Chapter 9

A startling indictment made by the Holy See's Commandant of the Guardia Svizzera Pontifica, Michel Tolkien, stepped on the toes of some higher-ups and has raised eyebrows to unusually high altitudes in the Vatican, not even sparing the rank and files in the army. The document points accusing fingers daringly in their direction causing deep divide and animosity amongst the army.

"Uhm, gentlemen and ladies of the press, just when we thought we were done sniffing around for clues that may unmask the actors behind the New Year Eve massacre a twist of the event came about. A mutilated document linked to an alleged contractor and the contracted, with the former being my second in command: the Chaplain of the Swiss Guard, Lucius Labyrinth, was found in the custody of his refuse bin; stained with blood, the blood of which turned out to be that of an Ostrich after a thorough analysis in our forensic laboratory.

The white paper dated December 26th of the present year was duly signed by the contractor named Epifany Rocco DeAngelo, the father of the kidnapped seminarian, with his fingerprints all over the paper.

Furthermore, a newly commissioned officer of the Vatican army identified as Delima Hebdo was caught on camera together with a crafty woman who seems to know where all our cameras were planted, even in the most remote of places, frequents this premises fourteen days before the satanic event was carried out.

The vixen woman refused her face to be captured on cameras. Further investigations reveal that she was neither his girlfriend nor his wife but more of a business partner.

As a result of a covert operation, the intelligent report showed that the yet to be identified woman had the help of an insider, with accusing fingers pointing at officer Delima Hebdo.

Lastly, our officials in plain clothes while disguised themselves as pleasure seekers, traced their meeting point to a popular five-star hotel at the heart of Rome where they saw officer Delima Hebdo walking away with a black suitcase with unknown content believed to be inducement from the lady in question to spy on 'us'.

On that fateful day, the officer in charge of security at the main entrance of the Vatican city gate, Delima Hebdo was unceremoniously spotted again on the close circuit Television, authorizing an off-white Chevrolet Tahoe carrying a UN special registration number: corps Technique 03 ITL. Delima Hebdo certifies their entrance without running a proper check on the suburban van even though it was the responsibility of his subordinates to conduct such a search on vehicles. Funny enough, that car was the one and only he performed a routine check on that day; another solid evidence by our team of detectives against.

However, Hebdo denied aiding in the anti-Vatican activity despite 'the last straw that broke the Camel's back' kind of report that surfaced involving him clearing the way for someone believed to be a serial killer after they must have downed an army officer and a seminarian, and took another one hostage, helped the assailants escaped through the gates despite orders from his superiors of a 'no entry, no exit' until the perpetrators were captured from among the crowd.

To cap it all, living pieces of evidence as revealed by the competent and reliable source indicated a huge sum of money stashed into Cadet officer, Delima Hebdo's account, running into tens of thousands of Euros and he, now living lavishly beyond what his paycheques from his employer could afford him.

Arms of the law cast far and wide have started dragging in the catch and you wouldn't believe who one of them was. He is not only an insider but a top-ranking officer of the Swiss Guard who goes by the name Lucius Labyrinth, who is currently being quizzed by our men for subscribing into the murder of a seminarian, an attempted murder and for kidnapping the son of a wealthy Italian, who doubled as a seminarian.

******

Delima Hebdo, being an ex-lover to Miss Deloria and a graduating coursemate at the Italian Defense Academy was always in contact with her on the phone while she was away in New York.

He peeped outside in between curtain opening in his apartment to make sure no unwanted guests listen to their conversation.

"It appears things are turning in your favour," he announced," but as for me, am looking forward to being summoned by a Federal Agent to answer a query in an alleged role I played in the New Year massacre.

All things being equal, I will make sure your face continues to remain scrambled. And be rest assured that my verbal views in regards to you would be spoken in a condensed language without giving up information that could lead to your arrest."

"Thank you, Delima Hebdo," said Deloria, "Without much ado, on my part, I shall keep the Euros streaming steadily into your bank account as long as you've got my back covered.

By the way, have you heard?" Inquired Deloria playfully.

"Heard about what?"

