Cromwell Spear: The Collector

Cromwell Spears:
The Collector

by Chad Fleagle@ 2005


Cromwell dashed through thick wet leaves and hanging vines, dodging arrows, spears, thrown and shot by the Eskaai Tribe. He’d found their sacred mask of life, a treasure sought after by many Archeologists. Only he wasn’t an archeologist, just a man with a paranormal gift and treasure hunter.
An arrow zipped passed his head, he never felt so amateur at the moment. The tribe grew closer, winded he gasped for air, he refused to give up the find of a lifetime. Even if it did mean his death. Jumping over a tree stump, he felt something jab his left calf muscle. He slammed into the muddy earth rolling to a stop. It was as he’d feared, one of their darts had hit its mark. Pulling it out he stood and started to run.
There was a sound ahead and the air seemed much damper, it sounded like standing next to raging white water. His vision blurred and all sound became distorted, like a record playing on its lowest speed. Legs becoming wobbly and speed decreasing greatly, Cromwell realized the dart must’ve been poisoned.
The sun glared through an opening ahead, bursting through this opening he found himself fumbling to keep his balance. A sheer one hundred feet drop loomed before him. At the bottom rested a wide flowing river, he looked to his right and noticed a waterfall, the origin of the raging sound he’d heard.
He fell head over heels screaming, grabbing air as he dropped. Managing to grab a large vine, he swung into the cliff side, only to watch the mask plummet to the river below. Hanging like a helpless worm on a hook, he stared up at fifteen angry tribesman.
“To the blazes with it all,” Cromwell sighed staring back up at them with a smile. “Treasure gone,” he pointed to the river. “Would you guys would mind giving me a hand?”
They started hacking away at the very vine Cromwell held onto.
“Is that a no? Hey! Wait!” Cromwell pleaded trying to climb down. “You don’t want to do this, what would your Mothers say?”
A heavy hit to the vine and Cromwell started to slide, part of it was covered in moisture and moss. Falling at an alarming rate, his hand began to bleed from friction. Only he doesn’t feel much pain, the poison still had him well drugged.
A helicopter swooped into view, Cromwell didn’t notice or hear it over the roaring water. Its side door slid open to reveal a woman dressed in full diving gear, “I have got to go now!” She shouted took a step back, with no fear she ran and dove out, on a direct path towards Cromwell.
Cromwell screamed as her arms wrapped around his chest.
“Hold on, Mister Spears!” She shouted. “I’m here to help you!”
“Who in the hell are you?” Cromwell asked. “Where did you come from?”
“No time for talk, Mister Spears! Just hold on tight!” She replied pulling the parachutes ripcord and it bloomed open, controlling her decent they landed beside the river releasing the chute. Dropping Cromwell once they landed, not showing much concern for his well being.
“Damn, lady! What’s your problem, you save my life and then toss me like trash?” Cromwell stared up at her in question, trying to stand but he fell. “I’ve been poisoned by the way. Thanks for saving me whoever you...” his eyes rolled back into his head as he fainted.
“Just great,” the woman sighed taking off her helmet, showing beautiful long red hair and a perfect complection. Opening a small pouch on her suit, she takes out a small syringe, kneels next to Cromwell and jabs it into his left buttock. “We have another problem, sir. It appears the tribesmen have poisoned him, no doubt from a dart dipped in...”
“We can’t lose him, Katrina.” A male voice replied over her small walkie-talkie attached to her suit. “I’m lowering the chopper now, get our new Collector ready, Kat.”
Katrina bent down and lifted Cromwell over her shoulder with ease. An arrow nearly strikes her from above, the damn tribesmen still wanted Cromwell and their treasure.
“It seems the natives are still restless, sir.” Katrina noted pulling a nine millimeter handgun from a holster at her side. “Should I eliminate them?”
“No, Kat,” the helicopter slowly lowered settling down ten feet away. The side door slid open, “just get mister Spears into the chopper.”
“Just let me take one of them down, sir.” Kat begged aiming her weapon as she walked towards the chopper.
“No. Your orders are to get the collector to safety. Now move it, Kat.”
Haltering her weapon with a great sigh, Kat slid Cromwell’s prone body into the chopper and entered behind sliding the door shut. She stared at the man that was to be the societies newest collector, he sure as hell didn’t look like much.
