Episode IV – The storm arrives
How a storm hits depends on the type of storm. Does it start with a few drops of rain and an elevated breeze, or is it with a sudden crack of thunder, followed by a sudden downpour?
However it hits, the question is, are we prepared for it?
A metaphorical storm is about to hit
The Troll Clan Chief of the Manjura has been captured by the Venezuelan Government and paraded on TV.
Celeste and Charlene Henshaw sent to affect his escape have been captured by drow carrying out a secret investigation, just before they were to be picked up by the Venezuelan secret service, who have been alerted to their presence by elements unknown.
Meanwhile it could all be for naught, as forces on the Mystical Realms are planning the murder of the troll clan chief, after which they plan to hang the Clan Chief of the Rachtal and Captain Sandra Philips of the US Marines for the crime.
+ + +
The
CH-46 Sea Night helicopter finally touched down on the flight deck after it’s long journey.
Colonel Samuel Peters and Shamus McTuckle disembarked from the helicopter. They had been travelling for over forty eight hours and had endured two long flights to get to this amphibious landing craft they had been given for the mission. The first flight had been a military flight to
Puerto Rico where they had boarded the helicopter to the Bataan. The total time they had been travelling the pair of them had been observing a communications blackout for security reasons.
Shamus had wanted to teleport, but that would have required a precise fix of the USS Bataan, which again for security reasons, was not possible.
Samuel and Shamus got out of the helicopter carrying kitbags with changes of clothes and headed for the tower on the starboard side of the ship. There to meet them was the first officer. The first officer tried to shout something but his words were drowned out by the sound of the helicopter so he motioned for the two arrivals to come inside.
The colonel and the leprechaun entered the tower so they could make their way to the bridge. Two naval ratings met them just inside. “We’re here to take your gear to your assigned quarters” one of the ratings told them after saluting.
The colonel saluted back; “Here you are son” he told the rating as he handed over his kit bag.
Shamus also handed over his kit bag and they started to follow the first officer up to the bridge.
“What were you trying to tell us outside” Samuel asked the first officer
“It looks like bad news sir” The first officer replied, “There is a chance that the mission has been scrubbed”
The Colonel stopped and stared at the first officer, “How much do you know of our mission” he said with an annoyed tone.
“That you’re attempting a rescue of that troll they showed on television” The first officer replied
“How many others know” Samuel pressed
“Just me, the Captain and the ship’s surgeon” replied the first officer
“Keep it that way” Samuel replied
“Hang on” Shamus butted in, “what do you mean scrubbed?”
The first officer turned to Shamus, “I’ll have to let the captain tell you that one” and then went back to escorting Shamus and Samuel to the bridge.
The three of them finally made it to the bridge where the captain came up and shook Samuel’s hand and that of Shamus
“I hear you have something to tell us” Samuel said to the captain
“We need to speak in private” the captain replied and guided Samuel and Shamus to a private room whilst the first officer took the ship’s helm to relieve the captain.
“Ok how have my people screwed up?” Samuel asked when the door to the room was closed
“They don’t think they did Colonel” the captain replied, “I took a call on the secured line that your two operatives in Caracas had been captured by the Venezuelan authorities and that Doctor Henshaw had been shot and killed in the process”
“How?” Samuel asked
“According to the Mexican operative the mission was compromised somehow” the Captain answered
“That’s just great” Samuel swore, “Now Chavez has two entities and a propaganda victory. How were we compromised?”
“That’s not the whole story Colonel” the captain added
“There’s more?” Samuel asked with incredulity in his voice
“The Venezuelan authorities were looking to arrest them, but they were not the ones who captured your people”
“Then who did?” Samuel pressed
“Chairman Cooper said something about drow?” the captain replied with a note of uncertainty, “And that Doctor Henshaw was still alive”
“The Drow” Shamus growled, “I suppose they are the ones working with the Russians” he added
“So you know who these drow are?” the captain asked
“Ai” Shamus replied, “They are very similar to elves, but they chose to walk a darker path. Some refer to them as dark elves, especially as they major in betrayal and treachery as well as their dark sorcery. They are the arch enemies of all elves”
“We worked with one a few months back” Samuel chipped in, “They do tend to go in for shifting alliances”
“So what are they going to do to our people” Samuel asked
“According to your chairman” The Captain answered, “they had not decided, since Russia is friends with Venezuela and these drow work for the Russians”
“Maybe I could try and” Shamus began
“NO!” Samuel interrupted
“I’m not Rosie O’Brian” Shamus replied with a tone of annoyance, “And you were not responsible for her death” Shamus added
“It was one of ours that killed her though” Samuel said quietly
“Who’s Rosie?” asked the Captain
“She was a G2 Leprechaun” Samuel explained, “I was with her when a former member of the IDEC UK shot her dead on the London Underground”
“And the Colonel here believes he’s responsible” Shamus went on, “Because he was also with her brother Hogan when he was killed in action”
“And you believe every leprechaun you send into action gets killed” The Captain asked
Before Samuel could answer Shamus interrupted, “Besides you were making assumptions again Samuel, about what I was going to say”
“Ok what were you proposing?” Samuel asked the leprechaun
“I was going to suggest we contact the Russians or the drow working with them” Shamus suggested
“Can you arrange a direct link to the Kremlin?” Samuel asked the Captain.
“We have a satellite telephone” The Captain answered
“Good” interrupted Shamus, “Because I have the number, although my last attempts to get through have not met with much success”
The Captain guided the Colonel and Shamus to where the satellite phone was stored and ordered those in the room to leave, since they were not security cleared about affairs dealing with entities from the Mystical Realms.
Shamus started to tap the number into the phone and waited for an answer.
Suddenly there was the sound of static electricity in the room as a drow appeared holding a machine pistol.
“Why are you calling this number?” the drow asked.
