They had tailed him for weeks. And now, on Bahnhofstrasse, the Zürich street of Swiss banks, secret numbered accounts and international criminals, he was at arms length of the law. The arm belonged to Europol agent Arvid Linder:
-- Quietly, please - you don't need a scandal any more than we do. Our car is on Bleicher Weg, just around the corner.
The white BMW then seemed to be heading toward Kloten airport, at leisurely legal speed.
-- This is an outrage - you'll never get me on a plane unseen! the prisoner exclaimed.
-- Don't worry, you won't be flying today, agent Linder replied.
Actually, you won't be flying anywhere for quite a while. You'll be delivered to the authorities in 's-Gravenhage by car.
The detainee sighed, suddenly looking listless:
-- On what charges?
-- Your indictment will be presented formally when we arrive at court.
* * *
The dark man and the even darker woman took a break among the trees, just outside the ICC building in The Hague. The 'Coco Canaries', as Fox News contemptuosly called this political duo.
-- They really got him now, by his nonexistent balls, Colin remarked.
-- Yes, picking him up in Switzerland was cool. No NATO to aggravate, no EU to embarrass. And here they are throwing the book at him - crimes against humanity, torture, military aggression built on lies.
-- Of course, the fact that the present US administration didn't veto the Security Council indictment did it. Not to speak of our testimony - pure gold, Condi added.
-- Right, he'll probably say 'Et tu, Brute', about us.
-- He can't. Caesar never said that in Latin. He rose to the occasion and spoke in Greek: 'Kai su, teknon Vrute'. Dubya can't.