The Octopus at the Vatican

# 20 - the shock

TW: violent death

Vittorio was driving, Albino at his side. They saw the headlights in the rearview mirror. Vittorio accelerated as much as he could.

"I have an escape plan, said Albino."

"Go on!"

"Listen carefully and do as I say. I'm your navigator, like in a rally."

The tires were squeaking on the dry road. Theirs were the only cars around at this late hour. At a crossroad the Fiat suddenly left the main road and slipped into a side road. Both cars were driving fast. The road started to climb, with more and more bends and sharp corners, sometimes hairpin bends. They were in second gear now, the car nearly stalling.

"Keep some speed! We mustn't go into the first! We'll be shot at close range", advised Albino.

But oddly, when the pursuing car came close, they were not being shot at. But there was no time to figure this out. They had reached a plateau. The dirt track wound its way through a forest planted with larch trees. It now sloped gently downhill. It was no longer a track, but the space between the trees and the level ground made it look like one. Vittorio could now drive much faster than when going uphill. Suddenly, he braked sharply, hitting the pedal. The Fiat skidded on the needle floor then, almost at a standstill, took a right angle to the left. Stunned by this maneuver, the other car was too slow to react. It overtook them and plunged into the sheer void. After a few seconds, they heard in the distance a dull, double explosion.

"You saved our lives", gasped Vittorio, his forehead on the wheel.

"Without your driving, we were done for. I knew you knew your surroundings and that you would be able to use them. You saved us."

"No, it was you, with your idea."

"Did you see what I did, me, a priest! I'm not proud. We couldn't let ourselves be slaughtered."

They went down the mountain, more steadily this time.

"During the fascist era", said Albino, "and during the war, we saw many horrors. We developed tactics of avoidance to stay alive. Initially to avoid fascist black shirts, then German SS. But I had never been directly involved as I was tonight. It's scary having to kill to survive. And it happens so quickly there is no time to consider the pros and cons."

It must have been around 2 a.m. In their flight they had not taken their watches. They parked away from the house and watched it for about twenty minutes. All the lights were out in the neighborhood, except Nina and Ettore's. Occasionally a shadow went past a lit window. There was no activity around. They waited a long time. The night was warm, even at this altitude. Finally, they took a chance and walked quietly through the pigsty.

Nina and Ettore were mourning their bitch who appeared to be sleeping, stretched out as she did when she felt too hot. Imminent danger seemed to have gone. They told each other what had happened, the death of the Labrador, the threat to Nina, the race, the crash into the void. The killer seemed to be on his own. When he got into the car for the chase, Ettore had seen him from the window, while Nina was lying on the floor. He had gotten in on the driver's side.

After a few hours' rest during which no-one was able to sleep, Albino and Vittorio decided to return to Rome. Cortina wasn't safe.

Nina and Ettore were not in much danger: the killer was only after the pope. He had said so. The Labrador's death was a sad accident. To be extra careful, Nina and Ettore would take a trip all the same.

So, the killer was on his own. It was odd and illogical. But what did this peaceful family know about the ways of gangsters? Had they underestimated their ability to resist, their craftiness?