Team Seven of Heroes Chapter 9 & 10

9.

Watson tucked into his evening meal at local delicatessen with Sherlock but they took the corner table avoiding the many diners there who appeared to be more absorbed in their meals or a book then to speak to strangers. Sherlock was however at his smoking habit which was one reason they were ushered to the far corner to avoid contaminating the dining area.

“Since Fu Manchu studied at Edinburgh, he could have fake that and studied here instead?” Watson asked before he scooped the piece of the pie that he was enjoying.

“No, I doubt so. I have checked his source at Edinburgh. He is a brilliant student and for all we now know, there may be more to the Xia’s family. Maybe he has a brother which we were not aware.”

“Hence the theory of more Holmes. It was obviously the geniuses all shared a common trait, they propagate too well.” Watson smiled. “I have no such brother. All those were mine took the sworn oath in the Regiment and like some of them in the Frontier War I came back with an inch off my leg.”

“Do you have your gun with you?” Sherlock asked. Watson looked at Sherlock and patted his jacket coat. He knew from the tone of the voice Sherlock was serious on the gun. He tried not to look but he then felt eyes were on him.

“We are being watched by a group of three men in the other side of the tavern and there are two more outside.” Sherlock shifted his view to have his back to the three men. He then told Watson his next plan of action.

It was said that if you do see the vampire you bloody well hope you have more than a pint of blood. That was needed then but there were cups of tea there. So other action was needed.

Van Helsing’s one was plain direct action. He charged at the man in the far corner in the pool but the later jumped out of his reach. There was a myth on the vampires. They do have more strength in their body than a normal person and they like to jumped high to cling onto the wall.

The one identified as Dracula did that and held himself up spread eagled up there. In normal situation, it would have been considered obscene to be doing that nude on the wall or an artistic mimic of the Angel descent to Earth.

“Van Helsing, the others…” The other five at the hall stood up and displayed their latest teeth works which did not auger well for the normal men. The three assassins grouped together when they stepped into the pool and the kukris came out. The leader was without one but he held out his arms to display the metal gauntlet there. The five vampires charged at the three assassins which then lashed out with their kukri’s. The leader without the kukri used his gauntlet to block the attacker with the side of the left arm before he punched out with his right hand into the underarm. The softer flesh there caused the attacker to reel back in pain and that’s when the leader kicked out with his right leg at the torso to topple the attacker. His other compatriot had better fighting chance when they lashed out with it in a series of cuts that started from the throat to the lower torso. The stance they took made them crouched down and then with the twist of the body, they swept their right leg out below the water to trip the attackers. It worked for three of them and the fourth one leaped at them. It was coordinated move by the two trained assassins to raise up their kukri and slashed at the last attacker in the neck on both sides.

Well, it would have stop most attackers but these were not the typical ones. The vampires if they are to be named recovered fast and resumed their attack. The three assassins withdrew and then climbed out of the pool. They saw the stout guard stood there holding the traditional long blade which resembled more like a machete except it was longer. It was called a ‘kora’.  The blade was curved like a scimitar with a wide blade end.

“Your kind killed my sister!” The guard there charged at the five vampires who were once his masters. He was a trained killer with many works of his involving the huge blade he carried. He swung with the blade and with his strength he decapitated the nearest one. He then swung the blade to slam another one in the face before he lashed out with his right leg to kick the one he killed to fall onto the others. The pool of water went dark with red when the guard killed the second master in the heart. By then the assassins have move back into the fight and killed the two more masters by stabbing them in the heart. That left only the last standing one who was slammed in the face.

“You were once my master but now you are a monster.” The guard swung the ‘kora’ at the last vampire there and killed the other. It was over then for the vampires except the one that was its King.

“Van Helsing, you are a rare one. I will take my leave now.” The one named Dracula jumped to the ceiling but Van Helsing had pulled his gun out. He fired at the vampire on the ceiling but he then saw the new threat. Scores of men were rushing in from the other bath chambers armed with kukri and other weapons.

