33

Bjorn was about to ask Ane for her opinion on the captain's vision of Lundby as a miniature China when Geir broke off the budding conversation.

"As I was saying," Geir interjected, giving the captain a stern look from under his hood. "This whole place will be shut down if you fail to observe the rules."
"Yes, I think I got that by now," the captain answered, clearly irritated with the man.
"But, and this is important," Geir continued, ignoring the captain's remark. "If you do your policing well, and manage to foil an attempt by the asylum seekers to escape, we will reward you for your diligence."
"Is that so? And what sort of reward would that be?"
"It depends on the scale of the break out. You can read all about it in our rules and regulations."
"So I can make money by catching someone trying to escape?" the captain persisted, suddenly interested in what Geir had to say.
"You can," Geir confirmed with a self important smile. "It pays to know the rules of the game, you know."
"Interesting..."

The captain looked over at Ane who nodded in confirmation. Having actually read the rules, she sent the captain a knowing smile, as if to say "I know what you are thinking." Then she turned to Geir, asking him if this would be all.

"Yes, I think we've covered all now," Geir confirmed. "And remember to keep anyone doing business with you informed of the rules and regulations. We don´t want any mishaps, do we?"
"No, we don´t," Ane replied. Then, turning to the captain she continued. "I'll let you know when the fish is ready to be loaded back on board. I'll be in my office if you need to talk to me."

Ane gestured in the direction of the gated fence at the end of her property, before leading Geir and Bjorn away from the fishing boat. The three walked in silence before stopping at the gate. Then, just as Ane was about to let the two out, she turned to Bjorn, asking him if he would like to help the refugees by contributing to the local charity.

"What do you mean?" Bjorn asked, puzzled by her remark.
"Well, you´re concerned about the refugees' well being, are you not?"
"Yes... But..."
"And you, just like me, are making a living from looking after these people."
"Yes... But I'm not employing them, am I."
"Exactly, so you are making money from their misery without contributing one penny to their well being."
"Hey... I'm paid by the state. I'm just doing my job. You are the one exploiting these people."
"Really?" Ane asked with her cold deliberate stare.

Ane unlocked the gate and let the two men out. Then she continued. "If you change your mind, you can go up there to make your contribution to their charity." Ane pointed in the direction of the church, partially visible from where they were standing. "Who knows, you may need their help one day yourself."

6

Bjorn went for a short stroll along the perimeter of the ferry landing, taking in some more impressions of the place before returning to the checkpoint where he entered the small box-like structure that constituted the office. He had noticed while walking about, that Trond was checking diligently the cars that had lined up to drive on board the waiting ferry, and he asked one of Trond's colleagues, as he entered the office, if any of them had managed to catch anyone trying to escape the colony.

The man smiled at him, and said that they had not been having any such luck as of yet, before offering Bjorn a cup of coffee.

"No such luck?" Bjorn asked before accepting the man's offer to pour him a cup.
"No such luck, I'm afraid," the man confirmed, handing Bjorn a mug of freshly brewed coffee. "You see, there is a bounty on any refugee we manage to catch. We get an extra month's wage for each one."
"Is that so?"
"It is. The prospect keeps us diligent, and it makes it harder for the desperate ones to bribe their way to freedom."
"Makes sense. But you haven't caught anyone yet, have you?"
"I guess they know it's hopeless. Not only do they have to get passed us, they have to find their way into the parallel economy too, and Kirkenes is just too small for a refugee to hide."

The man looked like he was about to expand on his thoughts when he was interrupted by Trond giving him a signal through the wide window behind Bjorn, to raise the barrier that was preventing the cars from entering the ferry. The man excused himself, and turned to push a button on a dashboard, prompting the barrier to be raised, and the few cars that had been waiting to enter, drove onto the ferry, making a clattering noise as they drove onto the steel plate hanging out from the front of the boat.

Once the cars were well on board, together with two pedestrians that Trond appeared to know from before, the steel plate was raised, and pretty soon the ferry started moving away from the wharf and out to the fjord, heading for Kirkenes. Trond entered the office, and they all sat down in separate chairs, waiting for the ferry to return in two hours' time.

The sound of a TV that had been muted while the ferry had been at the wharf, was turned on again, and everyone returned to watching the football match that was being broadcasted, commenting on the game, and expressing their feelings with muted cries of excitement as the players chased the ball back and forth on the green grass, some distant place, far to the south, where spring was well on its way.