I could see Victor looking at his watch. Then he spotted us.

Of course, he hardly looked at me as he watched all of us. We weren't in the line of following the leader as the gang had been in the movie; it was much too...conspicuous and attention drawing. I mean, a boy in a black coat with a black mask with a nose that could hit somebody in the face a mile away; followed immediately by a little angel without wings, big blue eyes and inky hair (we had died it...or Hornet had), with a hecka tall boy holding his shoulder (we had cut Prosper's hair, but that was it), followed by Hornet with her nose in a book, and then Riccio and Mosca? That was way too obvious.

The crowd moved and hid us from Victor's view, but I walked on my toes, just able to glimpse his stupid hat. I swiftly nudged Hornet in the ribs (I was coming in last, since I still hadn't had time to apologize to Scipio and he was still mad at me apparently), and she ushered everyone forward, making them hurry.

Finally we got the rendezvous. I could tell that Victor was watching--I felt a prickling tenseness in my spine, just like I always did when I was being watched. "Hurry up," I whispered to Bo, pushing him back toward Prosper. "It's almost three!" He was standing in front of the massive portal of the Basilica, looking up at the horses.

"Bo!" Prosper dragged him forward.

"They're angry," Bo said to me with a frown, childish worry in his eyes.

"Yes, someone stole them and brought them here," I said, repeating what he himself had said in the book.

He nodded. "It is a thousand, or even a hundred years ago that they brought them here," Bo said. Prosper pushed his brother past a bride and groom who were having their picture taken in front of the Basilica. As I ducked past them, the bride caught my eye. I couldn't help but stare as I walked away--she had the same eyes, hair, facial structure...everything as me...

It was like she was my long lost, older twin.

I nearly ran into Scipio as he fiddled anxiously with his mask. I felt my face go red and didn't meet his eyes--I wouldn't apologize here in front of everyone. Other than giving me a piercing, icy glare, he ignored me as he turned to the others.

"Listen," he waved the others toward him and lowered his voice. "I don't want to turn up with my entire entourage, so this is how we are going to do it: Prosper and Rae"--he said my name with a bitter edge--"are coming in with me. The others will wait here at the fountain."

I piped. "I saw a detective out here--so be careful." I winked at Bo and then turned.

"But I don't want to wait here!" Bo looked glum, but it was lessened at the idea of keeping a lookout for a detective, ready to warn The Thief Lord if it was dangerous.

"Bo's right!" Riccio muttered, kicking a bit of rock. "Why can't we all go? Why only Prosper and Rae?"

Hornet answered rather kindly, I must say. "Because we have to keep a look-out. What if that detective stumbled across our deal in progress? Then we'd have to get in a fight---and the detectives always make it out. Besides, do you know how cramped the confessionals are? They only fit one adult, and three kids the size of those guys is seriously pushing it."

Scipio looked a bit amazed that she hadn't said anything mean, but then nodded curtly and turned again, down the steps leading away from the fountain. I pushed Prosper, ruffled Bo's hair, and then followed. The Basilica we were walking into was on my list of "Places to go before I bit the dust". Well, most of Italy was, but still...this place was a must. The gilded mosaics of angels, kings and saints captured my mind (alright, I'm more a fan of statues and paintings, but mosaics are cool too). Right now, though, everything was dark--spooky and fun.

Prosper and Scipio walked down the side aisle, their steps ringing out on the flagstone floor. They seemed like church-mice, trying not to be found. I, however, walked reverently down the center aisle, having bowed as I crossed in front of the tabernacle. Hey, it was a habit. It had always been a rule in my family to go to church every single Sunday (Saturday evening if we couldn't make it Sunday), and I had even been in choir and been an Altar Server. I was comfortable here; more so than anywhere else in this story.

Just thinking about home, though, made my heart ache horribly.

I came up with a vague idea--maybe I could pretend I was the Thief Lord, save Scipio some trouble...I could certainly act more like a thief. I was about to ask Scipio about it when he walked through the curtains into the confessional we were looking for. Shoot... Oh well.

