. ......#Episode 6.
I got to the bar and sat down on the long stool facing tens of different whiskey bottles turned upside down in a raft.
I looked carefully at them until I found the one I wanted to drink.
Since most of the portuguse middle class didn't know english words, I pointed to a bottle of Chivas Regal scotch and asked the bartender to give me two shots while raising two fingers.
She ( a young lady) nodded, filled two shots and poured them inside a bigger glass. I gulped the entire contents once and asked for more two.
After payment, I took the second glass down to the hall where the snooker tables were located. I sat down and watched two people played the game.
I wasn't good at snooker and table tennis but I liked them. I watched them play while I sipped my spirit slowly.
When it was about 10 pm, Jennifer called me. She wanted to know why I had not returned.
I didn't tell her that I was going to meet with her madam at the Elephant Blanco.
I told her where I was and promised to come back in an hour. I wanted to waste as much time as possible before going home. Despite enjoying the Jennifer affairs, I was beginning to get scared.
I had wondered why miss madam had brought the two thugs.
Was she hoping to beat me into releasing jennifer? Or perhaps kill me; anything was possible.
It was time to play out my own card. I called miss madam and told her how stupid she had acted. I was getting drunk and I knew that my words were not guided but it was time to play.
'' I have enough evidence to show the police that you are trafficking girls to Europe'' I said as soon as she picked my phone.
'' I recorded our discussion in Rossio and I am going to the Police to give it to them'' I said.
'' I know where you live, Jennifer had told me. I am no longer interested in your 1000 euros since you want war. The price is now 4000 euros and I need it tomorrow'' I said in a very calm voice.
'' If you make one more mistake, you won't see jennifer again and I will send the record to the Police'' I said again and hung up.
My phone rang immediately but I didn't pick it.
I knew that blackmail was a serious offence too but not when human trafficking was the issue.
On her second attempt at calling me, I picked the phone.
A male voice greeted me and asked how and where I would like to receive the money.
- Amateurs. So easily, no way. They were not ready to back down. The game had to change*
I hung up the phone without saying anything. They called back a few minutes later and when I picked the phone again, it was the Madam's voice.
'' Bros wetin I do you, I no know you before and you no know me, why you dey do this to me'' she said.
'' 4000 euros tomorrow or stop calling me'' I said and hung up again.
One of the men playing snooker looked at me and continued what he was doing. I had called out the money loud enough for them to pick interest.
I went back to the bar for more drinks and as soon as I picked up my change to leave the bar, the man from the snooker table tapped me on the shoulder.
'' You American?'' he asked.
'' Yea, American'' I lied.
He nodded and introduced himself as Jose.
He was from Lagos area in the Southernmost district of Portugal called Faro. He had lived in Africa, Luanda precisely. He had decided to live in Lisbon and work after three years in Angola.
He liked Africa and the Africans and always wanted to chat with them. He was also interested in learning more English but since he didn't have time to study it in School, he loved to interact with people in English. According to him, was a football player until he broke his legs on a game he played for Beira mar against Belenense in the Portuguese first division. He had traveled to Angola to work when it became obvious that he couldn't play anymore.
He lived across the street according to him and asked the hotel where I stayed.
I told him that it was across the river Tagus in Hotel Madrid. I also told him that it was expensive and asked if he could show me a cheap hotel since I still had many days to stay. I had changed my accent to American but I doubt he noticed the flaws in it. He hardly spoke good english, so I figured he couldn't differentiate between accents; I was wrong.
He took me to a one room student apartment where foreign students lived. It was a little noisy for my liking but it was better and safer than where I lived. It was a new house.
I rented a one-room apartment at the rate of 25 euros a day and paid for two weeks. I gave them 350 euros and went down stairs with Jose.
Jose was about 25 years, it was very easy to interact with him. I told him that I was going to get my bag and that we would meet at the bar the next day.
I took a taxi all the way to the train station and boarded a train back to Lisbon central area.