Iona Portal (29 page)

Everyone turned to Michael in surprise.  Erin grasped Michael’s arm, “Michael, it sounds like you see something we’re missing.  What is it?” 

Michael looked at Erin and then to Patrick.  “Don’t you see?  It’s all a game.  It’s the Archon strategy.  Rex is just a diversionary tactic.”

“Patrick,” Michael said, “what made you think you needed to get to
Cnoc Angel
?  It’s because Rex and his gang have set up their camp there.  They’ve barricaded themselves at The Hill of the Angels because
that’s
where they
want
us to focus our attention.”

“But don’t we need to get to the hill to reopen the portal?”

“Patrick… I’ve been pondering this since we left Texas.  Your cousin Columba used to pray at the Hill of the Angels, but nobody said that’s where the portal was located.

“The ancient legends say that on the night Columba died, a huge pillar of fire was seen on the eastern tip of Iona as the island filled with thousands of angels who had come to honor their friend Columba.

“My theory is that the pillar of fire was formed by thousands of shining angels pouring through the portal.

“But…” Michael continued, “the record specifically said the pillar of fire was on the
easternmost
part of the island.  Any map will show you that the Hill of the Angels is not on the eastern part of the island.  It’s located in the exact center of the island.  So the Hill of the Angels is NOT the location of the portal.”

“Then where is the portal?”  demanded Patrick.

“Remember your map of Iona, Patrick.  The easternmost part of the island is found on Iona’s northeastern shore.  In other words, at the location of Columba’s monastery.  So the Portal was located at the monastery, not the Hill of the Angels.”

“But the monastery covers a big area,” Patrick responded, “much of which is now covered by a medieval Catholic church.”

“Yes, but we have
another
hint as to the location of the portal,” Michael explained.

“The ancient Celts had a practice of erecting cairns – pillars of stones – at places where they sensed the spiritual barrier was thin.  So if the monks of Iona knew there was a portal into the heavens, they would have marked it.  All we need to do is find the location of the cairns.”

“But there are no cairns on that part of the island now,” Patrick came back.  “I’ve been all over that area many times.” 

“Of course,” agreed Michael.  “Any cairns, along with any other structures from Columba’s day, would have been torn down by peasants scavenging for building materials during the medieval period.

“But there’s one place within Columba’ monastery where we know cairns once stood.  In fact, it’s a hill that eventually came to be known as the Hill of the Cairns.”

 “Cnoc nan Carnan!” 
Patrick exclaimed, “The Hill of the Cairns!  That’s Columba’s hill, where his cell once stood between the upright slabs of stone.”

“That’s right Patrick.  I believe the portal was directly over Columba’s cell.”

“When Columba died and the angels poured through the portal, the monks marked the spot by erecting cairns of stone where his cell had been.  So they renamed the place, the Hill of the Cairns.

“And that means we don’t have to capture the Hill of the Angels from Rex’s army…” Michael continued, “We just need to walk up the road to
your
Hill.”

 “If that’s true,” Holmes said with rising excitement, “then we have our direction.”  Glancing around the table, he added. “I believe it’s time to go and open the portal.”

“Wait a minute, Holmes,” Erin cut in, “I need to say something before we go.”  

All eyes turned to Erin.  “As we walked into the pub and sat down, I felt my gift activate.  I got a strong impression I believe could be important.”

“What is it?”  Holmes inquired.

Brushing a lock of chestnut-brown hair from her eyes, Erin looked around nervously at the group, “It’s a word for all of us,” she said, “including our friends from Mull.  What I heard was this,
‘The enemy has formed a strategy to destroy you.  Today you will face the powers of evil.  But you are now twelve.  Your number is complete.  Each of you has been called here for a purpose, and if you stand with each other, you will have what you need.  Stand together and do not fear.’”

“I’ve been hearing something similar,” Patrick agreed.  “I’ve sensed we’re heading into a major confrontation, and all of us need to be ready.” 

