Book 2
21.
A tropical paradise it was with the rows of thatched leaves roofing over wooden structures with the swaying palm trees and loin clothed locals heaving the daily sea catch. There the rows of coconut trees that was the boundary separating the sandy beach to the grass covered ground where the huts stood. The sea breeze was blowing in then and the fishing boats were all grounded on the beach. They were looking at a small bay area and it was protected by the reefs out there.
“We have the protection of the natural reefs which allowed us to fish here. The sea creatures are out there but no one dared to venture beyond the reefs.” Captain Nemo explained to the guests of the island.
“What of those?” Mycroft motioned to the row of two howitzers there.
“The Krupp 7.5 Model 1903? Yes we acquired them shortly after the German Imperial incursions. I had them traded from the Ottoman Empire.” The Krupp field gun fires a 2.95 inch shell to a range of over six thousand yards was manned by a seven crew which was trained by the Captain himself.
“We took down the last ship with a direct hit on the starboard hull. The ship sank and the crews died in the sea. The sea can be a vicious place to swim when there are killer whales out there.” Captain Nemo saluted towards the sea and then smiled. “These sea creatures are like my crews although they do not sail with me.”
The Captain then directed the guests to the thatched huts and then walking past the trodden paths they saw the structure with the massive triple level with whitewashed walls like a pristine palace but the roofing was covered four machine gun posts. The posts were unmanned then.
“Yes, we are protected from the skies by those machine guns. The Maxim 1910 by …” The Captain was interrupted by doctor.
“Sir Hiram Maxim. It’s recoil operated fed by the canvas belt and kill at over a thousand yards. I knew them well. Those guns wounded a lot of my friends.” Doctor Watson remarked on his surgeon role in the Frontier War. “I doubt you could hit the Hindenburg with it.”
“No, it may not be effective but we hold the Russian Model M1914 there under the canopy. It will bring down the dirigible.” Captain Nemo smiled when he pointed at the gun hidden below the camouflage tent.
“We are ever prepared for any….”
“Enough talks of the guns like kids.” Nina cut in. “We got more works to do as men.”
The group then took to the new set of walkway which was the stone walks similar to the ones designed by the Romans. They came to the interior of the village with the mud erected huts and thatched roofs. There were about twenty such structure.
“This is the inner section of the village which we named Eden. It was named by the Raj. According to the Raj, Eden was a peaceful place and he lived here. He even moved his treasures here so that he could be at peace with it but he did not foresee the island was soon to be plagued by intruders.”
“You called the intruders, Captain as if they….” Mycroft cut in.
“Intruders were a more polite term by myself. I would have said robbers for they came here to take the treasure.” Captain Nemo smiled and Watson then snapped in.
“To what are then we ourselves? Robbers too or treasure hunters?”
“A very polite reference which I may agree. Just as a pirate may be to others may be seen as sea farer adventurer by others.” Captain Nemo replied. “We are all who we may choose to be but in the end, the one that survives held the last word.”
“And how did you get to be ….accepted here?” Sherlock asked out of curiosity.
“The Raj met me some time back when …I was here by mistake.” Captain Nemo thought out his reply. “He offered me sanctuary and then we became friends. I ….”
“You meant shipwrecked?” Sherlock ever curious but frank was more of his manner.
“Yes, the Raj did mention of a sea captain that he befriended but trust was far from his mind.” Watson spoke up. “I wondered if you…”
“In time, Doctor, There is someone to see you now.” Captain Nemo indicated to the approaching young lad. “Your son.”
Doctor Watson looked at his son who was then a lad of twenty years, slim looking in the loose tunic and pants with his feet bare footed. He was tanned dark skinned but the mop of hair of his resembled that of his father. He had his father’s eyes but his other features were more of the mother’s. He had one a machete slung on his waist belt.
“John, this is your father, John Watson. You were named after him.” Captain Nemo introduced the two figures. The doctor was to approach his son when the later stepped back.
“I have my father. He is here.” The young lad motioned to Captain Nemo. “You are not mine. You …. are just my mother’s lover.”
With that the young lad ran off from the reunion. John Watson was devastated but he kept his composure. He turned to look at the Captain.
“Let us get it done. Once you have the treasure I am leaving.”
“Splendid! I will arrange the entourage then.” Captain Nemo marched off to get his men. “We have some equipment to carry and supplies….”
Lady Jane stepped up to the doctor and offered a consoling hand on the shoulder. The doctor looked at her and then smiled.
“He is better off here than with me. Louise will not tolerate him with me.” Louise was the current beau in his life. “He looks like a fine lad.”
It was not all fine on the gunship when it approached the island. The currents were fine but the occupants of the sea were following ever close to the vessel. Captain Heinrich had got all his men assigned to their posts and manned the guns. He was eyeing then the Orcas’ which was swimming parallel to the gunship.
