Bo: She doesn't own Thief Lord.
Me: Thanks Bo. You're such a sweetie.
Bo: *:D*
Maria
"Where are they, Marco?" I asked, slumping down in one of the old theatre seats and putting my head in my hands. "Where are they?"
Marco took a seat beside me, wrapping an arm around my shoulders. "When I see that Thief Lord again, I'm going to wring his neck."
I sighed, seeing no point in telling him not to. I thought about where they could've gone. Checking Marco's watch, I saw that it was almost two thirty. Depending on where Hornet had been taken, they'd be back soon. Scip and said something about leaving at midnight.
"Marco, why don't we wait to see if they come back at the canal?" I asked. He shrugged and nodded.
"It seems likely they would. I mean, they'll come back here eventually, but I don't want to wait to punch the pulp out of Scipio Massimo." He spat Scip's name like it had a foul taste.
"Yeah, yeah. Come on." We left the Stella and made our way to the canal. Taking up a place in the shadows of a building, we we're able to watch the canal easily, and not be seen by any late-night wanderers.
"Mar, do you see that?" Marco whispered minutes after we'd settled in.
I could hear the drone of a small engine. "Motor boat?" I guessed, and he nodded. I looked at the boat he was implying, and saw the boat, filled to the brim with nine people.
"I think it's them," I said, seeing the beak of Scipio's mask outlined in the moonlight.
Scipio
two hours earlier
"Does everyone understand the plan?" I asked as we pulled up to the small dock on the island. They all nodded, and the orphans, and Kat, climbed out after me. Ida and Victor stayed in the boat.
"I'm not sure how long we'll be gone, but stall if someone comes along. Make sure you're always able to get away, if you need to," I said, and Ida nodded. Victor was inspecting the engine.
"I'll work on this engine while you're gone. We'll say we had engine problems," he said, and I nodded.
"Good luck," I said with a soft smile.
"You too," Ida whisper-shouted to the group at large. She received a few waves and smiles in return, then I led the others away from the shore. At a clump of trees, we split into groups, Mosca, Bo and Kat, Prop, Riccio and I. Mosca, Bo and Kat would wait until we got into the warehouse, then would follow in disguise.
"You've got what you need?" I asked. Mosca nodded and rummaged through the pack.
"Yep, I've got the right one. Do you need anything else, Prop?" he asked. Prop shook his head, also looking through the pack to make sure.
"Good. We'll see you on the other side," I said, and we set off. I glanced back to see Mosca picking out the face paint, and Kat grabbed Bo's hand. I could see the blush creeping up on his face, and I laughed to myself.
Prop, Riccio and I crept towards the door of the warehouse. Prop and Riccio stationed themselves on either side of the door. Prop took out the wooden dowels and threw one to Riccio, and then a hat. Prop armed himself with the other dowel. I pulled off my mask.
I knocked.
After a moment, the door creaked open, and a man, in his late thirties, looks out. "Master Scipio, we weren't expecting you," he said in a hushed tone. "Your father said that you weren't coming until tomorrow."
"Today. He said that before midnight. Technically, it is tomorrow," I reasoned.
The man stared bemusedly back. "As you say, Master Scipio." He coughed and glanced around. He didn't see Prop or Riccio. "You've come to inspect?"
"Yes," I said and followed the man inside. Prop and Riccio slipped in after me, and hid in the shadows as the door swung closed. I motioned for them to go find Hornet as I kept the man busy. "Has the Vargo girl made any attempt to rescue the orphan?" I asked.
"Not yet, Master Scipio. We're still waiting for intel on her. Apparently, the group of orphans that live with the girl are coming to rescue her tomorrow!" He laughed. "Like that'll happen, eh, Master Scipio?"
I cracked a small smile, and caught sight of Prop moving through the shadows, towards the back of the warehouse. Riccio was mimicking his movements on the other side.
"Where is the orphan?" I asked loudly.
"We've got her in a store room at the back," the man said, loud enough for Prop and Riccio to hear. "Shall I show you the rest of the operation, Master Scipio?"
