She was walking away, her rear facing me. But I could recognise her still. It definitely was Texas that I saw. She was back in Siracusa. An absurdity, considering I knew for a fact she silently despised this country. I turned around, preparing to head out. Provence had taken the memory chip out of the small scouting meepoo and replaced it with a clean one as I grabbed it in passing.

  -Where are you going?

  -I need to investigate something. You do your thing. After all, you have at least two hours of listening to do. I'll have my phone, and you can track me by the meepoo if need be.

  -Well... alright, take care.

  -''Always.'' I winked at her before closing and locking the door behind me.

  The streets were sombre, and filled with people. I stalked my former partner at extreme range. Being discovered wasn't an option here. The mystery would deepen as I would spot Texas meeting with someone who I recognised to be the son of one of the lead, if not the current famiglia in power on the platform city of Volsinii, Leontuzzo Bellone.

  It was risky, but I managed to deploy the little fella I had out of my pocket. He was slick, and dark. Managing to sneak close enough to the targets to listen into part of their conversation. It was not much, but it was enough to deduce many things. Texas was here to pay a debt to the Bellones. And now she was playing as one of their trump cards.

  I didn't like one bit the situation she was in. However, it was clear enough that she was here on her own accord, no matter how begrudgingly. I eventually retrieved the little thing, continuing to trail her as far as I could. It seemed that there were larger games going on with the birth of a new mobile city. And all were centred around the current public minister, Ministro Carraci. Volsinii's Ministro dei Lavori Pubblici. And the one who coalesced the country's resources to make the construction of the new city at all possible.

  Soon I would have sight of the man himself, walking on the streets. Closely accompanied by no doubt three disguised mafiosi, or personal body guards. With a few more tailing him. As intriguing as it was it didn't concern me. Despite my lack of business to the whole matter, I must confess that I was concerned for my former partner, and still friend.

  To my annoyance I had to abandon my stalking when I've spotted a certain shade of white within the crowd. Instinctively going inside a building to avoid her. There were too many watchful eyes on the streets. Besides Texas there were any number of mafiosi around keeping tabs on the ministro. That, and Lappland had appeared out of nowhere as I saw her pass by the glass window of the shop I was in.

  I went two stories up into the building, above the large clothing store that I was in. Sneaking inside one of the establishment's offices. The room ended in the building's corner with windows on both sides. And to my luck it granted a clear view of all three people of interest. They were apparently heading to the high-end banquet that I knew was to welcome high officials later that night. Lappland had intercepted Texas, and for some reason I found her stalling dubious.

  It was a good thing I got off the streets, since from my vantage point I could notice many more mafiosi guards posing as civilians. And those were only the ones that I could see. Having no way to do more but watch I remembered the deciphering device I had. I fitted in an ear bead, using my decryption computer to search any nearby signals and sync with a frequency . If there was radio chatter then I would hear of it. And hear it I did.

  From the chatter it was obvious that the Ministro was the target of their protection. I watched carefully by the window not to be spotted myself. My gaze jumped from the two wolf girls to the ministro again as he was crossing a street.

  And then, in a split second, the blast of an explosion tore up from a nearby car. Engulfing Carracci and his men. The boom must have been deafening up close, and I had to duck as a flaming shrapnel from the car wreck tore through my window! Impulsively jerking myself back and falling on the ground. Though I was bathed in a wash of wet glass I was nevertheless unscathed. I looked back outside cautiously, and confirmed what I already knew. The four figures including the ministro were down. Burning and unmoving. There was no doubt from the start that they would have never survived such a heavy IED. Not at such a close distance.

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  -''The banquet venue is under attack! All nearby famiglia associates hurry and back us up!'' I heard a Bellone mafiosi radio through their com channel.

  Soon after this all Hell broke loose on the streets below. Hordes of rival mafiosi were coming from different directions. Most likely bent on finishing the job in case the car bomb didn't play its intended role. As well as finishing their rivals. Which apparently included Texas, the Bellone kid, and a few other prominent characters nearby along their cohort of bodyguards. The real civilians on the streets were panicking, flooding inside the near buildings. Including the lower level of the clothing store I was in.

