Operation Rubicon Read online

  Monica choked back more tears. “You...said...you said you found him? How...how bad was it?”

  It was a sight that Nina wouldn't forget anytime soon. She could tiptoe around it or just be honest, but withhold the more gruesome parts. “Very. But I think he must have gone quickly. He wasn't in pain for long.” She wasn't at all sure about that—and it most likely wasn't the case—but it was what Monica probably wanted to hear in that moment.

  Monica nodded but bit down hard on her lip. “Why did they do this? Stealing things is one thing but...stabbing someone so many times...so many...” Monica was clearly envisioning the murder, and putting herself in Santino's shoes. She was probably seeing those knives penetrating her own body, terrified and screaming as her blood erupted. She started bawling again. “I can see him. I can see his face. He must have been so scared.”

  Nina nodded. It was all she could do. It was hard thinking about it, especially the idea that someone could even do that to someone else. Why wasn't just taking things from the museum enough? Why did they have to come back in such a violent fashion? The Third Triumvirate didn't just stab Santino Rossi. They tore him apart. Twenty-three wounds to his torso...it was insanity.

  “I know this detective is...oblivious to human emotion...but just answer him as honestly as you can. I don't like him either, but I really do think he’s trying to help.”

  Monica nodded, wiping her tears away.

  “You can do this,” Nina said comfortingly.

  Inspector Amaro walked over and requested Monica's presence for an interview. Her five minutes were up and Nina sympathized with the woman for having to speak with Amaro. Nina knew how exhausting a conversation with that inspector could be.

  11

  PROTECTION FROM THE PROTECTORS

  The rest of the team arrived at the museum entrance in a car they’d apparently rented, all looking very concerned at the sight of all of the police cars. That was their second visit to the Palazza Nuovo, and the second time that they’d discovered a police barricade in their way. They were initially stopped by some police who told them that the museum was closed for the day, but Inspector Amaro called his men off and let Nina's colleagues through the barricades.

  The group went straight to Nina.

  “Are you alright!?” Riley asked, exasperated.

  “I'm fine,” Nina said. “Santino isn't...”

  “Is he dead?” Elijah asked.

  “Yes,” Nina said quietly as Riley pulled her tightly into an embrace. “It was the Third Triumvirate. They left another letter.”

  “I hated the first letter,” Elijah said.

  Nina wanted to tell them about how the Third Triumvirate had come to them last night. Now she felt like she had to since they were absolutely a threat. It just occurred to her that Santino was the other friend that Mr. Nero had mentioned when he told her that they’d execute more of her friends. They’d already executed one.

  Their moment to process Santino's death was cut short, though. Inspector Amaro appeared with his fake smile.“You must be co-workers of Dr. Gould,” Inspector Amaro said. “We’ll be working quite closely together.”

  Everyone looked on guard as the inspector shook their hands. Elijah looked utterly perplexed that a strange man like Donatello Amaro was some high-ranking detective in the Roman police force. Inspector Amaro exchanged pleasantries in that same awkward way that he’d introduced himself to her; and just like with Nina, it didn't seem to be winning any of her friends over either.

  “Has Dr. Gould informed you of the arrangement we’ve made?”

  They all looked to Nina and she could feel her face warm up. She hadn't had the chance to tell them yet, so of course the inspector was going to make this even more uncomfortable. He was really good at doing that.

  Her team looked at her expectantly, waiting to hear more. As leader, it was her job to keep them aware.

  She started, “Inspector Amaro--”

  “Please,” the inspector interrupted. “We’re all friends here. Call me Donatello. Don will do just as well, even.”

  They all gawked at him in bewilderment and none of them had any plans to call this stranger “Don.” They were still just waiting to hear what he was doing there.

  Nina tried again, ready for another interruption.

  “Because of these Third Triumvirate people, the police think it’s best that we receive an escort for the rest of our search.”

  “For your protection, of course.” Inspector Amaro kept repeating it, but it never felt comforting.

  “An escort!?” Riley asked, baffled. “What do we need an escort for? We do dangerous things all of the time. I mean just the other day we almost got killed in Egypt--”

  Nina wanted Riley to stop talking before she said something that gave away the existence of the order. With her fast-talking, loud mouth, there was a high chance that Riley could slip up and satiate the inspector's curiosity.

  “I agree,” Elijah commented, pushing his glasses up his nose and glaring at the Amaro. “I think it’s a waste of manpower.”

  “Or perhaps a perfect use of manpower,” Amaro said merrily. “Now where to, Dr. Gould?”

  She wasn't exactly sure, but she needed to buy time until she could figure out how to get out of this inspector's web. For now, she’d lead them on a wild goose chase. If they really wanted to follow her around, she wouldn't make it worth their while. Or maybe they could lose them on the road, and leave the police completely ignorant of their actual destination?

  “Trevi Fountain,” Nina said.

  “Really?” Inspector Amaro said with a raised brow. “Interesting. Why there?”

  “Listen, if you're going to be following me, that's fine, but I don't want to have to hold your hand through all of it,” Nina said. “Follow us.”

