Mason and the team made themselves scarce. The battle in Marduk’s hotel room had been loud and had caused a lot of damage that they didn’t want to be associated with. They escaped on foot and then took a taxi to a place where they could regroup over a late breakfast.
Mason ordered a Full English before speaking. They sat in the far corner of a snug little café along the Avenue de Monte-Carlo, leaning in close so they could not be overheard by the place’s other patrons. The café smelled of cooked bacon and strong coffee and, through the front windows, they could see almost all of Port Hercules.
‘We’re screwed,’ Roxy said vehemently. ‘We lost that rat bastard and now he has everything he needs to carry out his plan.’
Mason couldn’t see a way forward, either. ‘There has to be something,’ he said, trying to stay optimistic for the team. ‘A way forward.’
‘I must admit,’ Quaid said, ‘that it feels as though we’ve tried everything. We are only five people. Maybe we need help, after all?’
Mason blinked at him. ‘Help? Who’d you have in mind? James Bond?’
‘I could live with that,’ Roxy said with a grin. ‘Or a younger Pierce Brosnan. Whatever works.’
‘I was thinking more along the lines of Premo Conte,’ Quaid said. ‘The Cavalieré.’
‘The special officers of the Vatican Gendarmerie,’ Mason said. ‘They aren’t gonna help us catch up to Marduk.’
‘But Conte needs to know that we lost him,’ Sally said.
Just then, Sally’s phone rang. She answered it in low tones, conscious of the people sitting close by, but the general hubbub of conversation inside the café drowned out her voice.
‘Hello?’ she said again, forced to speak louder.
‘This is Mario Gambetti.’ It was the new young cardinal who’d taken Vallini’s place.
‘Oh, hi.’ Sally sounded taken aback. ‘What can we do for you?’
‘We need you here,’ he said. ‘Something has happened.’
Mason felt his heartbeat double. ‘What?’
‘I am sending you a video clip now.’
Mason waited as Sally took out a pair of earphones, plugged them in, and listened to the video clip. ‘It’s Marduk,’ she told them. To Gambetti, she said, ‘This was emailed to you?’
‘To the Vatican, yes. It tells us Marduk is ready to act.’
Sally passed her phone around so that they could all listen. Mason felt angry because they had let it come to this. Marduk had slipped through their hands more than once. ‘You want us to come there?’ he asked.
‘We want your perspective. Inspector General Conte says you can help. You have done so before.’
Something was coming, something bad. Mason guessed the best place they could be was at Vatican City, fighting it. Of course, Marduk may well be en route along with Cassadaga and Ivana.
‘Is everyone on board with this at your end?’ he asked, remembering that during the Book of Secrets incident, Vallini had had immense trouble getting the cardinals to embrace his point of view.
‘Not enough, I’m afraid,’ Gambetti said. ‘Another reason Conte wants you here.’
Mason had wanted to hit something for some time now, preferably a punchbag that could take the damage. Losing Marduk, Daga and Ivana had riled him up no end.
‘You’re not saying much, Joe.’ Roxy was watching him closely.
‘It’s not what I do,’ he said. ‘I don’t rant and rave, don’t shout about our losses. They’re down to me as much as anyone.’
‘Conte’s asking for help,’ Sally said. ‘I think we should give him ours.’
‘We work for the Vatican,’ Mason said. ‘At least for now.’ Looking back on the last few months, it was working for the Vatican that had got them to the position they were in now. ‘But what can we do to help?’
Gambetti said nothing for a while, then sighed and asked them to make their way as soon as possible, before ending the call. Clearly, both he and Conte needed backup.
Their breakfast arrived, smelling delicious, and with it more black coffee. Mason ate and drank his fill, saying nothing else. When he was done, he pushed the plate away and regarded the others.
‘We’re on Conte’s side,’ he said. ‘No matter what. If Conte wants us to stay there and convince those other cardinals that Marduk’s off his rocker and planning something terrible, then that’s what we do. Agreed?’
‘I don’t think we’ll have to convince them of anything,’ Sally said. ‘Marduk will act pretty soon.’
Mason guessed she was right. Nevertheless, he respected Premo Conte and wanted to offer him every courtesy. And being invited to help the Vatican was no small thing.
‘Let’s hope we get there in time,’ Roxy said morosely.
Her words galvanised Mason, made him want to get moving. She was right. Once Marduk received his money, he’d be solvent and able to do anything he wanted. He kept an eye on them until they’d all finished eating.
‘Are we ready?’ he asked. ‘One big, last push. This time, we stop that madman.’