“I wanted to speak with the Drow – Russian diplomatic service” Shamus replied forthrightly.
“Would that be about your two operatives in Venezuela?” the drow asked with a hint of anger in his voice
“Ai” Shamus began
“How do you know about that?” Samuel interrupted
“Because I spoke to that charming woman who runs that IDEC of yours” the drow replied, “I am Major Bolak of the Drow – Russian liaison task force.”
“Why have you not been answering my calls?” Shamus butted in.
“Because they were never forwarded” Major Bolak responded, “Maybe there is a connection to that stupid troll of yours after all”
“I want you to release my people” Samuel demanded
“My dear Colonel” Bolak replied, waving his gun, “You are not in a position to demand anything. However, we are investigating an internal matter, and as we would rather this Chavez person not know of our involvement with our human partners, so we will release them on one condition”
“Which is?” Shamus asked
“When you rescue the stupid fool, we would like to ask him a few questions” Bolak answered
“Works for me” Samuel replied, “So long as he is not harmed and we can be present when you interrogate him”
“We have no interest in harming the troll Colonel” Bolak said back, “But our internal matters remain internal”
“That will be fine by us” Shamus interrupted, “But can I make a suggestion Major” Shamus then asked and then briefly turned to Samuel, “I’m sorry Samuel I have to do this” Shamus then turned back to Major Bolak, “Major, if the Venezuelans are looking for Doctor Henshaw and Celeste, I would suggest that I take Doctor Henshaw’s place and you teleport Doctor Henshaw here to the Bataan and when we send in Celeste I can teleport back here to collect the wormhole device”
“Why not just teleport Doctor Henshaw back to Washington?” The Captain interrupted.
“Because you need her to make sure your artificial wormhole is working correctly” The drow ventured
“Ai” Shamus replied, “That’s one reason, plus we are nearer, and I suspect she needs to have a bit of time here to sort some issues out with our Major Spirit of Second Chances, Celeste when we get her here”
“Sort out issues” Major Bolak laughed and shook his head in disbelief, “That’s what you lot would call
full of blarney You, just want to make sure we don’t breach your pathetic security in Washington again and you want to make sure we do not take her back to Russia, which we still could.”
“Sure” Shamus admitted, “An expert in what the humans call
M Theory would be quite a catch for your human partners since we are dealing with parallel universes here, and as you say if you said you were taking her to Washington, how would those of us here know”
The drow made a sucking sound on his teeth, “You leprechauns are not as dumb as you look.” he replied, then after five seconds announced “Ok agreed”
Bolak holstered his gun and then Shamus walked up to the drow
“You have already been most helpful Colonel Peters and as for our base in Caracas, we are leaving it anyway” Bolak said to Samuel and then he teleported away along with Shamus
“What does he mean by that?” The Captain asked
“By ringing that number and from what Shamus said we must have confirmed something to him” Samuel surmised, “Plus by teleporting in we locate where in Venezuela the drow have been operating, if they are leaving then they don’t care if we know”
+ + +
Kathryn Cooper’s Office
IDEC Headquarters
Washington DC
United States of America
[img=600x400]http://www.solarnavigator.net/geography/geography_images/Washington_DC_Monument_White_House.jpg[/img]
Pete entered Kathryn’s office, “Any news yet?” he asked
Kathryn looked up, “Not yet Pete, All I know is that Colonel Peters and Shamus have arrived at the Bataan.
“What’s the fall back plan if they don’t release them” Pete asked.
“I don’t know” Kathryn replied, “Our US State Department has formally washed there hands of them and the Clan Chief”
“What?” Pete said with incredulity in his voice
“Apparently helping to save the world doesn’t count” Kathryn said with venom, “They are not American citizens so as far as the state department is concerned they are not our responsibility”
“Typical American isolationism” Pete scoffed
“I’m afraid I have to agree with you” Kathryn retorted.
“Anyway” Pete continued, “You wanted me?”
“Yes” Kathryn replied, “I understand you are going to see Sue-Lim at Bethesda today”
“Yes Miss Cooper” replied Pete, “I didn’t get to see her yesterday as the hospital said she had been upset by something and some locum filling in for the consultant decided to sedate her”
“Apparently” Kathryn explained, “Her father came visiting and let’s just say, it was not exactly a happy father daughter reunion meeting”
“That Mr Vee” Pete said and then he waved a clenched fist, “Sue-Lim told me how he abandoned her and her mother when she was a child”
“I’m afraid it was more involved than that Pete” Kathryn went on, “According to the medical staff he told her that while she was growing up her mother was acting as a spy when she worked as a cleaner in the Soviet embassy in London”
“So are you asking me not to see her today then” Pete then asked
“No Pete” Kathryn answered firmly, “I’m not asking that, what I want to ask is would you take Simon with you when you visit her today”
“Why?”
