Trafalgar and Boone in the Drowned Necropolis

by Geonn Cannon

  Dorothy thought he looked at her after he said that, but it could simply have been her mind playing tricks on her.

  Trafalgar said, “If you forget the past, how are you aware of the way in which you were inflicted?”

  “Part of the curse, I suppose. If I wasn’t aware of my affliction, I’d be in a state of constant and utter confusion. It also seems to pick and choose what I will remember for delightful moments such as this.” He shook his head and waved at the air over the table as if to clear away the conversation. “But enough of that. We can discuss it later. For now, I have everything you will need for your upcoming expedition.”

  “You... have...”

  He smiled. “Yes. It’s one way to ensure repeat customers. The next time we meet, you will tell me what you needed the last time. I’ll remember it and bring it with me.”

  Dorothy said, “So we take this case on our expedition. And the next time we hire you, we simply tell you what was in the case?”

  “Yes. And I will have the supplies you’ll need for that expedition.”

  “That’s impossible,” Dorothy said.

  “So is much of my life. And yet, it is how I exist.” He bent down and retrieved the case. “In addition to what’s in the case, I have the submersible you will need. It was difficult to find one with the exact specifications you’ll require, but I managed.”

  Dorothy laughed. “So we simply have to remember the specifications of what you found...”

  “And tell me the next time we meet so I can remember and find it again.”

  “This is making my head hurt,” Trafalgar said.

  Ignacio smiled sympathetically. “Imagine how my head feels. I simply know what I need to bring to our meetings because I have it in my head.”

  “Remarkable,” Dorothy said.

  “It’s a curse. But one I have been able to make use of.” He slid the case across the table. “As for payment...”

  “Yes, we’ve made arrangements--”

  He cut her off with a sweep of his hand. “Please, Lady Boone. You may not remember what we mean to one another, but I certainly do. You and Miss Trafalgar are two of my most beloved clients. I...” He looked at Dorothy again, and this time there was definitely something hidden behind the look. “I am very sad that this will be our final meeting. So in honor of everything we have meant and will mean to each other, please. Take this with my blessing.”

  “We couldn’t,” Dorothy said. “The submersible alone must have cost you dearly.”

  “I won’t hear of payment for it. Consider it a goodbye gift. One day you’ll understand.” He reached across the table with both hands and gripped Trafalgar’s right hand and Dorothy’s left. “Remember this. Because the day will come when I won’t remember you. When I treat you like any other client. I hope this gift helps you forgive me as I appear to slowly lose my trust in you.”

  “We’ll remember you like this,” Trafalgar said. “A kind man who made us feel like heroes.”

  He smiled and nodded. “That will do. Thank you, Miss Trafalgar. And you, Lady Boone.”

  Dorothy said, “Please, call me Dorothy. It would seem you earned it.”

  Trafalgar smiled. “And that is why he called you by your given name when this meeting began. Because last time you did not object to the familiarity.”

  Ignacio shrugged. “So it is. I wish I could stay longer, but we never linger after our transaction is finished. Well...” He dismissed whatever he was preparing to say. “Never mind. But I wish I could stay. I wish we could spend this entire afternoon sharing stories. But you have none, and all of mine would be information it would be best for you not to have. So I shall bid you both adieu.”

  He stood and smoothed down his jacket. Dorothy watched him, and a thought occurred to her.

  “There must be a final meeting.” He looked down at her with sad eyes. “Eventually there will come a time when one or both of us doesn’t return. You know when that happens, don’t you? You know which one of us will die first, and you know when.”

  Ignacio smiled at her in a way that both answered her question and told her he would never reveal those truths. “Good day, Dorothy. Trafalgar. It has been an honor knowing you both. And I look forward to knowing you again.”

