The Greatest Enigma

16. Dagger

Dagger stood alone in the middle of the vast, empty desert. He did not shield his eyes as he looked into the distance. He had got used to the sun by now. It appeared on the horizon; a dot at first. As it got closer he could see it more clearly but he still had no clue as to what it might be. So Dagger stood in the sand, making no attempt to move closer. Waiting for it to meet him.

When the dot was about one hundred metres away he was sure that it was a jeep. It's painting body was a horrible colour and did nothing to camoflague it in the sand. As it neared, the jeep veered to the left and parallel parked less than a two metres away from him. The driver was an elderly man, who got out immediately and opened one of the jeep's back doors. Eight people fell out. His eyes fell on a girl that rolled before standing up. She did not brush the sand off her clothes as the others did. The man in the passenger seat also got out of the car. 

"My name is E", he said to Dagger, "This is Wolfsbane". He gestured to the dark-haired girl he was staring at. Dagger blushed. 

"Jack", he gestured to a short man with sideburns, a bowler hat and big feet. 

"Cypher and Roulette" Dagger nodded at the pair, who were holding hands. He liked gay people. They never tried to steal your girlfriends. But from the way the ginger one's partner was ogling the brunette girl Dagger guessed that he was bi-sexual.

"These lovely ladies are Lorelei, Rachel and Bethany" E gestured to each of the Sirens in turn. Everybody obviously expected him to gawp at the beautiful woman but he just continued to look at each of them in turn, his gaze lingering on Wolfsbane for a little longer than the others. Dagger noticed Paddy standing next to the elderly driver. Paddy stepped forward and cleared his throat before speaking. This man is a good man. I have known him for many years. He now calls himself Detective E and has solved many cases that have trumped the worlds police and secret services. His most recent case is one that the public have dubbed "Animba", now,-"

"Enigma" Dagger corrected him.

"Oh, sorry. Yes Enigma", Paddy faultered, "Well, anyway, E here - hang on. You've heard of him?"

"Who?"

"Enigma"

"What about him?"

"Have you heard of him?"

"Heard of who?"

"Enigma"

"What about him?"

"Excuse me", E interrupted the pair, "We don't have all day"

Wolfsbane nudged him.

"Yes we do", she giggled, obviously enjoying the show.

"You have heard of Enigma" E told Dagger.

"Have I?" he asked.

"Yes", E replied, "You have". E paused. "Haven't you"

"Not until today"

"Why? What happened today?"

"You showed up, asking about him"

"Yes but you corrected Paddy when he said Animba"

"Who's Animba?"

"He's a bad man who has been killing lots of people. Know the type?" Paddy said.

"No. He's not. That's Enigma. Animba doesn't exist as far as we know of" E told him.

"I only said Enigma becasue she mouthed it" Dagger pointed at the tallest of the Sirens. The one with the brown hair.

"He's lying!" Lorelei cried too quickely.