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Chapter 1
Michael Dillon is the manager of the Clarence Hotel in Belfast, Northern Ireland. He is preparing the arrangements for the day - the graduation week and an Orange Order congress.
Later Dillon phones his mistress, Andrea, because he wants to take a walk with her. He picks her up and they take a romantic walk in the Lover\'s lane. They talk about their past history, moving to London, Dillon\'s up-coming divorce and the first time Dillon met Moira and Andrea.
He drives Andrea back to her apartment and then he drives home to Moira. When he walks up the entryway he notices that his cat is gone, but he does not pay further attention to it.
Moira is awake when Dillon comes home. She is together with her friend Peg Wilton. Dillon drives Peg home, and they talk about Peg offering Moira a job in her shop.
When he comes home he sees the dead cat lying on the ground, but he does not tell Moira because he has something else to tell her - he is planning to tell Moira about his mistress and that he wants a divorce. As he steps in the phone rings. He picks it up and hears Peg´s voice saying: \"Remember, don\'t say anything. Be surprised\"
Moira tells Dillon that she suffers from bulimia and asks him to go to bed. But Dillon says that he has got some bills to pay. When he sits in his study, he sees a white car parked across the street. In the car there are two persons - a boy and a girl. The boy turns his head toward Dillon\'s window and Dillon walks away from the window and into the bedroom. Moira and Dillon talk about Moira working in Peg\'s shop. Dillon is having difficulties telling Moira about them getting divorced, and in the end Moira says: \"Don\'t leave me. Please?\" She moves across the bed and spoons into his back. Dillon gives her a kiss, a traitor´s kiss, and tells her to go to sleep.
Rasmus og Søren
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Chapter 2
Dillon cannot sleep, so he gets up. He looks down at the garden and sees that the white Ford is still parked in his entryway. He sees two men coming into his garden, so he goes downstairs to reach the telephone, but two men break into the house, and stop him. They are wearing masks and gloves, and they are pointing a revolver at Dillon. The men tell him that they are from the IRA. They order him to go upstairs and wake up his wife, and tell him that they both have to get dressed. Moira begins to put on her make up.
They are led downstairs into the sitting-room where they are placed in the sofa by the gunmen. One of the gunmen tells them that they are going to be in the house until the morning, and if they try to escape or trick them, they will be hurt. One of the gunmen looks at Moira in a sexual way, and Moira begins to argue with him, and therefore Dillon gets upset, and tries to defend her. Dillon is pushed back down on the sofa, with a gun poked in his chest. The gunman shouts at him in a high-pitched voice, which makes Dillon realise that they are only youngsters. Maybe that is why they call each other \"Volunteer\".
Dillon and Moira discuss what the IRA men are going to do with them, and Dillon says that if they just do what they are told, they will not be hurt, and the fat guy says that Dillon is right. Moira starts to weep, and Dillon considers whether he will ever be able to leave her after this incidence, and he realises, that he has never really loved her.
Moira says that she has to go to the toilet, and while she is in the bathroom, she escapes through the window. When Kev discovers that she is not in there anymore, he climbs out of the window on to the roof, and catches her. Moira screams, but there is no sign of anybody in the neighbourhood.
When they return to the house Dillon says to Kev that he has to leave Moira alone, and Kev gets scared because Dillon knows his name. When Kev wants to smoke, he lifts up his mask, but he makes sure that he is standing with his back to Dillon and Moira. Unfortunately for Kev Dillon sees him in the mirror, and he realises that Kev\'s chin is hairless like a boy\'s and that he has bad acne.
Outside a police car is coming up the avenue, so the atmosphere in the house gets very tense, but nothing really happens. The police car stops outside the house and afterwards they get out of the car and check the area, but shortly after they drive away again.
Dillon realises that he does not know what they are going to do.
Ditte og Katrine
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Chapter 3
It is shortly after seven and Kev turns on the light and raises the blind. Suddenly the milkman shows up and Dillon, Moira and the IRA men wait in silence until he leaves again.
Across the street Dillon sees Mr. Harbinson who takes his dog for a walk. Dillon thinks that Mr. Harbinson, who is a Protestant, is no more a religious Protestant than Dillon is a religious Catholic and would never fight a civil war to prevent Ulster from becoming a part of the Irish Republic. Like the ninety per cent of the people in Ulster, he just wants to get on with his life.
A tall youth comes in followed by a masked IRA man and asks Dillon to step outside, and then Moira becomes hysterical. Moira reaches out for Dillon in panic, but the IRA man takes Dillon out in the hall and they go upstairs. They go into his bedroom where he changes into his morning suit and the IRA man asks him to shave and tidy up his hair.
