I scrapped my initial plan to fly on a commercial flight to Rome, the home of the Lex Talionis. Booking a hotel was out of the question after Fernando's trick. Instead, I took my private jet.

I spent the flight out of Mexico brooding over my thoughts. I couldn't guess why my family had been summoned, but I was determined about one thing: I was going to appeal to the Pope to restrain Fernando.

"We'll be there shortly, sir," the pilot's voice was heard in the cockpit.

About ten minutes later, the