Chapter 76

Author's Note: Another chapter yay! Thank you to everyone who reviewed and said they thought Dafne was brave :)

It was hard to see the road ahead of her in the dark. Dafne navigated by the crunch of the gravel under her shoes. She knew she had reached the bridge when a beam of light hit her.

"You made it," Nico sounded rather relieved. He lowered the flashlight and made his way over to her.

Dafne gave a small nod. Yes she had made it. But she wasn't feeling particularly victorious. How could she celebrate this moment when back at the village, Basta and Resa were about to be...

"I'm sorry Dafne," Nico said, causing her to focus on him. He was close enough for her to see his expression was as sympathetic as his tone. Dafne knew he could only be expressing condolences about Basta.

It was considerate of him but Dafne found herself growing angry.

Yes you and Pietro are both sorry he's going to die but you won't lift a finger to save him.

She hadn't failed to notice that Nico had a shotgun slung over his shoulder. A shotgun he could use to kill Capricorn...

But she couldn't blame Nico for not acting to save Basta. He was no killer. She had no idea what he was even doing with a gun in the first place.

"I've never seen you with a gun before Nico," she said quietly.

"Oh," Nico glanced at the weapon over his shoulder, "I don't usually carry one. This is Massimo's. It's to make me look the part," he toyed with the strap as he confessed, "It isn't even loaded."

Dafne reacted to this news with disappointment. If the gun wasn't loaded, she couldn't take it off Nico and race to the arena to shoot Capricorn herself. She would have done that despite the odds of missing since she had never shot a gun before. At least there would have been a slight chance of her succeeding. But without a loaded gun, she couldn't even try.

Even with the mobile phone, she knew it would be useless calling the police. Capricorn controlled the local police. She didn't see the use of calling the military police either. A distress call about a man executing people using a monster would be dismissed as a hoax. Even if she made up a more believable story, the village was an obscure location. It would probably take ages just to reach it. By the time they did, the execution would be over.

She felt tears in her eyes again. What a pathetic heroine she'd make, unable to do anything except cry. Cry and be comforted by people like Nico who put his arms around her. But being in Nico's arms just made her more upset, thinking how Basta would never hold her again. Thankfully Ignazio, not liking the feeling of being squashed between two people, started squirming. Nico detached himself without Dafne having to say anything. Apart from murmuring thank you for his kindness. He gave her a subdued smile, stroking Ignazio's head in apology.

As he did, Dafne suddenly became aware of the silence. She couldn't hear the music, the music that had still been faintly audible as she had walked along the road. Panic rose in her chest. Had the execution started? She looked up. There was no monster towering over the trees, just night sky. But perhaps the Shadow wouldn't be big enough to be glimpsed from this distance. Then the only way of knowing it was over would be if the crowd cheered loudly enough.

But no cheers reached her ears as she kept staring into the night sky, just a distant ringing sound.

"Can you hear that?" Nico asked.

Dafne looked at him,

"The ringing?"

"Yeah," Nico was frowning with concentration, "It must be the church bell."

"Why would it be ringing?" Dafne asked worriedly.

"I don't know," Nico said, "It's only rung as an alarm," he tilted his head thoughtfully, "Maybe Carlo spotted that Dustfoot guy..."

"Dustfinger."

That was a possibility. He was still on the loose. Would the execution be put on hold while the men tried to catch him? What did it matter was Dafne's next thought. Sooner or later the proceedings would resume and the two people she loved would die. Perhaps Dustfinger would be joining them.

"I think it's best you keep going," Nico told her, "If the alarm is for that guy, the men might come looking for him this way. We don't want them catching you instead."

"Alright I'll go," Dafne said. But she had a request to make before she went, one she struggled to say due its painful nature, "Could you phone me... phone me when you find out..." her voice was shaking along with the rest of her, "that Basta is..."

Dead. She wanted Nico to call her sometime in the night to say Basta was dead yet she couldn't speak the word herself. She knew such a request sounded defeatist, as if she had accepted the inevitability of Basta's death. She still desperately hoped that Pietro would intervene. But if he didn't and Basta died along with Resa, she wanted to be told sooner rather than later.

"I'll call you," Nico said, needing no explanation at all.

Dafne was grateful for that, and she knew he would keep his promise. So she continued walking down that dark lonely road, dreading the sound of a ringtone playing a death knell for Basta and Resa. She tried not to imagine a cloud of volcanic ash, for this was how she envisioned the Shadow, swallowing them, filling their lungs, choking them to death...

She fought to dispel the imagery by concentrating on revenge. She wouldn't allow Capricorn to go unpunished for his crimes. Once she was reunited with Signor Orazio, she would contact the military police. Tell them about the criminal organisation operating in an abandoned village. She would say the crime boss had a chemical weapon. That was more believable than saying he had a smoke-monster. They would take Capricorn down. His reign of murder, arson and extortion would end. The thought filled her with determination but also despair. However much good it did, his downfall would come too late to save Basta and Resa.