  He turned and meandered back through the sea of tables, leaving Trafalgar and Dorothy behind him trying to decide whether they had just been given a bright glimpse of a long partnership or the grim threat of potential doom.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Part of Dorothy’s travel arrangements included the private rental of a steamship that could take them from Barcelona to the Aegean Sea. The ship would also serve as a launch and base of operations for their descent. They took the case from Ignacio and returned to the hotel to await word it was ready for departure. Dorothy was impatient to leave. Reserving the private ship meant they wouldn’t be forced to make stops at Rome or Malta or the other tourist spots that might have delayed them further, but it would still be at least four days before they were finally at their destination.

  She was growing more concerned about Trafalgar’s comments on Virago. If somehow she did discover where they were headed, there was every chance she could get to the Aegean before them. They might arrive to find another ship squatting over their prize. She sat in her hotel room with her feet up on the desk, her chair angled so she could look out the window. Her room faced the wrong way to see the harbor but she imagined she could hear the stevedores working to prepare their vessel.

  Ignacio’s case was sitting on the bed. It was incredibly heavy, made of a thick metal that brought to mind a vault rather than valise. Carrying it had strained the muscles of her arms and back, but she’d managed. She had yet to open it, and when she suggested Trafalgar sort through the items the other woman had stiffened and shook her head. Dorothy knew she could open it and get an idea of what they were going to face. If Ignacio was telling the truth about his curse, then he would know exactly what they would need. She might not understand the context of every item, but she could gather enough for an educated inference. Medicine. Bandages. Weapons. The temptation was far too great. She didn’t want to know. Knowing anything in advance would lead to confirmation bias, would make them question their choices, and could doom the expedition. She would just keep the case close to hand and, if an insurmountable obstacle arose, they would break it open and hope the solution was inside.

  Beatrice had gone for a quick jog that ended up lasting most of the afternoon. Dorothy wasn’t surprised. After spending days cooped up on a boat and a train, with another long journey ahead of her, she knew Beatrice was eager to stretch her legs as much as possible. When she returned she immediately stripped down to her underclothes to change into something more casual, only noticing Dorothy’s doldrums when she sat on the edge of the bed to tie her shoes.

  “Are you all right?”

  Dorothy sighed. She knew she must have looked a ruin. Her hair was down, her blouse unbuttoned to reveal the chemise underneath, and her stockings had runs in them. “I fear taking this route could have dire consequences. Virago is a crafty opponent. She may have already discovered what we’re up to. She could be in Athens right now chartering a vessel to take her out to her prize. She may be long gone by the time we finally arrive.”

  Beatrice stood and went to stand behind Dorothy’s chair. “Sit up straight, for God’s sake.” Dorothy complied, and Beatrice began massaging her shoulders. “You did what was necessary. You needed to plan, to prepare, to get us here. To make yourself ready for what’s going to happen. Do you remember what you used to say about Trafalgar? How she would rush ahead without a plan in place? She was headed for disaster. I would much rather take a few extra days to ensure we’re ready for a thousand-meter descent into the Aegean. Let Virago rush. Let her be crushed like a dry leaf.”

  Dorothy reached up and stroked Beatrice’s arm. “Thank you, Trix.”

  “And if she does beat us to the punch,” Beatrice said, leaning down next to Dorothy’s
ear and lowering her voice to a conspiratorial whisper, “we will simply have to break into her home and steal back any priceless artifacts she may have absconded with.”

  Dorothy laughed and turned her head, capturing Beatrice’s lips in a kiss. Beatrice slipped her hands into the open front of Dorothy’s blouse. Dorothy shifted in the chair to get a better angle, dropping her feet to the floor as she reached up to loosen Beatrice’s hair. The door opened and Trafalgar entered. She only took one step before seeing what she had intruded upon and turned so quickly that the tail of her coat flipped up like a bird’s wing.

  “My apologies.”

  “No need.” Dorothy turned away and did up the buttons on her shirt. “Where have you been?”

  “I went for a walk and decided to check out the boat. I regret complaining about you paying for everything on this expedition. That can’t have been cheap.”

