Team Seven of Heroes Chapter 34 & 35

34

Sean was once again to wake first. He found himself without any weapons and shackles but lying on the flooring with the others. They were in a unit that time behind beaming lights that formed bars before them. He glanced at the surrounding outside and saw the two standing tall golden metallic figures there that were familiar to him but he was not prepared for the one other figure that was different. It was a human figure or looked like one of flesh and bones. If one held those features, there are distinct notable marks for the example the frame of the face were always unique. That one held a gaunt face with the prominent cheek bones and sunken eyes that seemed to drill into whatever it was seeing. The figure was clad in a yellow robe with dragon motifs which heightened his frail looking form, but with him seated on the high back, it does give some resemblance of a distinguish person. 

“Hello, Englishman I presume.” The frail person made his greeting with the presumption that he was English.

“No, I am Irish. Sean Mercer and I presume you are …. Fu Manchu?” The Irish Hunter sat up on his haunches. “Pardon me posturing at you.”

“No worries on it. I am not English and neither Chinese. Foremost I am not the Emperor but he is a design to emulate on.” The frail figure voiced out. ”I am Kishna Ram, the personal aide of the Raj then, and then elevated to this position as the Guardian.”

“I don’t understand.” Sean looked at the others lying there. The Greystoke lovers are there but they were clothed and the man’s wrists appeared to be hurt although they were no blood. It was bloated with blood congealing there. He then saw the other two ladies lying to the other corner. They were still breathing then. 

“Our kind is resilient in survival. I won’t have known if they have not need not told me themselves.” Kishna glanced at the two standing figures. “You are the first living soul I have met since …the last Raj visited.” 

“Perhaps if you insist, I shall tell you my tale.” 

For that we will take a step into the past and behold the taller tale to be heard.

“My King, behold the island of Hidden Realm.” The elderly darkened figure addressed his King then the famed King Solomon of the Ancient Times. The stately King was held a fine figure even in his fine tunic and sandals stood by the helm looking at the looming island that appeared there. He had sat sailed on his fleet to the great sea on the insistence of his servant. 

“My King, there is nothing more mysterious than a mysterious island.” 

“True, my servant when my most precious needed a place to remain hidden, I am without any idea.” King Solomon sighed. “A great King I may be but where on this surface could I keep it hidden for ages.” 

King Solomon took his first step onto the island by the beach. He was greeted with the sight of the white sandy sight and the sprawling lush jungle behind it. It looked like many he had seen but he does not feel the comfort of it. His servant joined him by his side.

“My King, you may be of a greater Empire but there are parts of the world you may not conquer but be allied with.” The servant then introduced the solitary figure who stepped up to the beach there. 

“The Raj, our host.” The servant told the King but was scoffed away. 

“I am King Solomon and will not be treated to meet one other without the proper protocol deserved by myself.” King Solomon turned to move back to the boat but he was stopped by the sight of a tall metallic figure. It stood over the water surface as if it was hovering over it. The King stood there to look at the tall figure before he spoke.

“If you are sure, then I will speak on your behalf.”The King then turned to look at the other ruler of the island. 

“My ally sought your assistance.”

“Hail King Solomon, I am the Raj and your ally. Not yet but allowed me to do so for you.” The Raj spoke up. He then motioned to the golden metallic figure. “We can be allies.” 

It was how King Solomon found his trusted allies there which will last for generations. 

“I have entrusted you my greatest treasure.” King Solomon looked to the sea for the village that he had built there. Some of his crews have offered to stay there but with a solemn promise not to go inland or to the other side of the island. The Raj offered to come over with supplies and also to protect the island although it needed no protection given its unique location. 

“For your good faith and friendship I will leave you two pairs of my pet. They will roam the other side of the island and remain the co-guardian.” That was how the lions came to be part of the island.

 

“And how goes our …metallic friends?” King Solomon asked. He was told that the metallic figures were not of this world. They were ship wrecked there; funny idioms to use for they were there to stay until the Raj came one day on a stormy voyage. He was rescued by the tall figures and with time he was made a friend and soon an alliance. They brought the Great King there and a trust was extended. 

After all the treasure was partly theirs to preserve. 

“King Solomon, the treasure will be guarded by your crews and the allies. I will bring forth mine as a part of it to be kept here. With that I will keep it as a family legacy.” The Raj gave his word but the King was not entirely comfortable with it. 

“My servant will stay here. He will for eternity if need be for the treasure is worth it.” King Solomon announced it to all.” 

That was how Kishna Ram became the figure seated there. 

“We? I think you were mistaken. We came here with the impression that thetrea sure was … a lost one.” “Lost? How can anything be lost in this world unless it was meant to be for it. And if it’s lost, it shall remained as so but the quality of greed drove mankind to find the lost and make it theirs.”

“Just a curiosity, the savage was hurt, bloodied and then were shackled.” Sean turned to the subject.

“Mere illusions that we created in your mind as we make you think you were fighting to escape. The mind of Man is feeble and could be manipulated with memories.” Kishna smiled. “You were never shackled or running with the weapons. We left your imagination took precedent.” 

So were the deductions of the sleuth.

“Watson, we need to talk.” Sherlock pulled Watson. “I sensed something not right. The water in the sinkhole and the walls were …unreal. I meant it was smooth to my touch and not coarse like the walls of a real tunnel.” 

“Speak with something I can understand.” Watson was raring to cross over. Nemo, and Junior was over there. Watson looked over but he was too late to stop Nemo from clubbing Junior on the head. The young lad fell down on the flooring while Nemo pulled the vine rope over. Watson grabbed the other end but Nemo had cut off the rope with his scimitar.

“What ails you there, Nemo?” The sea Captain did the unthinkable. He pushed the other over the ledge. Junior fell like a rock to the bottom. Nina screamed and had to be restrained by Watson or she would had attempt a jump to save her son. 

“You bastard!” Watson shouted out. 

“He was mine, Watson. The bastard definition He always wanted to emulate you while I took care of him.” Nemo replied before looking at Nina. “Treasures are my fallacy and also mine to keep. I will take the journey from here.” 

Nemo took a bow before he warned the others. “Follow me and I will kill you all.” 

35.

“Watson, listen to me. The words are not wrong and we have read it wrong.” Sherlock looked from the doctor to the lady that was comfort. He frowned and ever his love life was cold like some crime trails but he won’t deny he had harbor some feelings for them. It’s just that he was deemed unlucky or failed to reciprocate them. He then commented. 

