“Oh my yes, a lot of things. Pizza. All that time spent in Italy and not a single bit of Italian food or pizza.”
“You just said the magic word. We love pizza,” Denise laughed.
“Quintus, is that alright with you?” Coventina asked.
“Quintus, est ut neque vos?” Denise asked.
“He does not speak English, yet,” Layla said.
“That wasn’t quite Italian,” Coventina said.
“Etiam Inquilina, quidem.”
“He says yes. If you speak Italian he will understand most of it surprisingly.”
“Great, it’s settled than, but how long will it take us to get there?” Coventina said.
“For pizza? Not long at all,” Layla laughed. “Fasten your seat belts.”
“She’s serious. Seat belts please,” Denise grinned.
The Mustang climbed high above Bilbao and in no time was over the ocean. Layla punched up the preset coordinates for York and within an hour they were touching down on Foss Island Road. She took them out of stealth and pulled into the parking lot of Frankie and Benny’s New York Italian Restaurant.
“Great, they are still open,” Layla said.
“I am going to have a million questions for you Denise,” Coventina said.
“I’m sure you will, but for now, let’s enjoy a good meal.”
When they walked in the door, Lucilla, Marcus, Anna and Odumnus were there already, sitting at a table. Anna ran up to Coventina and showered her in kisses and hugs.
“You two are amazing,” Lucilla said.
“Thanks, but it was nothing, really,” Denise said.
“The hard part was getting Quintus to keep his Gladius in its scabbard,” Layla laughed.
“Ooh, Quintus,” Lucilla said. She called him over to where they were standing.
“Lucilla.”
“I have a gift for you from our friends upstairs.” She added another medallion around his neck and activated it. “You can arrange these any way you feel comfortable,” she said in English.
He looked at her and laughed. Not only did he understand what she said in English, he could understand everyone in the room speaking English, including his fellow legionnaires. “How is this possible?” he asked. When he did, the words he spoke were in English.
“Nice accent,” Layla smiled.
“I am sure it is very complicated. It allows you to not only understand another language being spoken, but speak it when activated.”
“Amazing,” he laughed.
“I’ve already ordered for us all,” Anna said. “You’re favorite pizza will be here shortly.”
“Anna, seeing you safe is the high point of this evening,” Coventina smiled.
“We owe so much to these people.”
“All of the men are dressed in a similar fashion, is there a reason?” Coventina asked, flashing a loving smile at Quintus when their eyes met.
“There is a lot to go over, but not here and not now. Let’s enjoy our freedom, our friends, and a pizza,” Anna giggled just as the waitress headed towards their tables carrying what would undoubtedly be one of the best tasting pizzas either of them had ever eaten.
41
Questions
Anna spent the night at Coventina’s home. Her smiling face was the first thing Coventina saw when she opened her eyes.
“Good morning.”
“You mean good afternoon,” Anna said.
“Really?”
“It is one in the afternoon.”
“My first real sleep in days.”
“I know the feeling. Are you hungry?”
“I’m not certain yet.”
“Good. You’re not starving,” Anna smiled.
“I know that smile all too well my dear.”
“First, a visit to the women who saved you. After, I’ve arranged for a double date for us.”
“Anna.”
“They are the real reason why we are not still God knows where, or even alive at this point.”
“I saw how you looked at Odumnus.”
“And you at Quintus.”
Anna went on to explain as much as she knew about the legionnaires and their friends upstairs.
“Are you serious?” Coventina asked.
“Absolutely. It’s quite beautiful up there, in space.”
“Well that I must see to believe.”
“I am sure it could be arranged.”
“So, had they not returned now, because Quintus believes I am the reincarnation of the very woman he was in love with, we would not be sitting here today, is that accurate?” Coventina said quietly.
“Yes. None of the others would even know we exist, or had existed.”
“Well then, I am dying to learn more. Where must we go to meet with Denise and Layla?”
“They are staying at the Monkbar Best Western Hotel.”
“I’m going to get ready.”
“Hungry?”
“Just some coffee,” Coventina said, before hopping in the shower.
“Please, be careful,” Esther said hugging her daughter before they left.
“I will mother.”
They hopped into Anna’s Mini Cooper her brother had dropped off and headed to York.
“I see no reason to stay, do you?” Layla said.
“I guess not. It’s all up to them now. I just cannot shake this feeling of dread, can’t quite put my finger on it.”
“It’s a natural reaction after what we’ve seen these past days.”
There was a knock at the door.
“Please let them in,” Denise said.
“Good rather late afternoon ladies, I trust you slept well.”
“Layla,” they chimed, Coventina bowing her head slightly. “Denise.”
“You look absolutely fabulous. Please, have a seat.”
“We both wanted to thank you again for all you’ve done,” Anna said.
“Seeing you as you are now is thank you enough,” Layla said.
“Anna has already explained a lot to me.”
