Audi 2014 Annual Report Download - page 55

From a speed of 60 kilometers per hour, From a speed of 60 kilometers per hour,
the laser spot is also activated the laser spot is also activated
if the LED high beam is switched on if the LED high beam is switched on
using the high-beam assist.using the high-beam assist.
She fi ghts against her own rage and
squints her eyes to recognize what is
displayed on the screens. She is familiar displayed on the screens. She is familiar
with these fractals, these vector lines with these fractals, these vector lines
that shine through the pixels. She pain-that shine through the pixels. She pain-
fully recalls how they had studied fully recalls how they had studied
Goethe’s theory of color together as Goethe’s theory of color together as
their love blossomed. A knowledge of their love blossomed. A knowledge of
light was part of her training. Her teach-light was part of her training. Her teach-
er always repeated : “If you understand er always repeated : “If you understand
the mechanics of light, you’ll be able to the mechanics of light, you’ll be able to
devote your life to the truth.” He was devote your life to the truth.” He was
wrong. Her partner has devoted himself wrong. Her partner has devoted himself
to something entirely di erent.to something entirely di erent.
And she can’t understand how that has And she can’t understand how that has
happened. She pulls herself together ; happened. She pulls herself together ;
she needs to stay calm, to get out she needs to stay calm, to get out
of here and report back to her boss. She of here and report back to her boss. She
takes one last look at the blonde, at takes one last look at the blonde, at
her partner, while the rules of her uni-
verse shatter. She feels the sharp splin-
ters inside her. She wants to scream.
Instead, she moves silently, the same
way she arrived.way she arrived.
She had kept on thinking about the She had kept on thinking about the
events of recent weeks. She had sudden-events of recent weeks. She had sudden-
ly decided to follow him a few hours ly decided to follow him a few hours
ago. She knows that the fi rm considers ago. She knows that the fi rm considers
a lack of trust to be the worst thing : a lack of trust to be the worst thing :
“Trust your partner like you trust your-“Trust your partner like you trust your-
self.” It was something they had taught
her. Easier said than done.
Especially since she had discovered that Especially since she had discovered that
the gym bag he took to training every the gym bag he took to training every
evening after dinner had a false bottom evening after dinner had a false bottom
that concealed a designer suit similar that concealed a designer suit similar
to the one he wore to work.to the one he wore to work.
She’d stored this information in a far-She’d stored this information in a far-
fl ung corner of her brain and convinced fl ung corner of her brain and convinced
herself that they always had to be herself that they always had to be
ready for work. The fi rm can call at any ready for work. The fi rm can call at any
moment.moment.
Yet a drop of this information, as fl ow-Yet a drop of this information, as fl ow-
ing and poisonous as mercury, had gone ing and poisonous as mercury, had gone
from her brain into the pit of her stom-from her brain into the pit of her stom-
ach, and from there into her blood-ach, and from there into her blood-
stream. Why the false bottom ? The days stream. Why the false bottom ? The days
passed and the suspicion grew, together
with the beguiling scent of the fragrance
that emanated from the suit. A ladies’
fragrance, but not the brand she uses
herself.
That afternoon she’d taken the gym bag
out of the closet, opened the false bot-
tom and allowed the suit’s soft material
to slip through her hands. In a coat
pocket she’d found a slip of paper with
a note. “LMX, new light, laser.” PHOTOS : Bernd Kammerer