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Ally and Rinaldo were already waiting for her. Rinaldo looked groggy as hell, but the blonde woman smiled at her cheerfully. “Good morning!”
Rinaldo grunted and walked down the open stairs of the plane, his bag already over his shoulder.
Maggie glanced at the man then back to the demoness-turned-sister. Or sister-turned-demoness. She wondered what order it had happened in. “What’s his problem?”
“He got drunk last night.”
“Are priests even allowed to drink?”
Ally snickered loudly. “They do a lot of things they aren’t allowed to. Ever hear of Pope John the Eighth?”
“No?”
She smirked knowingly. “Google it on your phone.” She flicked the brakes on her wheels and rolled up to the stairs. The staff moved forward quickly to help lift her—wheelchair and all—and carry her down. She thanked them once they deposited her at the bottom and started after Rinaldo, who was already walking to a car.
Maggie followed. What else was she going to do. “Thanks for the clothes, by the way.”
“You’re welcome! I don’t get to wear fun things. I enjoyed the chance to buy them for someone else. There’s more waiting for you in your room at the Vatican.” When they reached the car, Ally opened the front passenger seat. Supporting her weight on the door, she stood, pivoted, and sat down in the car, pulling her legs in a moment later. Rinaldo, without missing a beat, folded the chair up and stuffed it into the trunk.
Maggie climbed into the back seat. “What happens now?”
Rinaldo got in behind the wheel and started the car. “Breakfast. Greasy breakfast. With coffee.”
Ally chuckled. “I told you to stop at four, Rin.” She poked him in the arm. “You never listen.”
He grunted.
Maggie smiled at their exchange. She put her bag in her lap and peeked in at Algernon, who was still curled up in a scarf and sleeping. He slept a lot. She wondered if it was because he was dead—undead, whatever. Like Harry. She supposed that might explain Harry’s constant napping.
She frowned at the thought of her friend. Or ex-friend. She wasn’t sure what he was. How much of their time together was real? How much of it was Gideon’s work? She sighed. “After breakfast, what then?”
“A few higher-ups in the Order would like to meet you. Then, if you’re ready, we’ll take you to the vaults.” Ally pulled her phone out of her pocket and began texting someone.
“If I’m ready?”
Ally paused thoughtfully, as if measuring her words. “We don’t want anything we do to cause you undue stress, but…we need you to understand why Gideon is the enemy. Why he needs to be stopped.”
“I take it whatever you’re going to show me isn’t going to be pleasant, then.” Oh, great. More traumatic nonsense for her to have to sift through.
“Probably not, no. But you are pretty morbid, it seems, so maybe you’ll get a kick out of it.” Ally shrugged. “Who knows.”
“Am I ever going to get a straight answer out of you people? Or is it always going to be half-assed riddles and vague leading statements?”
Ally laughed. Even Rinaldo managed a smile. “Sorry, hon,” Ally twisted in her seat to look back at her. “I don’t mean to. I just don’t know how to explain half of it, and the other half I think is better shown, not told.”
She supposed she understood that. She didn’t like it, but she understood it. Nodding, she looked out the window at the city around them. It definitely was not America anymore. The buildings were older and tighter together. And the street was narrow. Rinaldo had to slow down several times as they got deeper into the city.
Rome.
It was gorgeous.
They pulled over and stopped in front of a little restaurant. It became very clear that she couldn’t read Italian. She had no idea what she was looking at. Feeling like a lost American tourist—which she kind of was—she climbed out of the car with Rinaldo and Ally and headed into the little café.
“Coffee. Grease. Now.” Rinaldo grumbled as he headed into the restaurant.
And entirely missed the fact that both Ally and Maggie had pulled up short, staring at a table out front.
Because sitting there, sipping a cappuccino…
Was Dr. Gideon Raithe.
He smiled at them and lifted his cup in greeting. “Buongiorno, ladies.”