“Apparently Simon is quite taken with Celeste” Kathryn explained, “And her capture has upset him badly”
“He does know that Celeste is technically underage?” Pete queried
“I’m not sure we have had that conversation with Simon yet” Kathryn replied, “But it looks like we may have to, especially as apparently Celeste suggested that she be his girlfriend”
“I’ll speak to him Miss Cooper, but why can’t he get on with some work, he’s normally ok on his own?” Pete asked, “What’s the problem”
“Pete, Simon may be one of the best minds we have, but because of his condition, sometimes he needs closer monitoring if he gets a fixed idea in his head”
“And?” Pete pressed
“They found him packing a suit case and trying to book an airline ticket to Caracas online last night. His parent said he was in tears and frantic to try and save her himself”
“Ouch!” Pete exclaimed, “That’s not good”
“So you can’t trust him in the lab at the moment” Pete asked
Kathryn nodded, “He is becoming obsessed with trying to save Celeste and that may cause problems. His parents have other commitments today, so they could not look after him and so I promised to make sure he was supervised and kept out of trouble. That’s why he is waiting with Sophie outside Pete. He helped you and Sue-Lim a lot, so maybe the visit might help while we try and sort out the mess down in Venezuela”
“And we can try and talk some sense into him” Pete ventured
“If that’s possible” Kathryn replied, “
Pete sighed, “Ok, I’ll take him”
“I appreciate that Pete” Kathryn told him, “and I’m sorry that he will be effectively playing gooseberry, but both our families go way back and when he was diagnosed with his condition I promised I would help them with Simon wherever I could”
Pete left the office and went back outside to where Sophie and Simon were waiting. “Simon, you’re coming with me”
“Are we going to rescue Celeste and Doctor Henshaw then?” Simon asked
“Maybe later Simon” Pete lied, “But first we need to see Miss Wang at the hospital”
“That’s good” Simon beamed, “She recreated the wormhole generators that that evil technician invented in England. I have an idea I wanted to discuss with you about them. Are we going to discuss how to save Celeste and Doctor Henshaw?”
“Something like that” Pete sighed.
It was going to be a long day
+ + +
The port town of Faldonr
The Mystical Realms
Meetal the Kobold cautiously crept through the outer streets of Faldon, hiding in shadows where ever he could
The streets were full of these large creatures that had invaded from the Far Islands as they enforced curfews on the other races with brute force. Their invasion had been swift, bloody and ruthless.
In one sense Meetal admired them for what they had achieved, at the same time he feared them. From what his master had told him about them, there were normally disorganised and prone to fighting amongst them selves, the way that orcs do. This lot had been imbued with strong military discipline. Even their reputation of using second hand weapons and armour was not born out by what Meetal had seen.
Someone had obviously drilled them to make them the most effective fighting machine apart from the trolls and elves.
Slowly through the back streets Meetal made his way to the actual harbour where the invasion force’s ships were anchored. His next objective was the tavern where he had first seen this new leader, all the while nervously looking over his shoulder, especially as he was carrying the return home bird which gently cooed.
The only way he thought he could get the name of this leader was to pose as a passing Kobold who was unhappy with the troll way of doing things. His bird was to say what cargoes had landed. It would be highly risky, as for all he knew; these creatures may decide to kill him, especially if they were going to march on either the citadel or the city. He would say that he was doing business and wanted to establish trade relations with their commander. Or maybe he would skulk in the shadows and try and over hear conversations.
Meetal made it to the town square which bordered onto the harbour and the tavern. He could see the remains of some of the dead dignitaries hanging from a number of gallows, there were also the bodies of mates and younglings. This leader was very cruel it seemed.
It was almost as if they were like how his master, who had no choice may have acted in the olden days, but not to this extreme. Meetal stayed in the shadows as he crept towards the town square. Just as he reached it he saw a blue wormhole forming.
Meetal hid in the doorway of a dwelling that had obviously been broken into by one of the creatures of the invasion force and peeked out to see who was obviously coming from the world of humans. Then he saw some kind of carriage come through that needed no beasts of burden to pull it.
Meetal could not fathom what it was, but he knew what kind of creatures were driving it.
They were drow
The carriage ground to a halt and the wormhole closed, as he watched he saw the leader come out from the tavern to meet up with the drow. Meetal did his best to listen to what this new leader and the drow were saying. A lot of what he heard did not make sense. The only thing that he could work out was that their leader was referring to a replication spell.
Replication spells Meetal remembered from his time as assistant to his master during the glory days were only used rarely as they were considered difficult magic spells to pull off. They could allow the most skilled user of magic to take a small object and from raw rocks or other items, transform them into a duplicate of the object. The only thing it could not do was provide living matter. Most of the time it was used was to replicate food or ammunition for cross bows and bows when armies were running low on supplies, if they had access to that magic. There were rumours that some had tried to use the spell for larger things, but that would take immense skill.
Then Meetal listened closer to find out who might be this user of magic, but could not hear as the leader was returning to the tavern. Meetal then sniffed the air and glanced around to make sure he was not discovered. He was just about sure it was safe to move when from one of the buildings four of the large creatures from the invasion force emerged and approached the truck. Meetal watched as they started to unload what seemed like metal short cylinders with long cones on them, housed in wooden frames.
Meetal had no idea what they could be, but he did know that while they were unloading the strange carriage from the world of humans, he would have to find another way around to the tavern.
Meetal scuttled around the back of the buildings that overlooked the town square, diving in between some of them when he smelled an approaching patrol.
He was very adept at covert travel, that was why his master had hired him in the first place all those seasons ago
He finally made it to the tavern, and was about to creep in when he spied another ship coming in to anchor.
“Oh how unlucky” he thought, “They don’t stand a chance”
Meetal went to hide so he could see the upcoming slaughter of the new comers as they unwittingly dock at this port.
But No!
They were greeting these new comers warmly, so obviously there must be more of these large vicious creatures.
No!
They were trolls, but which clan
Meetal peered at them looking to see which crest they carried, and at last he spotted it, at which point a shiver went down his spine. “They’re all supposed to be dead” Meetal whispered to himself
+ + +
Downtown Caracas
Venezuela
Celeste sat helpless tied to the chair and in pain on the point of passing out. She was blindfolded and gagged. The drugs they had pumped into her body had made her drowsy but for some reason all her abilities had left her. The only thing that could do that would be an amulet of neutralisation.
Who ever had taken her knew exactly how to incapacitate her, a major spirit of virtue and they had kept asking about some person called Vabalavich. It sounded like a name belonging to the fabled drow, but what were they doing in Caracas.
They had asked her if she was working for him and why he had alerted the authorities about her. When she denied all knowledge of this drow, they hit her hard around her head. The beatings only stopped when one of them had told the others he had got a talisman of veracity and placed it on her.
