Rush
Once they had taken the pictures, Octavia put the book back on its place, caressing it softly and staring at it with longingly, as if she were saying goodbye to a lover. Albert felt bad for having to separate her from that booty she had discovered, but they were in a hurry. They rushed outside the house and to the elevator again.
-I think we will need some external help on this.- reflected Albert out loud.- Dalia, do you still have the key to the cathedral?- Dalia nodded.- Great, we need to sneak in, I suspect it is going to be closed. Robert, Octavia, I think it would be a good idea to have Marla’s father around, maybe it will help us get the best out of her. It’s an empty hope, I know, but better this than nothing.
Octavia and Robert looked reluctant about having to part ways.
-Are you sure we couldn't just all go to get Marla’s father and then head to the cathedral? What if something happens to you while we are away? What if something happens to us?- questioned Robert.
-I know it is dangerous, but we don’t have enough time to do it all together. Think everything is going to be okay, and be careful, that’s all I can say.
They traced their plan on the elevator, and when it stopped on the ground floor they rushed outside. When Albert was almost at the door he had a change of mind and went back to the doorman. He slipped into that specific state on consciousness and found it much easier now.
-I want you to grant full access to the building and Miss Walters house to Octavia Stone. Write her name down to whatever list, if anyone asks Miss Walters gave her permission.
-Yes, sir.- said the clerk absentmindedly.
As soon as they had abandoned the building, Octavia jumped on Albert hugging him in excitement. She even kissed him on both cheeks.
-Oh, my. Thank you! You’ve just given me the key to paradise.- Octavia expressed her gratitude, exultant.
-It’s nothing.- replied Albert with a smile.- now, we should get going. Keep your mobile phones close, but don’t call unless there is a real emergency. As soon as you find Marla’s father come to the cathedral, we will be there, get in through Dalia’s secret door, we are going to leave it open.
-Take care.- said Octavia.
Albert just nodded, and Robert nodded back. Dalia looked at him with sad eyes but didn’t say a word. Albert stopped a taxi, and Dalia and him got in it. They were tense, knowing that the end was near, and nothing would be the same. The taxi driver drove slowly towards the city center, as there was lots of traffic, which was unusual for the time of the year. Albert was starting to get nervous, and he was passing his uneasiness to Dalia, who started biting her nails. They couldn’t be like this, Albert decided, he had to do something so they were calm enough. He took Dalia’s hand and thought of something relaxing, he imagined them laying on the grass in the sun in the campus, and passed that feeling to Dalia. Soon, they were both breathing deeply and feeling calmer. The taxi finally pulled off in front of the old city gates and Albert paid for it.
-Keep the change.- he shouted as he started running to the gates.
However, the center was as packed with people as the streets had been with cars. They soon discovered that there was a medieval fair that started that same day, and there were plays, parades, and stands selling from food to jewelry everywhere. Even if they tried to find a way through the crowd it was almost impossible, even the smaller streets, that were usually empty, had become full of people. Albert took Dalia by the hand, as not to lose her and, slowly, but steadily, found a way towards the cathedral.
Needless to say, the cathedral square was even worse, there was a stage on the opposite side of the temple, with at least one hundred chairs distributed in front of it. There was a representation of the history of the city, and lots of people gathered to watch it under the sun, there were far more people than chairs and lots of them were sitting on the floor, or just standing up wherever they could find a spot. That meant that half of the square was occupied with immobile people so they would need to border the multitude to get anywhere. The other half wasn’t much better, with more stands selling local produce. Albert grew suddenly worried, what if Marla decided to do something bigger and all these people were in danger?
As they approached the cathedral, they saw a small crowd gathered in front of it. They didn’t seem to have anything to do with the medieval fair, and several of them seemed to be priests. Albert signed Dalia to get closer carefully, they needed to know what was going on. A fat bald priest was pounding the door with his fist while calling out for whoever was inside to open the door. He even tried to force it open, but, apparently, there was something blocking it from the inside.
-Let’s go.- he whispered.
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