The Eternal City At Nightfall

Dracul Van Helsing and Hyung Grace Kwan were in a quiet cappuccino bar in downtown Rome.

A TV was playing in the restaurant although the sound was down.

"Do you have any idea who the fellow in the red Ferrari was?" Hyung asked.

"Yes, I seem to remember who he is now," Dracul answered.

On the TV came a news story about two Canadian CF-18 fighter planes repelling two Russian TU-95 bombers flying close to Canadian air space.

"What's up with that?" Hyung asked.

"It's curious," Dracul said, "Russia has been probing Canadian airspace quite heavily since 2007."

"What do you think is going on?" Hyung queried.

"Not quite sure," Dracul answered, "Putin is quite the chess player. It's difficult to see what he's up to."

At that moment, a red Ferrari whizzed by the cappuccino bar.

"Do you suppose that was your mysterious friend?" Hyung asked.

"I suspect it was," Dracul nodded.

On the radio inside the cappuccino bar, an old Beatles song played, "In times of trouble, Mother Mary comes to me speaking words of wisdom, let it be..."

To be continued.