Tridas (15 page)

Even with the team strategically
positioned, it appeared the monk had slipped through the gaps. He needed
medical attention, but consensus was he would likely seek out alternative
healing rather than the traditional medicines. Feelers were put out for
unconventional medicine options in the area, but no hits yet. The Department of
the Interior had been looped in on the flight from Thailand. The Italian Inter-forces
had been put on alert regarding the injured monk and local CIA operatives were also
aware and watchful. The more time that passed the greater chance Sihamuni would
escape their grasp.

"The team is on a final 30 minute
sweep of the perimeter then rendezvous at Hotel Fontana. The staff has given us
access to the balcony cameras for review. Perhaps we will stumble upon
Sihamuni's escape route”. Hoyt informed Aven and Kavani. "Let's make our
way over to the fountain”.

"I love the Trevi”. Expressed
Kava. "Too bad it is always swarmed with people. It distracts from the
beauty. Makes it a bit less romantic”.

"Sihamuni must know our
relations with Rome would garner us access to city cams. His best chance of
eluding us might be to get lost in the crowd”. Aven began to reason out loud.
"His saffron robe is pretty distinctive, but I don't see him changing
clothes. His oath seems to be sacred to him. The Trevi camera footage might
prove helpful”.

Kavani grabbed her staff, a bit bothered
by Sihamuni's blood stains soaked up by the wood, yet completely unwilling to
abandon such a powerful tool. Perhaps she could clean it later. The Trevi
Fountain was close and as they approached, the streets grew more and more
crowded. Coming around the bend, the view was magnificent. The entire building was
glowing from the fountain lights. The marble statues appeared gold in the
luminosity of their alcoves. The water was an emerald contrast to the black
sky. The stairs to the fountain as well as the square were packed with people
rubbing shoulder to shoulder for a chance to toss a coin in the magical waters.
Flashes and clicks of cameras merely added to the roar of the onlookers, almost
completely diminishing the rushing sounds from the falls of the fountain. They
proceeded into the lobby of the Hotel Fontana. Hoyt flashed his credentials at
the front desk and they were escorted to the meeting room. Kavani excused
herself after a brief introduction and checked into a balcony room to relax.
Perched above the crowds, the fountain took on a more idealistic marvel. She
could admire the beauty for days, but now she needed some rest. Kava enjoyed
people, but needed her solitude as well. Her craving for adventure was
mitigated by a need to curl up on a comfy couch now and again. Morning was only
a few hours away and who knew what tomorrow would hold. Aven joined her about
an hour later. Entering the room, he tucked in next to her on the couch as she
snuggled into his chest, not really waking up. Her warm body felt nice, as he
brushed the hair off her face and began to rub the small of her back. He was
enjoying the breathtaking view for a long moment. He leaned his head back to
relax and noticed the fountain. It was an incredible view too.

Morning came earlier than either
wanted. They both began to twist and stretch as the sun through the balcony
doors announced that the comfy couch had not proven so comfy. A bit stiff, Kava
reached for her staff to use as a flexing device to stretch out her back. She
couldn't help but notice the blood stains were gone. Grabbing the staff she had
an instant sensation.

"Sihamuni is headed to a
stadium”, Kava exclaimed.

"What?"

"I can see it... the fans, the
structure... It's a futbol match." Kava animatedly, described her vision. "Sihamuni’s
blood is gone on the staff. I think the staff absorbed it. Kind of gross, but
when I grabbed it, I could feel a bond to him".

Just, like he seemed to be able to
know your movements from the forum to the Pantheon. Aven thought.

"I believe there are only two
stadiums in Rome. Could you identify which one? Or eliminate them if he has
left the city?" Aven questioned.

"Maybe... but the game is
Italia v Argentina, the jerseys in the stands were obvious. Where is that game
being played?" Before Aven could respond, Kava had her phone out,
answering her own question. "Olimpico Stadium!"

Aven reported the news to the team.
The city was put on alert, focused on the routes from the Pantheon to the
stadium. Almost immediately a patch came through from the State Police
patrolling the Autostrada.

"A bridge security camera
flagged a person meeting the description crossing the Fiume Tevere on the Viale
dei Gladiatori."

