The next morning saw Howard once more at the manor, but to Duo's question if he was going to replace Hillary, the elderly man threw his newspaper at him. The atrium and the hole in the library's wall had been covered with building material to keep the rain out; it was a provisional solution and Howard had taken it upon himself to find the correct building materials and the craftsmen to restore the Manor in its previous glory. As the atrium was covered with dark, stainless steel plates, the magnificent hallway with its double winged staircases looked like a graveyard with all its dark ebony wood that used to shine from the filtered daylight. For once, Heero had been grateful for his loss of hearing; the construction workers drilling and hammering all night and day to get the plates into place. Duo had been terribly annoyed and had spend most of his time at the gym, his iPod blasting his usual kind of death metal as he worked his way through his gymnastic routines.
Good news arrived in the afternoon; Jeeves Wilson had pulled through the night satisfactory. Hillary, who had spent night and day at his father's bedside, called Duo personally on his cell phone to tell the good news. Duo told both Wilsons to take it easy, as Hillary wanted to come to the Manor to resume his work. He was however relieved to have Duo's permission to stay at his father's side; it was going to take a lot of rest and extra care before Jeeves could return home.
Hilde visited the Manor as well, to make slight modifications to the costume she had designed for Duo. Heero watched when Duo was fitting the garment, and he whistled. White looked extremely well on Duo, and Hilde had the habit to make the fabric as form-fitting as possible. She worked magic on her clothes; as with the other costumes she designed for Duo, this white fabric was thermal, insulated and moisture controlled, and a barrier for gunshots. It wasn't bullet proof, but sturdy enough to slow the impact of a bullet, rendering injuries much less severe. She had offered to make a costume for Heero as well, but he had declined.
Equipment was extremely important to the expedition. Heero was glad he could concentrate on testing everything, making sure all the equipment was in perfect working order. A faulty oxygen tank was the last thing they needed while trekking through the Himalayas. He downloaded maps and obtained satellite images of the Himalayas, printing them on the best quality paper he could find. Using one of the massively large tables in a dining room, Heero spread out the maps to determine a route, studying the various options and possibilities. Wufei had confirmed to meet them in Chengdu, and he knew a couple of sherpas who could guide them into the mountains. Much more preparation than young, naïve Marshall Noventa, but Heero wanted to know beforehand where he was going, not enjoying the idea to be dependent on others to find his way.
He didn't notice Duo entering the room until his shadow fell over the huge satellite images, which startled him.
"Sorry," Duo said. "I didn't know how to approach you. I didn't think tapping on the shoulder would be the best."
"Never mind," Heero said. "It's not your fault that I still can't hear anything."
"Nothing at all?" Duo asked and Heero shook his head. "Well, it's not that surprising. You were so close to the blast, it would be astounding if you recovered your hearing already."
"It's extremely annoying." Heero didn't like to complain, but he preferred a broken arm or leg to loss of hearing. Duo turned towards the maps and images, gazing over them briefly.
"What do you think?"
"This is the most possible route to pass the mountains, following Noventa's path," Heero pointed at the small, red needle pins he had marked the route with. "It's going to be physically challenging. We have to scale the Annapurna and pick up the Kora La pass at 15.072 feet. We're going to need oxygen for that."
"That's close to the border of Nepal," Duo commented. Heero moved his fingers, pointing to another needle pin.
"Here's where the Annapurna is separated from the Dhaulagiri. We need to go straight between the mountains to get into Tibet. The Kali Gandaki Gorge."
Duo looked worried. "That's the deepest gorge in the world!"
"It used to be a part of an ancient trade route," Heero said. "If we trek around it, it's going to take us three weeks to get into the country. And…according to his notes, Noventa was on his way to the Kali Gandaki Gorge if the…accident with Bartoli didn't happen."
"So there must be the monastery where he went to for help," Duo pointed at the satellite image. Hidden between the snowy rocks and mountain sides, an elevated roof of a monastery was visible, just barely. Duo used a magnifying glass to study the exceptional pagoda style of the monastery. Leaning over the large table, he could hear Heero typing at the keyboard of his laptop.
"Here it is, Burqug Lamaling Monastery. It's open to visitors, and there's a route straight from Lhasa. An excellent starting point, I'd say."
