I know that never is too soon to update a story. I have to thank you all for being such constant readers. This story is over 100 marks already! So, this is a kind of celebration. Enjoy it :)
17 Have We Eaten On the Insane Root?
They had dinner in a beautiful room. The rich decoration made the place look like a gallery in an art museum. The cupboards were filled to the top with miniature ornaments of different kinds. Spike sat at the table for several minutes before getting up and strolling around. He went over to the glass cases out of curiosity more than anything else.
He avoided the relics with religious connotations. He did not like them, and they did not like him. Next to them, there were several Fabergé eggs. Spike studied the display carefully. It would be just great to find among them the one with the golden swan on top. Of course, that would be also really convenient, and as he had learned through the years, convenience never came that easy.
"Do you like the Fabergé eggs, Herr Nagel?" Hogan came to stand next to him.
Spike stared at the colonel; quite a clever man indeed. Drusilla's mental control would not have worked on him as well as it had worked on Klink. Spike shrugged innocently. "I saw a couple of them in Paris."
The countess was following the conversation from her seat and smiled at them. "How about you, Corporal Newkirk? Have you heard about the Fabergé eggs?"
Newkirk noticed a hint of a grin in the lady's lips. He blushed. Of course he had. Any respectable thief had to know about the Fabergé eggs; most of them were well appraised in the black market. "Sure, they were made on demand, all original, the oldest date from eighteen eighty-five. They stopped the production right after the fall of the House of Romanov. Less than fifty survived, some are in private collections, some are missing."
"Very well, corporal," she smiled. "They were gifts for Easter time. They are beautifully decorated and hollowed to contain a little surprise inside. Sometimes, it would be a miniature sculpture, or a picture... or something more valuable." She went to a shelf on the wall and took a big book. She showed Hogan a picture. "This was a gift from Rasputin to the Tzarina Alexandra Feodorovna, Nicholas the Second's wife. As you can see, it's just a sketch, the original is missing. It is said that this egg has magical powers. Rasputin promised Alexandra that in moments of tribulation, she should open the egg and get the surprise out. Great powers would come to help her. They say he was talking about the revolution and the fall of the Empire."
By then, Hogan had begun to join the dots. At least, now he knew that it was not about a conventional egg anymore. Not even the head of a missile. He did not know what to make out of all of this. "It wasn't much help."
The countess smiled shyly. "Well, you see... There is a story about that." She sighed. "As you must know, the tzarina was from Germany, so it was expected for her to get her help from her own country. My great-great grandmother served as lady in waiting for the tzarina."
"Remarkable." Colonel Klink finished his supper and joined Hogan and the countess. "The stories she must have told you, Countess von Krauser ."
"I'm Elizabeth, Colonel Klink. That's not all. My great-great grandmother was not much of a lady, I must say. As soon as she knew about the revolution and the terrible things to come, she ran away from Russia. But before that, she packed some of the tzarina's precious jewelry, including that egg. The tzarina never had the chance to put it to the test... She and her family were assassinated two years later... After the Great War, my great-great grandmother married a count here in Germany and the rest is history... The egg has been in and out my family for generations. Sometimes, when the economic situation asked for it, my family put the egg on the market."
"What a shame," Klink said. "Is it highly appraised?"
"The artistic value is not that important, although yes, it's quite expensive right now." She sighed. "Unfortunately, the last time they pawned the Fabergé egg, it was stolen. Someone saw it at the flea market in the early nineteen twenties."
"That's a beautiful story," Mr. Jones dared to say. "Makes you wonder where that egg must be right now."
"Oh, it's surely in some General's private collection." Klink laughed. "The Nazi Party is full of opportunistic big shots."
To his chagrin, Hogan found himself concerned about Klink. He certainly did not buy Spike's explanation about mental control. He walked to the table to speak to Schultz. "Has the kommandant been drinking or taking pills of some sort?"
"Not at all," Schultz said, showing concern.
"I think he's sleepy. I'm sure that the second part of the story is not as fun as this one." Spike nodded. "Hey, Will. You want to go to bed now, don't you?"
"Bed? Oh yes," Klink yawned. "I'm sorry, Countess Elizabeth, I'll be more energetic in the morning."
Hogan waited till he was gone. "What's going on with him?" He asked Spike because he seemed to be responsible for most of their troubles.
