Just the Truth

Chapter 21

"I think it's time for lunch," Jacob sighed.

"No we've barely been at this for three hours," I exclaimed. We had no leads as to where the Continuum Files were or which particular file our mystery assailant even wanted.

"I'll order some food from this really great Indian restaurant a few blocks away alright? Full stomachs might help us think better. I swear they have the best halal chicken biryani I've ever tasted," Bianca promised reaching for her phone, ordering several dishes and making small talk with whoever was on the other line.

"The rule is usually not to keep a copy of something important near the original so it's most likely not at R.I.P headquarters," I reasoned.

"Was R.I.P always in Rome?" Lavender asked me.

I thought trying to remember everything on the history of R.I.P that I learned from my aunt, realizing I didn't learn enough of this crap. I looked at them helplessly.

"Time to call Max again," Blaire tossed me a phone and we begun dialing the safe number Max had given us with the promise that it was untraceable.

"Yes my sweets?,"

"We need your oh so magical help," I replied trying to avoid the usual bickering.

"Well obviously. What do you want?"

"Can you tell me all the previous locations of R.I.P?" I asked him and I heard clicking on the other side of the line.

"There have been thirteen so far. Ranging all over the globe but it seems that all roads lead to Rome because the very first R.I.P was started in Italy in 1727. And then England to France, somewhere in the jungles of South America and so on until we make full circle back here in 1983," he said.

"So it could literally be anywhere," Bianca concluded.

"But why would R.I.P return to Italy. Why in 1983?" I asked.

"1982 was the year when personal computers became popular and for the most part accessible to the public," Max said.

"So they went digital that year and returned to their original location because they no longer had to keep moving to keep the files safe. They were online now,"

"Hey sorry, we've been on the phone too long, we're at risk of getting tracked if we exceed a certain time," Max said and I agreed. We quickly hung up.

With that small lead we took a fifteen minute break to enjoy the best Indian food Florence had to offer. Everyone was laughing around the table, enjoying their food and trying to be normal for a bit when suddenly I spit out my curry.

"Too spicy?" Jacob laughed at me but I just stared down at my plate muttering.

"Um, I'll get some water," Bianca stood up but I shook my head.

"I know where they are," I laughed.

"What?? Where?" They all stopped eating their food and stared at me.

"I'm so stupid, of course I should've thought of it. It's so cliche though," I shook my head.

"Charlee!" Lavender pleaded.

"Think about it. Which place in Rome is old enough, secretive enough, and safe enough to hide paperwork hundreds of years old," I stated.

"The Vatican City," Bianca replied immediately and I nodded my head.

"Are you seriously telling me the freaking Pope has the Continuum Files?" Jacob asked.

"Well I'm not sure if the Pope knows about them but I just have a feeling," I replied, wiping my mouth with a napkin and refraining from making eye contact with anyone at the table. I knew how crazy this sounded. It was a long shot, a guess, a Hail Mary. I know they probably all think I'm officially crazy right now but, honestly, no one else had any other ideas.

"So you think, that somehow, R.I.P got access to the Vatican, one of the most strict and protected places in all of Europe? Nay, the world, maybe save for North Korea? Just to hide their paperwork?" Bianca asked.

"Hey, it's not that big of a stretch. Think of what's at stake here. The Continuum Files have information, top secret information, about everyone they've come into contact with. People like the Prime Minister. Or did we all forget that?" Blaire raised her voice coming to my defense. I reached out and she grabbed a hold of my hand.

"It's true, those files have important information, information that a lot of us probably don't know about each other. But it's one thing to break into R.I.P headquarters, run by your own family, and it's another thing to break into the roman catholic headquarters, run by the Pope. I have a feeling one has a longer jail time. It's legally a separate country," Jacob shook his head.

"Who said we'd break in? It's open to the public," Lavender chimed in.

"Yeah but only certain parts and I doubt the Continuum Files are going to be in the Vatican Gift Shop," Bianca reminded us.

"Look, we're running out of time and unless you guys have a better idea I'm going to the Vatican. They close at four," I said getting up from the table. I know they have their doubts and they probably don't believe me but I need to try. If I just sit here eating food and ignoring the fact that someone I care about will get hurt in a few hours I won't be able to live with it.

I'll go to the Vatican and talk to the Pope myself if I have to.

I headed to the guest room and packed a bag. It was no joke that the Vatican has strict rules. The bag can't be larger than 43x35x15 cm and no weapons are allowed. Even for law enforcement officers with a license. Not that mine works anyways, it got suspended by R.I.P.

"We're coming with you, Charlee," Lavender's voice interrupted my thoughts as she and Blaire entered the room.

"You guys believe me?" I asked and they looked briefly at each other.

"We're not going to lie, the plan sounds crazy. Especially because there is no real plan. But we've been through everything together and we're behind you. You wanna go to the Vatican, alright, let's go to the Vatican," Blaire smiled.

"Thanks guys but-" I began.

"No buts, we're coming with you. End of story," Blaire shook her head and I laughed.

"I was just going to say if you want to come you'll have to change into a different outfit. No shorts or sleeveless shirts allowed at the Vatican," I explained and Blaire scoffed but grabbed her suitcase.

Lavender, Blaire, and I headed out on the first train back to Rome. We would have mere hours to find files that we had never seen, in a mysterious city we'd never been to, on a hunch. To call it impossible would be the biggest understatement of the year. Then again, we've thought that before.

Jacob and Bianca stayed behind at the apartment in case they could figure anything out. On the train ride to Rome, we attempted to formulate a half decent plan of where to go and how we'd get in.

"I don't know if it's a good idea but maybe we should split up?" Lavender suggested and we all remained silent for a few seconds, mulling it over.

"I mean, we could cover more ground that way," I added.

"We could but we're really out of our depth here. I think we'll be better if we stick with each other," Blaire said and we ended up agreeing.

"You know what's weird?" Blaire asked a few seconds later.

"What?"

"That your aunt never mentioned where the hard copy of the Continuum Files were. Or that they even existed for that matter. She should've told you when you became the head of R.I.P,"

I stayed quiet for a few seconds and shook my head. Our family has had way too many secrets but this one, this one could lead to the death of many people including my own aunt's. So why would she keep it from me.

"She's either keeping it from me because there's something on the hard copy of those files that she didn't want me to know about. Or she didn't know the hard copy existed herself," I said.

For all of our sakes I hope it isn't the latter. Or else that would mean our mystery assailant knows more about R.I.P than two of its previous leaders and that is probably more scary than any secret hidden in those files.