"About aliens taking over parts of the world you are living in, particularly the U.S.A and the republic of Romania. They are already been mapped using mysterious monolithic metals; it's scary man, but notwithstanding, am having a swirl of time pursuing it. Like the doubting Thomas's, until I saw the alien's staff and feel it in my palms, I shall not return to Italy." She giggles.

"Have a grilling time trailing after the eerie things, but remember, aliens like pretty ladies, you are one of them, you could be abducted if you venture too close to them."

Deloria giggles again and said to him, "I will be fine."

*********

Don Rocco made it to the front pages of the virile Italian newspapers unopposed for all the bad reasons. He picks a copy of the daily tabloid from the mailman and slammed-on his binoculars to his face to aid his worn-out eyes then sank into a sofa and reads aloud the intimidating headlines: 'A PLOT by DON ROCCO, the BILLIONAIRE to SLAUGHTER HIS 'ONLY BEGOTTEN SON' EXPOSED.'

Uneasiness befell him; he feels like he has outgrown the large space he occupies on the seat. Sweat began to form on his glistening forehead as he reads further. He later discovered that his son, Alessandro, who was supposed to be dead as fabricated by Deloria, escaped the same unscathed. Don Rocco, filled with rage, with grating teeth, thumped the large glassy table in front of him with the newspaper and began to dial Deloria's cell phone number from a golden vintage rotary telephone from the side table.

"Have you gone through today's dailies? He asked, all worked-up, with his voice skyrocketing to the outdoors.

"Yes I did, Mr Ricco," she answered coolly as if she wasn't conversing with a maddening man.

"Don't you think I deserve some explanations in regards to the imprints in the daily publications using my name to mop the streets of Rome?"

"Oh, that?" She asked, rubbishing him with a long annoying hiss.

"And how does that affects me? I don't think I owe you any clarification in respect of your 'groaning name' moping the sewers of Rome, Don Rocco."

"I thought we had a gentleman agreement, aren't we, Longoria?"

"You thought wrong, Mr Rocco. I can't remember striking a deal with you on matters of such weights; the earlier you figure out that person, the better it would be for your 'slaving' name,"

"What are you talking about, Deloria, have you suddenly gone nuts? I swear by the name of my papa, am going to make you pay for this the hard way sooner than later."

"Uh…uh! Not so fast with the swear word," contested Deloria with a fiercely wagging finger to no one in particular. " save them for yourself, Don Rocco. You should have known you were dealing with an officer of the Law Enforcement Agent when you engaged her in a game of wits. I don't even know why am holding this unfruitful conversation with you in the first place. I have dealt with you enough, now I shall leave what remains of you to the Police. And hey, don't even border to mention my name in the courtrooms on the day of reckoning, if you do, I will sink you to the Ocean's bottom shackled with a mill-stone of incriminating shreds of evidence that I know about you that you don't know that I knew.

After the verbal war, Don Rocco went into a vertical free fall, like Alice- in wonderland-style into an emotional turmoil without a handrail to hold unto.

Deloria is an unpredictable force to anyone who doesn't have the pleasure of knowing her; taking orders from a power intoxicated freak has never been her speciality. She will go out of her way to do exactly what she has been told not to do and trust her to go about it with gleeful irreverence.

That night, except for none, beginning from the house help to the cooks and then to the guards, all looked poised for a showdown as news of an imminent arrest of their boss filtered through the airwaves. They spared no effort to show their undiluted solidarity to their boss as they declared war by shooting their shots at half a dozen Police vehicles blaring sirens to their master's protectorate. It wasn't a shot from an ordinary gun, but something much more potent than it, a barrage of mothers slung from a rocket launcher.

But with the help of her man managing skill, Deloria prevented what would have been a hollow cost on the air bourn special forces by an anti-aircraft planted by Don Rocco but the state might ultimately crush the short-lived insurrection.

They took over control of his manor. Five Police officers searches and found Don Rocco at his courtyard together with his wife, Margaritta, smoking a cigar as if the sky was not falling in his domain.

"Mr Epifany Rocco DeAngelo, you are under

arrest for the murder of a soldier and a seminarian. And also for the unlawful possession of dangerous weapons."

Another Police officer read him his rights as thus:

"You have the right to remain silent; anything you say or do shall be used against you in the court of law."