A Roman Holiday

Chapter 8

"Bethstein?"

"Yeah, speaking."

"It's Magetti here. We've got him… Weiler, that is. Spilled his guts the moment airport security put the handcuffs on."

"Good… did he say anything we should know about?"

"Said he took off like a rabbit when he found out that Steinhausen was planning to blow the whole place to hell."

"Blow it up?" Bethstein was taken aback. He's resorting to explosives?

"Yes… those were his exact words…"

Nodame remembered how awestruck by her surroundings she was a few nights earlier as she entered the Teatro dell'Opera. Now that feeling was superseded by an overpowering feeling of foreboding… which was causing internal tremors that refused to go away…Will I at least I get to see senpai… one last time? To distract herself, she turned to her younger companion.

"Your highness… you really shouldn't come…"

"You heard him, Nodame… I had to."

"I still think you should have left with those two peeping toms and gone as far away as possible from this place."

"And leave you to face this by yourself? Not a chance. We are in this together… to the very end."

"Mr Bethstein…"

"Yeah, what's up?"

"We found this in the lobby." A member of the Carabinieri handed him a business card. It was his calling card, the one he gave Chiaki.

Damn! So he's here too. What the devil is going on around here?

"Are we all set?"

"We are good to go."

"Remember... wait for my signal."

They had all gathered on the large stage… seemingly insignificant players on a platform not of their own choosing. An old recording of Cavalleria Rusticana was blaring and crackling backstage on a grammaphone of days gone by. Count Boris Steinhausen, the man of the hour, was seemingly absorbed in the music… his eyes were closed and he hummed along with the great coloratura dramatic soprano, Maria Callas, in her first recorded performance of the said opera. She sang the part of Santuzzi, the badly used peasant girl.

"What a shimmering Santuzzi… the despair… the anger…" Steinhausen muttered. "La Divina…"

All the while he would ignore his audience consumed by the world that he had constructed for himself. It would be some moments before he acknowledged his captives.

"Princess Marina, Miss Noda… welcome to my opera… my first and last performance, of course." Steinhausen greeted them enthusiastically. "You remember Mr Valdez from the other day?"

Nodame recognized Mr Valdez as their de facto driver. He merely nodded and took his place beside Count Boris.

"Where's sen… Shinichi… you promised to let him go if we came." Nodame was understandably belligerent, for Chiaki was no where to be seen.

"One thing at a time my dear… don't rush me. I'm the director, don't forget that." Steinhausen said this with an eerie calm. He looked like a man who had been baptized by fire and seemed unperturbed by anything.

"Finding that trapdoor was a stroke of luck, Miss Noda… and you showed good investigative sense. But it wasn't really necessary to run away, you know. All that effort for nothing."

"Cousin Boris, why are you doing this?" The princess was visibly shaken.

"Why do anyone of us do what we do? Because of love… my dear…"

Love? What is he talking about? The princess was flummoxed.

"How can you talk about love?… You've hurt so many people… put lives at risk…" Nodame shouted defiantly. "You don't know anything about love!"

"I have loved more deeply than you ever will, you chit of a girl…" Steinhausen losing a little of his cool.

"She's right… Boris… Clarisse wouldn't have wanted this." Prince Maximillian's voice resounded with quiet dignity through the auditorium.

"His royal highness is punctual as usual." Steinhausen took a mocking bow. "He's entered the conversation but not taken the stage. How unprofessional... not to mention rude."

"If you want me up there with you, just say the word… I've brought the Fire of Maltovia as requested."

"Ah, the prop… fit for a princess… well, we must let the princess wear it then."

"Boris, leave the young people out of this. Your quarrel is with me."

"Don't spoil it for me, Max… this is my big moment… my swan song."

"Boris, I know about the brain tumour… I'm so sorry."

"I don't need your sympathy… today I want retribution and I intend to get it."

"Why don't you just shoot me Boris…get it over and done with. It's me you want, isn't it?"

