a great distance», Marie had assured him. And that was correct, it wasn't far, not more than 25 kilometres – but without one's own boat, it was like making a small world trip. So, Maille had ordered a taxi-boat, which had to first come across from Runmarö.

While he waited, a short-lived but heavy storm broke over the island – and then, as the sun began to peep out again through the grey clouds, the Baltic Sea glittered as though it was electrified.

continue