  -''Smoke! Fire! Fire! Get the fire extinguisher!'' I heard a voice below, not far away.

  I noticed the piece of wreck that blew right in my room was still on fire, having ignited a wardrobe full of fanciful, but distasteful set of clothes. Their loss wouldn't be missed. However, I had to be prompt in escaping the rapidly growing blaze. And going down to face the staff, their security, or their questions weren't particularly on my to-do list. That, and I despised crowds. I went to the far end of the room, peering down at the lonely back alley. It was clear, and I jumped swiftly down to make my escape.

  Only it wasn't going to be as easy as I would have liked.

  -Pardon me gentlemen, I am just on my way.

  -No. Better take you out. Fewer witnesses that way. I'm sorry for you lord, or whatever rank you have back in Victoria.

  -Ah, you're a bunch that's on the side of whoever wanted Carracci dead then.

  They all went silent as if I hit a nerve, and knew I was right.

  -Your silence speaks volumes.

  -Kill him!

  -''You've made my decision that much easier.'' I spoke as I drew out my personal sword. Having carried it with me all this time, stashed in the ceremonial scabbard which accompanied my Victorian disguise.

  It was not my fight. But knowing what I knew, I would help prevent Texas from possibly being overwhelmed. I owed my old partner at least this. The sword flew with incredible speed out of it's sheath, instantly cutting down two of the thugs. Giving pause to the rest of the thirty-four remaining in the alley.

  I stormed forward into the fray, and I was suicidally close among them. They turned around, ready to stab and tear into me, yet by that time it was too late as my blade sang swiftly. Biting into many. They fell as I advanced further. The bodies dropped on the damp and dirty cobblestone that was the wretched city of Volsinii. A city of bloodthirsty wolves. A guard swung his brass knuckles in my head's direction, hoping to finally put a stop to my onslaught! Yet for all his effort he was rewarded with a large, wide cut from which his intestines began to spill out.

  One of them charged, hoping to catch me by surprise as he was pulling his handgun out of his suit. I pirouetted, catching the grip of his wrist just in time to guide his aim parallel to me and into the sight of one of his goons. I squeezed, cracking bone and prompting the trigger finger. Shooting his friend straight in the liver before cutting clean his gun holding arm altogether.

  The thugs now half their number distanced into a circle around me. Suited me just fine, change of tactic, change of weapons. As I dropped my sword to their momentary stupor which turned into flash dread as I pulled to dual wield my sidearms. My guns barked rapidly as the mutt goons then tried in vain to rush me once more. It was little more than a mildly acrobatic execution on the backstreets of Volsinii at that point.

  They started to panic and scream, desperate to put me down or run away. By that time their spirit had broken, turning from an uneven life-or-death fight to a mere mopping up operation. In the end I was left with one who seemed to be at least second in command. I spared him, holding him prisoner with my right hand's side arm aiming squarely at him.

  -You scum mean nothing to me. So tell me something useful, and I might let you leave.

  -Please, aah, I'll tell you, just don't take my life! I have a wife and a kid!

  -Who do you work for?

  -Capone! He hired us!

  -That's small fry. Who does he work for?

  -''I don't know, I swear I don't know please don't kill me!'' He begged as he began weeping.

  -I thought gangsters don't snitch and gangsters don't cry.

  I shot the straggler in his throat. Giving him a gurgled and pained death. Leaving no witness in my wake. I vanished from that back alley full of butchered bodies. Their pouring corpses colouring the rain puddles red as they flowed into this damnable city's gutters.

  I swiftly left, hoping it w.as enough to help Texas. This deed might as well pass into the unknown. I would be no unsung hero, for I have never considered myself one. And I needed no acknowledgment. Only desiring the confirmation that Cellinia lived further, and knowing I had a small part in helping her with that.

  That was all I needed to know.