Chapter 7 When You Are A Head…

 

Chapter 7 When You Are A Head…

In which Maedhbh gives the Tarnhelm to Fergus and Dermot Cullen’s greatest enemy escapes from prison.


“I wanted Aoibheann Cullen here” screamed Maeve, her face white with rage and pinched with a vindictive expression. “ I want her bound

hand and foot, bruised and begging for my mercy, of which she will receive none. I have cursed her family and cursed her and I must find Cúan and the Gaebolg before he learns of its power. It must be MINE!”


Maeve turned around in the little space in the woods where they had set up a primitive camp that Alex had decided on as their temporary hideout. Spitzy Spillane had outdone himself and rescued a large family tent from his garage. Edmund ‘Noddy’ Grundy turned out to be an ex-platoon leader from the scouts and soon had a juicy stew bubbling in a cooking pot over a blazing fire safely contained in an inflammable circle of rugged rocks. Around this fire the ragged rascals that made up the gang haunched dispiritedly cradling the heat and muttering to each other.


Fergus Mac Róich glared angrily at Maeve despite her hysteria. Oh he knew her moods of old. He recalled the collection of scars she could leave on a man’s mind verbally and physically as he had borne his own fair share. “She was protected. There were too many of them. I think one of them even recognised me. There was one of the lucht siúil with them with an enormous horse as black as the gate to endless night. Cúan was there too armed with the Gaebolg and took me unawares from behind. He showed no heroism in this.”


Maeve looked over him coldly “If you are not man enough to tackle Cúchulainn’s descendant just tell me now and I can summon someone else. Your service will no longer please me.”

She looked over the five lamps boys disapprovingly as the whiff of fear came off them like a bad body odour.


“ I need real men not these frightened boys. Remember I led warriors, hunters and killers. There is one killer known to this one that I can get to but he is barred around by iron bars and stone walls.” Fergus glared at Maeve.


“It is no small thing that you ask of me Fergus. There may be a way that I can help you. I have in my possession a magical helmet , the Tarnhelm.“



With that Maeve took from her pocket a small black pebble and touched it with a hazel wand she produced from her pocket. The stone transformed in her palm into a magical helmet. It was made of the blackest iron ever seen. It was dull with a hammered texture of many small rings. It covered the sides and the back of the head completely leaving a free space to look out of the front. To the front was a nose guard and a grill to protect the wearer.around the crown were set seven black onyx gemstones.


“This will hide you from all eyes, allow you to travel vast distances in the blink of an eye and it can resist attack from all but the most magical of weapons. You must guard it with your life and one day it may save your life.” Maeve was suddenly wary.

“ Remember Fergus I can return you to from whence you came any time I choose. So if you encounter the young warrior of light , none of your warrior code, you must try to kill him on sight.”


Fergus nodded then taking the helmet in his hands he donned it. With a wish he disappeared although whether it was invisibility or departure who could say?


When Fergus donned the helm Alex within felt as if Fergus’ thoughts were coming from very far away. Reality blurred and the next thing Alex saw was a sight he knew well. It was the main gate of Mountjoy Jail where his father was locked up. Alex felt a chill , his Father was someone he wanted nothing to do with and this intruder was reopening a relationship that had been toxic and painful.


Fergus walked up to the main gate and knocked. Instantly the helm dissolved revealing the fresh face of Alex O’ Leary. A prison officer in uniform bearing the name badge , A. Dunne MJ 107, opened the gate and looked out. “You’re 10 minutes late, the other visitors have already gone in.” “I’m sorry, I got my leap card robbed crossing the city. I have had to run all the way from the quays. Please let me in.” wheedled Fergus. “ Ok, Ok, “ replied the guard opening the gate and admitting him before locking it closed again. Then he took down a clipboard with a list attached and barked “Name?”

“ Alex O’Leary, I’m here to see my father Philly.” “ Ah here,” said the guard looking at the locked gate, “Sure your name isn’t even on the list !” Fergus got heated “That’s my mother’s doing. She’s always trying to stop me from seeing my father. Today is my 18th birthday and it should be my choice not hers. What son doesn’ t want to spend some time with his father on the day he turns into a man? Do you have sons?”

