The Celtic Serpent

by S. Robertson

  At 12:30 when a police car appeared he ducked down onto the seat. “Don’t need that aggravation,” he thought. The police car slowed, it appeared they were checking the license plate. No alerts, so they moved on, to Antonino’s relief.

  12:45 came and went. Antonino’s agitation was growing more profound. “What the hell happened? I didn’t expect this………..you don’t suppose it’s all been uncovered and I’m a sitting duck. Perhaps I’m in the wrong spot……… maybe I misunderstood and should be closer to The Quay. But that wasn’t our agreement. I wrote it down to be sure. No, it’s not me it’s that idiot I’m working with. I prefer pawns that are afraid of me, this one’s afraid of nothing.”

  Three minutes to one he was about to call it quits. “I can’t sit here all night. Maybe I should have used the cell phone………but we’d agreed that unless it was an emergency all traceable communications would be avoided.” Chuckling to himself he said “After all, these cursed phones can be hacked………I should know.”

  At 1:10 a black Volkswagan Touareg SUV pulled up behind him, much to Antonino’s relief. “It’s about time!” He reached down and tucked a stuffed envelope of money under his right leg. “I’ll make sure I have the medallion in my hand before I fork this over, I’m no fool.” Then looking up he thought, “That’s an odd jacket, likely a British thing.” He continued to watch the familiar figure in dark clothing walk rapidly towards his car.

  The car door opened and his contact slipped into the side bucket seat.

  “Sorry to keep you waiting I got held up with a long distance phone call.”

  “No matter, have you got the medallion?” asked Antonino, trying to show as little irritation as he was capable of.

  “Ah, there’s been a slight change in plans,” was the cold reply.

  “Just a minute, you haven’t got the crust to ask for more money. You’ve been well paid. I expected a delivery tonight.” Then realizing he might be overreacting, he pulled back and asked, “Is there news of the last gemstone?” Then a cold shiver crept up his spine accompanied by a sickening feeling in his stomach. “Did I misjudge this silver-tongued snake?” He waited to see how his question would be answered.

  “Not quite,” was the reply. Glancing out the window for possible witnesses, seeing none, his contact whipped out a nine millimeter pistol with a designer silencer from the left hand pocket of the odd jacket.

  “What the hell………..you double crossing bastard!” came Antonino’s panicked reaction. Scrambling, his instincts triggered an immediate desire to bargain his way out of the situation, and asked, “All right, how about another 20,000 pounds?”

  In a sarcastic tone the reply came, “You haven’t enough money for this. I’ve just seen what this medallion can do. It has powers you could never have imagined. If what I’ve witnessed at Iona is a glimpse of its capabilities, I shall be famous. This medallion will make me rich beyond my wildest dreams. I’m not about to share this with anyone ……….it’s mine…….I’m confiscating this for myself,” came the menacing reply.

  “But you said that only the woman, what was her name,…..yah, Angi, …….only she could operate this medallion…………what changed that?” replied Antonino, still gambling for time.

  “If that dimwit can operate the medallion, so can I. It’s likely a simple learning curve. It looked relatively easy.”

  At this point, Antonino reached under the car seat to retrieve a knife he had hidden as a backup, never expecting it would be needed. His long fingers reached the object, but it slipped from his grasp.

  “Don’t try anything, Dante. I’m fully aware you have had a string of corpses in your wake with this caper alone. So, farewell………Thanks for the treasure.” Two muffled shots hit Antonino in the head and chest…………the well placed accuracy was intended to kill.

  Antonino’s last thought before slumping across the steering wheel was “I should never have trusted…………….”

  The killer didn’t leave immediately but poked around the body until the envelope was discovered. “No point in leaving this behind.” Stashing the envelope in one pocket and the gun in the other, the figure again checked the surroundings, scurried to the SUV and drove off.

  Around three in the morning the police, noting the parked car with an apparent occupant, found the body.

