The Octopus at the Vatican

# 22 - the miscreant detector

Tuesday 12 - Milan

Aldo Bonassoli collected Vittorio Petri from Milan-Linate airport. They had a delighted hug. Aldo had no children. Vittorio was like a son to him. Aldo questioned him:

"Your call was very mysterious, what brings you here?"

"I'll tell you in a moment. Let's take a walk in the Ticino neighborhood. I haven't been back for a long time; its charming with the canals."

Walks, that meant plans of illegal deeds; Bonassoli could see what was coming but as always an optimist, he said:

"Va bene let's go!"

And started up his micro-Fiat 500, driving like a madman through dense traffic.

"You can get through anything with this, it's great in town!"

They had to walk along the canals three times, for Aldo to take in this absurd idea. On two occasions he put his hand on his cousin's forehead in a theatrical manner. Then he remembered what they were in the process of achieving in France, himself and his associates. Which was just as absurd and impossible!

"A pity I can't check with Albino that you don't have a screw loose!"

"Of course, you can check! Here, there is his direct line. It is protected. You can speak freely. If it rings for more than five times, call back later. No-one else answers this line."

"If Albino agrees that I'm not fit for the asylum, could you do something for him?"

"Si, bene! I should be able to make a life-like model. I have done it for a carnival. The Duce, for instance. But it was too dangerous. I had destroyed the model. With a latex print and a system, I had invented to validate and refine the physical mold. We film different angles, and my machine creates a 3D image on the screen. It's revolutionary, shouted Aldo, as he did whenever he mentioned one of his inventions! It's not totally perfect, so I prefer to mark the model physically. But if I have to do Luciano's whole body, that will be too difficult!"

"No, his false body will be shown fully dressed. And those who go very close to him will be in the know. The head and hands must be perfect. The rest can be a little imprecise."

"I love this challenge, I'll take it on! I'm bored in France, portending to look for crude oil year after year, it's tedious. But to save my dear cousin! And the Pope, to boot! Under the mafia's nose! It's exhilarating!"

He hugged Vittorio.

"Grazie for bringing me this gift! Ah, there's a phone booth, it's naptime, I'll find him."

He went in and got hold of the holy father straightaway. Ten minutes later he came out aghast.

"You didn't even tell me the whole story, Vittorio. This story is quite mad. Let's settle down here, I need a triple Punt e Mes!"

Once settled, Also Bonassoli and Vittorio Petri refined the battle plan of their impossible mission. Aldo would create the physical marks and video of the pope within the next three days. He hoped to be successful with his ultramodern Xerox Alto minicomputer, its graphic interface, its large memory and the special program he had made to interpret the images of the face and hands. If he had to, he would ask Vittorio to help him.

"We'll need papers for Albino", thought Vittorio out loud. "He will not be able to continue using the identity of a dead man. Passport, identity card, driving license. "

"I have a trustworthy system."

"It would be best for me too. To hire a car that could not be traced afterwards, the evening Albino disappears."

"I have a camera in the car. I'll take a passport compatible picture for you. For Albino, I'll do it after I have created his body marks."

Wednesday 13 - Lurano and Rome

Everything happened quickly after that. Bonassoli called an old accomplice in Paris, Jean Violet, a spook who, among other things, created credible and durable false identities. He would help out Bonassoli without any questions. Aldo would return to Rome with the papers.

That day, after two weeks of fighting with the papal administration, Alessa Lombardi was finally able to put in her agenda, Tuesday, October 10, at 10:00 a.m.: 'Pope, private audience and interview.'

She would have a good month to be prepared. The Corriere della Sera was interested. 

Friday 15 - the Vatican

Bonassoli made an official visit to his cousin Luciani in the pontifical apartments. Two secretary priests attended part of the pope's photo shoot and the demonstration of a sin and infidelity detector.

"Have you heard of the lie detector, asked Bonassoli?"

"Well, yes, we have heard about it", said one of the priests.

"Well, it works long the same principle, a detector of brainwaves", explained Bonassoli with a wicked smile.

Both secretaries stepped back. The pope was laughing under his breath. Then Luciani and his cousin retired to the private apartments for a chat. Bonassoli was carrying a lot of material which puzzled the priests. He asked for their help to carry it all, stating that he never moved around without his precious inventions.

"Completely mad, that guy", said one of the priests, when he was sure he was out of earshot.

"Mind the brainwaves", answered the other one.

When the pope and Bonassoli were alone, the latter asked Luciani to lie down on a couch in the middle of the room. He had to join his hands on his tummy, keep still and close his eyes. Then he moved a camera around him. Finally, he covered him in a thick paste. Two straws in his nostrils enabled him to breathe.

"Keep still. It's important. I'm timing you. Ten minutes. As if you were at the dentist."

Then with great care, he peeled off his skin the half-set paste.

"In a quarter of an hour, it will be dry. We will do the hands again under another angle and also your head. Lie on your front, there, just like that, lean your forehead against this cushion; your large nose needs space, fine, don't move, I'm spreading the paste."

After their long private meeting, Bonassoli left the palace with all his stuff. He needed two members of staff to help. The two secretary priests had gone.