Team Seven of Heroes Chapter 15

15.

Van Helsing woke up to find himself on a dry bed looking at the ceiling. He looked around and saw himself in a room full of household utensils. His bullet wounds were tended to and there were fresh band

“You must rest, Herr Helsing.” Van Helsing was surprised that he was known and then recalled that his silver arm could be the giveaway. He was known as the Demon Slayer by the ones who were in the dark arts and also among the vigilantes who hunt them too. 

“Please do not move.” The rescuer reached out to lower Van Helsing to the bed. 

“The sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, Your spirit needs tender care now but it will heal and your Spirit renewed.”

“His sword is what delivered us.” Van Helsing muttered to himself. “I am to thank you but which man knows these words of God are you?”

“My name is Tuck, and formerly a Friar or still one but my heart still held God close in me.” The man known as Tuck smiled. “I am now a mercenary in the cleansing of the violators of what God has created.”

“You fought well with the witches and I had them condemned to the fire of Hades on the cold continent.” Tuck replied. “It may just devour them till the end of the world.

“You hold smite in your words, Tuck. Why do you feel such hatred when you are once a cleric?”

“I was removed of my sight by them but without it, I learned to live with my other senses.” Tuck’s hands then reached for his face to feel the muscles there. “Despite the sight, I am not an invalid. I had the train followed by my friends, reported you boarding the carriage and send the runners to track you. You were lucky then. Your friends were better for the polizei were there to help them.”

“I am tried. Let me rest.” Van Helsing leaned back on his bed but the ex-Friar stopped him.

“You can’t rest. I meant you can rest but you need to work while you rest. I need you to do work on the bed.” Tuck referred to the stack of papers next to the bed. “I can’t see what I may read but you could. You will find how deep we are in this mess. There are the ones whom we regarded as leaders in God’s name involved here too.”

 “Are you telling me that someone in the circle is involved?” Van Helsing asked.

“You tell me, I can’t see it myself.” Tuck replied.

Across the continent at the countryside of Chequers just outside of Aylesbury, there was a urgent conference of the leaders of the nation in the ten bedroom house with twelve staffs there. The ministers have arrived with discreet transportation, of the seven in attendance, three arrived in the London Cab and another two by carriages and the last took a walk there across the fields after a train ride. There were not the normal fares of the villagers but of ministerial level then.

“I said, old chap. The walk did me good.” The man with the balding head and silvery side beards strolled into the library and eased himself on the soft armchair facing the fireplace. He looked at the attendees then and remembered all their names but they have agreed that no names be spoken there.

“We have to meet here as the enemies have grown ever closer to the ones we thought we knew.” M was one of attendees. She stood up and stood by the fireplace. Her right fingers pushed the candle stick there on the mantle and the portrait of the high Lord of the Naval then moved aside to reveal a number of photographs pinned behind the frame.

“I have added in two more names.” M motioned to the photographs. “They have participated on the grounds of unmatched greatness.”

“He is not possible. I have known him for years.” Another seated there protested. “I knew…”

M hushed the speaker and then added in her words.

“No names please. He holds a prominent position in the circle but his lack of vanity gave away. His mistress is in their hands. He has to comply or be exposed and destroyed. No one wanted to end like … the other person.”

“I have been the Minister for over five decades and you are telling me that my administration held no power at all.” The elderly man spoke out. He turned to the one who was dressed in the fine suit and not his usual smart uniform with the crisp edges.

“No, Sir. She is right. I am too ….side lined by the powers to be.” The man in the fine suit slump his shoulders as if a burden had fallen on him.

“To what then are we to do? Sit here and wait for the revolution. Or be prepared for my retirement.” The elderly man asked. “I have been seated in this position for so long and I will not give up on some revolution. Heck! I created some revolution myself in some countries and I will make its Hell that they will see if they do it here.”

The elderly man heaved in with deep breaths before he coughed out the phlegm that was stuck in his throat. He then looked at the other four seated there.

“Members of the business communities, please tell me to what you can contribute here.” The four addressed shifted in their seats. They were warriors in the commercial fields and politics was only their playing field to leverage on opportunities.

“Mr….” The man who was to speak then remembered the advice then began to correct himself. “We are restrained too. The people….I meant the people are influenced by them and massive boycott have affected our enterprise. We are limited in resources now.”

The elderly man then stood up before stepping away. He did not speak but motioned with his right hand for them to leave. He was then left alone with M by his side.

“I will submit tomorrow to their request.” The elderly man then sighed. M only nodded and then she pushed the candle stick back to close the painting over the frame. M then smiled for her work was done.

“Lives will be saved, Sir.”