  * * *

  Scotland, DunRoslin Castle: Exposing the Mole

  It was five in the morning when, by chance, Wolfram looked out of his bedroom window to see a police car, lights flashing, enter the castle gates. He strained to see what was happening at the front entrance but didn’t have a clear view. The police car didn’t leave. Knowing she would be awake he dialed Angi on his cell phone. “Something’s up, a police car just arrived and they’re staying. Let’s gather in my room in ten minutes. I’ll call Morgan if you get Vette.”

  “Right,” replied a sleepy Angi. “Any thought on what it might be?”

  “No, but I expect we’ll know soon. Maybe Antonino planned to be at Iona and drowned or something. To be so lucky,” was Wolfram’s immediate assessment.

  “Not likely. If anything, he’s planning an attack on the castle with armored knights on horses,” replied Angi. “See yah in ten,” was her sleepy reply.

  When the four gathered they tried to imagine what the police would be doing at the castle at 6 in the morning. It had to be serious. Maybe it was something personal to do with Andrew, or someone else, but their gut feeling was that it had to do with the medallion. With no further information, they proceeded with their normal routine and headed to the gym. They had finally convinced Morgan it was good for him.

  “I’ll see if Andrew is around and join you in a few minutes,” said Wolfram, heading towards the library and office.

  Minutes later he appeared in the gym with a perplexed look on his face.

  “What’s up?” asked an inquisitive Vette.

  “Andrew is upset about something……in fact, I haven’t seen him so upset. It seems he’s planning a group meeting sometime this morning, using the large open room in the east wing, the one that’s been under construction.”

  “Is it for everyone involved in the quest?” asked Angi. Before Wolfram had time to respond, she continued, “If so, why? He didn’t tell you?” wondering why Andrew had suddenly become uncommunicative.

  “No, he’s tight-lipped. He’s definitely rattled. We need to be prepared for something big. By the way, he wants to speak to you, Angi, when you are finished here. Maybe you’ll get more out of him. I’m certain the police are still in the building. Dylan’s also gone silent, a bad sign.”

  “I’m off. I can’t stand the suspense,” said Angi.

  Twenty minutes later she returned. The three waited. “Well, this is a surprise. Andrew wants me to announce at ten this morning, at the meeting you spoke of Wolfram that we will be ceasing operations and we, that’s the four of us, will be heading home tomorrow morning.”

  “Wow, that was sudden,” replied Vette.

  “Yah, there was no sign of that yesterday. Do you think we’ve upset him? He’s such a nice guy, any thoughts on what it might be,” reflected Morgan.

  “He gave no hint, in fact he was rather abrupt, not his usual demeanor,” replied Angi, with a puzzled expression.

  “I think this announcement is a ploy,” said Wolfram, diverting the focus from them. “Andrew doesn’t act like this. Whatever happened, he and likely Bryce and Dylan, need to flush out the mole. It’s the mole they are after. So the mole has done something and, because he can’t rule out any of us, he’s upped the barrier.”

  “Good God, do you think he suspects one of us,” asked Vette. “I should go up there and bop him on the nose for such evil thoughts.”

  “Vette, I understand your reaction but let’s face it we tried every possible avenue and could not unearth the mole, which means he or she is damn clever or we’re missing some obvious point. I keep thinking the answer is staring us in the face,” replied Wolfram.

>   “OK, so we’ll go to the meeting and I’ll make the announcement as if I’m oblivious of what might be afoot. Let’s hope it works,” replied Angi, “otherwise we’ll be heading home tomorrow morning. I hope it also unearths what’s created this storm.”

  “Angi, be on your guard, you could be the target.” warned Wolfram.

  “Right, I’ve got the medallion and that’s what Antonino’s after,” acknowledged Angi, having long realized the medallion had become a target for the unscrupulous.

  Breakfast was eaten with little of the usual chatter. Andrew and Dylan were unavailable, but Bryce was pleasant enough.

