The Mask of Minos, Bruno's Inferno

Chapter 42 - The Gennadius Bibliotheca

The VW Stu had given them to use was everything it appeared to be; the gears were loose and hard to shift, the brakes weak, and it poured out a steady stream of black odorous smoke. Its red color, upon closer study, was not paint, but lack of it. However, Stu was right on one count; they weren't the only ones with such gems. Sara cranked open the passenger door and sat in. Harry pulled his open and closed the door with a loud bang. "We'll look just fine pulling up in this old piece of shit."

It took several tries but the car started and they drove to the Pynx. The clerk at the front desk called in reservations for them.

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As they turned the corner of the street, a Ford Pinto approached the front of the hotel and stopped, letting a young lady out, and then took off after Harry and Sara.

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Sara was too busy admiring the sites. Harry, despite the heavy the traffic noticed the Pinto following close behind. When he turned, the Pinto turned. When they stopped, the Pinto stopped. Cars of every sort jockeyed for position in the crowded streets, and the man in the Pinto managed to keep in sight of the VW. Harry plodded along taking advantage of side streets if the traffic ahead looked like it wasn't moving.

"You know this never works," she said.

'What never works?"

"Taking alternate roads. It almost always backfires. Slow and steady wins the race. Haven't you ever heard that?"

"Look for Thivon Street," he said. He glanced in the rearview mirror and the Pinto still followed, but never said anything to her.

"Um, Harry. We're in Greece."

"Yes, isn't that wonderful," he said absentmindedly.

"They're all in Greek."

"Then look for O-n-b-w-v, or something like that. There's a Pinto.

"I was wondering when you'd notice that car. They've been on out tail since we left the hotel."

"Stu seemed to know an awful lot about the Romanovs but not about the rockets."

"So?"

"So, that doesn't surprise you?"

Sara didn't answer – deep in thought.

The Pinto followed ably turning with each corner. Left on Agion and it turned. The traffic came to a large round-about and the cars were moving faster by then and Harry sped into the clamor going around several times until he saw the Pinto on the opposite side of the circle and then ducked out quickly in the opposite direction of where they were going.

Sara no longer had her eyes on the road, but found herself looking at Harry as he skillfully careened through small streets and often heavy traffic. She looked behind for the car following and soon lost sight of it.

"Your mouth is open," he said. "Have you ever driven in Boston? There you tend to develop death defying skills of the race-car type."

She smiled. "Now I know where you get your love-making techniques."

"Stooop," he joked.

He looked to his left and saw a brightly lit community wrapped around the base of Mount Lycabettus that housed on its summit an ancient church, visible from any point in Athens. Tree-lined streets out of which shot a bare steep rock. The top of the mountain, which it actually is, was lit a structure and looked to be floating high in the air above the city.