“Dracula, you were never a fair fighter.” Van Helsing screamed out. However, Sherlock was spared of that in Oxford unless they have resorted to volumes in their hands but the five men trailing them was still on their tail. He directed Watson on the streets of the City that he had little knowledge of unlike London. He soon found himself in a narrow street with no scholars in sight. He was to turn back when he saw his exit blocked by three men. The other two have managed to reach the other end and blocked the other way.

“I say old chap. Do you think they will resort to fist fight? I am actually good at that.” Sherlock asked Watson.

“Bloody hell that I will punch my way through when I hold this.” Watson showed the Webley in his right hand. “Shall we get started? Mary is waiting for me at London.”

The fight was physical with Sherlock on the odds of three to one. The other two were held back by the Webley.

“Chaps, I have to caution you that I am proficient in the fist …” Sherlock was given the slap across his left cheek.

“That hurts.” Sherlock called out and when the second hit was coming, he blocked it with his left arm and then with his right hand, he jabbed the man in the eyes, and followed through his clenched finger to deliver the punch into the nose and then he drew back his fingers to form a fist to deliver the final blow into the chin. With the first attacker immobilised, Sherlock side stepped to avoid the punch and crouched down like a ring fighter to deliver the one two punches into the second attacker in the torso and the right kidney. He then straightened up and stepped forth to deliver the elbow into the third attacker in the face and followed through with the right knee into the lower torso.

“Viola! I am done.” Sherlock then stepped back while his attackers were down. “They don’t fight like those at the docks but good enough.”

10.

Van Helsing levelled the gun towards the horde besieging him and the assassins. He counted there were about twenty of them and they were raging for blood with their Masters’ dead. The stout guard was cornered at the other end with ten others keeping them there.

“They are no more our masters. They are vampires. See to their fangs there.” The stout guard there shouted out to the others. Meanwhile Dracula had climbed down unseen and sneaked off.

“Master Helsing, you may want to consider using your other weapon.” The leader of the assassins spoke to the demon slayer. Van Helsing pulled the gyaling out and then looked at it.

“Music? At this moment.” Van Helsing shook his head and then took up the musical tool to his lips as if he was to play it. He was to blow it when the leader of the assassins pushed his arms up and direct the gyaling towards the ceiling. The sound that came from the gyaling was unheard of but it sure brought down the ceiling towards the besieging group.

“Hurry! We have to move.” The leader ran off to the doorway and was followed by the others. The ceiling fell and surprised the second group but the armed guard took the opportunity to slash his way through and left by the side door.

Outside the bath house, the leader looked to Van Helsing.

“I hope you can run and climb.” Van Helsing nodded but he was not prepared for the climb onto the walls and then the run across the roof tops. He had heard of this form of art which was pioneered by a French Naval Officer Georges Hebert then who had discovered the concept with the tribes he met in the Dark Continent.

“You coming or you want to run through the gauntlet.” The assassin leader offered a hand but the demon slayer preferred to take his chance on the ground. He took to the run and found his way blocked by mob. He tried to turn back but his escape was blocked. He took up the gyaling once more and blew into it. He directed the sound towards the structure walls next to the mob and collapsed it. He then turned to the wall next to him. He was taking his chance there and created the hole there. It was someone’s kitchen and they were not happy but Van Helsing had no choice. He climbed into the kitchen and ran from there to the house exit and out into another mob. He blew the gyaling to collapse another wall and then made his way to the living area before he took to the side street. There he snaked down the alley in front. His run reached what may be termed as a square. He did not encounter any mob there but he was unsure of where to go from there. He headed the whistle from the far roof and saw one of the assassins. The assassin was directing him to go down one of the alley. He followed the direction and found himself made to run with the assassin appearing at the correct corners. He soon found himself facing a temple.

 “A place of worship…. I am beginning to feel more comfortable.” Van Helsing liked temples; they offered shelter and food. Oxford was not a place you leave after having taken your meal at the Covered Market dated back to 1774. Sherlock chanced his next meal there with the doctor and the two priests they met earlier.

