"STOLEN IMMORTALITY"

-Isn't the price for your troubles with your first clients enormous?

"No. Just right! Don't take it personally. Everyone earns their living in their own place – as best they can!" The show's organizer placed the money Alexander had given him into his inside tailcoat pocket and clapped it joyfully. "All the best, sir! I hope you have a pleasant evening!"

“Thank you,” Alexander muttered discontentedly. “When will Svetlana Lazareva come?”

- Don't worry! I won't keep you waiting! I'll send the girl to you right away.

“Okay,” said Alexander and went to his table.

Olga Kudrina was already sitting at the table with Vladimir. They were chatting animatedly and laughing. When Alexander approached, they became embarrassed and quiet.

“Well, why did you stop laughing?” asked Alexander.

"We... We haven't stopped... We..." Vladimir hesitated, and then said, turning to the girl and pointing at Alexander. "Olenka! Allow me to introduce you. This is Alexander Ivanovich. My boss."

"Nice to meet you. And you already know my name," Olga said, looking at Alexander.

"Yes. I know." Alexander sat down at the table and continued thoughtfully. "Your name is Olga. And I thought your name was Victoria."

“Why did you decide that?” asked the model.

“Because you look very much like one girl,” Alexander answered.

“Is her name Victoria?” Olga asked.

“Yes.” Alexander nodded affirmatively.

“Maybe you could tell me about her?” Olga suggested.

"No. I don't want to. It's personal," Alexander refused. "Better you tell me what you were laughing so infectiously about before I arrived."

"Vladimir told me a joke. A very funny one," Olga explained.

"I see. He's a master at telling jokes. And, in general, at making people laugh," said Alexander, looking gloomily at Vladimir.

"What happened, Alexander Ivanovich? Why are you so gloomy? Couldn't come to an agreement with the show's organizer?" Vladimir asked, sensing something was wrong.

"No, Vladimir. We came to an agreement. It's just that the show's organizer turned out to be a scoundrel and a greedy person. He demanded three thousand dollars for an evening with Svetlana Lazareva."

-Wow!-Vladimir even whistled in surprise. - And you paid?

"I paid," Alexander replied irritably. "I had to pay. The show's organizer said I had to pay for the trouble he'd cause with his first clients when he told them Svetlana Lazareva wouldn't be spending the evening with them."

“I see,” Vladimir shook his head sympathetically. “This show organizer really is a scoundrel and a greedy person!” he asked, turning to the girl. “And what do you think, Olenka?”

“I think so too,” the model answered quietly and lowered her head.

-Tell me, Olya, how long have you been working on this show? - asked Alexander.

-Eleven months.

"That's quite a lot. And what prompted you to work on this scoundrel and thieves' show?" Alexander continued to interrogate the girl.

"Sorry. I'd rather not talk about it," the model answered quietly again.

"Well, if you don't want to, then don't! Let's talk about something else!" Alexander looked at the girl unceremoniously. "For example, about you. How old are you, Olya?"

-Nineteen.

-What is your education?

-Secondary special.

-Yes? And what is your specialty?

-Nurse.

- I wonder how a nurse became a model?

"It happened by accident. I needed money, and I..." Olga faltered and blushed.

-Ah! I see! The reason is banal. You needed money, and you decided to sell your beauty.

-I...No...It's not like that at all...-Olga blushed even more and lowered her head.

- How? Tell me! - Alexander insisted.

The girl remained silent. A tense pause ensued. Just then, Svetlana Lazareva approached the table.

“Good evening,” she said. “May I join you?”

-Of course. Please, sit down. - Vladimir stood up and politely pulled out a chair for the girl.

"Thank you," the model sat down at the table and turned to the men. "Well, let's get acquainted. My name is Svetlana Lazareva."

“And I’m Vladimir,” Vladimir introduced himself to the girl. “And this is my boss, Alexander Ivanovich.” He pointed at Alexander.

“Just Alexander,” Alexander corrected Vladimir, turning to the girl.

"I understand. You are Vladimir. And you are Alexander." Svetlana Lazareva looked at the men, shifting her gaze from one to the other.

"Well, and Olenka, you know..." Vladimir began. But Svetlana cut him off abruptly, saying mockingly and cynically:

- I know, I know. We're colleagues. Aren't we, Olenka?