Officer Dunne hesitated because he did have sons but he couldn’t recall his lads looking for anything off him but cash on their coming into manhood. He looked at Fergus in a new light. “Ok Alex O’ Leary , I suppose legally it should be your right so I’m adding your name to the list. Sign in here please.”

As Fergus signed the list officer Dunne unlocked an inner door and ushered him into the waiting room with the other visitors.


There were a few prisoners’ families there looking excited or despondent to different degrees. Most were young and middle aged women with a couple of young children in tow, there were also older pensioner type women by themselves. There was one nervous looking young black youth of about Alex’s age.

A buzzer soon sounded and a prison officer led them into a large room painted in a muted cream colour. The floor was painted grey concrete and round circular aluminium tables were bolted to the floor with fixed seating attached to them. The windows were 3 metres high up on one wall admitting light but offering only a view of the sky. There was a strong antiseptic smell in the area. Prisoners dressed in their own hoodies and tracksuits were already seated separately at the tables so the visitors began to break up and circulate to their assigned tables.

Only Fergus remained without a prisoner so he sat at an empty table and waited. Eventually an inner door opened and officer Dunne led Philly through the doorway and pointed at Fergus. Philly wandered over and sat down facing Fergus.


Fergus studied Philly. At fifty five years of age the man still looked fit, He was one metre eighty eight centimetres in height. Yet he was thin, wiry and strong looking. His amazing blue eyes were fringed by long straggling blond locks and below the thin mouth was a short blond beard. He had a spiderweb tattoo on his neck peeking over his grey cotton sweatshirt. The knuckles of his hands were large and calloused indicating he was used to violence. His nails were dirty and broken showing little concern for his appearance. His eyes were beady and shifty looking , reminding Fergus of a rat he had seen trapped in a bucket once, trapped and at its most dangerous.On his feet were simple black runners without a brand name. The expression on Philly’s face indicated mild curiosity tinged with deep suspicion.Fergus knew that Alex detested his father and hadn’t visited him in prison for the past five years. That was since the date of the trial that convicted Philly of murder ,gangland execution style, over a drug debt.

“So you finally got the courage to show your face,” began Philly. Fergus looked around to work out if they were being overheard before replying “Shut up and listen.” Philly tried again to take over “I don’t have to listen to..” “Shut up,” hissed Fergus ”if you want to get out of this prison today!” He stopped and glanced at the officers. “ I am here to break you out. Watch my feet.” for a second Fergus’ feet disappeared completely up to the knees and then reappeared. “How did you do that? “ said Philly. “ I have on my head an invisible magical helmet,” replied Fergus “and using it you can disappear completely. “ When I give it to you, you must wait until visiting time is over and then follow me out with the rest of the visitors.”

Then Fergus did a strange thing reached up and removed the invisible Tarnhelm from his head and placed it over Philly’s head. “Now,” he said “There is a certain detective Cullen who was directly responsible for your arrest and prosecution. My boss wants what you want, to make this detective suffer. She is waiting for you down near the bridge near Drumcondra..”

Philly felt something slip over him, something cold and hard but most importantly invisible. One of the prison guards looked over at them attracted by their odd hand movements but seeing nothing there returned his attention to the other tables.

Philly looked out through the gleaming black grill of the helmet which he could now see as he was wearing it. Just then Fergus scraped his nails evilly across Philly’s right forearm drawing blood in a long straight line. “What the hell..” exclaimed the surprised Philly but Fergus was already almost silently chanting in what seemed like a high girl’s voice after licking his blood from his nails. “Cumhact na fola, glacaim glan..” As Fergus continued the chant Philly attempted to stand up but a cold chill descended upon his will and it was as if he was frozen to his seat. Only his eyes, heart and breathing remained under his control.