"All right. Hopefully someone there remembers Noventa and Bartoli, and can give us some more information."
"You look a little tense," Heero said suddenly.
"Hm?"
"A little tense," Heero repeated. He watched Duo closely, the way he leaned over the table. Usually Duo would slouch a little and lean, completely comfortable, on the tabletop. Now he held his body strained and tensed, as if he wanted to avoid touching the table at all costs.
"I just have a lot on my mind, with the Manor and all," Duo answered and showed Heero a brilliant smile, but he didn't fall for it.
"If this is about the expedition…"
"I want to do this," Duo cut him off. "Come on Heero, there's nothing I'm afraid of. I've paraglided from a pyramid, I've dived into every ocean in the world, and I've abseiled from helicopters. A trek through the Himalayas isn't scaring me."
"Then what is?" Heero asked simply. Duo remained silent for a few moments, his smile slightly forced. He moved his hands to cup Heero's face, and teasingly touched his earlobes.
"I've called G to come over this afternoon," he said, "to check up on you."
"What?"
"I want to know if you're fit enough to go on the expedition."
"I'm fit enough! I don't need a doctor!"
"Your ears," Duo moved Heero's earlobes back and forth, "what if such heights as in the Himalayas are disastrous for your ears?"
"Nonsense. That's just bullshit, Duo."
"I love it when you talk dirty, love. But you're going to have G look at your ears, or else you're going to sleep on the couch tonight."
Duo was barely finished or his cell phone started to ring. Heero stepped away from him so Duo could take out his cell phone, but his annoyed glare didn't elude him. Duo knew that Heero wasn't fond of G, but the Maxwell family physician had strangely enough a soft spot for both him and Duo.
"Hey, Quatre," Duo exclaimed happily. Few people had his private number, only the ones he regarded as his closest friends had the privilege of calling him. He laughed out loud. "Sorry, sorry, I didn't hear the doorbell! We're out of a butler at the moment. Just stay put and I'll open the door for you."
He cut the connection, still laughing. "What do you know, Quatre is at our front door and I didn't hear the bell. I don't know how Hillary hears it wherever he is, but I sure miss him!"
"What's Winner doing on our doorstep?" Heero asked, a little sourly. Duo gave him a quick peck on the cheek.
"I asked him if he might have information on Impresa Bartoli. Apparently, he wants to tell me in person, or he was just in the neighborhood and decided to drop by."
"Yeah, right," Heero snorted. Quatre Raberba Winner was the CEO of Winner Industries and had business contacts all over the world; he was sure to have some information on the mysterious Bartoli family. He waited for Duo to return with his guests, not surprised to see Quatre's companion Trowa Barton walking along with him, but irritated to see Professor G., who had arrived at the same time.
"I'll take a look at your boyfriend's ears first, Duo," the professor said, grinning - coupled with his crooked nose and eccentric hairstyle, he looked like a criminal about to commit the heist of his life. Heero sighed and acquiesced; no couch was comfortable enough to sleep on. Quatre and Trowa greeted him before the professor whisked Heero away to a room to have some privacy for the medical examination.
"What happened here?" Quatre's sharp eyes had noticed the darkness in the large hall, and as soon as he looked up, he gasped at the metal plates covering what once was the atrium. "I saw construction work from the outside, the south wing. What's going on?"
"I'll tell you all about it," Duo said. "Let's just wait until Heero gets back, okay?"
"What's with his ears?" Trowa wanted to know. Duo showed a tired smile.
"I'll tell you everything," he said, "but now I have to take care of coffee and tea."
"You said you were out of a butler," Quatre said, worriedly. "I can lend you some personnel, if you're really in a bind?"
"The Wilsons have taken care of my family for generations," Duo said. "It would feel like treason to hire anyone else for the moment, thank you. Don't worry, it's temporary. It all has to do with what happened here."
"I can't wait to hear it," Quatre rubbed his hands as if excited. "I'll tell you about what I could find on Bartoli after you're done."
"Deal," Duo said and left his guests alone to go to the kitchen.
