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Santtonnice is an alien. She could cause problems for me and my friends. We have to get to her before the police question her. If she tells the police about my emerald, I have a big problem.

- 8 -
    A RACE AGAINST TIME
     
    It’s Saturday afternoon before we are  able to get together at my place. Although we tried to meet last night, Michael said his family had some other plans. As well, we were unable to locate Drew, much to Jasmin’s dismay.
    Now all my friends are in my basement as I grab some snacks from the kitchen. My mother is visiting my father.
    Last night and again first thing this morning I watched the news to see what was transpiring with the Stalker. There was endless speculation on the details she might be able to provide about what really happened in Rome. My government is already requesting extradition back to the U.S., but it appears that the Italian government is not going to let that happen anytime soon after what took place in Rome and Pompeii two weeks ago.
    I know we have to move quickly. Although I guess that this tough woman would resist giving any information about Santtonnice or my emerald to the police or other authorities, it would only be a matter of time before they broke her.
    The moment I reach the bottom stair with a tray of snacks, Jasmin says, “Jamie said that we are going to snatch the Stalker from the Italian police. Are you crazy? This woman is probably being protected by dozens of guards. There’s no way we would ever get near her.”
    Jamie, Michael and Drew grab some food as though they haven’t eaten in a week.
    There’s a brief silence as my friends devour some chips and cookies.
    Three panelists on the TV are exploring the question as to who should interrogate the woman we call the Stalker. Should it be the Italian police, know as the Polizia di Stato, who apparently have an abysmal record in solving crimes, the Italian DIA, or should the investigation be handled by Interpol or the CIA? From the discussions it’s pretty obvious that the U.S. is trying very hard to take control of what is happening. I wonder if the CIA is planning to take her from the Italians.
    For what seems like the hundredth time, I watch as the Stalker is escorted by a mass of policemen into a police van.
    “I wonder where she is now,” Jamie says.
    “Probably still in Venice,” Michael replies, but you can bet that the American government is doing everything in their power to be the first to question her.”
    “We’ve got to get to her first,” I say earnestly.
    “I agree,” Michael says. “The Italians will do whatever is necessary to get her to talk.”
    “What time is it now in Venice?” I say, more to myself than anyone else.
    “Six or seven hours difference,” Jamie says. “Probably a little after eight in the evening there.”
    Jamie, Michael and Drew are all staring at me. It hits me that they’re waiting for me to approve this new mission. They want to go to Venice. They want to prevent the Stalker from telling the police about any of us.
    “Even if we find a way to take her from the police, what will we do with her?” Jasmin asks.
    “Kill her,” Drew says slowly and coldly.
    Ever since we rescued the kidnapped girl in Florida, Drew has become even more distant.
    “Kill her? Are you kidding me?” I say. “We can’t just go around murdering other people.”
    There’s no reaction from anyone.
    “Seriously,” I begin, “what will we do if we find her?”
    There’s no response. Surely, Jamie and Michael can’t be agreeing with Drew, can they?
    “Kill her,” Jasmin says with venom oozing from her mouth. “Kill the woman. She kidnapped me. I will never get over the pain of that moment in my life. She killed an innocent family when she took them as hostages after the DC Jail outbreak. She killed an innocent man at the home where your Grammy lived, and she tried to strangle your grandmother. Kill her. We’d all be better off.”
    I don’t know how to respond. This