The Tailor's Razor

15. To Catch an Olympian

Peak Hour in the Eternal City

As a distraction, Madison had become fascinated by the general plumbing of Rome. Wherever she found herself in the city there could be located on walls, corners and monuments babbling fountains that flowed from dawn till dusk and throughout each of the midnight hours. Perfectly potable, the fountains were in a state of perpetual action, disposing their endless litres of water down ornate grates ancient plumbers had presumably installed. Where did they lead? Was it recycled or dumped in the filthy Tiber? Was the water in fact drinkable or was it an extravagant Roman prank played out on the wit of ten million trusting tourists?

Madison's impulse to seek out the answers were quelled by her other investigative pursuit; bringing Apice Globale to justice. Truth be told she was beginning to question the principle of parting ways with her Australian beau; however furious she was at the sunburnt idiot he'd found by far the best way of infiltrating Apice Globale, so that while he flamboyantly worked his way into the heart of the conglomerate the girl was left clutching at straws in the afternoon heat.

Wetting her neck with chilled fountain-water Madison sighed; with pride denying her return to Taylor she found herself drifting, wondering if she was too deep down the rabbit hole of culpability. At what point was guilt absolved?

The city was thickening with human flesh, all the little creatures of the working day emerging from their high warrens, scurrying to central station where they pressed themselves against each other, desperate for a spot on the next train. Riding a current in the stream of people rushing beneath Roma Termini, Madison jostled for a spot on the platform. Equal parts mosh pit and sardine can the crowd lurched forward at every train that opened its doors. Exchanging a few lucky commuters at each stop the rest of the crowd was forced to wait, sweating out their home-longing.

Madison's patience was stretched through half a dozen teases before she managed to squeeze aboard, crammed in with what felt like half of Rome. She'd really hit the jackpot with her neighbour; before even the first stop some filthy fellow began anonymously grinding his crooked hook against her thigh.

"Va via!" she hissed.

"Scusi," the old man was horrified, stumbling through an apology as he tried to leave the situation, met instead with a stormy sea of bodies, some of which had joined Madison in publicly shaming the creep.

While a particularly woke young gentleman was tearing strips off the old urchin Madison caught the eye of a tall, blonde man with perfect jaw structure. It was Romauld, smirking at the little spectacle, till he noticed Madison watching him.

"Damn..." he mouthed as the doors opened.

They both made a rush at the portal but the crowd was too thick and they floundered in the muck of limbs. Pinned in the carriage they nervously watched each other as the train rattled to the next stop. At Barberini they tried beating each other to the exit again, but the incoming flow stalled their best attempts, and they were left with barely a chest between them and freedom as they waited for the other to make their move.

At Spagna they both caught the stream out the carriage but a stroke of Madison's brilliance called her back through the doors. On the platform Romauld checked left and right, stupefied by the girl's vanishing skills, till he looked back at the train, his face contorting at the sight of her grinning in the steambox. Fighting his way back through the crowd he roared as he watched the doors roll shut, Madison dancing her fingers in a toodle-ooh wave.

Having outwitted Interpol's star agent Madison felt quite pleased with herself, leisurely hopping off the train at the next stop in search of a good latte; it might help her think through the next move. On the other side of the piazza was Via del Babuino, thick with high-end fashion and good coffee. Perhaps she should apply for a job in one of the shops? Probably wasn't the most effective way of infiltrating this impenetrable web but at this point any proposal was welcome.