[DeppAngel]

CHAPTER 18- LEISURE

The trio drove down the road, this time heading to the beautiful city of Milan. While in the car, Sully couldn’t let go of the topic of Liliana’s kidnapping.
“OK, so you go out with this Holly girl for an ice-cream, and when you come back, this ‘mystery man’ comes to you from behind, and…,” Sully kept mocking Liliana, who kept quiet in the back of the car.
“Sully, stop it. I’m sure she didn’t mean for this to happen, right Babe?,” But Liliana stayed in silence and looking out the window to the passing trees and green fields full of cows and sheep.
“I’m not saying she did it on purpose, but didn’t we all agree on being extra careful? I mean, it’s not like we’re your typical tourists visiting Italy,” Sully continued arguing.
“OK, I say we all leave this behind. This is Liliana’s first mistake in two years, give her a break. And besides, it didn’t have any consequences.” Criss said.
“But maybe that’s what ‘they’ want us to think!” Sully continued.
“Who’s ‘they?’” Criss asked looking at Sully.
“The kidnappers! Who else?!!”
“Yeah, but we don’t know who they are anyway.” Criss exclaimed.
“That’s exactly my point!”
“But they didn’t ask for ransom, neither they threatened us with calling the police…” Criss commented.
“Which makes it all more confusing.” Sully kept arguing.
“Well, Liliana says she doesn’t remember anything after she fainted on the street,” Criss said, while looking at Liliana through the rear view mirror.
It was a long trip. Long as life itself. But it would probably be the last one, or at least the last “business trip,” if you may. Criss had gathered an enormous wealth to bring home for the diseased children, and after this last hit, Criss would probably want to spend the rest of his life away from all the bustle and hustle of the wild life he had lived until now. He would probably want to buy a cabana by the sea shore, where Liliana and him could gaze at the sun set every afternoon. Or,…maybe not. Maybe he would still want to get away from his criminal life, but spent his years living in the old manor with the children and the nuns…? Well, who knows, but for some reason this trip surely felt like the last one for Liliana. This feeling remained with her during the whole trip.
First, they crossed through Naples, where they marveled at the Castel dell’Ovo surrounded by the crystalline waters of the Tyrrhenian Sea. They also strayed a little bit from the road to visit the Museum of Capodimonte, famous for its beautiful art gallery. Next was Rome, and its astonishing Coliseum, where countless gladiators fought for their lives, just like Liliana and the guys were doing too. Will they be able to defeat the last beast that destiny was to put in their path?

Night came along. They decided to stay at Hotel Sant'Anna to recharge. But Liliana couldn’t sleep much. She kept rolling in bed, hunted by her nightmares, which where the only place where she could remember loose pieces of her captivity. The leather straps holding her arms and legs, and the voices, the strange voices that kept coming closer and closer. With every dream, the voices seemed to be sending a clearer message, but, what was it? What were they trying to tell Liliana?
The next day, they departed to Pisa. Criss’s gothic taste couldn’t resist to visit the Santa Maria della Spina church, and, of course, the Leaning Tower of Pisa wouldn’t be an exception on their trip. Then, their journey took them through the lively and beautiful streets of Genoa, the famous city where Christopher Columbus is said to have been born in. A few more hours on the road, and viola! The outskirts of Milan started to become visible on the distance. The adrenaline slowly began to rush through their bodies, for they knew what awaited them there: one of the biggest robberies of the century. As soon as they had arrived to Milan, they began to look for the scenario of their last encounter with danger: The Banca Commerciale Italiana. They asked around for directions, but with every person they asked, they felt like they were straying more and more from their destination, until Criss stopped and honked the horn at an old man who was about to cross the street,
“Liliana, please, ask that man for directions!” Criss exclaimed at Liliana, who was still not very responsive.
“OK, I’m right here, man! Am I useless or what? Lemme do this myself!,” Sully shouted as he stuck his head out of the window. Then he yelled to the old man, “Hey! You dire noi dove big bank è?!” raising his hands in the air as a gesture signaling something big. The old man stared at Sully, somewhat confused. Then he looked away and pointed to a big white building that was right in front of them. Sully, with a face showing desperation, looked to where the old man was, and his eyes widely opened in amazement. It was the bank! The Banca Commerciale Italiana! Sully smiled at the old man and said, “Grazie, grazie!” and got back in his sit. Having located the bank now, they proceeded to find a temporary hideout where they could design the blueprints of their last work.