The Genesis Illusion

Chapter 23

Bijou Ten? Bijou Ten? Paul sat in his hotel room pondering that message while lounging in a cushioned side chair that was in the corner of the small plain double room. One large window looked out toward the Clarke Quay riverside area but the concrete wall of a building partially obscured the otherwise attractive view. Chinese pagoda-style roofs sprinkled amongst the mostly unremarkable modern apartment buildings reminded him he was in Singapore. It could mean the Bijou Theater just as the police deduced. They'll find out what these inventors were doing.

His brain worked hard to consider other alternatives. Anyone who went to the trouble to code a message probably would select a message only they would understand. Bijou, bijou, that's an old word for theater all right. Could mean entertainment center, something more general. No, no. It must be specific so that the one who decoded the message would understand exactly what it meant.

The word Bijou is also an old word that means jewel. Jewel, that might it? He wrote the word on the small pad that was sitting next to his telephone. What about ten? It could mean ten o'clock. That would be straightforward and unambiguous. But if the word Bijou really means Jewel then ten probably means something else too.

A Chinese symbol for ten is the cross. The totality of numbers. Paul remembered a Chinese culture reference he read when he was preparing to live in Singapore over fifteen years ago. He occasionally went on a reading binge immersing himself in mountains of books on a subject. He learned that Singapore is a culture highly influenced and dominated by China.

Ten could mean something else. Let's put the two words together. Jewel Ten. He thought of the amazing facility at Changi Airport. It was being heavily advertised and named Jewel Changi Airport. An amazing glass and steel donut-like dome structure right in the middle of the airport terminals that housed restaurants, a tropical garden, hotel, and entertainment. A total destination complex. If Jewel means that location, what about ten? The ad proclaimed there were ten levels, five above ground and five below. Maybe it meant the 10th level? The top level. But it's a huge structure, I'm sure, with many rooms. It would be a nonspecific reference. Impossible to know unless they had been there.

But if ten means Cross, as a possibility from Chinese culture, then what about Jewel? Jewel box, jewelry store, Jewel Cross. Paul ran that phrase over and over in his head. He turned on his tablet computer and started Googling the word jewel in Singapore. The first websites that appeared were jewelry stores. One was even named Jewel. He clicked on the website and looked at the address, 210 Upper Cross St. Could that be it? That's close by in the Chinatown Center It's a large indoor shopping mall on Cross Street in Chinatown.

But what time? If ten doesn't mean 10 o'clock. Maybe it has a dual meaning? He searched the Chinatown Center website scanning the directory. Jewel, Jewel. He read each listing. They were not in alphabetical order but by level. Finally on the third level, Jewel L3-104. Is it a jewelry store or maybe a room listed by the owner's name? Hmm? I have an address and location. Something important could be happening there tomorrow night?

Whoever sent this message thought it was important to keep it secret. The police are checking out the Bijou Theater. I can't get them involved in my crazy idea. I'll go by the Chinatown Center to see if there's anything going on. But what about the surveillance officer outside my door?