"Father… no… What are you saying?" The princess implored in horror.

"Ssssh… it's alright, Marina…" Her father said reassuringly.

"What's going on, father… why is Cousin Boris talking about retribution? What is this about him having a brain tumour?"

"It's a misunderstanding… Boris thinks I am the one who came between your mother and him."

"Think? I don't think… I know…" The count sneered.

"Well, Count Boris, I'm afraid that there are gaps in your knowledge." Bethstein strode into the room at that moment

"Ah, it's the handsome prince come to rescue the princess from the wicked witch and the fiery dragon." Steinhausen announced mockingly.

"If I must… I'm hoping it won't come to that…" Bethstein patted his coat pocket. "His highness believes that Count Boris Steinhausen is a good man in spite of everything and I will defer to his wisdom. But don't think I won't use this when the time comes."

"Ah, Max… you were always such a saintly soul… so naïve…"

"Because I choose to believe in the best in people?"

"What a performance… what bravura… You certainly fit the description of the word 'hypocrite' as used by the ancient Greeks… an actor of the worst possible pedigree…"

"I have nothing to hide, Boris… Until this afternoon, I didn't even know that you and Clarisse were lovers."

"Liar!"

Bethstein chose that moment to intervene. "I spoke to Baron Adler earlier this morning, Steinhausen, and he told me everything. The Adlers set you up… they used your worst instincts against you."

"Enough… I don't need to hear anymore of this claptrap…"

"You… Count Boris, were your own worst enemy… you've always been… It wasn't hard for the Adlers to bribe that barmaid from Tusana to place you in a compromising position."

"Stop it…" He hissed. In his rage, his face twisted into something inhuman. It was clear that his illness was tormenting him. From his coat pocket he drew out a box-like object roughly the size of a pack of cigarettes. "Or I will blow this entire building to kingdom come." From what Bethstein could see it looked to be a remote of some sort.

"Alright… you win…" Bethstein put his arms in the air and made a move to back down. "But let me ask you this… can you be absolutely certain, Steinhausen, that the prince is guilty of what you say he is because if I heard correctly, you called him "naïve" and "saintly" just then."

"He's playing mind games with me… trying to manipulate me into letting him go."

"The only thing that's playing with your mind is that tumour growing in your brain… I saw your medical reports… it's in the advance stages and it's affecting your judgement."

"You're trying to confuse me… No… I'm not going to fall for this… Where were we? Oh yes, the necklace. The princess must wear the necklace. Valdez, get the necklace."

Valdez, who was obviously the willing errand boy, in this tragic-comedy, obediently went over to the prince and relieved him of the box he had been carrying.

Steinhausen looked around the stage and it was only then that he noticed that the princess was now on her own. "Hello… we're missing someone… where did Miss Noda get to?"

No one but Bethstein saw Nodame sneak behind the curtain and backstage. Everyone was so focused on this confrontation and all the revelations that she was able to scurry away unnoticed. She was anxious about Chiaki, as all the characters of this farce had been gathered in the auditorium but for him and at the rate things were going, she did not place much confidence in any promises made by Steinhausen regarding anyone's safety. Steinhausen's mental state had obviously deteriorated to such an extent that reasoning with him was no longer possible… the man appeared to be barely in command of his faculties. Judging from the non-existent crew that was on hand to watch the place, it was clear that he wasn't expecting to survive this encounter and from what she had heard, he was determined to take as many down with him as possible.

Fortunately for Nodame, she was scarcely a novice to the ins and outs of theatres and other kinds of performance arts venues. The labyrinth of rooms was less intimidating than it otherwise would have been. The question now was whether she would reach Chiaki in time… before she was missed. She decided to take a chance and call out to Chiaki… there were just too many rooms to get through them all in haste.

Chiaki was bound and but not gagged which was fortuitous. He heard her calling from afar and responded in kind but wasn't sure if he had been heard.

