Chapter 2: Don't Trust Anyone

Mary went to speak to someone at the counter about meeting Gia while Rome and Ella hung back. He could see the lobby well from their position, and there were a few muscular men in suits milling around. One had a newspaper in his hands which seemed odd to Rome because not many people actually read those anymore, did they? Maybe Rome was just being paranoid.

A few minutes later, Mary headed back with a woman dressed in a hotel uniform black slacks, a black jacket, and a white button-down shirt. The brunette seemed nice enough, with a relaxed smile. Rome didn’t know exactly what Bart had told her--if she knew who she was helping, or if he’d just paid her off to help special guests get out the back door--but he was going to keep his mouth closed as much as possible.

Once she reached them, Gia said “Hello,” with a thick Italian accent. “Right this way.” She led them through a door marked “Staff Only.” Rome went last, carrying most of the bags.

They went down a long hall and then through another door before stepping into a garage. A sedan idled nearby. Behind the wheel, a young man dressed in the hotel uniform sat waiting. He gave a wave from behind the wheel and then popped the trunk.

Quickly, Rome tossed the bags inside the trunk as the girls got in the back seat. He thanked Gia and slipped her a few bills Bart had procured for them. She gladly accepted and wished them good luck before ducking back inside.

Rome got into the front seat and hooked his seatbelt, his eyes glued on the rearview mirror. If they were being followed, he wanted to know sooner rather than later.

“Ready?” the young man behind the wheel asked.

“Ready,” Rome agreed, and the car took off, headed toward an exit that would take them out into the back alley.

The car was silent. Rome watched out the back glass carefully, but he also kept an eye on the driver. The fellow didn’t seem nervous, which was a good sign. If his father had gotten to the hotel worker, he would probably be anxious about the situation. Unless he was a damn good actor.

They pulled out of the alley and headed down a side street. No cars fell in behind them. It seemed to Rome as if they were headed the right way, too, away from the apartment where his dad had been keeping him. Pulling into a place where his father could be waiting would be enough to make him punch the driver in the face and force him out the other door, so he wanted to be ready.

Mary’s phone buzzed, which was a distraction Rome didn’t need. His eyes continued to flicker around, looking for any signs that they were in trouble.

“It’s Al,” Mary said. That was their code name for Bart. “He was followed to the airport. He paid the driver to lose them, and they did. He’s at the airport now, his new disguise on. He’s not through security yet, though.”

Rome didn’t like the sound of that. If his father had discovered what hotel he was at, there was a chance he’d gotten to the driver. He searched the man’s face for any nervous tension and saw none.

“Everything all right?” the driver asked, narrowing his eyes slightly at Rome.

“I hope so,” he said. “I’m just trying to decide whether or not I can trust you.”

“You can,” he said with a nod. “Your man pays more than that other guy. Besides, I’m a big fan of Axes and Blades.”

Rome’s eyes bulged. Not only had this guy been approached by his father’s men, he knew who he was. While it seemed like a good thing that he’d chosen to be paid off by Bart and not Rome’s dad, that might not last. Depending upon what they’d asked, he may have helped them more than he realized. They might be back. The fact that this guy liked one of his movies was nice but not necessarily a guarantee.

Ella must’ve caught all of that, too. “So once we get to Portugal, we’ll catch our flight to Australia from there, right?”

“Yes, and then we’ll head to Belize,” Rome replied, catching her eyes in the mirror. Mary looked confused, but Ella reached over and squeezed her hand.

“Great. Because I’m tired of dressing like a woman,” Mary chimed in, almost making Rome and Ella laugh.

“Don’t worry. We’ll be on a beach in South America before you know it.” He turned and smiled at her but then resumed his mirror watching. There was a car a few back from theirs he wanted to keep an eye on. Something about it made him suspicious. He didn’t trust anyone right now, save the girls in the back seat and Bart, and he wasn’t even sure he could completely trust all three of them. He certainly didn’t trust the driver.

He let out a deep sigh and kept his eyes moving, looking for signs that they were in trouble. How long would he have to live this way? How long would he be able to?