The Poodle-part 2

"Walk faster. The sooner we get this over with, the better." Aldo hissed. And with that opening line, he was indeed correct. After our brief interruption at the river bank, we were quickly in a hurry towards the adoption center. Located-

"Across the other side of the city. We need to get the dog and be out of there before noon." Aldo said, tightening his grip around Louane's wrist.

"That still doesn't explain why you need to be dragging me around like one." Louane protested, trying to untangle her arm from the iron hold whilst keeping up with the pace.

"Oh, here we go! Unlike you, princess, I didn't sleep well from the church bells clinging half the night." Beatrice chipped in from the right, with Liam dangling behind holding her left arm.

"It seems the church has already found out about our stolen documents, so give us a break for not strolling around." Beatrice continued, as the four of them were tangling their way through the tight streets of Bolzano that curved and crooked like a snake.

"How can you be sure it's because of me? The documents have only been gone for a day!"

"Sssshhhh, quiet Girl." Beatrice hissed.

"The Vatican has ears and eyes across all of Europe. Don't shout into them." Beatrice said, holding a finger to her lips.

"We don't know whether they know they are gone. It could be the visiting politicians in town causing the havoc." Louane argued.

"We can't afford the risk. If they know they're gone, It could be a matter of time before they close off the roads."Aldo responded.

As they walked further into the city's depths, more and more people were passing by, seemingly heading in the same direction.

"I don't think they would go that far for some old inventory reports?" Louane said, still making efforts to not be held like a hostage by Aldo.

"Lass, has Daniel fucked your brains out too? He's lying about the contents of the papers." Aldo said, further tightening his grip. A smack soon followed the comment on the back of his head by Beatrice.

"Not in front of the kid." She whispered, nodding downwards to Liam. Aldo placed his free hand on the back of his head.

"I don't trust Daniel, he talks funny, and his relationship with his mother is alarming." Aldo protested. The amount of people in the streets were gradually increasing, and in the distance, up the street, she could see a large mass of them gathered.

"Well, if you don't want to act suspicious, start, by not pulling your supposed 'daughter' like a slave. If we want to get to the adoption center, we must at the very least carry out our acting part." Louane said, giving Aldo an elbow to his rib. A vein popped onto his forehead from the hit, but realising that she was right, was probably what vexed him more. Fathoming he couldn't hit his 'daughter' in bright daylight.

"Bea, Let's switch brats, the little one is acting nice for once."

Aldo said letting go of Louane. As she switched spots with Liam, the sound of music could be heard as they further reached the sizeable crowd in front.

"What's all the ruckus?" Louane asked.

"The Politicians brought a great deal of visitors, so a large market is being held this week. I don't know whether the chaos is to our advantage or disadvantage yet. Either way, we must pass through it."

As they finally reached the crowd, the smell of spices and food became more prominent, along with the indistinctive chatter of the many. Reaching into the crowded line, it was hard to see where the mass lightened up as Louane was a head shorter than your average adult.

Aldo and Liam got further stuck into the crowd while Beatrice and Louane followed. "Do you know what's up with Aldo today? He seems more cranky than usual, Beatrice?"

Beatrice shook her shoulders.

"The heist seems to have picked up pace finally, nerves in combination with waking up on the wrong side of the bed, I'd guess."

The sound of a smaller bell rattling was near as an old man walked opposed the stream of people entering the market. The bell rang loud and clearly as the old man, dressed in ragged brown clothes shouted.

"THE END IS NEAR! THE END IS NEAR!"

The man rattled the bell into the ears loud and clear to the people in front.

" THE END IS NEAR! THE END IS NEAR! THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST IS UPON US!" The man shouted, ringing his bell as he passed Louane and Beatrice. The two gave each other an exchange of bothered looks. "BUY THE BEST CHEESE IN THE SÜDTYROL, YOU MIGHT AS WELL ENJOY BEFORE THE END! TWO FOR THREE; BUY AT THE FRATELLI BROTHERS NOW; HURRY UP!" The man shouted behind them.

"They sure know how to market…Shit I think we lost the boys." Beatrice muttered as they dwelled deeper into the line. Alarmed by the statement, she tried to scan the people nearby looking for Aldo's blonde head.

"Hold on to me. We don't need to lose each other." Beatrice said, placing a hand on Louane's shoulder, in which she did the same. The body warmth of people and shared air made the her feel anxious trying to find her little brother. Needless to say, having my little brother run off with Aldo, a literal criminal, is not the most comfortable feeling.

Louane scanned with her eyes, to the left, only to see how the street tightened, the same when she looked to her right, seeing that the line was thinner yet denser. Looking in front she relied on Beatrice as she was taller, whilst Louane struggled to see past the many heads that impatiently looked forwards and murmured to each other. As they neared further, the sound of music became more apparent. Are those trumpets?

Like Jazz it played further down, the sound of trombones and trumpets echoed, though making Louane's search further disorienting.

She turned backwards. Perhaps we have passed them already?Looking back, she saw the old nuts-looking man, singing of the apocalypse and cheese, ringing his bell. Yet, she alarmingly saw how the line had only piled up as they reached further in, to the point where she couldn't see the end; Like the sea reaching beyond the horizon. A sudden hand could be felt on her arm as she quickly turned her head forward again.

"The order-men are here, they are checking for papers." Aldo said with wide-open eyes looking at both Louane and Beatrice.

