by Joni Parker
As the Admiral watched, his jaw dropped. The video documented the crash onto the island; the rescue by an Elf ship’s captain by the name of Crestan, the miraculous healing of injuries by Alex, the demonstration of the shrinking potion, and the crew’s impending departure on the wizard’s ship. The Admiral covered his mouth and shook his head in disbelief. The video supported the stories brought back by the sailors. It was all true.
Then he leaned back and turned to Collins. “I don’t remember giving permission for a team of journalists to be on the USS Lonestar.”
“You didn’t, Admiral. The Americans did. They were doing a documentary on the crew of the ship for the folks back home.”
“Why didn’t they tell me?”
“They did, but it was hard to find. Petty Officer Little found it in one of the memos the Americans sent to NATO headquarters. You may not have even seen it.”
“Great. Just great.” He sighed. “We told those sailors everything was top secret and this happens. Do we know who released it?”
“Unfortunately, no.”
“What can we do about it?”
“Not much except wait for the fallout.” Collins grimaced.
Chapter 33
ECSTASY
Across town at the Metropolitan Police building, Tyler drove into the lower levels and parked his car. In spite of his attempts to make conversation, Alex remained silent. He opened her car door and held his hand out to help her, but she ignored it and climbed out on her own.
“Look, I was just doing my job, Lady Dumwalt. I apologize for everything. I never intended to have you shot. I take it you got the clothes I had sent for you.”
“These?” Alex pointed to her sweatshirt.
“Yes. And a bag of toiletries.”
“Where are my other belongings? Where’s Ecstasy?”
“Upstairs. He’s waiting for you.”
“What are we waiting for?”
Tyler rolled his eyes. “Follow me.” He led her over to the lift doors and pressed the button. “Don’t worry, Lady Dumwalt. You’re going to be compensated. You’ll be rich.”
“I don’t care about the money. I just want to go home.” Tears rolled down her cheeks. “I was only trying to help.” She wiped her tears away. Tyler put his hand on her shoulder, but she pushed him away. “Don’t touch me!”
The metal doors to the lift slid open and Tyler stepped in. Alex hesitated, so he put his hand on the door to keep it from closing. She closed her eyes and stepped in, facing toward the back.
Tyler pressed his lips together to keep from smiling. “Claustrophobia is quite common, Lady Dumwalt.”
Alex didn’t reply and didn’t open her eyes. The lift went up to the seventh floor and Tyler stepped out. “This is where we get out, my lady.”
Alex did an about face and marched out, not waiting for Tyler to show her the way.
Tyler unlocked the door to his office. “Have a seat. I’ll have Ecstasy sent up as well as your personal items.”
Alex sat on his sofa, partly covered with papers. In fact, his entire office was covered with papers, three computer screens, a laptop, phones, books, and newspapers. She stared at the mess.
“I do know where everything is. Hold on.” He called Pennington to his office.
Alex’s stomach dropped. It was bad enough she had to be with him, now that woman was coming back. How much longer?
Within minutes, Pennington knocked on the door and opened it. Her smiled disappeared when she saw Alex. “I heard all charges were dropped against you. Congratulations.”
Alex noted the sarcasm in her voice and gritted her teeth, but she didn’t say anything. Her face felt hot.
“Pen, have someone deliver Lady Dumwalt’s personal items and have Ecstasy brought in.”
“Sure thing, Inspector.” Pennington sauntered to the door, but she stopped and curtsied in a mocking gesture to Alex. “Have a good day, my lady.”
Alex jumped to her feet; her fists clenched tight and Pennington ran out with a giggle. As soon as she was gone, Alex glared at Tyler and grimaced.
“Don’t let her get to you. I’ll give her a counseling later.” Tyler opened a small fridge and pulled out two cans of soda. “Have one and cool down. You’ll be out of here in no time.”
Alex refused the soda and sat down.
A few minutes later, Pennington returned with a plastic bag, handing it to Tyler. “This is all that’s left of her ladyship’s belongings.” She curtsied again and giggled.
“That’s quite enough, Pennington. I need people in my office who can conduct themselves in a professional and courteous manner.”
