Chapter 3

Meanwhile in Rome Julia has some food too but at Roma Termini train station since she is taking train to Firenze to meet up with her contact to see, if she can get more info about the artefact they are after since Bruno had stopped in Rome on his flight to London and fill her on some details. She has put some feelers into the underworld of Rome, that she is looking for someone or some information on illegal artifact trade from the middle east, as lots of those items never make to museums and there was response to her feelers.

So what do you have in mind as the more private place, asked Bruno when they paid their bill and started to slowly walked away form Little Italy. Why don’t we check if our time is correct ? answered Dan. What the heck do you mean, we have each watch and mobile and they are synchronizing automatically Dan, are you forgetting that ? Ahh the food must drain all your blood from the brain to the stomach my dear old friend, as you are not thinking anymore.  I meant to check Prime Meridian in Greenwich park and do some steps so that our smart watches can count some physical exercise. So lets walk to Embankment where we hop on the river Bus aka Uber Boat what will take us down to the Greenwich and there we can get some refreshments for our walk and talk in the park. How that sounds to you dear old friend ? OK OK, yeah I’m bit sluggish after food and wine so let’s take the Uber Boat, fresh air will do me good as well as some walk and talk in the park and after we can stop in the village to get some late lunch or early dinner, what do you think about this old friend ? Bruno counteracted. You and food, seriously, sometimes I think you are just some alien garbage disposal unit visiting Earth, masked as human since you heard about our wasteful civilization. Yeah whatever, lets first walk and then we will see how is our appetite.

Julia thought, how the early arrival to Termini had given her time to get some normal priced food instead of the expensive on board of the train, plus the hour and half on the train give her time to snooze or meditate as she call it.  This way I can have some time to prepare and relax for the meeting. Does not matter that meeting is happening in daylight on the most frequent place of Firenze but one never knows when one put fingers in the underworld of art and artefacts trade. She thought how ironic is to meet the person who deals in stolen artifacts and at Uffizi gallery. Time to board the train and let’s get over those pointers, that Bruno told her. The artefact is apparently size of the human foot and made of material that origins are not found on the Earth, with some sleek finish and few indentations as if someone hold the foot by the heel. Last seen in the middle ages in middle east, around Lebanon is the all that Bruno told her. More detailed information could put your life in danger, Bruno emphasized to Julia. Whoever knows about it, will not need more information as this is such unique piece that even wars were started over it long time ago.

Greenwich, what a pleasant place and historically important or at least known to the world and with its prime meridian, kind of tourist attraction but not as crowded as Hyde Park or London Eye as Bruno had no desire for crowded places, Lebanon public transport was enough for time being. The Uber Boat arrived at Embankment and as they swiped their oyster cards they saw that it was pretty full boat but hopeful that most oof the people disperse on other stations. Bruno liked the boat travel in any shape or form, something about the wake behind the boat and the wind in hair made this type of travel feel like adventure mixed with relaxation. Dan was never big fan of the boats as person who don’t know how to swim was always a cautions one, looking for the life saving devices and definitely he was close them on any boat. Bruno was thinking how the boat travel made him relax and helped him to focus and relax at the same time and after the few touches with bad luck he was playing the happy man role but in reality he was caution and sad nut no one suspected that. He smoked occasionally more because of habit that taste of tobacco and maybe just to hide his sadness. Still rough and physically in great shape after his service in Foreign Legion he was not one to mess with, when he was in corner.

Eventually the boat docked at Greenwich and they disembarked with few tourist, who were taking photos of the boat as proof that they did holiday in London and took the Uber Boat so they can show it to their friends back home. Walking slowly past the Cutty Shark boat museum they started to notice their surroundings, it was part of their normal routine, what came natural as breathing, especially in their field of work and their background. You want to breath, you make sure you live and to make sure you live, you pay attention to anything and everything around you, were the words of drill sergeant in legion who trained Bruno. Dan learned this skill more from the experience and being close to Bruno and Julia as he was more like the brainy geek in this business with connection to the government and non-government entities that were sometimes helpful and sometimes less helpful to them. As they walk and survey the areas, they started talking about the Lebanon visit or as Bruno called mission.

So when landed in Beirut I took the cab, because  as you know taxi drivers know and hear a lot everywhere and also happy to see dollars in the hand of foreigner, that might become theirs if Alah wish and they can speak English too as not so many foreigners were able to talk in Arabic. Thankfully I was educated in Arabic and also had some exposure to the middle east so when taxi driver realized that I speak fluent Arabic he was more than obliged. Small talk conversation came to the topic that I would like to see more of the Lebanon and maybe he can advise the transport options and places to visit. We have exchanged the phone numbers and agreed to keep in touch when the need for assistance arrive. Meanwhile we arrived to prearranged Air B&B as the privacy is better there, than in some hotel with nosey staff and also people around hang around the lounge or bar.  Apartment is good solution if you don’t want too many eyes see you coming and going. Yeah I know that, why you have to give the same speech every time after your mission pal ? Asked Dan. Get to the point please.