K8 came to pick them up.
“Where are we going?” asked Airtime as they got into her car.
“Wherever we need to give that phone back, and warn Ariell or whatever her name is about the big guy in the leather jacket,” said K8.
“And the creepy SMSes,” said Sbu.
“Could be from the same guy,” said K8. “So, what can we try? Are there any clues on the cellphone that we missed?”
“I don’t think so,” said Sbu. “No pictures, no messages. I’ve tried the hotel, the museum, the French woman…”
“Aha!” said K8 slapping her hands onto the steering wheel. “That’s someone we can try again.”
“But we don’t speak French!” said Airtime.
“I know,” said K8. “But I know someone who can.”
K8 drove them to a restaurant in the classy part of town, called “St. Emilion”. It was early evening, so it wasn’t properly open yet and the chairs were still stacked on the tables. K8 spoke quietly to one of the waiters, who lead them through to the kitchen.
At one of the counters was a chubby guy, who grinned hugely when he saw K8. “Catherine!” he said in a French accent. “How are you?”
“Hi Garron!” said K8, and they hugged. Garron saw Sbu and Airtime, and eyed them suspiciously.
“It’s okay,” said K8, “They’re friends. Listen, could you do us a big favour?”
K8 explained the situation to Garron, and he agreed to call the French lady. Sbu gave him the phone, and he took it to the back exit to make the call outside.
“What’s his problem?” said Airtime to K8 while they were waiting.
“What do you mean?” said K8.
“The way he looked at us.”
“Garron is from the Congo. I met him last year, after some people burned down his house in the xenophobic attacks. He’s a good guy, he’s just a bit distrustful now. He doesn’t like strangers.”
The back exit burst open, and Garron entered. “I’ve got her!” he told K8 happily.
“Who was she? The woman on the phone?” asked K8.
“Her mother. She lives in France. I told her all about the lost phone, and she told me the girl’s name!” Garron paused for dramatic effect. “It’s Adelle Mateja!”
Sbu and Airtime looked at him blankly.
“You’ve never heard of Adelle Mateja?” said Garron. “She’s a-”
Garron waved his arms around looking for the right words, and settled on,
“-superstar.”
WHAT DO YOU THINK? If you ran the country, how would you change things to stop xenophobia attacks?