“Let no man fire the weapon until I say so.” His command was heeded and there were no issues for a while. Then he saw the killer whales were gone. The sea surface was all calm and there was nothing that appeared to be swimming by then.
It came with a sudden splash and it was not a killer whale but a huge white shark. The shark measured over thirty five feet took a bite at the railings on the portside before it swam back to the sea. It was frightening then for it was a short distance to the gun emplacement.
“Mein Gott! I have never seen such a monster.” Sailor Dietrich called out. He then stepped out of the emplacement to examine the damage. It was his last seen action of the sailor for the shark appeared once more and dragged the sailor off the deck.
“Man over board!” The alarm went out but no one dared to step out. They stood at their posts and watched. It was not over then. They felt the hammering on the keel and then at the stern hull.
“Give me speed, Bosun.” Captain Heinrich called out. He felt the hammering even to the bridge and it was not one shark but it could be two or more. The sharks were trying to breach the lower hull. The Captain rushed to the portside window and looked. He knew that he could not chance it so he called for a new course.
“Turn twenty portside and full speed.”
“Captain, those looked like reefs.” The sailor on lookout screamed out. “We could be beached.”
“Do as I say.” Captain Heinrich then returned to his seat and watched with keen eyes. He felt the sharks were relentless and had to do more.
“”Jettison the baggage. I need us lighter to sail on.” Doctor Gunter who was there on bridge then challenged the Captain.
“You cannot jettison any of our equipment. If you do, I will shoot you myself.” Doctor Gunter cautioned the other. “I can however assist you with the sharks.”
The Hauptmann gave command for the grenades to be brought up. He had it attached to the cannon projectiles in the wooden boxes, and then pulled the string before he rolled it over. The wooden box floated on the surface for a second before it exploded along with the cannon projectile. The explosion may not hurt the shark but the resonance of the noise may deter it. The third successive explosion then stopped the sharks.
“Sail us away, Bosun. We can’t proceed this way. We need to go around. And hopefully no sharks there.” Captain Heinrich gave the order but it was too late. The ship hit the reefs and the sound of the hull scrapping the jagged rocks there.
“We have leakages, Captain.” The calls came in while crews ran to mend the holes but the water was gushing in.
“Abandon ship!’ The call went out. Captain Heinrich cursed himself for rushing in It was the work of an amateur sailor then. He looked out at the skies and saw the dirigibles were skirting the island. It was over their position.
On the dirigible, Mistress Fa Lo Suee was watching the gunship fight with the sharks. From her vantage view she could make out the swimming shapes below the gunship hull. It was an amazing sight as if you were looking inside the glass container from above with the little fishes swimming there. She was dressed in the Manchurian Princess garb complete with the elaborate headgear and the decked boots. She stood there looking at the window with her right hand holding the lever on the console.
“Are we in position?” Mistress Fa Lo Suee asked. She did not await the reply and pulled the lever. The flap below at the undercarriage opened up to release the rounded canister containing the gunpowder with the burning wicks. The twenty odd bombs went down like rocks and exploded over the gunship damaging the guns and killing the crews.
“Damn you!” Captain Heinrich cursed at the dirigible but his ship was sinking and the deck was burning.
“Abandon ship!” Sean Mercer grabbed his guns and then rushed to the long boat that was lowered down. He climbed in and saw the doctor there with mercenaries. There were no words exchanged but the men worked on lowering the boat. It was then the sharks returned when it caught the scent of blood from the dead or wounded sailors.
22
Captain Heinrich pulled himself from the flooring where he fell when the bombs exploded. The bombs exploded on the deck of the gunship causing irreparable damages. One of his S L/50 gun was out of commission when a bomb landed on it. The other S L/30 guns were in silent for the gunners were cowering in fear there.
“Hard to portside, rudder open!” Captain Heinrich called out for a possible reversal of his ship fate. He then added in the new command. “Look out for the reefs.”
The command went out and remaining crews chanced their life on the sinking vessel than to die as fish food.
“Leakages on the stern!’ The alert was relayed and relayed to the crews who rushed to the scene. Then the real damage appeared when the ammo storage exploded.
“Reversed the Engine, and renewed new course bearing 15 degrees to Starboard.” Captain Heinrich then gave new orders to save his ship but the outcome was certain. He then moved to his seat and watched the deck got covered with the sea water. He knew the end was near and reached for the dagger in his right boot. He will fight to the end but the fight was over even before he could react. The Orca sprang into the bridge area through the broken window and snapped the Captain at the head. He was dead before he could pull the dagger out.
In the long boat, Sean Mercer sat at the bow watching the German doctor at the stern. They were glaring at each other with the other five mercenaries rowing the boat. Both men held the MG80 across their lap.
