And so we're getting to the finale of this story. You were all great with your follows, favorites and reviews and it needs to be said it's also thanks to those I keep writing!

I hope you'll enjoy this last read and, remember, your comments are still more than welcome.


.

Chapter 4:

At any other time, driving in Rome would be considered stressful and dangerous as traffic laws weren't often followed or enforced. So going into a wild pursuit on a Vespa would be suicidal at best. However, there was no time to ponder about this. They were professionals and there was no way they would allow a killer to get away.

Tim and Ziva had just left the Colosseum and stopped to check the map before heading towards the next item on their to-see list, the Circus Maximus, famous for Ben Hur's legendary chariot race, when Tim almost got run over by one of those ridiculously small cars. It was thanks to Ziva's lightning-fast reaction that Tim didn't end up in hospital.

While Tim's eyes had still been on the map, Ziva had happened to witness why the car had careened their way. The driver had been trying to avoid a Vespa, that suddenly and without any apparent reason had lurched dangerously close.

However, it had taken Ziva but a split second to recognize the guy who had caused the near fatal accident. It was the young man from the picture Tim had shown her; the one they both suspected to be Beaumont's killer.

It transpired that Tim had also spotted him among the lookers-on, obviously watching the effects of his handiwork, and he hurriedly scrambled back to his feet.

Deciding his plan hadn't been all that successful as he'd thought, their suspect opened up the throttle and sped off.

Without giving it a second thought, Tim curtly ordered an other young man to step off, what looked like, his brand new Vespa, and waiting just long enough for Ziva to position herself behind him and hold on tight, Tim buzzed after their fleeing suspect.

It seemed Ziva would have her ride on a Vespa scooter after all!

They were unarmed and had no jurisdiction, but at least they were bound to attract the Carabinieri. And it didn't take long before the Italian police did take notice!

Good!

They raced along the Via Appia Antica, lined with tombs, past the Baths of Caracalla, the Aurelian Walls, Porta Sebastiano...the Villa dei Quintili, and barely noticed the beautiful landmarks and silent witnesses of a glorious past.

At some point, the road became really dangerous with pedestrians walking on the narrow street for lack of sidewalks!

Tim and Ziva were almost victorious at the Mausoleum of Caecilia Metella where a load of tourists were stepping down a coach and put up an effective roadblock. But the tourists, like a flock of frightened sheep, hurried out of the way of the rapidly approaching Vespas with the Carabinieri hot on their heels.

The scooters and tailing police car pursued their way unhindered.

At the stretch between milestones IV and V, Tim very nearly lost control of his scooter when both Vespas sped over a spot of rather irregular flagstones and he felt as if his heart was about to burst from his chest. A sharp intake of breath near his left ear told him Ziva had equally been startled.

The daring chase ended into a take-down near one of the worst patches of antique Roman cobbles on the ancient Appian Way.

The suspect, high on the adrenaline and truly believing he could pull off this Paris-Dakar experience suddenly lost control when he wanted to take a turn but failed to anticipate the roadworks ahead on that road, having missed the temporary signs. He went down hard when, trying to maneuver the Vespa on the rough terrain, he still hit an obstacle in his eagerness to get rid of his pursuers.

He got back on his feet and took off again. He kept going, intending on finishing this unexpected parcours and get away. However, the next obstacle proved, quite literally, his downfall.

Tim slowed down but still managed to skid on the uneven and pot hole ridden gravel surface, landing both himself and Ziva rather unceremoniously in the Roman dirt.

The Carabinieri, blaring sirens finally petering out with a whine, pulled up and positioned their vehicle across the road, blocking the exit, knowing there was no escape from this roadwork site with the many obstructions.

Tim and Ziva stepped aside when the local police officers rushed past them to arrest the suspect.

They stood staring at each other, a little breathless from the wild race which had taken them from the chaos of the city, through streets broad and narrow, along a historical road from before Jezus' birth to the peace of the countryside.

Tim saw Ziva's eyes slightly widen and then point towards his knees, barely stifling a laugh. Looking down, he noticed they were bleeding and he rolled his eyes. Great! He was sporting a pair of scraped knees just like some school kid.

He shrugged dismissively. "Just a scrape, Zee."

Riding a scooter in capris maybe hadn't been the most sensible thing to do, but then it wasn't like he had any choice, had he.

-o0o-

They'd all made it back to the city and it didn't take all that long for the young man, one Mario Rossini, to confess.

L'Ispettore Fragapane - "call me Antonino" - and his team had successfully uncovered a drug trafficking gang operating in Rome of which the young man was a member.

Trouble had started when Jason Beaumont, on Friday night, had accidentally made some snapshots of an important drug deal transaction being carried out near his hotel. According to Rossini, Beaumont had become too curious for his own good and even found a way to get in touch and have dinner with the young man's sister. She had even accompanied him to his hotel room, afterwards!

Rossini, however, sickly protective of his sister, had decided he was to defend the family honor - and at the same time protect his criminal fraternity - by 'doing away with' the man who was taking advantage of his sister with – he insisted in his– the sole purpose of bringing down the gang.

The next day, he went to her apartment giving her the riot act as well as quizzing her for details on who Beaumont was and what he was doing in Rome. There were threats and she begged him to leave which he did, apparently with a fair amount of drama, though he did stay on the lookout.

She'd left her apartment soon after him and he'd followed her to Beaumont's hotel room. Once more, he lay in wait till she and the American had slipped out his room early in the morning. The man had accompanied her back to her apartment.

Rossini, mad as hell, then shadowed Beaumont till he got the perfect opportunity to dispose of the American.

Of course, he also had his suspicions that Beaumont had shared his 'evidence' with Tim and when he actually saw his sister deliver a fat A4 envelope at the front desk of Tim and Ziva's hotel... Well, there was only this one thing he could do: eliminate Beaumont's friend.

Freaking nuts, he was.

-o0o-

Mini Epilogue:

After a long and invigorating shower in the refined marble bathroom, Tim and Ziva went up to the very large rooftop terrace where an abundance of flowers were giving off an intense fragrance.

They lay back on the comfortable couches, a cool cocktail in their hands and enjoying the sight and muted sounds of the Eternal City. It was so peaceful, up there, and the illuminated and colorful skyline provided an exotic and the most romantic backdrop.

She darted a glance at him and looked quickly away.

He darted a glance at her and shifted uncomfortably.

She got up and walked over to the hedge of plants which concealed the wrought iron railing and watched in awe, taking a sip from her glass. This was indeed the most stunning view, she thought.

He carefully set his long drink on the small side table and also got to his feet, sauntering over to stand beside her, enjoying the scent of her delicate perfume.

She put down her glass on the table beside her and turned towards him, looking him in the eyes. He noticed how the candle light flickering on a nearby table reflected in her eyes wonderfully. Played in her eyes.

Enchanting.

This was the ideal occasion to be bold. It was now or never. Before he knew what he was doing, he cupped her cheeks in his hands and kissed her...

FINE


Thank you all!