Tim stopped. Single bulb lights attached to yellow and orange power cords turned on.
Bud walked towards the light. He was only a few feet away from the marked one.
Much to Bud’s dismay, the World Games’ torch’s gas line ran down to this location. Timothy appeared to be methodically opening a panel on the rather large furnace.
A bomb. A grand explosion honoring and keeping the tradition of the unholy building. A tradition of slaughter. The opening ceremony, only a few hours from now, would find the torchbearer the unknowing catalyst, who would run down the ramp with the symbolic torch and trigger the explosion. Anyone on the floor above would most certainly perish. Who knows how many more? Bud needed to see if other gas lines could be triggered as well.
Timothy messed with the inside of the panel. Bud couldn’t see what he was actually doing as of yet.
Timothy stopped. He turned his head and somehow knew to look straight into Bud’s eyes.
Bud struggled to keep focus on staying invisible. Timothy’s deliberate, strange, even robotic movements, combined with his cold stare, challenged Bud’s concentration.
“Timothy, if you can hear me, you need to stop.”
Timothy turned back around to continue his work.
Bud shot another bolt and hit Timothy in the shoulder. He fell to the ground.
“All clear, Bert. Come secure him! We still have one more marked one to deal with. He or she will be headed down here! I will call the cardinal to tell the Carabinieri to sweep this area and get an engineer or technician down here.” Bud grabbed for the phone. He returned to his natural, visible state.
“Kill him, Bud. Do it now so we don’t have to worry anymore,” Sam said. He and Bert reached Bud’s location underneath the torch.
“Bert, don’t let him near Timothy.”
“Of course. He will stay back. You will, Sam.” Bert pulled the bolt from Timothy’s shoulder. A blank look adorned the monk’s face.
“The marked one is closer than I thought.”
“Freeze! Hands up!” The thick Italian accent of a Carabinieri officer caused Bud to drop the phone and his crossbow.
The screen of the phone showed near Bud’s foot. Bud looked down. The red dot of another marked one covered the blue. Four Carabinieri officers in full black tactical gear pointed their submachine guns at them. One of them was controlled by an unseen evil force.
Bert’s eyes turned a brighter red.
“Bert. No.”
“But which one is it?” Bert asked.
“We will go peacefully, just please get us out of here. It smells quite bad down here. Doesn’t it?” Bud joked in an attempt to draw out the marked one. One would most certainly be compelled to stay and sweep the area. Perhaps. And continue Timothy’s sabotage of the torch-lighting system.
Sam lunged at Timothy with a knife and drove it into his heart. The Carabinieri’s reaction time seemed dreadfully slow, yet they did fire their guns.
The dreadfully loud gunshots raked Bud’s ears. Sam’s body flailed as each officer shot him twice.
Bud fully expected to blow up with shots fired near gas lines. He shut his eyes and dropped to the floor.
Another burst of fire. Flashes lit up the underground.
Then another.
One more.
The marked one made his move. Three unsuspecting Carabinieri officers fell to the ground in a heap.
“Bert. Forget what I said before. Yes. You may engage your protection protocol.” Bud grabbed the officer from behind.
The marked one flipped Bud over his back and pointed the gun at Bud’s face. Bert’s metallic hand appeared above Bud. The android crushed the gun.
Bert punched the officer in the throat. Then bear hugged him. Captured.
The music and dancing feet thumped above.
Chapter Forty-Nine
“The opening ceremony of the World Games hit with unexpected delays as a media helicopter exploded near the Colosseum. No one was hurt. The ceremonies will start later than previously planned. Security is of course tight at tonight’s event. As luminaries from around the world gather to watch what is sure to be a surreal and incredible experience from inside the newly restored Colosseum…”
Maeve shut off the newscast on the desktop.
“Bert, S.I.S. picking anything up?” she asked in a nasally voice. Her nose was covered in bandages.
“No. All clear. Our additional monks on site and governmental authorities have secured the area successfully since you sealed the tree and we stopped the saboteurs.” Bert enthusiastically turned the pages of a book about tigers in the Compendium.
“Apparently, stopping the ultimate goal of the marked ones causes them to disappear?” Maeve asked.
Cardinal Riggio entered the room. “There is much we don’t know. They were fixated on the Colosseum. That place of death was built for deranged reasons. To showcase death, to delight in death, and of course, kill many people and God’s creatures. Places like that Roman arena certainly hold much dark power that the Order keeps contained. There are many ancient sites with similar dark pasts. Who knows what they will be fixated on next? Timothy has been cremated per your request, Bud. The marked one is in a secure location. We will know more of the source of the marked ones soon. I hope.”
