by M L Dunn
“Sure,” Red said. “Take that one,” he said pointing. “I think I might rest awhile also,” he said. “You should too Tom. I got the feeling tomorrow is going to be a long day.”
“I can stretch out here on the couch,” Tom told him. “You can have the other bedroom.”
“All right,” Red said. “Try and get some sleep.”
Chapter 48
The Dauntless had been in the air nearly five hours when Mr. Slang rose and went down the hallway. Just behind him was Dino, a massive golem who stood six and half feet tall and was the most feared creature in all the U.R.R.K. Following him came four guardsmen. Mr. Slang was not looking forward to what he had to do.
Mr. Slang unlocked the door and slipped quietly into the room. The young detective, Inspector Flynn, was lying on the couch with his eyes closed, but he did not seem to be asleep.
“My name is Mr. Slang,” Mr. Slang said tapping the young detective on the foot, causing Inspector Flynn to sit up abruptly, not having noticed he had entered the room. “I’m sure you are worried about your wife,” he said, “but there is nothing to be concerned about. I’ll take you to see her now.”
“She’d better be in perfect health,” the young detective said standing up.
“She is,” Mr. Slang said. “In fact she is up on the ship’s bridge enjoying the view from there. We are passing over the pole right now. I thought I’d take you and Count Vasili up there to join her. Which bedroom is he in?”
Inspector Flynn pointed and Mr. Slang waved the four guardsmen toward the room.
“What about Inspector Meriwether?” the young detective asked.
“Let’s let him sleep,” Mr. Slang said. “He’ll get a chance to go up on the bridge on the way back.”
The four guardsmen hauled Count Vasili out of the bedroom in handcuffs.
“Who’s he?” Inspector Flynn asked looking at Dino.
“His name is Dino. He is King Havel’s personal bodyguard,” Mr. Slang said. “Nice to finally meet you,” Mr. Slang said turning to Count Vasili then. “I suspect you have heard my name. It is Slang.”
“Many times,” Count Vasili said with no friendliness at all. “But now I know your face.”
They went out the room then. Mr. Slang and Inspector Flynn first, followed by Dino and then Count Vasili boxed in by the four guardsmen.
“You are in for a treat,” Mr. Slang told Inspector Flynn as they went down the hallway toward the front of the ship. “We have to fly only eighty feet in the air here, because of the strong winds over the pole and some of the icebergs here are ten or even twelve stories tall. Don’t be scared though, the Dauntless can weave her way between them easily enough.”
“Anyone word from the Tempest?”
“No. Until we come within range of the Vladivostok station we won’t be able to hail them on the radio, but we are pretty certain the princess is on board there and she has not been harmed.”
They came to the end of the hallway and from there the ship’s bridge could be accessed from either the port or starboard side of the ship by a short staircase. Mr. Slang stopped and pointed at the portside staircase coming down off the bridge.
“There’s your wife now,” he said tapping Inspector Flynn on the arm. “Looks like she’s headed back to her room,” he said, having arranged it just so.
“Rebecca!” Tom shouted as Mr. Slang stuck his arm out in front of the young detective to keep him from running toward there. Dino placed his hand on top of the young detective’s shoulder also. “Are you alright?”
“I’m fine,” she shouted back as she was escorted down another hallway by a maiden and a couple of guardsmen.
“I want to talk to her,” Inspector Flynn said trying to free himself from Dino’s grip, but that just was not possible.
“As you can see, she is perfectly fine,” Mr. Slang said. “It would best if you didn’t talk to her right now.”
“I don’t what kind of game you are playing, but someone is going to answer for all this sooner or later.”
“Funny you should say that,” Mr. Slang said starting up the stairs toward the bridge.
As they came onto the bridge, Mr. Slang pointed out the two sailors, bundled up warmly, standing lookout on different narrow walkways just outside of the ship’s bridge.
“They’re keeping an eye out for icebergs,” Mr. Slang said.
