Part 5
“You have foam all over your face,” Chase stated.
Fleagle ran his forearm over his face and wiped off the foam and then began lapping at his cider again. “This is the best one yet.”
“That would be your third since we left Dublin.” She looked in the window of a small shop in the little town they had entered.
Fleagle lapped hard for a moment, belched, and then wiped his face again, “They have a pub on every corner. Don’t blame me for get’n thirsty.”
“Just don’t get drunk.” She sneered at him and then continued down the stony street.
“Not gonna happen.” He downed it fast and then tossed the cup. “So...belch…any sign of the Leprechaun?”
“Hardly. I doubt he’d be hanging around Carlingford. He’s going to be hard to find.”
Fleagle smiled and wagged his tail as an Irish lass stared at him. She did not return the flirting.
“Can you?” Chase asked.
Fleagle said, “What?”
“I just asked if you can sniff him out? Nova said you were good at tracking.”
“Oh, uh, sure. My nose is great and all. But, I need to know what I’m smelling. I don’t think I’ve ever smelled Leprechaun before.”
“Great.” She muttered and scanned the area, “I’m picking up a background power signal similar to the magic used by both Cupid and that hooded man. So, either that’s a sign of the Leprechaun or the hooded man is nearby.”
Fleagle walked on, “I have an idea. Let’s ask someone.”
“What?” She followed him.
Fleagle came close to a man walking down the street. He looked up at the dog man and yelled, “AH!”
“Don’t be scared. I’m a hero.”
Chase pushed Fleagle aside, “Sorry, sir, we’re BADGE agents. We need help finding... uh... Leprechauns.”
The man calmed down at the sight of her and said, “Ah, oi understan’. we ‘av legends av wee people in de ‘ills an’ in a garden nearby. gran’ place ter start if yer want ter clap dem.”
Chase stood there, befuddled, “Uh...thanks.”
“Glad ter be av ‘elp .” He tipped his hat and then bolted.
Chase looked back at Fleagle, “Did you get any of that?”
He nodded, “I have a few friends from this part of Ireland. I think he said there are legends of Leprechauns in the hills and in a garden nearby.”
“Must be some kind of local legend. Which probably came from having this real leprechaun around here. A good sign we are close.” She walked over to a stand with various pamphlets, one was called, “Carlingford Fairy and Leprechaun Cavern”
“This must be the place.” Fleagle eagerly announced and was becoming overly excited.
Chase grabbed him by the ear and pulled him back down to Earth. “Calm down. This can’t be where our Leprechaun is. He wouldn’t be a tourist attraction. But, it might give us clues. Come on.”
***
After a short walk toward the ocean, they came to a cave in the ground where people were currently listening to a man talk. He was going on about having met many leprechauns and how they were now a protected, endangered species.
“Is this guy for real?” Fleagle asked.
Chase shook her head, “After all we’ve seen these past few weeks, I don’t know. Let’s get inside, he might know something.”They walked through the cavern decorated by a lot of man-made objects. Little fairy and leprechaun statues, small houses, fountains, LED lights, and music. It was more like an amusement park than a natural cave.
“This...isn’t what I expected,” Chase said as she observed a glass case with supposed Leprechaun bones next to a few old coins.
“Yeah, let’s get out of here.”
Just then they both heard the man say, “And, only this morning I was walking up the path and came across this. It matches all the other coins I have found, but it is in the best condition I’ve ever seen. This is real Leprechaun gold and I suspect it means...hey, who are you!”
Fleagle came over, sniffing at the coin. People in the room backed up, a few took pictures, and one little girl yelled, “WEREWOLF!”
Chase walked over, “Don’t be alarmed. I just need to see this.” She snatched the gold coin.
“HEY!”
She held the pristine, glimmering golden coin. Scanning it, she smiled, “This is saturated with that energy signature. This is the strongest I’ve seen. This has to be it.”
Fleagle sniffed at the coin, “I...I’m smelling something. It’s like a person, but not like any human or hero I’ve smelled before.”
“Good. Get a good sniff.” She waited while he took in great whiffs, and then short, small sniffs. “Done? Good.” She handed it back to the man, “Sorry.”“I should call the police! Get out of here!”
“Wait. We need help. Where did you find this?” Chase asked.
“None of your business. If you’re here to hunt Leprechauns, I’ll have you know they’re protected by...”
“Look, we are with BADGE.” She held up her ID card, “This is important for global safety. Where did you find this?”
He glared at her for a moment, “All right. I found it on the other side of Carlingford Mountain, off the main trail. It was on a rock, plain as day. Now, get out of here.”
“We’ll be going,” She pushed Fleagle out of the cave, as he lapped water out of one fountain.
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