I nodded, and he led me to the doors. I leaned against one, to open it slightly. The sign for Mosca, Bo and Kat to get in here. The man prattled on about their shipping of goods, which went all over the world. He was interrupted by a knock on the door.
"What now?" the man asked. He opened the door and came face to face with a death mask.
"Surprise," Mosca said, and he hit the man over the head. We bound and gagged him with a length of the rope. Then, Mosca and Bo dragged him to the corner. I grabbed the key from the unconscious man.
Bo and Kat had already made their way to the back of the warehouse. Kat's face was done up in war paint, while Bo had simple black streaks. Mosca's face looked like a skull.
"You did a good job with the paint, Mosc," I said as we followed the two eight year olds.
"Kat did it. She's a wonder with make-up. Mar probable taught her," Mosca said, grinning. I smiled, Maria probably had taught her little sister something about make-up.
"We found her!" Prop called to us, and we hurried over. I checked my watch, is was just after one thirty in the morning.
I handed the key over, and as soon as it was unlocked, Prop was inside, at Hornet's side in an instant. Mosca gave him the pocket knife, and he cut through Hornet's bonds. She groaned but didn't wake up.
"Come on, I have a feeling there'll be more guards coming," I said. It seemed unlikely that there would be only one person standing watch that night. As Prop gathered Hornet into his arms, Bo ran to the door of the room she had been in. Using the lipstick, he wrote a message.
"Tricked you! From, those meddling orphans," I read, and he grinned.
"You know, like that American TV show, Scooby whats-it," he informed me. I ruffled his hair, and Kat was smiling ear to ear.
"Scooby Doo, Boniface," she said, tutting and grabbing his hand. He blushed.
"Let's get out of here," Prop said. This place gives me the creeps." He adjusted his hold on Hornet slightly before walking towards the front of the warehouse.
I poked my head outside first. What I saw didn't bode well for our easy escape. "Riccio, check for a back door, quickly!" He and Mosca darted off to look around.
"Nothing," Mosca informed me when they returned moments later.
"Merda. Alright, follow me, quickly now." I slipped out of the warehouse and into the shadows immediately, pulling on my mask as I did so. I motioned for the next people to follow, and Bo and Kat ran out to follow me, holding hands. Prop followed, then Riccio and Mosca. Hornet was still unconscious in Prop's arms.
We moved through the trees and dense brush that surrounded the warehouse, trying to get to the shore. Eventually, I figured out that the only way out was right through the mass of people standing on the beach, talking to Ida and Victor, who were feigning an immobile boat.
"What do we do now, Scip?" Kat asked, eyes wide.
"Let me think a minute," I said. "Mosca, Riccio, can you get us a distraction?" They nodded. "We have to get Hornet back to the boat, and Bo and Kat. If you can distract those people long enough for us to do that, go to the other side of the island, and we'll pick you up."
Riccio grinned. "This ought to be fun, eh, Mosc?" The dark skinned boy laughed quietly.
Suddenly, both tore through the trees and out into the field. "Hey! You people! Yeah, you! Come get us, why don't you?" Riccio called. It had the desired effect, and the group followed the boys racing away from them.
"Go!" I said, and Prop raced to the boat, followed by Bo and Kat, then me. Suddenly, a hand shot out and grabbed Kat. Bo stopped and wheeled around to face the man who had grabbed the girl.
"Let me go!" she squeaked, hitting the man with all her might.
I was about to intervene when Bo jumped forward and kicked the man in the shins. For a gangly orphan boy, Bo had something to his kicks. The man dropped to his knees, and Bo kicked him in the crotch and stomach. He let Kat go, and I gave the man a punch to the face to finish him off.
Kat threw herself at Bo in a hug, but I hauled them off. "Later, but not now. We've got to go rescue Mosca and Riccio," I said. They climbed into the boat, and I started the engine.
"Get low," I said. "We'll circle the island, but I don't what you guys in sight." Everyone in the boat ducked as low as they could.
About a minute from where we had been docked, we found Mosca and Riccio running out of the forest. I pulled in as close as I could, and they waded through the water and hopped in.