“Good.”
“She cannot wait to go upstairs,” Anna laughed.
“It’s something else, that’s for sure.”
“I get the impression you’ve been up there long before Quintus came into your life.”
“Yes. We were asked to help some incredible beings almost a year ago. We got lucky, and were very fortunate indeed to have become their friends,” Denise smiled.
“It is always a pleasant memory,” Layla said.
“Your car is not a car at all is it?”
“It is far more than a car, a gift from our friends.”
They went on to give them a quick version of what they did with and for their friends on the Tyrine.
“It all sounds so utterly fantastic, almost too much to believe, and yet, here we are,” Coventina said.
“We are going to get a lift from Quintus’ friends shortly,” Layla said.
“You’re leaving?” Anna asked.
“Yes. I’m sure my plants need watering, and Layla needs to plow the south 40,” Denise laughed.
“I miss my bib overalls,” Layla grinned.
“We live out in the country, in Southern Illinois. You really must come spend some time there with us,” Denise said.
“Sounds delightful,” Coventina said.
“So, where are you going to meet your dates?” Layla asked.
“Here, in Lucilla’s room.”
“I don’t blame her for wanting to stay here. We will return ourselves one day, it’s all so green and beautiful,” Denise smiled.
“Does Lucilla know how to reach you?”
“Oh yes. They all do, as you will find out soon enough,” Layla said.
“Do me a favor,” Denise said.
“Anything,” Coventina smiled.
“Give this to Lucilla,” she said, handing her a large envelope that was full.
“I will.”
“And these are for Quintus and Odumnus, and eac
h of you,” Layla said, handing Anna four more envelopes filled with one hundred dollar bills.
“I don’t know what we did to deserve the two of you,” Anna said.
“We’d better be going.” Layla said.
“Yes, we don’t want to miss our ride across the Big Pond. You can stay in this room if you like until your dates are ready.”
“Until next time then,” Coventina said.
“Until next time,” Denise smiled.
“Quiet night,” Layla said.
They walked out the door with their bags and quietly closed it behind them.
“It’s just a short ride to our pickup spot,” Layla grinned.
“Make it so, baby.”
“Anna.”
“Yes?”
“Have you ventured out on your own yet, you know, since we were taken?”
“Yes. I think I know what you are feeling, and you must get over it. You will get over it. Took me about twelve hours before I hopped on a plane and flew back to Rome to offer any help I could in finding you.”
Coventina walked over to the window and gazed out at the sun slipping in the west. “I’ve always been attracted to it, ever since I was a child. Sunsets are easy since one is usually awake for them, but I always found it easy to be awake for the sunrise. The beginning and end of a new day.”
“I’m always asleep for the sunrise, that is unless I am just getting in from the night before,” Anna laughed.
“They must be beautiful.”
“What?”
“The stars.”
“I have a feeling you’ll see soon enough.”
The phone rang. It was Lucilla informing them that their dates had arrived.
“We’ve something for you from Denise. What shall I do with it?" Anna said.
“You can drop it off on your way out if you don’t mind.”
“I will.”
“Oh, and Anna.”
“Yes.”
“Have a great time.”
“I have a feeling we will.”
42
Home
Layla awoke to the sound of Denise singing along to Lene Lovich’s ‘Home’ playing on the kitchen boom box. “Mmm, coffee.”
“Home is where the heart is, Home is so remote, Home is just emotion, Sticking in my throat, Let’s go to your place, Let’s go to your place,” Denise sang.
“Is that what I hope it is?”
“Yah, yah, ees breakfast.”
“Not just any breakfast.”
“What breakfast is, really?”
“It is, ham and eggs ala Lithuania.”
“That it is.”
“Refill?” Layla asked, pouring her first cup of coffee of the day.
“Please.”
“We should probably go for some groceries,” Layla said as she washed the dishes.
“Yeah, we probably should,” Denise said, before walking to the living room.
Dishes finished, Layla joined her with a second cup of coffee.
“It’s an amazing likeness,” Layla said, looking at the sculpture of Coventina.
“Yeah.”
“I’d like to go rock climbing today.”
“Really?”
“Yes, nude.”
“Okay.”
“Okay indeed. Lay it on me. Something is bothering you.”
“What? Oh, yeah, I’m concerned.”
“Concerned about?”
“I can’t help wondering if we left too many loose ends in our short trek across the Mediterranean.”
“I did too briefly, but it makes no sense to worry about it now. Besides, no one is there.”
“I suppose you’re right.”
Denise’s phone rang. “Hello.”
“Denise, is that you?”
“Judith?”
“Yes. I hope this call finds you well.”
“I’m fine. To what do I owe this call?”
“I received a call from the mother of Coventina in the U.K. She said you and some investigators from Italy were instrumental in miraculously retrieving her and her cousin Anna in Europe.”
“We got real lucky Judith.”