"Nodame… I'm here…"

After some moments, he heard the sound of footsteps nearing toward his direction. "Senpai?"

"I'm here…" He tried again.

He heard the steps quicken before the door burst open and a familiar figure bounced up to him excitedly.

"Senpai… I was so worried…" She flung herself onto him and held on to him as though her life depended on it. "I'm so glad… that you're … safe."

For as long as he could, he didn't say a word and savoured the touch of her on his person. There was a time in their past, where he would make a show of resisting her embrace but now he would joyfully surrender himself to her. She was with him, alive… and all he wanted to do was revel it in and enjoy the moment.

"Are you alright, senpai?" She asked anxiously, troubled by his silence. "Did they hurt you?" She looked him over for any visible signs of assault. There appeared to be none.

"Nodame… I…" He hesitated.

"Senpai?" She looked at him quizzically.

"I wasn't sure if… I was worried sick… I'm so glad." He was fumbling all over his words. I thought I was going to lose you… forever… The thought of never seeing you again…

She gave him a reassuring smile. "I'm alright… A few scratches here and there… but what an adventure!"

Then remembering their predicament, she sobered slightly. "Count Boris wants to kill the prince and princess… maybe all of us…"

"I know…" Chiaki moved to take her in his arms and kiss her but was immediately restrained by his bonds. "Nodame, can you untie these ropes?"

"Ooops… so sorry… Here…"

While she was busily trying to undo his bonds, he scrutinized her carefully… never once taking his eyes off her. There is so much I want to say to you but why can't I? He memorized every gesture. every contour, every aspect that made him love her. Just in case.

After a time of tugging and pulling on the ropes, she managed to free him. "Senpai… you stay here. It's probably safer for you here right now. " She made her move to go.

He promptly stayed her arm. "Where do you think you're going?" He asked harshly. His harshness a cover up for his anxiety.

"I've got to go back… and help… before that mad man blows us all up."

"Who do you think you are? Just leave it to the authorities…"

"The princess is my friend, I've got to help her…"

"Who am I then? Nothing?" He demanded forcefully and turned aside to hide the fear from his eyes. "I can't lose you… not now... not again."

"You won't, I promise." Her fingers flitted against his hair and cheek. Something inside of him stirred and the effect it had on him brought him to his knees. Almost instinctively, he seized those fingers with his own, guiding it to his lips and kissed them with no intention of letting them go.

He knew he was being selfish but 24 hour earlier he had no idea if she were dead or alive. "Well, I'll come with you to make sure you keep that promise." He stood and pulled her up with him.

"But senpai…" She protested.

"You've done enough foolhardy things in the last two days to last a lifetime … After we're married, there will be no more of this crawling around in underground tunnels and running away from villains. At least, not without me."Married… to you… You don't know how wonderful that sounds... after all this time.

"Senpai…" Nodame hugged him happily. "I've missed you so much." Chiaki was in his authoritative conductor mode. Her words to the princess echoed in her thoughts. He cares for me and wants to take care of me.

His demeanour softened "And I, you…" He whispered tenderly into her ear. More than you will ever know.

Holding on to her as tightly as was possible, he wondered how he ever thought he managed to survive the last 24 hours without her. But she was here now and he wasn't letting her out of his sight for a single moment. They were soulmates, who had lost their way from one another, now locked in an impassioned embrace while time graciously stood still for them.

But not forever… their reverie was rudely awakened by the remembrance of friends in jeopardy and approaching footsteps.

"Senpai, we'd better go…" Nodame reminded, cutting short the poignant reunion.

"Alright…" As he reluctantly released his hold on her.

"Boris… leave those two alone… they have nothing to do with this…" Prince Max implored.

"Too late. They became part of this when Miss Noda came to visit. Besides, they are perfect candidates being lovers and musicians. Now they must be present in the finale."

"Why prolong the inevitable… "

"My work here is incomplete."

