“We are looking for him now. But if you are not busy, we could use your help.”
“Of course. We’ll be in touch.” She hung up. “They lost Juranek.”
Dodger looked over at Mouse.
“Hang on.” After a few seconds he said, “He’s in an open market at Campo de’ Fiori.”
“You’re worth your weight in gold. Thanks.”
The four of them took off at a run. Outside the apartment, they hailed a cab, which soon dropped them off at the square. They spread out, all of them searching the crowd. Anna spotted Juranek on his cell phone near a flower merchant’s booth. She started for him after gesturing to Dodger.
A skinny, short man, he looked stressed as he spoke rapidly. When she moved in, he looked up and saw her, then turned to see Dodger, Max, and 2-Stroke and got spooked. He pulled a gun and shot at her, and she had to take cover. A woman cried out and went down, and the whole market erupted into chaos. Juranek took off, the four of them in pursuit. Juranek knocked people aside. A woman with an armload of flowers sent a wealth of color shooting into the air as she fell. He raced through the booths, Dodger parallel to him, 2-Stroke on the other side, and Max and Anna bringing up the rear. He turned a couple of times, shooting. Max tried to shield her, but Juranek’s aim was wild and he missed both of them.
Dodger surged forward, dove through two booths, flowers and wood flying, and tackled Juranek to the ground. They struggled, Dodger finally stripping the gun out of his hand. The gun slid across the cobblestones, and Anna ran to retrieve it. Juranek caught Dodger in the jaw, knocking him off.
Anna tripped Juranek as he tried to flee again and jumped on him, setting her knee in his back.
“Don’t move,” she said just as Chiara and the police showed up.
Twenty minutes later, they arrived at Rebibbia Prison, located in a suburb of Rome. Juranek was ushered away to be processed. Anna, Dodger, Max, and 2-Stroke were led to Chiara, who was waiting for them in a small room with two-way glass.
“You did well, my friends. Juranek will be here shortly.”
After about ten minutes, Georg Juranek was pulled into the room on the other side of the glass, uncooperative. He was forced into a chair and his wrists were manacled to the small table. He had a gash on his temple, a cut lip, and a bruise forming on his cheek. He was sweating.
“He ran and put up a fight,” Anna said.
Chiara smiled. “Such is the circumstances of the guilty man. You take the first crack. Time is of the essence.”
Anna took off her jacket and set it on one of the counters in the room. Max frowned and started to argue that there was no reason for Anna to be in there, but Chiara cut him off.
“Let’s get to it,” she said as she picked up a file and handed it to Anna.
Dodger smirked at him. “I know what you were thinking, but Anna’s got this. Don’t disrespect her, not here.”
Warmth filled her from Dodger’s words, showing that he believed in her fully and irritation at her brother because he didn’t realize yet that she was a fully capable operative. It was hard to transcend her little sister role, but Max would have to realize soon enough that she was all grown up.
Anna entered the room, but Juranek’s eyes remained fixed in front of him. “You have made a mistake. I wish to speak to my embassy.”
Anna moved to one of the chairs and sat down. “May I call you Georg?”
He shrugged.
“Okay, Georg it is. We have compelling evidence that you’re assisting and aiding terrorists who are planning to assassinate the pope.”
“You have made a mistake. I wish to speak to my embassy.”
“See, here’s the thing, Georg. Anyone suspected of terrorism can be detained, and the Italians don’t take kindly to someone who threatens the pontiff. You won’t be able to talk to your embassy and, in fact, probably are looking at the Italians dropping you into a dark pit.”
He finally looked at her, his lip curling with disgust. “American whore.”
“Okay, now we’re getting somewhere.”
His jaw flexed and he licked his lips. “I have nothing to say.”
“We think you have plenty to say.” She opened the folder, and his face went white when he saw pictures of his family. “The Italians have your family safe and