‘No, I can see sky! I promise I can see sky,’ replied Paolo, rushing towards the light. ‘We’ve done it, we’ve done it!’ he exclaimed. He was running so swiftly that he did not notice one of the steps moving as he trod on it.
This set off a chain reaction in the mechanism below the labyrinth of stairs.
Paolo was four steps from the top when the staircase started to tilt. It creaked over onto its side, further and further, until, with a cry of terror, he lost his footing. The other three watched helplessly as he flew past them and crashed to the ground below in a cloud of dust.
For a second Paolo lost consciousness. When he came round, his mouth opened to scream, but nothing came out. Staring back at him were the dead eyes of Captain Von Bliecke. Next to his head was the captain’s half-eaten forearm, still gloved and clutching his sword. His legs were nowhere to be seen. Once again Paolo screamed soundlessly.
‘Back this way! Quickly!’ shouted Nathan, retreating to the previous landing.
But it was too late.
From all around came the sound of mechanical clunks, and gradually every staircase started to shift on its axis. Nathan, unable to balance on his bad leg, was the next to fall, hitting a gantry on the way down.
Jake and Charlie managed to switch to an upright staircase – only for that to start turning until it was almost upside down. Charlie fell; Jake managed to catch the ledge of another staircase, but this too was moving – and not in his favour. He held on with all his might, but at last his fingers slipped and he was forced to let go.
As he hit the ground, Jake heard a faint crack beneath his feet. He lost his balance and his back thumped onto the ground. It was covered in dark, dusty sand – much softer than it had appeared from above – but his body still trembled with shock. Voices seemed to be coming from all sides and blurred together in an indecipherable buzz.
Jake sat up and tried to focus. There were white shapes on the floor beside him. It took him a moment to realize what they were. They were eggs, black mambas’ eggs, and Jake had destroyed two of them when he fell.
He felt a pop in his ears and his hearing returned.
‘To your left!’ Nathan roared. ‘To your left!’
Jake saw the creature out of the corner of his eye: the mother of the smashed young mambas, a snake as thick as a human leg, was slithering towards him across the dark sand. He tried to get to his feet, but he was frozen with terror. The snake reared high off the ground and opened its inky black jaws. It hissed savagely as its lips curled back to reveal poison-drenched fangs. Like a possessed demon, it flew at Jake. He flinched away and was only half conscious of the sweep of metal and a sound of slicing.
A twelve-inch tranche of the mamba’s head flew across the chamber. The rest of its body seemed to freeze for a moment before collapsing in a lifeless coil.
Charlie stood there, breathing a sigh of relief and holding the sword taken from Von Bliecke’s severed forearm. ‘All right?’ he asked.
‘Up here! Now!’ Nathan shouted. He and Paolo had taken refuge on top of the largest rock. Charlie pulled Jake to his feet and they hurried across, dodging more furious snakes. Nathan held out his hand and pulled Jake up. As Charlie followed, another snake, smaller but more nimble, reared out of the shadows and sank its needle-like teeth into the thick leather of his boot.
He let out a cry and stabbed the sword into the snake’s trachea. There was a wheezing of escaping air, then the snake’s whole body juddered violently and went limp. Charlie had to shake his boot several times to release the dead clenched jaw. He joined the other three at the apex of the rock.
‘Nice work,’ said Nathan, patting his comrade on the back. ‘I bet you’re glad I insisted on the bullhide boots.’
Tears were streaming from Paolo’s eyes. ‘Why did I join this service – why?’ he moaned. ‘I could have been an accountant. My mother wanted me to be an accountant. I was offered a position at the Medici Bank in Florence. I could be working with an abacus at a little desk, with a view of the peacocks in the garden. My life could have been full of sunshine and torta della nonna, but here I am, perching on a rock in a dungeon, with no sleeves on my jacket, surrounded by black mambas!’
‘Look on the bright side,’ said Nathan. ‘We’re still alive, aren’t we? And we have Von Bliecke’s sword. Where would we be without that?’
‘Hurrah, hurrah! We have a sword!’ Paolo sounded half demented. ‘Let’s all dance to celebrate!’ He stood up and started to do a jig. ‘Can’t you see, you idiot – we’re all about to die!’
