Paying the Piper [La Storia Della Arcana Famiglia fanfiction]

Chapter 4

Jolly woke up with a start. He had gone off to sleep!! He cursed himself and jumped up. There was no sign of Elmo. He decided to get someone else to keep guard.

He walked to Liberta's quarters and woke him up.
"Can you get Nova too?" Asked the boy sleepily.

Jolly felt like asking him to do it himself but since it would be a waste of time, he went over to Nova's room and knocked.

There was no answer. Jolly broke the door open and was welcomed by the sight of a sleeping Nova. He didn't need to go any closer to understand that he had fallen prey to the mad man's tune too... for right on the mirror was a note saying:

"DEATH SHALL SLEEP TOO UNLESS THE MOON DECIDES TO TAKE MEASURE... IF YOU WISH TO END THE GAME... LET ME KNOW."

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Everyone gathered in Nova's room. The mood was sombre.
"Enough is enough!" Said Liberta "Let's take him down!"

"Don't be so rash Liberta" said Debito, "He is no ordinary foe. He managed to get in the house even though we were all in here and on our guard. Now he wants to talk to Jolly. I say we let him do it."

It hardly surprised Jolly that Debito thought so...

"Very well... I will talk to him. Maybe then we will get some answers." saying this Jolly left the room.

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Jolly stood in the shade as he kept an eye on the crowd. Before he had left he had made sure Elmo was back and had questioned Debito of how the stranger had contacted him before. It seemed that he had not shown up in person and had just sent a message giving a rendezvous point.

Then he had hidden somewhere in the shadows and presented his demands.

It won't work this time......

A small boy ran up to Jolly and gave him a note. It directed him to a storehouse at the harbour. Jolly went there and found it empty. He had waited there for just 5 minutes when a voice interrupted his thoughts.

"Good... you decided to show up..."

Jolly ignored it. The voice continued.... "Now my demands... I want access to certain documents in the house. You being a senior member should have an idea about these."

Jolly spoke up, "I will not bargain with a voice. If you are not a coward then come out!"

There was a laugh and then suddenly a person jumped down to the ground. He came out into the light. He was a middle- aged man, no remarkable features. Perhaps a little younger than Jolly.
"Well.... I should have known." said the man "Good to see you haven't changed Jolly!"

For the life of him Jolly couldn't remember him. Then a thought hit him.

The man had referred to them as Hermit, the Moon and Death.... which meant...............

"Alright.... now let's talk.... I want the property documents and along with it your research on the Tarot cards."

"Why haven't you taken them already? My lab was at your disposal and Elmo's of no trouble right?"

The man laughed.
"Oh.... but he is loyal... I doubt he would have been so friendly if I had touched your work.... well then do we have a deal? It's the only way."

"I can't make the decision... but tell me why you need it. Planning to move in?"
No... to take over. Legally of course .... and I would need a family advisor even then...."

Jolly laughed.
"You have a dirty mind... but unfortunately you have revealed yourself too much. How do you know about the arcana??"

The man sighed.
"You always were too hard to fool. Mondo was quick to trust you even with your vices. Well I will make it simple. Bring the papers to me and I will wake up your precious family.... including your son...."

This jolted Jolly....
"As if I care.... " he said and threw his cigar to the ground. "I will think about it. But if you cross me.... well you will make an interesting lab rat...."

With that he turned and left.

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"Documents? We have property documents?" Asked Liberta.
Pace said "But what good are those to him... Jolly's research I understand... and those we can't hand over but the house. Why? ??"
"Perhaps.... "said Jolly ".... It is to confuse us. Also he said he would legally take over and the way for that would be for him to claim rights over the house. The papers could assist him for that."
"Ah!" Said Liberta, "That's too intelligent for me.... So do we fight him or not?!?"

"Jolly... "said Debito ".... where are these papers?"
Jolly tapped his cigar ash into the tray and said "I don't know."

"WHAT? !?!!?"

"Mondo put me in charge of the tarots and research. I also advise the family. I am not responsible for such trivialities."

"Then who is... " asked a bewildered Liberta. "Dante???"
"No." said Jolly "It would have to be somebody who tended to the administrative side of things."

"You mean..... Mama?" Asked Liberta.
"No you idiot. Nova.... he was in charge of such matters."

"But what can we do now?" Said Pace "Nova is asleep too. We don't have access to his papers."
"PERHAPS Jolly does."said Debito.
"I don't.... at least... not complete access said Jolly, "There is only one way left. We will have to wake Nova up."

"But we can't! !" Said Liberta "That's why we are in this mess!!!"
"We can't... " said Jolly "... but perhaps he will...."
"What?"Asked Pace.

Jolly continued. "We will send him a note. If he wants us to cooperate he will have to help too."

"But how will we contact him?" Asked Debito.
"Simple." said Jolly and took the message he had already prepared before entering in. Then he raised a finger and pointed it at a figure near the doorway and said.... "Come here Elmo....."