“I hoped you like the platter. We served the best in the choices.” Sherlock smiled at the senior priest who had them indulged in choicest of sausages and cured meat. Watson released the satisfaction with the loud flatulence then which hovered between comedic and silliness. Sherlock was more sized up for serious talks.

“Father Lewis, you have led me to an infraction with the locals. Normally I don’t confront my …suspects? Was that what the others called it?” Sherlock looked back at the two priests. “One of you unleashed those thugs on us? And I am putting the finger on you.”

Sherlock was motioning to Brother Hathaway.

“You are not a priest but a cobber. Your observation betrayed your true profession. And those thugs were not really killers but more of the local boys without their uniform. It’s to my conclusion that you are in the …”

“I am in the employment of the Emperor to watch over this interest here. That is as far as I will tell you.”

“I thought so. Well, I have informed London and they will send someone over to talk to you on your association.” Sherlock then turned to the one named Father Lewis. “Good help ain; t many and fewer are trusted apprentices. Now for you I need to know more on Tu Xia which you mentioned earlier. I was of two minds that he may be Fu Xia, the Emperor Fu Manchu but it intrigued me there may be more.”

“Tu Xia was once my student. He was also known as Fu Xia. He never studied in Edinburgh but here. He had his servant replaced him there. He had a few which looked like him as part of his entourage. It’s cloaking mechanism or disguise. Here at Oxford the real Tu Xia become my apprentice but he had knack to learn on the unknown and dark …secrets.” Father Lewis explained.

“It ran in the family to my understanding. Pray go on.” Sherlock held the expression which spoke of long days and nights listening to his clients.

“Tu Xia came to me at an early age and despite his young age, he was a good student. He asked a lot of questions and they were intelligent ones. He asked of the Universe once to me and then he will begin his own research. He had accessed to our library. It was soon in his late teens that I was to consider him for the position as an apprentice much against my fellow peers. It was then he was removed in the middle of the night by some men who forced their way in. He was never seen.”

“And Hathaway appeared then.” Sherlock raised the issue. Father Lewis nodded and then defended his new apprentice.

“Brother Hathaway is a good apprentice of mine too. He had learned many things here and will one day probably replace me. He will leave his current ambition.”

“Intriguing thoughts came to my mind, Father. What was your expertise?” Sherlock asked.

“I am the curator of the ancient artefacts and also the head of the archives which held our sacred scrolls.”

“At most interesting to a scholar like you but for Hathaway, it was a task to protect it.” Sherlock looked at the younger priest. “From whom may I ask?”

“The enemies of my Emperor.” Hathaway replied.  He then raised his right sleeve to show the tattoo of the heavenly dragon. “I lived to serve the Emperor. I may be of the force under London, but my true loyalty is with the Emperor.”

“God bless the King you were not … to tell him. The Exchequer might demand a refund for his money paid to you.  I liked your many …affliction. One as a cobber, another as a hidden operative, and thirdly blinds me to see you in the frock and collar. Do you really pray at night or wait for the instructions then?” Sherlock leaned over to ask the priest. “Tell me of the Tu Xia when he was taken then?”

“Tu Xia returned to the Far East against his will. His father had discovered his location and took him back. He was not to know that my mother whom he had an affair then had another son. I was born without knowing my father, raised in Oxford, joined the local constabulary and was sent to London for special tasks. I came back here on the order of my superior.”

“You have the same tattoo and that was privileged to the Emperor’s trusted aides, and the immediate families. Your facial expression had the mixed looks which suggested that you are not born here. And your walk told me that you came from the uniformed group with the drawn back shoulders and the strides you took were very distinct with your training. So was your grip when you shook my hand. It was firm and strong unlike the gentle touch of the priest.”

“You were right in most counts. I was named Tang Xia named after my father, Fu Manchu. I took my mother name’s when I came here. I am Fu Xia’s bastard son sent here to protect Tu Xia.”

“What is so special about Oxford?” Watson asked.