  Nina walked toward their car but Inspector Amaro whistled and she turned back around.

  “I think it’d be best if you rode with us, Dr. Gould.”

  “That's not necessary--” She should’ve known by now that that wasn't enough to deter Inspector Amaro once he’d decided something.

  He gave the response she expected. “I insist.”

  Nina turned to August. “Okay, follow the police car. Stay close. Very close. And get ready for a quick getaway.”

  “What do you mean?” August asked with some alarm.

  “You'll know when you see it.”

  THE CAR RIDE was as unnerving as Nina expected it to be. There were two policemen in the front seats as Inspector Amaro sat closely beside her in the back seat, whistling to himself and twiddling his thumbs. He seemed to be in the middle of deep contemplation, only breaking it to make uncomfortable small talk with Nina. He appeared intrigued about the sword of Caesar and Nina's past as a historian.

  “You said you’ve traveled extensively for your historical work...any places that stand out in your mind? That you’d love to go back to some day? Any places that blew you away?”

  “You have no idea.”

  He really didn't. As intelligent as Inspector Amaro was, he didn't know about the times when she’d gone to places that weren't supposed to even exist, that he could barely even fathom. He didn't know how often she had people trying to kill her. He was clueless about the Order of the Black Sun, and it was going to stay that way.

  “You seem remarkably calm for someone who had just had her life threatened by people who have proven to be very dangerous.”

  “I don't get scared easily.”

  “I can see that,” Amaro said, scribbling a stray thought on his notepad again. “You’ve faced worse in your travels. That's what you stated, isn't it?”

  He was a curious man but that made sense given his occupation. Curiosity could mean the difference between success or failure in stopping a criminal.

  “What should I be afraid of?” Nina asked, pointing at the front seat where the two other policemen were sitting in silence. “I’ve you lot watching over me. My own personal bodyguards.”

  “We’l
l do our best,” Inspector Amaro said with another unconvincing smile. “Believe me, I want nothing more than to catch these anarchists as quickly as possible. Take those masks off and put them in a small cage for the rest of their miserable lives.”

  “So why aren't you chasing after them instead of sitting in this car with me?”

  She’d already figured out why—they were hoping to use her as bait.

  Of course, that wasn't the answer that Inspector Amaro gave her.

  That settled it. She needed to get the hell away from the police. They were only getting in the way of the search.

  It was the right time. The cars were just starting to pick up speed. She glanced back again, to be sure that her friends were still right on their tail. This might be her one and only chance to get away from these nosy police officers. She braced herself; this was probably going to hurt.

  Nina pulled up the lock from the door beside her as quickly as she could, and in just as fluid of a motion, lifted the handle to the door. She didn't look, but she could feel Inspector Amaro's body jump to alertness in the seat beside her. She pushed her door open as hard as she could and threw herself from the vehicle onto the pavement of the street. She landed hard and rolled across the road.

  Thankfully, the car hadn't been going too fast. When she stopped wobbling , she pulled herself to her feet as quickly as she could. If this was going to work, they needed to get out of there as quickly as possible.

  Her group's car pulled up beside her and Riley yelled for her to jump in. Nina hurried into the backseat and she glanced up ahead at the police car she’d been in moments before.

  The police car hit the brakes when she jumped out and Inspector Amaro exited the vehicle, his eyes darting around the scene, realizing what was happening and that it was too late to stop. Despite his tactical prowess, Amaro had been outmaneuvered by a simple getaway plan.

  “Drive!” Nina called up to the driver's seat.

  August stepped on the gas and turned the vehicle down a narrow side street beside them. Nina heard Inspector Amaro shout out her name, but they were already pulling away, far out of the inspector's reach.

  Once they were clear, Riley let out a big cheer. “That worked like a charm!”

  “Do you think they'll try to follow us?” August asked and glanced at the rear view mirror.

  “They’ll have trouble in these streets,” Elijah said calmly. “And I doubt they’d try too hard to catch us. We haven't committed any crimes...except perhaps getting in the way of the investigation, I suppose.”

  Nina shook her head, filled with pride. Her body was sore and bruised from her escape, but she could deal with a few scrapes since it meant retaking control of their mission. She didn't have to worry about the police following her every move now.

  “We didn't get in the way of their investigation. They got in the way of ours.

  12

  THE SHEATH'S LOCATION

  Once they were far enough away to know that they weren't being followed, they pulled over in an empty lot and started trying to determine their next move.

  Nina yawned and Riley took notice.

  “Not to be rude, but you look exhausted, Nina,” Riley said. “Terrible actually. Did you get much sleep last night?”

  “Not really, no,” Nina said.

  “Nerves, I bet,” August offered.

  “Or it could have to do with having a tiring day,” Elijah said. “She did jump out of a moving vehicle to run away from police. And she discovered her friend’s corpse.” Elijah wasn't wrong, but as usual, he was presenting his truth with so little concern for being offensive or upsetting. That man didn't have much tact. “Or, yes, you just didn't get enough rest. Also possible.”