I followed quickly. I knelt on the low bench half hidden in the darkness, side by side with Scipio. I could feel his body warmth, and his spidery, cold fingers brushed against mine as I moved them into a prayerful position. I whispered a quiet prayer, hoping that everything would work out.

Let me get through this--this is for Scipio, Prosper, Bo, Hornet, Riccio, Mosca, Shasta, Victor, and Ida...and everyone else. I want them to have a good life... Forget about me--let me help them. Or...if You wish it...influence my actions otherwise...

Suddenly someone pulled back the curtains of the small window. I hardly moved as Prosper jumped and Scipio twitched. "One shouldn't wear a mask in a church, any more than a hat." The uneven voice sounded like a very old man.

"One also shouldn't talk about a theft in a confessional," I answered in a quiet voice, "and that is what we are here for, am I right?" I still didn't look up from my hands as I ran through every prayer I knew. I hoped that someone up There would hear.

"So you are the Thief Lord?" The Conte asked quietly. I could hear a slight amused hint in his voice, along with surprise. "I didn't know that thieves prayed to God. Or maybe you're not Christian?"

I looked up, finally done with calming down. I had been dangerously close to hyperventilating. This was exciting, to say the least. "How else would we steal enough to take care of my friends?" I asked. "I was brought up strict Catholic...I don't lose habits quickly." I smirked slightly. "And...I am not the Thief Lord."

I could practically feel Renzo's surprise. I laughed freely. "No, this is the Thief Lord," I said, jerking my head at Scipio and scooting over slightly, just enough so that Scipio could see through the window.

"Well then," the 'Conte' said, pulling back his previous calm, mysterious air, "keep your mask on if you don't want to show your face, but I can still see that you're very young."

Scipio's already white hand clenched into a fist--his knuckles flaring even whiter. "Indeed. And you are very old, I can tell. Does age matter in this transaction? If it does, than I assure you I will hand it over to someone like my accomplice who is just short for her age." I smirked slightly. Scipio most certainly had the body of a child, but he could express himself like an adult ('cept for that sulking, of course), with a confidence that I couldn't help but admire.

"Not in the least," the old man answered. "You must forgive my surprise at your age. I must admit that when Barbarossa told me of the Thief Lord I did not imagine a boy of, say, twelve or thirteen years of age. But I do agree, age is of no consequence in this case. I myself had to work like an adult from the age of eight, although I was small and weak. Nobody cared about that."

"In our line of business a small body may be an advantage, Conte," Scipio replied, "if that is how I should address you."

"You may, yes." The Conte cleared his throat. "As Barbarossa has told you, I am looking for someone who can retrieve something for me...something which I have been trying to find for many years, and which is at the moment in the possession of a stranger." He cleared his throat again. "Since you call yourself the Thief Lord I assume you have already entered some of the noble houses of this city without ever being caught. Am I right?"

"Of course." Scipio's white hand found mine and gave it an urgent, angry squeeze. I took it to mean, 'Hurry up with that idea!'

Don't worry, my friend, I'm already on it.

I tuned out of their conversation to start planning. How could I teach him? I could write up some of those really cool spy glasses that have night-vision and a video camera in the lenses, and give a pair to Scipio and one to myself--then I could go on a raid and show him what to do. Make him memorize everything that he needed to be wary of and do...then after I deemed him capable, take him on a raid and have him steal something... Yeah...that could work.

I realized that Scipio's thumb was rubbing back and forth on the back of my hand. I glanced at him as he answered the Conte slowly, his voice shaky. "Five million," he murmured, "sounds like a fair price." I tuned them out again, feeling little tingles run up my arm, stemming from my hand. Maybe I was forgiven...but then again, maybe it was just for his comfort. I'd still apologize.