Speaking of saving life, Doctor Watson sat opposite Mycroft in the bedroom where Sherlock had occupied the bed. He was moved there and his clothes loosen to ease the breathing. Mycroft still in his suit looked at the brother of his.

“Does he sleep after his doses?” Mycroft asked.

“Yes but you are mistaken if you think he is always taking cocaine. I do induce him but there were times I knew he needed rest so I swapped for something easy to let him sleep.” Watson smiled. “I am after all a doctor.”

“Your brother biggest fear is his mind. He feared losing it all. The day he can’t think anymore. Some of us fear the dark or the unknown but he feared not knowing. He wants to stretch his imagination to the fullest but his body is limited. And I saw him suffered for it. So I watched over him.” Watson looked at Mycroft. “He appeared to be arrogant or egoistic at times but inside him the man is like most of us, kind and loving.”

There was a creak on the stairs and that jolted Watson from his conversation on Sherlock.

“We have guests coming.” 

Team Seven of Heroes Chapter 14

14.

Lord Greystoke then clad only in his pants had stood on the edge of the fifth level rooftop by the gutters overlooking the city that unlike his own kingdom in Africa. He had moved to England upon the request of his lover and to claim his rightful heritage. It was wonderful for his heritage gave him access to a huge land with the forest untouched since the hunters in green leggings have retired. There were the local creatures that roamed there and so few predators. He found the trees lacking of vines and heights to swing but he improvised. He brought in his old friends then slower in the hunt to the new jungle with the cache of meats hidden for the hunt. He had given them their new territory and for him a new tool to swing from.

“You will need this.” Lady Greystoke handed out to him the set of two long whip that lengthens to over fifty feet with a mini retractable grapnel at the end. The grapnel head talons were retractable from the switch at the hilt.

“And this.” Lord Greystoke took hold of the belt with the eight inch Bowie design knife. Its handle was the ivory crafted and then wrapped with the hyena hair for its grip.

“And this.” Lady Greystoke took his right hand to place it on her left breast. “Feel my beats. We have much to complete before the fight. You better hurry for I am freezing here.”

Lord Greystoke turned to his lover who had handed him his tools and then held her close to him. The warmth of his body flowed into her but it was then a ritual of mating of savage with civilised lust.

“I think the branches offered better comfort than here.” Lady Jane had then cuddled her lover with one leg over his body.” I do miss the monkeys jeering at us.”

“They were not but encouraging us then, my love.” Lord Greystoke held his lover ever tightly. “I don’t know why I am here. I have forgotten all that I agreed then.”

“You came because of me. You know I cared for my father. He is missing and he is one of the best in the fields of science. He was named as being kidnapped by these criminals. We need to be here to know if father is truly kidnapped by them. He is my only kin left in this world.”

“Yes, you are right. And for me, sabor death was not his own doing but to ease the pain in him. He was tortured by some creatures and then thrown back into our jungle.” Lord Greystoke had lost sabor before for days before he was returned to the manor. He was kept behind the walls to recover but that night he was taken once more and then discarded into the nearby forest where the keeper shot him. Then he saw the altered sabor and was upset at what was happening.

“We will ride tonight here. I need my …space for I am Tarzan of the Apes.”

“I have arranged my ride to be with you.” Lady Jane then stroked him to hardness before she climbed onto him.

Further down to the street level, Lady Harkness took her brolly and stepped out into the dark night. She was dressed in the dark dress that was buttoned up from her neck down. She put on the dark laced gloves and her shoes were leather bound with her bonnet on the head also in the dark shade.

Once she was out of the doorway, she saw the two officers assigned to her had taken up their coats to follow. She stepped over the street and then into the alley. Once she was in there, she pushed open the brolly over her head. It dropped over her as if there was no one holding it.

Lady Harkness had disappeared.

The two officers had then appeared at the alley saw only the open brolly. They placed the whistles on their lips and tweeted up the others.

It was then in the room assigned to Doctor Watson, the figure of the man was prostrated facing the small figurine that resembled a pagan idol with the scented sandal wood burning next to it and the ring of saffron powder that formed a ring around the idol. The doctor was unclothed except for the basic cloth wrapped around his torso. He had just completed the chanting of the verses that will strengthen his body and enhanced his skills. He then stood up and bowed to the idol. He stepped back with careful steps before he turned to the laid out clothes on the bed.

He then un-wrapped the cloth around his torso and folded it before packing it into the bag. He then put on his suit including shoulder holster with the three slots on each side for the surgical scalpel. He then donned the waist belt with the hidden dagger and the pair shoes with the spring blade. Soon after he had dressed, he then packed away the idol and threw the scented sandal wood away. He took to the doorway to step out and then knocked on Sherlock’s door. He did not wait for the reply and stepped in.

