The Second Renaissance Series Boxset

by Paul Heron

  ‘You want to be a leader of the people?’ Scarlett continued. ‘You want to be remembered as a leader that saved the people who voted for him or do you want to be remembered as a leader that put his people in great danger?’

  Ajit screamed as if India had just won the Cricket world cup.

  ‘What the hell was that?’ Michael said, his heart racing.

  ‘Sirani Maps, Sirani Maps!’ Ajit kissed his laptop. ‘Thank you, God Oisin.’

  ‘What the hell is wrong with you?’ Sofia shouted, grabbing the laptop.

  Michael jumped up from his seat and ran around to Ajit's side of the table followed by the others. They all looked at the screen – Sirani Maps was zoomed in on Spain with a red line running from Santander to Madrid and circling the palace in a lighter shade of red.

  Michael looked at Ajit, hopeful it was what he thought it was. ‘Is this what I-’

  ‘Enrique, go and get Scarlett and Maria.’ Ajit interrupted. ‘And don’t say a word to the president. Just tell them to come here right away.’

  ‘What are we looking at?’ Ahmad said.

  ‘It’s the movement of the president or at least his mobile phone for the past three days?’ Marcel said.

  ‘How the hell did you do this?’ Michael asked.

  ‘I’ve logged into the president's online accounts. For his own safety, in case he’s kidnapped, there is a tracking system in place.’

  ‘A lot of good that's done him,’ Mohammad said. ‘So, are they tracking us now?’

  ‘No, it's been deactivated and connected to the Sirani network,’ Eduardo said.

  ‘Well done,’ Carolina said, slapping Ajit and Eduardo on their backs.

  ‘It’s not us, it’s L'amico doing all the work.’ Ajit took a celebratory swig of a bottle of orange juice. ‘Eduardo and I just operate the thing.’

  ‘So, tomorrow will be easy to get the fragment and leave Spain,’ Marcel said.

  ‘Hopefully,’ Sofia said. ‘But we know it’s dangerous to get too complacent. Thinking it’s going to be easy is a recipe for disaster.’

  Michael’s mind flashed back to what Elisabetta said. Again, he wondered what happened at the end of his meeting with her. Her expression, that image put him on edge, did she see something or someone coming for Michael, he had no idea. ‘We’ve got a massive job to do, tomorrow.’ Michael sat down beside Ajit and Eduardo. ‘We’ve got be sure we go to the right place. We could do without something going wrong.’

  ‘But, we still get to see some bulls tomorrow.’ Mohammad punched Marcel on shoulder. ‘Can’t wait to get the bulls to do some interesting stuff for the Spanish people.’ Mohammad grinned, as if his animal commanding powers were somehow going to create a different form of entertainment.

  ‘What's happening?’ Scarlett said, as she, Maria and Enrique came in. ‘The president’s ready to go. He’s not much use.’

  ‘Thanks to Ajit and Eduardo, we may have found the fragment,’ Carolina said. ‘Hopefully tomorrow will be smooth. Smoother than France anyway.’

  ‘Explain,’ George said, appearing on the laptop screen. ‘With the president missing, the Mancini Corporation can't do anything. While we’re in possession of the president, there can’t be a public unveiling of the fragment. If we play this right, guys, we'll be leaving Spain tomorrow and on to the next country.’

  ‘One country at a time, George,’ Carolina said. ‘Let's get through tomorrow first and then we’ll think about what happens next.’

  ‘You're thinking carefully and not getting too far ahead, which is good, because it's safe,’ Scarlett said.

  There was a silence around the room. A whistling from the wind coming through the window reminded Michael of the old stories he was told as a boy. He remembered the first time he'd heard a ghost story about a wailing banshee – a famous story in Irish mythology – that night, when he first heard the story wind had whistled through his bedroom window, terrifying the young seven-year-old at the time. However, now, Elisabetta's frozen expression, and the piercing screams coming from behind him, was more frightening because it was real. He felt like his mind was being pulled in two directions at once. Or two worlds at once.

  ‘Okay.’ Sofia clapped her hands, then ran her fingers through her hair. ‘Ajit, do you think you and Eduardo can narrow down the possible location of the fragment, while the rest of us get the president back to Madrid. We can’t do anything with the president here. It’s probably a good idea to let the unveiling go ahead as planned tomorrow, then we can grab the fragment then, when it's out in the open.’

