There was a bed and breakfast inn right there in Avebury, just up the street from the pub, and they had a room available that suited Dema and Cern perfectly. In the morning, after a hearty English breakfast, they discovered that the inn even had a computer alcove with Internet access, so Dema was able to do her investigation of Freddy's friend Lucky from there. 

Photo recognition software identified him as Lucas Appleton, employed by the Ministry of Defense, just as Freddy had told them. Wikileaks had a file on him. It seemed his old emails revealed that his job at the Ministry was to run undercover stings on groups like Freddy's and discredit them. There had been cases where people like Freddy who were not British subjects had been deported. Dema realized that even if such an effort were to fail it could be disheartening to Freddy. The least they could do was warn him.

So Dema called him. She didn't want to talk about her fears for him over the phone, so instead she asked about other local sites they ought to visit.

"Well," he said, "Have you been to the Long Barrow?" 

"What's that?"

"Nobody knows for sure. It's older than Stonehenge. But it was used as a burial mound for ages, dozens of skeletons were found there. It's built like a series of dolmens, short standing stones with lintels, but it's over a hundred yards long. It's only a mile or so from Avebury."

"Wow, I'd love to see it! Could you meet us there?"

Freddy hesitated, but only for a moment. "Sure. Say in about an hour?"

"Perfect. We'll see you there."

Dema got directions to it from their hosts, and they set out. There was a little car park, or "lay-by" as the British called it, but the barrow really was so close to Avebury they decided to walk.

On the way they followed the path toward Silbury Hill where they had met the Green Man the night before. The circle he had dreamed for them was not visible, but they could feel that the potential for its physical manifestation was building.

Freddy's car was in the lay-by, and when they got to the Long Barrow they found him waiting outside the first chamber. He greeted them with a smile and gave them a private guided tour.

In the chambers, Dema saw evidence of recent ritual use, melted candle wax drippings, pentagrams and other symbols marked on the walls with charcoal, and other signs. When she mentioned these to Freddy he said, "Oh, yes, the Wiccans and Pagans like to come here at night for their gatherings." 

The inner chambers only occupied about the first third of the barrow, the rest of its length was not fully excavated and too narrow to explore easily. They went back outside and walked around the perimeter to get the full sense of its extent.

While they were walking, Dema said, "You told me your friend Lucky is employed by the Ministry of Defense, and yet he seems to be helping you. Isn't that a conflict of interests?"

Freddy said, "Oh, no, he says it's considered a matter of national security to find out how the circles are being made. He's fully behind our research."

"What does he do? How is he involved in the research?"

"Usually he just hangs around and listens to all the talk. But lately he's become more involved. I think he's really hooked, becoming a real believer. Tonight he's bringing a team with him equipped with military night-vision gear and infrared recording equipment."

"Tonight? Why tonight?"

"We think a circle will appear tonight, right in the field between Avebury and Silbury Hill."

"How can you know?"

"Some of our people are able to sense things like that, or see it in dreams. They've been pretty accurate in their predictions."

"What will Lucky's team be doing?"

"They plan to set up their equipment on top of the hill, and record the creation of the circle. It's hard to do, but they're prepared to stay on watch all night."

"Freddy, I'm concerned about what else Lucky might be up to. What if his real intention is to debunk the circles, discredit you and your group?"

Freddy looked a little worried, but he said, "I don't think so. That's not what he says he wants to do, and I believe him. Besides, how could he debunk them? The circles are real. If he still thinks they're not, tonight could convince him." 

Dema looked at Cern and they exchanged a thought. Freddy might be right. Especially if they provided a little encouragement.

They had arrived back at the main entrance to the barrow and the path to the road. They walked with Freddy to his car.

"So, what's next for today?"

"We all meet up at the Green Man and make our final plans for tonight."

"Will Lucky be there?"

"I think so. He's got a lot to do. But I think he's already made his preparations."

"Just be careful what you say to him, okay? Especially if he starts asking a lot of leading questions."

"Dema, I've known Lucky for a while now. I think you're wrong about him, at least I hope so. But don't worry, I won't say anything he'll want to put me in jail for."

Dema didn't want to push it, so she left it at that. "Cern and I will come by later. We wouldn't want to miss a chance to see a new circle form."

"Okay, see you then."

Freddy drove off, and they started hiking back to the inn.

"What do you think, Cern?"

"I think the sting is on. And we have to stop it."