Chapter Sixteen

Oengus tried to hide his embarrassment. He was chained in a darkened area in some sort of a cellar. They had taken all his clothes.

And then some hours later Maedbh had been brought in, and under the supervision of an older woman was stripped and chained in a chair. Had she not been blindfolded he would have been more embarrassed that she might have seen how he reacted to her being stripped to reveal her beautiful body.

Hugo took his men away with a withering glance in his direction and left them in the silence.

Now the woman was walking about inspecting the two prisoners.

She cackled. Deirdre liked to cackle. It was a witch thing.

She put her hand on Oengus’s heart and felt it beat. Restrained by his chains, Oengus could only watch. Then she went and put her hand on Maedbh’s heart. Maedbh squirmed and made a noise but she was equally helpless.

“Two magic creatures, what a prize,” Deirdre cackled.

“Two?” Maedbh said, realizing she might not be the only prisoner.

“It’s me,” Oengus said.

After a silence Maedbh asked, “Are you chained and naked?”

“No talking,” Deirdre snapped.

“Yes,” Oengus said.

“Blindfolded?” Maedbh asked.

“No,” Oengus admitted, feeling embarrassed for Maedbh.

“I’ll gag ye both,” Deirdre threatened.

She didn’t want to gag them as in her long experience a gagged prisoner might suffocate or have a seizure from the stress. She wanted her prisoners relaxed breathing easily and stress free as far as possible.

“Take off my blindfold,” Maedbh asked, adding, “please.”

Deirdre cackled.

“You’re a witch,” she said. “Witches have to be blindfolded lest they cast a spell.”

“I’m thirsty,” Oengus said to deflect attention from Maedbh.

“Be thirsty and stay quiet or you’ll get neither drink nor food,” Deirdre said.

Oengus watched as Deirdre took out a key and opened the door to the room.

“She’s gone,” Oengus said after a while.

“Where are we?” Maedbh asked with a sob in her voice.

“No idea, but I think we are in a cellar.”

“Oengus did you tell them where to find me?”

“Of course not. Remember they followed us yesterday. They were there when I met my uncle and they took me. But he got away.”

“They were waiting for me. A called man Hugo and two of his thuggish friends.”

“And Venus?”

“They put her in a cat basket. She’s smart, she’ll be ok.”

“And Puca Beag?” Oengus asked hopefully.

“No sign of him.”

“What do you think they want with us?” Oengus asked after a further silence.

“Probably want to eat our hearts.”

“What!” Oengus was shocked.

“The hearts of magic beings have special qualities.”

“Such as?”

“Oengus did they not teach you anything?”

“Nothing magic Maedbh. I grew up on a farm and then I was sent to New York.”

“Anyway a magic heart has a long life. If a witch eats one she can regain some of her youth. Of course good witches would never stoop to that sort of thing but there are bad witches, usually ugly.”

“You’re not ugly,” Oengus offered.

“Oengus given my situation that sort of remark is not helpful. I’ll thank you to avert your eyes and think of something else.”

“I really meant...”

“Oengus, you are a teenager. I know that but try to be a gentleman.”

“OK.”

Oengus wondered was he falling in love. This was his first ever view of a naked woman in the flesh. But then there was Nina.

Nina the betrayer. He felt a surge of anger. Oengus pulled on his chains. But it was to no avail.

“Are the chains made of silver?” Maedbh asked.

“Now that you mention it I think so,” Oengus replied.

“Then we are doomed.”

***

Lived Dutronc regarded Morag with benign tolerance.

“Tell me again. Did you say you have kidnapped two teenagers in New York, stripped them naked and tied them up in a cellar and that are holding them prisoner?”

“A witch and a boy of unknown provenance. Dearg Due says he is magic, but we have to run tests to confirm. The female is definitely a female witch, albeit young one, probably an apprentice.”

“An apprentice Morag? All apprentices have masters. What if you bring a witches coven down on us?”

“Deirdre the Kerry witch is holding them in a secure cellar on her premises. They are bound in silver chains and the young witch is blindfolded. They are helpless.”

“Morag do not let this sideline event distract from the main event. We are attempting to crash property prices in New York and hopefully the dollar on the currency markets. To do this we need chaos in New York.”

“The spell is in the water system. If it is left undisturbed it will last a week untended. By then all sewer dwellers will be driven out onto the streets and subways. There will be chaos.”

“I hope so Morag. We have taken sell positions in some key stocks and on the dollar foreign exchange. In addition our buy situation in environmental companies is looking good.”

“We just need to keep it simple Lived and it will work its way through.”

‘Call me sir, not Lived.”

“Yes sir,” Morag said. She felt a shiver of attraction. When he was cold it lit her fire and when he was domineering she wanted to surrender.

“The New York population is very resilient,” Lived added.

“The television reports sir?”

“Yes Morag. The Mayor has put a bounty on the heads of sewer animals. A dime for every rat. There must be at least ten million rats.”

“And a cent for every frog and twenty dollars per crocodile.”

“It seems gangs are being formed to slaughter these beasts. People are just getting together in their buildings and creating hunting parties.”

“As you say sir, New Yorkers are a resilient lot. But business is suffering and the economy will take a dip.”

