Nordic 5: On Tour

Show Goes On!

After blowing up Instagram and Snapchat, the most effective being a topless pic of Mathias on the beach—which probably cause several women to faint and may have caused a car accident—the pair dressed up for the show just outside of town.

The site was abuzz with energy. The performance drew a decent crowd of locals and tourists, likely with the posters and flyers they had seen around town. They gathered at the front of the enormous red and yellow canopy to buy tickets and snacks.

At the tent's entrance, stood a wild looking individual with a bird on his shoulder. They recognized him immediately as the subject of many of Peter's stories since he saw this circus weeks ago. He was the albino ringleader who'd endeared himself to Peter with his bubbling self-confidence and rough, accented English. Beside him stood another costumed character. Dressed as a clown and speaking Italian, he greeted everyone as they entered the tent.

Mathias leaned over to Lukas. "Is that Romulus' grandson?"

They listened to him chatter as they walked up until he shouted, "Pasta!"

"Yep, that's him."

Inside, the musicians spotted some of Romulus' other financial associates, older, powerful individuals, like Romulus himself. Romulus chatted with his guests. Most were women but diverse in nationality.

"I must say," Said an Egyptian colleague. "I never thought I'd see you spending your money on anything less than a government contract."

"Now ladies, I'm not-a all conquista and destruction." Said Romulus, an unusual sugary sweetness in his tone.

"Says the man who crushed thousands of small businesses throughout Europe and the Mediterranean." Said one with a snarky British accent. "Some of my own included."

"He's doing this for his grandchildren." Said the woman Lukas reasoned to be Hercules' mother. "Love is the only motivator greater than money."

Some of the artificial sweetness seemed to disappear from Romulus' tone. "But-a you would know all about-a that-a, signora Karpusi."

Lukas enjoyed eavesdropping as they waited for the show to begin, but eventually, Romulus slipped off and the conversations grew boring.

For something to do, Lukas looked over at Mathias. He had expected Mathias' attention to be on his phone or at least the bag of popcorn to his side, but his focus was on the papers in a folder he'd been carrying. And was that math he was doing? Lukas pondered as Mathias scribbled some figures on the paper.

A whistle silenced the tent. More whistles rang out and the big top filled with the distinctive sound of calliope music. The audience shuffled to their chairs before the lights dimmed. Romulus snuck back in, but his grin was visible from the last rows of the stadium seating.

"He looks smug." Said Lukas.

"Huh?" Said Mathias, bringing his attention from the ringleader and following Lukas' gaze. "Oh, yeah. I wonder what that's about."

"Probably nothing good."

Above them, a pair of acrobats twirled and flew through the air, the music synced to their movements.

"Is this live? The music?"

Lukas listened closely. "I think it is."

"This guy is adlibbing?"

"Partly, at least."

Mathias sat back, eyeing the show with an analytical gaze with which Lukas was less familiar.