The IRA man tells him about the plan and asks him to take his normal route to work and park his car in his reserved parking space. He may not go into the hotel but instead go straight back to the security hut and out on the street again. He shall go to Murray\'s shop across the street, where he shall wait a few minutes until a green Taxi picks him up and drives him home to Moira.
The IRA man tells him that there is a bomb planted in his car and that they want to bomb his hotel, and if he does not do what he is told they will kill Moira.
Dillon says goodbye to Moira and takes off. On the way to the hotel his life passes by.
Dillon arrives at the hotel and drives into the car park and sees that the main lobby is crowded with people. The car park is already full and a tour bus is waiting for a French group. He looks up at the windows of the Emerald Room above him. There are men and women sitting there whom he cannot locate and he thinks that they look like Americans. He realises that they are in the Canadian Orange Order Supporters who have arrived to hear Pottinger speak.
Pottinger arrives with his group and people applaud them. Dillon realises that he is less than 20 feet from Pottinger. Dillon wonders why they want to kill Pottinger and that it will be his fault if the bomb goes off.
He walks away from his parking space and passes the windows of the main restaurant which is adjoining the Emerald Room. He thinks of all the people who will never eat food again. He thinks of the future and if he can ever visit his friends again.
He walks on, and is going down the driveway towards the security gates. He has a feeling that someone is following him. He looks back and sees a delivery boy who is carrying a floral arrangement in a wicker basket. Maybe he could be an IRA lookout. He looks at his watch as he comes out to Malone Street. It is eight-thirty-five and he has been inside exactly seven minutes. Dillon crosses the road and walks over to the Murray\'s shop. At the same time he opens the door, he sees a girl in a yellow muffler crossing the street behind him.
Suddenly, in a rush, he pushes past the people in the checkout line and asks where there is a phone because it is an emergency. He dials 999 and reports the bomb. He is asked to go back to the hotel and evacuate the hotel at once. The police arrive and Dillon takes them to his Renault. Two Army Land Rover\'s race into the car park and soldiers tumble out.
Dillon is called back to his car where he is asked if he has seen them place the bomb. A bomb specialist comes with all his equipment. Dillon is asked to leave the car, which is surrounded by soldiers. All people in the building are out on the street in safety. Dillon borrows Maggie\'s car and drives in panic home to Moira. In the car his life passes by. He feels guilty because he might have killed Moira. He sees a police car in front of the house and assumes that the IRA is not in the house anymore, but is Moira dead? A policeman opens their door and leads Dillon in to Moira. He hugs Moira and he almost feels like crying. But realises that she is not returning the kiss or the hug. Detective Inspector Harry Randall says to Dillon that Moira is in shock. Dillon finds out that he had called the police after the IRA men had left the house. Then Dillon is asked to tell the whole event one more time so the Inspector can get at clear picture of the situation. Moira seems to be mad at Dillon for risking her life. She wants Dillon and her to tell someone because she feels like she is in danger, but the Inspector asks her not to for her own protection.
The Inspector asks them if they can leave the house for a couple of hours so they can go over the house. Dillon tells the Inspector that he saw Kev\'s face and Moira says she wants to go to her mother. She asks if Dillon is coming later because she wants to talk with him. She leaves the room without saying goodbye to him because she is angry with him.
Christina & Maria
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Chapter 4
Dillon arrives at the hotel, and he sees a note on the door, which says, the restaurant is closed because of a bomb damage.
He goes inside the hotel and asks Billy if the Army is still at the hotel. Billy says that some soldiers are still there, but that he is sorry about his car. Dillon gets shocked because he thinks that Billy perhaps knows something. But Billy explains that the wall collapsed where the staff\'s cars were parked.
He goes down in the car park, and goes to the back of the hotel where the army is. He wants some answers about the damages at the hotel, bur the soldiers will not let him come any closer. He goes out of the car park thinking about the graduation ceremonies, which should start at the hotel any minute.
When he comes back into the hotel Rory Burke calls him, and says to him that the boss called, and wants Dillon to call back. Rory wants to know if they are open or not. They discuss the damage, and decide to stay open, and Dillon will check with London.
He goes up to the office and calls Andrea, and tells her to meet him at the hotel later in the afternoon. When Mr Keogh, the boss from London, calls him, he tells Dillon that he is sending a guy called Dwayne Harrison over to look at the damage.
He goes downstairs and helps Rory and Maggie at the reception, when suddenly a bellboy comes and tells Dillon that Mr Harrison from London is waiting for him. They go to look at the damages on the hotel, and when the clock is three-thirty a receptionist comes and says to Dillon that Miss Baxter is waiting for him.