“Sorry, Inspector.” She blushed.
“You don’t owe me an apology.” He glanced at Alex.
Pennington wet her lips and turned to her. “My apologies, Lady Dumwalt.”
Alex sat back and glared, feeling hatred and anger. But she said, “Accepted.”
“There we are. Pen, where’s Ecstasy?” Tyler asked.
“We’re looking for him. He was here just a minute ago.”
“Find him!” Tyler slammed his fist on the desk.
Alex opened the small plastic bag—some coins from home, the identity card, the money card, passport, the green stone necklace, and her cloak pin. That was all she had left. She rubbed the cloak pin in her hand. It reminded her of home. “What about my eating knife?”
“I’ll get it back to you as soon as I get it from the solicitor. It’s with all the other evidence. Look, I’m sorry all this happened to you. I tried to talk the Royal Navy out of it, but they wouldn’t listen. They thought you were a danger to society.”
Alex sniffled. That’s what they think of me at home, too.
After a knock on the door, it opened and Ecstasy stepped in. “Ta-daaa!” He held out his hands and smiled.
On the one hand, Alex was relieved to see him, but on the other, she was pissed at him for leaving her behind. “Where’d you go?” She placed her hands on her hips.
“I thought all the charges against you were dropped. You should be happy.”
“None of this would’ve happened if you’d stayed long enough to take me home. Where were you?” Her eyes narrowed. She wanted to throttle him but knew he was her only way home.
“Let’s talk about this later. But first, what happened to your clothes? These look awful.”
Alex shrugged. “They threw them away at the hospital, even my boots. This is all I have to wear.”
“These look like prison clothes.”
“They are.”
“I must take you shopping first. Do you have any money?”
She pulled a card out of the plastic bag. “There’s supposed to be some money in here.”
“How much?”
Alex paused and stared at it. She still couldn’t figure out how the money was in there.
“A hundred pounds,” Tyler said as he put the phone down.
“Let’s skedaddle. Good bye, Inspector.” He stopped her before they left the office. “You didn’t say good bye to him.”
“So? I never said hello to him either. Let’s go!” She pushed him out.
Chapter 34
NIGHT ON THE TOWN
Ecstasy and Alex went down the street and turned left. They continued for a few blocks and stopped at a small clothing store called The Rag Merchant. Alex smiled at the sign. She used to buy all of her clothes at the rag merchant in the market on Seaward Isle. In less than an hour, Ecstasy had selected a complete outfit for her including a pair of black slacks, a paisley blouse, denim jacket, socks and underwear in a sack, a black leather purse, and a pair of tall black boots for less than fifty pounds. He threw her old prison clothes into a trash bin in the alley after they left the store.
“See what you can do on a budget? You’ll never be able to get designer clothes like this anywhere else. You just need to know where to shop. Now, let’s get something to eat.” Ecstasy led her down the alley and turned left down another alley. He stopped at a doo
r with a strange symbol—three overlapping circles with a star in the middle.
“What’s that symbol mean?” Alex pointed to it.
“Haven’t got the foggiest.” Ecstasy rolled his eyes. He knocked twice slowly and three times quickly and the door clicked open. They went down a set of stairs to a large room filled with tables, covered with white tablecloths. It wasn’t very crowded, but the smell of food was intoxicating. Alex’s mouth watered.
“Eduardo!” Ecstasy opened his arms to embrace a man with dark hair and a black mustache. He smiled warmly. “Eduardo, I brought a friend of mine for supper. This is Alex. She’s never been to London before.”
“Oh, what a beautiful young woman, Ecstasy. You’ve been telling us stories, eh? Buon giorno, bella. I am Eduardo.” He put his hands on his chest. “I am so pleased to meet you. You have never been to London? It’s a wonderful place. Come and sit. I will make you something special, eh? You like Italian food? It’s my specialty. It’s food from my home in bella Napoli.”
“I’d love to try it. It smells wonderful.”
“Then sit and let Eduardo give you a dinner like you won’t believe.” Eduardo smiled and kissed the tips of his fingers. “It will be my honor.” He bowed.