Sherlock was in the armchair there with his shirt unbuttoned and the sleeves rolled up. The man was lying with his frame slumped there and the emptied bottle with the used syringe on the floor. The man was dead to the real world for the next six hours and Watson was there to protect him. He then heard the door opened and reached for the weapon under his jacket but he held back when he saw it was Mycroft.

“Is he out?” Mycroft had changed into a new suit but his taste was still the tailor made cut by the tailors in Bond Street. “He may be my brother but for him to do this onto me was unforgiveable. And you took part in that deceit.”

“Sherlock was given the task before you came in. He was onto them since the past year. It was he who told M on it and she gave him the lead. He had requested that you lead it when he had the evidence in place. When M last saw him, she had agreed to his list with you there. You were in Dover then.”

Mycroft was in Dover to track down the lead on Chinese traders involved in smuggling then. He had discovered that the mastermind was one named the Mandarin.

“I was told he asked for Nayland. We all knew…”

“Nayland was retired and won’t join. Next to Nayland was your name. He gave you command although he was there first. And yet you looked to him as glory snatching. Grow up, Mycroft.” Watson looked to the man dead to the world then. “He was your brother and he loved you. You were the one with the doubts.”

“I knew Sherlock for a shorter time than you but I was his companion and confidante. Sherlock is sick. He is suffering from some illness that only cocaine could ease the pain. He is working his hours to stay alive and be useful before he could not do it anymore. I have to get him the cocaine to get him the rest he needed. He can’t think straight when he is not refreshed.”

“He may die tomorrow but he needed to one thing right. That is to get rid of Moriarty. Both of them before his own demise or have you and me to continue his works. There can only be Holmes …… and Watson.”

Team Seven of Heroes Chapter 13

13.

“Purdy cat there?” Sherlock switched to the vocables of his younger years. “I got one like this that ate my birdie. Bad boy….”

“He ain’t no boy. He is missing his hanging appendage.” Lady Greystoke commented. “I think they done him in to stop his breeding.”

Then the so named griffin had growled before it leap onto the cushions on the right side of the carriage with its wings snapped shut. It bared its fangs and then used its talons to tear the fabrics there. It then glared at Sherlock.

“Oh my…..” Sherlock backed up with two Luger aimed at the creature. “I was not talking about you.”

The creature leaped at Sherlock who fired then and so did Lady Greystoke but the double gauge gun jammed. The creature fell to the flooring with its body bleeding but it was not dead. It got up and flapped the wings. It was then Mrs Harkness charged at the creature with the crochet sticks aimed at the head. She thrust the two sticks into the eyes and pushed in deeper to the brain. The creature roared out in pain with its front paws clawing at the lady who had the held herself close to the creature. Lady Greystoke was to charge at the creature when the rear door was opened and a huge shadow rushed past her. It was her lover then armed with the pin that held the gear together. Lord Greystoke had then resembled more like the a savage man with the torn suit leaving his front chest exposed had jumped onto the creature back before it plunged the iron casted pin into the spine of the creature. The bunt end of the pin did not pierce the thick hide but with the third blow, it ripped past it and into the bones. The creature wings flapped out wildly and then it stopped.

“Lady Harkness!” Sherlock rushed forward to hold the lady who was falling to her knees,. He held her to the nearby seat and saw the mauling at her chest. Her blouse was torn apart with breasts bloodied with the flesh exposed. Sherlock called out for the Doctor but there was no reply. He felt the hand on his forearm.

“It’s Sherlock. I will be fine. Give me some place to heal.” Lady Harkness told him. “I have my own healing ways.”

Sherlock then stumbled out of his concerned mood and then nodded. He knew that the lady was with her unusual abilities will recover. He then looked over at the man who was still seated above the lion mane. The man’s lover was next to him and leaning on the creature body. They were sobbing in grief.

“Grief me not. Where is Watson?” Sherlock left the lady to seek his companion. He took to the rear of the carriage and saw Mycroft seated there holding the steel cast pin.

“Have you seen Watson?” Sherlock asked his brother. The carriage had stopped then but the sound ahead was heard then. It was the sound of the collapse of the bridge when the train impacted on the structure.

“By George, how many?” Sherlock was numbed to the explosions.

“Watson said they are soldiers. My God! Those are not soldiers. They are just ….people.” Mycroft broke out into tears. “We could not save them.”

Sherlock had then disembarked from the carriage and looked back at the tracks which they had travelled on. He can’t make out much from the darkness and his companion was somewhere behind. He staggered off on his weary legs then to find the doctor. He soon find the doctor in the side of the tracks with his body bruised.

