The Great Fury (17 page)

Chapter Twenty-Four

“You have to leave it in the water,” Jane insisted.

“What are you doing with a sword anyway?” Peter asked.

“It's for my protection. I have to have it on my person,” John insisted.

John continued to hold the sword in its scabbard in the water and Jane continued to watch with amazement. Clearly the contamination had disappeared in the vicinity of the sword and appeared to be retreating. Definitely not advancing. In the corner of her eye she saw a small alligator swim into the pool sized water reservoir in the junction chamber and move in their direction. They took this as further evidence that the contamination was no longer present in that part of the system.

“It must be some sort of interaction with the metal in the sword,” Jane said, thinking aloud.

“More precisely the scabbard of the sword. The sword itself is not in the water,” Peter observed.

“I'm sorry but I need to keep the sword” John insisted.

“Take the sword and leave the scabbard holder. Leave it partly exposed. I'll take a scraping and then we can do spectrograph analysis on the metal. If we identify it we can use the metal to seed the system and kill the contamination,” Jane instructed.

John hesitated.

“What's the matter?” Peter asked.

“The sword radiates,” John said. “I stored it in a sealed containment area in the Natural History Museum. The containment area silenced the sword. There's a history here,” John stammered, as if uncertain how to explain.

“Leave the sword and scabbard or take it out if you must but the scabbard stays in the water and I'm taking a sample with a scraping,” Peter said.

“It won't scrape,” John said.

“Why not?” Jane demanded, her tone reflecting her excitement at the impact of the sword on the contaminant and her impatience with John's intransigence.

John sighed knowing he was going to appear foolish.

“It's a magic sword,” he said lamely.

Jane and Peter exchanged glances.

“Maybe you are under a lot of stress,” Jane said kindly. “John I know you firemen have been working around the clock and the Chief did say you'd had a recent loss of a close friend...”

Jane paused and when John did not respond she continued. “John, just trust us. You have by accident or somehow, hit upon a solution to the problem. This is mega. We must act. Let me have the scabbard and sword please.”

“No,” John said, taking the scabbard out of the water and holding it with the sword across his chest. “I must have it.”

In the silence and to break the standoff, Peter scratched his chin and said.

“John, just do me a favor and put the sword in the water. We need to see if it also drives out the contaminant.”

“John, the red stuff is coming back,” Jane added, pointing at the water with her torch.

John drew the sword from its scabbard. He felt he could easily take out Jane, but Peter looked young and fit. He dismissed the thought.

Peter and Jane stared in wonder when the sword came out of its housing. It was short like a Roman sword but and appeared to be of one piece, the handle and guard and blade being of the same color and texture, apparently all of the same metal.

And in the dark of the tunnel it glowed in John's hand. They could see the red of the blood in his hand as the glow lit it up.

“Gosh,” Jane said.

John stepped over to the side and plunged the sword into the water. Nothing happened and the red contaminant continued to approach the sword.

“Doesn't work,” Peter remarked.

Then the contaminant reached the sword in the water. There was a churning and the water began to boil and then a wave of energy passed out of the sword and into the water sending a large wave down the tunnel in all directions.

“What the hell,” Peter said.

John put the sword back into its scabbard. He was white-faced in shock.

“You don't know what you are dealing with here,” he said.

“Magic,” Jane asked, impressed despite herself.

“The contaminant must be of magic provenance. The Great Fury belonged to the Celtic God of Love. It will attack all evil, especially evil magic,” John said with conviction.

“Come on John, this is the twenty first century,” Peter said with a laugh. “There is a scientific explanation, we just don't know what it is yet.”

“I'm done here,” John said.

“What!” Jane said in frustration. “We...”

“The contamination is gone. Nothing left to do,” John interrupted.

“Wait,” Jane said.

She and Peter shone their torches over the stretch of water. It all looked clear and calm.

They stood in silence.

The radio crackled.

“Calling the fire service team, come in please. Over.” it was the voice of the Superintendent calling form the tunnel entrance.

Jane fumbled in her jacket and came out with the two-way radio.

“Hello, Fire Service team responding,” she said.

“Calling the fire service team, come in please. Over.”

“You have to press the send button,” John coached.

“Hello, Fire Service team responding,” Jane repeated, this time pressing the send button.

“Say over,” John added.

“Over,” Jane said.

“Alan, site superintendent here, Over.”

“Listening, over,” Jane said, getting the knack of using the radio.

“I'm getting reports from all over the system,” Alan came back. and added, “It appears the contamination has vanished. There was a burst of energy through the systems. They even felt it up in the Catskill Mountains. Over.”

“What...over,” Jane stammered.

John and Peter stared with raised eyebrows at this news.

“Did you do something?” Something was done. Did you notice? Was it your team? Over,” Alan said.