“Lucky? Is that all?”
“It was not very hard to follow the seedy trail of trafficking, especially in Italy.”
“You did so without help from the police?”
“The police in Italy cannot and should not be trusted.”
“We all know of corruption in the ranks,” Judith said.
“It goes much higher than the ranks my dear.”
“How do you know this for certain?”
“You’d have to have been there first hand for me to explain. Here’s a tip though. You are an attractive woman Judith. Never go there snooping around alone.”
“That’s a good tip. Well, I just wanted to call and thank you mainly. It’s all so amazing.”
“You are quite welcome Judith, and thanks.”
“Denise, there is one more thing.”
Here it comes. Denise thought. “Yes.”
“Apparently there was a path of bloody carnage that coincided with your visit. Were you aware of that?”
“Carnage?”
Is she alone? Layla asked.
I seriously doubt it.
“Yes, rather gruesome deaths actually, all apparently traced to the underground sex trades in one way or another.”
“And how did you come by that information?”
There was silence on the other end for a moment.
“It’s been in all the papers and in the media.”
She is definitely not alone, but who? Denise thought.
She sounds like she is under a bit of duress.
“Well if it is true, I guess you could say they got what was coming to them.”
“Yes, I suppose you could. Take care Denise.”
“You do the same Judith.” She hung up the phone.
“Well?”
“Not a question of if but rather who was there during that call?” Denise said.
“Where are her offices?”
“Washington.”
“Never been to the nation’s capital have you?”
“They’re an hour ahead of us,” Denise frowned.
“I guess groceries is going to have to wait huh?”
“It’s a cinch she already knows everything about us or can if she wanted to find out, which means we must assume those who were there when she called know too.”
“Do we need to pack?”
“No, but I’d like to move the other Mustang somewhere no one can find it.”
“Come on, we’ll save some time if we shower together.”
“I was hoping you’d say that,” Layla grinned.
43
Offices
After loading their computers and the bust of Coventina into the burgundy Mustang, Denise drove it to a location east of their home in the woods. She placed it in stealth and set the security system to maximum before walking back out to the road where Layla was waiting in the black Mustang.
“What time you got?” Denise asked.
“Just after eleven.”
“Do you think she takes a lunch?”
“Yes, I would imagine so.”
“Okay. Why not get to the region quickly and check out the scenery on the way into town?”
‘Passengers, please fasten your seatbelts.”
“It is going to be hot down here today.”
Layla examined a map and plotted her course. “I have a feeling you are right.”
The Mustang touched down on Highway 66 well outside the city limits of Centreville in Virginia. “Oh look, the NRA Museum,” Layla laughed.
“How comforting.”
“Where to exactly?” Layla asked as they crossed the river in to D.C.
Denise checked the email she had received from Judith. “The website only gives a P.O. Box, but her email has an address. Let’s try that first.”
“That was lucky.”
“Yeah. Mak
e a left at the next intersection. It looks like it’s less than a mile up 24th St. N.W.”
“Yay. Street parking. Prior to coming out of stealth, Layla had changed the appearance of the Mustang to that of a black Ford Taurus.
“Excellent.”
“Are you sure we shouldn’t have called Lucilla?”
“Not yet.”
They changed their appearance before exiting the car. Denise was a male in casual dress, khaki pants and a black button down shirt. Layla a heavy set female about six inches shorter than Denise, wearing a flower patterned summer dress and flat shoes.
“Nice building. All white,” Layla said.
“Come on honey, let’s see if Judith can see us,” Denise said.
They went up to the third floor where the office was located.
“Not a very large place is it honey?” Layla said.
“Obviously it doesn’t matter as they are mainly Internet based.”
“Can I help you?” a young woman at a desk asked.
“We are here to see Judith Raphael,” Denise said.
Good guy voice.
Thanks.
“I’m afraid Judith is not in today. Would you care to leave a message for her, some way for her to contact you?”
“Do you know how we could reach her? Denise said. It is extremely important. Please answer her questions.
“I could take your number and,” the woman started to say.
“Do you have an address for Judith?”
“Yes we do have one on file.”
“Would you be so kind as to jot it down on a piece of paper for us?” Layla said.
“Sure, just a moment.” She went into her computer, found it, copied it to a post it note and handed it to Layla.
“Well, we will try back tomorrow. Do you have a number we can reach you at?” Denise asked.
“Of course,” the woman said, handing her a business card.
“Thank you for all your help.”
“Thank you,” Layla smiled.
“You’re welcome.”
Once out of the building and back in the car, they changed back to their own forms.
“Now it’s time to call Lucilla,” Denise sighed.
“You believe it is that important?” Lucilla asked.
“Yes. I don’t have a good feeling about the conversation we had. We are going to try and find her, but for now at least, I think it is important that you all get out of town, perhaps take advantage of the rooms upstairs.”
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