Olga didn't answer. Another tense pause ensued.

“Maybe we should have a drink?” Vladimir asked timidly.

-Yes. Let's drink, - said Alexander. - Vladimir! Pour the wine!

Following his boss's orders, Vladimir began pouring wine into glasses. But suddenly he stopped and exclaimed:

-Alexander Ivanovich! The sheikh and his translator are coming towards us! The sheikh has a furious look on his face! Ah! What's going to happen now?

"Nothing will happen! Calm down, Vladimir!" Alexander said calmly, without even turning in the direction Vladimir and the girls were looking.

Meanwhile, the enraged Sheikh Rashid approached Vladimir, grabbed him by the collar, lifted him from his chair, and punched him in the face. Then he approached Alexander, grabbed him by the collar, lifted him from his chair, and was about to strike him... But, looking at Alexander's face, he suddenly became taken aback, lowered his clenched fist, and... began babbling in his own language. A translator, standing nearby, translated the sheikh's speech:

-Oh, my God! This can't be! Alexander Ivanovich! Is that you? Here? I didn't expect it to be you! I almost hit you! Forgive me! Forgive me!

Alexander interrupted the sheikh's exclamations as follows:

-Dear Sheikh Rashid! Let's step aside and talk.

When the bespectacled young man translated, the sheikh nodded in agreement and walked away from the table. Alexander and the translator followed him.

Alexander started the conversation. He said:

Dear Sheikh Rashid! I understand your feelings! You were planning to spend this evening in the company of model Svetlana Lazareva. And you had every right to do so. You approached the show's organizer first. You paid him three hundred dollars first. So all rights are on your side! You acted fairly. But I did not! I approached the show's organizer after you and outbid him for the evening with Svetlana Lazareva, paying ten times more than you did! Three thousand dollars! Of course, this outraged you! And you wanted to punish the offender! I admit that I acted vilely and deserved punishment. But I ask you to forgive me! After all, we have common business. I know why you need Svetlana Lazareva. And I have no intention of stopping you from kidnapping her! I am simply going to spend this evening with her. I hope you don't mind?

A frail young man wearing glasses translated Alexander's words for the sheikh. However, the sheikh was in no hurry to answer. He was thinking. Alexander asked the translator:

-Have you translated everything?

“Yes,” he answered.

-Why is he silent?

-Thinking about your words.

Finally, the sheikh spoke. Alexander could tell from his tone that he was still dissatisfied. So he wasn't surprised by the translation that came from the young man's lips:

Dear Alexander Ivanovich! I am very surprised by your actions. In the East, such actions are not forgiven! And I would not forgive you! If someone else had been in your place, they would not have left that restaurant on their own two feet. However, you turned out to be the one who offended me. And, as you rightly said, we have common interests. Therefore, I have no choice but to forgive you! But I want to know: why do you need Svetlana Lazareva? What do you want from her? Sex? Or something else?

The translator translated. Alexander replied:

"Dear Sheikh! I won't lie to you. I don't know how this evening with Svetlana Lazareva will end. Will she agree to continue the evening alone with me at the hotel? And will I agree to her price? However, I do know one thing: your interests will not be infringed upon in any way. You want your daughter to continue her life in Svetlana Lazareva's body. And to do that, we need to know if the model is healthy. After all, her work always puts her health at risk. Perhaps the girl has an STD or AIDS. Or she is infertile. Why would your daughter need a sick body? I think you yourself are interested in Svetlana Lazareva's full examination before the operation to transplant your daughter's soul into her body.

When the bespectacled young man translated, the sheikh nodded and quickly began speaking his own language. Then Alexander listened to the translation from Arabic:

"Yes, Alexander Ivanovich. I'm interested in a full examination of Svetlana Lazareva before the operation to transplant my daughter's soul into her body. But I'm not interested in you having sex with a model. Her body will belong to my daughter. And it must be pure and chaste."

Alexander realized the sheikh wouldn't agree to his using Svetlana Lazareva for sexual purposes and decided to play it safe. He said:

"Dear Sheikh Rashid! I respect your wishes. Therefore, I have changed my mind. And I promise you that I will not have intimate relations with Svetlana Lazareva. I will simply examine her in my lab. By the way, that man you punched in the face is my deputy and the head of the lab. In fact, he is my best assistant! And I will probably come to Dubai with him. He will assist me in the operation to transfer the soul of your President into the body of his double.