She had told them about the rescue plan for the Clan Chief of the Manjura and she felt ashamed. She had betrayed them all. She just wished they would come back and kill her, because she deserved to die for what she had done. The only reason her clothes had not been disintegrated was because of the amulet of neutralisation preventing her from doing so.
She kept thinking that this was some kind of punishment for how she had done the bidding of the evil industrialist Sir Sidney Gerald. When she had been with him, she had been a self confident teenager, but as she tried to do her father’s duties while the Spirit of Death was held prisoner, her self confidence had begun to crumble. Now she was a teenager major spirit of virtue wracked with all kinds of self doubt and that hurt more than any physical beating.
The door opened.
They had come at last to kill her.
Celeste heard a sigh, but the sound came as if the person was about three to four feet high.
Then she heard the person swear and then they went to another part of the room where it sounded like they were dragging a chair across to her. The sound stopped and she heard the person climb onto the chair and then place a hand on the back of her neck.
Celeste tried to scream through the gag, what was this person going to do to her? A hypodermic to the neck to finish her off?
Well she did deserve to die after what she had done, but she was hoping it would be quick
Celeste felt the unknown figure slowly lift off the amulet of neutralisation and then she heard the person say in a voice she recognised, “away with you blasted thing”
Then gag and the blind fold seemed to undo themselves and fly off. Seconds later the ropes holding her arms and legs likewise detached themselves and flew off. Celeste was free, but she continued to sit there and broke down in tears. The figure, still standing on the chair, put an arm around Celeste.
“Now, now my dear and please don’t disintegrate those pretty clothes you are wearing” the figure asked softly.
As vision returned to Celeste’s eyes she could see that her rescuer was none other than Shamus McTuckle of the Irish Special Diplomatic service
[img=200x300]http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0b/Leprechaun_ill_artlibre_jnl.png[/img]
Shamus looked at Celeste’s face, she had severe facial bruising, a split lip and black eyes “You look awful” Shamus told Celeste, “What did they do to you?”
“They kept hitting me” Celeste wept
Shamus shook his head in disbelief, and then he told her, “I have tossed away that infernal amulet of neutralisation, I mean it wouldn’t even allow my telekinesis to untie you but now it’s gone you can heal yourself now.
Celeste shook her head, “It doesn’t work like that sir” she sobbed, “I can only heal others, not myself” then she hung her head down in shame, “And anyway I deserved this beating”
“That’s rubbish” Shamus retorted, “Nobody deserves to be beaten like that my dear”
Celeste turned her head to face Shamus, “But I gave him up Mr McTuckle” she sobbed, “I told them of our rescue plan. I betrayed the Clan Chief of the Manjura”
“No you didn’t” Shamus replied, “Drow are skilled in getting information from prisoners by fair means or foul. Not even I could have withstood one of their interrogations”
“But thanks to me they know of our plan” Celeste protested, “They’re going to stop us now”
“No they are not my dear” Shamus told Celeste, “Because we told them as well and they are not interested in our troll friend”
“Huh?” Celeste said in confusion
“The b*****ds who did this to you my dear were drow working with the Russian government. They were investigating something else entirely which they have decided to keep to themselves”
“They kept asking me about someone called Vabalavich” Celeste told Celeste and then put her head in her hands, “I had never even heard of him. I told them that but they kept saying I was lying”
“Oh dear oh dear” Shamus said as he rubbed his arm over Celeste’s shoulders, “That must have been the person they’re investigating, and as it’s a drow name it must be an internal affairs matter, no wonder they didn’t want to share”
Then Celeste remembered Charlene, “What about Doctor Henshaw” she asked
“She’s on board the USS Bataan and she’s fine, in spite of being shot by a drow”
“Shot?” Celeste queried
“Ai” confirmed Shamus, “The drow did it to keep her quiet and then healed her on the QT so they could interrogate her”
“Did they hit her as well?” Celeste asked.
Shamus nodded, “I insisted they healed her there and then of her injuries from her interrogation when they took me to her. I also suspected they would’ve done the same to you, which s why I kicked up a stink and insisted they give me this”
Shamus showed Celeste a small green vial
“Don’t worry my dear” Shamus smiled, “I have checked it is the right stuff, it’s exactly identical to the batch they gave to Doctor Henshaw”
“After all I’ve done Mr Tuckle” Celeste began
Shamus could guess where she was going with this and cut in, “None of that nonsense Celeste” He said sternly, “As for that slime-ball in London you got you to work for him, he manipulated everyone who had the misfortune to meet him”
“But I went to kill two people for him” Celeste protested, “I went to take life”
“Now let’s have this out right now” Shamus said wagging a finger at Celeste, “I see that has been eating at you ever since you discovered who you really are”
“But…” Celeste tried, but Shamus was having none of it
“You were manipulated into going to stop certain individuals because you were protecting someone who passed himself off as a decent human being, which he wasn’t. That b*****d had already arranged with others to kill them and you were just sent there to be the poor patsy who thought they had done it. It was so he could control you” Shamus then spoke into a commanding tone, “I want you to put aside that self pity you’ve been wallowing in and remember this mission. I need you up to full strength so drink that stuff right now”
Celeste was unnerved by this leprechaun so she swallowed the potion in one go. The taste was lemony with a hint of cinnamon. Suddenly she could feel a warm feeling rush to every part of her body. Her injuries started to fade as if they had never been inflicted.
Suddenly she felt she could not breathe and gasped for air. A strange burning sensation raced through her body. There was a glow of blue light around Celeste, which even Shamus could not recognise.
“What’s the matter” Shamus shouted, but Celeste was not listening, she tried to get up but sank to her knees and then she was lying on the floor convulsing. Shamus jumped down from the chair and found the empty bottle, what had he missed? The drow had obviously poisoned the healing potion to eliminate a potentially powerful entity that they might later cross swords with.
