Chapter 14 The Ride of a Lifetime

When Abby got back to Casa Massimo it was getting dark. She snuck back into her room and took off her jacket and boots and put on her blue ballerina flats. She opened the door to her room and walked down the stairs for dinner.

As she entered, Scipio and Dottor where sitting at the table starting dinner

"Abigail, I thought you were not going to join use for dinner. Scipio said that you were not feeling well and that you were not to be disturbed." Dottor remarked as he served himself a helping of mashed potatoes.

"I am feeling much better and kind of hungry" Abigail replied sitting down at the table next to Scipio. Scipio passed the food to her and she took some.

"There is no more foolishness going on in this house is there?" Dottor asked eyeing them.

"No" Scipio said looking down.

"Good, my brother comes tomorrow and we will knock some sense and discipline into the both of you" Dottor said.

After dinner Abby and Scipio went upstairs to their rooms.

"How bad was the beating?" Abby asked Scipio

"Pretty bad, worst one yet, I think" Scipio replied.

"Go change Thief Lord" Abby said kissing him on the cheek.

After she had changed into her Thief Lord gear, she crawled out of her window and made her way to the alleyway. She ran across the bridge and opened the door to the Russio Mansion. She went to her parent's bedroom and grabbed some of her father's clothes that matched Scipio's Thief Lord outfit. She stuffed those into a bag. She went into her mother's closet and took out black jean leggings, a white loose fitting blouse, and black ankle boots. She stuffed those into the same bag as she left the mansion. Locking the door she could hear shouting from the Massimo Mansion. She climbed up to her window and crawled into her room. She put the bag down by the window and ran into the hallway.

"I knew you had something to do with the kids at the Stella, Scipio" She heard Dottor scream

A sound of leather hitting skin and Scipio cried out in pain. Abby ran faster the hallway seemed to stretch on forever.

As she entered the study she saw Dottor standing over a shirtless Scipio with a belt in his hand.

She felt something red hot boiling inside of her and for a moment all she could see was the hurting Scipio, looking away from her ashamed. This was the first time that she actually witnessed it first - hand.

"Stop hitting him" Abby yelled at Dottor

"I am his father, he must be taught a lesson" Dottor shouted back

"Not like this. Of course we spend all of our time away from you. You are nothing more than garbage. You are a hateful, oppressive monster. Scipio is ashamed of you." Abby shot back.

"It is time you got taught a lesson too" Dottor started coming toward her.

Abby back away scared. She didn't know what to do next. All of a sudden Scipio jumped up and stood in between Dottor and Abby.

"You will NEVER harm her or me ever again" Scipio said with his fist clenched.

Scipio raised his right arm and swung it at his father. The blow landed across Dottor's left cheek sending him to the ground hard.

Abby grabbed Scipio's shirt and coat as they ran out of the room into Abby's bedroom. Scipio put on his shirt, coat, and mask as Abby opened the window and dropped the bag to the alley below. They climbed down and Abby picked up the bag as they ran to Casa Spavento. They climbed to the roof and jumped down an open window. There was Prosper sleeping. Hornet slept on a cot next to him.

"Prosper" Scipio whispered as he shook him.

Prosper bolted upright. After realizing that it was Scipio and Abby he started to wipe the sleep from his eyes. He pulled a blue sweatshirt over him and put on jeans and sneakers. They made their way to Massimo's boat which was tied up by the Stella.

"Ready to take the ride of a lifetime. When you get back you won't have to worry about your aunt and uncle anymore." Abby said as they all climbed into the boat. Prosper pushed the boat away from the dock as Scipio drove the boat toward the island they had seen the Conte enter.

Once they reached the island, Scipio maneuvered the boat to the back so that no one would find it or them.

All three climbed over a wall surrounding the island. They stopped once they reached the top.

"See no dogs at the back" Scipio said to Abby and Prosper, jumping down. Prosper jumped down while Scipio helped Abby get down.

"I don't need you treating like a fragile little girl" She whispered to Scipio. Scipio blushed, he didn't mean to he just didn't want her to get hurt.