Looking at Holmes he continued, “I also have a personal word for you.  What I heard is this…
‘In the confrontation to come, don’t hesitate to act.  Do what you know is right, and don’t fear the consequences.  This
is
your destiny.’”

When Patrick finished, the group sat in silence for a moment, trying to digest what had been said.  Holmes, in particular, focused on their new friends from Mull, seeing them as if for the first time.  With their addition, the group had, indeed, increased to twelve.   But he wondered what the next few hours would hold for all of them.  

Looking at Patrick, he said quietly, “I think we better get to your hill.   Show us how to get there.”

Chapter Twenty-five:  Releasing the Angels

THE ISLAND OF IONA, ARGYLE, SCOTLAND

Although it was only four in the afternoon, the landscape around them was shrouded in thick darkness.  The churning clouds of dust and ash still blanketed the sky while the distant fires of Ben More cast a dull, red glow over everything. 

With Patrick leading the way, the members of the synaxis followed the twisting road past the ruins of the medieval nunnery and the Columba Hotel.  The Fionnphort Gun Club followed close behind. 

They’d almost reached
Cnoc nan Carnan
when three dark figures stepped out of the shadows, blocking their path.  In the lead was Rex Vanderberg. 

When the lookouts reported to Rex that his wife was on Iona with the synaxis, he’d gone mad with rage.  Leaving Grat in charge of the men at the camp, Rex, Reno and Bryce had come hunting for Erin.  Reno and Bryce held black Kalashnikov assault rifles slung loosely over their shoulders while Rex carried a Beretta automatic pistol tucked into his belt.

Seeing Rex and his men, Patrick motioned for the group to stop, and the synaxis spread out across the road with every eye on Rex. 

“What do you want?” Patrick demanded.

“I want
many
things,” Rex smiled smugly.  He glanced from Patrick to the members of the group, “By this time tomorrow I want all of you
dead
.  Your
synaxis
ends tonight!”

Shifting his gaze to Erin, Rex pulled the Beretta from his belt and flipped off the safety.   “But first,” he said, “I want my wife.” 

Leering at her, he said coolly, “Come here,
Honey!”

“No, Rex!”  Erin answered firmly, her voice quivering with the fierce, pent-up anger of twenty years.  “You lost the right to call me
wife
long ago.”  With rising intensity, she continued, “Until now, I’ve been too fearful to resist you, but I’m
not
afraid
of you anymore.”

“
Silence… TRAITOR!
”  Rex roared, cutting her off.  His face went blood dark as he raised the Beretta, his hand trembling with rage, and pointed it directly at Erin’s heart.  “When I take you back to camp,” his voice hardened, “I’ve decided to leave you with Grat Dalton for the night.  While your Irin friends are dying in the skies overhead, Grat and the boys will show you what happens to a woman who betrays me by joining my enemies.” 

Taking a step closer, he softened his voice and grinned malevolently, “It’ll be an educational experience for you, Honey
.
  Grat will
teach you
to be afraid again.

“And when the boys are finished playing their little games with you … and when I’ve heard your sweet voice whimpering in fear between your anguished screams …” he said as he lowered the gun, “I’ll come for you.”   

Rex glared at her for a long moment, but Erin stood her ground, unwavering and defiant.

Then, in a tone that pierced like a hardened steel knife, he added, “…I
will
come for you, my dear wife, and you can be very certain of this… this time I
will
kill you.”  

As he was speaking, Rex began moving toward Erin, ready to seize her in his iron grip; but he suddenly found his way blocked.  A tall, powerfully built man with piercing green eyes had stepped forward and positioned himself directly in Rex’s path.

Holmes had been pondering Patrick’s word since they left the pub, and knew this was his time to act.   Planting his feet firmly, he looked into Rex’s face, now dark and twisted with rage, and said firmly, “Hold it, Rex!  You’re not taking Erin anywhere.  Everyone in this group is under my protection.”