The teacups were filled, Duo's coffee mug was topped with a scandalous amount of whipped cream and sprinkles, and he had even found a large box with luxury cookies. He simply ripped off the lid and put the box on the table, munching on his first choice: a double chocolate chip cookie with macadamia nuts. Trowa stirred his tea, passing on the sweets, and Quatre took his time to search out a treat. He had all the time, as Duo was busy telling the entire story, starting with his research on the sword to the attack on the manor, finishing with their most recent preparations, planning the route through the Himalayas. Duo greedily drank from his coffee, dipping his nose into the whipped cream, as his throat had run dry from all the talking. Quatre and Trowa had listened attentively, not interrupting him once, but they were obviously brimming with questions.
"Do you really think it was all about the sword?"
"It has to be. They went straight for Noventa's notes," Duo answered. To accommodate Heero, everyone was talking slower and well articulated. "It holds all the information we have; I'm sure Bartoli is going to start in Nyintri prefecture just like us."
"Concerning Bartoli," Trowa took over, "we have found some information on him. It appears that Winner Sr. has been in contact with Bartoli Sr., Gianni's father, but the business deals were cancelled."
"Cancelled?"
"The impresa went bankrupt, all of the sudden."
Duo looked at Heero. "The sinking of the Maria Doria."
"I see you did some research yourself already," Quatre smiled. "I won't ask you for your sources, Duo. But when I was trying to gather some more information about Bartoli, I stumbled upon these unfriendly types. Probably the same types who broke into the Manor."
Trowa produced a mauve file from the briefcase he'd been carrying and put it on the table, flipping it open. He picked the top of a bundle of pictures and turned it over. Duo and Heero leaned forward to take a look, frowning simultaneously. Three men, all clad in black and carrying heavy weapons, posed in front of the camera as if they were having the greatest fun. The smiles on their faces were nothing but forced grimaces, and cruelty was visible in their eyes. All three of them had a crew cut, no beards or moustaches, and were bulked up like a bodybuilder. On the shoulder pads of the jackets was an insigne with a red circle, crossed with a squiggly line ending in an arrow head, a dot in the upper right corner and a thick line in the middle of the circle. Heero's eyes went wide.
"I've seen that insigne before," he said.
"The intruders?"
"Yes. The guard I subdued, just before he killed himself he moved his arms and I saw that red circle. I didn't think much of it, I thought it was just something that belonged to the jacket."
"I was afraid of this." Quatre heaved a dramatic sigh. "You're in deep trouble, my friends. This is the Fiamma Nera. The Black Flame. A cult headed by Marco Bartoli."
A silence followed. Trowa turned the second picture over, showing a middle-aged man, also dressed in black, a black and red scarf draped around his shoulders, wearing sunglasses. His hair was also dark with a widows peak, and his complexion looked ghastly pale, deep lines etched around the corners of his mouth.
"The Impresa wagered all her money on the Maria Doria," Quatre continued. "After it sank, the family suffered a considerable loss of confidence in their business. The insurance's money established their wealth, but with no new business, their fate was set. Rather than to try anew in the shipping business, they invested their money, buying shares and the majority of stocks in other companies."
"Let me guess, mafia-owned companies?" Duo asked sarcastically.
"You're not far from the truth. The family was close to the Fiamma Nera cult, even before Marco was born. Apparently, the previous heads of the family were interested in pursuing legends and uncovering artifacts just like you, Duo. They even had their eyes set on the Dagger of Xian."
"Too bad," Duo said. "I got there first."
"Please take this seriously," Quatre said, voice low. "It's hard to make a distinction where the Bartoli family ends and the Fiamma Nera begins. Some family members might be working for them, the cult might be totally financed by the Bartolis. After the Maria Doria sank, the capital of the family went downhill, even after receiving the money from the insurance."
"It's undeniable that the Fiamma Nera is well-financed," Heero interjected. "Submarine guns, explosives, night vision goggles, Duo even encountered a gatling shotgun! That's not easy obtainable, let alone affordable."
"Agreed." Quatre nodded. "But don't forget that the family business was left without a leader, after Gianni's death. The business stagnated and ran dry - which leaves us the question, where does he get his money from now? It's possible that they're using anonymous Swiss bank accounts to park whatever money they have left…"
"I'm not interested in their finances," Duo said brusquely. He picked up Bartoli's picture. "I want to know where I can find him, now that we have a link that it was his men who attacked my precious Manor."
"We've got only this last known address," Trowa said, flipping over the third picture. "His Palazzo at Via Caravelli, Venice."
