JM frowned and nodded with a glance forward toward KH.  "We appreciate your speaking and working with us without judging us insane.  I must specifically thank you for helping my good friend Karlheinz."

In reply to John-Marc Falcon (msg # 193):

He got seated as the doors were closed.

"You are most welcome. If I were to reveal what I've seen, like the remains of the dragon, my own colleagues would judge me insane."

JM checked that all were secure and that the cargo and other items were lashed down.  "Certainly Doctor, we all have our secrets that can only be shared amongst ourselves."  He headed forward.  "Ready to go Karlheinz?  Let's get airborne and head to Rome."

With a smile Alexander leans from his seat and addresses all those with him in the passenger area of the plane.

"I would be happy to teach any of those willing some basic Arabic phrases and terms whilst we travel. How does that sound?"

In reply to John-Marc Falcon (msg # 195):

"Ya? And why do I haff to be the one to pull on the propeller?"

He grumbled good-naturedly as he started the engines.

The planes took off, circling Marseilles, then headed out over the Mediterranean.

Over the next couple hours they flew over the ocean. Somewhere close to Corsica, about 20 miles out, the sky around them grew dark with billowing clouds. A few drops speckled the windscreens of the Brisfit and the Commercial, then a heavy rain began pelting both planes. Robert, John-Marc and Karlhienz grew wet as water streamed into the cockpits.

JM laughed at KH's comment. "Because you have the accent."  He continued to chuckle.  "Actually you have the right touch with the engines, always have."

As they flew JM shifted into heavy oilskins, hood and face mask to ward off the rain as best he could.  "Now is the time for a new fangled enclosed cock pit don't you think Karlheinz!?"

Glad to have a slight change of topic, even for a little bit, Molly was glad to take up Alexander on his offer.  "That sounds like a wonderful idea sir.  I'll leave it up to you to figure out what would be the best phrases for us to learn."

Sometime later...

"So repeat after me...Sabā il kẖayr."

Alexander is pleased with the replies.

"Very good. So in response to Good morning you may reply ṣabā in noor. We like to combine sweet words with our good mornings, so noor, which is light, can be changed with Jasmine or perhaps  lwarad which is roses.

Here are some notes that I made whilst we were in Paris."

And he passes out sheets of paper, containing useful words, phrases and numbers to each of his companions.

"At the end of the day I would not worry too much, as I or one of my employees will always be with you. Though I would recommend learning the numbers as they are slightly different from your own."

In reply to Alexander Hussein Mahfouz (msg # 201):

"Thank you Sir.  I will try my best and will look forward to more lessons."

Molly took the paper and practiced saying the words.  Her accent was atrocious but she tried as hard as she could.  It got a little better the more she tried and she felt like she was back in school again where repetition was the key to remembering.  For the rest of the flight she could be heard muttering the words and numbers.

Cynthia takes notes and practices play conversations with Molly, asking Alexander for the word for 'book' or 'dancer', and making up a few more words to fill in gaps.

For that leg of the flight, Dr. Weston read the book given to him by the American. He eventually fell asleep, unable to finish it. Overall, he was thankful not to be in the open Brisfit cockpit.

Struggling, Karlhienz pulled on the oiled rain clothes.

"Damn this cloud-burst!

"Of course! That Aeronautica 75 we saw would be perfect for this weather. Too bad no one thought to make them an offer. Not that we have the money, of course, but perhaps this plane might have been collateral."

The spell of rain was thankfully brief as they passed over Corsica.

After, they flew away from the sun, into the evening sky. The blue Mediterranean was ahead, beneath them. the cloudburst and rain had delayed them, it was getting late when they made landfall just south of Rome. They could see the great city off to the distance on their left.

Landing in Rome as evening fell after a lonely flight was a little miserable, but he certainly wasn't one to let it get him down.  He quickly disembarked from the plane, and hopped out to join the others.

