Chapter 11 Milan, 45° 28′ 1″ N, 9° 11′ 24″ E Park Hyatt Hotel Milano

"But we want to accompany you. You know that if it wasn't because of us, it would have been difficult for you to escape from those dangerous assassins?" Akiko stared into Andalas' eyes pleading. Andalas looked at Cecilia for help.

The British doctor hugged Akiko's shoulders from behind. The two of them were very close like sisters. Cecilia whispered.

"Are you going to put me in danger with that woman who caught the attention of Andalas? While you're having fun going to America with your loved ones? Where is Bushido, Yakuza princess?"

Akiko snorted softly at Cecilia while hugging her back.

"I will accompany you to the Gobi. But you won't hold me when I smack the sense out of her. How about that?" Akiko tilted her head and smiled sweetly at Cecilia.

Cecilia laughed so hard she had to cover her mouth. Luckily, Lian Xi didn't hear Akiko's whisper. If she did, she and Akiko would have ended up watching a classic silat match between a samurai expert and a kung fu master.

The Bernina Express arrived at Milano central station. The four of them got off through the last carriage to avoid being ambushed by Helda's crew who might have been waiting.

Andalas rented a vehicle from the station to reach the downtown of Milan. He chose a hotel not far from Bankitalia to make it easier for him to do his plan tomorrow morning. It was evening when they entered the Park Hyatt Milan Hotel. Again, Andalas booked the presidential suite for security reasons. Doctor Aslan provided him with a lot of euros. Andalas had divided the money and put it into Akiko's, Cecilia's, and Lian Xi's carry-on bags.

This time Andalas didn't refuse when Akiko asked him to stay in the same suite. Andalas could sleep on the large sofa in the living room. While the other three rooms were reserved for Akiko, Lian Xi and Cecilia. His body was too tired after dealing with Helda and her crew.

The night passed quickly. Andalas woke up before dawn and started the day by contacting the Consultant via X-One asking for updates about the status on Helda and Isamu. Were they indeed hired by the Organization and who else were hired to hunt them down?

The Consultant replied that the Executor had made several orders. Helda and Isamu were the first wave. The orders were not to kill them but capturing and extracting information about the Gobi Facility's whereabouts from Lian Xi.

So who else besides the Killer from the Baltic and Hitoshi Nakamura?

Zov Tigra and Abdelahi.

Andalas rubbed his forehead. Zov Tigra or Tiger's Roar was a veteran assassin from Russia. Abdelahi would surely rely a lot on members of Mogadishu's Maala'ig.

Holy shit! Andalas shook his head. Should he change his plan and go with the ladies to the Gobi instead?

Or should they stick together solving the riddle from Doctor Aslan and finish in Geneva, then go to Gobi together?

Andalas lifted his head on the sound of approaching footsteps. Akiko stood beside him while handing him a cup of coffee. Andalas nodded gratefully. Just what he needed most, a cup of hot coffee.

Cecilia had woken up and walked into the living room. She was holding a large cup of hot chocolate. This British doctor looked much thinner than when she was at the logging camp in the interior of the Congo Basin. The adventure during the pandemic had not yet occurred and the desperate effort to prevent it which led to failure required a lot of energy.

Cecilia turned on the television.

A running text under a children's cartoon made her cover her face. Akiko took a deep breath. The spread of this pandemic was extraordinary.

The fatality rate of Mollivirus sibericum, which was now known as the Ice Virus, was 80% of the 300 million infected.

The Fatality Rate of Bacillus antracis, which was now known as Tropical Bacteria, was 90% of the 400 million infected.

Experts confirmed that the incubation period of the Ice Virus was 21 days. While Tropical Bacteria was estimated at 30 days.

No serum or anti-virus or vaccine had been found to cure this pandemic from both sides.

There had been cases of Tropical Bacteria in Europe recently. The incident in a rest area between Lyon-Swiss Border which resulted in dozens of people being injured and dozens of people dead was confirmed to be caused by a Tropical Bacteria infection that has entered its incubation period.

The series running texts made Cecilia, Akiko, and Andalas look at each other and had the same thought that they needed to do what they were supposed to do as quickly as possible.

But it was the last two running texts that made the three of them gasp in surprise.

Interpol is looking for three people with the initials of AA, AN, CG who are suspected of causing the Ice Virus and Tropical Bacteria to spread throughout the world. It was alleged that the three international fugitives were hiding in a secret place in northern China with the help of a Moscow University lecturer who was also suspected of being an MSS agent.

The Chinese government firmly denied that one of its agents was involved with the three fugitives of Interpol and stated that it would fully assist Interpol in providing information if it was true that they were in China's territory.

"My government definitely refused to be involved in this matter. I'm alone now." Lian Xi's weak voice broke the silence.

Cecilia walked over to Lian Xi and held her hand.

"You are not alone. There's me, Andalas, and Akiko." Lian Xi smiled at Cecilia. This doctor was sincere. It wasn't like….. her eyes met with Akiko who was glaring at her.

Andalas also looked at Lian Xi.

"So what happened to the Gobi Facility, Lian Xi?"

Lian Xi sat on the sofa and picked up a cup of Andalas coffee. She took a sip of it and then finished it. Akiko glared.

"I'm not too worried about the Gobi Facility. The Chinese government only recognizes it as a private research center of the number 2 richest person in China. They won't bother him."

"Who are they?" Andalas asked.

"A high ranking politburo official who is a businessman and not in the government."

"Right, but who are they?" This time Cecilia insisted.

"The Huang brothers, one of the world's wealthy philanthropists."

Cecilia, Akiko, and Andalas looked at each other. There were another new character that had not been on their radar until now.

Nobody had any idea where the Huang brothers stood in this whole thing.