  Dorothy said, “No, but it was necessary. I’m not going to risk failure or defeat simply because of the expense. I owe it to my grandmother.”

  “I wish I’d known her,” Beatrice said.

  Trafalgar said, “I was vaguely aware of her, but our paths never crossed the way yours and mine did. I know she was very respected in our field.”

  Dorothy nodded. “She was one of the best. And one of the first women to do this sort of thing without a man endorsing her or taking the lead. But beyond that, she made me who I am today. I was not encouraged to be an adventuress. Hell, I wasn’t encouraged to get my clothes dirty. But Grandmother brought me books. She told me I had more to look forward to than suitors and marriage and a house full of babies. When the time came to choose between what my parents wanted for me and what I wanted for myself, Grandmother was there to give me a place to go. I owe it to her to finish what she began. I’m just terrified I won’t measure up to her. That I’ll fail in the attempt and prove that she was wrong to have faith in me.”

  Beatrice said, “You’re more than worthy. I have faith in you.”

  “As do I.” She snorted and shook her head. “I’m about to go a thousand meters under the sea for you when I have a difficult enough time aboard a boat.”

  Dorothy smiled and leaned forward. “Thank you for the pep talk, ladies. I believe now it would be best if we have an early dinner and get to bed at a reasonable hour. We’ll have a few days on the boat, but that time will be spent learning how to operate the submersible. Might as well get all the rest we can while we’re still on dry land. I believe I saw a restaurant in the lobby. It will be Trafalgar’s treat.” She winked at Trafalgar as they gathered their things and filed out of the room.

  When they reached the lobby, a man behind the front desk called out to her. “Lady Boone? A telegram has arrived for you, from London.”

  Dorothy changed course and retrieved the paper from him. She slipped him a coin and skimmed the contents of the message, then read it again slowly as Trafalgar and Beatrice joined her.

  “What is it?” Trafalgar asked, knowing from Dorothy’s expression that the news was dire.

  She handed the message over to Trafalgar and explained aloud for Beatrice’s benefit. “Desmond had a run-in with Virago. She shattered his left hand.”

  “Dear God,” Trafalgar said.

  “Is he all right?”

  Dorothy said, “He’s confident it will heal. He got medical attention. And he says he didn’t reveal anything about our plans to Virago. But...”

  “But she won’t have given up that easily,” Trafalgar said.

  “Precisely. Virago is coming.” She took the note back from Trafalgar and turned to the desk clerk. “I’d like to send a message back.”

  Trafalgar said, “I assume dinner is off?”

  Dorothy nodded. “We mustn’t waste any more time. We have to depart as soon as possible. I have no doubt Virago is already on her way to intercept us.”

  #

  The ship was the SS Cervantes. It was a paddle steamer seventy meters long with a ten-meter beam. A tall mast rose from its foredeck to help the ship adjust for winds or rough seas. The new steam turbines they were putting into ships meant that the Lusitania’s once-impressive top speed of twenty-five knots was now considered the standard for all passenger vessels. At that speed they would reach the Aegean in four days; Dorothy hoped it would be enough to beat Virago to the prize.

  She was more intrigued by the addition Ignacio had requested be added to the ship’s starboard deck. The submersible was much smaller than she had envisioned. She hoped claustrophobia wouldn’t be an issue. It was shaped like a gray teardrop lain on its side, with the point coming out the back and angling up. That housed the main engine and was also where the winch connected to the side of the ship. Lights mounted at the one- and eleven-o-clock positions around the viewport would provide light once they had descended farther than the sun could reach. It had been the first thing added, so pushing their departure up by twelve hours wouldn’t affect it. The front of the vessel was all glass, and through it she could see two chairs set amid a wall of dials, screens, and controls.

  Someone approached from behind and she looked at the reflection to see a man dressed in standard sailor gear. He had a broad chest and a heavy beard that left everything but his nose and eyes concealed.

  “It’s not that hard, once you know what to push and when.”

  Dorothy said, “You know what all those buttons do?”

