Team of Seven Heroes Shorts Tales 2; Chapter 13 & 14

13.

 Major Talbot Sebastian had tuned his senses to pick out the sounds and movements that the untrained person will miss. He hung back on the march to the rear and then kept on dropping back. He knew from his training the predator will follow the designated prey. In this expedition, the Major knew the one that was worth pursuing was the Doctor. So, he will watch for him and from him, he will find the predator.

The Major felt and then saw the predator.

It was a Man.

A White Man.

The Major heard of such a person.

Tarzan was the name they mentioned. He had stopped the papers on the publication of the savage tales. And the name. He was better known as Lord Greystokes.

Lord Greystokes have returned to the jungle.

“Sebastian, I am one up on you.” Major Talbot smiled. He was always competing with his siblings and with Moran, he was always the second best.

The Major gripped his rifle. It was a hunting rifle; Winchester model and for the close combat, he got his Webley and the bayonet that he kept from his military stint. He stopped at the tree trunk and then surveyed the trees. He saw the Man. He was good; fleeting on his moves and agile with his jumps. One moment he was on the high branch and then the next he was onto the next tree. The man was swinging using the vines and on occasion, he will jump and land without a sound. It was the flutter of the leaf that revealed his movements,

It was the training of the sniper to remain vigilant and focus on the target.

The Major levelled the rifle onto his right shoulder, and then aimed. He was not aiming at any particular area but he was sighting with his rifle to mark the target. His target was moving and he needed to do the same. It was a glimpse that he needed.

That glimpse appeared on his sight.

The Major’s finger pulled while he pulled the rifle to the side. It was to compensate for the movement. He felt the recoil and then the sight of the released bullet. He followed the bullet trajectory, tracing it to the target.

The bullet impacted but he missed his target.

The Major was aiming for the head but the bullet impacted into the left arm.

The Man lost his momentum on the swing but he recovered to swing on to the jungle.

The Man was gone but he be back.

The wounded predator will return to finish the task

When it’s a Man.

“Why did you shoot?” It was Doctor Schmidt with the rest of the expedition. They heard the shot, and retraced their steps. “Was it….”

“Tarzan was here. He is trailing us.”

“Search the area.” Doctor Schmidt called out. “Tarzan cannot be allowed to escape.”

Tarzan was hurt. He was careless and the arm hurt. He was recovering from his previous wounds and getting new ones was unwelcomed. He felt dizzy and then he fell. He fell hard onto the lower branches and then onto the ground. It was a hard fall.

It was harder and his fall was not over. He fell through the surface and the fall then was longer. It was all dark there. His body hurt from the fall. He used to be tougher but the pace of life in London have placed some fats into his frame.

And they don’t cushion well in the fall. He fell into the darkness then in the hole. Unlike Tarzan, Jane was hog tied and then carried by two warriors on the long stick. She looked at Mili who was just pushed to the march by the other warriors. Her weapons were confiscated by the warrior leader named Mutale, and he had remained silent during their march. She had asked questions but no one replied to her.

“Mili, are you okay?” Jane asked of the other.

“I am well. They won’t harm me. They fear Mother Jules.” Mili replied.

“Silence from you or we may forget why we let you live.” Mutale snapped back. “We do fear Mother Jules but we can always leave you here to die in the jungle. There are many others who does not fear her.”

“You could, Azhare Warrior but Mother Jules will still find you. Your scent is in her now.” Mili replied with a hiss. “In all of you, she will find if I am ever harmed.”

“Silence!” Mutale warned again and was then stopped by the sight of the panther who had leapt into their trail. It was an unusual move for the warriors were many. The panther was huge and its dark skin glisten from the sweat there as if it had travel far to be there.

“Numa!” The warriors called out. They feared the panther who could climb trees and kill with speed like the lion. If the Lion was the King, the panther was the Prince. The warriors raised their spears and shields.

“We need to retreat and find another route.” Mutale called out. “Numa guards this one.”

“No, Numa guards me. Release me and I will take Numa away.” Mili voiced out. The young lady did not wait for any reply and approached the panther. The panther on picking the scent, growled but it did not attack the lady. Mili turned to look at the warriors.

“I will go with the Numa. You will carry on with her. We will meet at the hidden entrance.” Mili then mounted the panther and they took off into the jungle.

“What hidden entrance? Tell me, sons of Azhare. Where are you taking me?”

14.

“Doctor Schmidt, there is another here.” The doctor was then looking at the growth covered stone statue that resembled that of an ancient warrior with the club and spear. He had read of such fables and had ignored them as children tales until a few years ago when he was shown the scrolls that spoke of Zalman’ treasures. In the scrolls was the drawing of the statue.

It was named Inoki or the Guardian.

The statue was over eight feet in height and cladded in the thick armour resembled a suit with layers of plates over it. The warrior was reputed to hold a club and spear. The warrior wore a huge head piece which was made of a set of protruding horns with the thick mane behind it. The face cover was a narrow slit down the nose to the upper lips with the both ears covered.