I was startled out of my thoughts by the curtain pulling shut. Scipio got up, his arm unconsciously around my shoulder as he listened. A party of tourists shuffled past the confessional while their guide described the mosaics above their heads in a quiet voice.

I finished counting under my breath, seriously counting to fifty. Scipio looked down at me, slightly amused. "Well, you're certainly quick at counting, Cara," he said as he pushed the curtain aside, holding it open for me.

I shrugged and stepped into the open.

"You have a look, Prosper," Scipio whispered while he pulled me to his side, pretending to point things out on the ceiling to me. His warm, slightly shaky breath tickled my skin, his voice whispering in my ear. "I'm sorry I got to mad at you."

So I was forgiven. I stared up at the angel--did it just smile at me? "I'm sorry for teasing you," I replied, also in a whisper. His hand found mine, the other sliding around my waist.

Prosper came out looking uneasy, holding a rustling basket.

"I hope it's a snake," I said immediately as Scipio and I turned to look at him. Prosper turned a slight shade of pink at seeing us in each other's arms, but held out the basket. Scipio and Prosper looked at me, strange looks on their faces. I shrugged, smiling.

"Where do you get such a crazy idea?" Prosper asked. I grinned wider, but didn't reply.

Scipio put his ear to the basket. "Yes, there's something rustling. But I can also hear cooing and pecking," he muttered. "Ever hear of a cooing snake?"

He opened the lid enough to peer inside. "Well!" he said, and quickly closed the lid again. "It's a pigeon."

"Oh well. A girl can dream, can't she?"

Hornet jumped up when we came over, and Prosper looked around quickly when he couldn't see Bo. As Hornet pointed at Victor and Bo I clasped the belt around the lid of the basket (to keep it from opening we had used a belt I had stolen off of some kid...hee-hee...) and pushed it securely into Mosca's arms. I jumped after Prosper who was making his way toward Victor and Bo with a very anxious face.

Bo smiled and posed for Victor's camera. He still had a pigeon on his hand. As soon as Prosper saw the camera he quickened his pace--he was flat out running now, knocking past people. "Bo!" he yelled frantically, practically bowling over my identical older self and her husband. I jumped over the people who had been knocked over, landing on all fours like a cat before jumping up and running again--can you say 'cat burglar'?

Prosper was now just a few long strides away. "Take care, and don't accept ice cream from strangers!" I heard Victor call out to Bo. Then he took a few brisk steps backward, and slipped into the next large group wandering across the square, letting the crowd pull him away.

Anybody could make himself hard to see, if he played it right--I should know.

"Darn it, Bo, can't you just do as you're told for once?" Scipio scolded somewhat breathlessly.

"You were gone for ages!" Bo grumbled. "And I was bored." He looked over his shoulder for Victor the pigeon guy but he was only just coming up in his new disguise--the "pigeon man" was gone.

"I had him in sight all the time," Hornet said. "So calm down."

I rolled my eyes.

"Come on, let's get back to the Star-Palace." Scipio turned away from the big square and impatiently waved to the others to follow him. "I haven't got much time today." I made a note to walk him home.

As Prosper explained things to the others and they followed the book, I looked out for Victor. He was following us. Scipio began to speak to me and I realized where we were at. We were already in the souvenir shop--it had shelves and shelves of masks...

"Rae, come on." Scipio was waving me over to the door with Hornet, Riccio and Mosca. I knew what we were doing. "We'll take a look outside. Maybe we'll find him. What was he wearing?" I stood, leaning against the glass and looking out the window for any sign of Victor, not paying attention to Scipio's explanation of the plan. "Got all that?" Scipio asked Hornet, Riccio, Mosca and I. We nodded. "Then let's go."

One by one we slipped outside. Prosper and Bo watched us from the window.

Hornet was looking around, acting very casual, checking out the gondolas and then started toward them. Hardly a second later I walked out and whistled. There was a bark from down the street and then people began dodging out of the way of Shasta. The few children who were around in the crowd followed him over to me and began asking if they could pet him. I laughed and let them, a smile on my face, but I kept a glance trained on Victor. Mosca came out and headed off toward the Star-Palace.

