had to help Seth, and I had to do it immediately. I stood and padded back toward the kitchen for a drink of water. A shadowed figure stepped out from the doorway.
“It’s time,” Caraday said.
I nodded and drained my glass. Without a word, I followed her out the door and down the apartment building stairs. Once we had slipped outside into the balmy night air, she whispered her instructions.
“You will take the overnight train to Varese.” She held out a small piece of paper. “Here is the Mulos’ last known address.”
“How did you get it?” I asked.
“Your mother. She doesn’t know you are doing this. Are you still okay with that?”
I straightened my shoulders and nodded.
Caraday tucked the paper into my hand. “You must memorize this address and then destroy the note, do you understand?”
Again, I nodded, my fist closing around the paper.
“The Mole will know you are coming,” Caraday said softly. “He will be following you, but don’t worry; he wants you and the Mulo boy together. You will reach his family unharmed. Once you are there and The Mole emerges, our operatives will take over.” She handed me an envelope containing a train ticket and a small stack of Euros.
I pulled out the train ticket and stuck the envelope in the waistband of my running shorts, pulling the hem of my shirt down to cover it.
“Your train leaves for Varese in less than an hour,” she whispered. “Go now.”
“My mom—”
“She’s sleeping. Go.”
I slipped out into the shadowed streets, my heart tripping crazily. I’m sure part of that was adrenaline, but a whole lot had to do with the fact that I had no idea what I was about to get myself into.
Hurrying through the darkened street, my heart sped up even more. I wasn’t sure I could find my way back to the train station in the daylight, let alone at night. I bit my lip, eyeing the shadowed doorways and alleyways, and prayed I wouldn’t get lost.
For once I was glad for Mom’s nagging about being aware of my surroundings because as I worked my way backward through the streets I began to recognize the boutiques and cafés Ryan and I had passed earlier that day. I also heard traffic noises just outside the quiet of the neighborhood so I knew I was headed in the right direction.
But then I heard another noise. At first I thought it was the echo of my own footsteps because the cadence matched mine exactly. I had to skip a step to avoid stepping onto a storm grate, but the footstep behind me fell without the interruption.
I thought of how I had seen Marlboro Man at the entrance to the Metro and my mouth went dry. Had he followed me? I didn’t waste the time to turn around and find out, but tore down the street like my hair was on fire. I turned one corner and then another trying to shake him, but it wasn’t working. I needed lights, people, attention. I slipped through a narrow alleyway and came out near a busy intersection and cut across the street. Cars swerved and honked angrily, but I didn’t have time to worry about them. The Metro station lay dead ahead but not close enough; I could hear feet pounding the pavement behind me. Gaining ground.
Suddenly, a man on a bicycle swerved right in front of me, ringing his bell furiously. I reared back and jumped out of the way just in time to avoid the collision. The person behind me wasn’t so lucky.
I heard the crash and the bike going down, but I wasn’t about to stop to take a look. I leaped down the stairs to the Metro two at a time and pulled the ticket Caraday had given me from my pocket. When I tried to use it to release the turnstile, though, the turnstile didn’t budge. I cursed under my breath. It was a long-distance train ticket and didn’t work for the Metro. I shot a panicked look back at the stairs and then jumped over the machine.
A lady inside the ticket booth yelled something to me, but I couldn’t stop to listen. I tore down another set of stairs to where a huge route schedule was
“It’s time,” Caraday said.
I nodded and drained my glass. Without a word, I followed her out the door and down the apartment building stairs. Once we had slipped outside into the balmy night air, she whispered her instructions.
“You will take the overnight train to Varese.” She held out a small piece of paper. “Here is the Mulos’ last known address.”
“How did you get it?” I asked.
“Your mother. She doesn’t know you are doing this. Are you still okay with that?”
I straightened my shoulders and nodded.
Caraday tucked the paper into my hand. “You must memorize this address and then destroy the note, do you understand?”
Again, I nodded, my fist closing around the paper.
“The Mole will know you are coming,” Caraday said softly. “He will be following you, but don’t worry; he wants you and the Mulo boy together. You will reach his family unharmed. Once you are there and The Mole emerges, our operatives will take over.” She handed me an envelope containing a train ticket and a small stack of Euros.
I pulled out the train ticket and stuck the envelope in the waistband of my running shorts, pulling the hem of my shirt down to cover it.
“Your train leaves for Varese in less than an hour,” she whispered. “Go now.”
“My mom—”
“She’s sleeping. Go.”
I slipped out into the shadowed streets, my heart tripping crazily. I’m sure part of that was adrenaline, but a whole lot had to do with the fact that I had no idea what I was about to get myself into.
Hurrying through the darkened street, my heart sped up even more. I wasn’t sure I could find my way back to the train station in the daylight, let alone at night. I bit my lip, eyeing the shadowed doorways and alleyways, and prayed I wouldn’t get lost.
For once I was glad for Mom’s nagging about being aware of my surroundings because as I worked my way backward through the streets I began to recognize the boutiques and cafés Ryan and I had passed earlier that day. I also heard traffic noises just outside the quiet of the neighborhood so I knew I was headed in the right direction.
But then I heard another noise. At first I thought it was the echo of my own footsteps because the cadence matched mine exactly. I had to skip a step to avoid stepping onto a storm grate, but the footstep behind me fell without the interruption.
I thought of how I had seen Marlboro Man at the entrance to the Metro and my mouth went dry. Had he followed me? I didn’t waste the time to turn around and find out, but tore down the street like my hair was on fire. I turned one corner and then another trying to shake him, but it wasn’t working. I needed lights, people, attention. I slipped through a narrow alleyway and came out near a busy intersection and cut across the street. Cars swerved and honked angrily, but I didn’t have time to worry about them. The Metro station lay dead ahead but not close enough; I could hear feet pounding the pavement behind me. Gaining ground.
Suddenly, a man on a bicycle swerved right in front of me, ringing his bell furiously. I reared back and jumped out of the way just in time to avoid the collision. The person behind me wasn’t so lucky.
I heard the crash and the bike going down, but I wasn’t about to stop to take a look. I leaped down the stairs to the Metro two at a time and pulled the ticket Caraday had given me from my pocket. When I tried to use it to release the turnstile, though, the turnstile didn’t budge. I cursed under my breath. It was a long-distance train ticket and didn’t work for the Metro. I shot a panicked look back at the stairs and then jumped over the machine.
A lady inside the ticket booth yelled something to me, but I couldn’t stop to listen. I tore down another set of stairs to where a huge route schedule was
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