Looking into Jean-Marc's eyes as he thrust deep inside her, Lucie said "this is not just sex, this is something more" and an overwhelming wave of joy crashed over them. There was no turning back now, all else seemed banal in comparison, the insight of ancestors and, for Jean-Marc, the start of a new life.

Love goes beyond time and its power is rejuvenated in the present like a never ending spiral, love pulls you upward towards paradise, makes you greater than you are because 1+1=3 or more. Everything just seemed inevitable, no words were necessary and, in any case, there was no need for speech because they were in complete unison.

After their lovemaking Lucie led Jean-Marc to the adjacent bathroom and filled the huge marble bathtub, decorated with roman mosaic patterns and outrageous frescoes with erotic overtones on the wall. They sat smiling at each other in the warm water. Jean-Marc noticed the scar across her shoulder, "Where did you get the scar?"

"Car accident with my father, the one in the caravan down there. He hasn't been the same, ever since."

"I know this sounds corny but did I know you from somewhere before?" he asked.

"Of course" she replied.

They drove back to Cannes and miraculously found a parking space on the Croisette. The sat on the terrace of the Blue Bar, by the steps of the Old Palais des Festivals, and ordered coffee. Lucie took Jean-Marc's hand. "By touching people you can see their soul" she said, "each finger of the hand can give you an insight into the past, the present and sometimes the future. This is the simplest way to use and believe your instinct, others use cards or the stars and Adrienne will teach you all that later. You must come and stay with her often and Denis too will help you, you will cross his path often."

Jean-Marc found his head spinning with all this new realm opening up in front of him, he was flattered at somehow being "chosen" while perturbed by the knowledge of his forthcoming pre-mature "death". He needed a pee and went inside the bar to releive himself. In the toilets, the guy next to him asked, with an Australian accent, "I’m in the paper business but I want to get into to the film and TV business, can you help me?" "I'm Charles", said the little Australian, "but call me Chuck", they exchanged business cards. Little did Jean-Marc know it at the time, but this was the beginning of two decades or more of intrigue and adventure that would take him across the World and back in time.

Back on the terrace Lucie said "Come with me, I'm going to show you something special." She took Jean-Marc's hand and they entered the Old Palais des Festivals by a side door. Jean-Marc had been here before for the Film Festival but now, with the New Palais inaugurated, the place was being prepared for dismanteling with a view to being rebuilt as what is now the Noga Hilton. They made their way to the roof, Jean-Marc had already been here for a cocktail party the previous year and the view of the Croisette and Cannes was impressive, the evening night was romantic and the breeze blew up Lucie skirt showing Jean-Marc that she had nothing on underneath. For the second time that day, passion overtook them both and they started making love on a concrete slab on the roof.

They were interrupted, not by someone else coming up on the roof of the deserted building, but by screaming and commotion on the penthouse terrace of the Grand Hotel just behind them. Obviously they were being observed but there had been some kind of accident up there. Within a couple of minutes they could hear approaching police sirens and a crowd started to gather below. From their high vantage point, Jean-Marc noticed Charles Kloch running out of the appartement building opposite with a large holdall bag, he disappeared into the car park behind. "Someone must be in a hurry for something" he thought.

Lucie brushed the dust off her skirt, "Come on" she said, "I'm hungry, I feel like a tournedos rossini, I know just the place". Little did he know it at the time, but this fillet steak recipe with foie gras would later become one of his culinary specialities.