by Paul Heron
‘What was that?’ Michael said in Irish.
Sofia laughed. ‘If Marcel and Carolina were here to see that, they’d be proud of you – Rocky Balboa.’ she teased him in Irish.
‘Speaking of which, let’s tie them up and get going,’ Michael said, looking at his knuckle that had blood trickling from it.
‘Are you okay?’ Sofia asked.
‘I’ll be fine.’
‘Here.’ Sofia gave him a tissue, evidently warming to him again.
‘The cops?’ Michael was stunned. ‘Mancini agents are everywhere.’ They made their way towards the patrol car. ‘But how can we tell if the Mancini agents we come across are human or Fomorians posing as humans?’
‘They would have revealed themselves as Fomorians if they were,’ Avril said.
‘The president didn’t,’ Sofia said, pulling the car’s rear door open.
Pierre jumped into the driver’s seat. ‘The Mancini Corporation has grown substantially.’ He sounded concerned. ‘Now that the God of Greed has struck a deal with the Dark One to take control of the earth, he’ll be sending a lot more Fomorians here.’
‘I’m more concerned about what else we’re up against. The Dark One. Let’s hope he doesn’t come back to this world. I really don’t want to see some angry gods coming back here,’ Avril said as she got into the front passenger seat. Michael and Sofia got in the back, acting as the two arrested.
‘It opens your eyes up to what your sense of reality is – gods, other worlds.’ Michael laughed. ‘As crazy as it sounds to say it out loud, we know it’s real. But we can't prove it to the people of the world. They’ll think we’re crazy.’
‘Exactly,’ Pierre said. ‘That’s why we can’t afford to go public about it.’ He started the car. ‘We work in secret.’ He put the car in gear. It sped out of the driveway.
‘Put the siren on, Pierre. And hit it,’ Avril said to her brother. ‘Let’s make use of this thing and get us there in quick time.’
Chapter Twenty-One
A FEW HOURS LATER, Michael woke to the feel of the car coming to a stop. They were at a petrol station. Pierre remained behind the wheel – in case a quick getaway was needed – and Avril got out to fill the tank. Inside the shop, she grabbed a double espresso, and a large latte for each of them.
Still flying up the A6 towards Paris, Michael got a phone call from George.
‘George, we’re bombing it up the motorway in a marked police car,’ Michael shouted, putting the phone on loudspeaker, sipping from his latte.
‘What happened to the officers that were driving it?’
‘Mancini agents, George,’ Sofia shouted. ‘One’s missing a few teeth now, thanks to Michael.’
‘George, I’m not sure whether or not they were Fomorians, or human,’ Michael said.
‘If they were Fomorians, they would have revealed themselves.’
‘That’s what Avril said, George.’ Sofia shouted.
‘If the Fomorians know you seven are in the country, they may go into hiding again,’ George said. ‘But don’t be fooled by this, the God of Greed I’m sure is assembling an army of them. At some point, their numbers will give them what they currently don’t have...’
‘Ball,’ Sofia said.
‘Confidence to face you, Sofia, yes.’
Good, get back to the warehouse,’ George said. ‘Where’s the fragment?’
Michael checked his phone was still connected to the Sirani network, the secret network that operates on a different part of the electromagnetic spectrum. ‘You’re using the Sirani network?’
‘Michael...’ George sounded irritated, as if he was calling him an amateur.
‘It’s buried in the garden's flower bed.’
‘Good, we can get it tonight, fly back to Ireland, and return it to the cave. We’re watching the warehouse from a distance. They’re all here. It’s only a matter of time before we get a call from somebody.’
‘George, are they in danger?’ Michael asked a question that caused an uneasy silence to fall over the car, nothing but the sound of wind whipping past the open windows.
‘Just get here,’ George said. ‘Can Avril and Pierre hear me?’
‘We hear you,’ Pierre shouted.
‘Hear you, George,’ Avril added.
‘Have you got weapons for Michael and Sofia?’
‘What?’ Avril sounded concerned. ‘We’re supposed to be keeping weapons out of their hands.’