It was dark out, but the moon shone brightly and right then both sailors were shouting as they pointed at a massive pair of icebergs five hundred yards in front of the ship, one of which loomed twice as high as the ship. The pilot ordered the ship to come about five degrees starboard, and the helmsman turned the giant steering wheel ever so slightly so the zeppelin would head right between the two monoliths of ice.
No one on the bridge spoke as the zeppelin slipped between the icebergs, while below waves crashed against the base of them. The ship passed within thirty feet of the side of one iceberg that loomed over it like a skyscraper. The wind gusted and the ship was brought even closer, but the captain calmly instructed the helmsman to turn into the wind for a moment and the ship slowly pulled away.
“That was fun,” Mr. Slang told Inspector Flynn once they were out of danger. “There’s the Tempest ahead of us,” he said pointing out the ship’s bridge.
Inspector Flynn looked and saw the lights of the Tempest a couple of miles ahead of them.
“I have another treat for you now,” Mr. Slang said then.
“What?”
“The king would like to speak with you.”
“What about?”
Mr. Slang shrugged his shoulders. “I think he just wants to thank you for your efforts to find the princess.”
Mr. Slang led Inspector Flynn, Dino, Count Vasili and the soldiers guarding Count Vasili off the bridge, past their room and finally down to the end of the hallway toward a wood door with growling bear carved into it. The guards there opened the doors and they went in.
It was a large room with several chairs and couches like a hotel suite. There were two windows in the room, one that looked out the starboard side of the ship while the other looked toward the front of the ship just below the bridge. A witch, in pointy hat, sat in a corner of the room, simply staring at them. A golem stood by the window and then Inspector Flynn spotted Stone standing behind the door.
“What’s he doing here,” he said reaching for his weapon and that was when Mr. Slang struck him from behind, knocking him out cold.
Chapter 49
Mr. Slang had hit the young detective just hard enough to knock him out for a couple of minutes and they used the time to take his gun from him, wrap a rope around him and tie him to a chair.
“What’s going on?” Inspector Flynn demanded, groggily, as he came to.
“They mean to kill both of us,” Count Vasili said matter-of-factly from the chair he was sitting in as Dino stood guard over him.
Just then an announcement came over a speaker in the room. It was the ship’s captain announcing that they had finished crossing over the pole and were in U.R.R.K. airspace. He informed them they would soon cross the Kilga River on their way to the Vladivostok Station.
“I’m sorry this is necessary,” Mr. Slang told Inspector Flynn, checking the rope with his finger as the captain finished his announcement. “You don’t want anything to happen to your wife do you? I give you my word nothing will if you cooperate and answer our questions and then it will all be over.”
“What are you talking about,” Tom said trying to shake the cobwebs out of his head still. “I don’t understand what he’s doing here,” he said nodding toward Stone.
“That’s exactly why we wanted to talk to you,” Mr. Slang told him.
“Why? Because I don’t know anything?”
“Exactly. You only know what the TCPD knows. I think some introductions are in order first. This is Esmeralda,” Mr. Slang said gesturing toward the witch sitting in the corner. This is Trunk,” he said, pointing at the other golem in the room, �
�And this is his majesty King Havel,” he said then and the young detective looked and saw the king wearing his night robe sitting in a chair behind Mr. Slang. Mr. Slang had ordered all the king’s guardsmen out of the room.
“I want to talk to Colonel Popov,” Inspector Flynn requested desperately.
“I’m afraid it would be best if Colonel Popov stayed out of this matter,” Mr. Slang said as King Havel snickered behind him.
“Let’s get started,” the king said impatiently then, gesturing for Esmeralda to hand him something. The witch crossed the room and handed the king a small potion bottle which he subsequently handed to Mr. Slang.
“Force his mouth open,” Mr. Slang said, and Stone stuck a finger inside Inspector Flynn’s mouth until he gagged. Mr. Slang then poured the contents of the bottle down his throat, forcing him to swallow it.
