CHAPTER TWO

The Pope entered the city limits and immediately noticed two men on Vespas following close behind him. He sped up slightly then slammed on his brakes. The Vespas slammed against the back of the Pope's Barracuda, sending the two drivers spiraling through the air. They fell in a twisted heap in front of the car. The Pope dropped his cigarette onto the warm asphalt and ground his toe into the smoldering remains.

One of the hoodlums regained consciousness and looked up pleadingly at the Pope. The Pope's hand clenched around the hood's collar as he hoisted him to his feet.

"Who sent you?" he said.

"Please, Your Eminence, we were just out for a ride."

The Pope lowered the hoodlum to the ground and put his foot on his throat.

"I'm getting real tired of this run-around." He removed the hood's sunglasses and crushed them in his meaty fist. He then breathed on his ring and polished it on his robe. "Your face is next." His low hoarse tone cast a visible cloud over the hoodlum.

"Okay, Papa, okay. It's...it's the Crab...the Crab sent us...he knows you're on to him. Please, Your Holiness, we're just pawns in his elaborate game...don't hurt us...I've got a wife and seventeen kids." The Pope's foot slowly pressed into the hood's throat.

"AKK!!!" the hood croaked.

"Hold it right there." the other hood sat up and pointed a large revolver at the Pope. "You're coming with us."

"Your mother!!!" the Pope said as he threw the crushed sunglasses at him. The hood fell back, firing the gun in the air. The bullet hit a telephone pole and ricocheted back into the other hood's leg.

"Ouch" he yelped.

The Pope took his foot away from the hood's throat and backed away a few feet. He crossed his arms and looked down at the two writhing hoodlums.

"You two boys are quite a pair of accidents." He reached under his robe and pulled out a 20,000 lira note and his .45.

"If you boys don't stop following me..." he folded the bill into a paper airplane with one hand while he spoke. "You're gonna be using this money for a funeral."

"Yes, Your Holiness...Yes, Your Eminence..." they whimpered.

"Tell the Crab that I'll be there soon enough. He has something of mine and I intend to get it back."