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I start weeping with relief "I can be useful," I say "I can be, I can be really useful-"

"Bruce left a bag here He forgot it"

"What?" I’ my nose with the sleeve ofbehind," Felix says "I suppose you could come by and pick it up That is, if you can be bothered, Victor-"

"Felix, wait-you’ve got to get rid of that bag," I say, suddenly nauseous with adrenaline "Don’t get near that bag"

"I’ll leave it with the concierge," Felix says, annoyed "I have no y intention of seeing you"

"Felix," I shout "Don’t get near that bag Get everyone out of the hotel-"

"And do not try contacting us," Felix says over me "We’ve shut down the production office in New York"

"Felix, get out of the hotel-"

"Nice working with you," Felix says "But not really"

"Felix," I’

(On the opposite side of Place Vendome, twenty technicians are at various lookout points and the director is studying a video playback e shot earlier today of Bruce Rhinebeck leaving the hotel, a toothpick in his teeth, Bruce posing for paparazzi, Bruce laughinginto a limousine with bulletproof s By now the French film crew has been outfitted with car protection for when the de toward the Ritz

(In a pale-pink roos up the phone The suite Felix occupies is in fairly close proximity to the center of the hotel, which ensures that the explosion will cause assits on the bed

It’s so cold in the room that Felix’s breath stea

He stares into it, quizzically

It’s filled with red and black confetti