Team Seven of Heroes III Chapter 29 to 30

29.

“I was invited by the Emperor; the Western one to kill my nemesis, and Dracula. He was obviously in the know that I shared a rather brief but unpleasant event with Dracula, and more to it despite my hold on my circle of operatives, the word must had leaked out on my cure for Van Helsing. It was done of necessity to check on Dracula. He was how may I placed it; a nuisance to my world. I have to admit I shunned publicity but do adore when my name is whispered like the hidden demon. I do have that split personality in me. On my lighter side, I am the demure Doctor of mathematics, solving equations on the boards to many aspiring mathematicians. On the darker side, I held my ambition to reign on my empire of crime. I have to admit the Empire strived on economic gains but we do have a social obligation; we rob the affordable and feed the subjects of the Empire. I admit nobility but charitable I am not.”

“Admirable of your effort to emulate Robin of Locksley, but your merry men had crossed the line of justice once too often, and lives were taken….” Sherlock added in his own views.

“Collateral damage as in any war, we have casualties. Your colleagues were subject to that, and by narrow odds of calculation that they survived.” Moriarty smiled at the Sergeant. “Poor marksmanship on the gunners but we shall not divert on my role here.”

“It was in London, that I learned of the task on hand here. I find it intriguing that my other ally, the Emperor was missing. It would have been my delight to see him dead but the reason for his so named missing intrigued me more when Sherlock was placed on the task. I do admit Sherlock represent a mathematical query which attracted me. As I am to him, with no less than five cases of his involving me; or alleged involvement of my empire. I had my spies out and then the real hidden task surfaced up. It was then I tagged along for I knew the Elixir was too good to dismissed. The Emperor had never hide his intention to sought it. So, I decided to join in.” Moriarty weighed in his role then. “I was not prepared for the number of players here in the game. We could take on a football game and I will be the keeper. It’s a mathematical concept that I will handle the ball more besides directing the game flow. And I dread to think of running on the field looking for the ball at my age.”

“Enough of the deductions and your affinity for the game, for I am here to find the Elixir.” Sir Fleming looked at Sherlock. “I got your report from Lake Onega. It’s remarkable that you solved that link; the scrolls and the etching there. And to here. So where shall we begin? I could remove each of you by the hour or at my convenience.”

“Sir Fleming, you forget I have my army here too.” Emperor Fu Manchu of the East spoke. “They….”

“A pittance compared to mine. If you must know, the existence of your so named Empire was to be our shadow empire on your country. You did our works to keep the officials in their places, while we pillaged your coastal cities. We are no more the colonist but we will have empowered ourselves through economic might. As we speak, your country is on the brink of a civil war. One that we concur will weaken your influence too.” Sir Fleming smiled at both Emperors. “Both of you are puppets on our strings.”

“You will not mock us, Sir.” The Western Emperor roared out in anger. “I have an empire …”

“Of criminals and yellow henchmen with the choppers. I know that for within your empire, I too have spies and lackeys that served me. We are the Section that overlord yours. Please be cordial and calling me Sir, would be a welcome gesture.” Sir Fleming looked to the others. “All of you think that you are …unique but none of you knew that we have monitored and at times, directed you to certain outcomes.”

“In India, Sean Mercer was one of mine. He worked on the surface as a mercenary but on my leash. In Africa, Lord Greystokes may not be aware of it but his reign is over. He may lord over the dark jungle there but I have his son. The golden tall men could be convinced to comply. The Raj there reigned on my request.”

“The double zero in my Section was created by me. They are the only ones with the sanctioned approval by the King to kill. I am M and was always M. Sigrina was M in name and I let her took her ways to remove the others. Frank Moriarty was our hold on you, James but he had served his purpose.” It was then Moriarty raised the walking cane he held. It was not any walking cane but a pressured air gun that could fire the projectile over several yards but it failed that day.

“Arghh…” Mr Hyde had taken the shot into his left shoulder when he intervened on the leader of the Section. The man in his gentler frame reached for the wound and then stepped aside.

“Good man, Hyde. Once you get the next dose, you will be fine.” Sir Fleming looked to Moriarty. “Rude of you there, Moriarty. My Mr. Hyde in his other form held some healing factor. Now, where was I?”

“Watson, yes the narrator and yet he was once a killer. We planted you with Sherlock thinking you may protect him but you became the demure doctor of healing skills. I know you hold the Webley for the rare glimpse of your killer nature but I believed you have not shot more than three times. I wondered if you shot at the hound at Devon. Hounds of Baskervilles I believe. Nasty buggers.” Sir Fleming gave a sneer to his expression. “Sorry about your son. He was never under my control.”

Watson reached for his Webley but held his draw when he saw the Sergeant aimed the Enfield rifle at him,

“Slow, my dear Watson. You could have done better with the daggers.” Sir Fleming then turned to Dracula. “Vampire, or should I call you Angel? You may have noticed that the Vatican had recently allowed access to the Secret Archives. Pope Leo XIII, blessed his soul gave access but we held more privileges. I have not seen it but my researchers claimed that some of the contents preluded even the birth of Christ.”

“I can’t say that I am of the faith but I have my beliefs. As for you, Dracula your exploits were in the archives. Do tell me, Sir…. Does God really exist?”

Dracula reached for the hood on his head but then he stopped. He looked at the rising sun and realised that he was trapped.

“Feeling uneasy, Lord of the Dark. I read that vampires could roam in the morning but never when the sun reached its zenith. They need the sustenance of the dark to shield them in. Well, we are close to that and I know of all us seated here, you know the location of the Elixir. Show me and you will be …. fine.” Sir Fleming then turned to look at the Sergeant. “Remove the cover over us.”

