Chapter 10

In the morning, Scipio returned to the church bearing news of the missing two, among other things.

"What happened?" Alex asked, walking slowly with Scipio out from behind the dilapidated altar where the children had slept. Scipio only shook his head. Alex stalled for something else to say, finally tugging at his tailored jacket and saying

"I like this look-" but she stopped when he flinched.

"Che cosa รจ esso?" she asked, quietly though with evident panic in her voice. Again he shook his head, watching the others gather up the few blankets they had brought with them.

"Tell me!" she hissed, under her breath still so as not to startle the others. Scipio did not answer immediately, instead he waited until the three boys had passed them before leading her behind an extremely large buttress, which successfully blocked them from view of anyone who might re-enter the church. He carefully unbuttoned his jacket and pulled up the shirt underneath to reveal a massive bruise, already a painful shade of violet and immensely swollen.

"Happy!?" he asked, his words icy but the pain evident on his face.

"Of course I'm not happy, how could you ask that?" Alex was hurt by such an implication, as Scipio pulled the shirt back down and began to re-button his jacket.

"What did he do?" She added, when he did not immediately reply.

"I showed up at the house, and he hit me." he replied, trying to regain a little honor by putting on a nonchalant face.

"He did that by hitting you?" She asked, rather impressed.

"No, that's from when he kicked me." Scipio replied, brushing past her roughly on his way out. She wanted to say something, to make him feel better. But instead she simply followed him out of the church.

The children made their way to Victor's office, Scipio had begun talking wildly of his plans to ride the merry-go-round while Alex did her best to take Prosper's mind off the lack of his little brother. Outside of the snoops office, they waited, Prosper leading the pack with a bat in hand. But when their attempt to intimidate Victor failed, they allowed themselves to be led up to his office. It was then that Victor revealed the Conte's money was fake. Riccio and Mosca flew into a rage, while Scipio kept ashamedly quiet.

"I suggest we find Signora Spavento, she may be able to help us sort this out." Victor suggested, a look of deep respect for these world-worn kids resonating in his eyes.

On their way to Ida's, the children stopped at the Stella one last time to collect their personal items and Bo's kittens. At Casa Spavento, Mosca recanted the wretched story to Ida while the others, even the overweight housekeeper, listened in silence.

"This is really all my fault. I shouldn't have let you children keep the wing." Ida despaired, once Mosca had finished.

"It's too late for shouldnt's." Prosper said sullenly.

"What's important now is getting Hornet and Bo back." Alex said, in a rush to dispel the crushing anxiety that filled the empty spaces between the group. Scipio placed a comforting hand on her back, causing Alex to look over at him and give the most pathetic look he had ever seen. Somehow, Scipio had failed to realize the effect that all this was having on their new friend.

"Bo is with the prickly Aunt and Uncle, that is for sure. But where could Hornet be?" Victor frowned. Ida seemed deep in thought, until she spoke.

"The Merciful Sisters. That's where they took me when I was caught living in an abandoned house in Carneggio." Victor nodded his approval of this theory, though he showed minor surprise at this revelation.

Ida frowned again.

"Does anybody know her real name?"

Retrieving Hornet from the Merciful Sisters was incredibly easy. The same could not be said for Bo, who was kept under the watchful eye of a Nanny at all hours of the day. Scipio was worried because Alex was worried about Prosper being too worried about Bo, so in attempt to keep her at ease, Scipio stayed the night with them at Casa Spavento, sensing that his problems with his father only pained her more. But he wouldn't complain, a night away from his father in the company of his only friends was just fine with him.

Ida had been adamant about the children staying in her house, and they had been more then happy to accept her offer. But the next morning, Scipio returned to 223 Fondamenta Bollani. Scip and Alex's goodbyes were very stiff but not without real feeling. Alex didn't show it, but deep down she was praying with all her might that he'd return to them unharmed. Ultimately her prayers would fall on deaf ears.