“Timothy became marked after he touched Vincenzo. Sam said the marked could spread like a virus and that cremation was best. He also was right about the marked ones being immune to the prayer of St. Michael. We may need stronger tactics to combat this evil. What of Sam?” Bud asked.
The cardinal took a seat. “He will get a proper burial. We must learn to forgive. So much loss. We need to pray and give ourselves time. I am afraid more battles are yet come.”
“Does his phantom sister know yet? What will we do with her?” Maeve asked.
Cardinal Riggio nodded. “She knows. We will take care of her though her mind seems to be lost in her obsession with Janus.”
“I am sorry for the way I acted earlier, Cardinal. Truly I am.” Bud hung his head.
“I am sorry, too, Bud. Your grandfather was my best friend. Now you two go for a walk. Enjoy Roma. The fireworks of the ceremony will be starting soon. Go. Go.”
The two monks of the Order of St. Michael stood on the roof of Castel Sant’Angelo next to the statue of St. Michael.
They looked southeast, over the Tiber, to the night sky over the Colosseum.
“Well, I must say we have earned some much-needed rest and recuperation,” Bud said.
“We have. We definitely, definitely have. We should see if Ivy wants to come up and see the fireworks,” Maeve said.
“She isn’t here. She is back at her father’s side. Her teleportation band was not fried by Sam’s portable EMP. It’s where she wanted to be. I am sure Cardinal Riggio will understand. She will be okay, Maeve. No worries.”
“Makes sense. Being next to someone you love is a good thing.” Maeve put her head on Bud’s sore shoulder.
He didn’t care even though it hurt like hell.
The fireworks started to explode in a joyous spectacle over the Piazza del Colosseo.
“This city at night is quite beautiful.” Bud took a deep breath. He needed to be brave, but fear overwhelmed him.
“It is. Ooh, that one was pretty!” Maeve pointed.
“Maeve, in the phantom’s lair…in the water, did you… Did we…?”
“Have a moment that I wished didn’t end with us chasing a crazed killer, yes.” She popped up off his shoulder and smiled. Her face was close, along with her wrapped broken nose.
“Oh, I thought so too. Good. Good.” Bud put his arm around her. Phew. His fear started to subside.
Another loud volley of fireworks lit up the night sky.
“Are we having another one of those moments…now?” Maeve asked.
Her hazel eyes drew him in.
“Yes. We are.” Bud kissed her cheek and very gently moved to her lips, careful not to hurt her nose further.
&
nbsp; The loudest cluster of fireworks lit up and boomed in the night sky. Golden sparks rained over and into the Colosseum. It was how Bud had envisioned the finale since the only sight he really saw in that moment, or cared to see, was dear Maeve.
Bud Hutchins will return.
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Contents
“From the opening pages to the final sentence, you are treated to a rollercoaster of fun and frights.”- DT Chantel
The Phantom of the Catacombs
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
Chapter 39
Chapter 40
Chapter 41
Chapter 42
Chapter 43
Chapter 44
Chapter 45
Chapter 46
Chapter 47
Chapter 48
Chapter 49
Bud Hutchins will return.
The Chronicles in Audio! The first in the series narrated by the author, JB!
Join a Roman Centurion and Celtic Queen in a high octane, paranormal thriller that reveals the origin of the Order of St. Michael!
EXCERPT FROM JB’s award-winning Tannenbaum Tailors SERIES
50. Seizure
51. Tailor Traps
52. Shake The Foundation
Also by JB Michaels
Join a Roman Centurion and Celtic Queen in a high octane, paranormal thriller that reveals the origin of the Order of St. Michael!
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“My creator has requested that I formally query you for your opinion of this chronicle of our travels and experiences in the form of a book review. So please leave a review of The Phantom of the Catacombs We thank you very much.
Bert, Bud’s Android Assistant
Copyright © 2019 by JB Michaels
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
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EXCERPT FROM JB’s award-winning Tannenbaum Tailors SERIES
So I have another entire series! I consider it some of my most original work and you just haven’t quite experienced a Holiday story quite like this one. Please enjoy a three-chapter excerpt from the Readers’ Favorite Bronze medal-winning book- “The Tannenbaum Tailors and the Brethren of the Saints”…
50
Seizure
Lily checked the spirit levels and vitality of the tree, something she hadn’t done in a while due to all the other more pressing situations. They checked out just fine, thankfully. She checked in with Billy, Steve, and Tonto, who were all at different sections of the tree double-checking for Brendan. As she pressed her com to get another status report from Irene, she felt a cold hand grasp her neck.