Seek the Tower that reached low

Behold its sentries that looms 

Trapeze and evade the traps

“The tower is the right one but we were not meant to go in. It said to ‘Trapeze and evade the traps’.” Sherlock leaned out and looked out. He saw the top of the tower were grappling holds. He looked to the sides and saw the cavern walls until he saw the other entrance on the right. It was about five feet away and there were another after it. 

“Damn! We got three entrances from what I can see.” Sherlock voiced out. He looked to the others and explained. “We are in an illusion here. The sinkhole and the water with the tunnel sides, all of it are not real. It was made for us to see it as one. See my experiment.” 

Sherlock leaned out and then the locusts appeared. He grabbed one and then tossed it into the tunnel. It somehow disappeared. 

“Watch this.” Sherlock tossed his rifle across the divide into the tower. The locusts appeared but once the rifle was in the tower, the locusts soon disappeared. 

“Magical…” Van Helsing who had remained quiet since the landing finally made known his existence. “Demonic…” 

“No, my friend. Demons they are not but magic I won’t assumed for it but we are man of reality and not of illusions.” With that, Sherlock grabbed Mycroft’s rifle and leaned out. He fired at the next entrance. The bullet ricocheted there but it was on the outside. He fired the at the other entrance and found the bullet ricocheted inside. 

“Viola! I think that could be it.” Sherlock smiled. “Now the difficult part. How does one swing over unless you are an ape?”

“He is not among us now so we need to imitate him if we are to go ahead.” Sherlock then felt conscious of his wound on the chest. He could attempt it but the task may becoming his death wish.

“Are you sure?” Mycroft asked. 

“The words say to trapeze, and does crossing a rope looked like one?” Sherlock remarked. “Our major concern is to swing over.”

“The rope is short.” Van Helsing held the cut rope. “We cannot climb out or across but we can adapt. He removed the ammo belt and strung it to the rope. He hand over his hand for more belt. 

“Mine is…” Mycroft was shut off by Watson. 

“Just hand it over now.” Watson took off his from the waist and handed it over. So did the others. “It will suffice.” 

“Remember, guys. The locusts are an illusion but the pains they created are unfortunately really painful but we shall prevail.” Sherlock leaned out to toss the make shift rope towards the top of the tower. His aim was good but the strength of his throw was weak. He stood back rubbing his arms which were aching from the locusts attack. 

“Blistering insects!” Watson pulled the man aside and took on the rope but it was Van Helsing who decided that sterner arm was needed. He reached out with his metallic arm that could withstand the insects’ attack his aim was good with the rope end to hold on the hooks there on the tower top. The rope held and then it was the act to swing over. 

“Listen from what I know on the techniques of trapezes ….honestly is bare. I do wish we have our friend here but my scant experience with circus was more on scarring.” (The case of the Veiled Lodger). Van Helsing was one moment at the ledge and then he was out. They saw the locusts swarm went for the man and then without a notice the swarm turned back. Watson leaned out and saw the later was hanging on the ledge by the other entrance. It was a long swing but Van Helsing did it. 

“Attach it to something solid and climb over.” Van Helsing called out and then he stumbled on a netting there. “I found something which we can use. I will hand over a …net. It may be what they used to climb over.”

It was then Lady Jane wished she could wake up from her nightmare. One moment she recalled that she was fighting for her baby and then he lover before she was sent to another state of darkness only to be awakened with so many changes. Her arms held her midriff. She could not feel it anymore.

‘My…” 

“Yes, Lady Greystoke. They removed the ….child. It was tainted.” The frail figure seated on the seat voiced out in the concerned tone. “They found…..they have the machines to see inside you.” 

“No!” The lady screamed. Her baby was removed. Her scream woke up the lover of her’. The lady tried to get up but her body wounded inside was not responding to her. She burst out into cries of pain. The savage man with emotional link to the lady was next to be roused. He pushed himself up and his reaction was to hold his love.

“John, they took our baby.” Lady Greystoke sought solace in her lover. The other in pain held her close although both his wrists were in pain. He ignored the pain and looked past her at the captors of theirs.

“John Greystoke, I can…” Sean was cut off by the snarling expression on man he knew held a savage streak. 

“Lord Greystoke, you are a strong person. Your wounds although were personified by your mind when you pulled at imaginary shackles but the mind can be overpowering to create such injuries.” 

“Tell me who are you before I ….kill you.” Lord Greystoke glared at the seated figure. “You hurt my love and nothing will protect you from me.” 

“In all the course of my natural life before I was banished to this abomination of mortality, I have seen pain, love and I can share with yours. Your child works were not of mine although I am seen as their leader. As a matter to be corrected, I am not. I am only their ally by the wishes of the King then. If immortality was the desire of Man, please take my place. I am an immortal by the length of my life here, and a prisoner to their biddings.”

“I was born Kishna Ram but over the generations I am no more who I was named but a monster with them.” The man in the seat voiced out with pain. “I shared your pain but I am not a man anymore. I cannot stop it for my crimes towards humanity are more than the removal of a tainted unborn.” 

“You spoke of tainted. What ails you to brand my child tainted?” Jane recovered to play the question. “When it was inside me, I could feel its heartbeat. A life lived there.” 

“A life which we cannot allowed here. It’s the law here and was stated by the King himself then. The Raj knew then and came here to cull the ones that were in excess.” The frail man spoke. “It was to keep the place pure and protected. The crews then the villagers build the barrier not to prevent them from beasts but the beastly in them. They were there to stop them crossing over. There was once a war here between them and it was done to cull their numbers. This is not Hell or Heaven. This is the King’s Vault.”

“You are a monster.” Lord Greystoke cursed out. “You created a world that you will remain in control. How could you…” 

“Those were the King’s command. I am merely his servant for….eternity. Spare me humanity thoughts for we were not humans then but servants.” 

“For what I have revealed, it was to satiate my desire to talk to you other than these beings. It was for a short while only for us to meet. I have new guests to meet. For all of you, I am satiated you must die.” Kishna Ram closed his eyes. “God forgive me.”

“Why must we die?” Lady Greystoke asked back. “Are we tainted too?”

Team Seven of Heroes II Chapter 32 & 33

32.

Enter the vault of Purgatory

Slip in by the wall that stays hidden

Trail the glitter flow to end

Beware the hands that reached out

Seek the Tower that reached low

Behold its sentries that looms 

Trapeze and evade the traps

Watch the one who seats on the throne

Solomon isn’t the King

But the Guardian for the Kings 

“It’s intriguing, Watson. I am if the others are not.” Sherlock smiled before he turned to the others who were searching for clues to the writings that were just shared then. They were standing by the pond there but no one dared to venture into the pond. The sinkhole was intimidating like the depth of Hades. 