Ecstasy ushered Alex to a table in the corner. “This is my favorite table.” He took the cloth napkin, flipped it in the air, and set it on his lap.
Alex copied him.
Eduardo appeared with a bottle of wine. “Perhaps, some wine to start? This is my house wine, Vino Rosso. I make it myself at my farm in the country. Try it.” He poured a small amount in a glass for Alex. She sipped it and puckered her lips.
“What do you think?”
“It’s good, but a little strong for me.”
“Here, I add some mineral water for you, eh?” He poured her a half-glass filling the rest with mineral water from another bottle. Then he poured one for Ecstasy and one for himself.
“Salute!” Eduardo raised his glass in the air.
Alex raised her glass and touched it to the others. She took another sip of wine and nodded. It tasted better with the bubbly mineral water.
The men took a large sip and exhaled.
“Excellent wine, Eduardo.” Ecstasy kissed his fingertips. “Do you have any panne?”
“But of course.” Eduardo ran back to the kitchen and brought back a basket with slices of crusty bread, olive oil, and a plate of antipasto. He took another sip of wine and went back to the kitchen.
“He’s very friendly, Ecstasy.” Alex smiled. “He must be a very good farmer.”
Ecstasy leaned closer. “He doesn’t have a farm. He makes the wine in the back.” He rolled his eyes. “Now, tell me what happened.”
Alex went over her escape, her time in the hospital and jail and the hearing, while eating bread and antipasto and drinking wine. “Now, you know why I was so upset with you.”
“Awful! Simply awful.” He frowned. “I’m sorry I wasn’t there to help you, but I was starving. So I went to Paris for a decent lunch. I’ll make it up to you, I promise.”
“You can make it up to me by taking me home. If you do, I’ll give you Shinjan’s wand.” She pulled the green stone necklace out of her purse.
His eyes lit up. “Really?” He wanted it.
“Really. Now promise me you’ll take me home.”
“I promise.” He raised his right hand. Then he leaned closer to whisper. “By the way, did anyone ask you about the video?”
“What’s a video?”
“I’ll take that as a no. Thank goodness. Don’t tell anyone I told you about it.”
“Sure, but what is it?” Alex shrugged.
“It’s a film about the NATO sailors on Seaward Isle. The reporters loaded it on my phone and asked me to send it to their producer in Houston, so I did. He must have uploaded it to YouTube.” He held up his phone. “Keep it a secret, okay?”
“Okay. What’s YouTube?”
“It’s not important. Now tomorrow, I’ll take you home, but we must go shopping first. You must see the shops here. They’re simply divine.”
Two young women came over to the table and one of them rubbed Ecstasy’s shoulder. “Have you been holding out on us, Ecstasy?” She nibbled on his ear.
“Esmeralda, how wonderful to see you again. And Jezebel, you two look as beautiful as ever.” Ecstasy smiled nervously and pushed her away.
Esmeralda was a tall, dark-haired beauty in a long, black dress with a deep neckline, showing too much bosom. Jezebel’s long, red dress also showed much of her bare bosom but her shoulders were covered with a black shawl.
“Who’s your friend?” Esmeralda asked.
“Ah, yes, this is Alex. Alex, Esmeralda and Jezebel.”
“Are you a witch?” Jezebel asked.
“In training,” Alex said. “Ecstasy has agreed to teach me.”
“Do you have a wand?” Jezebel leaned over to show her bosom to Ecstasy.
“Yes.” Alex noticed Ecstasy was a bit nervous. Sweat beaded on his forehead.
“Show us.” Esmeralda smiled.
Alex detached the green stone from her necklace and turned it into a wand.
“Let me see it.” Esmeralda bent over to show more of her bosom without touching the wand. “This says Spiritus. Wand of Spiritus? How did you get it? That’s the most powerful wand ever made. It belonged to Merlin, didn’t it?” Esmeralda pointed to it.
“I found it…in a bin.” Alex grinned at her outlandish tale; she was having fun.
“Yes, and I saw it fly right into her hand,” Ecstasy said.
“Really?” Jezebel pouted. “Why would it go to you?”