“What was that?” Tom asked when Stone finally removed his finger.
“Nothing harmful,” Mr. Slang said. “Simply a bottle of truth serum. You won’t be capable of not telling us the truth for the next little while.”
“You didn’t need to do that,” he said. “I’ve got nothing to hide. I’ll tell you everything I know.”
“I know you will,” Mr. Slang said as he stepped out of the way. King Havel stood and stepped closer then. He brought his chair with him and set it down in front of Tom and sat down.
“How long till it takes affect?” he asked Mr. Slang.
“Ask him if it’s working,” Mr. Slang said gesturing toward Inspector Flynn.
“Is it working?” the king asked. “Are you capable of lying right now?”
At first the young detective just meant to smile and ignore the king, but then potion went to work on him and he was compelled to answer both questions put to him.
“Yes,” he said. “Yes.”
“Terrible tasting isn’t it?”
“Yes,” he said, unable to say differently.
“I know,” King Havel said. “There’s toad blood in there and some other nasty things, but nothing that’s going to hurt you. We just have some questions for you and we need to make sure we’re getting the truth. Understand?”
Again he tried to ignore the king’s question, but then Inspector Flynn blurted out ‘Yes.’
“The thing about this truth serum is that it only works once or twice. You build up immunity the more it’s administered. It would have no effect Count Vasili,” King Havel said glancing toward him. “He long ago became immune to it. Now let’s get started. First question – is that your beautiful wife I met earlier on board the ship?”
“Yes,” the young detective said. “And you better not hurt her.”
“I don’t plan to. I’m not an evil man at all,” King Havel said. “I’m only trying to unite my country once again. That’s what this whole affair has all been about. I’m trying to save my country from evil men like Count Vasili there. Did you know he’s been sending coded cables back home trying to stir up trouble in my country?”
“No,” Inspector Flynn said glancing at Count Vasili.
“Bit of a pompous jerk, isn’t he?”
“Yes,” he said.
King Havel nodded in agreement. “How long have I got?”
“Ten minutes,” Mr. Slang said. “Let’s hurry though, just in case Colonel Popov comes along. He should be having dinner with his men right now.”
King Havel nodded. “Let’s get to the more important questions,” he said turning back to the detective. “I’m sure the TCPD figured out that Pandora is really Anna, my brother Yuri’s wife?”
“Yes.”
“I figured you would find that out soon enough,” the king said. “But is the TCPD aware that Krakov was working for us?”
Mr. Slang watched as a look of surprise came over the young detective’s face.
“No,” Inspector Flynn said shaking his head.
“Excellent.”
“Did you know his target was the princess and not Prince Marko?”
“No,” Inspector Flynn said trying not to answer at all, but it was the total look of surprise and shock that amused Mr. Slang.
“Are you aware that Count Vasili had nothing to do with the attempt on Princess Alexi’s life?”
“No, but I guess I do now.”
“Yes,” King Havel said smiling, “but does Chief Inspector Meriwether or any other members of the TCPD know this? Does Mr. Jordan know?”
“No. Not that I know of.”
“If Inspector Meriwether does not know then Mr. Jordan does not know,” Mr. Slang said.
King Havel pointed at Mr. Slang then as he looked at Inspector Flynn. “Mr. Slang hired Krakov to assassinate the princess and then he framed Count Vasili for it, but unfortunately things did not go as planned. Anna messed up our plans that night, but we’ll rectify that soon enough. Count Vasili and his fellow partisans will yet be blamed for the princess’ death.”
“Why would you want to kill your own daughter?”
“That’s just it,” King Havel said, smiling back at Inspector Flynn. “She is not mine.”
“She’s not yours?”
“No.”
“But why would you want to kill her?”
For a moment King Havel did not respond, but finally, the same as the truth serum worked on Inspector Flynn, King Havel’s own out-sized ego worked on him.