“We have to find the temple.” Nina was frantic. “My people need to find the ….treasure.” 

Nina’s eyes averted from Watson’s glare and then she ran to her son. 

“What did the Elders taught on …” 

“The temple is there.” Sherlock called out. “It’s inside the hole.” 

“Pray tell, my smart friend.” Watson asked. “I only knew those words but never been here. The Raj had entrusted me with those words. He once told me find the Vault and these words will guide you.”

“It’s elementary, my dear Watson. The words told me.” Sherlock explained and then he smiled when he saw the pained expression on Watson. He could only taunt the doctor on those ‘elementary’ modes. 

“The temple is in there. It’s somewhere down there and we need to find it.” Sherlock continued on. “The words said ‘Enter the vault of Purgatory, Slip in by the wall that stays hidden’. That looked like Purgatory.”

“Or its one huge hole for or….” Mycroft cut back on his words when he saw Nina looking at him. He needs to be decent with his expletives. 

“We have to get in. but how?” Nemo looked around. “It’s not like we came prepared for anything except shoot some lions. And we don’t have Tarzan here. He can dive in like an otter.” 

“No, we can lower ourselves down.” John Jr replied. “I can make some vines into ropes. “ 

With that, the young man took to the jungle once more. Nemo, Nina and Watson followed behind. 

So was Lord Greystoke then was doing that with his lover holding him up. They were following the Irish Hunter who was knocking on every doorway he could find. They came across their previous detention unit of the savage. He saw the two ladies detained there. 

“Hello, ladies. Have we met?” Sean displayed his humorous Irish personality. 

“Let us loose.” Princess Fa Lo Suee called out. Sean approached her and looked at the shackles. 

“Last time anyone did that hurt his wrists.” Sean laughed. “But we won’t do that to you.” 

“Let me loose, Sean Mercer. I will have you rewarded.” The Princess voiced out. “My father can…”

“You father is Fu Manchu and also known as Emperor of the East. I know of his wealth and his reach which could hunt me down anywhere. You are his daughter but not his favourite relative.”

“I am here on the …request of my father.” Princess Fa Lo Suee explained. “He is…”

“Missing? I heard of that. For over a year your father had been missing. He was said to be killed or gone into exile and you came along. You took over his empire but the man who is Fu Manchu is not one to be killed or disappear. He is around and may return. And when he does he won’t like me for saving you.” 

“My father condition does not concern me. Free me.” The Princess displayed her arrogant self. “I am Princess Fa Lo Suee.” 

Arrogance was not the words to describe Watson’s son but courage was it. He had jumped into the sinkhole with the rope vine slung across his chest. Well, the jump part was exaggerated. He actually swam to the edge and then lowered down. 

“Don’t let me drop…” Junior’s voice trailed into the echoes inside the sinkhole. Nemo and the others held onto the vine rope and slowly released part of it for the young man to be lowered. Junior then was about twenty feet down when he saw an opening in the wall of water. It was huge enough for a person to step in. He pulled the rope taut to signal the others. The rope went taut but he was one feet below the opening. He climbed back up the rope and then stared into the opening. Maybe it was not but an illusion of the water. He was about two feet away from the spot and swung over. He made it to the all but was still not there at the opening. He did another swing and reached it but he could not find a hold and slid back. He tried again and soon found a small gap to grip on and then he slipped again. He did a few more tries and finally got his second opportunity. He pulled himself to the opening with his legs finding the ledge to climb in. It was slippery but he managed to get in. 

It was a narrow opening but the inside was wider. Junior climbed in but the vine rope went taut. He had to pull at it several times to signal them before he was given more rope to move. He searched for anything to hold the rope and soon found the hooks embedded into the wall. It was man made and felt solid although it was coated with moss. He tied the vine rope there and proceeded to look for more things he could use. He found a rope ladder and hoisted it up with the vine rope. Then he waited there for the others to join him. 

Waiting was equivalent to patience which the Lord Greystoke lacked then. He took to leap frog the Irish Hunter and looked for the elusive exit point. There was none and they appeared to be moving in circles. 

“John, your wounds are opened. Please let me attend to it.” Lady Greystoke took to check the wound and redress the bandage with pieces of her shirt. The savage stopped her but she told him off.

“I rather be naked than to see you die.” Lady Greystoke told him. “You are all that matters.” 

“I think we have other things to think about.” Sean Mercer levelled his rifle and when he saw the two tall figure standing in their path. “I say…” 

The Irish Hunter did not get to complete the warning, and was brought down by the blast of lights. So did Lady Greystoke and the savage.

It was not the same for the others who had to climb down a rope ladder into what appeared to be a sinkhole, and with the water cascading down it was intimidating even for Nemo who was the most experienced of them all. 

“I’ll be good.” Mycroft muttered to himself while he took his careful step. He was about a foot from the opening and when he saw Sherlock on the rope. He yelled up at his brother. 

“You were to wait. I am still on the rope.” Mycroft then felt the ladder was unsafe then and he sped up to reach the opening. He was assisted by Watson who had earlier climbed down. 

“Sherlock is on the rope.” Mycroft splattered out to Watson.

“I know. Your climb was pathetic.” Watson dragged him in. “We don’t all day for this.” 

Sherlock was last, and he climbed fast. And his mind was working faster then. 

33.

“Sherlock, where’s next?” Watson asked. He looked at the page he had written. He read the next two lines. 

Trail the glitter flow to end

Beware the hands that reached out

“We follow the yellow road.” Sherlock looked into the tunnel, and saw the place was dark but there were areas where the luminous moss lit it up. He placed his right hand on the wall and trailed its surface to the ground. He then brushed away the dirt on the ground. It revealed the sign of the directional arrow. And it was pointing ahead. The more dirt that Sherlock brushed off the arrow lighted up. 

“Danke, Herr Gunter took to the trail without telling. The others followed but not Sherlock. He was studying the arrow and then the flooring to the side walls. He then shouted out.

“Stop!” But it was too late. Herr Gunter was grabbed by the four metallic spears that extended from the walls on both sides and then thrust into the man in the body.. It was gruesome but everyone took notice of the warning by Sherlock. 

“Don’t move.” Sherlock called out. “We may trigger that again.”

“I would appreciate your warnings earlier.” Mycroft called out. “Now tell us what we should have done earlier.”