Snakes had now gathered from every dark corner, from under every rock; through the numerous holes that littered the ground, more and more appeared. Twelve-foot leviathans were heading straight towards the four boys.
Despite his bravado, Nathan knew that they had little hope, even with Von Bliecke’s sword. Three or four they could probably handle, but this many …
Paolo closed his eyes and said his prayers. The others huddled closer and closer together. As the first group of snakes reached the base of the rock, their tongues darted in anticipation and they hissed at each other, their anger sharpened by hunger.
Suddenly, from beyond the walls of the dungeon, the boys heard a distant sound of rushing air, followed by a thunderous crack! Splinters of rock fell from the far wall and a cloud of dust spread out across the room. They stood there, stunned. Then there was a second almighty crack, and a shaft of light appeared as a vast boulder, the size of a cow, flew into the chamber. It soared across, obliterating two wooden staircases on its way, and crashed to the floor. It careered on, squashing every living thing in its path: there was a strangled cacophony of hisses. The boulder struck the rocky wall and came to a halt. Nathan grabbed the sword from Charlie and, lunging, his eyes bright with determination, despatched the remaining snakes.
Bright light now streamed through the hole, illuminating Jake’s astonished face. A moment later, the silhouette of two heads appeared in the opening.
‘Jake? Are you in there?’ A voice echoed around the space.
Jake’s heart stopped beating. ‘Mum …?’ he asked, hardly daring to believe his ears.
‘Jake!’ the other figure exclaimed. ‘It’s really you?’
‘Dad?’ Jake now called out loud. ‘Mum! Dad!’ he bellowed as he jumped off the boulder and ran along the carpet of flattened snakes. He hurriedly picked his way from rock to rock, climbed through the hole, leaped down into a courtyard – and came face to face with his parents.
For a moment Jake froze in wonder. He stood there, trembling, as he inspected them from head to toe. Both were dressed in Renaissance clothes, Miriam in an elaborate (though torn) velvet gown, Alan in doublet, hose and strong leather boots. Both looked exhausted, bruised and battered – and utterly ecstatic.
‘I thought I would never see you again,’ Jake cried as threw his arms around them and held them with all his might. ‘I thought you were gone!’ he blubbed into their chests.
‘How on earth did you get here?’ said Miriam, wiping away tears of relief. ‘To the sixteenth century of all places! Your father and I nearly died of shock when we saw you come through that gatehouse yesterday. Though we hardly recognized you at first – your lovely curls are all gone.’ She sighed as she ran her fingers through his short dusty hair.
‘Well, whatever happened – however you got here,’ added Alan proudly, ‘you look every inch the adventurer now.’
‘I thought we’d agreed.’ Miriam looked daggers at her husband. ‘No encouraging him. Remember?’
Jake laughed with pure joy as he stood back and admired them. ‘You saw me come through gatehouse yesterday?’ he asked. ‘Where have you been?’
Miriam sighed. ‘It took us four miserable days to get out of that ridiculous snake pit.’
‘With just this to dig a tunnel!’ added Alan, producing an old penknife from his waistcoat (like a fisherman’s jerkin, its various pockets were bulging with paraphernalia). ‘Your mother immobilized the vipers with
one of her more antisocial perfumes.’
‘I learned that in Alexandria, 200 AD,’ chipped in Miriam. ‘Snakes hate a citrus top note.’
‘We barricaded ourselves under a pile of rocks and dug down until we got into the drainage system. A tunnel took us all the way to the foot of the mountain. We were just planning our attack …’
‘… when we saw the three of you coming in,’ Miriam finished her husband’s sentence. ‘So are you going to tell us why on earth you’re here? I suspect Jupitus Cole.’
‘I came to find you,’ Jake answered simply.
‘You see, a hero!’ declared Alan triumphantly, clapping his son on the shoulder. ‘A bona fide hero! It’s in his blood, Miriam – nothing we can do about it.’
‘And I heard about Philip,’ Jake added nervously. ‘Is there really a chance he’s still alive?’
Alan and Miriam looked at each other gravely.
‘We feel he’s alive,’ she said softly, ‘but we didn’t find anything this time.’
‘Mr and Mrs Djones, your timing is impeccable!’ Nathan boomed in his brash South Carolina accent, leaping down beside them. ‘So you found Zeldt’s arsenal then?’ he said with a nod towards a series of giant catapults that filled the courtyard, one of which had pierced the dungeon wall.