  At 9:45am they made their way to the east wing. The unfinished room on the ground floor which the workmen left had been hastily prepared for the meeting. Forlornly, at one end of the room were three chairs. There were no other seating arrangements. The four friends watched as household staff, Dylan’s men, Bryce and Dana arrived and stood listlessly waiting. Finally, Andrew appeared and made his way toward the four. In the rush to attend the meeting one person in the room had mistakenly put on the odd jacket of the previous night.

  As Andrew approached, Wolfram whispered to Angi. “I’m certain the police have been posted at the two doors.”

  Andrew, with a forced smile said as he approached Wolfram and Angi. “I’d like the two of you to come with me to the front. Vette and Morgan, can you join the others.”

  Vette taking Morgan’s arm, responding as if her feelings had been hurt, said “Come on Morgan, it’s clear we’re not wanted.”

  The stage was set. Turning to Angi, Andrew spoke formally, “I’ll announce that you have something to say and then you proceed as we discussed.” Angi and Wolfram sat down leaving a side chair for Andrew. Angi would be in the middle.

  “I understand. Go ahead,” came the crisp response from Angi.

  Andrew, projecting his voice, began, “I know you are wondering why I’ve asked everyone to come together this morning. I want to thank each and every one of you for all your effort in the past weeks, some of you going beyond the call of duty. For that reason, I wanted everyone to hear an important announcement from Angi.” On cue, Angi stood up as Andrew sat down.

  Angi looked out on a group of faces that had become friends on a rather strange journey. With mixed feelings she proceeded, “I would also like to thank each one of you for all your kindness and assistance to me and my three companions since we’ve arrived in Scotland. This has been an unbelievable quest, one we could never have imagined even months ago. However, we have come to a dead end. As you may know, we have no clue to the final gemstone and cannot keep imposing on Andrew. So, with regret, it has been decided that the four of us will be leaving to return to North America tomorrow morning. If and when something turns up we’ll revise our plans. Once again, our deepest thanks.” hesitating, she stepped back but remained standing.

  A hush fell on the assembled group, several glancing at one another not wanting to believe this exciting interlude was over. Ian was the first to speak. “Well, I’m truly sorry to hear this, you were making such progress.”

  Matt, one of Dylan’s senior team members spoke, “I’m also sorry. I know I speak for our team, we had such high hopes we would see this to the end.”

  As they were speaking, a member in the front row suddenly stepped forward directly in front of Angi. The room went silent when a pistol was pulled from a jacket pocket and pointed into Angi’s face.

  In a shrill voice, Dana said, “So, just like that, you God damn Americans are going to take the medallion back home. It’s not yours, it’s mine.”

  In disbelief, Andrew spoke, “Dana ….you? Why?”

  “Never mind…….Pass it over miss goody two shoes,” yelled Dana, as she held out her right hand, the gun rigidly grasped in her left.

  A chill engulfed Angi as she said to herself, “I’m on my own…… must use what Sirona has taught me……….first, a shield against a bullet …………can’t use my hands.” ……Surprising herself, Angi created an invisible shield around her body. “There, that’s done…. …….next? ……….I could heat up the metal on the gun………God, it’s hard to concentrate with a gun stuck in your face.”

  “Time’s up………….I’ll shoot and take the medallion if that’s what you want,” snarled Dana. Angi remained irritatingly still. Suddenly, Dana felt the warmth of the metal which steadily grew hotter. “You damn witch!” In a panic, her dark eyes riveted on Angi she started to squirm when the metal began to burn her hand.

  The instant Dana relaxed her grip, Angi’s arm snapped upward causing the gun to fly into the air, stopping and hanging precariously about ten feet above the assembly.

  Dylan and Wolfram reacted. Dana was instantly pinned to the floor. Together, they pulled a restrained Dana to her feet fighting and cursing. The local police were summoned. Three officers arrived and handcuffed Dana.

  Andrew stepped towards her. “Why, Dana, I trusted you?”

  “As if you care……I needed the money. My divorce diminished my lifestyle, and you stole my position at the university,” replied Dana still struggling.