  He laughed. “Not even half of them. But I know which ones do what I need, and I know when to push them. That’s good enough.”

  “I suppose you’re right.” She turned and realized the reflection hadn’t done him justice. He was massive, a full head taller than her. She covered her shock and extended her hand. “Lady Dorothy Boone. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mister...?”

  “Mister? No thanks.” He took her hand. “Name’s Huey. Huey Conway. But you can call me Huey or ‘hey you-ee’ or anything in between and I’ll come running.”

  Dorothy grinned. “I shall endeavor to remember that. Will it be your job to teach me and my associate how to use this contraption?”

  “As well as I can in four days. Be easier if I could just take it down with you, but... well. You see it only fits two. One plus a half-of-one, if I’m included. And to be honest, the captain tol’ me how far down you were going and I’m not too keen on getting that far away from the air. ‘Specially not in something I could wear like a hat.”

  Dorothy laughed. “Trafalgar and I are quick learners, I assure you.”

  “You’d better be, Lady Boone. Not to frighten you, but something like this, I think a little fright can be a good thing. Once you get in here and start going down, you have a little leeway. If it starts leaking or you think the pressure is too much, we can haul you up. But once you get down to a certain point, there’s no quick way out.”

  “Your warning will be taken to heart,” she said. “And if you are to be Huey, then I must be Dorothy.”

  “Doesn’t work that way, ma’am. But I appreciate the thought, just the same.”

  Dorothy said, “Very well. I’ll retrieve Miss Trafalgar and we can begin our first lesson.”

  “Right now? Ship’s not even setting out for another hour.”

  “I’m aware. But as you said, time is of the essence. We don’t have much, but the clock is still ticking down with every moment.”

  #

  As the Cervantes was pulling away from Barcelona’s docks, fifteen hundred miles north, Virago was preparing to leave London. She was not particularly fond of the man she’d been forced to ask for help, and he was no fan of her. Captain Willard Baker, a scoundrel and drunkard she ordinarily wouldn’t give the time of day, who considered her to be a woman of low morals. But strange bedfellows and all that rubbish, and she was paying him plenty to put up with her for a few days. And she was more than willing to suffer his presence in exchange for his marvelous submarine.

  It was shaped like a jellyfish, with a bulbous main compartment broken up into individual rooms. The engines extende
d rigidly out behind the body of the vessel and but also contained tendrils that could move with the ocean currents to increase its speed. He was inspired to create the ship after reading Jules Verne’s remarkably dull book, a tome Virago had never been able to force her way through, but she was grateful for the author’s inspiration now. The Mobilis was one of the fastest ships in the world, capable of achieving over fifty knots. She hoped that would more than make up for any lead Trafalgar and Boone had gotten on her, even if they were forced to go the long way around to Gibraltar.

  She entered the bridge, a ludicrously gilded dome which gleamed with the ambient light coming through the front glass. They had been towed out to the North Sea and were now submerged to begin their journey. The command console formed a half-circle in front of the glass and it was here that Baker sat upon his throne. An image of Neptune was carved into the back of the chair to greet everyone as they came onto the bridge, a none-too-subtle reminder of how the man at the controls saw himself. Virago stepped around the ostentatious chair and rested a hand on top of Baker’s head.

  “Has the journey gotten off to a good beginning, Cap?”

  “Yes,” he muttered.

  “I trust we’re making good time.” She bent forward to look at the readouts. “Excellent. I know you’re worried about burning out the engines by going at full speed for so long.”

  He swallowed hard. “No trouble. Engines is engines. You can always fix ‘em or buy a new one.”

  “That’s the spirit, Willie!” She patted the top of his head hard enough to make him cringe. When she enlisted his services, he had suggested things they could do together to pass the time. It had been mild innuendo at best, nothing she hadn’t heard a thousand times outside a bar or walking down the street. But she was about to embark on a week-long journey under the sea with the man. She didn’t need him getting any ideas about what she would consider acceptable behavior.