"What do you want with Marina then?"

"She looks like our beloved Clarisse, doesn't she? The beautiful golden hair and the Fire of Maltovia sparkling under the stage lights. She will play her part." Steinhausen gandered over to Marina and fondled her long blonde hair…"

"Have you gone insane, man?"

"Not completely, my dear cousin. Not completely."

Mr Valdez, Steinhausent's silent, brawn errand boy, was sent to find the wayward captive. Twice, she had slipped through unnoticed and it was anyone's guess how he had been instructed to deal with her. His size would give him the upper hand and his unquestioning obedience suggested that he would see his task through even if it meant injury to himself. The others would wonder later what connection he had with Count Boris that would cause him to be so steadfastly loyal.

It wasn't too difficult to guess where she would head to… Women were inclined to be sentimental… and not as unpredictable as were normally thought to be. Still, she had proven to be more than a little resourceful in tight situations. He could hear the shuffling of feet in the room where they had left Chiaki, appropriately named after one of Italy's greatest operatic conductors, Tullo Serafin. Valdez quickened his pace. Surely, he had them now…

Valdez groped for the automatic silencer that he kept in the holster under his sports jacket and swung the door open. With professional aplomb he scanned the room in its entirety for his targets but there was no immediate sign of them in the cluttered room. There were stacked chairs… costume rails… half opened boxes to maneouvre around. Maintaining his vigilance, he knew that they still had to be somewhere in the room, perhaps even taking refuge in one of two cupboards that stood against its walls. Valdez dipped his line of vision and watched for any sign of activity along the ground before taking two cautious steps forward. The ropes that held Chiaki were dangling on the chair which kept him prisoner. She had to have been there recently.

He took another step forward and sensed that he was close to one of his subjects. But before the hunter could capture his prey, the hunter became the hunted. The innocently placed stacked chairs that were strategically positioned became his undoing. One push from behind, they fell on to Valdez like a tower of bricks and he was crushed under their weight. All of which happened quickly and Steinhausen's henchman didn't know what hit him. He was out cold. The young couple that plotted his downfall looked over his unconscious body.

"Is he dead?" Nodame asked.

"I doubt it." Chiaki bent over warily and put a finger under Valdez's nostril. "Yup, still breathing."

"So what do we do now? We can't just leave the others to be murdered by Steinhausen."

"There's not a lot we can do…"

"Hmmm.." Her lips were pursed and her expression showed she was deep in thought.

"I don't think I like the sound of that 'hmmm'." Chiaki eyed her suspiciously.

"Oh, come on senpai… don't be such a spoilsport… We only live once."

"That's why I'm worried."

"Chiaki…" Bethstein gasped in surprise as he saw the young conductor casually making his way on to the front of the stage. What is he doing here? Trying to get himself killed?

"Ah, Mr Chiaki, so pleased that you can join us." Steinhausen commented and looking somewhat self-satisfied.

"What are you doing?" Chiaki asked amicably, trying not to show how uneasy he was feeling.

"Putting my opera together… what else… Where's Miss Noda? She's missing all the fun."

"In the ladies room, I expect… you know, women…" Chiaki said affecting a casual disposition. "They always have to fix their make-up or do their hair…"

"Not going to tell me, are you?" Steinhausen gave a smirk. "That's alright… I'm sure we'll find out soon."

The truth was, Chiaki didn't know what Nodame was up to… and Nodame didn't seem keen to tell him. She merely instructed him to "distract the Count." and pushed him out onto the stage. It was probably just as well for Chiaki's heart and sanity that he didn't know what Nodame had in mind. At that moment she was climbing the stepladder that led to the theatre's catwalk. She had some vague idea about jumping and using the element of surprise. Like everything she did, Nodame tended to play by ear.

"Miss Nodame… psst…"

Nodame looked down to see who was addressing her.

"Jack? Nigel? What are you two doing here?" Seeing the two British soccer fans took the wind out of her sails.