"I told you, mental control. Dru put a glamor on Colonel Klink. I triggered it with a tarot card. Right now, Klink thinks he's dreaming. You can thank me for that. We must keep him out of our way, right?"
"Who is Dru?"
"My girlfriend," Spike said as if it were understood. "But we should stop asking questions of each other and pay attention to the real situation."
Hogan stared at him and then, at Newkirk. The corporal barely shrugged, as though he was not surprised by Spike's attitude. Hogan felt he was no longer in control of the situation and he hated that. "All right, moving on. Why are the Allies taking so much time looking for that egg? It looks nice, but I don't see how it can turn tables on the course of war. And don't bring along that part of the fairy tale."
"It's not a fairy tale, Colonel Hogan. The Allies might not know this, but the Nazis do and if they get this egg, the Russian Front will be lost. Those who get this egg will control a very powerful warlock. He will do whatever he's asked to. He can crush anything on his path, including his own beloved country." The countess hardened her expression. "You are a military man, you tell me what that would mean for the course of the war."
Hogan sank in his chair. He could not believe that he was the only rational person left in the room. He looked at Newkirk. "Why you?" He turned to Spike. "Why Newkirk?"
Spike smirked. "The egg is guarded by magic forces. Although they're not invulnerable, their powers are enough to keep thieves away. Only one with enough determination might be capable of getting through."
"Determined? As in stubborn and obstinate?" Hogan chuckled. "That I believe. If the rest of the story were true, Newkirk would be your man, indeed." He leaned forward in his chair and got very serious. "But I don't believe that chasing wild geese around is a priority, so, I'm withdrawing us from this job."
Newkirk closed his eyes. Somehow, that was the response he had been anticipating from Hogan. The next step would be the more painful for him. "Sir, I'm afraid I can't do that..." He sighed and lowered his head. "There is too much at stake here. I can't be responsible for what may happen if we don't intervene."
"But, Newkirk," Hogan said, touching his hand. "Look at you. These people are playing with your mind. If I don't get you out of here now, you might die."
"And that's exactly what I dread is going to happen to you if I don't stay."
Hogan frowned. "What does it mean? Has someone threatened you with me dying?" He looked up at Spike. "Have you?"
"Hey, I'm just another innocent victim here." Spike grinned.
"Oh, yeah? And what's with that uniform? Looks terribly authentic to me." Hogan crossed his arms. "Are you a Nazi?"
"Hell no! I drink them. I don't subscribe to their party."
"Excuse me," said Mr. Jones, raising his hand. "What are we talking about here? I think I've missed some thread of the conversation. Did he say that he drinks people?"
"Oh, that's because I'm a vamp-"
"Spike!" Hogan and Newkirk shut him up at the same time. Then, the colonel turned to Countess Elizabeth. "All right, give me something to work with. That egg, where can we find it?"
"The legend says that this egg contains Koshchei the Deathless' soul." The countess opened another book. "It's Russian mythology." She gave Hogan the book.
"Koshchei...powerful wizard... immortal...his soul is hidden... an egg, ...a duck, ...a hare, ...a box,... under an oak tree in a remote island?" Hogan looked at the countess and then at Newkirk and Schultz. "You too knew about this too?"
"Only the part about Koshchei, yes," Schultz said in a whisper. "And him," he glanced at Spike and lowered his eyes.
Hogan sighed with nostalgia. "Do you remember when we only used fairy tales to take our code names from them?" he said to Newkirk. He turned to Spike again. "And who are you? Prince Valiant?"
"Prince Valiant," Spike chuckled. "Oh, you're not joking." He straightened up. "I'm William, the Bloody, you can call me Spike."
The countess sprung up from her chair. "A vampire in my house?"
"So, you know him?" Newkirk asked.
"I told you I was famous," he shrugged.
"A vampire?" Mr. Jones adjusted his glasses.
"Vampire," Hogan shook his head. "I can't work with vampires. Newkirk, I'm sorry. I have to stay on the sane side of life. We're going back to camp."
"What? No!" Newkirk's eyes widened with despair. "I know this is madness but if we step out, someone else will get that egg and then, who knows what might happen." He came closer to Hogan. "Colonel, I always thought I would die young. Ever since I was shot down and sent to the prison camp, I was sure I would not last. You came to give us hope, there's no one else I would trust with me life... But now, it's up to you to trust me. Can you?"
