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A Bulgarian Umbrella, Doyle's choice weapon in The Serpent's Curse
Archibald "Archie" Doyle is an assassin for the Knights of the Teutonic Order in the Copernicus Legacy series. An eccentric and deadly killer, he is assigned to take out the Guardians of the 12 Copernicus relics. Doyle is a master of disguise and often goes unnoticed until it's too late.
In the series
The Serpent's Curse
Archie Doyle is first introduced when Ebner von Braun requests backup help in catching the Guardian Kaplan family as they head to Russia to find the Serpens relic. A call is sent to Doyle, who is just waking up. He is very annoyed, however, when Ebner's message says just to follow the Kaplans, and not terminate them. He prepares his assassin gear (disguises, tools, and a Bulgarian umbrella) and sets off, telling his wife that he will be home late that day.
As the Kaplan family talks to Boris Rubashov (a Guardian) in a London restaurant, Doyle sneaks into the cafe unnoticed and stabs the Russian with the poison umbrella tip. Boris suddenly falls over and dies, while Doyle watches the scene. Ironically, Becca, a friend of the Kaplans, thinks he is a doctor and asks for his help in saving Boris. Doyle says he is not a doctor.
Later on, Doyle tracks the Kaplans to Boris's apartment, disguised as an old man. The Kaplans are busy inside investigating and watching the Guardian tape Boris had. He knocks and when let in, Becca sees through his disguise and pulls his fake beard off. Doyle wields his Bulgarian umbrella while the Kaplans throw objects such as books and a lamp at him. In the end, Becca throws a video player at his head, stunning him and allowing Darrell to throw his Bulgarian umbrella down a stairwell.
At the very end of the book, Galina Krause sends a message to Doyle saying to immediately terminate the Kaplans. Ebner says this will make him happy.
Becca and the Prisoner's Cross
Doyle is sent to find the Kaplans again. The family now has the help of Guardian Terence Ackroyd, who knows of Doyle's assassin skills. Doyle tracks them to a train station near Bletchley Park, but is recognized. To keep him off their tracks, Lily and Wade Kaplan put their hats on a group of random teenagers that look like them. Doyle follows the teens onto a subway train, which takes off just as he realizes it is too late.
Doyle is able to find the family again due to a bug placed on Becca's bag by an Order agent. He disguises himself as an elderly man to enter the Bletchley Park Library. Wade converses with him. Right as a librarian Guardian is going to help them decode a puzzle, Doyle removes his disguise and attacks the librarian. However, the Kaplans throw a phone monitor at his head and trip him under a chair. He starts shooting randomly; this attracts security to enter. Doyle escapes the unarmed guards and goes after the Kaplans in a coding machine shed. They plan an ambush, where Wade throws gravel in his face as the other run. As Doyle breaks into the shed, he is tripped by a table, but still pursues them. Terence and Dr. Kaplan arrive in a car, letting the kids enter. Terence then rams Doyle with the car, sending him flying and letting the now-armed guards tackle him.
Doyle somehow escapes the police and finds the Kaplans at St. Andrew's Church, where a standoff for the Crux relic is occuring. He holds Wade at gunpoint, but Wade is able escape by climbing up the stairs of a bell tower, followed by the assassin in pursuit. Becca follows them, and the two teens fight Doyle. Wade smashes a window during the chaos, and he and Becca push Doyle out of the tower, where he seemingly falls to his death.
The Crown of Fire:
Doyle survived his fall from the tower but remained in a vegetative state for a few months. He is completely covered in bandages and is heavily weakened. Despite this, he receives a call from Galina Krause asking for his help again. He is transported by wheelchair with an Order van to help break Ebner out of a London prison. Later on, he and Ebner kill 2 men sent back in time by the Order who returned to the present time. The Kaplans recognize him even with his bandages, and are shocked that he is still alive.
With the help of Order agents, Doyle tries to break into the Morgan Library's vault to steal the Vela relic. When that fails, he finds the Kaplans inside and reveals himself, holding a pistol and his Bulgarian umbrella. Just as he is about to strike, Guardians sent by Terence Ackroyd tackle him and arrest him for good.
Personality
Although he is a cold assassin, Archie Doyle has an eccentric and lively side. When attempting to stab the Kaplans with his Bulgarian umbrella, he wields it like an actor in a stage duel. He often yells almost cartoonish phrases, such as yelling "What are you looking at?!" and firing his gun when a bystander screams at him.
Later on, he is weakened by his fall from the tower in London but still makes snarky comments. He is ultimately defeated in the middle of his last stand.