“You will do as I say or be silenced forever.” The mysterious intruder spun her around to greet her face to face. A blue-grey skinned elf dressed in black with dark sunglasses and a crooked nose stood with eleven dark elves behind him.
“Hello, Lillian. You will help us out a great deal in the next few hours.”
“Spiritless...What have you done with the Captain?” Lily managed to speak despite the hand around her neck.
“Ah your Captain is the least of your concerns right now. You will do what I say. If you refuse, then you will never see your Captain again.”
“Let me go!” Lily managed a stern voice.
The Head Spiritless elf eased his grip.
“The first order of business will be to close all internal coms. I want your Tailors to only have the ability to communicate with you.”
Lily closed the coms and a tear welled up in her left eye.
“Next, you will order each of them to go to a separate specific part of the tree, that you think Brendan might be there or ask them to do a normal check related to their individual duties. You decide. Be convincing. Or else.”
“You want me to lure them into traps?”
“I knew I could count on you.”
He made hand signals and the eleven Spiritless split into four groups. Three groups of three males and one pair composed of a male and female. The groups left the command center, in a swift and orderly fashion.
“Let’s get the day after Christmas started right,” the Head Spiritless said as the faint light of dawn hit the tree through the windows in the house.
51
Tailor Traps
“I want your Ornament Tailor up here at the top of the tree,” the Head Spiritless said.
“Billy. Come in. Over,” Lily called.
“Yep. Go ahead, Lily. Over,” Billy answered.
“Could you please check the Icicle on the back of the tree? I think the loading ramp may still be open?”
“Yes, ma’am, still no sign of Brendan. Out.”
“Now, your Water and Needle Tailor, Tonto, I want him in the middle towards the trunk and the Fire Tailor at the bottom. I understand Irene is currently fighting our termites. No worries about her just yet,” the Head Spiritless said.
Billy made his way to the Icicle using his GlimmerLight goggles. He stopped at the ramp.
“Hey Steve. Come in. I could use your muscles with this ramp. Over.”
No response.
“Steve. Come in. Over.”
Still nothing.
“Hey Lily, I can’t get a hold of Steve. Can you reach him? Over?”
“The network is down at the moment. You can only reach me here at tree top. Over.”
About to respond, Billy saw a blinding flash. He felt a hard blow to his head and another before he fell unconscious onto the ramp of the Icicle transport.
Tonto checked the trunk on the middle branches.
“Hey Lily, these branches and needles seem strong.”
A flash. Tonto fell to his knees. He attempted to rip off his goggles when a Spiritless elf kneed him in the face. Two others grabbed him from behind. Tonto fought to get up and nearly pushed the two off his back. The one at his front forced a hood over his head and punched him twice in the face. The two behind him secured him with tinsel. Tonto struggled to break free, but couldn’t move.
Steve checked the hoses and hydrants at the bottom of the tree. He then went down to the tree stand to check the water levels. He reached the stand when he felt a kick at his back and fell into the water. He looked up. Three Spiritless elves stood at different spots, in a circle around him. He heard one say, “Release!” The three elves dropped tinsel ropes. A large, heavy ornament fell on Steve, who was treading water, and knocked him out.
“Tailors are secured, sir. Just the one female remains. Over,” reported a Spiritless from somewhere in the tree.
“Very good. We have a plan
for the female if she makes it out of the tunnels.”
Lily cringed and shook her head in despair.
52
Shake The Foundation
Irene blasted the seemingly never ending wall of termites that made it within centimeters of her. She had already used three flares to keep them back and hoped that the extinguisher wouldn’t run out of carbon dioxide. She had been laying on the spout for the last fifteen minutes. The line of termites finally thinned out. She froze the last one. Now she had the task of clearing all the frozen bugs out of the way to reach the cement foundation. The bugs must have found some cracks in the cement to get through from the outside.
The termites were ugly, with sharp pincers jutting out from the sides of their gaping mouths. Even dead ones still seemed threatening. Irene coughed at all the CO2 hanging in the heavy air of the tunnel. She had to weave her way in between and over all the termites that lay in front of her. Irene could see the end of the tunnel. The corner wall and the cement foundation inched ever closer.
The Phantom of the Catacombs Page 11