Riccio skipped out next and headed off toward the cake shop--Shasta was looking at it hopefully, his nose snuffling in the wonderful baking smells. Riccio pressed his nose against the window.

Next came my blossoming thief, Scipio. He stood in front of the door, just right behind me, watching as I held on to Shasta's collar to keep him from running into the bakery and begging like a little street rat. Then he looked around with a face that gave nothing away and knelt down to tie his shoelaces. He straightened himself again, and strolled whistling past me toward the gondolieri who were still trying to net customers at the bridge. "Gondola! Gondola!" they called.

I stood, apologized to the little children who had still been fondling over Shasta, and then followed Scip at a distance, watching as Victor closed his eyes, no doubt thinking about a Gondola ride. Mental note: go on a gondola ride someday...preferably with Scip.

"Scusi!" Scipio said from beside Victor. The detective jumped. I smirked as I strolled around a bit, taking the very long way around to them. "Can you tell me the time, please?" Scipio said, taking a very close look at Victor's checkered sweater.

Victor frowned as he looked at his watch. "Four sixteen," he grunted.

I heard Scipio swear softly. Obviously he was running low on time. "Thank you," Scipio said, recovering quickly. "That's a nice watch; does it also show the time on the moon?" His dark eyes sparkled with laughter. I smiled--I loved the look on his face. He looked so happy and worry-free...like a normal kid, at a normal school, with a normal life. With a normal, happy, loving family. "Are you English?"

"No. I'm an Eskimo, can't you tell?" Victor growled, looking over Scipio's head at Prosper and Bo. I heard Shasta snort, as though laughing at the obvious fake-ness of Victor's beard, which was coming off a bit. Scipio chuckled slightly and made a motion to his face. Victor reached up to feel his beard and cursed, turning around to fix it.

Thus occupied, he didn't notice when Scipio strolled off toward me. His calm demeanor was only betrayed by his long, quick strides. He stopped in front of me. "It's him," he muttered, and then we both hurried to the shop. The others were there already. "All right, it's him," Scipio said, his eyes darkening to the color of Dad's morning coffee. "Come on."

We walked out of the shop in perfect formation with Prosper and Bo in the middle. Not one of us glanced at Victor, but we giggled and chuckled and whispered about how silly Victor was.

In no hurry at all, we all strolled away in the direction of the Rialto. As the others headed into an alley, Scipio's hand found mine and gave it a quick squeeze. "Careful, Cara," he murmured in my ear. I gave him a quick smile before falling into step at the back of our little line. Hornet joined me.

When the 'two large ladies' stepped out of a cafe, laughing and arguing, I slowed a bit, turning slightly, bracing myself for impact. Hornet grimaced, already ahead of me, walking considerably faster. Victor squeezed passed the two women and then ran straight into Hornet, thus tripping and flying into me. Stepping on my foot, too--and may I say that that hurt?

I glared at him, and before Victor realized what was going on I threw myself at him and lashed out at his checkered sweater, yelling at the top of my lungs, "LET ME GO! LET ME GO! No! I don't want to come with you! HELP! SOMEBODY HELP!"

Hornet kicked Victor in the shins, tearing at his hair and shirt. "Let her go, let my sister go!" she screamed, voice shrill and piercing.

Sister? I nearly stopped and hugged her right then and there.

For a moment he just stood and stared down at us, hardly wincing as Hornet tore a large handful of mustache off. Then he tried to push me away...but, let's just say that having a fifth degree black belt in karate as a dad comes in handy. I wasn't going to let him get away after the others.

To his absolute, obvious horror, Shasta jumped at him too, barking loudly and snarling. In the meantime, the others had disappeared. Poor bloke, he had a dog and two banshees attacking him. Almost felt bad for him—not quite, though.

