Ella couldn’t help but look out the back now as they went past the main entrance to the train station. She saw the car now. It was a black sedan, which probably made it look more ominous than, say, a light colored minivan. The driver headed past their intended target, and the sedan stayed with them. “Great. Now what?” Mary asked, having observed the same thing. “Now, we lose them.” The driver had a bit of a glimmer in his eye as he spoke, as if he had always wanted to be in this sort of a situation. He hit the gas and changed lanes quickly before darting over into the turning lane and hanging a left on a yellow light. The sedan must’ve run a red because it followed. “They’re definitely following us. Damn,” Rome muttered. “How do they know where we are?” “They did a lot of asking at the hotel,” the driver said with a shrug. “Maybe someone said more than they should’ve.” “You said my guy paid more,” Rome reminded him. “Paid me more. By the way, I’m Octavius, but my friends call me Gus.” “So what should we call you?” Mary asked, leaning up to look at him through the space in the seats. “Gus, of course,” he said with that twinkle in his eye again. “Don’t worry. I won’t let them get you, pretty lady.” Mary’s cheeks turned a little pink as she sat back, and Ella almost smiled, but the serious expression on Rome’s face wouldn’t let her. “We need to come up with a plan,” Rome said. “Eventually, we are going to have to get on a train.” “I can drive you to a different station, once I lose these assholes,” Gus suggested. “If they heard that was the one you were leaving from, they might not figure out that you’re actually going to another one.” “Where?” Ella asked. “I don’t know. I can drive you to Grenoble.” “But that will take you hours,” Mary reminded him. “Yes, but they will not expect it. Besides, I made plenty of money today. Who wants to go back to work? It’s boring there. This is an adventure.” “First, you’ve got to lose them,” Rome reminded him. “I’m working on that.” He checked his mirrors, and then Gus said, “Hold on!” He cut across three lanes of traffic and caught an exit just before he passed it. The sedan didn’t have the chance to do the same and had to continue on to the next exit. Ella kept her eye on the sedan for as long as she could. “Now what?” “Now, we do the thing they’d least expect,” he said. “We get back on.” “Won’t they take the next exit?” Mary asked him. “Yes. They will be in a hurry to get there, to come back this way, so we will go slowly at first until I am certain they have had the chance to double back, and then I will get on and drive like lightning to Grenoble.” “Are you sure you haven’t done this before?” Ella asked with a smirk on her face. Gus laughed. “Only in my dreams.” He crawled through the intersection and then sped up, getting back on the speedway they’d just exited. Ella held on, praying she didn’t die--again. When Gus came back onto the freeway, headed out of town, there was no sign of the car that had been following them. Rome kept his eyes glued to the mirror anyway in case they reappeared. He didn’t think his dad would think of sending people to Grenoble. It wasn’t a station that would’ve been on his dad’s radar, especially not if he thought there was a chance his father thought Bart had been Rome going to the airport. Thinking of Bart made him want to call his friend and see if he’d gotten through security yet, but he didn’t want the distraction of having his phone out, even though he was extremely worried about Bart. Gus had slowed down to a manageable speed now, and they were headed out of town. The urge to relax was tempting, but he still couldn’t take any chances. They were a few miles out of Milan when Rome’s phone started buzzing. He pulled it out. “Yeah?” “Hey. I’m on the plane. Getting ready to take off. I think I’m clear.” Rome let out a sigh. He was certainly relieved to hear that from Bart. “Good.” “Listen, man. Something awful happened in the bathroom, though.” “What’s that?” He felt the hairs stand up on the back of his neck. “Two men in suits jumped a guy who looked a lot like you. They thought he was you.” “Seriously? Are you sure?” “Yeah, they called him by your name. I guess they followed me, but when they saw the guy who looked more like you, they grabbed him instead.” “Damn. Thank God they didn’t get you.” “I heard someone else calling the police, so hopefully they got to the guy before he gets into too much trouble.” “I hope so.” “I felt bad for him, but I didn’t know what to do. Trying to help him would’ve just ended up getting us both into trouble.” “No, I don’t blame you. I wouldn’t have done anything either” “I gotta go. We’re taking off. Be careful.” “Let me know when you land.” “Will do.” Rome hung up and turned to look at the two girls. “He’s on the plane.” “Thank God,” Ella said. “And he’s okay?” Rome nodded. He’d tell them what happened with the other guy Bart had encountered in the bathroom later, not now, not in front of Gus or anyone else. They drove on, and Rome went back to staring out the window, looking for anything suspicious. Mary and Gus were chatting, and the more they talked, the more trustworthy Gus seemed to be, but he still couldn’t be certain his father and his goons wouldn’t show up back at the hotel later and try to make Gus talk. “Listen, Gus, there’s something you need to understand,” Rome said. “These guys that are after us are bad news.” “I sort of figured that out,” Gus said with a nod. “I mean… they could show up at your work and mess you up, man. I don’t want that.” The driver turned and looked at him for a second, his eyes widening, before he looked back at the road. “I hadn’t thought about that. You think?” “I know.” “I thought it was just your father, and he wanted you to stay at home--or something.” “More or less, but he’ll do just about anything to figure out where I am and make me come back.” Gus swallowed hard. “A little danger is a bit of fun, but now I am worried.” “Do you have family back in Verona?” Rome asked, even though he was pretty sure he’d just overheard Gus telling Mary his family was in a different town, a smaller one near the heel of the boot. “No, just a roommate. He is a, uh, what do you call it… douche, though.” Rome couldn’t help but laugh. That wasn’t what he was expecting the young man to say. “You wouldn’t happen to have your passport with you, would you, Gus?” Gus was contemplative for a moment. “What are you asking me, Rome Verona?” “I’m asking you if you want to come with us?” “To the Caribbean?” “I think we both know that’s not where we’re going.” “Where are you going?” Gus asked, and Rome could see him considering his options. “I’ll tell you if you want to come with us. But only once you’re on the train.” Mary leaned forward and put her hand on his shoulder. “Come on, Gus. Come with us. It’s a crazy trip. But you only live once.” It didn't take too long for him to be convinced after Mary’s statement. “Hell, you got it. I’m in.”