Shamus rolled Celeste onto her back and got ready to try
C P R As if that would do any good against a drow poison
Then suddenly the blue glow vanished abruptly and the convulsions stopped. Celeste found she was able to breathe again, where upon she burst into tears again.
Shamus helped Celeste sit up, “I’m sorry my dear” he apologised, “I have no idea what happened there, I was so sure it was the correct stuff”
Shamus held and comforted a weeping Celeste for a while and then brought her up to speed on the situation concerning the Venezuelan intelligence service. They then left the building together which was some apartment block near Caracas.
Shamus insisted on leaving the building first, as he was not known to the Venezuelan authorities. If anyone glanced at him, they would have just seen someone with
dwarfism. They could not use their invisibility as they needed to meet up with their contact in Mexican intelligence.
As they travelled down town on the medium buses known as Camioneta, the pair of them were very wary of passing police cars or anyone who may be in plain clothes working for the state.
They hardly spoke to one another; such was the tension they had since they knew that their cover had been blown by persons unknown.
Shamus then indicated the stop to Celeste while still remaining silent and the pair got off the bus near one of the stations for the
Metro commuter train network. Shamus paid for the tickets, like he had done with the bus and led Celeste down to take the train.
Shamus then took out a mobile phone and sent a text message giving just the name of the station they had boarded.
A minute later a number three was texted to his mobile
Again they refrained from speaking to each other, but just kept looking around to see if they were being followed.
The Metro train pulled into a station, but Shamus put his hand up to indicate it was not their stop
The next stop it was just the same, it was not their stop
Then it came to the third stop, and Shamus pulled on Celeste’s hand, it was time to get off. Shamus and Celeste left the station, with Shamus looking all around for something; again the pair of them were keeping their mouths shut. Foreign voices attracted unwelcome interest so Shamus had told Celeste before they had caught the bus.
A non-descript car pulled up to them as they were walking down the street. Celeste was un-nerved given what had happened at the airport, but Shamus did not seem concerned
The driver wound his window down, “¿Conoces el camino hacia el campus universitario a partir de aquí?” the driver said
As Celeste did not understand the language she had no idea what the driver had said
“¿Podría ser que para el fomento de las artes o el hospital universitario? Shamus replied
“Estoy después de que el departamento de ingeniería” the man in the car answered
“Mi sobrina y yo estamos a cargo más de ese modo, podría mostrar si usted nos da un ascensor” Answered Shamus
The driver nodded and reached back and pulled the button up to unlock the door. Shamus asked Celeste to open the door and get in”
Celeste got in the back and slid over so shamus could get in, then she fastened her seat belt. Shamus got in closed the door and did up his seat belt. The car then pulled out into traffic
“Niece?” The driver asked in English
“Well there is no way I could pass Celeste off as my daughter could I Mr Ezil,” Shamus retorted
“What was that about?” Celeste asked
“You’ll have to excuse Celeste here” Shamus told the driver, “She does not know much about the world of international espionage”
“You mean Spies” The driver said with a laugh
Ezil spoke to Celeste as he drove through the traffic heading for down town Caracas. “So you are the child that saved the life of the son of one of our military attaches in London” he asked her
“I couldn’t cut his life thread sir” Celeste replied, the emotion of that day still pretty raw. She still resented how the powers had sent her to take the life of a four year old that day.
(Or had they?) She was not sure now, given that she was supposed to be the human representation of times when one faces certain death and yet lives, The Spirit of Second Chances
“Anyway Miss Celeste” Ezil went on, “When we make contact in the spy world we have to do so in such a manner that nobody knows we are doing it.”
“Er Right” Celeste replied with a puzzled look on her face
+ + +
County Claire
Ireland
Mark’s mobile finally connected.
“USS Bataan” a voice said over his mobile
“Is Shamus McTuckle available?” Mark asked
“Who?” the response came back
Mark momentarily rolled his eyes, “Ok let’s try this again, I understand Colonel Samuel Peters is visiting aboard the Bataan. Is
he available?” he asked
“We‘ll call him sir” The voice on the phone replied, “Who shall I say is calling?”
“Commander Mark Johnston of the 39th US Marine Corps attached to the IDEC” Mark replied
Mark looked at his watch; Jenny Green was still in the next door cottage, originally a holiday home and now the home of the Andrews family. Jenny and Angela had a lot to catch up on, especially as both women were expecting babies.
Mark then looked out at the main farm house in the distance, the home of the O’Docherty’s and the former twin minor spirits of virtue, Fancying and Fidelity, except that the Former Spirit of Fancying went by the name of Caer. They were due to have an evening meal with the O’Docherty that night.
After Five minutes on hold the phone crackled back into life, “We have him here Commander” came the voice over the phone, and then it was Mark’s friend and former CO
“Mark, how on Earth did you get this number?” Samuel asked
“Kathryn” Mark replied
“OK what is it, I thought you and Jenny were going to Chicago” Samuel said with an air of irritation
“Jenny wanted to catch up with Mrs Andrews, Sam, so we are having a stay over at the O’Docherty farm in Ireland for a few days”
“Ok what did you want” Samuel replied, “I hope it’s not to ask permission to make your little side trip, because I thought we had got beyond things like that”
“No Sam” Mark responded with a laugh, “I needed to run something by Shamus, but they don’t seem to know who he is on the Bataan”
“His visit’s more secret than mine” Samuel explained, “But at the moment he is in the field with the Celeste entity”
Mark did a brief double take, and then said, “But he’s not a field operative, he’s a diplomat”
“He used to be G2 Mark” Samuel replied, “What did you need him for, why not call Captain Gregory O’Doyle of the G2 Special section, you should have his number”
“I couldn’t get through Sam” Mark explained
“Ok, for when he get’s back what did you want to run by him” Samuel asked
“Apparently Sam, all of Ireland’s leprechauns are being ordered to return to Dublin, we were trying to figure out why” Mark replied.