“I believe we are seeing here is a pressure activated trap. If you choose to recall back in 1839 the Times carried an article on booby trap; quite similar to this but that was an explosive device in the mahogany box….” 

“Sherlock, please….” Mycroft was getting agitated. 

“Yes…. One of you triggered the trap. It could be Gunter or any of you. Some place where your feet stepped on.” Sherlock replied. “Or hands placed on the flooring.” 

“I think I did that.” Watson called out. “The flooring moved when I stepped on it.” 

“Elementary, my dear…Nevermind, do not move for now.” Sherlock got the stares from the others on usual quip. “Watson, do move your leg to bring the flooring back. Do it ever slowly.”

Watson did it and nothing happened. He stepped back and then looked at Sherlock who had made his way forward. The sleuth crouched down to look at the flooring. He saw the tiny spring there glowing like a single spot there. It was yellow in the shade. 

“Move the dirt. Don’t stand on the yellow points.” Sherlock called out. He then moved on past Watson into the darkened tunnel lighted by the luminous moss. With care, Sherlock then did not take haste in his exploration avoiding any spot of yellow nor did he step over the sighted yellow arrows. He made it to the end of the tunnel and came upon a cavern where he stood on the ledge at the top looking to the deeper bottom there. The cavern was not huge but narrow in depth where a narrower tower looms from the bottom. The tower held the dimension of about ten feet and yet it stood tall there over two hundred feet in height from what his eyes could make out in the dim light. He was joined by Watson and then the others. 

“What in heaven?” Mycroft voiced out surpassing the others. “I have not seen such …. Delicate design for a tower since…” 

“Shut up, Mycroft.” Sherlock cut in. He knew how much the brother of his was for the Isle of the Kingdom and exhorted anything else from loathsome to heinous. He was patriotic to the core. 

“Could we retrieve the vine rope?” Junior suggested but Nemo took a stone to drop it down before turning to look at the others. 

“Too deep.” Not for Sherlock who decided that his sleuth contribution needed to be consulted. He leaned over the edge to look down and then took intricate steps on the edge. He looked at the tower and saw it held a doorway there which was opened then. It was a narrow entrance there. They could not make out the inside beyond the doorway. 

“Tell me of the next three lines of your page.” 

Seek the Tower that reached low

Behold its sentries that looms 

Trapeze and evade the traps

That was what Watson read out. 

“We are at the tower and it does reach the bottom considering that we are looking at its top. So if that is true as conveyed to me by the Raj, let me move on to the other lines. Behold its sentries that looms, Trapeze and evade the traps.”

“Sentries? I doubt there are any.” Words spoken in haste do sometimes add despairs to the spoken. The sound of whirring noise vibrated from below and then they saw the source of it. “By his Majesty, are those locusts?” 

Mycroft stared at the creature in front of his eyes. They were small in dimensions like the ravaging locusts of the wild, and when in their needs will fly in swarm to decimate the growing crops but these were not the same. They held the same limbs and wings with the elongated frame for the body but these creatures were not of God’s design. They were of some other make and were in the thousands. 

“Pesky bugs” Mycroft had to place his opinion forth. “I have seen these before.” 

“Pesky they are but bugs they were not.” Sherlock grabbed one with his right hand, and then it bit his hands. “These are pesky locusts if I am not mistaken but they are metallic. “Definitely man made.” 

“Then they can be destroyed.” Nemo pulled out his sword that he wore on his waist belt to slash at it. It moved from his slashes. It also started off then a battle between locusts and men. The group then withdraw to the tunnel and the locusts stopped there. They were there to protect the tower but the locusts did not come into the tunnel.

“Mycroft, do not ever speak another word before asking me twice.” Sherlock cautioned his brother. “We need to go ahead and that is our way.”

Sherlock motioned to the tower. 

“It’s the way forward. We have no alternative.” 

Junior ran off to collect the rope vine and then he suggested a better alternative. 

“We can cross over to the tower.” Junior tossed the rope over but there was nothing to hold it. 

“Watson, I guessed that part of his intelligence came from his mother.” Mycroft forgot his caution. Sherlock pushed the brother of his aside and then looked at the doorway.

Trapeze and evade the traps

Sherlock took hold of the Enfield rifle and tied it to the rope. He improvised a hold for it to hold the rope before he tossed it over. It went in and then he pulled it back but the rifle formed a hold across the entrance. 

“Guys, it’s time to learn some circus skills.” 

Team Seven of Heroes II Chapter 30 & 31

30.

The so named Vault was actually a lost temple with under growths. There were tales that the rich placed their treasures inside the temples. The other name for these temples was therefore the place of treasures. On the island, there was such a fabled temple that was named Shabdkosh in the local language of Malayalam. The temple was built for the worshippers of the island. It was in the earlier era before the first Raj arrived there. There were peace then and all the tribes were living in harmony. The warring began and the temple was soon forgotten until the jungle reclaimed it. It was then known only as the Shabdkosh. The path to the temple was tedious with no defined walk trail but one made with machetes and men trampling on the roots. Nina had shown the direction by the noise at the distance. 

“That is the sound of the waterfall.” Nina explained. “It was a fable told to us when we were kids that the Gods slept in the huge cavern behind the waterway and then they emerged to ride the water to their chariot. They will ride their chariot to the skies.” 

“Maybe their chariot taken off.” Mycroft imitated the sound of the iron horse snorting its coal fired smoke into the clouds and scared away all the living creatures that used to enjoy serene on the plains. 

“Oh, shut up.” Sherlock was bored with Mycroft antics. “If you got nothing nice to say, stay behind the banyan tree. The exotic smell might trigger off your immortality.” 

“Oh! Does it?” Mycroft sneered back. “I know….”

“Never mind, Mycroft. You just stepped on a plush monkey dropping.” Watson cut in before he side stepped Mycroft. The later was lost for words on his shoe condition but no one cares. They have not shopped at Saville unless you considered the flea market in London where Sherlock buys his carpet slippers as a peer.

Then Van Helsing raised the pertinent issue.

“Why are we not attacked by the ….enemies that we have not identified?” 

“Interesting that you brought it up now. “ Sherlock was to add in his deductive questions when Nina called out. 

“We are there.” 

There wasn’t what Lord Greystoke had in mind when he woke up. He was still on the floor and both his wrists hurt. He pushed himself up and then turned to look for his lover. His mind flashed back and it worked him up to stand up. His standing was wobbly and he needed the wall to lean on. 