“Watson, than God you are alive.” Sherlock laid down next to his companion. “I thought you died.”

“Died? I pretty doubt it…… I have to write your exploits before I really die.” Watson replied in between heaves of breathe.  “I don’t think they made it.”

“No, my dear Watson, We saved only our own skins but Moriarty will die more times to compensate for this one.” With that both men laughed and then slowly made their way back to the carriage.

Munich had so much to offer with its scenic structures like Nymphenburg Palace, the Marienplatz with the huge square or he Munich Residenz with the royal items but it was also a city to refresh in its yeast brew. That was the first order of the day for weary travellers in the tavern.

“Nothing refresh the mind and body than a good pint.” Mycroft crooned on his drink bouts when he was not on tasks. The assembled was short of one but they held their celebration for being alive except Holmes who said that was his daily prayer to survive to the next day.

“Are you sure it was Moriarty that did us in?” Mycroft asked his brother.

“It’s his signature of works. He covered most of his crimes with the advent of some disasters. On the creature, I am baffled for I have never knew him to be in the use of them far more he is a man of medicine and not mythology.” Sherlock reflected on the earlier event.

“Tell us, Mycroft. Did you ask your people to clear the crime scene?” Watson asked out to the man.

“Yes, I did. In fact we are working with my counterparts here on it. A Polizeihauptmeister Bormann is assigned to us.” 

Mycroft was then then surprised by the hand that tapped his right shoulder. It pointed to a tall blonde figure with a closely cropped hair design and an immaculate uniform with the five stars on the shoulder lapel.

“Guten Morgen, meine Herren. Meine Dame.” The blonde officer introduced himself. “May I speak English then? I am an equivalent to Chief Inspector in your city. I am to assist you during your stay here.”

“The Grand Duke of Cassel-Felstein is a very influential person here too.” The officer looked at Sherlock. “His gratitude to you is our gratitude to you too.”

“The Bohemian affair…..” Watson muttered to himself.. He was to enquire on one other when Sherlock interrupted him with the whereabouts of Van Helsing.

“I have request for a search for your missing companion of your asking.” The officer replied. “We have discovered the carriage that may had carried him but its passenger fate remained unknown for the carriage is at the most burnt to crisp.”

“Destroyed like our train, Hauptmeister.” Sherlock corrected him.

“A mystery for you and we believe the same with our conclusion that Sebastian Moran is involved. He was seen in Munich a few times and most recent yesterday.” Bormann adopted the view of the sleuth. “We have him followed but he is a careful man. He held meetings with powerful and extraordinary figures.”

“Extraordinary? I am …” Sherlock asked but before his question could be replied Lord Greystoke created a scene with an outburst.

“Why are we seated here? We should be ….” Lady Jane consoled the man who was upset then and with the night event, his alter ego as the savage man was taking precedence.

“John, please stay calm…” Lady Jane held the savage in the man. “We ….”

“They don’t know the sabors like me. To them the dead of one means another head can be mounted.” Lord Greystoke aka Tarzan felt the anger in him. “They ….desecrated the sabor. How can it have wings?”

“I will hunt the people who did this ….by myself.” With that the savage man stormed off from the table followed by his lover. Hauptmeister immediately signalled the two men at the doorway to follow the couple.

“Do they climb and swing like apes? I doubt so and your men are of no use.” Lady Harkness commented. “I am to do own fighting for with all of you I am ….too innocent.”

Lady Harkness then swatted in bandages around the chest stood up. She glared at the Hauptmeister.

“Do not try to follow me. In my current mood, I may take anyone for a bite friends and foes.” With that Lady Harkness also took her leave of the team.

“I guessed it’s the family of Holmes that remained.” Mycroft made the cynical remark. “No disregard to you, Watson. You are family.”

“Mach mal nicht so einen auf dicke Hose..” (German translated ‘don’t be such a braggart.) Hauptmeister glared at Mycroft. “All your wellbeing are on me. And with this ….silly acts, I am now stretched to my limits.”  

“You mean you are pissed. I am glad.” Mycroft then stood up. “So was I.”

With that Mycroft stormed off to his assigned place of rest. Sherlock had then played guest of honour with the officer on the updates of one named Colonel Moran Sebastian while Watson was in hush discussion with the locals for supply of cocaine and among other stuff.

Tweet tweet.... I am on the roll now...beneficial of being rounded 6/6/17

It's my sith....Jugs, kept on typing that name...I meant my sixth year of blogging and still enjoying it. It started off for me the 'Dinny-saur' then in the world of  'what's new in the Internet' then with a simple request by my daughter to write something for her school mates. They were in their last weeks at the school before they ventured into the higher plateau of learning. So I got her to reguister the site and dabble some 'yabba do' tales on her and her class. From there, it was more fun tales and then tales took off to more fun themes and from the menial one thousand words per tale, it grew to fifty thousand words ( accolades please for my trusty index and middle fingers who never tires from the incessant tap dancing. ).

