I was up on my haunches, my entire leg throbbing in pain, my free hand shielding my eyes from the three lights that cloaked the identities of my rescuers.

"He's been bitten."

"Aye, looks bad. He'll need medical attention."

Their voices muffled by hoods.

"Can ye walk, lad?"

I stood, trying my weight on my injured ankle. "Ahh. It's too sore, it might be broken."

"You two take him, I'll grab the Anguilla."

The beams lowered, revealing the three Templar Knights, all cloaked in black tunics from hood to boots. Two of the men, one on each side, shouldered my weight while the third collected the gushing remains of the Anguilla eel, stuffing it into a heavy burlap sack.

We hurried through darkness along an unseen path, the Knights' flashlights continuously searching the brush.

"The eel… why did it attack me?"

No reply.

"How did you know I was out here?"

No reply.

I saw lights up ahead. We were approaching a village.

"Why are the Black Knights guarding Loch Ness? What's their mission?"

The three Templars stopped dead in their tracks.

The leader turned and approached, raising his bloodied sword to my face. "Ye think ye ken somethin', Dr. Wallace?"

"I… I know there's something affecting the wildlife inhabiting the Glen. I also know the Templar care deeply about the land. But what you're doing… patrolling the forests… it's not going to change anything."

"Whit's done is done. We'll dae whit we must."

"It may not be too late. Maybe I can help."

"How?"

"Leave the remains of the eel with me. I'll take it to a lab, I'll do an autopsy myself. Whatever caused that eel to attack might be affecting the monster in the same way."

"No."

"Let him try," urged the Knight on my left.

"I said no. If word got oot—"

"I'll tell no one, I promise."

"I dinnae trust him," spat the Knight on my right. "Remember, he's Angus's kin."

"Aye. Enough said."

We continued on.

"Forget my father," I called out. "Do you think I trust him? Don't you remember what happened to me when I was nine? Believe me, I'm nothing like him."

The leader slowed, coming to the edge of the woods, but I could tell he was listening.

"One bad egg shouldn't destroy an entire clan. I swear, on the soul of my kin, Sir William Wallace, that I won't speak of what I find. Ever!"

We left the woods and hurried down a cobbled path, eventually coming to the Glenmoriston Arms Hotel.

My escorts left me on the porch stoop. One of them banged on the front door, then they disappeared into the night.

A yellow porch light flicked on. The front door creaked open, revealing an elderly man wearing a bathrobe. "We're filled beyond capacity, go away."

"Wait, I'm injured. Could you phone a doctor?"

The old man stepped out onto the porch and inspected my bleeding foot. "Whit happened tae ye?"