He goes down to a small room, where Andrea is. They talk about their situation, the IRA, Moira and about living together. Dillon asks Andrea to come back later because he has to talk to Mr Harrison.
When he comes back to Mr Harrison, Dillon tells Mr Harrison about his situation, and about the advice given by the police that he should move to England. Mr Harrison promises to talk with Mr Keogh about Dillon getting transferred.
Dillon walks Mr Harrison out, when somebody suddenly taps him on his shoulder. It is a messenger from Dr Pottinger. He wants to thank Dillon because what he did to save Dr Pottinger.
When the man is gone, he gets a phone call from the BBC. It is Andrea, and she says that she cannot come at five. They decide to meet at the hotel the same evening at ten.
Linda
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Chapter 5
On his way to Moira\'s parents in Lurgan, Dillon passes the prison, which the English are calling the Maze, and the Irish Long Kesh, and he wonders if some of the men behind the walls in the prison could be the ones who planned the bombing. He is constantly having a feeling of being followed, and keeps suspecting the IRA to be in every car that passes him. He drives into Lurgan and notices the old buildings and the dirty surroundings. He arrives at Moira\'s parents\' house, and Moira\'s mother, Maeve meets him in the door, and her father, Joe, is inside the house. Maeve is a native of Lurgan, and after Joe had given up his butcher\'s shop, she persuaded him to move from Belfast to Lurgan.
Maeve tells Dillon that Moira is upstairs, sleeping, so Dillon waits for her. When she comes down, Dillon tells her that he has asked for a transfer to London. Moira is upset because Dillon did not talk to her about it before he asked. She says that if he is going to London, it will be without her. Then the news is on the television, and the bombing is mentioned. It is assumed that the bombing was made in order to kill Reverend Alun Pottinger. After they have watched the news, Joe takes the dog, Rex, for a walk, and when he returns, they sit down at the dinner table to get some supper. Suddenly Joe starts talking about the IRA, and about how important it is that someone stands up to them, and Moira agrees with him. She also tells him that she is willing to do something herself, contrary to Dillon, who thinks they should get away as quickly as possible. Moira\'s parents do not want Moira to fight the IRA. This makes Moira very mad because Joe just said that something should be done. When they are done eating, Moira takes Rex for a walk. Before Dillon leaves the house, Maeve asks if Dillon would go to London without Moira, but she answers the question herself.
Kasper og Kristian
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Chapter 6
Dillon is at Moira\'s parents\' house, waiting for Moira to return with the dog. At nine when she has not returned Michael goes to the hotel. There is a good atmosphere there because the students are celebrating their graduation. When Dillon arrives at his office, there is a message for him that Keogh will call him the following day at nine. Dillon is planning to spend the night at the hotel with Andrea. All rooms are booked except the Jacuzzi suite. Suddenly a young boy stands in the doorway. His clothes remind Dillon of the IRA captors. Dillon is paranoid because he thinks the IRA are after him. And now he thinks that the boy in the corridor is the tall youth from the night before. But the boy just retches in the corridor.
Andrea arrives at the hotel and they go to the suite, where they talk about Dillon\'s nerve-racking situation. Dillon lies in his bed, wondering about his former relationship with Moira and his new relationship with Andrea. He feels guilty because he has drawn Andrea into this mess. In the morning they leave the hotel to have breakfast in a restaurant because they want to avoid gossip from the staff. On the way to the restaurant, Dillon remembers that he is expecting a call from Keogh at nine, so they have to stay at the hotel.
They order breakfast while Andrea is reading a story in the newspaper about the bombing the previous day. Andrea is worried about what the IRA will do if Dillon does not leave Belfast and stays with Moira. Shortly after Andrea and Dillon arrive at the restaurant Moira enters, and she sees that Dillon and Andrea are holding hands. Dillon introduces Moira and Andrea to each other. Moira wants to talk to Dillon, so they go to the lobby. Moira tells Dillon what she thinks about their relationship and claims that she is going to stay in Belfast and she does not care if he leaves. Soon they are interrupted by a call from Keogh who says that he has got a job for Dillon as an assistant manager in London. Dillon is looking forward to his new life in London with Andrea, who is happy to hear the news about the transfer, and she walks to her job.
Sanne og Tanja
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Chapter 7
Dillon goes home to pack a suitcase, but he does not feel at home there anymore. He sees a white Ford passing the house and he fears that it is the IRA watching him, but the car drives on.