“Hey, let us loose.” Lord Greystoke looked to the voices and saw two ladies in shackles. His animal instinct was to reach for the shackles but his human senses told him to know what needed then were get help. He fought against his mind but the weakness in him then was more than physical. He can’t do it alone if he was to save anyone. He staggered back on his legs and then went for the open exit. 

“Hey, you can’t leave us here…” Lord Greystoke ignored it all. He limped out and then found himself in the corridor. It was a wide and tall one with some doorways on the sides. He ignored them all and continued on his walk ahead. He was getting out and he will return. 

To find his love. 

For John, their son.

It was the very same thoughts then of Lay Greystoke when her mind woke her. She flipped her eye lids to get a better focus on the surrounding area. She was lying on a metallic platform with straps on her limbs and she was nude. The last time she was in that state was with a handsome man; requisite for that will be the virility that came with the body. 

“Darn! The bedding then was softer.” Lady Greystoke muttered out. She stopped then when she realised that she was not alone. Being naked with strangers ain’t her favourite pastime but it turned out her companion was a metallic rounded unit. The unit slide over to her side and then it emitted a series of beeps. Over Lady Greystoke a platform hovered over her with a number of needles protruding beneath it. 

“Darn you! I dislike needles.” Lady Greystoke screamed. 

Those screams caught the attention of the Irish hunter. Sean was searching for a way out of his confined unit for he was not shackled. There was the shackle there but he was not attached to it. The unit was just plain walls and flooring with the doorway hidden which was what he was searching for. He doubted he was dropped in or worse, he was already dead and that was his unit in Hell. That was all until he heard the screams. 

“It’s not Hell, well at least not yet.” Sean leaned onto the wall to listen for the sound again. One scream normally leads to more. He knew it from the dying creatures.

Sean did not find the doorway but it opened by the pressure of the other person outside who opened the door by leaning on it. Lord Greystoke fell in. There were no wise cracks between the two rivals but the human affinity to assist then. Sean held the man in his arms before pulling him out. He was not keen to lock in one more time. He saw the wound on the wrists and bandaged it with torn strips from his shirt. He then held up the other by the shoulder and then they staggered on. 

“Don’t you give up on me, savage.” Sean grunted out on the weight of the man laid on his left shoulder. 

It was a huge place. 

So was the waterfall. The biggest waterfall is the Victoria Falls at about a thousand seven hundred metres wide and varies in height from eighty to a hundred metres with a six hundred twenty five million litres of water flow over the edge per minute. The water spray reached up to a thousand six hundred and fifty feet into the air. Well that was the Victoria Falls; the Queen of all falls but the one that faced the group was smaller in dimension but its drop was deep into the deep sink hole there formed in the centre of the pond. The noise was the result of the extra deeper drop. 

“Shabdkosh”. The son of the mother stepped up to hold her arm. “Yes, son. That is Shabdkosh. The one you hear from your tutors. This is the place.”

“I was expecting something huge like…. a temple but not the waterfall. It’s like a drop to Hades.”

“Well, nothing is the same.” The mother smiled. “Wait till you….”

“Look the lions are here.” Watson was the one who alerted them. A pack of six lions appeared at the falls growling and then roaring. 

“Six? I thought there would be more but I guessed we reduce their number drastically.” 

“I wondered if there are any kitties.” Mycroft cannot stay silent and the lions could not stay away before they charged. The group raised their rifles and fired. 

31.

Sean stopped at every corner and then peeked over before he moved on. He was being cautious and with a wounded man next to him, extra caution was required if he wants to live. He half carried the man and moved on till he saw the wall in front slid open. He tried to turn back but it was too late. Then luck was on him. The metallic contraption with the rounded top turned and rolled on. 

Sean froze for a while before he pulled his wounded friend along to the open chamber. He sighed in relief when he saw their weapons there. He lowered the wounded man down and then started looking through the weapons. He rummaged through the ammo belts and the rifles before he saw the clothes. It belonged to Lady Greystoke. There was not much time so he went for the blouse. He tore strips of it and then bandaged the wound on the other. Once he was done, he took up his own weapons. The Enfield felt uncomfortable in his hand. He has always used heavier guns for the prey he hunts. He lowered the Enfield and picked up the Mauser Sporter Magnum Action with the .404 cartridges. It felt better in his hands. 

“Dam you!” Sean levelled the rifle to his eyes and watched it through the scope there. He saw the face of the savage that he had faced in conflicts before. 

“You scared me…” Sean lowered the rifle. He stared at the savage then with the wrists bandaged. “They are your wife’s and I …”

“That’s her’ too.” Lord Greystoke made his point. He then picked up her clothes before he reached for his batons and the dagger. “She is here.” 

“Good point. So let us find her now. I am ready.” Sean held onto the Mauser rifle while he slung the Enfield over his shoulder. The other had then moved to the door and then stepped out. Sean followed close behind. The savage took on a running search with his face close to the walls or the flooring. He was trying to get her scent. He found her trail. She was behind the wall there. He was like his alter ego, slammed the wall but Sean have a better idea. He searched for the switch and found it. The wall slide back and they were in the room where Lady Greystoke was still strapped to the platform and she was nude. The male lover went for the straps to release his lover. Once she was free, he held her close to him. 

“John, they took our baby.” 

Three of the six lions had survived the volley and they were soon tearing at the group of shooters. It was mayhem trying to shoot at close range with so many targets; men and lions. The lions had a better chance for they were fierce and wounded which make them deadly. Their claws tore at the flesh and their canine fangs bit off chunks of flesh 

“Shoot them in the head!” Mycroft then was holding the Webley when his Enfield was reduced to two pieces of scrap. He pointed the gun at the lion’s head and pulled the trigger. When a foreign object like a bullet impacted inside the head, it was like the fangs that tore off the flesh except the brain was more fragile. It collapsed when the bullet fragment hits it. The brain controlled the body functions and then with the brain dead the body dies with it. The lion fell down lifeless. 

“Viola! It worked.” Sherlock concluded Mycroft action. The other two lions were brought down about the same way and every one till breathing stayed on their feet with the rifle as the pillar. Their numbers have dwindled to only a few. 

Mycroft, Sherlock, Van Helsing, Watson, Nina, Junior and Nemo with Herr Gunter. All were armed with Enfields and even Mycroft who had taken one off the others. Nemo held also scimitar that he had brought from the Nautilus. 

The others were dead or near to it 

It was a tough fight but the victors get to walk away. 

