The Enchantments: Book 4 - The Key of Mulastef

Chapter 21: Plan of Attack

Fin stood looking out the large bay window of the doctor's house his arms crossed across his chest. The scene through the window showed the large enclave of trees that encompassed the large park to the west. The sun rising behind the large townhouse caught the tops of the trees in an explosion of shades of green. Fin stared at the spectacle noticing it slightly his mind a million miles away. He was tired, but the worry etched on his face gave the image of someone that hadn't slept in weeks.

Mr. Guile was sitting in the large oversized chair his face masking the exhaustion he felt as well. Fin turned to him and sighed, stepping from the window he moved to the seat opposite and plopped himself down hard.

"I feel like I've run a marathon," he said to the man who eyes were starting to close ever so slightly.

"A marathon has an end." The man mountain said sarcastically.

They both sighed at the same time.

Dr. Miller stepped through the kitchen door his hands carrying a silver tray with three cups and a ceramic teapot. "So I've contacted the Brothers of the Light, and they'll be joining us in a few hours." Steam flowed gently from the spout wavering gently in the air. He placed it on the table between Fin and Mr. Guile then proceeded to take up the other chair around the small table.

"So Mr. Guile it seems to get to meet the Brothers of the Light earlier than you thought," Fin said.

Mr. Guile seemed to perk up at that little bit of news. Fin smiled knowing his interest was even greater than he had expected.

"We still have to find out where in the keys Marchaud is." Fin inflected.

"Already done." The doctor said as he sipped his tea.

Both Guile and Fin sat straighter in their chairs.

"Pardon?" Fin said in surprise.

"I reached out to some of my contacts and found out that within Marchaud's holdings are a piece of land handed down from his great aunt on a small island in the Florida Keys. It's an obscure place that few people know about, but there has been activity in some of his accounts traced to within a few miles of where the house presides."

"...That's not definitive proof," Fin groaned.

"Did you happen to see that small picture in a frame on the table behind his desk?" The doctor asked.

Fin shook his head.

"I remember that picture," Guile said. "Palm trees in the background and a small house in the foreground?"

"That's the one." The doctor said between sips of the hot liquid.

"But how will we know for sure?" Fin asked.

"If minions surrounded us we'd know for sure," Guile said.

"I don't like this one bit." Fin sighed.

"At this point, we don't have a choice," Guile commented.

They drank their tea.

A few hours later the bell rang over the door and Fin watched the doctor get up from his chair that he had been dozing in and stepped to the door. As he swung the door opened his face brightened, and Fin saw a look of happiness he hadn't seen on the doctor's face for a long time.

A tall, thin woman stepped into view and Fin smiled as she took the doctor in her arms and hugged him strong. The hug lingered longer than Fin expected and a twinge of recognition crossed his face.

Liza Doran, the leader of the Brothers of the Light, saw Fin sitting the chair and smiled brightly. She moved past the doctor towards the awkward young man, and as he stood to greet her, she gave him a hug that almost broke his ribs.