“Not bad looking though,” Kat said moving him onto a Gurney. “You’re going to be one hell of a hand full I feel,” she started an IV drip and bandaged both of his hands, then hooked him up to a heart monitor, which blipped calm and steady. “Anything for the society of collectors.”
“How’s our collector, Kat?”
“He’ll live, sir. I injected the anti-venom in enough time it would seem. Sir? Permission to speak freely?” Kat asked.
“You’re a Protector, Kat. You know, you don’t need such permission. What’s on your mind?”
“Why this man, sir? Collectors are strong fighters and great treasure hunters, this guy nearly died on his second hunt. He doesn’t seemed qualified to be a collector.”
“Kat, never judge a man by his reputation. Cromwell Spear is the most intelligent collector the society will have ever had. Muscle and fighting prowess isn’t always the key to success in our field. And he has a special gift beyond intelligence...”
“Care to share what gift that is with me, sir? Or is it on a need to know basis?”
“Cromwell is capable of using a psychic power known as Remote-Viewing.”
“Remote-Viewing?” Kat questioned as if she doesn’t understand the concept.
The man laughed at her, “you never did study your field book on paranormal abilities.”
“That’s because I don’t believe in paranormal abilities, sir.”
“After all you’ve seen out of ten years as a protector, and you still don’t believe. All the treasures collected and stored in the societies secret vaults, once myths, legends, and here say. You’ve seen what every treasure is capable of, Kat. They all hold great paranormal and spiritual powers, I know you believe.”
Kat sighed, “okay, so you’ve got me there, sir. I know what the treasures are capable of, but I’ve never seen a man do what they can. But you’ve got me intrigued, what is this remote-viewing?”
“Cromwell can use his mind to see through solid objects at will. How do you think he escapes most of the traps set in the temples and ruins he explores? He can even see the treasure long before he’s upon it, that’s a power the society can use to its advantage. Wouldn’t you agree, Kat?”
She stared at Cromwell, “yes, sir. He can’t see through clothing, can he?”
“I’m not sure, why do you ask?”
“When he comes to I don’t want him eyeing me up and down that’s why.”
He laughed, “don’t worry, Kat. We’ll test his full abilities at the facility. But don’t you forget, even if he can see through your clothing, I’ve assigned you as his protector. I don’t want anything disrupting your bond between him. He’ll need the training that only you can give. Is that fully understood?”
“Fully, sir. But if he looks at me funny, I’m knocking him on his ass.”


Stephan Labeau, was the leader of the worse band of cutthroat treasure hunters on the planet, they were best known as the Society. Mostly ex-military and bounty hunters, all in it for the money not the power each newly discovered treasure could bring.
Stephan had been tracking the Collectors helicopter since he first sensed it. They were his number one threat, for years they’d been one step ahead of him and his men. Their Protectors were just as skilled as his if not better.
Only this time they’d screwed up, leaving behind the mask of life beneath the river.
“Larsen... Melina...” Stephan pushed a communications button on the computer console in front of him. “I want you both up here at once,” he flatly ordered lighting a cigarette. “This time our friends the Collectors made a mistake we’ll benefit from.”
Stephan stared at a gold lighter in his right palm, it slowly began to rise higher and higher, drifting towards the console it settled down lightly.
“Kat should’ve been informed about the mask, yet she devoted her time to saving a worthless man.” He took a drag from the cigarette blowing a stream of smoke. “Only, I sense something different about their newfound Collector.”
Larsen Brooks, was a large man- built like a brick shit house one could say- an ex-Navy Seal standing at a height of six feet five inches. He wore camouflage-pants and a green tank top. His face was rugged but chiseled, hair blond and spiked, he chewed on a thick cigar exiting the elevator.
“Larsen?” Stephan addressed the man without looking at him.
“Yes, sir?” Larsen asked.
“What have I told you about bringing those cigars into my office?”
“I’m sorry. I’ll...”
Larsen tried to put it out only it jumped from his hand, levitating mere inches from his squinting blue eye.
“I can stand the smell of a cigarette, but your cigars have a most distasteful stench. Next time I catch you with one in here,” Stephan stood walking up to the man. “Lets just say you’ll see things in a totally different perspective. Understood?”