"Don't look at me…" Nigel rolled his eyes in despair. "That person…" Pointing to Jack with his thumb. "Had the bright idea of coming back and playing hero."

"We couldn't leave you ladies here by yourselves in the hands of that homicidal maniac."

"Yes, we could have… we could have driven to the stadium by now. Instead we're about to become canon fodder."

"There's plenty of time before the game." Jack nudged Nigel aside and shot him an exasperated look. "Is there anything we can do to help?"

"Boys… seeing that you're here, you are just in time to help Nodame save the day." She flashed them a brilliant smile.

Apart from himself and the Count, the princess was also on stage. She was wearing what he guessed was the Fire of Maltovia from its fiery, orange shine. He had only met her once and remembered how young and beautiful she looked then. But on this day, the weight of the world had fallen on her shoulders and her face, still beautiful, betrayed a sorrowful world weariness. Secrets, skeletons and a potential almighty scandal… it was a tangled web where the past was in collision course with the present. Out of everyone in this sordid tale, the princess indubitably was the one most affected by its unveiling. She was young, innocent and sheltered and had grown up believing her mother the model of a public figure. She had been dealt a devastating blow.

The Count, still clinging on to what he claimed to be a remote for explosives he had set up around the auditorium was busying himself with what looked to be a score. Muttering and humming to himself at various times, he scribbled on it, rubbed things out and generally looked as if he was a million miles away. It did cross Bethstein's mind that Steinhausen could have been bluffing but there was no way of being sure without putting everyone else's life at risk.

"I have a hair trigger." Steinhausen had warned. That settled it. Bethstein had no reason to put it to the test just yet.

Nevertheless, the score that Steinhausen was so intent on completing, piqued Chiaki's curiosity. He strolled as casually as he could over to Steinhausen and took a quick glance at it.

"Interested in my music, Mr Chiaki?" The count looked at him, pleased as a schoolboy.

"Yes, may I have a closer look?"

"Of course… this is my magnum opus… my dear fellow… It's a pity that no one will get to hear it."

Chiaki studied it for a minute or two and realized that it was an original chaconne, written for the violin. Steinhausen, as Antonio Moroni had intimated, was a brilliant musician. Chiaki shook his head at such a waste of talent… the waste of a life lived in bitterness of a love lost. But it was also the perfect opportunity to catch him off guard. He prayed and hoped that Nodame would know exactly what to do when the time came.

"I , for one, would love to."

"I'm sure you would, Mr Chiaki. But unlike what others might think I haven't taken leave of my senses. Sorry to disappoint you but I'm not making myself an open target for Bethstein's lackeys."

"Then I will play it if you have an instrument here."

"You play?"

Chiaki nodded. Steinhausen pointed to a case lying on the floor centimeters away.

"Remember, Mr Chiaki… no tricks…" Steinhausen admonished.

"Of course." Chiaki responded affably. "I am, unfortunately, a little rusty."

It seemed fortuitous for Nodame to have the assistance of the two young British football fans… at least, to her mind, it would lessen the danger. The idea would be for her to climb the batten pipe and that one of them would control the fly system by releasing the rope lock and raise or lower the operating line… At a certain height, she would jump off and give the count the beating he richly deserved. In theory, it sounded pretty easy. Except that all too often, practice has a way of not conforming to theory.

Nodame stopped in her tracks as she heard the striking harmonic phrases of the chaconne. Who's playing the violin? Not senpai surely… He hasn't touched the violin in almost a year. A thought then occurred to Nodame. Was that his way of creating a distraction? A violin solo… with echoes of Bach and yet there was a melancholic strain that defied Bach.

She knew that it was up to her to seize the moment. She speculated that all eyes and ears would be on the violin and she hoped that it would muffle any noises that the pulley and weights would make.