Lived considered for a moment.

“Morag,” he said. “We need a big event to tip the scales.”

“Suggestions?” Morag asked.

“Work on it Morag and come up with something please,” Lived said.

As he spoke he waved his hand dismissively.

“Anything else sir?’ Morag offered.

“Not today. But Morag,” Lived replied with a grin.

“Yes sir?”

“Make sure the teenage thing is not an issue. We don’t want to be distracted.”

“Don’t worry sir. And I’ll keep you posted.”

***

Venus was unhappy. A witch’s cat had status, respect even. But this Hugo had put her in a cat cage and given her to his mother.

“For the rats,” he’d said and his mother had taken Venus with gratitude to her caring son.

Now Venus was confined to the apartment and expected to patrol for rats coming in from the street. That said the food was home cooked and she liked the dollop of cream on the side of her saucer. So far, aside from the occasional scurry in the corridor, there had been no sign of a rat attempt to invade the apartment.

There was a tip tap on the window. Hugo’s mother was watching a TV show and laughing at something.

Venus jumped on to the back of a lounger. From this viewpoint she could see Puca in full pigeon mode trying to get her attention.

Venus shrugged. The windows were sealed, the apartment door was locked.

Puca shrugged, he’d expected more initiative from the cat. Puca flew down to ground level. He was distracted for a moment to peck a few tasty bits on the ground but then remembered he had a mission.

Puca concentrated. It was exhausting. He concentrated again. Slowly he transformed into his best memory of Hugo, jeans and jacket included.

He looked at his reflection in the glass of the first floor apartment. ‘Cool’ he thought, getting into the mood and the vibe.

He turned to face the stoop and was surprised to see Nina bounding up the steps.

Nina stopped in her tracks. “Hugo?” she asked, “I thought...”

“You thought what?” Puca demanded in his best Hugo accent.

“I... I thought I was speaking to you a minute ago up the street. You asked me to go check on your mother,” Nina stammered.

“I’m a fast mover,” Puca alleged.

Nina gave him a suspicious look.

“That’s pigeon accent in there, are you the Puca Beag?”

Puca was shocked. He’d thought he’d got the accent just right.

“What are you going to do?” Puca asked anxiously.

“I knew it,” Nina said triumphantly.

“And how did you escape from Grand Central Station?” Puca demanded.

“I can’t handle this,” Nina said.

Her shoulders drooped.

Puca made to put an arm around her. She recoiled with an expression of distaste.

As Nina turned to go Puca cried, “Help me please, I don’t know what to do?”

“What were you going to do?” Nina demanded.

“I was going to try get the cat.”

“Venus?”

‘They took Oengus in a black sedan. I followed the sedan and they took Oengus into a house in the Bronx. Then I went back to the apartment to warn them. Venus said we’d have to wait for Maedbh to get back from her classes. I waited on the roof. Later Maedbh went into the apartment. They were waiting in ambush and I only realized what was happing when they pulled her out and into a Ford Pickup truck. Hugo also took Venus in his cat cage and some electric stuff. He took off in one direction and the Pickup in another. I followed Venus as I thought it was logical to conclude that Maedbh would be brought to where they brought Oengus.”

“Good thinking,” Nina said, showing respect.

“So?” Puca asked.

“So go get the cat,” Nina said.

“Don’t go, help me please,” Puca asked.

“You don’t get it Puca,” Nina said with a touch of sadness.

“What, like?”

“Like I’m not on your side.”

“What, I thought you and Oengus were friends. He trusted you.”

“Puca, it’s complicated.”

“Help me get the cat,” Puca said.

Nina shrugged. “I should shout for help and get them to grab you. Then they’ll have everyone,” Nina replied stiffly.

“I’ll turn into a pigeon and every time you come out I’ll drop some doody on your head,” Puca said more in hope to cajole rather than in threat.

Nina couldn’t help a laugh.

“Listen, I think Hugo is in over his head. What with magic and all, it can’t be good. If I help Hugo mustn’t know and you must promise Hugo won’t be harmed.” Nina said.

“As far as I can help, no harm will befall either you or Hugo.” Puca promised.

Nina went and knocked on the door of Hugo’s mother’s apartment.

“Who there?” a voice called.

“Nina here. I need the cat,” Nina replied.

There was a noise as the door bolts and locks were pulled back. Puca, still retaining a Hugo appearance, hung back by the elevator. If Nina could spot him, he didn’t have the confidence to try fool Hugo’s mother.

“The cat ain’t much use, it just sleeps,” Hugo’s mother said.

Nina followed into the apartment.

When Venus saw it was Nina he went into evasive mode, seeing her as the enemy. Nina and Hugo’s mother spent ten minutes before the cornered her.

“Venus,” Nina said persuasively. “Please come with me. You won’t be harmed.”

Venus gave her his haughty mixed with I’m trapped look.

Nina put the cage down in front of Venus.

“Your way or the hard way,” she said.

“That cat is stupid, you don’t talk to a cat,” Hugo’s mother said, but then stopped in amazement as Venus stepped into the cage backwards and pulled the door closed behind her.

“Clever cat,” Nina said.

Venus shrugged, anything would be an improvement on her present captivity, calculating that movement might give her a chance to escape.