“John, I can fight.” Sean had sacrificed his shirt to cover the lady body while Lord Greystoke handed over his pants. He told them he felt more comfortable without it. 

“We need to get out.” Sean told the other two but their choice was made for them when the metal contraption rolled in. Sean was to shoot it but he held back when he saw the savage grabbed the metal contraption. The unit must have weighed heavy but to the savage with his anger. His strength then was augmented by the years of conditioning with the muscles bursting at its tendon, the savage managed to topple the unit and then pried open the cover before he reached in to pull the circuits out. The force of his attack was repelled by the sudden burst of energy from inside the unit. The savage was thrown backwards but he was an savage and unleashed they are unstoppable. He jumped back and did more damage.

“John, it’s done. We can go now.” Lady Greystoke pulled at her lover. “It’s done.”

It would have been done if not for another unit that stepped in. It was different in design and it was tall. The unit stood at over the heads of most men and it held four pairs of upper limbs and it lower limbs were a set of six tentacles. Its design for the head was a diamond shaped inverted. There were no signs of ears or eyes. 

“Kreegah!” The savage man jumped onto the newly arrived metallic being and holding the baton in his hands, he thrust the end into the diamond-head but the metallic figure did not flinch. It emitted a blast of light that shoved the savage to the far wall. Sean had raised his rifle and fired at the tall figure but the bullet literally bounced off the metallic frame. The tall figure then reached out its four upper limbs to grab the Irish Hunter and rifle before tossing the man across the room. It was the lady who sprang into action with the Enfield rifle thrust into the open cavity between the lower tentacles and the middle frame. 

“Eats this, you metallic filth.” The lady emptied four shots in the metallic man. The six tentacles wobbled and then the tall figure slumped to the floor in a heap of tentacles. The lady then dropped her rifle and then used her hands to wring the diamond-head. If diamonds could drive a lady to wring heads, then the lady was an exemplary model. 

“Arghh…” The lady did not yank it off but dislodged the head to the right with exposed cables. Lord Greystoke had then pulled his love off the unmoving figure. 

“Keep away. I want to kill the ….bastard.” Lady Jane was still in anger but she soon broke down. “They took my baby……. Our baby.”

Babies were the furthest thing from Watson’ mind but he cannot see beyond the cubs that appeared on the side. There appeared soon after the lions died. It was always the case when the guardians were not seen, the kids run out to play. 

“Doctor Watson, we are wasting time here.” Captain Nemo called out to the Doctor. “Do you know the Vault?” 

Doctor Watson looked at the seafaring Captain. He then pulled out the paper from his shirt pocket. It was time to face the truth. 

The truth how far men will go for hidden treasures even though it may not be there. 

Tweet....tweet.... I am rowing down the sixes.... 4th September

Pardon me, for the late posting. I was on the roll with a given long weekend break from work (blessing in disguise although I was not bedridden but presiding over the throne like a King) with my short journeys to the castle throne (bloody idea to adhere to the Queen's command that cleansing was good for me. If only I knew she meant bowel cleansing and not an impalement. No, they did not need to shaft the brush up my arse but I felt my arse was brushed out then.)

Bloody good work it did during the cleansing was that I had time to do my writing. Maybe it did sort out the creative part of me (narry am I admitting my creative section resided in my bowels though) but I dunk in 30K words in the last few days on a tale I left hanging at 10K for some weeks then.  An except is here.

It was then the pianist tapped the keyboard to play the tune of Carmen and the lovely voice soon followed.

HABANERA - Carmen's aria from Carmen

Quand je vous aimerai?                                                          When will I love you? 

Ma foi, je ne sais pas,                                                               Good lord, I don't know,

Peut-être jamais, peut-être demain.                                      Maybe never,  maybe tomorrow.

Mais pas aujourd'hui,  c'est certain.                                    But not today, that's certain.

L'amour est un oiseau rebelle                                                Love is a rebellious bird

Que nul ne peut apprivoiser,                                                  That nothing can tame,

Et c'est bien en vain qu'on l'appelle,                                    And it is simply in vain to call it

S'il lui convient de refuser.                                                     If it is convient for it to refuse.

Rien n'y fait, menace ou prière,                                             Nothing will work, threat or pleading,

L'un parle bien, l'autre se tait;                                              One speaks,  the other stays quiet;

Et c'est l'autre que je préfère                                                  And it's the other that I prefer

Il n'a rien dit;  mais il me plaît.                                              He said nothing;  but he pleases me.

L'amour!  L'amour!  L'amour!  L'amour!                              Love!  Love!  Love!  Love!

L'amour est enfant de Bohême,                                              Love is the child of the Bohemian,

Il n'a jamais, jamais connu de loi,                                          It has never, never known any law,

Si tu ne m'aime pas, je t'aime,                                                 If you don't love me, I love you,

Si je t'aime, prend garde à toi!                                              If  I love you, keep guard of yourself!

Si tu ne m'aime pas,                                                                  If you don't love me,

Si tu ne m'aime pas, je t'aime!                                                If you don't love me, I love you!

Mais, si je t'aime,                                                                      But, if I love you,

 “No, your voice needs to be more …affectionate. It’s love we are singing here. Try again.” The pianist told the young soprano. “Or you will miss your dance lessons soon.”

Firmin was transfixed by the voice that sang then. It was wonderful to his ears although he was not an avid opera goer but music was a universal sound. It transcend into people’s moods.

“I will telegraph, Trevor to join us in the opening.” Firmin walked away leaving Armand standing there with heavy thoughts. 

Oh, excuse me. I am needed at the throne room. 

Where is my darn... I meant my sweet accompaniment Samsung. 

What else do one do when seated on the throne? Pass judgement? Narry I say. They all look down and held thoughts of the better times when they are not seated there. 

Talking about thrones, do you know why certain publications are printed in pocket size? It can be concealed in between blankets or tucked in the rear and not between the cleft please. 

Mum used to shout from the throne room when she discover the stash. She will asked who was the reader. 

"Not mine, darling." Dad will look at me then. And my reply would be.

"It was Willy's." Although we don't have anyone named Willy at our home but it was a useful alibi. 

"Well, tell Willy that the next time he leaves his books here, I will have it recycle as toilet papers for him." Mum was cruel then. Newsprint are worse than canning marks. 

Team Seven of Heroes II Chapter 28 & 29

28.

“Steer ten degrees portside.” Captain Nemo called out. “Assemble the men. It’s time.” 

