Team of Seven Heroes Shorts Tales 2; Chapter 11 & 12

Book 2

11.

Hans Pieter looked at the new dawn from his veranda. He had sent the German into the jungle. He had known from the drums and local scouts; his two expeditions were wasted. The jungle had a merciless way of carrying out its own justice. He was born an African and having lived with the locals, he learned their culture and also their ways of handling troubles. It was a tough and dangerous land but he loved the land. He had heard of the treasures from his own scouts; tall tales most of them but there was a ring of truth to some. The truth pointed to the interior where even his people ventured with great numbers not to kill but to protect each other. When the British came to him, and then the Germans’, he was surprised that they will share their secrets with him then but he soon found out.

“No one knows the lands better than you.” It was a grand compliment and he offered to assist. He made his estate their base and his home their rest area. He however refused to partake in the expedition.

“I am no more a hunter. I will stay here.” Hans told them and initially there was reluctance to his reply but they took over their anger and planned their own. The first was a mix of British and Germans, the second Germans and the third was British. With Doctor Schmidt team that was a mixed of Germans, and mixed Frontiers discards. He assessed the risks and decided that Africa was still his land. His country and if there were any treasures, he does not intend to share it with outsiders.

“Master, your horse is ready.” Hans nodded to his servant who had prepared his horse. He was riding with his friends from the land; Boers they are called. They are the descents of the Dutch who had settled in southern Africa. When the British Empire took over their land and after a major war, the ‘Great Trek’ took place when a sizable population of the settlers migrated north to the interior of Africa, and some to the western lands. They fought two more wars before the migration to overseas but the Pieter family stayed on. The ones that stayed were dissatisfied and plotted the downfall of the Empire. They wanted to re-create the old Boer republics.

It needed funds, and the consortium with the others was the start. It was to raise funds but then the objective changed.

Zalman’ treasure was the new objective.

It worked for a while and then the stakes were against them then too. The search was extensive and the available funds were dwindling until recently. They may have the location. It was a race to the location. And even the other three asked to convene the last meeting.

That had to end.

The Boers will take over.

“All the others are in wait.” Hans nodded to the reply. He placed on his bush hat and adjusted his shirt lapels. He was the ‘kommandant’ of the twenty commandos, as they were named. There was no standard uniform and weaponry but the commandos were seasoned jungle fighters. They have their farms and protected it from the predators the only way they could; kill it.

“Welcome, commandos.” Hans greeted the assembled men there on horseback. They are dressed in whatever garbs they could find in their closet. It could be a jacket over the shirt or just the shirt, and loose pants with the boots, or the army issued fatigue with the high boots. Like their uniforms, their weaponry was assorted from the Mauser 96 handgun, Luger, Webley, Colt Peacemaker or the hidden derringer. They carried the Enfield, Mauser 98, Henry Martini and the Winchester of various models. There were the others; the bayonet, the daggers, the woodsman axe to the African dagger the Mambele; the iron blade with a curved back section and rearward spike.  He saw then the Maxim Machine gun attached to the unmounted horse. It was one thing they will need in a battle. It had a better killing field scope.     

“We ride for Zalman’ treasure. For the Boer.” Hans called out. He was handed his weapons. He slung the gun belt across his shoulder; the Mauser 96 in the holster on the left side. He was handed the Martini Henry; the breech loaded single shot lever actuated rifle.

“My horse.” Hans then mounted the horse assigned to him. They will be riding hard and fast. So was Sheena then, riding hard and fast to see an old friend; well, an old friend’s love. One that she was never to experience any more.

Sheena stopped before the settlement. She heard of the Azhare outcast and it was created by one named Mother Jules. The later was once a healer and on the occasion advised on any unusual events. She professed to read the future. That part scared the Azhare people force her to leave, and she did with the selected few. Sheena have not seen it in the creatures for the pack hardly split when a member gets rejected or ostracised. The others will stay remain in the group.