‘Screw that,’ Sofia said. ‘We’re going in for the rest of them with you.’
‘Michael’s been put in charge of the group, hell, he’s now the face of the foundation,’ George said, handing over some responsibility. ‘It’s his call. We’re here to support him. I’ll see you soon.’
Michael didn’t need any time to think about it – he, like Sofia, was tired of messing around and wanted to take the fight to Mancini. ‘It’s time to play them at their own game. We use our brains wherever possible, but if necessary we’ll use the very weapons they’ll use against us. If Elisabetta has anything better to give us, then I’ll gladly take it from her.’
Avril looked around at Michael, then Pierre looked at him from the rear-view mirror, both looking astounded at the fact someone within the foundation had direct contact with Elisabetta and talks about it so casually. Especially the fact it was someone who wasn’t a member of the Sirani family. That’s what everyone struggled to understand, including Michael himself. He'd hoped eventually they'd find out why.
Michael set himself up a private Facebook account, where at least he could follow what was being posted by his family. His sister’s Facebook page profile photo was one of her playing with the family dog and the date of the photo was September seventh, so he knew it was recent. He was only making himself upset by doing this, but it was his only way of knowing they were okay.
‘There they are,’ Avril said, pointing in the distance.
From the road, they could all see the cars driven by Mancini agents. They drove straight past the warehouse's entrance towards the lookout point where George, and the rest were waiting.
All sitting in their cars waiting for Michael and the rest to arrive. Michael laughed as Ringo started his car at the first sight of the marked police car. ‘Ringo’s clearly on edge.’
‘Old Ringo doesn’t need much reason to test the speed of any car he’s behind the wheel of,’ Avril said.
‘Old Ringo’s a genius behind the wheel,’ Pierre laughed.
‘I remember his driving down Oxford Street on Saturday. We needed that kind of fearlessness,’ Sofia said.
‘Yes, his father worked on the Formula One circuit and was known as one of the gutsiest men ever behind a wheel. That’s where Ringo gets his skills from,’ Pierre added.
Michael got out of the car still suited like a Mancini agent, feeling anxious as the young leader, but grateful to have George around to guide him.
‘It’s four p.m. now,’ George said. ‘I want us to be flying over Irish land tonight. Alban’s waiting by the chopper to pick us up-’ he looked at Michael and Sofia, ‘from here. Once the rest of your team is back, we just go.’
Michael grunted. ‘I didn’t realise they were everywhere – like in the police force. We called the police, and their agents turned up.’
George nodded. ‘They're like a cancer; they'll eventually get everywhere. They know they’re under threat, so they’re doing all they can to stop us.’
‘So, do we know who’s in there George?’ Avril asked, pulling extra weapons out of the boot of the patrol car – a pump-action shot gun. ‘Great, we’ve got tear gas.’
‘We’ve got our guys in there,’ Ajit said, stepping out of Ringo’s car, eyes fixed on his laptop screen. ‘I’ve been listening to the bug Scarlett planted. French police have confirmed President Charvet has been returned. They’re removing the curfew at once. Charvet will give a televised speech.’
‘Great,’ Michael said. ‘This will be broadcast all over the world; hopefully,
the antidote has worked and there’s one less leader to worry about.’
George cleared his throat. ‘Let’s hope so. There’s speculation that this was carried out by a terrorist cell in France.’
‘That’s more believable than a bunch of minions for the Irish gods tearing the place up,’ Ajit said, still gazing at his laptop.
‘Ajit, get ready to activate L'amico. Let’s go,’ Sofia said. ‘If we use this tear gas, do we have enough protection for all of us?’
‘We’ve got four here in the car. So, Michael, Sofia, you both go in with Pierre and Avril. Ajit and me will stay in the car,’ George said, pulling two phones from his jacket pocket. One phone operated on the Sirani network and the other was an iPhone that would connect to other networks. ‘We’ve got a missed call from an unknown number.’ George gestured to the iPhone. ‘Ajit, don’t activate L’amico just yet. I want to see if-’ The phone rang again. George put it on loudspeaker.