“That’s odd” Samuel answered back, “They were supposed to be dispersed for security reasons”
“We thought so too Sam, we have two leprechauns here and one is not fit to teleport”
“Pregnant leprechaun eh?” Samuel asked
“Yep” Mark answered
“Tell them to stay put” Samuel ordered, “Something does not smell right. Try the Special Diplomatic service over there”
+ + +
The streets of Caracas
Venezuela
Ezil stopped his car at the end of the street on which the
Venezuelan Ministry of Defence was situated.
“I’m afraid that this is as far as I can take you two” Ezil said as he switched off the car engine
“Why do you think he is in that building?” Shamus asked
“When the original press conference was held at the
Ministry of Law Enforcement building, there was quite a lot of activity here first and then afterwards. As he is a very unusual prisoner they would hardly put him in one of their notorious prisons, especially as they want to ensure a show trial takes place” Ezil explained
“Could that have been a decoy?” Celeste interjected
“You catch on fast with this spying game little girl” Ezil replied, “We had considered that, but all our informants told us that he was definitely not being held at either
Directorate of Intelligence and Prevention Services headquarters or the
General Counterintelligence Office headquarters. He is definitely in that building, especially as they have rescheduled a number of important meetings elsewhere claiming that they have found asbestos in the building”
Shamus and Celeste looked at the building. Celeste gulped, this was not her first mission for humans, but it was her first on the right side for once.
“It’s a big building Mr Ezil” Shamus said and then asked, “Any idea where about inside he would be held”
“According to the old architect’s plans” Ezil replied, “The only secure place would be in the sub basement”. Ezil took out an electronic device from the glove compartment and passed it to Celeste, “These are the building plans in simple detail for you to have a quick look at, I hope you have a good memory”
Celeste looked at the plans on the LCD screen before handing it back to Ezil; this mission seemed as daunting as ever “Are you coming with me?” She asked Shamus
“I’m afraid not” Shamus told her, “I can look like a human being of short stature to others Celeste but I can not do invisibility like you can and nor can I phase through solid objects like you can”
“But you can still teleport sir” Celeste countered with her voice showing signs of emotion.
“I know” Shamus replied and gave Celeste a gentle hug, “I’m so sorry that you lost that ability, but you did save all those lives remember”
“I know sir” Celeste sighed, “I just feel so helpless not being able to teleport like I used to”
“Never mind” Shamus told her, “All you have to do is get to him and switch this on” he continued and handed her a GPS location tracker, “We will get to you within a minute and then we all head home to our world courtesy of the humans artificial wormhole generator gizmo”
“You will need to get out now” Ezil prompted, “Or someone may get suspicious”
“Just a moment” Celeste began.
“What my dear?” Shamus replied
“I have to take my clothes off first” Celeste said as she undid her seatbelt and quickly removed her tee-shirt revealing her white bra.
“What are you talking about” Shamus replied, “You only have problems when you teleport Celeste, and like you said you can no longer do that”
Celeste kicked off her trainers, and bent down quickly to remove her socks, and then she started pulling her jeans down.
“Do you really need to do this?” Shamus objected, “It’s not like you are going to teleport anywhere”
Celeste briefly stopped and turned to Shamus “Sir, I found out that when I phase through objects, the same thing happens as if I had teleported. I lost a complete set of clothes that they had bought me in America when they disintegrated as I tried to take them off for a shower at Miss Mitchell’s place. It was in the evening so I never said anything. I did not want to get into trouble for destroying them accidentally”
Celeste continued to undress and succeeded in removing her jeans and then went to unclip her bra.
“Are you absolutely certain about this Celeste?” Shamus asked as he grabbed one of Celeste’s hands to stop her removing the item of underwear.
Celeste nodded, “I don’t know if it is the same with my invisibility sir, because after the phasing experiment I didn’t want to risk it, so when I did invisibility experiments, I stripped off while Simon was out the lab for a moment and hid the clothes in a cupboard and turned invisible before he came back.”
“But what happened when you were due to come visible Celeste” Shamus asked
“Mr Smith came by sir so I got on the floor beside the cupboard, reappeared while they were busy talking, and got dressed. Neither of them noticed, but if Mr Smith not showed up just then”
“You would have embarrassed that poor Simon lad by reappearing in the altogether”
Celeste blushed and then nodded, “I had heard that a lot of men like to look at naked women, I thought Simon would like it too. He’s been so nice to me, and as so I thought Simon deserved a treat. Anyway, since the drow took my suitcase these are all I have”
“Your suitcase is on the Bataan Celeste” Shamus told her and then he sighed, “Ok then, but hurry up and I’ll transport your clothes to the Bataan., When this is all over Celeste, we are going to have to see your parents to find out if there is a way for you to use your powers without needing a new wardrobe every time you do” Then Shamus turned to Ezil, “Mr Ezil, do you have any spare coats or jackets you can discard that she could wear instead?”
“Sorry signor, if I had known I would have brought something along”
“Thanks anyway” Celeste replied and quickly slipped off her underwear and immediately turned invisible to spare Ezil’s and Shamus’s blushes, and phased through the car door.
“Thanks’ for your help Mr Ezil” Shamus told their driver, and then he grabbed Celeste’s clothes and teleported back to the USS Bataan
Celeste meanwhile walked briskly through the street, completely invisible and completely naked, in one sense it was liberating and in another she felt quite vulnerable. Perhaps she thought, that was why the Halfling village she grew up in had had the enforced nudity as a punishment for wrong doing. The people at the IDEC however had said she would not have to work in the nude as that was not their way, but the limitations on her abilities seemed to make that unavoidable in her eyes.