The other concern of her was the healer uncanny predictions. She predicted a number of events and the most acute one was her leaving the settlement.

“You cannot come in. You are not of us.” The warrior halted her at the settlement boundary. He was a young warrior but his confidence showed in his hand holding the spear. She looked at him and then stepped past him. He reached out with his spear blunt end to stop her. She grabbed the spear wooden end and pulled hard at it. The spear moved forward along his hands and left a deep gash there. The warrior dropped the spear and saw his weapon tossed far. He looked at the lady warrior who did not flinched at his action.

Sheena approached the biggest hut; she assumed the leader will be there.

“The Queen arrives.” Sheena looked to the emerging figure from the hut. Mother Jules approached her. In the sunlight, Mother Jules did look like the others who were with her. She was tanned but her complexion was not that dark.

“I am Azhare or my mother was. My father was Portuguese who was here then in an expedition. He fell for her and they had me. I grew up with my mother at his settlement but we were never accepted. We moved back here without him, and then I grew up with the Azhare. My father did not come for us then after.”

“I was …”

“No, you were not of the land. You were adopted here and then you became their adopted Queen. Its not that they did not have any but they selected you.”

“How did…”

“I am …. able to see things. I saw you. Like before…”

“You told me something then.” Sheena snapped back to their last conversation.

“Yes, Queen. You do not have to be afraid of your …. Future.”

“Mother Jules, I am not afraid of your future but I need not be told of it.” Sheena hit back. “I live my life as its.”

“If we are done, can I tell you that Lady Jane is not here.” Mother Jules. “She sought you to kill you. And that is not a vision of mine. It’s the truth. She spoke in her painful sleep.”

“Why would she want to kill me? I did her no harm.” Sheena was getting agitated. She had many enemies; local and foreign. All of them in the same image like her own kind. She never had that with the other kinds. They were sincere in their feelings. They do from instincts. They kill when hunger calls. They love when they desire. They … were kind which they cannot be most times except to their pack or their own creation. Which is more than the kind that was equal to Sheena.

Like Jane Porter who wants to kill her. She does not need to know why most times. She killed most times without know them. Maybe she was becoming part of the jungle animals.

12.

Tarzan was distracted by the scent of the men that formed the expedition. He would had ignored them but the scent told him they were different. The Arabs have a distinct place with Tarzan. He had previous encounters with them and the results were his escape from death. He could not resist the scent and followed them for they were in the Queen’s land. It was only for two things the Arabs were here; the slaves they liked to capture and the other was treasures.

Tarzan was adamant for a group of strangers to be there was a mixed of Arabs and Germans only spell trouble. He had his dealings with the Germans and they were not the tourist most times. He followed them from a distance and ears drop on their conversations. It helped when he had developed acute hearing sense which allowed him to pick up the words spoken.

“Ahmad, tell me how did you arrived so fast? And then your riders to be so near? So convenient.” Doctor Schmidt looked at the Bedouin. “I am not senile, although I am getting older.”

“I was informed. It was Hans Pieter who message me. He told me of the expeditions. He knew of our alliance. He…”

“He also told you of Zalman’ treasure.” Doctor Schmidt cut in. “That was why you asked me of the treasure when we met.”

“Yes, that concurred to me. I know you have been possessed to discover it. You once told me that the King had many treasures but the one Sheba shared more than we know. Or may know.”

“And the Bedouin in you will….”

“I am your protector but I will partake in sharing the treasure with you. The treasure belonged to whoever that can hold it. That included us. However, I will not kill you for it and I have sworn to protect you.” Ahmad then excused himself to join his own. Doctor Schmidt looked away. He was sure he saw a shadow on the trees. He kept on looking and did not hear the foot steps of the next visitor.

“Doctor Schmidt, I heard you were looking for me.” It was the British member. He was ex-military and held the rank of Major Talbot before. He was dressed like the others and held a hunting rifle. He was tall and stringy in the frame, giving him more to his height.