She felt the phone jostling in her pocket, clinking against the peppermint tin. The sound was unsettling given the symbolism of the items. But then she heard a more disturbing sound. A car! She whirled around to see the glow of headlights in the distance. She hastened to get off the road before it came any closer. She squatted behind a tree, her heart hammering in her chest.

This had to be a search party. Were they looking for her or Dustfinger? What did it matter who they were after? She couldn't let them catch her.

She held her breath as the car flew past her hiding spot. She barely had time to exhale in relief before another car came hurtling past. Followed by another. And another. The cars kept on coming, all of them travelling rather fast. She jumped as she felt the phone vibrating in her pocket. Bundling Ignazio under one arm, she dug the phone out with trembling fingers.

"Yes?" she could hear the fear in her voice as she answered it, knowing it could be Nico with the terrible news.

But it wasn't Nico on the other end.

"Dafne, are you on the side of the road?" Pietro's voice came through fast and urgent.

"No I'm hiding behind a tree. All these cars are..."

"I know," Pietro interrupted, "Everyone's leaving the village. I'll explain but I need you to get back on the roadside so we can pick you up."

"What if someone else pulls over to capture me?" Dafne asked, hesitant to leave her hiding place.

"Trust me they won't," Pietro said, "The men are only interested in getting away from the village. Now hurry, we don't want to drive past and miss you."

Dafne did as he asked, though her fear of capture hadn't completely vanished. She flinched as she was illuminated by an approaching car's headlights. But the car didn't stop. It rocketed past her as if she was invisible. With a sigh of relief she turned her attention back to the phone poised at her ear. Pietro was still on the other end, waiting for her to confirm her whereabouts.

"I'm here. Tell me what's going on," she demanded, "Why is everyone..." she tensed as she spotted another car in the distance, "leaving?"

"Because of the Shadow," Pietro said, "The girl read him out different to how she was supposed to. She was controlling it with what she was saying, turning it against Capricorn. She was about to order to it to kill him I think..." the car zoomed noisily past, drowning out Pietro's voice for a few seconds, "... turned up out of the blue and took over from her..."

"Wait, who?" Dafne interrupted, having not caught the name.

"Silvertongue," Pietro said, "He showed up and ordered the Shadow to kill Capricorn."

The words hit Dafne with the shock of icy water.

"Capricorn's dead," she uttered in an incredulous voice.

She couldn't quite believe it. The evil man she had wished dead for so long was actually dead. But it had to be true. Pietro had no reason to lie. It seemed obvious now why the men were running away. They had been afraid of Silvertongue turning the Shadow on them. Her mind jumped worriedly to Basta. If any of the men had earned Silvertongue's enmity, it was him. What if Silvertongue had ordered the Shadow to kill him next?

"Pietro, is Basta okay?" her voice was full of panic, "Where is he?"

Please say he's got away like the rest of you, she prayed in her mind, please say he's travelling in his own car and that's why you're calling me since he doesn't have a phone!

Pietro didn't answer straight away. The silence was nerve-wracking. If he had good news, he wouldn't hesitate like this...

"I'm sorry Dafne," he said finally in a soft and regretful, "He's no longer with us..."

Dafne felt the sensation of a lance piercing her chest. It knocked the air out of her lungs and the phone slipped through her fingers. She gasped for air as the terrible knowledge pounded in her head. Basta was dead. She had lost him forever. Her heart didn't shatter like glass, it popped in one instant, like a balloon, and grief spilled into the void, a heavy grief she couldn't support on her jelly legs. She sunk to the ground and curled up with Ignazio against her chest.

The phone was lying beside her but she was numb to its presence, just as she was numb to everything else around her. Even the cat. She didn't think of him as she wet his fur with her tears. Her only thoughts were of Basta, nothing else. She completely forgot about the car coming to pick her up. It wasn't until it pulled up alongside her that she detached herself from her grief, only a little, to focus on the man getting out.

"Dafne," Pietro said in a soft pitying voice. She was still on the ground and he bent down to her level. He reached for her shoulder, "I'm really am sor..."

"Tell me what happened," she cut him off. There was accusation in her voice. Why hadn't he done anything to stop Silvertongue killing Basta.

Pietro frowned a little but nodded,

"In the car."

"No," she said stubbornly, "Right now."

He sighed, glancing at the car before turning back to her,

"When Silvertongue ordered the Shadow to kill Capricorn, he said something about the men disappearing," there was awe in Pietro's voice, perhaps even fear, "Then about half of them did. Vanished in thin air, just like that..." he shook his head, composing himself, "I didn't see Basta disappear," he went on solemnly, "I wasn't looking in his direction at the time. But I looked for him afterwards. There was no sign of him... I'm sorry."

Dafne didn't respond to his condolences. She was too busy analysing what had just been revealed to her. If Basta had disappeared, his death was not so concrete. You could disappear and still be alive, somewhere else. Could Silvertongue bring him back, make him reappear? She dared hope this was possible.

She got to her feet.

"I need to see Silvertongue," she said, looking in the direction of the village, "Maybe he can bring Basta back."