John reached over and took the radio from Jane. “Nothing to report our end. No sign of contamination, we are coming out, over,” he said.

“Over,” Alan said.

John put the Great Fury back into his holdall.

“Where are you going with that?” Jane demanded.

“Home,” John said.

“No way,” Jane insisted

“We have to analyze the metal content, to see why it works,” Peter added.

“Tomorrow, I'll bring it in tomorrow,” John promised.

“We won't be able to declare an all clear for twenty four hours,” Jane said. “We must continue to investigate until then.”

“We can't do much unless you guide us,” Peter said.

“I'll radio the Superintendent that we are staying on the job,” Jane said firmly, but not meeting John's eye.

“There's an exit in another couple of miles. We can continue down and come out there,” John said resignedly.

“Peter you stay with John, all night if you have to. We are not letting him go out of sight with that sword.”

“Right,” Peter agreed.

“I'll contact the office and set up a spectrographic test for first thing in the morning. We need to know what that sword is made of.”

‘Magic?” Peter joked with a grin.

“Don't buy that,” Jane said.

“Me neither,” Peter agreed.

John scowled and said nothing.

In his mind John was happy to make this arrangement. He felt safe underground and he felt he'd need time to think things out and to decide how to handle things going forward.

Jane radioed back to the Superintendent and John led them further into the tunnel system. He kept his holdall on his shoulder. Jane and Peter were happy with this for the moment although they knew they would need the bag and its contents.

Jane followed in the hope that at some point they could get John to surrender the sword, the Great Fury, without her having to coerce or use the police to force John to hand it over for analysis.

***

In the Bronx in a side lane behind a skip under a cardboard shelter a body moved. He was disheveled, dirty with a voluminous grey beard, wearing shabby worn clothes in the manner of a long established tramp.

Wild eyed he staggered out into the street.

Passers-by withdrew in repulsion.

“The sword!” he screamed. “The sword!”

He began to shuffle along “I must find it,” he muttered.

As he moved along the pavement a pathway was cleared. He seemed a threatening presence. He was a big man and despite his decrepit state he emanated a certain energy, a wildness.

***

Oengus collapsed on his knees and almost lost the blanket.

“What are you at?” Maedbh demanded. “You'll draw attention to us.”

Venus said nothing. They were attracting a lot of comment as it was. But so far no cops had spotted them.

“Pigeon!” Venus barked at Puca the poodle.

Puca flew a circle and awaited further instruction.

“We're nearly there,” Venus meowed. “Puca should do a reconnoiter.”

“I felt a surge of energy,” Oengus said. “It was like a shock. I don't know what caused it.”

“Reconnoiter?” Puca asked in a fly by.

“Go,” Venus instructed.

“I want to go in the direction of Manhattan, something is calling,” Oengus said.

“Get real Oengus,” Maedbh said in exasperation.

“I must.”

“Clothes first, “Maedbh insisted. “We can't go around like this.”

Puca landed with grace, happy he was getting good at being a pigeon. But he kept away from Venus. Instinctively he knew pigeons didn't trust cats.

“It seems quiet at the Witch's house,” he reported.

“Lets' go,” Venus instructed.

They followed the cat, Puca sweeping ahead watching for danger.

Deirdre's house was on a corner, semi detached and two storied and similar to the brownstone houses in Manhattan. It had a boutique type front window and a sign that read in white neon, ‘fortunes told.'

There were lights on and the house appeared occupied. Maedbh felt her nerve fail and she wondered if the recovery of a credit card justified the risk.

“Oengus you have to pick the lock,” Venus said “when we reach the front door.”

“What if they are inside?” Oengus asked cautiously.

“The vampire,” Maedbh warned.

“Puca,” Venus called.

Puca landed and listened.

“What could get in through that keyhole?”

“A small serpent?” Puca suggested.

“Very small,” Venus said, “not a chance.”

“A Kerry Fisherman should be able to open from the inside,” Puca conceded.

“What about the vampire?” Maedbh asked.

“Puca needs to be careful,” Venus said.

“We're not going in there,” Maedbh decided. “Too risky.”

“Lets' go,” Oengus said and they walked away from Deirdre's house. “we can go find Nina and ask her to help us,” Oengus added.

“But she's on the other side, isn't she one of the enemy?” Puca objected.

“I would trust Nina and it's a better option than going into that house,” Oengus said.

“The best worst option,” Venus agreed.

Chapter Twenty-Five

They were exhausted.

They had walked the water system for hours. But without further result. However it was clear that the contamination was gone. As mysteriously as it had appeared the water contamination had disappeared without trace.

It was dark as the cab pulled to a stop outside John's apartment. Already they had dropped Jane off at a subway station so she could make her way home. John was next.