‘It was facing the other way,’ explained Alan. ‘Nearly gave myself a hernia trying to turn it round.’
‘Mrs Djones, may I say how much I like your hair like that,’ Nathan continued charmingly. ‘Up with cascading curls is very à la mode, very early baroque – it takes years off you.’
‘That’s funny,’ said Miriam, impervious to his charms, ‘you said the same thing when I had it straight and down.’
‘Really …?’ Nathan floundered. ‘Then you are obviously eternally youthful. Perfect.’
Charlie helped an ashen-faced Paolo down into the courtyard.
‘Here he is – Charlie Chieverley.’ Alan beamed. ‘Someone’s been rather worried about you.’
There was a flash of colour, and Mr Drake flew down from the courtyard battlements, alighting on Charlie’s shoulder, shrieking and fluttering his wings in excitement.
‘I know, I’ve missed you too,’ said Charlie, welling up with tears. ‘You’re a very brave parrot indeed – you deserve a medal.’
‘I hate to be the one to bring everyone down to earth,’ Nathan announced, ‘but this is how matters lie: firstly, in the absence of Miss St Honoré, and being the most senior agent now present – no offence, Mr Djones, Mrs Djones: I believe you’re not, strictly speaking, “fully operational” at present – I offer myself as group leader. Any objections?’
They all shook their heads impatiently. Miriam rolled her eyes at her husband, making him chuckle.
‘Secondly,’ Nathan continued, ‘we have approximately four hours before the total eclipse.’ He turned to Jake’s parents to explain. ‘I’m not sure how au fait you are with Zeldt’s plans for world catastrophe, but you will be briefed in due course. In the meantime, I propose that myself and Agent Chieverley go south in pursuit of the carriage of books, while the remainder – Agents Djones, Djones, Djones and Cozzo, under the leadership of Miriam Djones’ – Miriam gave a little wave – ‘will head north to Cologne, where you will disarm the bubonic bomb before it destroys northern Europe. This leaves only the matter of our transportation.’
‘Group leader Wylder, if I may make a suggestion on that score …’ Miriam enquired, curtseying mischievously.
‘Carry on,’ answered Nathan stiffly.
‘We have already at our disposal two good horses,’ she said, pointing at them. ‘You and Agent Chieverley could perhaps take these to follow the books south. Regarding our mode of transport north, I would suggest the following: Zeldt left in his galleon, the Lindwurm, over an hour ago, travelling down the Rhine. Evidently he will stop briefly in Cologne, roughly a hundred miles north of here, before continuing along the river to a horizon point in the North Sea. In Zeldt’s boathouse below, there are three fast vessels disguised as fishing boats. We can appropriate one and make it to the city in record time.’
‘Sounds like a plan. I concur,’ announced Nathan. ‘Any questions so far?’
‘Yes,’ Jake found himself saying. ‘Topaz? Will we be trying to rescue her?’
‘That’s a negative,’ replied Nathan firmly. ‘Zeldt is not to be intercepted. The mission is to disarm the bomb and nothing more.’
Jake was thunderstruck. ‘But I don’t understand … surely it’s our duty to—’
‘Our duty,’ interrupted Nathan, ‘has been stated quite clearly!’
‘How can you be so cold-blooded?’ Jake felt his anger rising. ‘You grew up with her, and she means nothing to you?’
‘How can I be so cold-blooded?’ repeated Nathan in a suddenly chilling tone. As always when he was angry or nervous, his deep American twang became far more noticeable. ‘I’ll explain. Zeldt wishes to destroy Europe. He wishes to end the Renaissance before it begins. He wishes to halt the progress of civilization, to turn the clock back to the Dark Ages and enslave the world. Perhaps you don’t believe this can happen? Perhaps you once saw a Michelangelo or a Leonardo in your National Gallery, and you’re thinking, Well, I know the Renaissance happened, because I’ve seen the paintings. Think again!’ Nathan shouted, his eyes blazing.
Everyone, even Alan and Miriam, was frightened when Nathan got worked up like this. Mr Drake started fluffing out his feathers nervously.