Pietro picked his phone off the ground before straightening,

"Even if that were possible, I don't think Silvertongue would agree to do it. He'd prefer Basta to stay vanished like the others."

"I know," Dafne said, "But the mute prisoner. Resa. She's actually Silvertongue's wife. She'll convince him for me. I'm her friend. Please Pietro, take me back to the village. I can't leave without asking."

She watched him intently, waiting for his answer. Even if he said no, she was resolved to walk back on her own. Still she hoped he would say yes.

"Surely you're not considering it," Dafne was surprised to see Orlanda's head poking out of the backseat window. She must have been eavesdropping on their conversation, "We'll be killed by the Shadow," she shot Dafne a scornful look, "There's no way I'm risking my life for some crazy long shot at getting Basta back."

"Then you better hop out of the car," Pietro said, coming over and opening the door, "That goes for the rest of you too. I'll take Dafne back to the village myself."

He glanced over his shoulder to give Dafne a smile. She smiled gratefully back.

"But you can't!" Orlanda wailed melodramatically, "The Shadow will kill you. Let her walk back if she's that keen," she glared at Dafne before giving Pietro a look of tender pleading, "I don't want you to die."

"He won't die," Dafne said before Pietro could respond, "He'll only drive me to the bridge. I can go the rest of the way myself."

"Are you sure?" Pietro said.

Dafne nodded. It was better she met Silvertongue alone.

"Alright then," Pietro turned to Orlanda, "See, I'll be fine. Get out of the car please."

With a small pout, Orlanda started heaving herself out of the car.

"I'd prefer to come if you don't mind Captain," came a man's voice in the backseat, "It beats waiting on the side of the road."

"Me too!" said a voice that was unmistakeably Nico's, "I'm the driver anyway."

Orlanda was suddenly clambering back into the car.

"Well I'm not waiting on the road all by myself."

"I guess we're all going then," Pietro said to Dafne, "You don't mind the backseat?"

Dafne shook her head. She realised Pietro wanted to avoid sitting next to Orlanda. She climbed in after her. She recognised the man in the back seat when she saw him. It was Franco, the one with the freckles.

"What's with the kitty cat?" he asked while they were waiting for Pietro to take his seat, "Is it your pet or something?"

"Yes," Dafne said as that was the easiest way to end the conversation. She didn't feel like talking to anyone except Silvertongue.

I hope you can bring him back, she thought as Nico started the engine and turned the car around, I hope it's possible...

Ignazio had curled up dutifully on her lap. She stroked him absently while she stared out the window, watching the dark forest fly past. She couldn't see the road ahead and had no idea what Nico had spotted when he exclaimed,

"Cugi, do you see..."

Pietro obviously could, whatever it was.

"Stop the car."

"What is it?" Dafne asked, thinking it was a deer on the road.

"It's Basta," Pietro said in a stunned voice.

Dafne sat bolt upright.

"What?"

She pushed Orlanda to get a view of the road. Her mouth broke into an amazed happy grin. It was Basta. It was really him! He was walking towards the car with an expression of half-relief, half-annoyance. He wasn't alone. Mortola was with him but Dafne couldn't care less about her. She deposited Ignazio on Orlanda's lap and scrambled to unbuckle her seatbelt.

"Hey Pietro!" Basta called. It was so good to hear his voice even though he sounded sarcastic, "Nice of you to bother coming back. Was it for me or Mortola?"

"I thought you disappeared!" Pietro called back, his voice still tinged with amazement.

Stupid belt, Dafne swore as she struggled to peel it away from her.

"What gave you that idea?" Basta drawled.

"I couldn't see you in the cage."

Dafne lunged for the doorhandle.

"Well it's not like you came up for a good look. You were too busy running away like a..."

"Basta!" Dafne cried, all but toppling out of the car in her haste.

"Little mouse?" He sounded slightly surprised, as if he hadn't been expecting her to be in the car. There was no mistaking how glad he was to see her as she raced up to him. He had a huge grin on his face, "Hey dear heart, aren't you a sight for sore..."

Dafne was too impatient to kiss him to let him finish. She threw her arms around him and slammed her lips against his. It took Basta a moment to recover before he returned the kiss eagerly, tasting as always like peppermint. For Dafne it was pure bliss. After all the horror and heartache, Basta wasn't dead or disappeared. He was here, in her arms, kissing her. Making this moment even better was the fact Capricorn was dead. The nightmare was over, they were free to start their new lives. She couldn't have been happier.

To be continued...

Hooray Basta is alive! After all that. In Pietro's defence, it would have been a fair assumption to think Basta had vanished. He was lying down in the cage before he got up and grabbed Resa, making it hard to see him. Especially from a distance.

I'm assuming someone hotwired Basta's car and drove it away. They wouldn't have hesitated to make use of any vehicle to escape the Shadow. Leaving Basta to walk with Mortola :(

Fun fact: Italy really does have two kinds of police. The local police and the military police called carabinieri. Elinor would have been better off contacting them than going to the local police station. The carabinieri deal with organized crime.