John Wick - Chapter 99: I’ll Pick Up the Tab (Patreon)

“You seriously just threw me aside like that?”

Still lying on the floor, Elena glared at Nate and held out a hand.

“It was an emergency.”

Nate chuckled as he helped her up and draped her arm over his shoulder.

“Seriously, how did you even manage to twist your ankle? Next time we’re on a mission, wear something more practical.”

“I know, I know.”

Elena rolled her eyes at him.

After that brief scare ended without further trouble, the group followed an attendant into the elevator and headed up to the hotel lobby.

The Rome Continental Hotel had a similar overall style to the one in New York, with both leaning heavily toward classical decor. However, Rome’s lobby was far more spacious and noticeably brighter, with a beautifully decorated ceiling.

The concierge was a young Black woman dressed in a sharp black uniform. She stood tall with excellent posture, carrying herself with effortless elegance, and spoke in a refined, polished tone that made it obvious she had undergone rigorous training. If Nate remembered correctly, the manager at the Casablanca Continental had carried herself with the same kind of poise, and she had been quite attractive as well.

“Welcome to the Rome Continental Hotel. How may I assist you?”

Cassian stepped forward.

“We have a reservation. Identification code 019.”

A staff member beside the concierge checked the computer, then handed her a stack of room cards.

The concierge accepted them, bowed slightly, and respectfully handed the cards over.

“I hope you all enjoy your stay.”

Cassian distributed the room cards one by one.

Nate’s room was 502, John’s was 503, and Elena’s was 505.

The concierge added, “The rooms on the fifth floor are the finest suites in our hotel. Both the amenities and the views are first-class.”

Nate nodded, and the group started toward the elevator.

Just then, a voice called out from behind them.

“Jonathan?”

John turned around and saw a familiar face. A smile appeared on his face.

“Julius.”

The two shook hands.

Nate immediately recognized Julius, the manager of the Rome Continental Hotel.

Although Julius had only appeared briefly in the movie, he had left a strong impression on Nate.

He was dressed exactly as he had been in the film, wearing a black suit over a crisp white French-cuff shirt. Despite his age, he stood straight and tall. His hair was meticulously combed, and his clear, pale blue eyes only added to the aristocratic elegance he carried himself with.

Julius’s gaze shifted to Gianna.

“Ms. Gianna, we are deeply honored to have you staying with us.”

Gianna smiled and nodded before turning to John.

“John, I’ll leave you and your old friend to catch up. I’m going back to my room.”

With Cassian accompanying her, Gianna entered the elevator.

Nate supported Elena as they walked over to a sofa, and the others settled into the lounge area of the hotel lobby.

Julius noticed Elena limping.

“Ma’am, would you like us to arrange medical assistance?”

“That would be great, thank you.”

Elena had just sat down and was rubbing her ankle as she nodded repeatedly.

Julius gave an instruction to one of the attendants, then extended his hand toward Nate.

“And you are?”

Nate smiled and shook his hand.

“Nate Lin, John’s partner. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

“I’ve known Jonathan for many years, but this is the first time I’ve ever met a partner of his.” A hint of surprise crossed Julius’s face. “Young man, that can’t have been easy.”

Nate waved it off.

“Not at all. If anything, I’m enjoying myself.”

Julius smiled, then turned to John.

“I’m glad to see you looking well, Jonathan.”

“Yeah.” John smiled too. “I have him to thank for that.”

“That’s good to hear, Jonathan. By the way, when was the last time you came to Rome?” Julius asked casually.

“Ten years ago? Maybe eleven. I don’t really remember.”

“Oh, I remember now.” Julius smiled faintly at the memory. “That was the mission where you came to assassinate the Pope. You caused quite a commotion in Rome.”

“It took me more than a month just to clean up the mess you left behind.”

“Yeah, that mission wasn’t easy. Things got a little out of hand.” John gave an awkward smile.

“Tell us more!” Nate’s eyes lit up with curiosity.

Elena looked just as eager beside him.

“There’s really nothing to tell...”

“I’ll tell them. Let these youngsters see how a veteran gets things done.”

John clearly had no desire to talk about it, but Julius cut him off.

So John sat there with a pained expression while Julius began telling the story, and the two younger people listened with obvious anticipation.

“That day, the Pope was holding a religious ceremony at St. Peter’s Basilica. Security was extremely tight. A long-range sniper shot was completely out of the question.”

“So Jonathan did the exact opposite. He disguised himself as a worshipper and slipped directly into the church. From less than thirty meters away, he shot and killed the Pope.”

“You can probably guess what happened next. He fought his way out of a church locked down like a fortress, all by himself, then killed his way straight back to the Rome Continental.”

“In those two hours alone, more than two hundred people died by his hand.”

“That was how he became famous in Rome. After that, he never came back.”

“That’s amazing!”

Elena’s wide eyes were practically sparkling by the time Julius finished.

Nate, meanwhile, only had one thought.

Yep. That was very John. Very Russian, too.

Assassination? What assassination? If you kill everyone there, it still counts as an assassination. The target died, didn’t he?

Judging by the way he operated, John didn’t really feel like a hitman.

Someone like the Jackal, setting up with a sniper rifle, fit Nate’s stereotypical image of a hitman much better.

Someone who charged in headfirst like John, on the other hand, felt more like an assassin.

Come to think of it, John could even do a Leap of Faith without dying from the fall.

The more Nate thought about it, the more it fit.

“So, Jonathan, there’s something I need to ask you. Humor me for a moment.”

Julius suddenly changed the subject.

He leaned forward, staring directly into John’s eyes.

“Did you come to Rome to kill the Pope again?”

The atmosphere instantly grew tense.

“So that whole story was just leading up to this.”

John smiled.

“Relax, Julius. Not this time.”

The tension disappeared immediately.

Julius let out a long breath and slowly leaned back against the sofa.

“That’s a relief. I have a fairly good relationship with the Pope. He was only crowned a few years ago. It would be a shame if he died so soon.”

Julius smiled.

“In that case, I’ll cover all of your expenses at the hotel.”

“Huh? You’re that generous?” Elena asked, eyes widening.

Nate stared at him in surprise.

“Seriously?”

Julius waved a hand confidently.

“Of course, young man. This is my hotel. No matter how much the few of you spend, how much could it possibly amount to?”

“As long as Jonathan doesn’t kill the Pope, it’s pocket change.”

Beside Nate, Elena was already staring up at the ceiling, apparently thinking about everything she could buy.

“Don’t worry, Nate. Spend as much as you want. Julius is very wealthy,” John added.

“Oh... Now I understand.”

A smile spread across Nate’s face as he started doing some calculations in his head.

Well then, sorry about this, old man.

I’m going to make you regret that offer.