The translator translated. The sheikh spoke in Arabic again. From his tone, Alexander sensed that the sheikh had softened considerably and was pleased with the promise made to him regarding Svetlana Lazareva. And so it turned out.

When the sheikh finished speaking, the young man with glasses translated his speech:

Dear Alexander Ivanovich! I am pleased that you have changed your mind regarding Svetlana Lazareva. And I am grateful to you for considering my wishes. I offer my apologies to the head of your lab. Please tell him that I am very sorry for hitting him. I hope he will forgive me. And for you, Alexander Ivanovich, I have the following request: please inform me when you have completed your examination of Svetlana Lazareva. I must know for sure! My men will immediately kidnap the model and take her to Dubai.

After the young man in glasses translated the sheikh’s speech, Alexander nodded convincingly and said:

"Okay, Sheikh Rashid! As soon as I finish examining Svetlana Lazareva, I'll let you know right away! So wait for my call!"

The translator translated. Alexander and Sheikh Rashid shook hands and parted ways.

Alexander approached his table. Meanwhile, Olga Kudrina was helping Vladimir stop his nosebleed. She tilted his head back and applied a cold pack of ice, brought by the waiter, to his nose.

"Well, hero! Did you get it badly?" Alexander asked Vladimir, sitting down at the table.

-That's a big fight! Your sheikh really got into it! He punched me right in the face!

Vladimir answered, wincing in pain.

"Oh, never mind! You've got a wonderful nurse, Vladimir. She'll cure you!" Alexander began to encourage his subordinate.

“I hope so,” Vladimir said and looked at Olga with gratitude.

“Where did you find the ice?” Alexander asked.

Svetlana Lazareva answered:

The waiter brought ice. At my request.

“Well, that means, Vladimir, you have two saviors: Olga and Svetlana,” Alexander stated.

"Yes. Two, Alexander Ivanovich. And I am grateful to both of them," Vladimir said, wincing in pain again.

"We must drink to our saviors! The wine has already been poured. So please raise your glasses!" Alexander said, raising his glass first.

"Vladimir can't drink! But you and I will drink!" Olga raised her glass.

"Who is this 'we'? Answer for yourself, baby!" Svetlana Lazareva said discontentedly, turning to Olga. "I won't drink!"

-Why, Svetlana? - asked Alexander. - Why don’t you want to have a drink with us?

-I don't drink wine.

-What do you drink?

-Cognac. Expensive cognac.

"I see. Let me order you some cognac," Alexander suggested.

"No need! I don't want to yet. And when I do, I'll order it myself!" Svetlana said arrogantly and coldly.

"Well, whatever you wish! Olenka and I will drink some wine!" Alexander raised his glass again.

“What a pity I can’t have a drink with you!” Vladimir lamented.

"But we're drinking to your health, Vladimir! Isn't that right, Olenka?" Alexander winked cheerfully at Olga.

-Yes. We drink to your health, Vladimir! - Olga raised her glass and clinked it with Alexander's.

"And to my saviors, Alexander Ivanovich! You promised to drink to them!" Vladimir added.

"Well, of course! And to your savior, Vladimir!" said Alexander, clinking glasses with Olga again.

Before Olga and Alexander had finished drinking their wine, music began to play. Vladimir said, turning to Olga:

-Olenka! Dance with me, please. I invite you to dance.

Looking intently at Vladimir, the girl asked:

-Can you really dance now? How do you feel?

"Good. I feel fine," Vladimir replied. "And I not only can dance, I need to. Please, Olenka, dance with me!" He stood up from the table and extended his hand to the girl.

-Okay then. I'll dance. - Olga stood up and offered Vladimir her hand.

A man and a woman walked to the center of the room and began dancing. A slow dance. Alexander watched them go, turned to Svetlana, and asked:

-And you, Svetlana, will you dance with me?

“No,” the girl answered coldly.

-Why?

-Because I don’t want to!

-What do you want?

-I want you to stop playing the role of a gentleman and be yourself.

-And why do you think I'm playing the role of a gentleman? Maybe I am a gentleman in the true sense of the word.