“No…” Dracula called out. “I will show you but I need to tell you about the Elixir and location.”

30.

“The Elixir of Life does …exist but it’s sacred that the keepers of the elixir have retained a veil of secrecy over it. No words were ever recorded of it, not even by the knowledgeable Greeks then. It was spoken by many and known to fewer. It held many names which had spawned over a thousand names in the Chinese folklore, and to the West, it was most famously linked to the Philosopher’ stone, or in the Arabian name; ‘al iksir’. The devotees of Christ reference it as the ‘Fountain of Life’.” Dracula looked at the listener. “Read John 4:14. The Irish named it after their malt drink; ‘uisce beatha’ or the water of life. The Indians named it ‘Amrit Ras’ or the immortality juice.”

“It was assumed that the Elixir of Life was a drink or liquid in nature. In fact, it’s not a juice or a fountain of water. It’s not even a drink.” Dracula continued on. “It may be ranked with the others like the Holy Grail which the legendary King Arthur had embarked on a task to locate it. The item was described as a goblet or a chalice but none had seen the actual item.”

“I correct myself on that. I have seen both items.” Dracula looked at the keen listeners.

“It was last seen by myself in the vault of King Solomon.”

“So, we find the Elixir of Life, we may find the treasure too.” Sir Fleming raved on the new motivation to his task.

“Which some of you did in India when you encountered the tall golden people then.” Dracula smiled. “They held a part of it as I was told. The bulk of it remains hidden. Some ancient records spoke of it at Atlantis or even in ancient Macedonia. It was the last which I will speak on. If it was true that the Macedonian have it, they were reputed to have it from the Greeks, and from the Greeks to the Babylonians and the link to the age when we were animals then.”

“The Macedonians handed it to the Persians. And then when threatened by the Mongol hordes, the Elixir was said to be given as a bargaining gift. The Great Khan mocked on the gift for he had many before. He held his invasion in return but many had then read since then, he was getting old and wanted to go back to the plains to retire. He sends all the gifts back to the plains ahead of his return.”

“The Elixir unremarkable then remained in the care of the Mongols for some generations. It was during the reign of Kublai Khan, that the Elixir resurfaced. It was part of the gifts the Khan wanted to return to its original owners. He had that list done by the Minister who was guarding it.

“Minister Long Tian, you looked well for an old man of over a hundred.” Kublai Khan had then looked at the officer who was entrusted to oversee the treasures. “Have you taking Ling Zhi from my kitchen?”

“I begged forgiveness for my age, my Emperor. I have not done any pillaging for I am to guard from it. Your Ling Zhi are for you and none have been consumed …” The Minister went down on his knees then in the Grand Hall of the Mongol Empire that spanned to the West and South of the plains.

“Arise, old one. I was mocking you. I have my faith in you as my father before me. And his father before him. Your age is the gift of the Gods for your loyalty. Now I have a new task to you. I have decided to return the gifts to the owners. You will be entrusted to travel with Marco Polo to his land. Some of the gifts are of his people. You will carry what that may be moved on the caravans, and with adequate guards. Travel safe and return to me, my loyal Minister.”

“Those were the words of the Khan then. The Minister had then collected the rare artefacts leaving behind the gems and jewels. He knew the artefacts are the real treasure of the people. He held the one thing that had been his companion for many years; the Elixir of Life which was kept behind his desk. He had felt alive with the item there, and he knew not why but it was giving him new stretches in life. He felt sad then that the artefact was to be returned and he was not one to deny the Emperor’s request. Reluctantly he carried the Elixir with him on the long journey to the West.”

“Marco Polo buried the Elixir here when he returned to Europe. There was no news of it for Marco Polo was imprisoned then and the Great Khan died without telling his successor of the item. The Minister who knew the secret had died by then when he was killed by bandits.”

“So, what happened to the Elixir of Life?

“It was given to the real keepers who came to collect it. It was then moved to the safest place on this world” Dracula looked at all of them. “It was moved to the Vault where the men of evil were imprisoned. It’s one place anyone will not think of looking for …. treasures.”

“Impossible, I helped build the Vault.” Emperor Fu Manchu of the East roared out.

“You did not build it. You merely extended some of its areas then. Your noble intention though benevolent to Man was a selfish one. You created my cell there. One which I was spent some years there but let it be known that I allowed myself to be imprisoned for I wanted to see the Elixir of Life once more in my long life here.”

“You assumed that the Elixir is back here?” Sir Fleming roared out in anger. “You…”

“It’s there.” Sherlock interjected in. “I saw the readings on the scrolls and at Lake Onega. It spoke of the Vault.”

“Another vault? How many are there?” Emperor Fu Manchu of the East cried out then. It was then Sherlock produce the small stone form his pocket with the scrolls.

“I took this from the Lake Onega area. It’s one of the items that we need to open the gateway to the vault that held the Elixir. It’s there…”

“So are King Solomon’s treasures…” Sir Fleming could not resist himself.

“The masters of the Vault told me three items were needed to open the gate.” Van Helsing looked at Sherlock. “I do not…”

“Sherlock holds the stone, while I hold the key from your arm hidden by Moriarty.” Dracula looked at the crime lord. “He knew that I was in possession of the key and stole it from me to place inside the arm. He knew not of its true worth but to spite me. That is the second item needed to retrieve the Elixir. The last item is the gyaling.”

Dracula held up the gyaling he had kept from Van Helsing.

“All these three items are the key to open the gate.” Dracula added in. “Even with the three items in our hands, we still need to find the gate. Am I not right, brother?”

All that were there were either puzzled or got suspicious of their neighbours then.