Relic Hunter: Spear of Destiny

Chapter 16 Next Stop, Bayreuth

Gemma put all the things she needed in her duffle bag, then sat it and her satchel by the door. Since Finn took off in the car she was waiting for on a taxi. She planned to take the train, anyway, It was faster and easier than driving to the festival.

She checked her bags one last time. Yes, everything she needed, well, if she was honest with herself, not everything.

She wondered where Finn was. What was he doing right now?

Stop! She scolded herself. You got along before you met him. You'll do fine now.

A car honked saving her from any more embarrassing thoughts. Finn was gone. She had to get use to it. Besides, it was what she wanted, wasn't it? She's the one who sent him away.

Enough, she scolded again as she put her bags in the waiting taxi and got in.  What is done is done.

She arrived at the train station a few minutes later. She had purchased her ticket over the phone so she never had to stand in line. She got on the train and settled in her seat. Luckily no one was sitting in the seat opposite her so she settled back and enjoyed the beautiful German countryside.

With each passing mile her mind drifted back to Finn He just didn't understand the need she had to find the spear. What it meant to her dad and the search they've been on. To fulfill his life long dream and finally put to rest the last thing he asked her to do.

No, that wasn't fair. He did know. He was on a quest of his own, one for his dad, too. He understood. Gemma frowned. No wonder he walked out. She had asked him to do so much for her. Risk his own life while forgetting his own quest and for what? Because she asked him too, that's why.

When she found the last two spears, she was going to help him find the diamond, she decided. If he hadn't already found it.

The squealing of the air breaks brought her back into the present. She was surprised to find the two seats opposite her occupied. She was so caught up in her own thoughts she didn't see them sit down.

"Next stop, Bayreuth!"

She glanced around the train. It was full of people heading to the festival. She didn't understand the attraction to Wagner. Sure, he was a great musician, but what he stood for she couldn't grasp.

Her glance rested on a man two seats behind her on the opposite side of the train who was staring at her. She turned back around in her seat as panic began to set in. Who was he? Was he one of Drake's men or from the order. She knew it couldn't be anyone Gordon sent because she never sees them and this guy wanted to be seen.

When the train pulled into the station, Gemma quickly gathered her duffel bag and satchel and faded into the crowd. She headed through the station to the waiting taxi stand. She glanced over her shoulder and saw him searching for her. She ducked behind a partition and headed to a side door where the waiting taxi were parked. She looked down to the main door looking for her.

He looked in her direction and surprise flickered in his eyes before becoming narrow. He headed in her direction as Gemma got into the taxi and gave him the directions.

The taxi pulled out as the man reached her. His pointed glare stared holes into her but she couldn't pull away. His olive complexion and dark, almost black, curly hair and goatee that matched his eyes told her he was one of Drak's men. Which means Jonathan wouldn't be far behind. He stared after her with his hands on his hips and Gemma saw the tip of his gun holstered under his jacket.

She leaned back in the seat as the driver pulled away from the taxi stand. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She got away this time but for how much longer ? This case was getting more and more dangerous. Maybe Gordon was right and she should stop searching for the spear. But she knew as much danger as she was in she couldn't stop until she found the right spear.

The taxi ride took more than thirty minutes due to the vast number of people walking around the small town. The Bayreuth Festival was widely popular by the looks of it and she was beginning to wonder if Finn was right about looking inside the coffin for the clue. But what other option did she have? The clue said follow the music and Richard Wagner was Hitler favorite composer. It had to have something to do with this festival or Mr. Wagner himself.

The taxi pulled up in front of the hotel and after paying her fare she hurried inside. She figured she would act like a tourist seeing the festival for the first time as she scoped out the place.

But first, she needed to change her appearance. Jonathan and the order would be here and she needed all the protection she could get.

After changing into her blond wig and brown contacts, she slung her satchel over he shoulder and headed out the door.

The festival was in full swing as she walked toward Wahnfred Villa. She brushed up against someone and shrank back. 'Maybe this wasn't such a good idea after all' she thought glancing around the hoard of people. Any one of them could be Drake's men or the Order's They could be anywhere. She was so anxious to see the Wagner's grave she never gave any thought to the danger. Which was so unlike her. She hurried to the museum first.

The museum was fascinating. Costumes from various Wagner's plays were on display. Beautiful gowns from the 1800's, instruments and even some original scripts were in glass cases.

Music was piped in throughout the museum, presumably one of Wagner's Opera's .

Several times she turned to tell Finn something before realizing his wasn't there. She missed him. There, she said it, and was surprised to find it was true. She never thought she would. Usually she was a loner, liked searching alone. She could do things the way she wanted, but, Finn got under her skin somehow and she missed him. It was just the companionship, she told herself, nothing more. She just missed the companionship of her dad and Finn filled the void.

Right, if you believe that, Gemma you'll believe anything, she told herself.

Shaking her head to clear her thoughts, she peered into a glass case containing an original unpublished, handwritten musical score by Wagner when a movement in the glass caused her to look up. In the reflection of the glass she saw the man who was following her at the train station.

Trying not to panic, she continued her tour of the museum carefully watching the man through the reflection. When she came to the end of the display case she took a right around the exhibit, seeing an opening to another exhibit she quickly went through the door.

She stopped just inside the door. There were no display cases and no where to hide. She was trapped.

She looked across the room and saw a door that led outside, she ran to the door just as the man came through the door. Glancing over her shoulder, she saw him grin. Not the happy to see you kind of, either.

She disappeared through the door and around a hedge just as the man hurried after her. She rounded another corner when an arm grabbed her around the waist and a hand covered her mouth. Terrified, she tried to wriggle away when she was pulled her down behind the hedge.

"Be still," her attacker whispered.

She went still when the man who was following her stopped in front of the hedge. He looked around for her, then headed in the opposite direction.

Relieved, she broke loose from her attacker and turned around. Finn grinned at her.

Her eyes widen, "Finn!" She threw her arms around him.

"Miss me?" he said.

She unwound her arms from him then punched him in the arm, hard.

"Ouch!. What was that for?"

"For scaring me half to death. Where were you?"

"I seem to recall you told me to leave,"

"Yeah, well you sure took me up on the offer."

"Why, Gemma, I do believe you missed me."

Gemma's cheeks glowed bright red. "Let's go find the second spear."

*Author's note-  sorry this chapter is so short.  It is more like a filler.  Hope you enjoy it.

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