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In the car Coop stole, we drove to a park and sat out in the cool air, surrounded by the beauty of the ancient Roain It seemed like maybe his eyes were more focused on the blood stains than the words

I spoke softly, "So we have to go to the Vatican?"

Coop gave me a look, "What?"

I nodded, "The Curia, it’s in the Vatican"

Coop nodded, "Oh right, yeah I remember that from The Da Vinci Code"

Jack looked at both of us blankly, "Are you two kidding? Did you not pay any attention in school? Caesar’s Curia is the Curia Julia Julius Caesar wasn’t a Roman Catholic The first ruler in Rome to be a Catholic was Constantine Caesar died almost 400 years before Constantine became a Catholic on his deathbed Caesar’s Curia becarabbed his phone and started to Google, "Yes, it was a church for so to the articles, it was taken back from the church and restored The Curia is across frorounds I can’t see it being open to the public at dusk"

Coop frowned, "That’s probably what they’re counting on, no one being there to witness our deaths"

"Great"

Jack nodded, "Yes, great"

I sighed, "I can’t even ioing to keep the kids safe and bring Steve Mitch isn’t stupid The things I’ve told hioing to figure out that we are in major shit"

Jack winced, "I think he already has I’ve beenup have been a bit intense Very conspiracy-theory based but whatever"

"Great"

Coop ran his hands through his hair, looking around at the park and the city behind us Watching his steely-blue eyes, I could almost watch the ideas form and fade away as he contemplated it all He looked atback"

I scowled, "Horin on his face made my stomach sink

"Why?"

He nodded, "I have a plan"

We huddled like it was football practice and he ran us through his idea I had to admit it would work

Jack emailed as I spoke the words to hi you last week reminded me of our time in Italy where we ate a Caesar salad and you made the funny jokes about the Basilica It made me ain at Tara Love and ave me a weird look, shook his head and pressed send, "I saw you as hed, "You’ve seen Gone With the Wind?"

He scoffed, "Please, in the real world I have four sisters My fav is obviously Austen, Persuasion I think"

I sighed, "Jack, why couldn’t you be e?"

He sed hard, "I don’t have a response for that so I’ to walk that way and see you all at the spot later?"

Coop was laughing but I gave hirim look, "Okay, tiood at this, Mammy"

I swatted him, "It’s not as fun when you say it"

Jack interrupted us, "She woke up They are driving her to the Canadian Ehed but Coop looked upset He bit his lip and followed h ere ether? What if she isn’t on our side?"

I grabbed his arht the rooht not have even known hiave , I trust you and that is it"

I nodded, "Me too, Coop"

He brushed ht of the world in his eyes I lifted to ainst his There was so him that I couldn’t shake, even if he built emotional walls the size of the Great Wall and usedintome in He kissedin the direction he was supposed to go

I turned and walked away, gently touching s I shouldn’t have

Chapter Eleven

The End of You

I walked into the hotel and pressed the button for the elevator My feet were aching anditself off When I got off the elevator, Servario was standing there, looking down onlike that"