  ‘That's dangerous, Sofia, and dangerous is stupid!’ Mohammad said. ‘You're not usually this stupid!’

  ‘This whole thing is dangerous, bonehead!’ Sofia shouted. ‘No matter what we plan, it’ll be dangerous.’

  ‘Sofia's right,’ Marcel said. ‘The more time we spend here scratching our asses, the more dangerous it gets. And we need to eliminate or reduce the risk as much as possible. That’s only done by spending less time in each country.’

  ‘Alban, how long will it take for us to get Perez back to Madrid?’ Carolina asked.

  ‘It’s probably better to travel by car. The streets will be swarming with people in anticipation for tomorrow’s event,’ Maria said. ‘And if they hear a chopper in the sky, they’ll know it's us.’

  ‘Okay,’ Michael said. ‘We all travel together. We return the president and hopefully, find out the location of the fragment. If we can get it tonight before tomorrow's bullfighting festival that’ll be a bonus.’

  ‘And if we don't get it tonight?’ Eduardo asked.

  ‘We go and take it from them tomorrow!’ Michael said.

  ‘Exactly,’ Carolina agreed, sounding pumped.

  ‘Let's get moving then,’ Sofia said. ‘Michael, you go in Ringo's car with Carolina. Maria and Marcel with the president.’

  ‘Good idea, better if we travel in separate vehicles,’ Marcel said. ‘Remember what George said at that old bat’s house in France?’

  ‘Don't put all your eggs in the same basket.’ Mohammad finished. ‘Let's go. I want see the scary-ass cave again!’ Mohammad's words sent a worrying chill down Michael's spin, as if Mohammad said something he shouldn't have.

  ‘Great, I’m going for a piss,’ Michael said, leaving the room feeling like he could do with another shower before leaving. His suit was soaked through. His nerves were shattered.

  As he entered his room, Michael felt a hot flush come over him. Walking across his bedroom towards the en-suite, he stopped at the bathroom door. He suddenly felt weak and nauseous. His vision went blurry as he made his way towards the toilet. Closing his eyes, he sat down on the toilet seat thinking it was just a rush of blood from his head, as if he'd stood up too fast. He held his trembling hand out in front of himself, gleaming with sweat. Panic set in. He jumped up from the toilet and rushed to the sink, splashing cold water over his face. Looking at himself in the mirror’s refection, his vision slowly came back into focus. Elisabetta appeared behind him. His ears popped, leaving him without any hearing. It was as if he was underwater and everything slowed down. Elisabetta was looking at him, tears running down her face. He felt as if he was falling, but in his reflection, he was still standing. He reached out to grab the sink to steady himself. He collapsed and went unconscious.

  ‘Michael, Michael!’

  Michael woke to find Carolina kneeling over him, tapping his cheek.

  ‘Michael, what the hell happened?’ She shouted for the rest to come. She supported his head and neck. He looked up and saw – for the first time – Carolina with a vulnerable expression on her face. ‘Don’t move, you’ve whacked your head off the sink, you’re bleeding.’ She reached over to the toilet and pulled the toilet roll until the entire roll spun itself off. ‘This might hurt, but I’m going to put pressure on the cut.’ She wrapped her hand in the paper and pressed onto his crown, causing him to flinch. ‘Sorry.’

  ‘Carolina,’ he joked. ‘I didn't know you had this sof
t side. You’re usually drawing people's blood not stopping it.’ He flinched again as she pressed a little harder.

  ‘Yeah, well I kind of don’t want to hurt you, Michael.’

  ‘That's so sweet,’ Michael teased, his head feeling wet every time she released the pressure.

  ‘But, if you really want me to, I’ll give you a good ass whooping when you’re feeling better.’

  ‘I'm okay, thanks.’ He sniggered. ‘This feels cold,’ he complained as the blood ran from the cut.

  ‘Maybe, you rest here. Let Dr Rizzo have a look at you.’

  ‘But we don't have time to worry about a little cut, just stop the bleeding, bandage it up, we need to—’

  ‘But nothing, Michael,’ Carolina said forcefully. ‘You're staying here.’ She tutted, looking around at the doorway. Her tone lightened. ‘God, you can link to another world, have the blood of the Irish gods running through your veins, you have all these people thinking you're something special and you can’t even look after yourself, Michael. You let a sink kick your ass!’ She pulled her mobile out of her jacket pocket and called Sofia.

