CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND NINETY FIVE – THE SIGNS ARE CLEAR

She rushed to his side, pushing through a tangle of bushes. Caporelli was kneeling by a large rock, brushing away leaves and dirt. "Look," he said, pointing to a series of scratches on the rock's surface. Joan's heart leapt as she recognized the pattern – it was a code she and Alessandro had developed, a way to leave messages for each other in case of emergency. "It's from him," she breathed. "What does it say?" Caporelli squinted at the markings. "Rome. Trevi Fountain. Midnight, three days from now." Joan's mind raced. "He wants to meet us there. Caporelli, we have to go!" The old man held up a hand, his expression cautious. "Hold on, kid. This could be a trap. Antonio's men could have forced Alessandro to leave this message." Joan shook her head vehemently. "No. The code... there's a part of it only Alessandro and I know. This is real, Caporelli. It has to be." Caporelli studied her face for a long moment before nodding. "Alright. But we do this smart. No rushing in half-cock