“Irish, watch our back. I am not keen to being fish feed.” The mercenary in the front of Sean voiced out. The later nodded and then shifted his eyes to the sinking vessel. It was tilting on portside, and there were survivors in the water but not for long for the sea predators had taken to them like open bait.
Sean saw a sailor waving at him from among the debris. He saw the sailor was partially covered in the spilled oil and was too far away to be rescued. He did the only merciful thing then; he shot the sailor with a short burst from the MG08 killing the former there.
“You have a kind soul, Sean.” Doctor Gunter commented on the kill. “I wondered was that how you remove the pain in wounded creatures.”
“Only the ones that I was to mount on my wall as trophy.” Sean replied. He saw then the frenzied feasting on the remains of the dead sailor. The log boat sailed on until it was past the reefs and into the bay. He saw the break in the waves and reached out with his machine gun. He fired a long burst at the wake and soon it trailed blood when the Orca surfaced dead.
“It must have followed us across the reefs.” Sean told the others. There was nothing more motivating then to roll the boat faster towards the beach.
Soon they reached the beach and were confronted by the local warriors holding rifles. There were about twenty local warriors then and Sean raised his machine gun above his head.
“Don’t …” Sean’s words were ignored by one of the mercenaries who reached for the rifle in the long boat. He was cut down before he could even grab the rifle. The others followed suit to raise their hands.
“Fool!” Doctor Gunter snapped out at the desperate move. “Don’t over react.”
The group of survivors were then led to the nearby village.
Above the sky, Mistress Fa Lo Suee looked through the looking glass at the island with her focus on the village. She saw the huts and the whitewashed structure. She could not make out the machine guns posts but that unimportant to her then. Her strategy was annihilation.
At that moment, Captain Nemo led his guests to the village but they did not stop by any of the white washed structure but the guests saw along the walk, the life which the locals were living daily. There were the vegetable patches and the domestic animal pens next to the stone walkways.
“Life here is very simple. They work and lived with their own produce from the lands and the sea. They are protected by the wall which was built years ago and those fire throwers are designed to protect them.” Captain Nemo gave the local guide version. “These are the people of the island. Nina’s father was the descendants of the leaders which guided these people. When the Raj ancestors came here, he negotiated a pact with them as the guardian here for his treasure. He knew that the treasure will be safe here and they have performed it well. The Raj have also some other avenues that he left here to ensure the treasure was safe. After all, the major part of it was Solomon’s.”
“How did you know so much of it?” Doctor Watson asked.
“From the Raj and also from the elders.” Captain Nemo replied. “The Raj was not all talkative but he trusted me to a level. The others took time to get them to talk but they did. I also learned to live with them. When I brought Nina back here, they open up more.”
“Enough to know about the island but not on the treasure.” Doctor Watson remarked on. “That is lame.”
“Yes, I knew about the island. I found it interesting and more so when the tale of the treasure intrigued me but the other reason I am here is because of Nina. You left her devastated and I was there for her.”
Watson felt his fingers twitched but he stopped himself from reaching it across to the blades. He looked to the huge mountain that loomed over the island. He recalled then that the mountain was named Deep End, and not the island. It was Van Helsing who took the issue head on.
“What is on the other side? Monsters?” Van Helsing intruded with his comments. “I have been watching and listening for so long. Now I will speak. Are there monsters there? Vampires or perhaps Werewolves?”
“Sort of but on the monstrous part, they surely are.” Captain Nemo replied. “You will meet them soon. In fact, it’s ironical that you are here with your expertise. As if God wanted to protect Eden for us who are sinners.”
“Enough of your ramblings! I am getting tired of these. Show us the treasure or the vault?” Lord Greystoke displayed his impatience.
“I hear you, Lord Greystoke. Obviously, your living with the …civilised have not refined your harsh manners. Yes, we will get to the treasure now. I am just as impatient but I will not go alone with you alone. I have my own crews.”
A figure approached them dressed in the uniform of the Nautilus and was armed with the slung over bandolier of bullets and belt waist with the side arm. He still had the machete and then it was tucked behind on the back.
“He can’t come. He is still….” The doctor protested.
“He will go. He is a man now.” The voice was from Nina who joined back the group. “John will be there to claim his grandfather’s treasure. And so will I do for him.”
“Nina, you …” Nina ignored the protest of the Captain. She turned to the doctor.
“I am his mother. I will go where he goes.”
It was then the German captives were led to the Captain. The captives were all removed of their weapons.
“We have more guests.” Captain Nemo looked at the newly arrivals. He counted seven of them and that was one too many for the village.
“Kill them all.”
The killing occurred but it came from above their heads.
It was a series of bombs that landed on the village.
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