Today, I am at 42K words on Team Seven of Heroes after the gruelling experiences in my last tweet. It may go to sixty thousand words before I conclude it and Book Three is on the running track now at two hundred metres length with the finishing line getting moved daily.

What is my feeling to do this? I mentioned it before but I will do it one more time. I am past the age of physical movements ( if I do a jump its probably over the low stool, and if I called out like Tarzan the monkeys will fall off the branches laughing ) and if I mop the floors which I used to do ( my doctor will strapped me down on the bed ). I do enjoyed cooking ( Yes, I do wear an apron and more behind it. I am not into nudity except in the confines of my bedroom and that was to scare off any ghosts residing in there or Bob in the closet. You should try that when you checked into a hotel room. Never know what's hidden behind the closet door or behind the water color painting hung over the bed. I am sure if there was a cam there it was probably wasted disk space for filming me unless they enjoyed watching fat flop over hip hops ).

Yes back to the blog. I enjoyed writing for it was my hobby which I migrated from reading since young. I used to read a lot ( A to Z on topics but hovered at S for many years. If you ever examine the words that spelled with S in the world of books, you will find it covered many words like SEX, SENSATIONAL, SEDUCTIVE, SORORITY, SADO-M, SATISFYING, SIZZLING, SEXY, etc. I could go on but we would need more than one page to write it all. ).

Yes, I read Enid Blyton ( who doesn;t from the age of three to nine and then back again when you have kids to sent to bed, and then their kids to sent you to bed.....vicious recycling events ) but I forgotten about the dwarf when I dick-covered something then; it does grow down there. And as they say it when you are pedaling downhill, I am coming in hard.....

Thank goodness I never learned to fly a plane. If I did, Supergirl will be holding my plane upwards and I will holler "Hey, Girl. Can you drag the plane by the 'cockpit'? I can't see you from below.".

Okay then, its tally ho for now. Life other experience requried my attention. It pays the bills for now until some editor decides to chance on me being an author.... I know its a 'S' hope.

Cheers and read on.

Team Seven of Heroes Chapter 12

12.

“This is Moriarty scheme. He loved to stage disasters to cover the real crime. Even at his own men and women.” Sherlock spoke up then. “He may be cunning and manipulative and ruthless. He once told me that my ‘if I was clever to bring destruction upon him, rest assured that he will do as much to me’. The man is a genius and insane at the same time. Both of them are.”

“Well, we are not destroyed as yet. Can we stop the train?” Mycroft asked out loudly. “Think, brother for mum’s sake.”

Sherlock then stopped his reminiscent of the genius and focused on his own.

“Yes there is. Each carriage holds a brake lever which can be applied by the porters. The Abbots Ripton rail accident called for the application of additional brakes. By golly we can be saved.” Sherlock cried out and then looked at Watson. “I am good at physics but train design, I am afraid I hardly rode them.”

“Blimey me. I do in the Frontiers.” Watson grabbed Mycroft by the arm to the carriage front. He opened the door and then looked at the connecting gears there to join the carriages.

“Pull that pin to release the carriage from the others.” Watson told Mycroft he then motioned to the brake contraption. It was a newer version which uses gas to operate the brake levers. He told Mycroft to push the lever across to apply the brakes.

“Do it with your strength to move it and once it’s done, move it slowly. I will move to the other last carriage to apply the brake there too.” Watson was to move back when Mycroft stopped him.

 “What about the others?” Mycroft asked.

“They are as good as dead. We are soldiers and not all of us can be saved.” Without more words, Watson stepped back into the carriage. He called on the Lord to assist him.

“I can’t do it alone. John holds the strength to operate the brake.” Watson told the lady before he tapped the Lord to follow him. He told the man to do apply the brake there before he pull the pin to release the last carriage.

“The jumped back here.” Watson told Lord Greystoke. “The carriages will part but you need to come with us. Lady Jane needs you.”

 Just then when he gave the instruction, Watson felt the carriage lurched to the side and then back on the tracks but there was a drop in the speed. He then looked at Lord Greystoke and nodded. The second sets of brake were applied gradually and then train speed slowed.

“I think it’s working now.” Watson smiled at Lord Greystoke as the carriage wobbled on the tracks but it was stopping. “We are safe.”

It was the last carriage door burst opened and a dark shadow burst out. It took to the rooftop of the carriage before Watson could evade it. The dark shadow had then thrown the Doctor and the Lord off the carriage into the dark tracks.