The crew of the Nautilus then stood up from their work or rest position before they tidied up their appearance. It was as if they were to be their mother or at worse God for his final judgment. 

“Attention!” Captain Nemo himself stood up and then raised his hand in salute. The crews followed suit but nt the others who were awakened from their slumber of over two hours. It was Mycroft who gave them more reason to wake for he was seated at the main glass opening of the vessel. 

“Blimey! What is that?”

The sight soon appeared to the Nautilus then, with parts of slowly revealed. It was a huge metal vessel that lay on the sea bed. It must have measured very long for it took the Nautilus a long time to sail past it. It held the design of a ship with the bow and stern complete with the keel but its deck was a long cover that reached its length with the tall narrow tower in the bow. It was the vessel name that gave it away.

“Nautilus?” Mycroft uttered out. “It can’t be. That ship is over five hundred feet in length.” 

“Five hundred and twenty five to be exact with a height of over a hundred and twenty. I can’t make out the width….” Sherlock corrected the other but was baffled by what he could not see then.

“Twenty five feet, Mr Holmes. That was the Nautilus with the original Captain Nemo at its helm. It held a crew of a hundred fifty and they all went down together.” Captain Nemo explained. “My uncle Prince Dakkar designed and built it. She sailed for over twenty years through storms and fair weather to rest here.” 

It was seen then the huge hole that sunk the vessel at the side near the propellers. 

“The impact took out the main engines and flooded the compartment. A call for made to abandon ship was made but none of the crew took it. They wanted to go down with the Captain.”

“Who hit her? The U-Boats?” Mycroft the patriotic asked. 

“No, it was the Tall Man tribe weapon. You will soon meet them. Lovely chaps.” Captain Nemo smiled. “I had them for enemies for some time now. Bloody nuisance and never have them for tea or for a game of bridge. They are poor company and bloody cheats at the game too.” 

“If that is Nautilus, then which one is this? Nautilus II?” Mycroft have to be dense at the worst of times. 

“Yes, this is the new Nautilus. It could not rival the original but then it worked for us.” Captain Nemo replied. “Captain Nemo or Prince Dakkar was a genius and he had the disposal of the treasures he recovered and with the Raj’ assistance, he build that. I am the humble successor with a limited treasure to work with and parts of his designs to emulate on. I think my Nautilus may not be as formidable like that, but it had sailed the seven seas with me.” 

That raised a cheer from the crew.

“You could approach the King for …” Mycroft was shut up by the Germans.

“Dumkoft! The Kaiser had launched U-Boats while your King was still rowing down the river Thames.” That was German pride and echoed by Van Helsing who snapped in his words.

“Even Dracula loathed your tea. He prefers the Black Tea ours.” 

It started off a Channel riff for raff but Captain Nemo was past listening to them. He got the crews back to their work stations and the Nautilus was headed for a softer landing. 

It can’t be said Lady Greystoke and Lord Greystoke then for being shackled to the wall on their feet and hands was most uncomfortable. Their weapons were removed then. Lady Greystoke looked at their new surrounding then. Her last recall was reaching to examine the lump on her lover’s head. She saw the other was breathing and it was a relief. She then looked across the place that they were shackled to then. It was a walled unit with no window but one door opening. Besides the two of them, there were another three more. She recognized the Irish hunter but not the other two ladies shackled to the far right. The younger stirred and then look up. 

“Black Cat, wake up!” The younger one called out. The other lady shackled to the wall woke up and her first reaction was to pull at the shackles. 

“Mistress, are you fine?” The one named Black Cat asked. “I will get free soon.” 

“I hope its sooner.” Lady Greystoke saw the new addition to their company. It was a metallic unit that rolled in on the four wheels. It was a rounded unit with a rounded top but the bottom part sat on the four wheels. It was about a foot in diameter and it stopped before the shackled group. The oblong top slid back and revealed a number on antennas and small discs. The discs started rotating and on its body another panel slide open. It was rectangle in shape and narrow like a match box. The slot on the body then emitted a light which was on the group. It was a rectangle light and covered all four of the captives. 

“What’s happening?” Lady Greystoke struggled on her shackles trying to avoid the light but it was enveloping all of them. It then stopped. Before Lady Greystoke could mumbled a curse out, another light came on and next thing that happened was total blackness.

“We could have found a better time to wade onto the beach.” Mycroft grumbled when his Saville designed shoes were soaked to the top. It was dark and the insets were out. He marched his way to the sandy beach like a Guardsman marching at the Palace. The others took to the task without a mumble for their eyes were on the treelines. They were expecting a lion or maybe a pack will charge at them. 

“I never fancied a watery death but if it was then I figured my bathtub will suffice. I meant a sleeping death and not drowning.” Sherlock was whispering to Watson. 

“Stop your mutterings. We are all getting our feet wet.” Watson plodded on. “And we are not dead …not yet anyway.”

The group assembled at the sandy beach and then Captain Nemo waved to his departing crew on the long boat to go back to the Nautilus. They have made three trips to bring the group there, and it was time to return. 

“Are they not joining us?” Herr Gunter asked while he clicked the rifle to arm. 

“No, they are sailors. They don’t belong to die here on the land.” Captain Nemo looked at his departing crew. He wondered if he will see them again. It may be nearer than he expected. The beam of lights came from nowhere and three men rowing the boat went down. 

“Bosun!’ Captain Nemo displayed his emotions then. 

At least they died in the water. 

The shots were fired in random directions but there was further beam of lights then. Most of the rifles were emptied of the loads and then the frantic reloading before Mycroft called out. 

“Hold your fire!” Mycroft shout did not reflect his action with the rifle levelled at the treeline. “We need to find cover.” 

“Funny you will say that when only you are still standing in the open.” Watson voiced out. “Get into cover.” 

The beam of light hit Mycroft in the chest.

29.

Watson lowered Myrcroft to the soft bedding of palm leaves. The beam of light did not hit the man directly in the chest but crossed his left lungs and bloody well did not kill him except a long burn mark. 

“He will live?” Sherlock asked. “Since we lost Sigrina, I ….” 

“Oh, shut up! I am …investigating him.” Watson stood up and walked to the fireplace by the beach. It was a silly thing to light a fire when you know that the enemy is out there but he couldn’t care less. He has a patient which needed treatment. At the fireplace, the others were all seated there except for three Germans who were on guard at the perimeter. 

“How is he?” Herr Gunter asked. 

“As like most patients, unappreciative unless they are sedated. Then they sleep like a child.” Watson replied. “Herr Gunter, I thought you will know being a medical doctor like me.” 