“Oh I don’t mind telling you,” he said. “It’s been fun watching you and your fellow TCPD policemen running around blaming all the wrong people and not having a clue about what this is really about. Princess Alexi is not my child. I myself only found out a couple of years ago when the midwife who delivered my child confessed on her death bed to what had really happened. My child and Anna’s were born the same night twenty two years ago. Anna came into the room when she heard the midwife attending to my wife scream. My child only lived a few moments. My wife had passed out, so Anna switched her child for mine and threatened the midwife to never say a thing. What a sneaky, vile thing to do, don’t you agree?”
The young detective seemed unsure how to answer this question, so no response came from him.
King Havel continued, “So when Mr. Jordan approached me several months ago and suggested this little trip to Britannia, I knew then what he and Anna were up to. I knew Anna would try and contact Princess Alexi so that she could scheme to make her queen. Of course Anna knows I cannot let that happen. She’s been planning this ever since she switched her child for mine. Let me think my own daughter had lived and her child had died. And she plans to see to it that everyone knows just what she did. I can’t let that happen. My son, Prince Marko will succeed me as king and in order for that to happen I need to get rid of Anna’s child. And I will. Our kingdom will be all the better for it, and better yet, the right people will be blamed for her death.”
“You’re sick,” Inspector Flynn said causing the king to become angry and slap him.
“I could have your head for that,” King Havel shouted. He leaned back in his chair then and calmed himself down before leaning forward and gently placing his hand on top Inspector Flynn’s head.
“I’m sorry,” King Havel said patting the young detective on the head like a dog. “You simply don’t understand. How could you? It was Shakespeare in Henry IV who said ‘Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown’. Someone like you would never understand what it takes to rule a country. My brother Yuri did not understand either. You remind of him,” he said pointing at Inspector Flynn. “Like him, you only see right or wrong, black or white, but I’ve found our realm to be a murky shade of gray, where one’s hoped for end often requires a messy means. Our country would have descended into further chaos had my brother become king. He believed the people should be given more freedom, more rights. Give them too much freedom though and like children given candy they scream for more even as it makes them sick. They’ll quickly find ways to abuse that freedom, promoting their own religion, or race, or status as better than anybody else’s. History has taught us this lesson
over and over again, so many wars, and riots and revolutions that most have been forgotten. And I have a particularly volatile mix of subjects; vampires and witches as well as humans. Already they are fighting among themselves.”
King Havel stood then. “But I’m boring you with all this. You are certainly more interested in what’s going to happen to you,” he told Inspector Flynn “I’m afraid you will have to die to serve the greater good. Believe me I do think it is a shame. Make you look like a hero though. What is it we have planned?” King Havel asked turning toward Mr. Slang.
“He went to stop Count Vasili from escaping and the count dragged him out the Dauntless just as he was shot in the head.”
“Excellent,” King Havel said. “Make sure Colonel Popov is not around.”
Mr. Slang nodded and then pointed at Inspector Flynn. “We just need to ask one last question,” he reminded King Havel.
“Oh yes,” King Havel said turning back to Inspector Flynn. “Just one last question before we drop you out the door. Do you know there is a bomb planted on the Tempest?”
Mr. Slang watched as a look of shock came over the young detective. His eyes darted from the king to Mr. Slang to Count Vasili to Stone’s even, hoping someone would tell his this was a lie, but none did.
“No,” Inspector Flynn said finally.
“I didn’t think so,” the king said gleefully. “How could you? Throw him out,” he said like he had become suddenly bored with the whole matter. “Make sure the fall kills him.”
Stone placed his hand on Inspector Flynn’s shoulder while Trunk untied him and Dino lifted Count Vasili up out of his chair by the back of his coat.
“Don’t try yelling for help,” Mr. Slang told them. “You’ll just end up getting more people killed. Maybe even that charming wife of yours,” he told Inspector Flynn as he motioned for Dino to drag Count Vasili out the room.
They went down the hallway, down to a lower deck and into the hold of the ship.
“Throw the door open,” Mr. Slang told Stone.