The thick smoke caused tears to slide down Larsen’s cheeks.
“Yes, sir.” He coughed. “It’ll never happen again.”
“For your sake and the sake of your vision it better not.”
The cigar flew across the room bursting in a shower of orange sparks.
“I tried to warn you, Larsen.” Melina whispered.
“Yes, I’m quite sure that you did, Melina.” Stephan replied. “Only Larsen, although a good soldier, has a very short term memory. And he doesn’t like accepting advice or orders from a woman. Both of you may come in now and have a seat.”
Larsen wiped the tears from his face, thoughts of revenge upon his mind.
“I wouldn’t recommend attempting your course of thought, Larsen. Don’t make me get cross with you, it wouldn’t be the best of decisions.” Stephan warned a chair from a table in the rooms center slid out turning towards Larsen. “Now...take a seat.”
Melina Jacobs, was a very attractive yet deadly brunette, a former member of a secret government anti-terrorist squad. Lacking in muscle, she depended upon her weapons skills and martial arts abilities. Also her ability to use stealth was unmatched. She wore a dark black swat uniform that tightly hugged her five feet eleven inch frame. Melina feared Stephan and his telekinetic power, so she followed his every rule to the tee. At that very moment after watching the cigar and chair move, she was reluctant to enter the room leaving the safety of the elevator.
Stephan sensed fear in Melina as he returned to his seat at the table. Larsen took a seat still rubbing his eyes, staring at Melina who has yet to exit the elevator.
“What’s your problem woman?” Larsen asked. “Quit standing there and...”
“Quiet, Larsen.” Stephan ordered. “Unlike you, Melina fears my telekinetic gift.” He stood and reached out his right hand towards her. “Melina, you’ve no reason to fear me, my dear. You’ve been one of my most loyal hunters. Please...come and sit beside me.”
Melina stepped from the elevator and joined Stephan, yet her fear remained, she knew that he can easily read her mind.
“Now for the reason I’ve called you both here,” Stephan turned in his chair as a large video screen descended from the ceiling, once lit it displayed a map of the world. “About an hour ago, I sensed a Collector helicopter in a very remote region of Brazil.” The 3-D map flattened out and a blinking red dot marked the location.
“I know this location, Boss.” Melina noted. “We searched the Eskaai ruins for the mask of life there.”
“Yeah, there was no sign of it, what a waste of time and manpower that was.” Larsen added.
Stephan turned towards Larsen with a grin, “perhaps it was due to the incompetence of the hunters I sent to search for it.”
“We searched that entire temple and lost men in the process.” Larsen noted obviously aggravated by his bosses remark. “The mask was just a legend, it never existed.”
Stephan laughed at Larsen, “you lost men I’ll agree, but the mask was real and they missed it. A fool of a treasure hunter found your legendary mask. Only he lost it fleeing from Eskaai tribesmen.”
Melina and Larsen were totally shocked by the news.
“So what you’re saying is...” Melina started to speak being interrupted by Stephan.
“Exactly, that mask now waits for your arrival at the river. We finally have the upper hand over our rivals.”
“Wait a minute, boss.” Larsen said. “That doesn’t make sense, wouldn’t the Collectors have known about the treasure? They could’ve recovered it by now.” He noted.
“You never cease to amaze me, Larsen. You’re finally using that limited brain power.” Standing he walked over to Larsen and sat beside him. “You’re somewhat correct, my friend. They did rescue something, but it wasn’t the mask. I sensed Katrina, only she rescued a new Collector, there was no indication in her thoughts about a mask.”
“Katrina?” Larsen questioned with disgust in his voice.
“Yes, I know you hate her. She’s bested you many times in combat and I understand your hatred.”
Larsen jumped from his chair angered, “don’t talk about that! That bitch always gets lucky but next time she wont be. You can bet on that.”
Melina interjected, “who did Katrina save that was more important than the mask?”
“That’s what has me stumped, Melina. Though my telekinetic powers are strong, I couldn’t read the man’s mind. And Katrina wasn’t revealing it either.” Stephan replied.
“How is that possible, Boss?”
“I sensed something different about the man. It’s my belief he may possess a gift not unlike mine in nature.”
(TO BE CONTINUED...)