Fergus leaned in close to him gripping his arm over the scratch and Philly saw a cold blue aura sliding across that human bridge as a consciousness entered his mind and he heard a woman’s voice speaking to him from within his own mind. “Philly O’Leary from this moment I accept you into my service until your death or my dismissal voluntarily. I am Queen Maedhbh of Cruachan, ruler of Connaught soon to be the first High Queen of Ireland. Let me warn you now that if you attempt to betray me I will see to it that you will wish to have died. The Tarnhelm is mine and I offer it to you for your escape to demonstrate my power. When the time comes to disappear say the word ‘Okkulte’ and you will become invisible.” ‘Why would I serve you?’ thought Philly. “Freedom to choose is not yours but mine!” was the answer while his left hand lifted itself off the table and he watched as it dug his own nails into his wounded forearm hurting him. “Ok, Ok, I agree,” he growled. The hand suddenly stopped and Maedhbh’s voice returned. “Follow my commands exactly. When it is time to go find a moment to be unobserved before you disappear. Make your way out the front gate and do not reveal yourself until you reach the path below the bridge over the canal at Dorset Street. I will see you there.”

At that moment the voice faded and Philly felt in control of his body again. He looked across at the person who looked like his son Alex but noticed for the first time a wolfish expression in the eyes that he had never seen in Alex before. He realised that this ‘Alex’ wasn’t really Alex. “Who are you? What have you done to my son?” He demanded. Fergus grinned back at him in a vulpine manner revealing sharp canines. “Now you know,” he growled. “You are to obey not to be asking questions. You have killed for money now you will kill for your Queen and for me Fergus Mac Róich true King of Ulster.”

Philly thought fast. If he could use this helmet to escape that would suit him. He had already killed of one drug dealer who had plenty of friends inside. Dermot Cullen didn't care much about that when he helped convict him. Once he was out and working for this weird Queen Maedhbh character he could get his own back on the detective. The magic she used to take over control of him, well he couldn’t really let her get away with that. He would go along, bide his time, get out of prison and find an opportunity to escape her powers too. Getting out was the first thing and then when you’re ahead stay ahead. That thing ‘Fergus’ inside Alex’s body was another problem. Alex must be still inside there somewhere. Well his son wasn’t bothered to see him in prison in five years, now he could feel what it was like to be imprisoned! For Philly the game was all about getting out first, revenge and disappearing later.

A bell rang indicating that the visiting time was over. Prison officers around the room began to move into position beside the doors or to stand between prisoners and their visitors. Philly realised that the door into the visiting room from the prison opened inwards and the officers were watching the exit door. He idled over right behind the door and waited for it to swing open and obscure him from view. He heard the jingle jangle of keys unlocking it from the far side. Then the door swung open across him covering him from view and he said “Okkulte”.

The door hit off his shoulder and banged back against someone coming through. The curious face of Dunne the prison officer peered around the edge of the door to see who was there. Philly silently stepped away from the officer. Dunne again pushed the door which swung back and hit the wall behind where Philly had been standing. Dunne pushed back his peaked cap and began to scratch his head. He stared at the ground looking for some obstruction.

Philly slid silently across the room where Fergus was dawdling to the end of the departing group. Philly grasped Fergus by the right elbow to signal he was right behind him. Unfortunately two of the officers had positioned themselves at the door making everyone pass right between them and patting down a few of the visitors. Philly squeezed Fergus’ elbow twice indicating the problem. As the nervous black guy was heading for the door Fergus gave him a shove into one of the officers. The two of them fell over tangled together. Philly pulled a wad of money from his underpants waistline and to spill it around the floor around the young black man. When the other officer stepped over to grab the cash Philly took the opportunity to make his exit. Fergus was apologising profusely but the officers just gave him a filthy look before closing the visiting room door and hustling the other visitor away loudly complaining that he had never seen that money before.

Stepping through the visitor’s door and into the bright sunlight Philly took in a breath of free air. He saw that the Tarnhelm even allowed him to walk in the bright sunshine without casting the slightest shado. He wondered if the magic worked on the CCTV cameras in the arch above him. Turning to look directly at the camera over the arch he thought it was odd that a lone blackbird was perched on top of it and it appeared to be watching him. It gave a shrill whistle after him as he hurried out the gates. For once he was ahead of the authorities and he meant to stay ahead.