‘I will say it clearly so you understand,’ continued Nathan, looking Jake straight in the eye. ‘Zeldt has the power to change history, to alter its course. If there’s no Renaissance, there’s no learning, no science, no progress, no cures for illnesses, no music, no painting … no understanding. That world that you’ve come from, where you turn on lights and play with your electrical devices and enjoy your friends’ company – it won’t exist. There’ll be nothing to go back to! Nothing but a dark age.’
Jake had gone very pale. ‘I’m sorry. I understand,’ was all he said.
‘Agent Djones’ – Nathan turned to Miriam – ‘I repeat, on no account will there be a mission to save Agent St Honoré, even in the event that you succeed in your task. There are reasons. Is that clear?’
‘It is,’ Miriam replied softly.
Jake closed his eyes in despair. What reasons could there possibly be for not helping another human being? he thought to himself.
‘Good,’ concluded Nathan. ‘After both groups have completed their missions, we will all reconvene in Venice, on the Rialto. Whichever group arrives first will wait there at noon every day until the other appears. The best of luck to everyone!’ he finished in his most stirring tones. ‘Now, are there any final comments?’
‘Yes,’ said Paolo. ‘How do I officially hand in my resignation? It’s clear that I have become a burden to the service and I would like to return to Italy forthwith. My poor mamma will be beside herself with worry.’
‘Resignation denied,’ barked Nathan. ‘However ludicrously inept you may be, we need all available hands. Let’s go! There’s not a moment to lose.’
27 THE DEADLY BOOKS
NATHAN AND CHARLIE took Alan and Miriam’s horses. They opened the gate on the far side of the courtyard, shouted their goodbyes and rode off. Keeping a lookout at all times for Zeldt’s guards, they cantered round in the shadows of the outer walls of the castle until they reached the main drive and set off down the mountain.
The horses galloped fearlessly down the steep rocky slope. They navigated the sharp twists and turns, heads down, nostrils snorting. Within five minutes, they had reached the edge of the forest. Here, the path was wider, enabling the horses to pick up speed. The two riders flew through the dark wood.
Eventually they came to the gatehouse. As they approached, the portcullis was just being lowered. They accelerated, ducking right down over their horses’ necks. The metal tips of the gate grazed their backs as they flew through. The sentries barely had time to re
gister their presence as the agents emerged through the archway and turned south. They galloped on towards the mountains far in the distance.
Jake, his parents and Paolo quickly descended an endless flight of crumbling, moss-covered steps. Miriam led the way through the conifer wood to a crumbling section of perimeter wall. They helped each other scale the stones, leaped off on the other side, then wound their way down the mountain towards the banks of the fast-flowing Rhine.
‘That’s the boathouse there,’ whispered Miriam, indicating a low wooden building beside the river. She motioned for everyone to take cover in the shadow of a large oak. Through the undergrowth they could see two of Zeldt’s red-cloaked sentries guarding the entrance.
‘Alan, what do you think? The damsel and the drowning child?’
‘Perfect,’ her husband concurred.
Miriam pulled down her gown and loosened the laces of her bodice to give herself a more voluptuous air.
Jake could hardly believe his eyes. ‘Mum, what are you doing?’
‘I’m the decoy – I need to have a certain …’ She didn’t finish her sentence, but continued shaking out her hair and applying lipstick from a tiny wooden box. ‘It’s how we do things around here,’ she told him. ‘If we needed a male decoy, your father would do the same.’
‘Though I probably wouldn’t wear the lipstick.’
‘All right!’ Jake winced, blushing. ‘Just do what you have to do.’
Miriam winked at her husband and sashayed through the wood towards the guards.
‘Doesn’t she look great?’ said Alan proudly, watching her go. ‘She’s like a fine wine – just gets better with age.’
They all looked on as Miriam rushed up to the guards and started yelling in German, gesturing at the water, at the same time making sure she appeared as attractive as she possibly could.
‘It’s a tragedy!’ Alan translated with relish. ‘My little boy fell in the river and he can’t swim!’
‘Are they really going to fall for that?’ asked Jake dubiously.
The guards leaned right over the bank to see where Miriam was pointing. She delivered two brutally efficient karate chops and dispatched them, one by one, into the torrent. They tried to swim back to the bank, shouting and clutching onto the reeds – but the current carried them rapidly downstream.
History Keepers 1: The Storm Begins Page 23