Heroes Rising Fiction: Golden Hunt part 6

Part 6

Chase walked over the rolling hills toward the mountains. Hikers, tourists, and at least one bewildered constable crossed their path.

Watching him leave, she said, “We need to get the people out of here somehow. Would hate for someone to take away what we’re looking for. What do you...” She stopped, looked up, and once again found herself alone. “FLEAGLE!”

The dog-man bounded over the hills, a stick in his mouth, and his tail wagging like crazy. He ran in a wide circle around her, stopped long enough to drop the stick, and then danced all over the place. “Just once, come on!”

She picked up the stick and contained the furious screaming boiling in her. “We are not here to play!”

“Come on!” He bounced and whimpered.

She threw the stick so that the larger end smacked him in the forehead. This caused a considerable yelp. “GET BACK TO WORK!”

He dashed away, sniffing the air, real fear in his eyes again. She induced this fear about once an hour, and then he would go back to this stupid dog routine. “Maybe I can tell Nova that this dope fell off the cliff. One good shove...” she went back to her readings, so she would stop thinking of ways to rid herself of Fleagle. Smacking the side of the sensor, she scoffed, “This thing is showing that energy all over the place. If that Leprechaun is around here, we won’t be able to zero in on him.”
“BAROOOO!” Fleagle began howling.

Chase stopped, her right eye twitching. “What now!”

“I FOUND IT, BAROOO, I FOUND IT!” He was hollering now.

Chase prayed that he accomplished something and didn’t locate another stick for her to throw. She would throw it off the cliff and see if he would follow. To her great surprise, she found him hopping around next to what appeared to be a pot of gold.

“Can this be a Leprechauns pot of gold?” She whispered.

It was hidden in the side of a rock face.

Fleagle dug a little at the wall, “It has to be it! It smells just like the other coin.”

Chase scanned it, “The signature is off the charts. Why is it here? Where is the Leprechaun?” She reached over and picked up a coin, “This feels like real gold. This is worth a fortune. But, where is...stop poking me.”

“Look!” Fleagle pulled her arm to get her attention.

Before she smacked him, she paused at the sight of what could only be described as a true Irish leprechaun. “Oh, my.”

He gave off a cheery smile and tipped his hat to her, “Top o the morning to ya, lass. Ya found me crock o gold.” he spoke with a cliché Irish lilt.

“Are we glad to see you, sir. We are from BADGE.” She pulled out her id card.

He came closer to them, “Oh, ye are. How interesting.”

Fleagle’s tail was about to wag itself off, “Does this mean we get three wishes or something?

“Oh, ye want yer three wishes now, do ya?”

Fleagle bounced, “Do we each get three, or three between us. I want a big bone, and...”

“Do I get a wish.” A new voice joined in.

Both Chase and Fleagle turned with a shot and gasped. That hooded figure stood there, only his smile showing.

“YOU!” Chase held up her blades. “Stay behind us, sir,” she commanded the Leprechaun.

The hooded man came closer, “I know you. You’re that little girl I met when this all began. You were the one who got Cupid his bow. I’m glad Nova sent you instead of that pet Statue of his. Though, it looks like you brought a pet of your own.”

Fleagle bared his teeth and growled, “I’m nobody's pet!”

Chase didn’t give this man any more time to gloat. She threw her blades. He batted them away with a flick of his hand. It was obvious they were outmatched, but she merely needed to distract him. Flicking open the comm device Troy gave her, she punched the button. “It’s too late. BADGE knows you’re here.” She held up the comm device.

The hooded man chortled, “Good.”

All at once there was a blinding flash and she watched the world change around her. Everything got larger, which meant she got smaller. Sinking into her own clothes, the last thing she saw was the Leprechaun take the communicator from where it fell. He said, “Here, just as you guessed. They called BADGE.”

“Good. All is going according to plan.”

It was then that Chase realized they had been betrayed. She was lost in a sea of her own clothing when something grabbed it all up and turned her shirt into a bag where she and Fleagle were both carried away.