"Is he on foot?" Commander
asked.

"Affirmative”.

"From that crossing, how long will
it take to walk to the Olympic Stadium?"

"Just under an hour”.

"How old is the footage?"

"Time stamped 4 hours and 20
minutes ago”.

"Keep us informed on any
further hits”.

The patch call ended and the
Commander shifted his attention to the team. "The crowd situation in and
around the stadium will be dense. In likely every scenario, he will see us
coming. Let's go in low key. Don't spook him, but if he bolts, move him in a
path that we control. He is dangerous. We don't completely understand, but
traditional weapons may not have any effect on him. We are dealing with a
situation beyond the norm. Be creative and be safe. Departing for the stadium
in 15”.

Aven relayed the intel to Kavani.

"There is possibly an even
stronger tie between Sihamuni and me. I can't go to the stadium or he will see
us coming. For me staying in one spot seems an obvious decoy, especially if he
suspects a link between us. If he tracks me in the same fashion I
experienced... he knows the visions to be a bit unclear, a snapshot of my
location. I could go to the other stadium. Flaminio Stadium is not far from
Olimpico, but I could travel around the Villa Borghese, so as not to look like
we are taking a direct path and to keep your approach completely
separate."

"I like the idea of you being
close”, Aven smiled. "I believe you are the chosen one to bring an end to
this event and I think you may also be the only one able to stop Sihamuni. Do
you think your sisters may have ideas on "cloaking your presence" so
you can get close to him?"

"Reaching out to Malin and
Citlalli is a great thought. Their powers can assist me in our task, they
simply cannot look on him directly. I would like to learn more about that as
well”. Kava confirmed as her mind started trailing off with questions.

"I need to rendezvous with the
team”.

They kissed, obsessed with one
another.

"Be safe. You only get to die
once”. Kavani comforted as Aven looked back and smiled.

The team was being transported to
the edge of the stadium district, and then would enter on foot from different
directions to scout the classic oval arena. Public cameras inside the stadium
were limited, but were also being monitored to give further direction. Sihamuni
had not yet reappeared on any feeds since his bridge crossing.

Aven suggested that he and Hoyt hang
back. Sihamuni could recognize them and Hoyt's size was easy to spot in any
crowd.

"Hungry?" Aven asked.

"Always”, came Hoyt's standard
response.

The Cuccurucu restaurant was a nice
option as they entered Capoprati Park. They found a veranda seat overlooking the
Tiber and the Milvian Bridge.

"A little dreamy oasis, huh
Aven?" Hoyt smirked. "I know I am ruggedly handsome, but I think you
should save these romantic gestures for Kavani”.

"Sit down and shut up... You
can't tell me the wood-fired pizzas don't smell amazingly good."

"Good call." Hoyt took a
seat and grabbed the menu.

Aven began to relay Kava's plan.
"I have done my best to keep Kava's part in this under the radar, but the
reality is that she is the key to stopping this disaster from taking
place."

"Sometimes it just feels like
we are on a wild goose chase." Hoyt admitted. "Trying to decipher the
code, the team has been from Russia to Italy via Thailand, and apprehended or
at least encountered the critical targets, but we don't seem to be any further
ahead or even know what we are trying to stop. Throw in all your magic
garbly-goo, and I feel like I don't know what to think. Getting Sihamuni off
the streets would be an obvious positive, but is that even possible?"

"It is for Kavani, but she has
to find a way to stealthily move against him”. Aven suggested with a little
desperation in his voice. He was very comfortable around Hoyt. "Let's
order some pizza."

In Aven's absence, Kavani was met by
Citlalli as she exited the hotel.

"You rest in the presence of the
Trivium my sister”. Citlalli offered in her greeting.

"The fountain is beautiful,
even more so at night." Kavani agreed.

"Not just beauty, but wisdom
and power." Citlalli continued. "It is the intersection point of
three crossing paths. The main statue does not represent Neptune as many
suppose, but Ocean, the personification of an immense river that flows around
the earth and from which all sources of water were born. Neptune has often a
triton in hand and a dolphin following him, but see the wand in Ocean's hand is
straight and thick, like your staff. The restless horse represents the violent
strength of the sea. The calm horse is instead a symbol of the tranquil
property of the sea."