‘Bonjour, George. It’s been a long time. I believe we have something belonging to you,’ a lady’s voice came through, a soft French accent.
Michael whispered in George’s ear to keep her on the line as long as possible.
‘Hello, Mallory. What do you want for their safe return?’ George signalled for them to get going. ‘If it’s the fragment you want, we can come to an arrangement.’
Pierre and Avril led the way across the uneven field with hidden dips and holes. They got to the edge of the field where it met the car park. There was nothing but the cars from the Mancini agents. ‘Let’s put these cars out of use again like last time,’ Avril whispered.
‘Maybe once was enough to teach them to watch their cars,’ Michael said, looking back. He saw George frantically waving for them to get moving. ‘Let’s go.’
Michael pulled himself over a five-foot-high fence, dropping the pistol out of his pocket, causing the others to freeze in shock.
‘God, Michael be careful,’ Sofia said.
‘Sorry.’ He snatched it up, gripping it tightly.
‘Right, here’s what we’ll do. Sofia and I will go in for them-’ Michael looked around the group, and then back at George who was still on the phone waving at him to get moving. ‘Pierre, Avril, you two wait outside for cover. Once we go in, you guys watch from outside.’
‘Are you sure you don’t want Pierre and me to go in and you two come behind us?’ Avril said, sliding a magazine into her pistol.
‘We appreciate it,’ Sofia said. ‘But, you know, I’ve kind of grown to love that bunch and would like to be the one who gets them back.’
Michael looked back at George again. He was now off the phone. ‘Let’s go.’ He took the six-shot tear gas revolver off Pierre, but it was intercepted by Avril.
‘I’ll take that, my charming Irish man.’ She said in French. ‘Get ready to run.’ She shot three canisters across the car park, each of them crashing through the torture room’s window.
‘Good shot,’ Sofia said. ‘Right, let’s go.’
‘Don’t forget these.’ Pierre threw the gas masks to them. ‘And this blade. They'll be cable tied. Now go get your friends. We'll hold off Mancini agents when they come out.’
Michael and Sofia sprinted across the car park towards the door.
They could hear coughs from the other side of the door. ‘Quick, get behind the door.’ Sofia said.
The door opened, and the sound of voices was accompanied by gun shots.
Michael stood in front of Sofia, watching as the first person exited the building - a tall figure with broad shoulders. Before the guy knew what happened, Michael kicked the gun from his hand, grabbed his enormous hand and pulled every finger in separate directions, shattering bones beneath the skin.
Another three men exited. Then Couture. Sofia put the gun to Couture’s head. ‘Don’t move a muscle,’ she said in Italian knowing Couture would, at least, understand the meaning.
Pierre and Avril came running across the car park, guns out.
Michael checked that his gun was loaded and entered, followed by Sofia.
They sprinted down the corridor towards the room. Not a second to consider their move, Michael just charged through the door that had been left open by the Mancini agents.
The room was foggy. The hissing sound of the three canisters was accompanied by mumbles for help. Michael grabbed the first chair he seen and cut Mohammad free. Lifting him up and grabbing his chair, he launched the chair through the window to allow the gas to escape. Mohammad clung onto Michael’s arm, coughing; Michael handed him a mask.
Michael cut Carolina free, and then Eduardo. Sofia gave her mask to Scarlett and the fourth to Marcel as Michael ran around them all cutting them all free.
Pierre and Avril arrived to help.
Outside, George had Couture and her agents at gun point. After a few minutes, the coughing began to leave.
‘What do we do with them?’ Avril asked, giving out water.
‘I know what we’ll do,’ Scarlett snatched Avril’s gun. ‘We rid the world of them.’ She cocked the pistol, walking towards Couture. ‘Especially this bitch.’
‘Go ahead, because if you don’t, I’ll hunt you down and kill you all.’ Couture laughed as if she had pity for them. ‘You think you’ll stop us, but-’
‘Oh, shut up.’ Carolina elbowed Couture in the face for the second time that day, sending her crashing to the ground.
‘Tie them up and leave them in the warehouse,’ George shouted. ‘We’re done in France. The curfew’s been lifted. We gotta go. Now!’ He shouted. ‘Scarlett, get your ass in gear!’
