DARKMARK

After the harum-scarum experience of being a fugitive from Turkish
justice while feuding with his ex-lover, he soon regarded Alès as a
welcome refuge. For the first time in months, maybe years, he could
dispense with the half-truths, the deception, the thieving and the prevar-
ications. He could cease the extreme compartmentalisation that his
multiple online and offline personalities demanded and seek his real
essence - provided, of course, he still had a recognisable essence.
Perhaps the time had come to make a break from the madness: time
to go straight, find a proper job and settle down with a decent woman.
If he played his cards wisely, all this lay within his grasp.

Then one morning at around eight o'clock there was the knock on
the door.

Mert was lying in bed sipping some coffee. He had never received
visitors here in Alès and was not expecting them. Throwing on his
dressing gown, he shuffled towards the door and opened it to two men
who were carrying backpacks. 'Hello, Mert! How are you?' said the
first one in Turkish. In return, Mert muttered feebly, 'Je ne comprends
pas . . .' 'Come on, Mert,' said the second man in English, 'we know
who you are. It would be in your interest to invite us in.'

As they sat with mugs of coffee around the kitchen table, one of the
men pulled out a folder and put it on the table. Mert had the first man
down as a second-generation immigrant to America from Turkey
because he spoke colloquial Turkish, but with an accent and occasional
grammatical errors. The second guy, who did most of the talking, was
American.

Mert was presented with alternatives: 'Either you help us uncondi-
tionally or we are giving this folder to the Sécurité.' Mert flicked through
the pages of French credit cards, which he and Sadun had skimmed
after they had wormed their way into the innards of the Akbank's
computer system. The two men reminded him that in France he could
receive up to eight years for just one credit-card fraud.

This was Hobson's choice, but before he consented, Mert demanded
to know who the two men represented. American law enforcement
came the reply. 'And what,' Mert continued, 'do you want from me?'
'Go on, Mert, have a wild guess!'
Mert, irritated and frightened, shook his head.
'We want you to give us Cha0.'