Celeste paused as she stood at the entrance. Somebody was going in, so she darted in just behind them, and she was inside.
Celeste waited for a gap before approaching the metal detector. Just in the nick of time she remembered the GPS locator she was carrying in her hand, so she found a way to squeeze past the front desk security without going through the metal detector.
Once in her next task was to find her way to the basement, hoping the Mexican spy was right, otherwise the mission would be futile.
Celeste made her way to the lift and shivered in the over efficient air-conditioning. Shamus was right, if only she could wear clothes, just to keep warm, but No! She had worked for the wrong side once and she still felt she should serve her time working naked, it was so ingrained in her from her upbringing. No, that was there, this was Earth, they did things differently here.
The lift door opened and a man got out, Celeste almost missed it as she was debating with herself, and only just made it inside. As she looked at the controls it seemed all was lost as the controls to go further down were key controlled.
Celeste studied the lock and then pointed her finger at it. She started to concentrate.
The lift doors opened as three men got in and Celeste had to move to avoid bumping into them. One of the men pushed the button to go to the top floor, and the lift started to ascend. Celeste held her breath, not daring to breath. She did not want her breathing to give her away. For the moment she did not want to use her phasing ability, because when she used it since her trip to the Moon and back, it caused immense pain throughout her body. She had hid this from everyone, including her beloved Simon, as she felt so ashamed of how she had worked for the wrong side.
Why could they not see that and allow her to work out her atonement naked as she would have to in her … No! She must not let her mind to wander like that.
The lift opened and the men stepped out. Celeste waited for the doors to close before daring to breathe. She turned her attention to the key lock and pointed her finger at it and concentrated on it. She managed to move the lock mechanism with her telekinetic ability. The lock turned and …
Nothing!
“What am I doing wrong here?” Celeste whispered as she was almost in tears.
The doors opened again and this time a stern looking middle aged woman got in the lift. Celeste quietly moved back as the woman took out a key and put it into the very same lock that Celeste had tried. Then the woman put in the key, turned it and started tapping a key sequence. That was it; the lift used both key and combination to get down to the lower levels.
The lift doors were about to close when Celeste thought she spotted something and jumped passed the lady and only just making it through the closing doors of the lift.
She was not sure if the lady had felt her go, and even if she did, would she realise it was an invisible major spirit of virtue in the form of a of naked sixteen year old girl.
Gingerly Celeste crept towards the end of the corridor. There at a locked door stood two armed guards. On a table outside along with a number of old used paper coffee cups was some kind of talisman. Celeste looked at it. It was not a magic talisman; it was more like a badge of office.
The office of a troll clan chief for the Manjura clan
Could the troll be on the top floor instead of the basement, to find him so quickly would seem like incredible luck, but then her mother was Lachesis one of the Greek fates, maybe luck had been something she had inherited. Maybe this was just a red herring and the troll was in the basement after all.
Celeste looked at the guards to see if they were looking at the table. They did not seem to be so Celeste took a breath and held the talisman on the table without picking it up. Within seconds the talisman was also invisible. Celeste stood there almost afraid to move.
The guards had not spotted its disappearance.
Slowly Celeste put the talisman on. It was heavy and it sat there between her bare but invisible breasts.
Now she had to see what was behind that door.
Celeste took another breath and braced for going intangible so she could phase through the door. It would hurt like hell and she was desperate not to cry out in pain.
She put her head down, closed her eyes and ran at the door between the two guards. In seconds she was through, but what happened to the pain? Maybe because she was so wound up about not letting the Colonel and the Clan Chief down she had missed it.
Slowly she opened her eyes, and there sitting in chains was the Clan Chief of the Manjura looking totally dejected
Celeste was just about to become visible when she suddenly heard shouts from the other side of the door behind her. Had they discovered the talisman missing, she briefly fingered it. Then she heard a sound of gunfire and then that of a fireball smashing against the door. Celeste crept away from it to where the troll was sitting; he too was looking at the door in incomprehension.
The door to the cell started to dissolve before their eyes, with in a minute it was gone, and there before them was a female troll, and unlike the majority of female trolls on the Mystical Realms, this troll was fully covered. Could she be married?. Behind her were large creatures she did not recognise and the blue swirl of a gateway back to the Mystical Realms.
“Who are you?” The Clan Chief of the Manjura asked
“You do not recognise me Padow” The female troll sneered
Celeste saw the troll clan Chief shake his head
“Padow?” the troll clan chief then asked in confusion
“Yes Brother” The female troll said with venom, “Did you not know that was the name that ***** of a Delethon female you called a mother, gave you?”
“Why do you insult my mother” The Clan chief asked with anger in his voice, “She was a good consort, if only my father had married her”
“Your father was my father as well” first the female troll screeched
“Impossible had no other younglings or consorts” The Clan Chief retorted, “I was his only youngling”
Celeste then noticed a drow arrive. Now she was scared. Drows sometimes had the ability to see those who would go invisible, just like Shamus had. Celeste raised her hands in surrender, but this drow had not noticed her, or had not let on to her presence in the cell. In the distance she heard guns and more fire balls as members of the Venezuelan defence ministry were killed if they tried to interfere with what was going on in the room
The female troll turned to the drow and gave a sarcastic laugh, “Vabalavich, this half brother of mine genuinely does not know”
Vabalavich, that was the name that the other drow accused her of working for! The entity they were hunting down was another drow!
The female then turned back to the troll clan chief, “Padow my half brother, I am Brameana. My mother was Geerol, the lawful wife of Madron who became the Lord Low Troll. Your father sent us away because we were a political inconvenience. His place as ruler of the Mystical Realms is rightfully mine as the only legitimate heir. It should not belong to some b*****d child of a Delethon *****”
“That request to help in the hunt for more drug runners in Columbia entering our world from the Colonel, that was a lie then” the Troll clan chief shouted and he started to stand up.
