Chapter Six

It was Jack's birthday and this year there were celebrating it at the Pizza Planetarium, this venue had been specifically chosen by their son Rui. He liked the Rocket shaped tables, and the mini solar systems, suspended above him as if by magic. Hence the name. He gazed at the planets above him, captivated by the total awesomeness of it all. His father had once told him that the universe was infinite, that had meant that it never ended. Like most children, Rui could imagine that, something that lasts forever. After all the world is such a magical place, for children.

"When I grow up I want to be and astronaut". He squealed with delight.

"Well, to be an astronaut you have to eat all your Pizza", his mother prompted winking at him at the same time. Rui knew that after the Pizza there was Birthday Cake! The staff were going to bring it out and surprise his father, his father had no idea.

"What is that planet called daddy?" Rui asked pointing at Jupiter.

"That one is...." 

Jack never finished his sentence, he just tried to make sense of what had just happened yet he couldn't. He fell to the floor and people ran for cover wherever they could. The gunman stood at the door. Rui's mother stretched out her hands to cover him, but just a moment too late. The bullet passed through her hand and into Rui's forehead. He was killed immediately. Others also fell victim to the gunman and Jack could do nothing but spend his last moments of life looking at his lifeless son beside him.

"Nooooo!!!!" Screamed Silvia. Her scream was loud and chilled Paul's bones. He immediately jumped to his feet and ran to Sivlia's room. He knocked on the door.

"Are you OK?"

It took Silvia a while to realise she was not in her apartment in New York, but in a modest bed and breakfast in Fátima. She had woken  up sobbing, sweat running down her face and back.

"Yes...I...I...am OK"

Paul leaned against the door. The clock in the corridor looked liked a sad smiley face. It was 7:20 am.

"Are you sure you are OK?"

With a deep sigh she reluctantly pulled back the covers and got out of bed. Barefoot and still a little unfamiliar with her surroundings she stubbed her toe on the bed.

"Aw!!" she gasped

Paul was tempted to ask her once more if she was Ok, but he didn't. He just stood outside the door.

Silvia needed a coffee, and that wasn't all, she would have killed for a nice spliff. She just need to chill, to numb her brain a little. She quickly got dressed and made her way to the door. She placed her hand on the door knob, and hesitated before opening it, the scar on her hand prompted her.

Paul was leaning on the door and nearly lost his balance when Silvia opened it. She look at him, he could see she had been crying,

"I need a coffee", she said blankly.

Paul had no doubts about that.

Jason and Paul had shared a room, and when Paul had woken to Silvia's shrilling screams he had noticed that Jason wasn't in the room. As he silently made his way down the stairs with Silvia had expected to see Jason, sitting at his laptop in the reception, but he wasn't. He thought that maybe he was in the breakfast room, but he wasn't there either. 

Strange, where could he have gone this time of day?

He concluded that he must have been taking photographs, it was a very clear morning for photographs and lighting this time of day was excellent. Paul was impressed at just how bright the morning was.

 The breakfast was a buffet of cold meats, cereals, fruit, coffee, teas and juices. They helped themselves.

"Bom Dia" the receptionist greeted them both as she entered the breakfast room. Paul had been studying the language a little, just enough to 'get by' so he understood that the receptionist had wished him a good day. He responded accordingly. Although his Portuguese accent was not so great.

"Bon dear, como eshta?"

Silvia chuckled. He was pleased he had made her chuckle, it got rid of the tension.

"So is it that bad?" He inquired raising an eyebrow.

"If you stick with me I can give you some tips."

Paul thought that a good idea, some Portuguese lessons over breakfast  would maybe help Silvia to relax a little.

"Ok, you are on. I know the words, just not how to say them correctly."

"Yes it is like the word 'está', lots of English speaking people pronounce it incorrectly. It is stressed on the letter with the accent not on the first letter."

"Ah" said Paul a little vague.

Silvia laughed again and said that maybe they should both wake up first, she continued to talk but he didn't hear what she was saying, he simply observed her lips move and felt himself falling again. He was sure that she had no idea how beautiful she was. She was a little unkempt at the moment, her hair wasn't combed and she had put her top on the inside out too. Paul found it quite alluring. He was not into the women with the blonde hair, orange tan and manicured nails, at least not any more; there were enough of those at the office and he hadn't had much look with them. Now he knew why. Silvia was somewhat refreshing.

"Paul, did you hear what I asked you?"

Paul zoomed back to the breakfast room.

"Errm..sorry I was just wondering where Jason might might be"

Silvia looked at him a little puzzled with his response. She had just asked about Jason and he had simply stared through her, stirring his coffee continually, without any sign of life. Maybe he was tired. she thought.

"He..when...you...erm, I.."

He was trying to avoid talking about how Silvia had woken him up with her blood curdling scream at 7:20am and that he had noticed that Jason's bed was empty. He was  falling to pieces again, and he had been doing so well, then he suddenly remembered something. 
Jason's bed looked like it hadn't even been slept in!

His journalistic side took over again, and he started to report to Silvia his observations on Jason's whereabouts that morning.

"When I woke up this morning, he wasn't in the bedroom."

Chapter Five

Doctor Banial left the Popes quarters with his metal case, after being in there for over 5 hours. His hands were shaking. Father Santos was anxiously waiting outside for him:

"Well how is it going?" He asked impatiently

"It is done"

Father Santos rubbed his hands together with delight.
Doctor Banial sat down on the upright chair next to him; he wiped the sweat off his brow with his handkerchief.

"Well did it go well? Were the nurses good I sent you? ".

"I think so...yes yes, the nurses were excellent"

"You think so? Doctor, there can be no errors, this has to be perfect" he grew a little more anxious "So where is it?

"It is in the case"

"In the case? But you..."

"Don't worry Father, I know what I am doing, it is safe for transportation, at least for a few hours"

"So you are going to finish it tonight?"

"I have no choice" He said deflated. His hands had stopped shaking now and he could use a drink.

"I must apologize Dr Banial, you must be very tired. Let's have a nightcap first and then you can go and finish off"

Doctor Banial thought that sounded good, at least he didn't have to go back into the Popes quarters again. After tonight he would never look back. He would just take what was owed to him and, disappear. Forever.

He could still hear the whispering

What is he doing?
He won't get away with it!
His soul will burn!

Father Santos lead him to the same room they had been in earlier and poured him a whisky.

"Of course you do realize you will have to stick around for a while?"

What! "Father?"

"We will need you here for at least a week" Father Santos handed him his whisky "don't worry you will be well compensated for your trouble. Very well compensated." He smiled that same narrow bone chilling way eyes gleaming, and said;

"You will get what you deserve Doctor Banial".

Some how those words didn't seem to comfort him, they actually rather troubled him. He was beginning to think that he would never get out of here.

They drank their whiskies in silence and then left the room. Father Santos lead Dr Banial down a corridor and showed him where he had to go next.
He opened the door and beckoned him to enter, the room was all prepared exactly the way he had asked and the same nurses were waiting for him;

"Good luck" said Father Santos as he left and locked the door behind him