“I don’t know. You may have to ask the wand.” Alex shrugged and touched the tip so it retracted into a stone. She attached it to the chain.
The two women backed away when Eduardo emerged from the kitchen with a large plate in each hand.
“Now is time for real eating—my world-famous lasagna.” Eduardo set a plate in front of Alex.
“It looks like a cake,” Alex said.
“It’s better than cake. It has pasta, spinach, and wonderful cheeses. Try it.”
Alex reached for it with her fingers, but Ecstasy cleared his throat and raised his fork in the air. She picked one up and stabbed at it. Ecstasy cleared his throat again and used his knife and fork to cut off a small piece and ate it. Alex copied him and took a bite. As she chewed it, her eyes widened. It was the most delicious food she’d ever tasted.
“This is wonderful, Eduardo,” Alex said. “Thank you.”
“It’s only the beginning. Eat. Mangia. Buon appetito.” He smiled and Alex nodded. He poured more wine and went back to the kitchen. Several minutes later, he emerged with more plates, covered with cooked asparagus. He poured olive oil and lemon juice over them.
Alex ate them with delight. “What kind of vegetables are these, Eduardo?”
“This is asparagus. I love asparagus. Don’t you have it where you come from?”
“Not like this,” Alex said. “They’re very good.”
“Where are you from?”
“Seaward Isle.”
“I never heard of this place.” He shook his head.
“It’s far away, Eduardo, beyond America.” Ecstasy touched his napkin to his lips.
“Ah, please eat.”
More people entered the restaurant and Eduardo greeted them warmly. Esmeralda and Jezebel sat across the room, staring at her and whispering to each other. Alex could feel their jealousy and checked the green stone on her necklace.
“Is something wrong, Alex?” Ecstasy asked.
“What did Jezebel mean when she said my wand was the most powerful ever made? Who’s Merlin?”
“Your wand has a name on it, so they think it belonged to the Wizard Merlin, the most powerful wizard of all time. He was King Arthur’s wizard. Don’t show it to anyone in public and don’t let anyone touch it. They may try to steal it from you. It’s all right here in this restaurant, just watch
out for Jezebel. She can be devious.”
“Merlin? That was Ethan’s uncle. But I didn’t get the wand from him. It belonged to Shinjan.”
“But he got it from a wand broker, who got it after Merlin died. How did you find it?”
She paused. “It flew into my hand after Shinjan died.”
“It’s yours, all right.” He paused for a moment. “You know, Inspector Tyler thinks highly of you. He really wanted to help you.”
“He has an unusual way of showing it.”
“Well, that’s true. Listen, after this, let’s go to the British Museum. There’s an entire section on Greece and Greek mythology. I think you’ll find it very interesting.”
Eduardo returned with more plates in hand. “This is tiramisu, my favorite dessert. It’s made with espresso coffee. Try it.”
Alex took a bite—it combined a crunch of a cookie with the smooth taste of pudding. The strong flavor of expresso was completely new to her. “I’ve never had anything like this before. It’s delicious.”
“Excellent. I will bring you a digestivo.” He wandered back to the kitchen, greeting more of his guests along the way.
“What’s that?” Alex leaned over to Ecstasy.
“It’ll help you digest your food. You won’t feel as full after.”
Eduardo brought three tiny glasses filled with a clear liquid.
“Salute!” Eduardo downed the liquid in one gulp.
Alex sipped hers to taste it. It was very strong, like licorice.
“Salute!” Ecstasy downed the liquid in his glass. “Go on, Alex. It’s better if you drink it fast.”
“Salute!” Alex swallowed the rest of it and felt it burn her throat down to her stomach like brandy. She took a deep breath and exhaled, wondering if her breath would catch on fire.
“That’s more like it. You have my compliments, Eduardo. This was the finest meal in London.” Ecstasy bowed to him.
“Can you pay me this time, Ecstasy? Real money, not wizard money.” Eduardo pleaded with his hands together.
Ecstasy checked his pockets. “Oh my, I must have left my wallet on the ship. Alex, may I use your card? I’ll pay you back.”