Kavani descended the stairs to the
large semicircle basin and plunged her staff into the pool. She could feel the
waters cleansing her aura. Visions were rapidly filling her mind that she could
not process in the moment, but knew they would make plain pending details in
her near future. The voice of Ocean did carry power and wisdom. She lifted her
staff slowly from the water. "I am free of the bond with the monk”.

Turning around to face Citlalli,
"I must join Aven at the stadium”.

"You must listen to your heart,
Chosen one", Citlalli advised prudently.

Kavani stopped and turned back to
face the statue of Ocean. "Aven has throughout time taught me the
strategic advantages of a plan. The plan may fail due to lack of details yet
revealed, but communication is key to success. We should proceed to the
alternative stadium".

"Agreed! Malin waits for us in
the gardens of the Villa Borghese".

The gardens truly are the 'green
heart' of Rome, but the tourists rolling through on Segways took away from the
connection with the past. Entering the Galleria, they found Malin entranced at
the foot of Bernini's sculpture of
Apollo and Daphne.
Not ready to
interrupt, the sisters absorbed the beauty of the statue. The marble gave way
to life, expressing the anguish of Daphne fleeing Apollo's chase due to cupid's
love repelling arrow. The inscription revealing:

'Destroy the beauty that has injured me, or
change the body that destroys my life’.

Malin
began to speak in almost a whisper, "Before her prayer was ended, torpor
seized on all her body, and a thin bark closed around her gentle bosom, and her
hair became as moving leaves; her arms were changed to waving branches, and her
active feet as clinging roots were fastened to the ground—her face was hidden
with encircling leaves".

"She
was a water Nymph, daughter of the river God Peneus, child of Ocean”, Citlalli
added.

"Apollo
loved the tree, clung to it and kissed it”. Malin continued. "Reach out to
hear her voice Kavani. The Nymph is a divine spirit chosen to animate nature.
She sees the actions of nature and is not restricted to the mortal plane".

Kavani
touched the trunk of the statue, the metamorphous of Daphne's flesh into bark.
Her own hand began to rest still, as her skin took on a woodland texture. The
connection was strong filling her mind with visions of tidal waves and death.
She pulled away from the statue and her hand returned to normal. "She
revealed a clearer image of what I first saw at Chichen Itza, but this vision
also included a location... Zavodovski Island”.

"Thank
you Laurel Naiad", Malin whispered as she lay a hand on Daphne.

The
match was 68 minutes in at the Olimpico Stadium. None of the entrance
attendants had identified Sihamuni, nor had anyone at the ticketing gates. The
team had scoured the crowd with spectator lens', as well as field cameras from
the press box to no avail. Aven and Hoyt had arrived at the stadium to
reassemble with the advance team and fit together the pieces.

"Do
you think Kava missed it?" Hoyt asked Aven, before anything had really
gotten underway.

Aven's
look was enough of an answer.

The
Commander was reviewing the schematics of the stadium, when he stopped short,
"Who swept the team locker rooms?"

Silence!

Hoyt
jumped up, as the Commander hollered out the shortest directions to the outside
player's entrance. Aven looked out the press box window assessing the situation
on the pitch.

"Can
you get me on the field?" Aven asked the Senior Security Operations
Manager.

"Take
this press pass and follow me".

Almost
immediately Aven was escorted on to the field and was descending the players
tunnel. The Operations Manager proceeded toward the Roma locker rooms, but Aven
paused at the turn, his intuition leading him the opposite way.

"Can
you stand guard here as I check the visitor's side?" Aven asked.

Not
really waiting for permission, Aven entered the cement passageway leading to
the guest facilities. The room was relatively blasé, aside from the players
gear filling the open lockers and spilling onto the benches. The Armani hanging
in about every third cabinet, gave the decor a splash of pizzazz. Rounding the
showers into the training room, Aven was almost shocked to see the monk seated
on one of the massage tables. Sihamuni turned to acknowledge Aven's presence,
with no shock at all in his reaction. Instead a smirk flashed across his face,
"You are a pawn in this battle. At best, your Priestess' Knight".