The Hunt for Excalibur

32 Londale Street

After spending the night at James Willard’s home, Purdue had one of his helicopters brought to Glasgow, from where they would travel south to the Isle of Arran. According to the map on the scabbard, that was where Ronald Hall’s relative received Excalibur with instructions where to hide it. The trip would take no longer than four or five hours, given or take, depending on the weather. The Long Ranger was strong enough to withstand most weather, but turbulence was a big factor, given the lower altitude at which they would fly. Landscape and wind conditions fluctuated considerably, which could delay or deter flight time.

“Why could you not get one of your private jets?” Ava asked Purdue. “We could sip champagne and watch a movie.”

He stared at her, amazed at the ridiculous question. Sam just chuckled, while he lugged their backpacks out to the Jeep with Kostas. Being a traitorous bitch, he hardly wished to answer her, but he had an opportunity to be condescending. “Have you been to the Isle of Arran?”

“No,” she replied.

“Obviously. This is not a trip to Las Vegas. It is not about luxury. There are no airstrips on the island, Ava. Therefore, we will be traveling by helicopter. Please feel free to stay here with Mr. Willard if the transport is too rustic for you,” Purdue explained with a snide smirk. Had he known that she gave Bernard orders to kill Nina, he would have thrown her from the heights and watched her hit the rocks. Ava said nothing. She just pouted and relished in the fact that Purdue’s paramour was now a no more.

“Please do make it swift,” Willard suggested. “The sooner you find Excalibur, the sooner this hunt will be over and we can all go on with our lives.”

“As if,” Sam scoffed. He looked at Ava. “I look forward to receiving Nina back from your brother.”

“I bet you do,” she sneered.

The thought of their faces at the sight of Nina’s dead body excited Ava, but it was a secret she had to keep for now. By the time they would bring back Excalibur, her brother would be out of the picture as well. Once Willard discovered that she had orchestrated his demise at the hands of Major Rian, she will have made off with the legendary relic already. Obviously, Purdue and Sam would use their clandestine method to destroy Major Rian for his hand in killing the Callany’s and Nina. She could take the hard feelings during this trip, considering the rewards it would all bring.

Sam got real close to the beautiful Ava. With his chest against her back, he pressed her body against the car, breathing into her neck. He whispered, “Do not neglect to take note, Ava, that you might just be in the same boat as Nina. If anything had to happen to that oaf, Kostas, you will be alone with Purdue and I, and in much the same compromising position.”

“Oh please, Sam. Your threats only arouse me,” she purred.

He glanced at Purdue. The two men engaged in their private unspoken language again.

“I will hold off Major Rian until you return, Ava, so do not fret about it, okay?” Mr. Willard assured her. In her head she laughed as she hugged the school principal and gave him a goodbye peck on the forehead.

“How sweet,” Sam said. “Can we go and get that cursed sword now?”

They left in Purdue’s heavily laden Jeep, equipped for a three-day excursion to locate the sword and exchange it for Nina. Kostas and Sam took the backseat, while Ava took Purdue’s side. With small talk and minor friction, they travelled to Glasgow Airport, where Purdue’s people had brought his helicopter and left it for collection.

“According to the map, our first stop would be the castle in Brodick,” Purdue said, addressing Sam, mainly. “Off the gardens there is a channel we have to follow to that strange formation on the map, I think.”

“So, some trespassing and stealing a row boat?” Sam asked.

“Something like that,” Purdue affirmed. “It is shaped like a shield.”

“And is that where the sword is?” Ava asked.

“No, you will see on the shield symbol there is a key,” Purdue replied. “We must retrieve that key and then proceed to the other side of the island.”

“Thank God we have a helicopter,” Sam sighed. “I cannot begin to imagine how long it would have taken us to hike over all the mountains to get to the west side.”

“Amen,” Purdue agreed, laughing at Sam’s humorous over-exaggeration. In truth, the other side of the island was a twenty-minute drive from the castle grounds, but their uninvited accomplices did not know this.

Back at Londale Street, two inconspicuous looking sedans pulled up. It was the middle of Saturday, so the likelihood of being identified was high, with everyone out and about. Mr. Willard was making tea and getting ready to watch a documentary on the Nephilim on the History Channel. Five men got out, dressed in casual clothes. Two of them carried cooler boxes, as to sell the charade of a group of blokes coming to watch a football match with James Willard. Having had a good look at the house and yard structure via satellite, they knew where to go. Major Rian’s men briefly swept the yard area to make sure that there were no witnesses or possible interference.

The impressive yard was very private, giving the assassins a perfect opportunity, however, there was an anomaly. “Where are the others?” one of the men asked.

“Probably inside,” the team leader guessed. “They are scheduled to leave in thirty minutes from now.”

“Only one car in the drive, belonging to Willard,” another man reported. “You think the other one is in the garage?”

“Go check,” the leader said. “Make sure.”

Two men went round the front to enter the garage, expertly picking the old school lock and handle to gain access. Inside there was another car belonging to Willard’s late wife, which the men mistook as belonging to one of the principal’s guests. “There was a Jeep in the driveway What if it was their vehicle?” one told the other.

“If they have left, they are lucky, but let us concentrate on Willard first,” his colleague replied. “After all, he is the prime target. Look, a door into the house.” Not surprisingly, the door was locked, but they could breach such mundane security measures in their sleep. Behind them, the roller door suddenly activated, closing them in. They were unable to wedge it open, but while they labored to pry it open, the vents began to hiss.

“What is that?” one asked, sniffing and wiping his eyes.

A powerful cloud of white covered them within a few seconds.

“I think the fucker is gassing us!” the other said. “Did you bring masks?”

“Why would I? It was a straight hit,” his colleague snapped, holding his gun up at him.

“Fuck! Cover your mouth and nose,” the other urged, but it was too late. Their bodies began to convulse as they asphyxiated slowly, dropping to the ground.

Around the back of the house, the other three men quietly unlocked what they thought was the back door. It was, in fact, a false entrance to the Willard residence, merely leading them into a separate room, a closed up porch.

“There,” one whispered, pointing at an interior door that led to the kitchen. “The actual back door that goes through to the house.”

“Close the exterior door behind you, in case someone looks over the fence,” the leader said. As they closed the door, the sound of an automatic lock caged them in. From the other side of the door, they heard Willard whistling merrily in the kitchen, a repetitive and annoying old tune.

The leader switched on his flashlight to pick the lock of the interior door, having no idea that Willard’s natural security system was closing in on him and his men. A low growl ensued from the dark. He swung his flashlight to investigate, and his beam fell right on the grimacing face of a hideous thing.

“Attack dogs!” the leader shrieked, but they were too slow. Gunfire lit up the room like lightning, but Major Rian’s men could not hold off the pack of dogs, trained to kill at the sound of a certain whistled tune. Apparently, they were as annoyed by it as the intruders were. Inside the kitchen the principal smiled, retrieving his popcorn from the microwave. With a mouthful, he sat down on the couch. “Nice try, Johannes. Nice try.”