Gorilla Republic: Deutschland: Part 23
25th March 2025
As dusk settled, they were all crammed into the Citroën as it forded the Limmat and quickly made for Lenzburg. Odria parked it at a garage near Bahnhof Lenzburg. With Mapacha’s help, they wiped the car down, locked it, and Odria tossed the keys into a rubbish bin. Soon after, they boarded the 7:26 PM train to Bern.
Six hours and several connections later, they found themselves en route to Geneva via Lausanne. Just before 5 AM, they hurried across the station and slipped into a waiting taxi that whisked them across the Arve. Eventually, they arrived at a warehouse tucked deep in Veryler. Mapacha waited outside with the luggage as Banou and Odria slipped inside.
Moments later, the warehouse doors swung open. Odria and Banou stood next to two other women.
“Bonjour!” they greeted Mapacha warmly.
The two women, dressed in dark trousers and jackets with a Moroccan flair, eagerly took the luggage. Mapacha hesitated until Odria gave him an assuring nod. Reluctantly, he let them drag the suitcases inside.
Inside, Mapacha spotted a pastel green Berliet GLR with a worn exterior, its only distinguishing mark a French flag sticker on the rear door.
Odria made the introductions.
“This is Shuruq and Nora. They will take you all the way to Tarifa.”
Banou was caught off guard.
“Wait, you’re not coming with us?”
“No. But I will meet you in Morocco. Don’t worry, you’re in good hands.”
Mapacha begrudgingly accepted it and shook Odria’s hand.
“Thank you.”
Following Nora’s instructions, he hauled the suitcases into the lorry and maneuvered them past rows of boxes to a hidden compartment. Behind a wall of crates, a couch sat securely bolted to the lorry’s floor, next to a large box stuffed with snacks, water, and juice. The walls were fitted with cleverly disguised air vents, and a small smoking box had been installed for Banou.
“If you need us to stop, press this. We might not stop right away, but we will stop,” Nora said, pointing to a red button.
Banou climbed in after Mapacha, and Nora followed, flicking on a small light and restacking the boxes to conceal them fully. She slammed the doors shut and locked them, sealing them with a red customs tag.
The lorry’s engine thundered to life as it pulled away from the warehouse. Banou was impressed by how stable the couch felt despite the bumpy road. Mapacha, however, marvelled more at Makhlouf’s meticulous planning. As the lorry gained speed on the motorway, it suddenly slowed, and distant barking dogs broke the silence.
**
“Guten Abend (Good evening),” Shuruq’s voice carried through the metal.
“Aha, es ist eine Fahrerin (Aha, its a girl driver),” a man replied with a laugh, his heavy footsteps approaching.
They heard the cabin doors creak open as Shuruq and Nora disembarked, their German conversation fading as they walked away. Only the dogs’ barking remained. After about twenty tense minutes, the doors slammed shut again, and the lorry rumbled forward.
“Bienvenue en République Française (Welcome to the French Republic),” another voice called out a moment later.
Shuruq responded, leapt from the lorry, and engaged in another lengthy conversation, leaving Nora in the cab. Soon, footsteps returned, and the seal snapped open. The rear doors creaked, prompting Mapacha to kill the light. A torch beam sliced through the stacks of boxes, illuminating just fragments of their hidden space. A heated exchange between Shuruq and the guard ensued before the doors were shut and resealed.
The lorry moved again. They were now in France.
The next two hours passed quickly, ending in Lyon. Nora let them out to stretch, relieve themselves, and grab a snack before they resumed their journey. Four hours later, they paused again briefly before pressing on past Montpellier, through Perpignan, and along the coastal road into Cerbère.
At the Le Perthus border, Spanish voices pierced the night.
“Mira José, una conductora de camión femenina (Look Jose, a female truck driver),” followed by laughter.
Once cleared, Shuruq refuelled in Girona and continued towards Badalona. Just before Barcelona, the lorry stopped. Mapacha checked his watch. It was past 2 AM. Shuruq’s voice startled Banou, who was curled up and snoring.
Mapacha pushed aside the boxes and approached the doors as Shuruq swung them open, revealing the dark silhouette of a car parked beside the lorry. City lights twinkled in the distance.
“This is the end of the road. You will ride in that now,” Shuruq said.
Mapacha’s eyes adjusted to the dark green BMW 2002 coupé, its paint gleaming like it had just left the showroom.
Nora stepped past him, unlocked the BMW, and popped the boot. Mapacha returned to the lorry, retrieved the suitcases, and heaved them into the tight confines of the boot. The weight tilted the BMW slightly under the strain of the gold.
He folded the passenger seat forward, allowing Banou to squeeze into the back. Nora slid behind the wheel. Banou grumbled as her afro rubbed against the BMW’s roof.
Nora started the engine and pulled away from the lorry, leaving Shuruq behind to deal with it.
Nora was every bit as skilled as Odria behind the wheel. The BMW devoured the road with power and stability, and soon they arrived in Barcelona. Outside the Hotel Majestic on Passeig de Gràcia, Nora left them briefly to sort the reservation.
She returned with a bellhop led by a doorman in a crisp white shirt, maroon waistcoat, and black trousers. His white gloves, Banou noted, made him resemble a magician.
With their luggage in tow, they took the lift to the seventh floor and were swiftly ushered into their rooms.
“We leave at 6 PM this evening,” Nora said. “Get some rest.”
Running on empty stomachs, they collapsed into bed, stirred around midday for lunch, and returned to sleep shortly after.