“Jane said I was to stay with you until you hand the sword over for analysis,” Peter said, expecting an argument.

“Actually, I would appreciate it if you would come up with me,” John replied.

Peter frowned, he knew John had lived with a man. Jane had filled him in on the gossip at the Station once she knew John was going to be assigned to the team. He looked at John. John seemed nervous but it did not appear he was hitting on him.

“Why?' Peter asked.

“My partner was killed here. I just don't want to go up on my own. The Crime Scene Cleaners are finished so it should be all right. But you know...”

“I understand,” Peter interjected. He felt sympathy for John. It couldn't be easy to come back to what was a murder scene.

“I'll get you a coffee. Just black, I don't have any milk.”

“Great,” Peter said as they got out of the cab. John paid the fare.

As the cab drove away Peter felt further unease. This seemed a tough run down area. He wondered how easy it would be to get a cab if he needed it later.

John was waiting so Peter followed him into the building. As they entered, John took the sword out of his holdall, but not drawing it from the scabbard, abandoning the holdall in the lobby. This added to Peter's nervousness and he wondered if John wanted his company in case danger awaited.

The apartment was in immaculate condition. John checked out the rooms and then felt himself relax.

His Espresso coffee machine was gone. So was the fridge. So was the television. He turned to Peter.

“All that's left is the cans of Guinness I left on the fridge. Who ever did the apartment over mustn't have liked the flavor. Can I offer you one?”

“Sure,” Peter said agreeably. “I've never tried one. I know the brand name and that's about it.”

There were a couple of old glasses in a cupboard and John poured two and they sat on the sofa.

“Tell me the story of the sword,” Peter suggested as they settled.

“First let me use the wash room,” John said.

As he used the washroom John heard the shower curtain move.

“Hi,” the Greyman said.

“We need to talk,” John said, wishing he hadn't left the ‘Great Fury,' in the living room.

***

Nina's mother put her eye to the spy-hole in the door wondering who was knocking at this hour. She was surprised to see a white faced young man with what appeared to be a pigeon on his shoulder.

“What you want?” she shouted.

“Tell Nina that Oengus is here,” Oengus replied.

Nina's mother considered. She didn't like Hugo but Hugo was in bed with Nina in Nina's room.

“Wait,” she said.

She knocked lightly on Nina's bedroom door and stuck her head in. They were both fast asleep. She shook Nina's arm and Nina opened her eyes. Nina was startled to see her mother. Hugo would have a fit.

‘What,' her look said.

Her mother indicated to come.

Carefully Nina got out of bed and slipped on a robe as she followed her mother out of the room. Hugo slept on in a deep peaceful sleep.

“What!” Nina hissed.

“There's a boy with a pigeon on his shoulder.”

“Does he have a cat?”

“Can't tell without opening the door.”

“I'll talk to him, he's a friend.”

“At this hour?”

“Hush and don't waken Hugo.”

Nina went to the door and undid the bolts and chain. She was surprised to see Maedbh and the cat alongside Oengus and the pigeon. And both of them huddled in blankets.

“Help us please,” Oengus said.

“How? Hugo is asleep inside.”

“We need clothes and money and a place to sleep,” Maedbh said.

“Please,” Oengus added.

“My clothes won't fit you Maedbh and anyway I might waken Hugo. And we have no money to spare,” Nina said kindly.

“What are we to do?” Oengus asked.

Nina looked at them. They seemed tired and spent. She knew she should tell Hugo and let him deal with them. But she worried that Hugo was in too deep already. Then she had an idea.

“The Contract Cleaners were in today and cleaned up the crime scene apartment belonging to the fireman. You can go down there. There might even be some clothes in the wardrobes.”

“Can you show us the way please,” Oengus asked.

It was with difficulty that Oengus had located Nina's apartment in the building and he had no desire to wander further in the dark. He had remembered it was on the fifth floor and his uncle's on the fourth, but it was a large building.

Nina shrugged. “I'll drop you there and come back to you in the morning when Hugo is gone. Just stay out of sight. Did anyone see you arrive?”

“Not really, we got in the ground floor when an old woman came out. We pushed in but she paid no heed.”

“She thought we were tramps looking for a warm place for the night. She gave Oengus a dollar,” Maedbh explained.

Nina smiled, she thought it sounded like the kindly old lady on the second floor.

“Come on,” she said.

Nina led them down the stair to the floor below and over to John's apartment.

“See,” she said, “they have taken away the crime scene tape, but it is probably locked. Looks like they fixed the locks.”

“We'll have to force them again,” Oengus said.

“I'll leave you to it,” Nina said. “Don't be too noisy. If there is trouble they won't call the police. The neighbors will just throw you out or worse.”

Nina slipped away and they were left in the dark looking at a locked door.

