Team Seven of Heroes Chapter 34

34.

The simple country double level home with the half dozen windows facing the front and three on the sides with four on the rear facing the garden plot was a marvel to be seen in the limits of London. There was two separate building adjacent to the main house; one was a stable and the other looked like the servants quarter. It was a prime piece for it sat on a vast landscape of two acres and was ringed by the single level houses on four sides. The landscaped land was barely maintained saved for the six clusters of low bushes and the long drive way which was lined up by the low hedges on both sides. The entrance to the estate was past the high grilled gates which were guarded by two sentries. It was expected that the sentries for the estate be of local lads but these were outsiders for they don’t speak English but the local dialect of the Basque. They were armed with the shortened double gauge shot gun with the bandolier slung across the chest. Their dressing was that of their ethnicity which was the white tunic and dark vest with the dark pants tucked into the knee high boots. It was unmistakable the dagger that was inlaid at the right boot was not ornamental. In addition to that, there were the patrolling three sentries on the horseback which covered the boundary of the estate.

The other unique part of the estate was the single dirigible stationed there, armed with machine guns on the side. 

“Lovely place.” Sherlock leaned back after having taken a look at the estate form the hansom. He was with Mycroft. He turned to the other who was busy studying the houses with the looking glass. They were driven by none other than their soured associate, Doctor Watson in his new role.

“I wondered if he enjoyed being cajoled into that role.” Sherlock voiced out. He still held some admiration for the doctor but the eluded facts that made him a pandering clown in front of the others had touch a sore nerve in him.

“Cajoled? I doubt so. I had seen these agents at work. They are adaptable to their roles. I knew one who lived for a short time as a janitor to the Minister and then assisted the escape of the family from their home. They are unorthodox and in the service can be considered as miscreants but above all of that their loyalties are unquestionable. The SOE has been around but their services are not exploited unlike yours.”  Those last words were a stab in the butt on Sherlock. Mycroft works have been clandestine and he felt his contribution will only be read by those who may access it. He may however get his pension at old age or before he died if he survived that long.

“My works? Exploits? I can assure you that it was not of my doing but the inferable miscreant up there. He somehow convinced me to share my …. Adventures with him. I am …”

“Humble person? I believe so for I am also part of the Holmes family. Talking of family was the last time we held a gathering.”

“Family? I have dealt that into incognito ever since I was involved with the world of criminals. Families are liability in our work.” Sherlock then looked out the window. “When have you last seen them?”

“Since Sigrina’s funeral. I was always busy.” Mycroft carried out his usual excuse. “I was not that close to her.”

“Yes, we have not seen them for ages. And it’s not uncommon for us not to appear for Thanksgiving or Christmas. No one wanted to get near you when your clothes smell like it was faced with ammonia. Nor of mine, which was of better quality …”

“Than those hand me downs and sewn patches at one time? Please those were my stage costumes. I can however agreed that our attires are clearly more distinguished now.” Sherlock then glanced outside. “I think we got their attention now.”

The patrol sentries were seen riding for the gate and the dirigible was lifting then. The topic of the family was dropped then.

“Now let us see how our ‘jungle man’ can perform.” Mycroft replied while he reached for walking stick and smartened his bow tie. “How do I look?”

At that moment with the sentries distracted and the dirigible drawn away, the group of four figures rushed towards the two sentries at the gate. They were on horses and Lord Greystoke was in front. He did not ride his saddleless horse but crouched on it. He had his arms out and released the long metal whip with the grapnel. The grapnel struck the top of the gate which was twenty feet off the ground. He then retracted the whips and with that, he was propelled to the air. He swung higher and was over the gate.

“Show off!” Lady Jane screeched out while she aimed with her rifle. She shot the two sentries in the chest before the horse stopped at the gates. Van Helsing dismounted and approached the gate. He took the huge metal lock by the chain and pulled. It came free from the gate and he then opened the gates.

Lord Greystoke had then rushed down the path to the house and his enhanced smell senses picked up the predators. The twin lions charged from the building thought to be the stables. There were not only two lions but soon to follow was the dark panther and the fleeting cheetah. All four creatures had been altered in the looks with the horns on the front and the sharp pointed collars.

“Abomination!” Lord Greystoke cried out and raced towards the creatures. The four creatures faced the man who stood there with his whips. He held no trees to swing from but to face them on their hunting ground.

“Kreegah!” Lord Greystoke retracted the whips into the hard staff form. He half crouched with the staff held out to warn the creatures. He had fought them before in singles but never in a pack. In the wild, he had befriended them but then on the ground at the unfamiliar terrain, he was to battle them. They were no more the creatures of the wild but of Man. He saw the collars on them held a long wire and it made them twitched in pain.

“Brothers, we are the strangers to this land. We need not fight.” Lord Greystoke voiced in the vocals of the apes. “You are my brothers.”

It was then the shot came from the rear of Lord Greystoke. The shot was aimed at the cheetah which took it between the eyes and ended its life.

“Jane, don’t…..” The warning came too late for the other creatures have charged at the lady who shot.

“Bundolo!” Lord Greystoke leaped at the first lion that was near his path. He held no dagger but the twin shaft in his hands. There was no mercy then but the code of survival.

Blood was shed and blood will be paid with it.

Lord Greystoke with his arms raised high jabbed the shaft into the lion’s mane and then he released the whip. The force of the push on the shafts thrust the extended whip into lion’s flesh and it exited at the lower jaws. He then retracted the whips and jumped off the lion which was already dead then. He swung his right arm out and released the whip from the staff in his hand. He faced the dark panther which was encircling him then. It smelled the danger and took its own cautious move. The dark panther then yowled out and its front right paw clawed at the collar. The shot came next and killed the dark creature.

Lord Greystoke turned and glared at Lady Jane. It was twice she had intervened.

“John…” Lady Jane pleaded with the man she knew then as John Clayton, Lord Greystoke but she also knew in her eyes then that John Clayton was no more there. He was in his savage ego, Tarzan.

“Tarzan…” Lady Jane muttered. The man with the metal shafts was then crouched there with his eyes staring at her. She dropped the rifle and then fell to her knees before she bowled over. It was the sign of defeat.

Or she will die by the hands of the man she loved.

“I…” Van Helsing was to intervene when Lady Harkness stopped him.

“Don’t! The fight is ahead.” Lady Harkness motioned to the house where the windows were then opened with the rifles pointing out. “We are to get in there.”

Tarzan then had seen the threat and turned to run towards the house. Van Helsing took next with him while Lady Harkness attended to the shaken lady still on her knees.

Further down the road, the three riders were still in pursuit on the streets there.  

“I say old chap, would this work?” Mycroft leaned out of the hansom opening and took his fifth or sixth shot with the Webley. He was not counting but the pistol did. The next pull of the trigger produce no shots. 

“I am out of bullets. Need to reload.”

Sherlock was on the other side held onto the Webley. He did not fire for he was no marksman and with a moving hansom the possibility of shooting at another moving target was like a factor of a hundred to one. The plan was to distract the riders to follow them with the dirigible. It had worked and the dirigible had not open fired then. Sherlock saw the dirigible turned and that was a good sign.

“The dirigible is turning back.” And it was then the hansom stopped. “I hate this. It tells me we are to confront three riders.”

Three riders rang off and then there was silence.

“I guess we won. So what was the next stage?” Mycroft leaned out with his Webley reloaded. He saw then Watson had stepped out from the hansom. Mycroft and Sherlock did the same and saw the three dead riders on the ground with Watson holding the Enfield rifle in his arms.

“We can move faster on those horses.”