She climbed onto the pipe and signaled for Jack and Nigel to raise it. As it rose, Nodame tighten her grip on the pipe and closed her eyes. Although she was not especially afraid of heights, something told her that it was better not to look down until the very last moment. As the pipe moved further out, she allowed her self to slip with only her arms grasping onto the pipe.

Nodame underestimated the amount of swing needed to land neatly on the count, so she ended up landing inches away and missing him. But undeterred, and with an unprecedented display of speed she swung her left leg round like a whip at the back of Steinhausen's knees. With her right leg, she threw it against the front of Steinhausen's feet and toppled him to the floor. Immediately and with gleeful purpose she fell on his abdomen, knocking the wind out of him.

While all this was happening the remote trigger flew out of his hand and off stage. Bethstein, as quick as a flash, with outstretched rugby arms, dived and cradled the object safely before it fell onto the floor.

Nodame kicked the count in the groin. "I should have done this two days ago and saved everyone a lot of headache." Her face showed she was determined to do more damage except that Chiaki thought it was time he intervened.

"Nodame, I think he gets the idea." He dissuaded her although for a brief moment he considered letting her finish the job for all the suffering he had caused.

Steinhausen groaned in pain and weakly attempted to raise his head, only for it to be met by the underside of Nodame's boot. "That, was for threatening senpai." Nodame declared and shook her fist at him.

When the Britishers saw that all was safe, they emerged out of their hiding place.

"Wow, Nodame… you're really wicked…" Jack was in awe as he surveyed the unconscious Steinhausen.

"I'm just glad I'm not on your bad side." Nigel muttered nervously. "Anymore..."

Chiaki, on the other hand, appeared far from impressed.

"What was that about?" Chiaki had on his sternest look.

"Huh?" Nodame responded with a bewildered expression.

"You could have gotten yourself killed doing that crazy stunt." His eyes boring into hers.

"Senpai… it was the only…"

"Don't you ever…ever… scare me like that again? I could have had a heart attack." He rebuked.

"But senpai…"

Chiaki didn't wait to find out what else she had in mind to say. He pulled her over to him and seared his lips onto her lips like a thirsty man who had finally found his oasis in the desert. The kiss as it was intended took her by surprise but she gladly gave herself over to its raw power, melting under its scorching blaze. Nodame recognized its intensity from that other time and allowed it to overwhelm her, to transport her to places not even Puri Gorota had explored.

"You are quite mad, you know that, don't you… Noda Megumi?" Chiaki murmured when their lips finally parted.

"Are you sure you want to marry me, then… Chiaki Shinichi?" She asked softly, her gaze fixed steadily on his

"More than ever…" His eyes not leaving hers. "Someone needs to keep you in line and out of trouble."

"From where I was standing I thought you were both mad…" Bethstein had an amused twinkle in his eye. "Are you sure you're not sleeper agents for the CIA?"

"No, just your everyday, run-of-the-mill musicians." Chiaki suppressed a grin.

"There's nothing run-of-the-mill about either of you. She'll definitely keep you on your toes, Chiaki." Bethstein broke into a wide grin. "At least you'll have someone to watch your back."

"Not if she gets herself killed first." was Chiaki's wry comment.

"No way, Chiaki…" Nodame declared. "I'm going to live forever."

Authors Note:

Just in case you're wondering… yup… there's more… Not a lot more… but more…

This will probably turn out to be my oddest chapter in the entire story because I cannot write action scenes to save my life. Ah well, at least there's plenty of Nodame and Chiaki fluff.

abelxesther4ever: You didn't really think I was going to kill Chiaki off, did you? I can oblige… but that's for another time. [snigger

Tacitus-8: I'm glad you find the cheese here palatable… I hope the amount of puns here aren't too distasteful. I swear I didn't deliberately set out to write them… they just seem to happen. [cackles evilly

ChalakChalak: I'm looking forward to seeing what you come up with if you do get to the fanvid. Nodame and Chiaki are so addictive, aren't they?