Team Seven of Heroes Chapter 28

28.

Dawn was when the brightness of the sunlight broke on the horizon to lighten up the landscape. On the walls, you could see the surging sunlight moved on the horizon towards gradually swallowing the dark corners until there was none. If one will pay close attention to the growth and inhabitants, the light gave them a purpose to come to life, with the wind assisting them to shake off the night dews. The predators will then climb out of the hideouts to prey on the others. The hunt will begin with the staging of the ambush and when the prey reaches there, it would be a swift kill.

Not all of that worked like that.

“Swing the gate.” Sergeant Matt called out to the sentry he had placed there. The words went out when the tower sentry sighted the riders from the West and another from the East. The call went out on that. The non-com then turned towards the additional guests that had returned with him before dawn. They have all convened at the makeshift tent in the fortress area.

“Van Helsing, I am surprised at your circle of allies now.” Mycroft was glaring at the man he considered as a nemesis of his brother. Next to Doctor Moriarty was the cloak covered vampire, then had the hood over his face. “Your ally has issue with the sunlight, I presume. Bad for my delicate skin too. I believe the ladies have that issue too.”

The ladies were seated on the left side of the long rectangle table under the huge cover of the tent Princess Fa Lo Suee with her aide and Mrs Hudson seated there with the umbrella laid on the table. They were glaring at the vampire who had turned away from their stares. Their attention was diverted by the arrival of the two so named Emperors from different directions. Sherlock who had arrived was given the cold glare by Doctor Watson. The sleuth turned to his brother and saw the bandages.

“Bad day for you?” Sherlock asked his brother. Mycroft shrugged his shoulders and then motioned to Mrs Hudson. “Bad spell over there. She may not serve tea.”

“Good morning, gentlemen and ladies.” It was Nayland who broke the cold spell then. The man stood at the other of the table while motioning the two Emperors to take their places opposite each other. “I have another colleague who can’t join us today. He is unwell.”

“Truly a sad event then for him but his solo battle was a victory of sort.” The real Emperor Fu Manchu or Fu Xia spoke out. “I paid a lot for those guns.”

“A mere drop in the ocean for the empire, my brother.” The other Emperor or Tu Xia cut in. “Tell me, brother. Why do you seek the Elixir when you hold the other solution to longevity?”

That question surprised everyone there including the immortal vampire.

“The slip of the tongue may cause you to lose it.” Fu Xia cautioned his so named brother. “I…”

“You are the Emperor of the East and I am of the West. I build an empire as wide as yours, and …” Tu Xia challenged the other but Fu Xia was not to be swept aside by the other.

“In the West, you are hunted like a criminal while in mine, I am the Emperor. No one dares defy me.” Fu Xia cut in. “You allied with other criminals.”

“I resent that, Emperor …” Doctor Moriarty stepped into the tent. “Pardon me for the tardiness in being late. I was occupied with another guest. Hello, Dracula.”

The vampire ignored the criminal genius while Moriarty looked towards his nemesis.

“Surprised to see me, old chap?” Sherlock was not amused at the Doctor being coy with the nature of greeting. “I will explain my presence soon. Now where are we at the parley of allies?”

The negotiations there have side tracked and animosity have reached to ugly levels but the fast intervention of Van Helsing lowered their murderous intentions.

“If I may, we are here for one reason. We are here to seek the Elixir of Life, and if it does exist.” Van Helsing looked at the so named allies of his. “The vampire sought it for his own reasons even though death avoids him; the Emperors for their longevity, the British Empire for their own desire to rule on while the others, I believed everyone have a reason too. I was for one, intend to ….”

“What is your noble reason, hunter of the undead?” Dracula spoke out. “Do you fear it like your family have on me? Was the.”

“Something which …I am not sure why. I was not pursuing that but an inner search of my own. My desire was to know myself and my role in this madness of hunting your kind. I was side tracked by the Wolves and then the placed on the trail leading here. I lost my other arm and be honest, still lost in my direction but I know something deep inside me, the Elixir if it does exist is not meant to be given to Man, or …. vampire.”  

“An arm that was placed there by me.” Doctor Moriarty stepped in. “I have no desire to save you, Van Helsing but the mathematical logic told me the equation was you. I had that arm done for you, giving you an edge to meet the vampire’ threats but it did not really work. So that equation was not the correct one. Maybe I …”

“Moriarty, you never do anything to help anyone. You did it for a purpose. Your own demented one.” Sherlock could not stay silent then. “I did ask myself why you would replace Van Helsing’ arm?”

Moriarty looked at Sherlock but he did not reply. It was Dracula who replied.

“The doctor had something of mine then. He hid it in the arm with Van Helsing. I have it now.” Dracula revealed the metallic item that he had retrieved. It looked like a metal plate but on it were images of little lines. “It’s the key to the gate where the Elixir is stored.”

“Then it’s time we get ourselves into the circle.” The voice was familiar to some of them and it drew their surprises to hear it there. Unaware to hose there, the six operatives of the Section had convened to form a cordon around the table. Besides their assumed leader, Sergeant Matt, one other stepped up. There was never any introduction or chat with the team by the others for secrecy was their mode of operation, and their identities masked with the scarf to cover below their eyes and extended to cover the head above. The figure approached the table holding then the yet to be refuted machine gun made popular by criminals in the world. It was a Thompson gun with the ammunition drum.

“Morning to all. Please do not act surprise. After all, next to the King’s crown, the Elixir is the peer for all that cherished life.” The one who spoke was M himself. “My section had done me proud. Nayland with his loyalty and Mr Hyde who will join us shortly for his ability to counter some of you if needed. And to the ladies, I do extend my best for the Princess Fa Lo Suee, and her aide, the Widow whose loyalty was to me. Well played, my dears.”

“Ah, Mrs Hudson, your role was to protect my ladies. I have never denied that.” Sir Fleming smiled before he added on. “Should we get onto the task on hand? Sherlock, don’t be puzzled. You are good at your work but the pace of the task overwhelmed you in some areas. Your current friendship with Watson had also dulled your mind. Or was it the cocaine that you have not taken to measurement lately.”

“It was …” Sherlock tried to defend but was cut off.

“It was not elementary, Sherlock. Please rest your ego for once.” Sir Fleming snapped out. It was then they heard the sound of shooting and some bombardment but it was on the Western side. “Charming, my reinforcements are here. They are if I am not mistaken scattering the army you recruited, Emperor Fu Manchu of the West. It’s needed to get some time to address who is who.”

“Sir Fleming, I was to say your …. execution of the task was remarkable. It reminded me of the Fred Porlock who contacted me on the evil scheme of Doctor Moriarty. Remarkable for I had to back tracked my readings on the Almanac. It was my first trail to the doctor; a movement of criminal upheaval on society. Am I not right, Doctor Moriarty?”

The doctor in question laughed and then leaned on the table.

“You have a remarkable memory for details with some grandeur added on. You named me the Napoleon of Crime, and yet like the real Napoleon with Wellington, I think you may rank as mine. Your exposure of me was not of my crime but my collection of paintings. Alas, Jean Baptiste Greuze was one of my favourite, and as pointed out by you, I could not have acquired that painting with my academic remuneration. A charming observation but a flawed deduction of yours. Perhaps your rare sport of grandeur there. I did acquire the painting by inheritance on my mother’s side. My aunt gave it to me which I did not disclose earlier.”

“Nevertheless, most of you are wondering why am I here? I was not mentioned by Sir Fleming at all. And this is not London.”