Startled by the unexpected intervention, Rex regarded the unarmed man blocking his way through dark, sunken eyes, then smiled thinly.  “You must be Derek Holmes, the leader of this tiresome group.  I’ve heard many things about you from my Archon friends.

“You shouldn’t have brought these people here, Dr. Holmes.  After tonight there will be no more Irin, and you will all be dead.

“But first,” he said, glancing at Erin, “I’m taking my
wife.
”

“And I said,
no
.”  Holmes said firmly, taking a step closer.  In a smooth motion, Reno and Bryce unslung their AK-47’s, but Holmes continued, “To get to any of these people, you’ll have to deal with me first.”

Rex’s face twisted in a look of honest bafflement, then his eyes darkened, “Your request is granted,” he said, icily.  “I
will
deal with you first.”  Rex raised the Beretta again and calmly pointed it at the center of Holmes’ chest, just feet away.

“Hold it right there!” a woman’s voice ordered.  It was Catherine Campbell, stepping into view from the shadows at the side of the road with her shotgun raised and her long, ebony hair feathering softly in the wind.  “I don’t know who you think you are, you bloody berk, but you fire one shot at this man and it’ll be your last!”  She was aiming her shotgun right between his eyes.

“What a big gun for such a little girl,” Rex spat contemptuously. “Too bad you can’t afford to pull that trigger.  You shoot me, young lady, and my boys will kill every last one of you before my body hits the ground.”

Fire burned in Catherine’s eyes.  “Don’t test me!” she warned.  “I
promise
you, I’ll blow your bloody head off!”

Rex gave her a condescending smile, then turned and nodded to Reno and Bryce, who raised their Kalashnikovs into firing position, pointed directly at Catherine.

Shifting his gaze back to Catherine, Rex took several steps in her direction and stood over her menacingly.  Glaring at her, he drew his lips back sharply, deliberately baring his teeth.  And just for an instant his face was distorted, a beast’s face, leering at her in unearthly rage.

Caught off guard by the intensity of his gaze, Catherine wavered for a moment.  Her mouth opened slightly and, taking a step back, she lowered the barrel of the Remington just an inch.  

That momentary hesitation was all the encouragement Rex needed.  Seeing Catherine pull back, his cruel grin broadened to a look of smug satisfaction.  Without another word, he turned back to Holmes and raised the Beretta.  Then, before anyone could move, Rex took aim and calmly squeezed the trigger.

Piper heard the shot, and from the corner of her eye saw the bullet impact the center of Holmes’ chest.  She closed her eyes and screamed.

Rex had cultivated such an aura of intimidation that no one ever dared oppose him.  But he didn’t know Catherine Campbell.  At the moment his shot was fired, the air echoed with the sound of an even louder retort, as Catherine firmly pulled the trigger of her shotgun. 

And so, Rex Vanderberg’s death was as violent as his life.  Firing her Remington 870 twelve-gauge—loaded with double-aught buckshot—at close range, Catherine Campbell fulfilled her promise to Rex by quite literally blowing his head off.

Reno and Bryce had not anticipated Catherine’s response, and also had not noticed Angus and Malcolm standing in silent darkness by the edge of the road with their shotguns at the ready.  Before Rex’s thugs could react, two more shots rang out, and in a moment, Rex, Reno and Bryce all lay dead on the pavement in front of
Cnoc nan Carnan.

Piper turned back to Holmes, and screamed again.  Holmes was gone.  In the distraction of the other shots, she never saw that when the bullet impacted his body, he’d simply disappeared.

Then, as quickly as he had disappeared, Holmes was back.  He stood before her, hands clutching his chest, but there was no blood.  He drew his hands away, and examined his chest, looking perplexed.

“Holmes, what happened?”

“I don’t know.  I felt it hit… and found myself in the shadow realm.”  He felt at his chest again and winced.  “I have a nasty bruise and maybe a broken rib.  But the bullet didn’t penetrate – the force of the impact just knocked me out of this dimension.  Eliel said I had that ability.  I just didn’t expect…”