  ‘Sofia! Come up to the bathroom and bring Dr Rizzo. Michael's fallen and cut the back of his head.’ She continued to stop the bleeding. ‘Yes, he’s conscious, but he’s bleeding quite heavily. Okay!’

  Michael tried to sit up, but Carolina forced him to stay down. He wasn’t going to argue with her. He remained still and thought about what he’d seen in the reflection. ‘I saw Elisabetta standing behind me in the reflection of the mirror, just before I passed out.’

  ‘Do you think she was trying to tell you about something?’

  Michael didn’t say another word. He knew something had happened to Elisabetta, but until he knew what, there was no point in worrying about it. Or worrying any of the rest.

  Chapter Nineteen

  SOFIA RUSHED INTO THE bathroom, her heels sending vibrations through the floor. ‘Michael, what the hell?’ She knelt beside Carolina. ‘Are you okay?’

  ‘I’m fine, just a little cut.’

  Everyone else came in, circling around him. He felt more embarrassment than pain.

  ‘Chief, you wrecked the sink!’ Mohammad said.

  Scarlett pushed past the group and knelt beside Sofia, her phone glued to her ear. ‘George, Michael's had an accident in the bathroom.’ She looked at him. ‘He’s bleeding from the head.’ She paused. ‘Yes, Carolina found him. She's stopping the bleed.’

  Dr Rizzo entered the now crowded bathroom, pulling on a pair of medical gloves. When Michael saw him snapping on those rubber gloves, he began to panic. It always signalled surgery to him. He didn’t know how bad the cut was, he could only feel it tingling.

  ‘Okay, Michael, you're staying with Ajit and Eduardo,’ Scarlett said. ‘Ringo and Ahmad will stay, too. The rest of us will get moving. Alban, you're driving the president back to Madrid. A fat load of good he's been to us.’

  ‘I’m coming, too,’ Michael protested. He tried to get up, but Carolina forced him back down again. ‘It's just a little cut!’ he shouted. ‘Stop making such a fuss!’

  ‘God, Michael, you'd be an awful patient,’ Sofia said. ‘Stay here, rest and we'll take the president back. Don’t worry. We’re not going to spoil your fun with saving Spain from the Dark One's wrath.’ She spoke mockingly.

  ‘You may need a few stitches. It’s quite angry looking,’ Dr Rizzo said on closer inspection.

  ‘What the hell have you done to yourself man?’ Marcel said. ‘You kick ass almost as good as I do, and yet you let a sink floor you!’

  ‘Piss off.’ Michael laughed.

  ‘Man, you’re going have a bad ass scar! Chicks dig scars, too,’ Eduardo said, peeking over the doctor's shoulder.

  ‘I think I have enough scars, thanks!’ Michael said.

  ‘I want a scar. And a tattoo!’ Mohammad said, sitting on the toilet. ‘Both are cool! I'm sure I’ll have a scar soon, what with being so close to man eating animals and stuff!’

  ‘Michael, maybe it’d be best if you do rest here,’ Ajit said, bringing the attention back to the situation. ‘You're no help to us injured.’

  ‘Not that he's much use anyway.’ Sofia threw a ball of tissue at him.

  ‘You can piss off, too.’ Michael laughed.

  ‘Michael, you’re not going anywhere tonight,’ Dr Rizzo said, wiping some of the blood away. ‘This is definitely going to need stitched. I’ll sort this out while you all get the president back to Madrid. Go, now!’

  ‘That is one deep cut!’ Eduardo shouted. ‘I can see bone, I think!’

  ‘Well done, bone head,’ Marcel said. ‘Scare the shit out of him.’

  ‘What do you mean, bone?’ Michael wondered how bad it was.

  ‘I feel sick,’ Eduardo ran for the toilet, ‘I'm going to puke!’ He pushed Mohammad off the toilet seat but before he could lift it, he spewed orange liquid onto of the wooden toilet seat, splashing it all over himself and Mohammad.

  ‘Eduardo, you dick!’ Mohammad shouted.

  ‘Is that some of your dinner on your tie?’ Marcel exploded into a fit of belly-ache laughter. ‘Got to get a picture of these two clowns!’

  Eduardo met Marcel's teases with swinging his tie at the Brazilian.

  ‘I see a carrot on your tie.’ Sofia laughed, covering her mouth.

