“Do you see it?” Healey muttered. “Anyone?”
“It would be easier if we knew what we were looking for,” Naz admitted. “But I see nothing yet.”
Caitlyn scanned the panes of glass, seeing dozens of religious images but nothing relevant. It took twenty minutes but eventually neither she nor Naz nor Crouch felt anything short of disappointment. The team knew they had already lingered a little too long.
“Back to the drawing board?” Alicia asked. “Well, one thing’s for sure, all these failures will soon bore the arse off your bloody trolls.”
It was then that Crouch’s eye caught on a flash of color. “The Doge of Venice,” he said carefully. “That could be it.”
“What?” Naz asked, squinting toward the top row.
“A glass pane quietly dedicated to Dandolo near his tomb doesn’t seem too out of place now does it?” Crouch murmured.
“Quietly?” Caitlyn questioned.
“It would have to be,” Naz said. “Otherwise later generations would smash it. What are you seeing, Michael?”
“I’m thinking of the coat of arms of the Republic of Venice in Dandolo’s day and the colors therein,” Crouch said. “And I’m seeing them right at the very top there, dead center.”
Naz inhaled swiftly. “Looking toward the Hippodrome, a pane of deep red and yellow with the lion symbol. That has to be it.”
“But what does it portray?” Caitlyn squinted hard. “I can’t make out the figures.”
Crouch removed his cellphone and held it up, focusing the lens but still blending perfectly with the hundreds of visitors all around. Taking his time he snapped several photos, careful not to stick to the same area. A few minutes later he was staring at the screen, blowing the most relevant picture up to full size as Caitlyn and Naz looked on.
“What do you see?” Alicia asked, curious despite her apparent indifferences.
“I see a male holding—” Crouch squinted. “Two items. I also see a miniature city perhaps? And, four horses. I definitely see four horses!”
“And the male,” Naz breathed. “Look closer. Though small it is a man of strength holding up a key in one hand and a cup in the other. It is a depiction of the Hercules Tarentum. It is the statue as Lysippos sculpted it.”
“And the city?” Healey asked.
“Where else?” Crouch smiled. “It is unmistakably Venice.”
NINE
Alicia’s elation was short-lived.
When Kenzie’s now familiar face momentarily materialized out of the surrounding throng she knew their time inside the Hagia Sophia was up. She also knew that their new antagonist could not possibly be carrying any serious weapons. The entrances, halls and exits of the ancient church might appear antiquated but they were actually crammed full of the latest detection devices. Alicia signaled a hasty retreat and the team pulled together, drifting toward the nearest exit.
Kenzie must have caught on immediately, because she emerged from the crowd with her unattractive entourage. “I know you found something,” she called across the busy space between them. “Just tell me what it was.”
Alicia waved the others by, her and Russo trailing. Tourists milled all around. Within seconds Kenzie was tapping at Alicia’s heels, leaning in to whisper into her ear. “Gloves are coming off real soon, bitch. You people are not going to know what hit you.”
Alicia thought about all she had overcome and accomplished during the past few years and laughed. Kenzie’s threat might not be an empty one but it was spoken with such outlandish bravado, such egotistical belief. Alicia’s laugh only served to pour fuel onto the fire.
Kenzie slammed the bottom of her foot onto the back of Alicia’s thigh, causing a jolt of flame to travel from the point of impact to her brain. Alicia pulled up abruptly, spinning to face the Israeli.
“You wanna eat the floor, sweetheart? Just say the word and I’ll put you down in front of all these people and their cameras.”
“Put me down then, bitch. If you—”
“Amen, motherfucker.” Alicia struck before the woman completed her sentence, a jab to the solar plexus and the throat. The first struck true, the second was deflected even as Kenzie doubled over, a sign that proved she’d at least gone through intensive training. Alicia stepped back, then brought a knee into Kenzie’s head as her backup moved in.
At any other time, in any other place, soldiers and mercenaries might have backed off, remembered where they were and what they were doing. But not today. A challenge had been thrown down and nobody was prepared to yield.
Healey found himself barged backwards, fell down a step and realized he was at the top of a winding flight of stairs. A boyish enthusiasm creased his face and when the next man attacked he stepped briskly aside, allowing his opponent to sprawl headlong down the punishing flight.
Russo sent a man crashing against the stone balcony, its height the only thing saving him from toppling over. Naz backed down slowly, fronted by Caitlyn and Crouch.
Alicia found her attention partly distracted by Caitlyn. During the last few months Healey had been quietly and carefully training the young girl in an effort to at least give her the basic skills to defend herself. The team, and especially Alicia, weren’t expecting any miracles but at the same time they were all hopeful. Caitlyn had controlled herself very well during the last adventure when she’d been abducted but Alicia didn’t want to be called on for another gung-ho rescue any time soon. She’d had enough of those after saving Mai bloody Kitano from the hands of the Yakuza.
Now, as Caitlyn was forced to shield both herself and Naz alongside Crouch, the twenty-one-year-old was moving admirably, cutting down her target area and shifting in sync with the boss. Again, she looked calm. Alicia, and certainly her new opponent, wouldn’t now have guessed she had no real fighting or military experience. When her opponent feinted at Crouch and struck at Caitlyn she defended by stepping away and kicking to the knee. Not bad. With the man on his knees, though, Caitlyn should have stepped in fast for the incapacitating blow — finish ‘em off, Alicia had told her, doesn’t matter how or where. Just end their ability to do harm to you or anyone else. Preferably forever. Countless times on the TV and in films she had seen the hero or heroine leave a capable opponent groaning behind them as they ran.
In real life you finished them off.
Heads were already swiveling toward them. Alicia had watched Kenzie pick herself up, knowing she could have injured the woman badly as she did so but feeling it might be a somewhat sadistic act.
See. I’m growing.
An Alicia during the Bones of Odin campaign would have struck first and thought about the consequences later.
Kenzie rose to her feet, trying not to gasp. Alicia held out a hand. “You okay? Want me to find you a chair?”
“This isn’t over. The time will come—”
“Save it. Makes you sound like a friggin’ supervillain. I’m thinking Thanos, especially with that massive forehead of yours. And the craziness. You can get tablets for that. So I’m told.”
“One day.”
“It’s a bad girl’s world, sweetie, and I’m way badder than you.”
Kenzie held up a hand, forcing her men to back off. Too many heads were aimed their way, too many eyes and ears focused.
Alicia watched the play of emotions across the woman’s features. Then, carefully, she also backed up, taking her team with her down the long staircase. The two units separated. Alicia headed for the nearest exit, already wondering how they could make a quick, clean escape. Crouch was a step ahead of her.