‘We’ll use the patrol car to give the other cars an escort,’ Pierre said.
‘We’re driving patrol cars now?’ Mohammad laughed, still rubbing his eyes. ‘This is awesome.’ He coughed through his words.
‘Yeah, like everything else wasn’t awesome enough,’ Ajit said.
‘I’ll get their phones,’ Marcel said. ‘It’s a good thing you guys came when you did. They were taking us back to Mexico. Something is going on over there. They really wanted us back in the jungle.’
‘Yeah, and from the language Couture was using, we weren’t coming back at all,’ Eduardo said. ‘Sofia, they talked about you a lot, the little Sirani brat was what they referred to more than once.’
‘I’m not afraid of them,’ Sofia said.
Sofia and Michael led the group across the field.
‘I don’t think they realised what you guys were capable of,’ George said. ‘Now they’re becoming anxious. You’re all a greater threat to them than they would have believed.’
‘Nobody likes it when somebody messes with your plans.’ Scarlett spoke sarcastically.
They reached the cars.
‘I'm impressed,’ Scarlett said, gesturing at the police car. She jumped into the back. Michael and Sofia followed. ‘Let’s get back to Marseille. I love France, but I’ve had enough of it for this week.’
Michael sat in the middle with Sofia to his left and Scarlett to his right. ‘I must be the luckiest guy in the world.’ He looked at Pierre who was driving. ‘Sandwiched between these two babes in the back of a patrol car, bombing it down through France.’
Pierre laughed, looking at Michael through the rear-view mirror. ‘You’ll be picking up the French romance soon enough, my friend.’
‘He’s Irish,’ Avril said turning from the passenger seat. Tugging on Michael’s chin, said, ‘he’s already got the charm.’
‘Stop it, you’re making me blush,’ Michael joked. ‘Let’s listen to the radio and see what the world’s saying about Charvet’s disappearance.’
Avril reached over and switched radio stations, stopping at the national radio station: France Bleu. The reporter was talking live from the home of Charvet. The president said he didn’t know who the group was. There was speculation that this work was carried out by a terrorist organisation.
Everyone who’d been interviewed about their experiences at the France versus the Republic of Ireland mat
ch said they saw a crowd of Irish fans just running onto the pitch, at the same time a Black Hawk helicopter swooped in.
All the fans’ stories were consistent and backed up with videos and photos of what happened.
Michael looked at his phone, checking Sky World News. Everything was about Charvet’s kidnapping. He played a video interview with the Irish Taoiseach James Bell. In the interview, the Irish minister talked about the Irish man who’d became known as “the one who spoke to the world” and how he believed either the Irish man himself or people working with him were behind the kidnapping of President Charvet. With the sudden shut down of communication technology in that area at that exact time, he felt it was too big a coincidence. The Irish minister went on to say he thinks this man or these people need to come forward and talk. They need to explain what they’re doing.
‘If only it was that easy,’ Michael mumbled to himself.
‘What?’ Sofia said.
Michael handed her the phone to replay the interview. ‘They think we should come in. Give ourselves up.’
‘If only it was that easy!’ Scarlett repeated. ‘We wouldn’t be running around the world against the clock. I’d love to be chilling in my house in Guatemala, floating on my inflatable bed in the pool, sipping a cold drink. We’re all going to need a long vacation after this is done.’
‘Yeah, we need to organise a Sirani Foundation vacation where everyone in the entire organisation meets and has one massive beach party,’ Avril shouted.
‘I think after we all sleep for a month that party would be a great idea. Maybe you could invite Elisabetta, too, Michael. Perhaps the Dark One also.’ Pierre laughed.
‘Can’t wait,’ Michael said, taking his phone back from Sofia. ‘Let’s get this finished first.’
‘Well, we can tick France off the list for a start,’ Sofia said, uncertainty carried in her tone, as if she feared saying it too loud in case something happened.
‘Hold that thought for a second,’ Scarlett said. ‘Pierre, connect this call, it’s George.’