“Suggestions?” Maedbh said.

“Ssssh,” Venus said. “I hear noise within.”

Oengus put his ear to the door.

“I think it's John,” he said.

He knocked gently.

Inside John startled and nearly dropped his beer.

“Was that a knock?” Peter asked.

John grabbed the Great Fury and pulled it partly out of its scabbard. He cautiously approached the door while Peter stared at him wide-eyed.

Outside the door Oengus felt a stab as if he'd got a fright but he was not afraid but he knew there was something powerful inside the door. He stepped back while Maedbh regarded his reaction with concern.

There was no sound.

Gathering his moral strength Oengus again knocked gently on the door.

John peered out through the spy-hole in the door but it was too dark in the corridor to discern anybody.

“If someone is knocking on the door they can't be trouble,” Peter said reasonably.

“Rubbish,” John hissed, pulling the sword fully out of the scabbard. It glowed and pulsated energy in a low purple green light.

“Get the door, Peter,” he instructed.

Alarmed, Peter went to the door and drew the bolts and then turned the locks. Dramatically he drew back the locks and threw back the door, stepping back with the door to leave a full view to John with the pulsating sword.

John's jaw dropped when he saw Oengus standing there in a blanket.

“Hi,” Puca said in his best pigeon voice, “we meet again.”

“The stone?” John asked.

“Hi.”

“Is that the Great Fury?” Oengus asked.

“Come in,” John insisted, putting the sword back in its scabbard. The menacing light disappeared.

Peter stared as Maedbh adjusted her blanket and followed Oengus, Venus and Puca into the apartment.

“Hi,” he said weakly.

“Hi, I'm Maedbh,” Maedbh said with a smile.

Peter just stared. He'd never seen a more beautiful woman.

Maedbh knew he was smitten. Not bad either she thought and watched as he locked the door.

“Do you know where I can get some clothes,” she asked. “I'm naked under this blanket.”

Peter swallowed hard.

“I can lend you my shirt,” he said.

“Take it off then.”

“I have some stuff in the wardrobes,” John said with a grin, having overheard the conversation.

“Is the shower working?” Maedbh asked.

“And there should be some towels in the cupboard if the thieves left them behind.” John added.

“Let me check,” Peter offered.

“Anyone for a Guinness?” John asked.

“If I can be a Kerry Fisherman,” Puca replied.

“Just a saucer full,” Venus said.

“May I have my sword?” Oengus asked.

“It's not your sword,” John said flatly.

“What!”

“You were sent to get it. That doesn't mean it is yours.”

“You told me where it was,” Oengus said.

“I lied, sorry, wrong location.”

“Do you think it is yours?” Oengus asked.

“I stole it after I stole you Oengus. That makes it mine.”

“Who did you steal it from?” Venus asked.

“Oengus the God of Love,” John said.

“I'm Oengus.”

“Your father is the Oengus.”

“I'm told my father was expelled from Otherworld in disgrace.”

“Right there,” John said. “We came back to the Bronx.”

“My father and you?”

“You don't think as a mere mortal I could have stolen the son of Danu, a God.”

“He helped you,” Maedbh guessed.

“He was going down anyway. He wanted the sword and they wouldn't let him take it. So we stole you together with the sword. It was his vengeance.”

“And you stole the sword from my father,” Oengus asked.

“I thought it was an antique and I'd sell it. Help get an apartment in Manhattan.”

“But you didn't?”

“Turned out it had a life of its own. It pulsates. It called out for its owner. That is your father. I had to hide it in a special place. That way your father couldn't find it.”

“Do you still see my father?” Oengus asked.

“No, he became an aggressive alcoholic. Couldn't stand him.”

“Was it Oengus's father who captured me and Oengus?” Maedbh asked.

“I doubt it. I expect they are creatures of a different hue.”

“One of them is a vampire,” Maedbh said.

“And one of them is called the Greyman. He can kill with an embrace,” John said.

“Hi,” the Greyman said. “Nice to meet you all.”

The Greyman had stepped out of the bedroom, having slipped around by way of the en-suite door when Maedbh came for a shower.

They froze in shock at this sudden apparition.

“There's one in the shower, and this here is my colleague Peter holding the towel, and the other is Oengus,” John said.

“The prisoners, well done,” the Greyman said.

“Sorry,” John said. As he spoke he drew out the Great Fury.

“Sit ,” he instructed.

“What?” Peter asked, totally startled by the turn of events.

“Is this all of them?” the Greyman asked.

“No, in addition to the girl in the shower, there's one more,” John said. “We need to wait. He'll come. The sword is calling him.”

“Will someone tell me what is going on” Peter demanded.

“Sit and be quiet Peter,” John said coldly.

“You've sold us out,” Oengus said, the realization dawning.