  ‘Shut up,’ Eduardo shouted, pulling some toilet roll from a basket.

  ‘Eduardo, go and change that,’ Scarlett said. ‘That's horrible. Mohammad you go and change as well. Marcel, you help Carolina get Michael to his bed. We’re wasting too much time here. We need to go.’

  Michael slowly stood up, Dr Rizzo working to stop the bleeding. Marcel was to his left side and Carolina to his right side. He felt the blood run down his neck. He felt dizzy. His mind was on the president, then he thought about the vision of Elisabetta in the mirror’s reflection. Was she trying to warn him about something?

  A while later Michael sat up in the bed, feeling stupid that he wasn’t taking the president back to the palace; instead he was listening to Ringo and Ahmad continue their debate about which was better: Italian exotic cars or American muscle cars. Ringo believed Italian exotics were better, and Ahmad believed American muscle cars were the best.

  ‘Look, Michael.’ Ringo jumped up and threw his phone to Michael. ‘Can you possibly find a more amazing car on the planet that that?’

  Michael looked at the screen of Ringo's IPhone. It was a matte black Lamborghini Aventador, one of the latest Lamborghini models. ‘It is nice,’ Michael agreed, feeling the back of his head that was starting to itch. He was beginning to feel like he'd gone back in time to the year before when he was in hospital after getting beaten up in Belfast. ‘Can I call Sofia?’

  ‘Go for it, pal!’

  He searched Ringo's contact list, finding Sofia under the name of “Intelligent Italian Babe”. Calling her, he looked at Ahmad, biting his nails while looking at his own phone.

  ‘Ciao, Sofia! You okay?’

  ‘We're fine. How are you?’

  ‘I’m bored. I’m sitting here listening to Ringo and Ahmad debate cars.’

  Sofia laughed. ‘Maybe ask Dr Rizzo for a sleeping tablet.’

  ‘Italian cars. Italian cars are the best,’ Marcel shouted into Sofia's phone.

  Michael looked at Ringo and Ahmad and started to laugh. ‘Ringo looks please to hear that.’

  ‘I’m putting you on loudspeaker,’ Sofia said. ‘So, cars?’

  ‘What the hell does this have to do with us getting the fragment?’ Carolina shouted. ‘Michael, how's your head? I hope tomorrow you’ll be ready to see Ireland again.'

  ‘I’m fine.’

  ‘It’ll be a busy day tomorrow,’ Scarlett said. ‘There are road blocks and diversions everywhere. I guess they’re expecting to have a lot of people in the city for the event. We've just arrived at the outskirts. We'll be there soon.’

  ‘Just focus on getting the president back to his people first and then we’ll f
igure out where the fragment’s being kept,’ Michael said, as Ajit walked into the room, laptop cradled in his left arm, cup of tea in the right hand. ‘Where’s my tea?’

  ‘Where’d you leave it?’ Ajit grinned, sipping from his cup.

  Ringo exploded into laughter.

  ‘Good one,’ Michael admitted. ‘Have you narrowed down a few possible locations for us to check? Where's Eduardo?’

  ‘I have, and he’s running around somewhere playing some game.’ Ajit sat on the armchair next to Ringo and Ahmad. ‘I’ve borrowed spy satellite to track movement of the president’s personal vehicle, and the locations which he had the most security, and where he's spent the most time. The locations are: a hotel in the city centre, and the museum of Madrid.’ He cleared his throat as if to prepare to deliver difficult news.’

  ‘Spit it out, Ajit!’ Marcel shouted through the phone. ‘The palace?’

  ‘Yes,’ Ajit said. ‘It's too risky to go back there again. We can’t. It'd be better to wait until the bullfighting festival and grab it then.’

  ‘Agreed,’ Carolina said. ‘Never return to the scene of the crime! If it’s between the palace and the bullring, I say it's the bullring.’

  ‘We’re almost at the drop,’ Mohammad said. ‘This place looks dodgy. You mean to tell me we just leave the president in that car and get going?’

  ‘We've got people watching the car,’ Scarlett said. ‘This has all been planned.’

  ‘I'm getting excited,’ Marcel said.

  ‘Me too,’ Carolina laughed.

  ‘You know, if we get caught, we'll probably all be killed for this?’ Eduardo said, entering the room.

  ‘No probably about it, we'd be killed without any thought!’ Scarlett said.