It was also then Van Helsing jumped for cover behind the tree trunk while bullets raked the barks off the trunk. He had barely made it when the shots came. He felt his right arm for any dents and found none but one bullet took his right thigh skin off. He was unarmed except for the silver arm.

“You can run but you can’t outrun the bullets.” One of the witches called out. “We will have your body bullet riddled before we take your soul.”

Van Helsing looked to the surrounding to work out his strategy, There was not much there and beside the spaced out tree trunks he was helpless for cover. He had then tried to run but the witches had pinned him down. There was a possible move he could try. He picked up the shot down branches and look at them.  The jagged edge gave him an idea. He had to move fast then. He picked up a good sturdy piece and broke it into three short pieces with the sharper ends and then took a deep breath. He wished he had learned from the gypsies more. He grabbed the one of the shortened branches in his right hand and then he stepped out with the right arm swinging back. Once he cleared the tree trunk, he tossed the branch at the witches and then did a body roll. He crouched up and threw the second branch and did another roll before he threw the last branch. It was then he felt the bullets hit him in the chest and he toppled over. He rolled over on the grass there to his front before he looked up. There was only one witch standing and that was the one with the missing hand. The other two was on their knees with the branches in their hearts. Van Helsing silver arm with the enhanced strength had made his throw more impactful but the aim was his past times antics with the gypsies. He did not miss the third witch but his aim hit her on the throat when she fired at Van Helsing. The last witch fell to her knees before she grasped the branch there.

Van Helsing had then forced himself up and rushed over to the three wounded witches. He picked up the dropped gun and aimed it the trio.

“Have a longer recovery this time.” Van Helsing emptied the magazine of bullets into the witches’ faces.

Lady Harkness who had remained calm during the crisis then sat up when she heard the noise on the rooftop. Her senses in her demon form peaked up while her eyes stared at the ceiling of the carriage.

“I say Mrs Harkness, you are welcome to the fight.” Sherlock had then reached for his suitcase. He unlatched the belts that tied it and flipped the cover open. He reached to the side of the case and released the hidden catch there. With the flap opened, it revealed the set of two automatic pistols and the spare bullets.

“Luger prototypes model P38 Holds nine shots and effective at fifty yards. My good friend, Walther gave me for my last birthday. I did reply that I disliked guns but I guess one cannot be too firm on that.” Sherlock grabbed the two guns and held it upwards. “Guns are not your choice?”

Lady Greystoke had then holstered the two ,22 pistols. She stepped up to the dead staff and retrieved the double gauge gun. She recovered more bullets from the dead staff and then posed with her gun.

“I like mine extra huge and longer with a double impact.” It made Sherlock smiled then.

“Elementary, my dear. I do fancied one on me too.” Sherlock smiled. He then looked at Mrs Harkness. She had reached for her bag to remove the two crochet sticks with metallic pointed end.

“Are we on the roll here? Menage a trois?” Sherlock smiled but his attention was then distracted when the ceiling tore open. First it was seen the talons from the paws and then fangs form the jaws. The creature squeezed in then and flapped its wings out.

“Griffin indeed.” Sherlock found the name fitting.  The griffin was a legendary creature that many had claimed to be a body, tail and hind legs of a lion, the head and wing of an eagle with the talons on the paws. And it was shaded red in the skin and feathers. The one Sherlock saw was more lion like with the head and mane but the wings were similar to the eagles. It was however golden in the shade. More to it, it was huge with the length of man and the height of under a normal man. 

Team Seven of Heroes Chapter 11

11.

The steam locomotive with its boiler engine was in full throttle across the valleys surrounded by the round low hills with the setting sun on the rear of the ten carriages drawn by it. The team have the luxury of the second last carriage with two servants in attendance for their food and drinks. The carriage held fifteen luxurious seating with the satin luxuries and the fine drapes over the windows. The carriage was lighted by the then gas lights but these did not flicker.

“I am impressed with the comfort here but don’t you think we ought to ….. like flies.” Lord Greystoke was eager to get on the balloons. “Why are we doing it on the second fastest mode?”

“We could fly in but we are trying to remain inconspicuous. Germany had been monitoring our flying balloons for they feared it may be used for spying. With the high attitude, we can see a lot.” Mycroft explained. “M had allowed us this comfort for we have the borders paid off to allow us free passage.”

“So much for that and we hit the snag at the last border check.” Lord Greystoke raised his concern.

The train had then pulled up at the station at the France and Germany border an hour ago. The border officers boarded the train and in the carriage where the seven were seated, a short figure dressed in the uniform with the knee high dark boots and the cap with the dark visor inlaid with the braided strings to mark his seniority.