At this the drow Vabalavich produced some kind of handgun, Celeste could not identify it.
“Exactly” Brameana went on, “and like a fool you fell for it, except the co-ordinates I gave were for the Venezuelan side of the border at the right moment a patrol was in the area
“Shall we get on with it” Vabalavich asked in an irritated tone
“Certainly my dear Vabalavich” Brameana sneered, “We tried to rescue you, but it was too late and you were shot by the humans” Then she produced what looked like a camera phone and pointed it at the Clan Chief of the Manjura
The drow removed the safety catch on the gun
BANG BANG
The Clan Chief of the Manjura collapsed instantly as the bullets tore into him
Brameana came and stood over him as he lay dying and showed the footage of him being shot, “Don’t worry Padow my brother, your death by the humans will be avenged, and I will regain what was taken from me” Brameana then gave a cruel laugh and kicked the dying troll in the head. “That was for my mother who was cast aside by your father” she screamed
“We have to leave now” Vabalavich insisted, “The next part of your plan is ready to deploy as soon as we return”
“Oh yes” Brameana replied, “It’s time to visit our vengeance on the trolls that tried to annihilate our clan.
Celeste watched as the drow and Brameana turned and entered the gateway, followed by the brutish creatures. The smell of burnt flesh was nauseous, and the building was now on fire.
Celeste became visible and ran to the Clan Chief of the Manjura, he was almost gone, so instinctively Celeste put her arms around him and began her healing ability on maximum power. Her eyes glowed with a bright green piercing light, at least that ability did not destroy clothes, if she had had any to wear.
Within a minute the troll was healed and looking at his rescuer.
“Who are you?” he asked
“Celeste” Celeste replied, still holding on to the troll, “The Colonel sent me to rescue you” she shouted above the sound of the fire
“How?” he asked.
Celeste remembered the GPS locator she was still holding, “They are supposed to come when I activate this” she said and switched it on. But something was wrong, it was not working, either the heat from the fire was stopping it or it had got damaged when she had phased through the door.
“It’s not working” The troll shouted
“If only I could still teleport” Celeste wept, “I would take you to the Colonel
Then to her surprise, Celeste teleported away with the clan Chief of the Manjura
+ + +
The mess hall
The USS Bataan
Samuel was sipping coffee while Shamus sat waiting with an artificial wormhole generator.
Suddenly in the middle of the floor electricity started to flash like mini lightning storms. In seconds there was The Clan Chief of the Manjura, and clutching onto him was a very naked Celeste.
Celeste lay on the floor dazed and so did the troll.
Samuel took off his jacket and rushed round to a much disoriented Celeste, knelt down, helped her sit up and then wrapped his jacket around her to cover her nakedness. Then he looked up at the astonished crew who were also in the mess hall.
“So he was real after all?” said one of the sailors
“Yes” Samuel “growled, “Now help him up” he ordered.
At this several sailor rushed to assist the troll still in his chains to get up.
Shamus pointed his finger at the chains and they fell off.
Samuel helped Celeste to her feet, she was now holding the coat around her as Samuel held her tightly, her face was deathly white “How come I teleported” Celeste asked, before she passed out in Samuel’s arms.
Shamus looked up at the Colonel, “The Major was right” he said, “There was nothing wrong with that potion, the extra kick was it restoring her power, and using a teleport with such cargo as our troll friend without bracing for it has washed her out”
Samuel then picked up Celeste in his arms, “Is she going to be alright?” he asked
“Ai” Shamus replied, “She just needs some rest”
Just then a call came through summoning Samuel and Shamus to the bridge. Samuel looked around and saw a male sailor and a female ensign. He ordered the male sailor to carry Celeste, wrapped in his jacket, and told him to take her to her assigned quarters and then wait outside. The female ensign was to put some night clothes from Celeste’s suitcase on the girl and then if required call in the male sailor to put Celeste to bed. Then he and Shamus headed for the bridge.
When they got there, the captain looked grim, “We were monitoring the radio traffic from Caracas” he told Samuel, “A minute ago all communications went down. Something is very wrong”
+ + +
Sue-Lim sat on her bed in her white dressing gown and chatted with Simon and Pete. She loved Pete, and had missed him the previous day. Today it was a pleasant surprise to see Simon, the lab technician, come visit her as well. Simon could probably give her, Charlene and Pete a run for their money .
Naturally she was concerned about her friend Charlene and the girl who had saved her life.
Pete had contemplated ordering Simon not to say anything about, but because of Simon’s autism and his attachment to Celeste such an order would be futile
“The Colonel always comes through” Sue-Lim told Simon. She had a soft spot for him because he was like a little brother she never had, and his condition brought out the maternal feeling in her. Sue-Lim found it sweet that Celeste and Simon might be an item, although like Pete, she realised that Celeste being only sixteen could complicate matters.
But now it was time to leave as visiting hours were soon to be over. Sue-Lim had a quick glance out the window and then got up off the bed to open the door.
“Pete said I could be his best man at your wedding” Simon blurted out
“That’s nice” Sue-Lim replied as she reached for the handle.
At that moment it was fortunate that everyone was looking at the door and not out of the window, because at that precise moment the room filled with intense white light.
“What the hell was that” Pete said as he rubbed his eyes, “Tell me which” was all he got out before there was the sound of breaking glass and a loud explosion in the distance.
Sue-Lim felt a sharp pain and then noticed her arm was bleeding as a piece of glass buried itself in her forearm, by luck away from any arteries. She wanted to pull it out instinctively, but remembered that would be a bad idea. Suddenly there was also broken glass on the bed and the floor
What on Earth had just happened
Then they all turned around, and through the smashed windows of the hospital ward they saw the mushroom cloud rising in the distance over the city of Washington DC
To be continued