"We need to go. Better to be off their radar." Aldo said. As Louane looked past his long ragged blond head, he saw multiple order-men closing the distance as they checked people passing by.Fuck. They will recognise me.

Louane turned her head away from Aldo's distressed face, and back again. Only to be met with an even thicker line of people where the crazy cheese man had long disappeared.

"PAPERS, PASSPORTS AND IDENTIFICATION! WE HAVE CRIMINALS ON THE LOOSE, NO ONE PASSES WITHOUT HANDING THEIR PAPERS!" An order-man shouted at the top of his lungs, outdoing the sound of the trumpet that increased gradually with every step.

"Shit. We are not slipping through the line." Aldo whispered.

Swallowing became hard as the thought of being caught raced through her mind.

They will burn me on the cross. God knows what they will do to Liam?!

"Hold the runt for me." Aldo said, pulling Liam towards Beatrice who took the boys hand. Aldo reached around a bag he was wearing on his shoulder and began to dig in as the Order men closed in.

"Papers! Papers! Do you have Papers?"

An order-man shouted as he reached Aldo.

"Si signore, one moment." Aldo said, scrambling nervously in the leather bag of his, resting on his shoulder. After a few mere moments, he finally pulled out a folder.

"These are the papers for all the four of us, mind you, we haven't renewed some of the papers, these past four years." Aldo said, pointing out a circle that included the other three.

The order man was dressed in white with a bald head and a large black beard. As he took the folder from Aldo, he flickered through the papers. It was hard to shake off the tension as the man carefully looked through Aldo's folder. After some moments, the man raised a questioning eyebrow towards Aldo.

"Is there a problem, signore?"

Louane felt a pearl of sweat began to form on her forehead, the trumpets, the thick mass of people; it all gave migraine and nausea. The man hovered his gaze from Aldo, to Louane.

Shit.

"Are those your kids?" The order man said, giving Beatrice a glance. Louane let out a bit of air through her nostril, feeling relief. Beatrice tilted her head and gave the man a smile.

"No, unfortunately. I could never take their past mother's place."

Beatrice took a step, closer to Aldo, placing a hand on his chest.

"However, I could fill up this sad widower's broken heart. I just try to be the best version of myself every day. For my darling and his poor kids."

Barf.

Beatrice, gave the order man yet another smile, whilst giving Aldo a firm clap on his chest. Aldo reacted like he had just woken up as he got the hint.

"Yes, my lovely, new wife."

The Order man bounced his eye's between the two. Meanwhile Louane could see Beatrice reach around the back of Aldo, pinching his arm.

"Ah-and my two lovely kids, whom my new spouse sees as her own."

The order man squinted his eye's looking confused between the two morons in front of him.

"Hey! I don't see no colour Signore. Can we visit the market or not? We are trying to bond." Aldo said, reaching with his hand for the folder the man held. The order-man shook his head and complied.

"Whatever, have a great visit." The order man finally complied, letting go of the folder and stepping to the side. The four of them gently continued, forward. Slightly ecstatic that they get to live for another day. The Jazz increased, and this time, it felt like they were entering a nightclub. As the line continued, the small corridor, the surrounding buildings had formed, freed up whence they reached an open ground to where the market took place; at the Piazza Walther. It was an open square surrounded by building blocks, yet further behind surrounded by mountains that filled the view. The square was busy today with tents and even a podium raised, as foreign as well as local tradesmen were eager to sell. On the Podium, she could see five men playing blues notes, poly rhythms, and in a style that would take you back to the 1920s. The heist is on.

In the middle of the town centre, was a statue of Walther himself. Some old, Austrian minstrel. Although the square was filled, one could actually move around in the market and pick up candy, wine, cheese, guns, crosses, metals, books, and loose goods from lands far away.

"Had I been baker like my father before; I would have made a fortune today." Aldo said, turning his head towards the others to hear. As they reached further into the square, Aldo suddenly stopped in his path.

"Alright gather up Family."

"The bit is over, Signore." Beatrice taunted.

"What? Don't think I have a shot at acting?"

"Bout as much as me being your wife. Now, where is the adoption centre?"

"Right across!" Aldo pointed forward to the other side of the market. A sign with a cat and dog displayed, hung about one hundred meters away from them.

"Right, we must act a little longer. Louane, we don't need you for this part really, I think Liam is enough." Aldo said, looking with a displeased frown at Louane.

"Why? What am I supposed to do then?" Louane protested.

"You're throwing off my acting skills by being a little runt. Be a watch out, in case the pope arrives or some shit."

"Beatrice? You gonna let him dictate like that?"

Beatrice shrugged her shoulders and tilted her head.

"Aldo is a shit actor, and things move fast today. You can buy something to eat for us, I'll pay you back and cover."

Louane, wasn't happy with the answer, leaving Liam along with dumb and dumber wasn't the most comfortable feeling. Although Beatrice was more trustworthy. She finally nodded and complied.

"Good! Depending on the line, it should take us about half an hour to get the dog and get out. Don't stray too far!" Aldo said, waving a finger in the air. Whatever Signore…

"Please buy some candy Louane!" Liam said as the two adults took one hand each and walked off.

"We'll see!" Louane shouted, seeing as the three disappeared into the masses.

Fine. I'll entertain myself.

She turned around to view the market in front of her.

Perhaps I'll find a book.