Hogan looked around. He felt that his rational world was about to collapse. The worst part was that he seemed to be the only one who really cared. He met Newkirk eye to eye and nodded. "I trust you, Newkirk. I trust you with my life too." He sighed. "We'll play along with these fantasy people. No offense, Countess."
"None taken, Colonel." She smiled.
"And what's the next step?" Hogan asked Spike.
"Why, finding that bloody egg, what else?" Spike lit a cigarette.
"Don't smoke in front of my books!"
"You got that right, lady. I'm leaving now. You're coming with me," said he to Newkirk.
"Wait a minute. Newkirk works only for me." Hogan got up. "You may do whatever you want but he stays here."
"Relax, it's not like I'm taking him to the Gestapo. We're friends now, aren't we, Newkirk? I need him to help me look for the egg." Spike sighed. "The witch is doing the impossible to stop Newkirk from getting close to the egg. The closer he gets-"
"You want to use Newkirk as bait?" Hogan glared.
"Rather like a canary in a coal mine*," Spike chuckled.
"A what? And you think I'm gonna allow you to do that?" Hogan stepped forward.
"It's all right, Gov'nor. I'll take care of meself." Newkirk got up slowly.
"Aren't you afraid of him?" Hogan asked.
"Of this wanker? Not bloody likely." Newkirk chuckled.
"Hey, watch it. I can be dangerous, mate." Spike stepped forward
"Oh, sure. Blokes like you are more noise than anything else." Newkirk laughed. "I know how to deal with your kind, mate."
"You're just a little-"
"Enough, you two." Hogan rolled his eyes. "You'd better behave if you're going to work together."
"Like ruddy brothers," Spike said. "Let's go."
Hogan shook his head. He just hated losing authority in front of Spike "Couldn't this wait till tomorrow? You need to rest," he said to Newkirk.
"He's a ruddy creature of the night, Gov'nor. Only works at night. Besides, I don't think I could get any rest." He turned to look Hogan in the eye. "I've got everything under control, Gov'nor. Trust me."
Mr. Jones stood up and cleared his throat. "As a representative of London, I'd like to encourage you to go on, Colonel. This must be a scam of some sort, but until then, we can't forget that if there is a powerful secret weapon, it's our duty to protect it from enemy hands. Don't you think?"
"Nice speech," Newkirk shrugged.
"Famous last words too," Hogan sighed. "If things get ugly, as that Spike says, escape, all right? I'll do some research before I join you. Do you know where you're going?"
"No, but I'll leave a trail of crumbs."
"Do you have enough bread to do that?" Hogan grinned.
"Don't you worry, I still have some tricks up me sleeves." Newkirk smiled.
Hogan nodded and saluted his man. "Go on, then, Newkirk, the game's a foot!"
()o()o()
Newkirk followed Spike out of the house. Instead of taking the road to town, the vampire went the opposite way. Newkirk had the feeling that something was not right, but at this point, he was up to anything in order to be done with this mission. The longer they went, the more convinced he was that he was walking into a trap.
"Spike? Where are we going?" Covertly, Newkirk had been producing cards from under his sleeve to throw them on the ground.
"To end of this story right where it began," he said. The vampire crossed the street and turned a corner. A castle appeared before them. Numerous trees surrounded a narrow path leading to a nice garden.
Newkirk almost stopped. He had seen this path before; he had walked it several times in his dreams. "Spike? Why are we here?"
The vampire did not answer. He found an open gate and stopped. "Now, Peter, this is where we go separate ways." He walked upstairs and rang a bell. "Don't take it personal, I kinda like you, lad. But blood is thicker than water." He shrugged at the same moment that three Gestapo guards came out with their weapons aimed at Newkirk.
"You lied to us," Newkirk shouted at the vampire.
"What can I say? I'm evil," Spike lifted his shoulders, without a hint of remorse.
The corporal sighed and raised his hands. It was over. Whether it was Gestapo, the vampires or the witch, he was in no position to negotiate. Anyone could kill him the moment they wanted.
tbc
Bad Spike! Bad, bad Spike...
* In other times, miners used canaries to detect poisonous gas in the mines. They kept working as long as the canary kept singing. Sometimes, the birds dropped dead in their cages, so the miners knew it was time to run out of the tunnels. (my sources: common knowledge and Wikipedia)
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