Has anyone ever imagined dying on the battlefield at the age of twenty?
Alessandro watched the Frenchmen emerging from the barracks. They were almost as young as he was, and their eyes were full of uncertainty.
If they took off their uniforms, they would be no different from the young people sunning themselves in the park. Yet at this very moment, they were going to protect citizens far older than themselves.
The panicked crowd did not realize they were just children. They only saw the uniforms on the soldiers and pointed them in the right direction. Some people gave Alessandro a strange look as they passed him, but quickly looked away and ran toward that enormous target. Alessandro hurriedly pulled his cap lower and jogged toward the "Pyramid."
"You'll go to Paris with the deliverymen." Gaetano handed Alessandro a certificate.
"A delivery? What are we delivering?" Alessandro asked.
"Bonaparte ordered two Venetian chandeliers for the dining hall at the Tuileries Palace." Gaetano sniffed. "He likes Mrs. Smith very much. Not only did he have her decorate the place, he also put her in charge of the Tuileries Palace kitchens."
Alessandro had nothing to say. He looked at the document in his hand. It stated his identity, as well as his point of departure and destination.
"It seemed Louis XVI was discovered because there was a problem with his travel permit," Alessandro said.
"No, that wasn't it." Gaetano sniffed. "His head was printed on the Assignats. It would have been hard not to recognize him."
Alessandro was stunned.
"When Bonaparte fled back from Egypt, he was recognized too, but no one arrested him. Just as Frank said before, he's very lucky. Not only did he avoid the Black Death and shipwreck, he had an unobstructed journey the whole way. Frank just