“Guten Abend,” The officer greeted in his native tongue. Then he saw the travel documents. “English? Good. How are you? My name is Henrich, Walter. I am here to check your documents.”

“And you …..can go through but one cannot travel though. A Mr. Korvac.” Henrich looked towards Van Helsing. “He is of Albanian origin and we are careful of your …. kind.”

“Korvac is one of us. He goes with us.” Mycroft intervened. “I will call your superior.”

“You get me wrong. I am saying he cannot be travelling here. He has to be move by another mean. I have the carriage ready. He will meet you later in Germany.” With that, Henrich led Korvac off the train and before Mycroft could complaint the train lurched forward.

“Well, at least we are having better meals here.” Mycroft rang the bell to signal the staff to bring dinner.

“Gentlemen, dinner is ready.” Mycroft saw then the two serving staff were not bearing food but menacing double gauge guns at the exit and on the other side were two unknown figures with the same guns.

“We are trapped…” Mycroft did not get the words out when Watson reached fast with the dining knife. The silver plated knife flew from his right fingers like a miniature spear and thrust into the throat of the serving staff on the right. Next he was tossing the small plate like a Frisbee at the second staff. On the other side of the carriage, Lady Greystoke had her legs raised onto the seat and with her knees bent she fired off both pistols at outside her thighs. The .22 calibre was not an effective kill power but the placement of the bullet made the difference. The bullets pierced the skin and the bone at the forehead and impacted the brain flesh. It was also named the ‘dead shot’.

“Moriarty boys? And girl?” One of the serving staff was a lady and Mycroft corrected his question. “I am surprised that we were tracked here.”

“Moriarty has a lot of allies including here in Germany. There is one named Von Herder who had a preference for sniping tools hidden in walking stick. The man had one made for Moriarty killer Colonel Moran.” Sherlock told the team. “I won’t be surprise that we have more to contend with.”

They all felt it then when the speed of the train was faster. It was moving too fast on a straight stretch. Lord Greystoke looked out the window and the wind was blowing his long mane back.

“I say we may crash.” Sherlock looked of the window on his side. “We passed the last town ten minutes ago and if my mind still recalled the land terrain, we shall be headed for a long bridge which may never cross. Based on the movement of the shadows of the trees I will say twenty minutes at most.”

“I do wondered how our Korvac fared right now?” Mycroft asked.

On the carriage, and served with the food in our paper bag, Van Helsing stretched his legs in the cramp condition. It was a fancy carriage but the cushions were a bit too hard for him. He was escorted to the carriage by the train and then shuffled on. He looked to the side openings and found it sewn to the frame.

“Un-hospitable indeed” The man grumbled to himself and then shifted his weight to ease on the hard pressure up his butt. He was to lay back for a rest when the carriage went over a bump and almost tossed him to the ceiling. Van Helsing cursed with his eyes looking at the rooftop. It was then the arm shot passed the leather and wood panels to grab at his face. He reached out with his silver arm and pried the other hand off. He did not just pried it but crushed it with the pressure of his fingers. The flesh squeezed and the then the bones beneath were exposed before it broke under the silver fingers. There was no blood spurting out but a yellow substance was seeping out.

“Darn!’ Van Helsing cried out before he took the turn to pull the attacker down. It was a figure dressed in darker shades but the tailor measurements were flabby by length. Van Helsing moved aside to drop the body.

“Hello, Stalker.” Van Helsing greeted the fallen attacker. He then raised his right feet to step on the attacker in the face. That took care of any bitten fangs on his neck. He knew that he was not in the clear when the horses stopped galloping. He reached for the door latch but it won’t open so he created his own door. He stepped out before he tossed the last remains of the wood from his right hand. He saw the darker reception there.

“The witches of three, or was it two now?” Van Helsing greeted the surviving witches there. “Are you not exiled to the Black Forest?”

The three witches are a trio of assassins with the darker interest in the occult. They were also from a line of vampires but were not seen for some time and thought to retire to the forest. Van Helsing had come across them before and barely survived the encounters. He saw then the one he had crushed at the face crawled to the other two. The witches did not die but they suffered wounds and needed time to recover hence the spate of time that lapsed between their encounters. They helped the wounded one up and then stared at the broken face. The nose was dislocated and the left eye was out of the socket. The right hand was a pulp at the wrist. The wounded witch reattached the eye ball and then tore at the loose flesh on the right wrist.

“Van Helsing, you are worthy of the task. We have fought the three encounters but each time we needed time to recover. This time we will win.” The witches drew from behind their back the short rifle with an extended round magazine for the extra bullets. “These are called repeaters but at a much accelerated speed. And you can shoot with one good hand.”