"Nice night for a run, eh, Riccio?" Mosca asked.
"Sure was Mosca." The two bantered back and forth for a moment longer as I wheeled the boat around and aimed towards the mainland. Glancing back, I saw the group of people who had been chasing Mosca and Riccio standing on the shore.
"Are they gonna chase us?" Bo asked, one arm around Kat.
I shook my head and then glanced at my watch. Two o'clock in the morning.
The boat ride home consisted of Victor filling me in on what had happened after we'd left the boat, Mosca and Riccio telling the story of their chase twice to everyone on the small boat, and Ida trying to wake Hornet up.
We didn't gain much of a result. "Prosper," she muttered and cuddled deeper into his chest. Prop pressed a kiss to the top of her head, whispering to her. She obviously knew she was with him, as she smiled.
Ida sighed, looking at the couple. "Well, she's no longer unconscious, but she's not awake either. She's sort of in limbo-" she began, and then Prop stiffened, making her fall silent.
Hornet muttered something, and Prosper pulled her closer. "It's alright, Hornet, it's us. You're safe," he said.
Then, she blinked. I slowed the boat, not wanting her to be startled and possibly fall overboard. Hornet blinked twice more, then her eyes went wide. "Prop?" she whispered, and he smiled. "Oh my God!"
Prop pulled her in for a kiss and I sped the boat up again. Bo looked away from his brother and his girlfriend, but Kat sighed happily. She cuddled closer to Bo, who blushed, but held her to him anyway. I smiled and shook my head, focusing on the journey.
"You guys did it!" Hornet exclaimed after she and Prop had said their hellos. "Thank you so much!" She kissed Prop on the cheek, and he blushed.
"Hey, Hornet, we saved you too, where are our kisses?" Riccio asked. Hornet smiled and shook her head exasperatedly. She leaned over and gave Riccio and Mosca a peck on the cheek, ruffled Bo's hair and smiled at me.
"Thank you," she said.
I looked at my watch as we neared Venice. The entire boat trip and taken almost half an hour, it was now two-thirty. Our boat fell into the light of a street lamp, and then out of it just as quickly.
I saw a figure approaching the boat, feminine. "Everyone get down," I whispered, pulling my mask off of my face as we approached the side of the canal. The girl stopped beside the boat, where only I was visible.
"Scipio, what are you doing out so late?" she asked, tucking a piece of brown hair behind her ear, and it was only then that I recognized her. It was Ariana, the daughter of me of my father's clients.
"Ariana, I might ask the same thing," I said, climbing out of the boat and tying it.
She smiled seductively. "Call me Aria. I was out for a midnight stroll, looking for my favourite boy." As she said it, she trailed a finger down my chest. I realized she'd probably been sent to find me, and the others wouldn't be able to get out of the boat with her there.
"I see. Likewise, I was out for a midnight boat ride," I said, smirking.
"Scip, it's been so long since we've seen each other. Aren't you going to greet me like old times?" she asked, and I found my opportunity. Smirking, I pulled her to me and lowered my mouth to hers. She pulled me down even further, drawing out the kiss.
A/N: Don't hurt me! Well, Hornet's back, and everyone got out unscathed. Mostly. Umm, I'm already working on the next chapter, so it's going to be up soon. And Kat, now you can finish your disclaimer from chapter five!
Kat: Oh, yeah! Ahem... ready, Bo?
Bo: *blushes* Okay, Kat. Umm, she doesn't own anything you recognize in this fanfic.
Kat: Things such as Italy, any Thief Lord characters, like Bo, for example...
Bo: *:D*
Kat:... and she made up me, Maria and Marco, our parents and the servants from her head. And the girl that Scipio kisses! There. Said it!
Me: *whistles* Hehe, nice job, you two!
Scipio: I said not to put me in such a bad light! Ariana is annoying and clingy. I much prefer Maria.
Me: *laughs* We'll see how she feels about that, Señor Massimo. Until next time!
~nerdy
Translations: (Italian - English)
merda - shit