  “I did no such thing, you were never on the list,” interjected Andrew.

  “Who cares,” was the sarcastic reply. “I’m no fool. When I realized the value of the medallion, I wasn’t about to pass it over to that bastard Dante for any amount of money.”

  “You killed Antonino? The police thought the shooting was a professional job. Where did you learn about guns?” asked Andrew.

  “My x-husband, an American, was a gun fanatic. I knew your Antonino as Dante La Villa. I should get a reward for ridding the world of such scum.”

  Angi turned on her saying, “You are the one who hit me on the head at Scone. You could have killed me.” She was incensed at the Dana’s ruthlessness and her own stupidity in ignoring her intuition.

  “Too bad I didn’t. Maybe then that damn medallion wouldn’t have attacked me.” Raising her right hand she said, “See this scar, that’s what I got for my trouble. It’s good I’m left handed,” replied a defiant Dana.

  “Take her away,” said a disgusted Andrew.

  The incident had almost passed when Sirona arrived, alerted by the spike in the medallion’s monitoring device.

  Angi did not hear the harp music in the midst of all the commotion.

  Seeing the gun floating in the air, Sirona smiled and said to herself, “Fantastic, Angi. All on your own………now that’s a step forward.”

  But Dana wasn’t going quietly. In leaving she yelled, with vengeance, “You diabolical witch…………Don’t think you are free of me. I’m going to spill everything to the media. If I can’t have that God damn medallion then no one will have peace. You’ll never get to Tara.”

  At this moment Angi spotted Sirona, invisible to the others.

  “While I can’t interfere in helping you find the gemstones, I’ve got no restrictions in dealing with this chatterbox.” With an adjustment of her hand device she flashed a bright light in front of Dana’s face.

  Dana blinked, a sign that subconsciously the flash registered.

  “What did you do?” asked Angi.

  Sirona replied, “Dana will have only a garbled memory of the medallion, and nothing of its magical properties. She will remember killing Antonino over an antique relic which is all that matters.”

  “Angi who are you talking to?” whispered Vette who had come to her side. Then she answered herself, “Oh, Sirona……...”

  “Yes, I’ll explain later. I’m glad this fracas is over,” said Angi, and to herself “and the shield wasn’t tested……not sure it would have stopped a bullet……I’ll need more training on that one.”

  As two police officers escorted Dana out of the building, a third, the apparent leader, stood talking to Dylan and Wolfram. Then Wolfram, with a plastic bag in hand, asked with a rye grin, “Ah, Angi, I wonder if you might retrieve the flying gun,” as his eyes looked upward.

  “Oh, I almost forgot.�
� Angi raised her arm and the gun gently descended falling into the open bag.

  Looking at Andrew the policeman said, “I won’t even ask. I’ll need to fudge this in my report. I’ll request silence from the other two. If this gets out I’ll be filling out papers for the next ten months or be committed to a mental hospital. Thankfully we’ve got the killer and the weapon. Let’s hope that’s enough,” and he left shaking his head.

  “What about Dana,” asked Andrew? “She could be trouble.”

  Angi stepped closer to Andrew saying “That won’t happen, Andrew, I’ll fill you in later.”

  At this point the room was alive with chatter. Angi turned to ask, “Andrew, before everyone disperses, should we revise our earlier announcement or are the four of us still on flights back home tomorrow morning?”

  “Right O………definitely another announcement,” came the happier reply. Andrew made two attempts at ‘May we have your attention,’ before the noise abated. In a more relaxed tone, he began, “I suppose there’s little need to explain the theatrics, but I’ll do it anyway. Early this morning the police arrived to inform us that Antonino, who some of you knew, had been murdered in Musselburgh. The killing had all the earmarks of a professional job, so we suspected anyone familiar with guns. Dana was not on that list. We gambled that this morning’s ploy might force the mole in our midst to act, which it did. I’m grateful no one got hurt.” Turning he added, “Believe me, Angi, I’m sorry you became the target.”