Phoenix Fire (Book 2 in the Winter's Series)

Chapter Nine: All Roads Lead to Rome

I awaken just as the blinding light from the wheel well's opening as the maw spreads, preparing for the descent. I need to get off before we land because there are going to be too many people once we touch down. I can do this, I can do this. Just jump Eden, just jump. I prep myself before gripping my duffel bag strap with a death grip and launch myself out of the wheel well. I'm immediately blown back from the sheer force of the plane and see the ground come hurtling towards me. I steer myself away from the planes slipstream and wake turbulence by keeping my arms behind me and maneuvering like a flying squirrel. I just glide until I'm a safe distance away before I use my wings like a parachute to come to a landing area in a vacant pasture. I take a running landing and stumble a little as my legs shake off the pins and needles feeling from being asleep.

I don't know which part of Rome I'm in I'll have to ask someone for directions. I look for a road or some sort of path to follow to civilization. I walk for miles before coming upon a small farmer's house. I walk up the path to the door and give a gentle knock hoping no one knows who I am. The door opens and an older gentlemen with olive skin and deep brown eyes steps out to greet me.

"Ciao." I say to him offering a closed eye smile.

"Ciao. Posso aiutarla?" hello may I help you? He asks

"Puoi mostrarmi la strada per la citta?" can you show me the way to the city?

"Ay si. Seguire questa strada per 5 miglia e poi svoltare sinistra, proseguire dritto per 2 migil poi svoltare a destra." Ah yes, follow this road for 5 miles and then turn left at the cross roads, go straight for 2 miles and then turn right.

"Grazie signore." thank you sir.

"Prego. Ciao." your welcome, bye.

"Ciao" I say and wave goodbye to him before returning to the road and running down the road towards the city. Once I get to the city things should be smooth sailing...

~~~

The city bustles with life, the chattering of passersby fill my ears with the beautiful intonations of Italian. I need to find St. Peter's Basilica and quickly. I look at any signs that say St. Peter on them. Slowly I make my way to the church and go inside. I need to climb up into the dome to the trap door that leads to the secret path way to Giovanni's villa. I need to get a ticket to join the crowd about to go up to view the dome. I need to steal one. Easy enough just simple pocket picking.

I scan the area for anyone with a ticket that they aren't holding in their hands. I lock on to a small group of giddy teenagers standing around waiting for their turn. One of them has their ticket in the side pocket of their book bag. Too bad it's not on her shoulders, and an easy bump and grab is all it will have taken to get that ticket. Still it's a easy grab. I make my way over looking around like I'm sightseeing. I peek over to see if she's paying attention. Of course she's not, she's posting on social media. Perfect. I bend down to tie my shoe and swiftly obtain her ticket, stuffing it up my sleeve and standing back up to look around.

I go back to the line and pass with the crowd showing security my ticket. After a breathless 551 steps, steep steps mind you, to the dome; I wish for death to take me in it's sweet embrace. I look at the faces on walls searching for my trap door. The angel's head that's pupil is hollow is the trap door I need to use. But of all things so copy repetitively the angel's head is one of them. I scan the faces closely examining every minuscule pebble, until I finally see my trap door. The only problem is that opening the trap door will be so loud and there are too many people close by. I can't just whip this puppy open and expect to not cause a scene. I'm going to be sooooo late in getting back to Bucky with all the supplies, he might kill me. Which honestly would be so much more generous than having to walk back up these stairs again. I'm going to have to mark it with something so that I can find it in the dark when I get back up here. I take my ticket out, tearing off a small portion of it and rolling it up. Stuffing it into the small pupil so that I will be able to see it reflecting off the moonlight that will hit it.