Giles sat on the floor and weakly said, “This is wearing me out.”
Malcolm climbed off the broken control panel. “Same here. I never want to step foot on a ship again.”
“There’s a strange looking door over there. We should check it out,” Giles directed, as he stood up and examined the room.
“You might want to be careful. It could trigger another booby trap,” Malcolm warned.
Giles grabbed the door’s handle. “I think it’s something else. Follow me. I have a feeling this might be important.”
He opened the door, revealing a hidden elevator.
“Where do you think it goes?” Malcolm asked.
“That’s a good question. Let’s head down and find out,” Giles answered.
Back in the underbelly, Reb stood up and shook off the violent experience. She found herself in a mechanical pathway that partially mimicked the interior of a clock. Other elements were similar to a motor engine. Reb saw industrial elements like giant gears, pistons, steamrollers, and propellers. The entire room was a series of traps that were designed to ward off enemies.
“This place is scary, but remarkable. The treasure must be quite valuable to warrant a death trap,” Reb said, as she untied the trident from her back.
Adonis peered over the railing of another platform in the industrial underbelly. “This is the right place. I just need to get through this obstacle course.”
He climbed down a ladder and stepped on a lower platform.
Reb saw him ahead of her. She grew increasingly angry. “I saw that pirate’s face in the newspaper. That’s Adonis Pavlos and he’s an international fugitive. He must be the one responsible for everything that happened today. I can’t let him get away,” She said quietly to herself.
She used the trident as a walking stick and hobbled toward the terrorist leader.
Adonis turned and saw her approaching him. The pirate captain laughed because he recognized her. “I’ve seen you on television. You’re that strange attorney who yaps about Steampunk culture and evolution.”
“I have a serious grudge against you! One of your minions captured my parents! Before that, one of your cannons nearly obliterated me! How can you throw away human lives for a stupid treasure? It can’t be that important!” Reb lectured.
Adonis argued, “Money is everything for a pirate! This treasure will change my life forever! Your family isn’t my concern! Causalities are going to happen in this type of situation!”
Reb pointed her trident at the pirate captain. “I’m going to beat your sorry butt! You should take my threat seriously because I destroyed the Utopians last year!”
“You’ll have to catch me and I know that’s not going to be easy for someone with a limp!” Adonis gloated.
He hopped into the obstacle course of giant gears to head toward the treasure room. Reb watched him maneuver carefully on top of the rotating gears. She climbed on the first gear and followed him. The pursuit was difficult for Reb. She hopped and climbed over the gears, avoiding a gory demise. The Steampunk woman almost slipped, but she leaped to the next gear in time. It was a test of patience for both of them. They had to climb and step very slowly if they didn’t want to get caught between the gears.
Reb took a stab at him as she walked across one of the gears, but she wasn’t quite close enough. “Fight me! Are you afraid of a woman?” she yelled to him.
Adonis unsheathed his sword and headed back toward Reb. He struck her trident with his sword.
“This treasure is a bigger cause than your puny life! Fall back if you want to live!” Adonis demanded.
Reb hopped in front of Adonis and tried to stab him again. He deflected the trident with his titanium sword. He tried to get ahead of Reb, but her gait was surprisingly quick. The rivals fought each other while they used careful footwork on the deadly gears. Both of them almost lost their balance and risked dying in the gears more than once. Adonis finally got ahead of her and then he jumped off the obstacle course. He ran across the platform and disappeared. Reb was disappointed as she climbed and walked on the last two gears. She landed on the platform still clinging to her trident.
“We’re not done yet. I’m going to chase you down. You’ll learn to fear me soon enough,” Reb vengefully muttered.
Chapter 17
Two of the pirates kidnapped Beauregard and took him in a stolen escape pod. The small iron vessel had a circular shape and was powered by steam. Beauregard continued to squirm, still trapped in the net.
“Where are you taking me? I don’t have any money!” the artist complained.
“We saw you on television. You’re a popular painter and art dealer. Our captain said the ocean liner might have valuable artwork. I don’t think it’s a coincidence that you were on the cruise,” one of the thugs mentioned.
The driver tried to intimidate Beauregard. “We’re taking you to our pirate ship. Nobody will be able to save you in our territory. You’re going to tell us everything about the treasure. If you don’t talk, we have ways of persuading you.”
“I don’t know anything about a treasure! None of my artwork was brought on the ship! Your treasure might be a myth! Did you ever think about that?” Beauregard snapped.
The pirate in the passenger seat responded, “I didn’t think you would cooperate right away. Our first mate, Blaze, will convince you to talk. He has special tools that get really good results out of our hostages.”