  Nina knew why she’d a restless night, but the others still had no idea about their late night visit in the hotel. Now that they were getting closer to the sword, they needed to know about the threat that was hanging right over their heads. She was the only one that knew just how dangerous the Third Triumvirate could really be. The others were all fast asleep when the Triumvirate made their big introduction.

  “There’s something I need to tell you guys...something important.”

  “Well, spit it out then,” Elijah said, folding his arms. “Don't leave us all in such suspense.”

  “Last night, in the middle of the night...I woke up.”

  “I hate nightmares,” Riley cut in casually.

  “It wasn't a nightmare,” Nina said. “I was sleeping fine but I felt something, that weird feeling you get when you're being watched or when you're not actually alone. That tingle right at the back of your neck...”

  The others all perked up with curiosity. Riley even looked somewhat disturbed by what she was hearing. Nina didn't want to frighten them. That was why she kept it a secret from the beginning. Even as the words were starting to drip out of her mouth, she wondered if she should even be confessing it at all.

  She continued, trying to not focus on the growing worry in her teammates' eyes. “When I woke up, there was someone standing at the foot of my bed.”

  Riley had to cover her mouth to mute a scream of terror. She felt that most of all, considering that this scary event took place mere inches from where she’d been sleeping. Nina dreaded having to tell her the rest of it, because it only got worse for her.

  “He was wearing a mask. I was going to call out but he covered by mouth. There were two other people in the room, too. They all had masks. It was them...the Third Triumvirate. Mr. Nero was the one that jumped me. Miss Caligula was by the door. The big one, Mr. Commodus, he was standing over Riley...”

  Riley was trembling, her mouth fumbling to try to find words. She was probably in disbelief and likely praying that all of this was just some bad dream that Nina had last night. Unfortunately for her, it was very real, she’d just been oblivious to it.

  “He was standing over you with a knife,” Nina said.

  Riley looked like she was on the verge of fainting. Nina couldn't blame her. Her life had been threatened and she could have been murdered without ever seeing it coming, without ever realizing it had even happened.

  “I've got to say...” Nina tried to make light of it just to pop the bubble of tension that had formed around them. “You're a ludicrously heavy sleeper, Riley.”

  “What happened next?” August asked, his fists clenched. Unlike Riley, he didn't look scared. Mostly, he looked angry and maybe even somewhat guilty. All of this had happened in the room next door to where he had been, right under he and Elijah's noses.

  Elijah just stared at Nina ambivalently, looking curious to hear more.

  “They made me keep quiet or else they were going to kill Riley. They said that they knew that we were looking for the sword of Caesar and that they wanted it, but didn't know how to find it. It wasn't easy like the other things they took. It wasn't in a museum. They told me to bring it to them once we found it, to help them in their mission to bring back the old Rome.”

  “And they think you're going to go along with that?” Elijah asked, and then looked a little concerned. She’d surprised him already, after all, with the possibility that she might have given it to the Palazza Nuovo once it was found. He wasn't too trusting of her judgment at the moment when it came to the fate of Caesar's sword. “You aren't going to go along with that, right?”

  “Of course not,” Riley said. “They're delusional extremists, but I had to make them believe that their threats spooked me enough to do as they said.”

  “So they are expecting you give them Caesar's sword...” August said, folding his massive arms. “And if you don't...they'll come looking for it, is that it?”

  “That's it,” Nina said. “And this was before I even knew what they did to Santino. These people follow through on their threats. What they did to him...it was barbaric. They’ll try and hurt us, or worse, if we don't give them what they want.”

  Riley still looked like she was about to vomit. She’d nearly been killed during their search for
Genghis Khan's tomb but at least then, she had an opportunity to try to fight or run away. In this situation, she wasn't given any such chance. She’d been inches away from a brush with death and had no idea until now. That was enough to traumatize someone and make them more than a little bit paranoid.

  “So what do we do about it?” Elijah asked rather pessimistically. “Clearly they can get to us if they want to. We don't have a clue where they will be. So what's to stop them from just sneaking into our next hotel room and smothering us in our sleep? We all going to take shifts sleeping? Because all that will really do is just delay them from gutting us all like fish.”

  They all looked sick now. Elijah's glass half-empty mentality was always so focused on the negative. He was never one to help boost morale during a tough situation. The truth was, Nina hadn't figured out how they were going to handle the Third Triumvirate. Elijah undeniably had a point that those three psychos could come back in the middle of the night and slash them. Nina's hope was that they could either get far enough away once they found the sword so that the Third Triumvirate wouldn't be able to follow or that the Third Triumvirate would come to them at a time when they were ready to face them. She wasn't too hopeful that either of those would happen, but that was all she could think of when it came to dealing with that trio of thieves.

  “For now, I think we should just keep looking for the sword. I didn't want to freak you all out--”

  “Well, you did!” Riley said, holding her head like it was about to explode. “Consider me very, very freaked out.”

  “I only told you just so that if something does happen, if the Third Triumvirate does decide to try to ambush us again...at least now you won't be caught completely off guard. You won't be blindsided and had no idea that they were even waiting in the wings. Now we’re all on the same page, and know that they could be coming. So now that we know that, let's find this sword.”