“Yes, Major Talbot. I was looking for you. Actually, I am in need of protection. I am sure I saw someone in the trees, and you may be the one to ensure I am not … hallucinating. You are a sharp shooter. Be there to watch my back.”

“Yes, Doctor Schmidt. I am sure Doctor Moriarty and Colonel Sebastian Moran will be pleased to know if I do my task here. He held a dislike for savages.” The officer gave his once over the trees.

“You mentioned your cousin in his full rank and name. Does he intimidate you?” Doctor Schmidt also held an interest in psychology after meeting a Doctor Freud.

“Colonel …. Sebastian you mean ….  Yes, I was in the Military since twelve, from Academy to full service, and I made it to be rank of Major on my own accord, although I could not best him at shooting….”

“Warten Sie mal…. I am not your doctor. I am just your Expedition Leader who needs your protection.” Doctor Schmidt switched to his technical driven character. “Do that. Don’t lose focus.”

Tarzan leaned against the trunk of the huge tree, hiding in the shadows. He was unsure whether the man saw him but he took precautions. It was the way the jungle coached him how to stay alive for so long. He had been doing that right but at times, he falter in his way when he stumbled or was distracted. For that the preys get killed that way.

Tarzan mind shifted to his love. He felt troubled that he was not on pursuing Lady Jane. Since they lost their child, he was focussed on her but maybe that was what troubled him. He wanted to be with her most times, making their new child, and seeing her smile but he did not see inside her. Then he was on a pursuit to save his love.

Or was it for Sheena.

Sheena at that time did not step into Mother Jules hut. She still held her annoyance on the lady but with Mother Jules, she knew the answers was with the lady. She needed the answers to find Lady Jane. She cannot have the lady on her land.

Or die there.

Tarzan will not forgive her.

It was the creature pack mentality. You do not disrupt their relationship.

Love does complicate relationship. In the jungle, you fight for love but never kill or get killed. The defeat just sulked away.

Jane was then sulking away. She was in pain and regretted it still. She had Mili to carry her rifles but then she was moving on the direction of the little girl. They were taking periodic rests, and longer rest. She noticed Mili was holding the rifles like a shooter. It dawned on her then she had to ask.

“Mili, why are you with me? Why did Mother Jules ….”

“Mother Jules told me to take you. I can help.” Mili replied. “I am not young. I have not grown but I am older. I can shoot well too.”

“I trust you do.” Jane smiled. “So where are we headed? And who is Mother Jules? And how did she find me?”

“First, we are to where the Queen will be. Mother Jules showed me.” Mili replied. “Mother Jules knows it all. You cannot fight the Queen alone. I will assist you.”

“Mother Jules?”

“Mother Jules? She took care of me when my mother left me after she discovered my condition. She gave me food and shelter. I gave her company, and then she told me to learn to survive. She told me to learn to shoot. I was given one and I learned. I could shoot up to a hundred yards. She was preparing me for your coming.”

“Why? What is it that you ….”

“Mamie Jane, you cannot defeat her alone. It was shown in the vision that you will need someone to assist. The vision was clear. And the Queen is our enemy too. She is the predator I need to kill. And with you ….”

“Why is the Queen your enemy?”

“We were ostracised by the tribe. The Queen had a hand in it. We moved here.”

“You talked too much for a ….:” Jane stopped the young girl …lady.

“I am not a girl. I know what is in your mind.” Mili replied. “I can read your mind. And I can really shoot.”

“And we are in trouble?” Jane highlighted their danger. The group of warriors surrounded the two ladies. They were Azhare warriors led by one warrior named Mutale There was eight of them in the group including Mutale.

“You have been easy to find. We have people in the settlement that watched over Mother Jules. You are a pain in our tribe. You led our Queen away from her task to protect us. You need to be removed. You are a hyena that picked at our food after the kill.”