He drives to Peg Wilton\'s antique shop to see if Moira is there. But Peg tells him that she has just been on Ulster Television, telling their story. She says that she is afraid of having Moira working in her shop because she does not want to sit around and wait for a gunman to shoot them. Dillon understands.
At the Clarence two reporters are waiting for him, wanting to interview him about the hostage situation. But Dillon does not want to discuss anything until he has spoken to Moira. He is told that she is at the BBC, waiting to go on air. Therefore he hurries over there and when he arrives, a commissionaire takes him to Moira.
When he talks to Moira she asks about Andrea, but he does not say anything about her. Only that he is being transferred to London. The BBC asks Dillon if he is sure that he will not do the interview, but he is and he drives to the hotel.
When he arrives at the hotel, his father is waiting to see him. They talk about Dillon\'s situation and the father blames the Protestants for the sectarian fights in Ireland. He understands why the IRA feel and act the way they do. There are tears in his eyes when he says goodbye to Dillon.
Dillon and Rory go outside where a reporter meets them. The reporter asks Dillon if it is true that Dillon has seen one of the IRA men\'s faces because that is, what Moira has told him. Dillon denies it and when he comes back to his office, the phone rings. It is an IRA man, who threatens him because he has talked too much. Consequently Dillon calls Moira and wants to meet with her.
On his way over to her, he feels that a boy is following him. Moira explains to Dillon why she has to stand up for herself and now she finally feels that she can make a difference. She thinks he has only been with her because of her looks and she does not feel appreciated. Moira asks if Andrea is going with him to London and if he wants a divorce. He tells her the truth and she says that she hopes he gets shot, but regrets and says that she hopes they shoot her.
Susanne og Charlotte Gils
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Chapter 8
In the beginning of the chapter, Dillon walks into the hotel and sees two men standing at the reception. It is Detective Inspector Randall, whom he has met earlier at his house, and Chief Inspector Detective Norton. They talk in the lounge where Dillon notices a middle-aged man and a family in the bar, watching the television. They know Moira will be on the six o\'clock news, and they ask if anybody has asked to interview him. Dillon is worried about Moira telling the reporters about him having seen Kev\'s face, and he tells the inspectors that the English reporter knows about it. They say to Dillon that they think they know who Kev is, and they want to know if Dillon is going to leave Belfast. Dillon informs them about his transfer to London, as well as Moira not wanting to leave Belfast. Dillon tells them about the phone call he received at the hotel earlier, which he thinks might be from the IRA. The Inspector says that it might not have been from the IRA, but from some IRA supporters. The Detectives wonder if Dillon would identify any of the suspects if they find them, and perhaps testify at their trial. Dillon says that they will be able to reach him at the Ormonde Hotel in London. The two Inspectors leave the hotel, and Dillon is left in the bar, watching the six o\'clock news with Moira\'s interview.
Some guests from a wedding party enter the bar, and when the six o\'clock news comes on, everybody is quiet. Moira\'s interview is very short, but it leaves the men in the bar talking about her looks. The middle-aged man whom Dillon has spotted earlier recognises him, and leans over towards him, trying to start a conversation.
Dillon leaves the bar and walks up to his office where Rory sits by the desk with a bunch of tabloids, none of them mentioning Dillon having seen Kev\'s face. He thinks it might be in the English papers the following day. After leaving his office Dillon walks down to the lounge, where he meets Andrea, who invites him over to her place for dinner. Dillon accepts the offer, and calls Rory on the intern-line to tell him, that he is leaving the hotel. On their way out, Dillon notices that the staff might be on to them, and he does not like the idea of people knowing he is having an affair, because then his motive for risking Moira\'s life would be suspicious.
Andrea and Dillon are spending an evening alone in her flat, and Andrea is going to cook for him. Dillon tells her that she might not be safe with him because the IRA could be after him. At first she ignores him, but then she tells him that she is not afraid, and that she is looking forward to sharing her future with him. Dillon spends the night at Andrea\'s, and while lying there next to her with his arms around her, he feels like he has already left the country. He begins to think about Moira, and wonders where she is sleeping that night. When he sees a U2 poster in the room, he is reminded of the boy with the U2 T-shirt. He begins to get a little scared, and wishes that Andrea would wake up, but she does not. He envies her for being so peaceful.
The following morning Dillon buys the English newspapers, but finds no mention of him having seen the face of one of the terrorists. Andrea suggests that they leave for London, to spend a nice weekend in a flat before starting work, and Dillon accepts the offer. After dropping Andrea off, he heads towards the hotel. On the way he starts thinking about Moira again, and when he gets into his office he calls her. They have one of their normal discussions, about a divorce, the IRA, politics and her television appearance. Dillon tries to talk her out of it, but does not succeed. He thinks that she is doing this just to spite him, but he cannot help blaming himself for the outcome of the situation.