“And we are good at it.”

Team Seven of Heroes Chapter 10

10.

Sherlock thought it that the question was forth coming then. He had made it his task to know who’s who in the crime circle and besides Moriarty, he had thought that none others could surpass that elusive leader.

“I am not …certain.” To Sherlock that was an admission that he had failed. It was a rarity for the sleuth to fail. “I managed to deduce that the Mandarin is involved from the increase of Chinese trades at the port, and the sailors’ talks. It’s from there, I discover there was one more involved, and that leader seems to be in command there.”

“I am surprised, Sherlock that you have not known the leader as yet.” Mycroft snapped in before he reached for a rolled up paper to place the tobacco. “It’s ….”

“My investigation is still on going.” Sherlock interjected in but his expression was pained. “I will…”

It was M then who interjected.

“I had the canister examined and we found a clue to its origin.” M displayed he canister handed to her by Sherlock. “We traced its origin.”

“Some years ago, there was a group of researchers who was keen on the origin of life.” M looked at them. “It was the original works of one named Jean Baptiste Lamarck which started the question of life. Monsieur Lamarck coined the classification of invertebrates. His work was a success and later in the years, another was to further research it. We know him as Charles Darwin but he was not alone then. There was one named Alfred Russel Wallace. Both of them spurred the development study on the origin of life. It was fine then but the emergence of the steam and electrical discovery side tracked the earlier study. Our later discovery made us more advanced in the words of these so named engineers with the floating carriages and fire spurting wheelers with the coal fired engines. We progressed further and faster but with a price to pay that we are paying for it now with our …environment.”

“Lady Greystoke, please don’t be alarmed that what I am to tell you also affect the continent you were in.” M continued on. “The evolution of life took on a renewal under a group of researchers. They have access to huge grants of funds and the works gaining progress. Research was not only done here but across the main continents and even as down to the Cape of Hope. They were researching in deep into the origin with excavations works in places where the old bones were dug up.”

“If I may intrude, I do appreciate the history lessons but tell me how does that affect our tasks?” Van Helsing shuffled his legs to keep the circulation moving. He was always checking on his limbs for he feared there may be a day when he will not feel it. Then he may well be like the ones he hunt.

“The research was funded by Moriarty and the Mandarin. We…I stand corrected that Sherlock discovered that for us. He did in the short time he was working for us.” M complimented the sleuth.  “His tasks end now unless we can get him the assistance he needs.”

“Back to the canister, it was part of a shipment for the research facility in Munich.” M continued on. “Sherlock found it buried in the ground at the next building to the vault. That building was to be empty but we suspect the item was placed there. Sherlock studied the building for any more clues but he found was possibly wiped out trace there.”

“We sent in more officers to check the place. True to our expectations, there was nothing to be discovered. We questioned the guards and nothing was revealed. We had all of them detained but the damage was done. It was then we found the bullions were faked and it triggered the real task here. We started more in-depth investigations into our places of interests and found more looting was done. It was all staged when the public was focused on the killing of these victims. It was Sherlock who then led us to the link between the events.”

“The looting at the vault was one of the few and those funds were used for financing the research. It was their modus operandi. That was not our real concern but the research into the origin was our real concern. We know not what they were doing till we discovered this canister. It contained an unusual specimen.”

“Team, we may have discovered our killer on the loose.” M paused then. “It’s a cross between a lion and an eagle. We …”

“A griffin? My God! You are not cranky but dramatic with your tale.” Van Helsing called out. “In my hunt, I have been labelled as a lunatic to believe that blood sucking vampires exist with us but you surpassed mine by bound.”

“Bear with me, Mr Helsing. I know more to be alarmed by many things you have yet to see? The specimen did not lie when the results were real. In the earlier years a Swiss chemist Friedrich Miescher discovered the initial study of human genetics or characteristics I the cells. His findings was not widely received until the lately when the Eugenics Movement which focus on the science of heredity and breeding. The research then moved to improving the breeding with better characteristics. It also spurred on the return to look at the works of Chares Darwin. With the then rivalry for the more innovative steam and electrical inventions, the research took less interest but we were wrong. It drew up the attention of the naturists who favoured the ancient ways. They want to develop the super warrior or the supreme creatures. The ultimate survival which was God’s creation meant to be moulded for.”

“We need to know if that was true. Your task was to find that out and it proved dangerous then stopped it.” M concluded. “Form now, you will be on your own. The bombing of the vault and the ministry tells me that we have no friends even among the ones around me. Trust no one except the seven of you. Find me the trio and destroy them with whatever means.” 

“Now prepare to go to Munich.”