Bella Rosa

Chapter 1 - Part 2

The great Vitoria D'Lyon stood in front of Maria Rosa, not knowing she was addressing the famous criminal herself, The Bella Rosa. Maria inwardly squirmed in her tight uniform as her thoughts went back to how she had gotten herself to be in Sardinia, Italy, and being interviewed as to be a maid in the Countess's Manor.

Just a week before, she had met up with her now partner-in-crime, Nico Kraus, in the most particular way. Mipione Square was largely known for its busy crowds and Nico was not so eager to be part of them. But he had no need to, for the moment he entered the square, a young girl came up to him and asked, "Nico Kraus?"

"Yes....."

"She says yes."

"I see." Nico was quite amused at the layout.

"What are the directions?" The girl looked up at him with her big blue eyes.

"Huh?"

"What are the directions?" she repeated.

Nico handed her an envelope.

"The Bella Rosa will see to it," the girl recited before she was off and into the shadows. Nico swore he saw the girl hand it to someone and heard a clink of coins; then a swish of black hair and the person was gone. Obviously the Bella Rosa wanted to stay incognito.

Inside the envelope was a letter explaining everything and a smaller piece of paper, in which he revealed that he had uncovered another message inside of the note from the first letter of every word.

It simply read:

MACKENZY HAS IT AMOR

Underneath he had written neatly stating that he would investigate who was this Mackenzy, and that Maria should try to get close to the Countess to snoop around.

Two days ago, she arrived to Sardinia by boat. She took her time as to start her mission, but this morning she asked around for directions and found herself in front of the great estate of the Countess, the Manor. She then realized she had no plan as to get in and around unnoticed. Thankfully, some young girls arrived at the gate and asked her if she was also trying her luck to become a maid as well, and that quickly decided her fate.

The letter, however, was a long one, but she took her time and read slowly before burning it.

Alba Azuel had died just a few months ago, creating a flurry amongst the ambitious people that desired her family's most precious prize of all, the Azuel Gem. Originally, it was not called the Azuel Gem, but instead, the 'Amula Gem'- believed to be a gift from some ancient goddess centuries ago to her people. Her name was Amula (hence the name of the Gem) and she was the ruler of the Earth, appearing to everyone as a big ball of light (the sun). The Gem, before Alba Azuel's ancestors had set their 30 year expedition to find it, was as much as a myth as Atlantis or the Golden City. But now the whole world knows of it, which has set Alba a very dangerous life, for I am sure that not one person alive out there would not want it. And we both know to what extremes people would go through to achieve it.

Even now, after two months, experts cannot tell if Azuel was killed or committed suicide (which I would not blame her for it), but either way, she is still dead and now everyone wants it for their own.

It's now clear to everyone that before she died she gave it to someone else for safekeeping (we know that because numerous of people have teared through her house and produced nothing) and it leads to this question, "Why the Countess?"

Well, first, the note, which you saw. This also provides our second lead, some 'Mackenzy' and perhaps a 'Zulu'.

Secondly, The Countess and Azuel have been friends for a very long time, and it's a fact that the Countess's family sponsored the expedition. Perhaps this isn't so relevant, but it still shows there was some interest on her side.