Team Seven of Heroes Chapter 13

13.

“Purdy cat there?” Sherlock switched to the vocables of his younger years. “I got one like this that ate my birdie. Bad boy….”

“He ain’t no boy. He is missing his hanging appendage.” Lady Greystoke commented. “I think they done him in to stop his breeding.”

Then the so named griffin had growled before it leap onto the cushions on the right side of the carriage with its wings snapped shut. It bared its fangs and then used its talons to tear the fabrics there. It then glared at Sherlock.

“Oh my…..” Sherlock backed up with two Luger aimed at the creature. “I was not talking about you.”

The creature leaped at Sherlock who fired then and so did Lady Greystoke but the double gauge gun jammed. The creature fell to the flooring with its body bleeding but it was not dead. It got up and flapped the wings. It was then Mrs Harkness charged at the creature with the crochet sticks aimed at the head. She thrust the two sticks into the eyes and pushed in deeper to the brain. The creature roared out in pain with its front paws clawing at the lady who had the held herself close to the creature. Lady Greystoke was to charge at the creature when the rear door was opened and a huge shadow rushed past her. It was her lover then armed with the pin that held the gear together. Lord Greystoke had then resembled more like the a savage man with the torn suit leaving his front chest exposed had jumped onto the creature back before it plunged the iron casted pin into the spine of the creature. The bunt end of the pin did not pierce the thick hide but with the third blow, it ripped past it and into the bones. The creature wings flapped out wildly and then it stopped.

“Lady Harkness!” Sherlock rushed forward to hold the lady who was falling to her knees,. He held her to the nearby seat and saw the mauling at her chest. Her blouse was torn apart with breasts bloodied with the flesh exposed. Sherlock called out for the Doctor but there was no reply. He felt the hand on his forearm.

“It’s Sherlock. I will be fine. Give me some place to heal.” Lady Harkness told him. “I have my own healing ways.”

Sherlock then stumbled out of his concerned mood and then nodded. He knew that the lady was with her unusual abilities will recover. He then looked over at the man who was still seated above the lion mane. The man’s lover was next to him and leaning on the creature body. They were sobbing in grief.

“Grief me not. Where is Watson?” Sherlock left the lady to seek his companion. He took to the rear of the carriage and saw Mycroft seated there holding the steel cast pin.

“Have you seen Watson?” Sherlock asked his brother. The carriage had stopped then but the sound ahead was heard then. It was the sound of the collapse of the bridge when the train impacted on the structure.

“By George, how many?” Sherlock was numbed to the explosions.

“Watson said they are soldiers. My God! Those are not soldiers. They are just ….people.” Mycroft broke out into tears. “We could not save them.”

Sherlock had then disembarked from the carriage and looked back at the tracks which they had travelled on. He can’t make out much from the darkness and his companion was somewhere behind. He staggered off on his weary legs then to find the doctor. He soon find the doctor in the side of the tracks with his body bruised.

“Watson, than God you are alive.” Sherlock laid down next to his companion. “I thought you died.”

“Died? I pretty doubt it…… I have to write your exploits before I really die.” Watson replied in between heaves of breathe.  “I don’t think they made it.”

“No, my dear Watson, We saved only our own skins but Moriarty will die more times to compensate for this one.” With that both men laughed and then slowly made their way back to the carriage.

Munich had so much to offer with its scenic structures like Nymphenburg Palace, the Marienplatz with the huge square or he Munich Residenz with the royal items but it was also a city to refresh in its yeast brew. That was the first order of the day for weary travellers in the tavern.

“Nothing refresh the mind and body than a good pint.” Mycroft crooned on his drink bouts when he was not on tasks. The assembled was short of one but they held their celebration for being alive except Holmes who said that was his daily prayer to survive to the next day.

“Are you sure it was Moriarty that did us in?” Mycroft asked his brother.

“It’s his signature of works. He covered most of his crimes with the advent of some disasters. On the creature, I am baffled for I have never knew him to be in the use of them far more he is a man of medicine and not mythology.” Sherlock reflected on the earlier event.

“Tell us, Mycroft. Did you ask your people to clear the crime scene?” Watson asked out to the man.

“Yes, I did. In fact we are working with my counterparts here on it. A Polizeihauptmeister Bormann is assigned to us.” 

Mycroft was then then surprised by the hand that tapped his right shoulder. It pointed to a tall blonde figure with a closely cropped hair design and an immaculate uniform with the five stars on the shoulder lapel.

“Guten Morgen, meine Herren. Meine Dame.” The blonde officer introduced himself. “May I speak English then? I am an equivalent to Chief Inspector in your city. I am to assist you during your stay here.”

“The Grand Duke of Cassel-Felstein is a very influential person here too.” The officer looked at Sherlock. “His gratitude to you is our gratitude to you too.”

“The Bohemian affair…..” Watson muttered to himself.. He was to enquire on one other when Sherlock interrupted him with the whereabouts of Van Helsing.

“I have request for a search for your missing companion of your asking.” The officer replied. “We have discovered the carriage that may had carried him but its passenger fate remained unknown for the carriage is at the most burnt to crisp.”

“Destroyed like our train, Hauptmeister.” Sherlock corrected him.

“A mystery for you and we believe the same with our conclusion that Sebastian Moran is involved. He was seen in Munich a few times and most recent yesterday.” Bormann adopted the view of the sleuth. “We have him followed but he is a careful man. He held meetings with powerful and extraordinary figures.”

“Extraordinary? I am …” Sherlock asked but before his question could be replied Lord Greystoke created a scene with an outburst.

“Why are we seated here? We should be ….” Lady Jane consoled the man who was upset then and with the night event, his alter ego as the savage man was taking precedence.

“John, please stay calm…” Lady Jane held the savage in the man. “We ….”

“They don’t know the sabors like me. To them the dead of one means another head can be mounted.” Lord Greystoke aka Tarzan felt the anger in him. “They ….desecrated the sabor. How can it have wings?”

“I will hunt the people who did this ….by myself.” With that the savage man stormed off from the table followed by his lover. Hauptmeister immediately signalled the two men at the doorway to follow the couple.

“Do they climb and swing like apes? I doubt so and your men are of no use.” Lady Harkness commented. “I am to do own fighting for with all of you I am ….too innocent.”

Lady Harkness then swatted in bandages around the chest stood up. She glared at the Hauptmeister.

“Do not try to follow me. In my current mood, I may take anyone for a bite friends and foes.” With that Lady Harkness also took her leave of the team.

“I guessed it’s the family of Holmes that remained.” Mycroft made the cynical remark. “No disregard to you, Watson. You are family.”

“Mach mal nicht so einen auf dicke Hose..” (German translated ‘don’t be such a braggart.) Hauptmeister glared at Mycroft. “All your wellbeing are on me. And with this ….silly acts, I am now stretched to my limits.”  

“You mean you are pissed. I am glad.” Mycroft then stood up. “So was I.”

With that Mycroft stormed off to his assigned place of rest. Sherlock had then played guest of honour with the officer on the updates of one named Colonel Moran Sebastian while Watson was in hush discussion with the locals for supply of cocaine and among other stuff.