"What are plans for this evening?  I can imagine after our little time in Paris, we might want to just spend the night and move along in the morning?"

JM nodded to KH over the roar of the wind in the open cockpit.  "It doesn't rain nearly as much in Egypt so the open cockpit is not such a liability.  Still, that Aeronautic is a sweet lady.  And get this old girl has given us good service."  He brings the plane in to land at Rome, circling the city a bit to allow the passengers a good view of the holy city from the air.

In reply to Roger Bedford (msg # 207):

Disembarking from the Commercial, Dr. Weston replied, "I quite agree! I daresay I'm just a simple doctor. Can't afford to stay at the Ritz more than a couple times a year. Let's find something affordable.

"As well, I'd like to call upon a colleague here who also runs a sanitarium. Determine if the patients were any difficulty a few nights ago around the first."

In reply to Doctor Phillip Weston (msg # 209):

Molly stepped out of the plane when she could and looked around.  "I believe that a quiet night sounds like just the thing."

JM stands and stretches as the engines shudder to a stop.  "Let's get them both under cover tonight if we can Karlheinz.  We have more over water flights so a day of maintenance on the engines and controls would be wise.  I don't intend to give the group a week to wander about this time.  We'd best make time and get to Egypt."

The Count disembarked from the plane and shielding his eyes looked around the airfield.

"If the chance for an extra day should arise I would like to call on the Vatican archives. I may be able to gain access on my families name, maybe."

He thought for a moment and added;

"I am unsure if the archives will hold any additional information and to access it may take more time than we have."

"So maybe we could just spend a day for maintenance on the planes, and if anybody has things to inquire into that can be done in a day, then let them do that.  But otherwise, maybe we should plan on leaving on the next day."

Rome Ciampino Airport

As the sun began to set, Karlheinz wandered off to the airfield's offices. He found them, and beside the door was a poster of Italy's Prime Minster, Benito Mussolini, as the head of the Partito Nazionale Fascista (National Fascist Party)


The youngest man ever to assume the post in 1922, Mussolini (or, "Il Duce", as he was known throughout Italy) had assumed all but dictatorial powers by January of 1925. By and large, Italians seemed comfortable with this development, as it brought a turbulent period of socialist agitation and political anarchy to a halt. Still, many wondered what the future would hold for this charismatic yet power-hungry and ambitious man.

Glancing at the poster, eyes narrowing, Karlhienz spat on the dusty concrete and entered. Inside the office, Karlheinz found three office clerks in grey paramilitary style uniforms, yet still possessing the typical Italian avoidance of doing anything quickly or efficiently. He finally arranged hangar space as rain began pattering down on the airfield.

Returning, he reported that hangar rental was taken care of. "It iss done. This "Duce" fellow... I gather he intends to transform Italy by adding brutal German efficiency. I cannot help but think this will somehow end badly."

Once at the bottom of the stairs Mr Perkins put his hands on his knees and lowered his head, breathing in deeply. It was several seconds until he stood upright again and looked around.

He listen to the discussions to do with the time they had available, but had nothing of his own to add. He would also like a peak at the archives just to lay his eyes on the miles of shelving and the cavernous catacombs where they were kept. This was unlikely as he had no connections in Rome and his name certainly held no weight. Still any delay to again getting on that plane was a good thing in his book.

JM nodded in agreement with Roger.  "We can take a day to tinker with the airplanes but no more.  Count, that should let you check the archives I hope.  I think that Karlheinz and I will stay with the airplanes tonight, Roger as well if he wants."

When KH returned JM frowned.  "I've heard a bit about this Mussolini character; seems a bit of a clown.  Trying to mix German efficiency with Italian... pasta would just give you schnitzel with tomato sauce I think.  It can't end well."

In reply to John-Marc Falcon (msg # 216):

"Thank you Mr Falcon I will try my best and we can only hope. Should we find transport into the city ?"

The Count look for the obvious signs of a taxi stand or train station.