“Doctor, there is another one here.” Doctor Schmidt then rushed over the distance of two hundred feet. He approached the second statue and smiled. He had discovered the warriors of Zalman’ hideout.

“Look further. There should be eight of them. They guard the doorway.” Doctor Schmidt called out. “Be careful of ….: “

The doctor’s warning was too late.

“Serpents!” The call went out and they begin retreating. Some took to firing their weapons but the majority chose to run. It was the one who knew how to fight stood there with one weapon that will make a difference. He was named Harman and held the bottles of flammable materials. He was an arsonist in Berlin before he fled to join the Foreign Legion and then to be the mercenary. He held his fascination for fire ever since. He tossed the bottles and then lit up the undergrowth. The flames flicked and then roared into a raging sea of fire. The serpents hidden there slithered off.

“They are gone.” One of them called out.

“About time. I am almost out of bottles.” Harman replied.

“Ignore the serpents. We found the trail to Zalman.” It was Ahmad who rushed forward. He confronted the doctor.

“You told me that we were in the area but the trail was still too far to be seen.”

“I did but I may be mistaken. That is the problem with the treasure maps. They are hardly accurate.” Doctor Schmidt looked at the other man. “Don’t be like an imp. Get your act together. And don’t leave me of you. I want you next to me.”

“Doctor, we found someone new.” The voice directed the doctor to a hole in the ground. He saw the prone figure there and from the weapons there, he assumed the worse.

“Tarzan? Is that him?” Doctor Schmidt looked at Ahmad. “You have seen him before? Is that him?”

Ahmad leaned over the hole and tried to make out the figure. He then shook his head.

“It could be him. I last saw him some years back. Way back then. It may be him. For not many carries those weapons and looked white.”

“We need to down there. The hole could lead to …” Doctor Schmidt gave the instructions to get the climbing gear out. “We are climbing down.”

Tarzan found himself bandaged on his new wound but his hands were bounded with ropes. He looked up and saw his captors. There was two white man and the other was an Arab.

“Lord Greystokes, I presume. Or shall I address you as Tarzan.” Tarzan looked at the elderly man asking him. The man was dressed for the safari but he was more at home drinking schnapps looking at the Bavarian Alps. He had a dislike for German and not because he was British by subject.

“You could have not dropped into a hole but one convenient for us too. I found the tunnel but we stayed back to entertain you.” The German continued on. “For introduction, I am Doctor Schmidt. Shoot him.”

Major Talbot   levelled the rifle but Ahmad the Bedouin stopped him.

“Don’t. The savage may be of use to us. He is familiar with the jungle and maybe here.” Ahmad leaned down to speak to Tarzan. “We are not savage. We are just in need of you.”

“Why should I speak to you? Or even help you?” Tarzan replied.

“Simple, savage. We are in Zalman’ cave. You have sworn an oath to protect it.” Ahmad looked at Tarzan. “I was there.”

Tarzan recalled the ceremony that he was dragged into then twenty years ago. It was not his call but he was escorting then the young lady known as Sheena. She had insisted that he go with her.

“We are meeting the Elders sworn to protect the jungle secrets.” There was one other person there; Mother Jules.

The ceremony was held by the Azhare tribe sworn to protect Zalman and his cave for eons. The ceremony was to initiate new guardians which included the Sheena. It was the Mother who voiced out.

“There is one other. He is not of Azhare but he will be loyal to the tribe. I ask for the Waziri adopted son, Tarzan.”

Tarzan being young and foolish to look better next to the lady he was fond of then, he joined in. It was that simple but the simplicity became complicated when Sheena asked him to stay on. He declined and that hurt their relationship. He left the lady and later in his life, he tried to avoid her although he met her on some rare occasions.

“How come you were there?” Tarzan asked. “It was a …”

“I was a slave then. I escaped from my captors, and they sheltered me. For then. I was with Mother Jules.”

“Mother Jules? Did you… I heard of …”

“Yes, I blinded her. I was told of visions and got upset. I ran after that but she told me I am of the land. I kept on coming back. I will die here. She told me.” Ahmad explained. “I don’t intend to die today. You will lead us. The Gods will not harm the Guardians.”

“Help him up. We are wasting time.” Doctor Schmidt haste up the works. Tarzan was dragged up and led to the tunnel. “We could be watched by now.”

The expedition was watched by another guardian, Mutale.

“They did not find the cave. They found the tunnel instead.” Mutale crouched behind the growth concealing himself from the others. He left his warriors behind a distance away, with Jane. He was to take her here, and do the needed to sacrifice the lady there. It was an ancient ritual that the Azhare Elders do away soon after the Queen prevented the last one ten years ago. It caused a rift and it also split the tribe.

Mother Jules left the tribe.

“The ritual must be resurrected. Only then will then Zalman could rest.”