-Oh, no!- Svetlana grinned, took out a cigarette and lit it. - You won't fool me! You're not a gentleman!

“Who am I?” Alexander asked with interest.

-A very dangerous person!

-That's all?

- I can continue if you wish. You are immoral, amoral, vain and greedy.

- My God! How many unflattering epithets! - exclaimed Alexander. - Why did you do this to me, Svetlana?

“Did I tell a lie?” the girl said coldly.

“Do you tell all your clients the truth?” Alexander asked, starting to get angry, emphasizing the word “truth.”

“It varies,” Svetlana answered and looked at the dancers.

“Why did you decide to tell me?” Alexander asked.

-Because I don’t like you!

-That's a pity. But I like you, Svetlana!

"You're lying!" the model said sharply, looking Alexander straight in the face. "You're lying! You really don't like me! In fact, you almost hate me!"

- No, Svetlana! Believe me, it's not like that! You're wrong! I like you very much. You are beautiful! And beauty is impossible not to like!

-Beauty has nothing to do with it! You don't like my soul, do you?

Alexander pondered for a few minutes, unsure of what to say. Then he said:

"You're so insightful, Svetlana! I like your body, but I don't like your soul! But that can be fixed."

“What do you mean?” the girl asked in surprise.

-That another soul can live in your beautiful body!

-Nonsense! You're talking nonsense!

"This isn't nonsense at all, Svetlana! And you'll see it for yourself in the near future!"

- Should I take this as a threat?

- No. What are you saying, Svetlana! I'm not threatening you. I'm just telling you about a possible development.

-Stop speaking in riddles!

"Stop acting like an aristocrat!" Alexander lost his temper. "You're just a girl anyone can buy! You don't need cynicism and arrogance!"

- Well, you know, I won’t allow you to insult me! - the model exclaimed indignantly, stood up abruptly and, getting ready to leave, said carelessly. - Goodbye!

However, she was unable to leave. Alexander grabbed her hand and forced her back into her seat, saying:

- Sit down! And don't forget that I bought you this evening! You owe it to me!

"You didn't buy an evening with me! You overbought it!" the model said irritably and angrily.

"I see. So you know this too?" Alexander asked.

-Yes. It is known.

-So much the better. So, you know how much I paid for an evening with you?

-Three thousand dollars. Isn't that right?

-Exactly! This is no small amount of money! And you have to work it off! Otherwise, I'll report to the show's organizer that you failed to fulfill your obligations, demand my money back... And then you'll be in big trouble!

-Don't scare me!

- Fine. I won't. But I also ask you to behave decently! Especially since the dance is over, and Olga and Vladimir are returning to us.

At that moment, Olga and Vladimir indeed approached the table. They had joyful expressions. It was clear they were really enjoying dancing.

"Bravo! Bravo!" Alexander clapped his hands, turning to Vladimir and Olga. "You danced beautifully! And you looked great!"

“Thank you for the compliment!” Olga said.

And Vladimir asked:

-Didn't you get bored here?

"Oh, no! We weren't bored!" Alexander hastened to answer. "We spent our time productively. We talked. We learned a lot about each other. Isn't that right, Svetlana?"

“It’s true,” the model said reluctantly, not looking at Alexander.

"Well, what are you standing there for? Come sit down at the table!" Alexander said to Olga and Vladimir.

Vladimir immediately sat down at the table.

And Olga said:

-Excuse me. I'll leave you for a few minutes. I'll go powder my nose.

"Okay. Come back soon, Olenka!" Vladimir admonished the girl.

When Olga left, a tense pause ensued. Unsure of what to say, everyone remained silent.

Then Svetlana stood up and said:

-Excuse me. I'll be leaving too. To the restroom.

“Will you come back?” Alexander asked worriedly, looking intently at Svetlana.

“I’ll be back,” the girl answered.

-Really?

-Exactly.

-If you don’t come back, I’ll go to the show’s organizer and…-Alexander didn’t have time to finish.

Svetlana interrupted him abruptly, saying:

- Calm down! I'll be back.

When the girl left, Vladimir asked the boss:

-Alexander Ivanovich! What happened here?

“Nothing,” Alexander answered. “We just had a little argument with Svetlana.”

Lazareva.

-Because of what?

- I don't know. There was no objective reason for the fight. We just didn't like each other.