“Me medical? No, you are mistaken. I am more of an archaeologist. I favoured checking dried bones than fleshy ones.”

“You are not a medical …doctor. I am sorry for my oversight.” Watson smiled. “I …”

“Elementary, my dear Watson. He is not one for he held a small pick in his pocket with the small glass to magnify his view.” Sherlock felt good then with his deductive skills taking the stage then. 

“Observation from the great detective, Sherlock Holmes. I am impressed.” Herr Gunter remarked. “Herr Dupin … Le Chevalier C. Auguste Dupin would have your rival if he was not a fictional detective.” 

“My salutation to Herr Edgar Allan Poe for such creating such a unique character but we do have similarities in our skills. With due consideration, Dupin was a very inferior fellow. He had some analytical genius, no doubt, but he was by no means such a phenomenon as Poe appears to imagine. Those were my exact words to Doctor Watson when he compared me to Dupin.”

“There will many more of my peers in the coming ages for deductive detective works will be the platform to secure a conviction of the right person.” Sherlock continued on. “It’s not only wrong justice that were past on the wrongly accused but inconclusive evidence which distressed their innocence when on trial.”

“Gentlemen, please get some rest. We got an island to journey over.” It was a proper call for the group was tired then. 

It was not for the awake like Lord Greystoke who had once submerged into his other ego as the savage Trazan. The savage fought against the shackles for the restraint was a humiliation to the ones that lived wild. He pulled at the shackles until his skin there were bruised and bloodied but nothing was to quell his anger when the metal rounded contraption rolled in. It activated by remote the release on the shackles on Lady Greystoke. The lady weakened from her ordeal fell to the flooring. She was then raised by some form of levitation power and the floated to the exit. Tarzan screamed out in his savage growl and was silenced by the beam of light fired from the metallic unit. Tarzan slumped unconscious on his shackles and for some unknown logic the shackles on the savage was released allowing him to slump down to the flooring. He was however left there while the lady was floated out of the unit. 

“He is freed.” The mistress voiced out. “Wake him.”

The aide named as the Black Cat ignored the mistress and worked on her shackles. It was not any key and lock shackles but a seamless mechanism then. She had not seen such a lock and then focussed on the unconscious man. She had not seen the man but his antics showed him to be a man of strength. He could be considered a great warrior like her father. She looked down when she thought of her own father who was a skilled pugilist that suffered a shameful death by the betrayal of his own apprentice. He had lament that his skills would not be learned by one to carry on his family name but a daughter who will lose her own identity when she wed but the sole daughter of the master remained a single determined lady who earned the namesake Black Cat. She have learned all that was to be taught by her father and then developed her own but each of her techniques was deadly and her opponents hardly survived her attacks. She sought the apprentice that betrayed her father and would have killed him if he was without the protection of the Emperor of the Heavenly Throne. She escaped with fatal wounds and was saved by the other Emperor known as the Warlike Manchu. He was the leader of the Si Fan and was an opponent of the ‘Western Imperialists’. The Emperor was called by his fearsome name Fu Manchu. He had helped her to kill the once before apprentice and secured her loyalty to him. It was how she came to the side of the Mistress Fa Lo Suee, the daughter of Fu Manchu.

“My daughter is a rebel with me. She was born of my concubine and raised in a nunnery but the spirit of my bloodline drove the girl to seek me out. She came to my palace; a runaway and near death. It was not compassion but I saw in her the shadow of myself. I hold no son but the daughter of mine was to be like one. She lived and prospered with my coaching, and yet she will stab me in the back if I am not attentive. The lady is like a cobra with no affliction for servitude. Just as she is a serpent in my den, you will be the mongoose to stop her if she attacks me but when she is docile, protect her like your own.” 

The Black Cat lady looked to her care for over five years then. The Mistress was a shadow of her father but one that will not trail but engulf the body if left in the dark. The Black Cat have wondered why the Emperor tolerate her and even loaned her his organization knowing that she may corrupted the followers. Some have taken her route but they have not survived long for the Emperor had long reaches with his own assassins. The recent task began as a rumour of a warlord that the treasure of King Solomon was known and it led the Mistress on the trial for over a year with a trail of dead bodies and wasted resources but like the father, she was relentless. She collaborated with the one to topple the Raj but failed in getting the treasure. She waited her next move like the cobra; ever patiently and then struck when ready but her strikes have been wrong so far. The man lying prone on the flooring may be her answer to getting closer to the treasure. 

“I can’t wake him. I can’t get out of these shackles.” Black Cat replied. It drew anger from the Mistress who cursed back.

“What good are you to me if you cannot do what I ask?” Mistress Fa Lo Suee hissed back while she struggled with the shackles. “I am the …”

“Daughter of Fu Manchu and yet you never respected your father.” Black Cat cut in. “Mistress, be your father’s…”

“I am not his daughter. I am just of one of his whore’s children. He cared not for any that he had fathered except his own…”

“Son? He has none. He has you for one. You father holds no other except you. He may be barren or his …lovers were. He once told me that he had affection for one as his daughter. Her name is Karamaneh, the child he took under his care from the Eqyptian trader.”

“Yes, and Karamaneh betrayed him for the one named Petrie. She …”

“Like you perhaps. Unappreciative and …”

“I am my father’s blood. We don’t stand to serve but be served. Stop talking like my mother and figure how we can leave.” That ended the discussion between the two while one held tears to her eyes wondering if she did right. 

“Right now, gentleman the task begin for us. Wakey up for we have a treasure to secure.” Captain Nemo voiced out when the sun appeared on the horizon. Mycroft stretched his legs and then pushed himself up with the rifle as the pillar to hold onto. He saw Sherlock seated at the other side curled up in the foetus position with Doctor Watson in attendance. He could only guess what could be the cause. He walked over and tapped on the Doctor’s shoulder.

“He needs his dosage.” Watson looked at Mycroft. “Do you have any?” 

Mycroft reached for the ammo belt where the bullets were stored in the pouches there. He opened one of it and took out the syringe and two vial. 

“I kept it there for emergencies. I found it in the Nautilus medical case.” Watson looked at it. It was no cocaine but morphine. It will help the other given the available options. Soon after he jabbed the sleuth, his name was called up. 

“Doctor Watson, your patients are ready. Shall we proceed?” It was the Captain who was in need of a new fix to his treasury. The others all looked at Watson. 

“We need to find the Vault.” Watson replied.

“That I know.” Nina stepped up. “It’s yonder there.”