They made their way through the garden when they heard the sound of dogs barking behind them. They spun around to find two big black dogs barking furiously at them.

"Don't move, if we run they will rips to shreds," Prosper whispered to Scipio and Abby.

"What is going on here." An 8 year old blonde haired girl emerged from the darkness

"Who are you" she asked

"We want to see the Conte" Abby stated

"We were cheated out of our payment" Scipio added

"Fine, this way. Don't try to run my dogs are faster than you" the girl said leading them to the house.

The house was less of a house and more like mansion that nature had taken back. Vines grew out the windows and around door frames. The girl lead them to the entrance. There was an 11 year old boy with black hair playing with a train set.

"Renzo, the Thief Lords and their friend are here to see you. Something about fake money and a merry - go - round.I think we should feed them to the dogs" the girl stated crossing her arms staring at the three.

" Sorry for my sister's rudeness. As for the fake money that was Barbarossa's idea. Otherwise we could not afford to pay you." The boy stayed seated but looked up at the three.

"Your the Conte" Abby said amazed.

"Yes" the boy replied

"The merry - go - round works" Scipio whispered to Prosper and Abby.

"We will pay for your services with a ride on the merry - go - round. That is why you are here right?" the Conte look at the three

"Yes" Scipio and Abby said in unison. Prosper looked at them

"Very well this way" Conte got up and lead the three followed by the girl to the back yard. The dogs barked in the distance and the girl when to go check on them.

"We want to ride the merry - go - round forward." Scipio told the Conte as they came upon the wooden merry - go - round.

"In order to go forward you must ride one of the water creatures" the Conte instructed

"I have dibs on the mermaid" Abby said, "turn around I have to change. I don't want to rip my clothes"

Abby changed into her mother's clothes and gave Scipio an outfit from her father's clothes. He went to change behind some bushes.

"Do you want the seahorse or the merman?" Abby asked handing an extra outfit to Prosper.

"I don't know if I can do this. I mean problems don't go away as you get older" Prosper said staring at the clothes.

"But Prop, as an adult you can deal with them however you want to." Abby said still holding the clothes out to Prosper.

"Bo wants me as a brother, not as a father" Prosper said looking down

"Suit yourself" Scipio emerged from behind the bushes, "Conte looks like it is just me and Abby."

Abby got onto the mermaid and in front of her Scipio mounted the seahorse.

The Conte turned the wooden handle and the creatures started spinning forward. At first it was fine, but then the spinning became faster and faster. There was smoke coming from the wheels turning the merry - go - round. Abby and Scipio were transported through a tunnel, it shimmered a turquoise making look almost like thick water. Scipio looked back a Abby.

"Abby" He shouted to her "I love you more than you would ever know"

"Scip" She shouted back " I love you more than you would ever know"

Then they heard Prosper's voice come from nowhere, "Jump. You both have to jump off now"

Abby and Scipio let go of their mounts. The feeling of falling was overwhelming, until they felt the cold hard ground. Abby and Scipio emerged, the clothes they put on which looked a bit big for them, now fit them perfectly. Scipio was at least a head taller and Abby about about a half a head taller.

"That was -" Scipio started

"Amazing" Abby finished his sentence as she threw her arms around his neck and hugged him.

"By my calculation you both should be 22 years old, is that old enough" Conte asked

"Yeah that is perfect" Abby replied staring at Scipio

Scipio felt his face, "Stubble"

Then he glanced at Prosper

"Don't look so shocked" he said as he hugged Prosper picking him up a good six inches off the ground.

"Scip, what you said in the time tunnel thing. Was...was it true? Do you love me?" Abby asked looking hopeful at Scipio.

"Yes, every word of it" Scipio said walking toward her. He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her.

"Good, because I love you more than I ever say" Abby said turning to the Conte.

There was a noise from the bushes to the side of the mansion.

"Ow… it is this way...no this way" the girl stated

She emerged with a red haired bearded man pulling on her ponytail. The man was Barbarossa.