Duo's lips curled in a menacing grin. "Got you now, you bastard."
"I wouldn't count on it," Heero said. "Look at how dilapidated it is. No one lives there anymore. A dead end."
"I'm not so sure about that. Besides, G didn't think it was wise to trawl around in the Himalayas in your condition. The pressure and air in the mountains might be harmful to your ears."
"I can wear ear plugs," Heero suggested. "We can't postpone our expedition much longer. The weather's now still in our favor. If we wait much longer…"
"We can spend a day or two at Venice," Duo cut him off, his grin turning into a wicked smile. "It only takes us a few hours to look up the palazzo, and snoop around. Who knows what we might be able to find!"
"Do be careful," Quatre said as Trowa gathered the pictures and closed the mauve file, leaving it on the table for Duo and Heero. "I don't like the idea of a cult chasing you."
"I think their attention is now on the sword of the Khan," Duo answered. "And we'll find Kolanuhm first, pry the sword from his cold fingers and chop Bartoli's head off."
"You should write a book," Trowa deadpanned. "'How to defeat evil in the world with just one hew of a blade'."
"Don't give him any ideas," Heero groaned as Duo promptly jumped up and started yelling enthusiastic titles and more suggestions for his book, soon enough dissolving into great laughs about his new, prospective career as a writer.
It was getting late and Duo invited everybody to stay for dinner. He wasn't a good cook and he wasn't planning on cooking for at least seven people: Hilde, Howard, Heero, Professor G, Quatre, Trowa and himself. The problem was quickly resolved by calling a few take-out restaurants and soon enough, a myriad of dishes were served on a seventeenth century lace table cloth, in one of the many dining rooms of the Manor.
Duo had the time of his life, eating with this many friends, and talked the loudest at the table, with everyone joining him except for Heero, who had trouble following the conversations and finally gave up, retreating into himself and eating silently. Strangely enough, he was developing a headache and he wanted to go to bed, to rest his weary head. Duo looked confused and surprised when Heero told him he was leaving the dining table, just before dessert was served - several tubs of ice cream. Hilde had gone to the kitchen to retrieve them, and the rest of the guests were still conversing amiably.
"Are you sure you want to leave this soon, love?" Duo asked. He cupped Heero's face, looking at him quizzically. "Are you upset? Something the matter?"
"No no, I just have a headache," Heero said. "Nothing's the matter, you just stay here."
"If you're really sure," Duo said hesitantly, but Heero gave him a kiss on the cheek and patted his shoulder.
"Just join me later."
"I will." His attention was already caught by Howard, who was telling an urban legend about one of his own expeditions on the North Pole, and by the looks of it, Quatre was falling for it hard. Heero didn't bother to interrupt them to bid them goodnight; he snuck out of the dining room and almost bumped into Hilde, carrying various tubs of ice cream.
"Heero! Are you leaving?"
"Headache," he muttered.
"You want some aspirin? Ibuprofen?"
"No, it's fine."
Hilde was about to walk past him into the dining room, when he reached for her, halting her mid-step.
"Yes?" She asked, looking a little bewildered.
"I wanted to ask you," he said, lowering his voice as much as he could, he didn't want the others to overhear him, "you know Duo best, right?"
"We've known each other for quite long, yes," Hilde answered.
"What makes him so tense when it comes to the expedition? The Himalayas? I noticed that he tensed up when we studied the maps, but when he talks about the artifact, he seems all relaxed and at ease."
Hilde tilted her head a little, her eyes expressing disbelief and sorrow. "He never told you?"
"Told me what?" Heero felt slightly nauseous.
"Duo's parents," she whispered, the cold ice cream in her arms forgotten.
"They died in a plain crash," Heero added. He didn't like the expression on Hilde's face. Now she looked like she was… pitying him.
"Their plane crashed over the Himalayas, Heero." It didn't matter if she whispered or not, when reading her lips it felt like giant church bells resonated in Heero's head. "I'm so sorry."
The Piazza San Marco, St. Mark's square, Venice, was the tourist attraction by default. The Patriarchal Cathedral Basilica of Saint Mark was only one of the many buildings to visit, bordering to the Doge's Palace, and a fine example of Byzantine architecture. Even Heero was impressed with the wealth and power it radiated, and so he didn't object to standing in line to get tickets. Duo was as excited as a kid on a school trip, walking in and out of the line, chasing a few pigeons on the large square, harassing a carabinieri into taking pictures of him and Heero with the cathedral church in the background, holding up a V-sign.