Then Rory comes in and tells him that the staff has arranged a farewell-party for him. Dillon does not want to have a party, but has no say in the matter.
At the party no one asks him about the bombing, which surprises him. He begins to see why he loves this place, and how much he is actually going to miss it - it is his home. He almost begins to cry when he says farewell because he is so emotional. In the parking lot he sees his name on the concrete pavement, and remembers that it will be removed in a week or so.
Camilla og Charlotte K.
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Chapter 9
Dillon helps Andrea to close her bags when the phone rings. It is a Father Connolly who says that he has to speak to Dillon. When Dillon picks up the phone, he hears that Father Connolly has a local voice. Father Connolly says that his name is Matt Connolly. He calls Dillon for Mike, and says that they were at St Michan's together, but Dillon does not recognise him.
Father Connolly wants to talk to Dillon, but not over the phone. Dillon is very busy, but says to Father Connolly that he is at thirty-one, Mountjoy Avenue. After five minutes, the priest rings on the front doorbell. Dillon opens the door and they go into Andrea's sitting-room where they talk about old school times. Suddenly the priest says that the reason why he comes, is that he wants to discuss something with Dillon.
Dillon finds out that it is about Kev, who is the son of a parishioner in the priest´s congregation. The priest wants Dillon to say that he does not recognise Kev because he is just a child. Dillon says that Kev is a littele bastard, and if the police find him, he will be a lot older before he gets a chance to kill anybody else, so he will not help him. The priest gets very red in the face and says that he cannot tell Kev's mother what Dillon just said. Dillon stands up and says that the priest can tell Kev's mother what he wants, then he walks ahead of the priest into the hall and lets him out through the front door.
Dillon and Andrea drive to the airport in a rented car and when they arrive at the airport, Dillon says to Andrea that he has to make a phone call. He calls his mother and tells her the truth about his new life with Andrea. The mother is very religious and thinks it is a sin to get divorced, but anyway she wishes Dillon and Andrea good luck.
After the phone call, Dillon and Andrea wait for their plane to London. Dillon is confused, looking around the area, hoping that he and Andrea will arrive safely in London. Dillon knows that the IRA- members will sooner or later find him. He could see it in the priest`s red face and uneasy smile.
When they arrive in London, they move into a Victorian flat, which is owned by some of Andrea's friends. Saturday Andrea and Dillon go to a welcome party and Dillon is worried about who is coming, but the party goes well. After the party, Dillon realises that he has not been thinking about the past with the IRA for the past 24 hours, and he thinks; \"Is it possible to live an ordinary life?\"
Sunday Andrea and Dillon walk together in a park and when they come home, they make love. Dillon wants to tell Andrea that it has been the happiest day of his life, but kisses her instead. Later he brings home some food, and thinks how good it will be to live the rest of his life with Andrea. In the bed, Andrea falls asleep in his arms. Dillon does not want the day to end, fighting his own drowsiness.
Mette
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Chapter 10
The chapter starts with a meeting between Michael Dillon and his boss, Ronny Pomfret. Pomret leaks some confident information about a possible new job opening for Dillon at the Wellington Hotel. It is an exiting new step for Dillon who is very thrilled about it and the future possibilities for him and Andrea and he cannot wait to tell her even though he is not supposed to. He phones her and they set up a dinner appointment at the Ormond Hotel. When they meet at the hotel, a porter comes up to Dillon passing him a note saying that he has to call detective inspector Randall of the anti-terror squad. It turns out that the police want Dillon to testify against Kev, the 19-year-old terrorist who had taken Moira and Dillon hostage and whose face Dillon had accidentally seen. At this point he agrees to testifying. He tells Andrea about it when he returns to their table, but she becomes nervous and tries to persuade him to do otherwise, fearing the IRA and what they might do to them. She succeeds. The rest of the evening they forget all about the phone call and try to have a good time. He spends the night wondering what to do, and what to say to Randall about changing his mind. Early the next morning he gets another phone call, this time from Moira. She has had a visitor, father Connolly, the boy\'s uncle, who also wants Dillon to back out, but Dillon is still having second thoughts about it.
He tries to phone Randall to get the case finished as soon as possible, but Randall is in Armagh handling a big case there, and cannot be reached for quite some time, and this makes both him and Andrea very nervous.
Two young men came in at door. They are wearing jeans, T-shirt, sneakers. They raise their revolvers. They are not wearing masks. This time, there will be no witnesses. In the end Dillon is killed by two IRA terrorists.
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