"Stop!" Victor yelled. "Stop, you rotten little devils!" He tried again to get me off, but then something hit him in the back of his head and he began to stagger. I jumped back and the large ladies were all over him, swinging their massive handbags at his head. I kept screaming. Hornet kept kicking. Shasta kept snarling and barking and growling, biting into Victor's jacket. The ladies were quite happy with hitting him, and the crowd was getting ever angrier. They're going to crush something, I thought to myself, clicking loudly to Shasta. Immediately he let go of Victor's jacket (but took a piece with him as a chew toy), I grabbed Hornet's jacket, and then we were gone.

"That was fun! We sure showed him, all right!" I said, once we were all safely back in the hideout. I had a slight scratch on my cheek, but I was grinning from ear to ear.

"Look what I got in all the commotion." Hornet produced Victor's wallet from her pocket and handed it to me. I flung it to Prosper.

"Don't get angry at her," I said quietly, and then looked at Scipio as I tuned out of the other's conversations. He met my eyes and gave me a slight, very fearful smile.

He was late.

I tuned out again, sitting down with Shasta and Bo. As the others opened the Conte's envelope and things I thought deeply. I would start Scipio's lessons tonight--once I had dropped him off at his house I would write myself my spy-ware. I grinned slightly at the thought. As Scipio put on his own jacket and handed Hornet the photo, card and floor plan, he said,

"I've got to go. I'll be gone for a while--at least three days. Until I return, would you please observe the house for me? We have to know everything: Who comes and goes, the habits of the people living there, how many visitors, when the house is empty, the best way to get in, and whether or not there are really any dogs there. You know, the usual stuff. Check whether the doors are marked in the right places on the floor plan. The house is supposed to have a garden, which may be useful. Oh, and Prosper?" Scipio turned to him once more. "You and Bo had better not leave here in the next few days. We've shaken off the detective for now, but you never know." He pulled the mask over his face.

As Scipio turned to leave, Riccio stood in his way. I didn't listen as I stood and slipped away down the hall to wait at the door.

When Scipio finally came down, brooding and appearing slightly harassed, I took his hand and walked out with him, closing the door behind me. "How late are you?" I asked him.

He looked miserably at his own watch. "Three hours."

I gasped, stopping. "Three hours!" I exclaimed, ignoring the strange looks I was getting from the dwindling crowd. He nodded. "What's going to happen to you?" I asked in a quieter voice.

He shrugged, scuffing his feet on the ground as he tried to get me moving again. "Yelled at...grounded..." He swallowed hard. "…Beaten..." It came out in a hoarse whisper.

His hands were freezing cold, but tight around mine. I pulled his hands up and tried to warm them by rubbing them between mine. "Rachel, what are we going to do?" he asked suddenly, turning his head to look at me. "I can't do this!"

"Yes, you can. Do you think we could start your lessons tonight?" I asked. "Do you have anything to do tomorrow that you need to be completely awake for? How long do you usually stay up?"

"Yes, I think we should start as soon as possible. No, I do not have anything to do tomorrow, and I usually stay up until...well, around midnight," he answered.

I nodded. "When do you think I should come?" I asked.

"Past eight--he is going out for dinner then. The reason why I said that I wouldn't be able to come for at least three days is because--"

"Because the visitors from Rome are coming, I know," I said, cutting him off. He looked at me strangely and I pulled away in time to avoid getting an eye poked out with his beak. I reached up and took his mask off. "I don't want you to decapitate me with the thing," I explained. He smiled apologetically. I smiled back up at him. "Alright, so maybe an hour of lessons, then?" I suggested. "I'll take you on a raid...and I'll teach you my way."

He raised an eyebrow. "Sounds interesting," he said as we turned onto his street. He stopped, still out of sight from his house. "Rae..." he stopped speaking, staring at me with a strange, twisted expression on his face. Suddenly, I was engulfed in his arms; his face buried in my hair, his arms wrapped tightly around my smaller form.

"Rae, I'm scared."