Heero was glad that they hadn't traveled immediately to Chengdu. He didn't particularly agree with Professor G., but he didn't want to run the risk of permanent damage to his ears either. The ringing sound was just slowly ebbing away and he picked up more and more sounds every day, the bass tones at first. It was a huge relief; in the deepest hours of the night, when Duo was curled up against him, his warm body comforting his, he'd been afraid he'd lost his hearing already. Duo had taken the decision to travel to Venice first, he wanted to take a look at Bartoli's palazzo. It was of no use to object; if Duo had set his mind on something, he wasn't easy to be swayed. Heero considered the possibility of more Fiamma Nera cult members showing up; both were carrying light weapons, not visible to regular civilians.
"Duo, get back here," he said, his voice still loud as he couldn't hear himself well yet. "We're almost at the entrance!"
"Coming," Duo hollered back, and quickly made his way over to Heero, grabbing him at the arm and pumping it enthusiastically. "It's been so long since I've been in Italy," he said, "it's wonderful to be here again!"
"You're just excited about the pizza you're going to eat tonight," Heero said.
"Oh, don't be such a…"
"Two tickets please," Heero said and handed over the right amount of lire to the cashier. A tour was about to start and they joined the group, listening to the guide. While they visited the cathedral, Duo was in awe, enjoying the beauty of the huge, red marble columns and bright mosaics. Heero couldn't follow the broken English of the tour guide, and instead read a booklet on the interior of the cathedral. At the end, Duo lit a few candles and following his example, Heero lit one too. Duo stared into the small, peaceful dancing flames, the light casting a warm glow on his chestnut bangs. He was sunken in thoughts, and Heero wondered if he was thinking of his parents. Strange actually, that they had never talked about their parents. Heero had never told Duo much about his adoptive father, not knowing his real parents at all, and Duo had only told that his parents died at a plane crash. To comfort the man he loved, Heero moved his arm up around him, and Duo immediately buried his head in the crook of his neck. After a few moments of standing still, he asked as softly as he could: "Why don't we go outside, Duo. Just for a little bit?"
"Sure." Duo's voice was smothered so Heero couldn't hear him right, but used his best judgment and slowly started to guide Duo outside. Once the sun hit their faces, Duo lit up just like the candles at the church and he started smiling again, a genuine loving smile.
"How about lunch, and then go to Via Caravelli?"
"Excellent idea," Heero agreed. "But all the lunchrooms around here are far too tourist-y. Let's get to the center of the city."
"By gondola?" Duo's eyes brimmed with hope and even more enthusiasm. How could he deny him anything? His knees got weak just from the smile on Duo's face, and he knew that Duo knew exactly how to get what he wanted.
"Gondola it is," he sighed and enjoyed the bear hug before Duo raced off to find a fitting gondola.
The hearty lunch replenished their energy. Duo tried a few dishes, skipping over the traditional fegato alla Veneziana, thinly-sliced liver sautéed with onions. Instead, he munched half a garlic salami sausage, laughing at Heero's facial expression of disgust.
"You'll have to kiss me somewhere else but the mouth," Duo waved the salami in front of his face so he could smell the specific, strong garlic, and a little miffed, Heero turned his attention to his own vegetable dish, the fresh asparagus garnished with radicchio and olive oil. Accompanied with garlic bread, Heero made a mental note to buy strong breath mints for himself, but mostly for Duo. They finished off the superfluous lunch with a bowl of tiramisu and Duo reclined in his seat, blowing a few wayward strands out of his face.
"Phew! If it goes on like this, I won't fit my costume! Hilde's going to tear me a new one!"
"Don't worry, it's quite a walk to Via Caravelli," Heero said, licking off the last bit of his dessert. "We can't take a gondola to there."
"Awww," Duo was disappointed. "Fine, then, we'll walk. Or a taxi, perhaps?"
"Perhaps." Heero whipped out the route description to the street. "I estimate it's about half an hour from here."
Duo nodded. "Give me five minutes, I have to stomach this first." He hid a burp behind his hand.
Chapter 4 | Chapter 6 |