2 July, 8:45 AM “Sorry about your head,” said the woman. She was tall, slim – like most of the women around here. Never mind the French;...

2 July, 8:45 AM, Czernograd, “The Czernograd Gazette” newsroom When in need, he turned to every journalist’s best friend: Google. Maciar...

2 July, 8:30 AM When Jake came to it and opened his eyes, he realised three things, all in a quick succession: he wasn’t in Kansas...

1 July, 5:15 MP, Czernograd, Hotel Casino It all started with a noise outside Jake’s door. And it all finished with a noise outside...

1 July, 3:45 PM, Czernograd, the Government Quarter He was tall – taller – at about 5 feet 2 or 3 inches, and thick-set, with strong...

1 July, 1:30 PM, Czernograd, Pansky Station Pansky Station had been built over a century ago in a style derisively known as “railway...

1 July, 12:15 PM, Czernograd, 44 Rimsky Street Palec listened to them, sunk in his chair, right hand on the chin, seemingly absorbed by...

1 July, 12:10 PM, “The Czernograd Gazette” newsroom Igor spent the morning doing the work he was actually paid to do, while thinking all...

1 July, 12:00 noon, Czernograd, 44 Rimsky Street Halszka would have liked to think that it was her who had the first break, but it was...

1 July, 10:30 AM, Czernograd, Hotel Casino A different day, a different weather outside the window, and a different cop outside his room....

1 July, 9:00 AM, “The Czernograd Gazette” newsroom There was another message on his desk, and this time he suspected the meeting would...

30 June, 5:10 PM, Czernograd, Hotel Casino There is the early local news on the TV halfway through the bulletin, a half empty can of Coke...

30 June, 2:45 PM, Czernograd, Police Station Number 5 Maciejewicz was there, behind his desk, as if he has not moved more than a few...

30 June, 2:00 PM, Czernograd, 44 Rimsky Street When Halszka got back to the office from a quick lunch, there was an email sitting at the...

30 June, 1:00 PM, Czernograd, the Surovy District, Fitz’s Fritz’s was a little dive, a block away from the riverfront, south of the...

30 June, 12:45 PM, Stare Duszki Jake and Marina retraced their way back to the village, followed this time all the way by low clouds....

30 June, 12:30 PM, “The Czernograd Gazette” newsroom His phone went off. The newsroom, an open plan office nightmare like a battery farm...

30 June, 8:30 AM, Czernograd, the Niski district He woke up and he didn’t know where he was. It wasn’t his hotel room. This one was...

“An old soldier coming down, Coming down to town. All young soldier boys Salute and stand your ground.” “The Ballad of the Old Soldier”,...

29 June, midnight, Czernograd, the Prazsky Park district After they left the club –he still did not know if the place had a name and he...

29 June, 10:00 PM, Czernograd, the Wolski district He glanced at his watch. It was now just past 10 and over an hour into the night. The...

29 June, 7:30 PM, Czernograd, the Old City After she arrived at his room, she gave him a critical look over. Head to feet and then back...

29 June, 4:45 PM, Czernograd, the Kranberg district He was in Kranberg within half an hour. The traffic has been particularly heavy at...

29 June, 3:12 PM , Czernograd, Hotel Casino With the daylight-saving time taken into consideration, it was a seven-hour difference...