AN: sorry folks, but Caterina's days are almost up! there are only two more chapters following this one. so, enjoy it while it lasts and frickin' REVIEW!
Chapter Ten: Last Words
Scipio swiftly followed Prosper the next morning, watching as he navigated his way through the endless maze of Venice. Scipio did not recognize the direction Prosper followed, as if he was wary to not bring any drifters along with him. It was a long while before Prop's walk came to an end.
He was in an alley, leading from a canal. Scipio watched him from the mouth of it. Prop knocked on a hidden metal door three fast times. It opened but seconds later.
A figure emerged from the doorway, embracing Prosper. Scipio wasn't sure, but he thought he saw Prosper pull the figure in for a quick kiss. Then he saw what he needed: a long, black, trademark braid hanging down from the figure's head. Hornet's braid.
Silently, Scipio left. He soon found his way through the alleys and found the way back to Ida's house.
He quickly knocked on the door, anxious to tell Ida of his discovery. He wouldn't tell her about the kiss; the pair was in enough trouble already.
Ida answered the door immediately, anxious as well.
"What happened, Scipio?"
He launched into his tale, explaining that he'd just followed Prosper to the Stella and saw that Hornet was there. Ida was instantly relieved, happy that she was safe.
"And Ida? You do know that I will have to inform Signora Grimani of this. She has the right to know of her daughter's whereabouts."
"Yes Scipio. I understand. Victor told me all about the case. And, I must say, I'm actually quite proud of you. Because of you, a family will be reunited," Ida said, smiling.
Scipio nodded in agreement.
"Well, then, run along. I'm sure Signora Grimani is quite anxious to see her daughter. Bye, Scipio!"
"Good-bye, Ida." And with that, he turned to leave, jogging to Signora Grimani's flat.
Hornet walked Prosper to the emergency door earlier than usual; Ida had specifically told him to be back by six.
Prosper kissed her good bye, as always, before he ducked out into the alley to go home.
After a long walk, he was finally back at Ida's.
"I'm back!" Prosper called out into the house. A chorus of hellos answered from the living room. He headed over there.
"Was there anything you wanted, Ida? Besides my being here at six?"
"No, I just wanted you to be safe. I heard there was some police stuff going on around here and I didn't want you to get caught up in any trouble," Ida responded.
Prosper shrugged it off, leaving Ida, Victor, and Bo to their game.
Signora Grimani slowly wandered through the alleyways, following the directions Scipio had given her; she really needed to pay him a lot for all that he'd done.
Eventually, she came upon the little retired movie theater. She carefully pushed the metal emergency door open, trying to be quiet.
She could hear rustling coming from further inside. She followed the noise.
The main auditorium was lit up by dozens of candles, the flames flickering with the wind of some silent passage. There was a sleeping bag in their midsts...but it was empty.
Signora Grimani walked over to the sleeping bag, holding in her delicate hands. It was the same rustling she had heard when she came in. She then heard a bump followed by a quiet curse.
She spun around and encountered her daughter. Her first reaction was to rejoice in ecstasy at the presence of her daughter. Her second reaction was fear.
For Caterina was holding a knife.
Signora Grimani stifled a gasp, not wanting to provoke Caterina. Hornet's face was hard and utterly emotionless, ready to use her makeshift weapon if necessary.
"What is it you come here for?" Caterina asked, raising the knife, trying to be brave.
Signora Grimani did not reply.
Hornet took a step closer. "Why are you here?!" she practically shouted.
This time, Signora was perturbed by her daughter's attitude. "Well I certainly didn't come here to have my own daughter threaten me at knife point!"
Hornet unintentionally flinched away from the ice in her mother's voice. Quickly, she got herself back together, the brave face returning.
"Well, the knife is going to stay until you answer my question!" Caterina shouted.
Frustrated, Signora Grimani crossed her arms across her chest, letting out a huff. "Would you stop making threats to your mother, Caterina?!"
"Not until you answer my questions, woman!" Hornet shouted. "How did you find me? Why did you want to find me? What do you come here for?!"
Exasperated, Signora Grimani surrendered the answers. "I hired a detective to find you for me. After you disappeared, he followed your friend here.
"I wanted to find you because you are my daughter. Simple as that.
"And thirdly, I just wanted to have a little chat with you."
Caterina was shocked, her defenses wavering, the knife shaking in her hand. "A detective? Followed my friend? You had a detective follow Prop?!"
"Oh! So that's your friend's name! Prop! What a strange name," Signora Grimani mused.
"What does it matter to you?"
"Just curious, is all. Where is he?"
Hornet gripped the knife tighter. "Why should I tell you?"
"Well I don't want you here all alone, especially at night. Don't you get scared?"
"I can handle it," stated Hornet bravely.
"What on earth happened to you to make so hard and distrusting?"
"You did."
Signora Grimani flinched at the ice in her daughter's voice.
"Well, if that's how you see it," she hissed, "then I'll just go. I never meant you any harm."
Signora Grimani turned on her heel and began to walk back over to the emergency exit door. Caterina was shocked; she hadn't expected her mother to give up so easily.
As she opened the door, Signora Grimani turned back to her daughter and said, "I just wanted to see my daughter one last time, to tell her I was sorry and that I loved her."
And then she left, quietly sobbing as she closed the metal door behind her.
AN: so, what'd ya think? leave a comment by pushing the bluish button and REVIEWING!!
AN2: some of you may have noticed that i do not post a disclaimer at the begining of chapters anymore. to find this, look at the top of my profile.