Beauregard felt defeated. “Terrific. It’s going to be a day of torture.”
They reached the surface and approached the pirate ship. After they opened the vessel, one of the thugs hollered to his crewmates, “Throw us a rope! We have a prisoner!”
“Here you go!” a pirate said, while he tossed down a rope with a hook.
They fastened the hook onto Beauregard’s net and then more of the terrorists pulled him onto their ship. The two terrorists from the escape pod used their rubber suction cups to climb up their ship. Three pirates removed the net and temporarily freed Beauregard.
“I’ll cooperate. Obviously, I’m not going to fight against a group of dangerously armed pirates,” the artist said meekly.
One of Beauregard’s captors pulled out a dagger and held it against his throat. “You’re coming with us. We want you to meet someone.”
The artist raised his arms in the air. “You win. Just be careful with that dagger.”
They took him to Blaze’s office. The first mate was baffled to see a prisoner.
“Who’s this? The captain and I didn’t ask for captives,” Blaze firmly said.
“He’s an art dealer. I’ll bet they’re hiding valuable artwork in the ship’s underbelly. He must know something about the treasure,” one of the pirates answered.
Blaze was receptive to his crewmate’s statement. “An art dealer. Perhaps you’ll be useful after all. What’s your name, sir?”
“Beauregard Rousseau. However, I don’t have any knowledge about a treasure. Truthfully, it probably doesn’t exist. Sorry to disappoint you,” Beauregard calmly responded.
Blaze grabbed the captive’s shirt collar. “You’ll talk eventually. I’ll make sure it happens.”
Meanwhile, Giles and Malcolm entered the elevator that was located in the control room. They activated it and headed deeper into the submarine until it stopped. The door opened and the two men stepped into an unusual room that was equipped with escape pods and diving suits.
“This is interesting. What do you think about this room?” Giles asked Malcolm.
Malcolm didn’t have a good answer. “Beats me. What are these pods?”
Giles approached one of the escape pods and looked through its rounded windshield. “It appears to be a miniature underwater vessel. I don’t know its purpose. It has two seats and room to store items. There’s a steering wheel and a control panel.”
“Look, they’re armed with weapons. This one has a turret gun. A couple of the pods have missile launchers. The one next to me has a harpoon gun. Ma
ybe these are aquatic combat vehicles,” Malcolm speculated.
Giles placed the palm of his hand on a pod. “This isn’t regular iron. It’s the same metal that’s inside our bodies. I suppose they could be attack vessels. However, they could also transport cargo, or help people escape if the ship sank.”
“I don’t want to think about the boat sinking. If we fell in the water, all of this heavy metal in our bones and clothing would make us sink,” Malcolm fretted.
Giles looked at one of the diving suits. It was a large, bulky, and cumbersome suit that was also made out of iron.
“What do you think about these diving suits? They’re definitely not sleek or streamlined,” Giles pondered out loud.
Malcolm tapped his finger on a diving suit. “It’s sturdy. This could be another item for combat. If the ship springs a leak, a repairman could put on a diving suit and fix the problem.”
Giles looked at a group of weapons that were displayed on shelves. “The crew could also wield quite a few weapons. I see spear guns, tridents, swords, bazookas, and more.”
“I noticed something else. The pods and diving suits are underneath some type of trap door. Maybe they can be dispatched directly into the water,” Malcolm suggested.
“You know what? There might be a way to make the pirates leave. We should be able to take a couple of these pods and invade the pirate ship. If we take command of the pirate ship, the captain loses his power. He’ll abandon the treasure here to regain his own ship,” Giles proposed.
Malcolm thought the plan was crazy. “That’s a suicide mission! How could we possibly defeat an entire ship of pirates?”
“You’ll soon learn that Steampunks are capable of extraordinary feats. My family and I apprehended the last members of the Utopian movement in one night. I think the two of us can handle a group of unruly pirates,” Giles said confidently.
Malcolm knew he had lost the argument. “Fine, but I still think it’s a bad idea.”
“I’ll take this pod with the turret gun. It should be able to dish out heavy damage,” Giles commented.
Malcolm looked at the diving suits again. “Let me try something different. I’ll take one of the diving suits. There’s a cool looking crossbow that’s loaded with harpoons. I’m sure it will compliment the diving suit well.”
Giles held up the suction cups that he had stolen from a dead pirate. “Remember these suction cups? I should be able to scale the ship and get onboard. It’s not a very safe plan, but we’re running out of options.”
Malcolm snatched a breathing mask from one of the shelves. “I’m taking one of these masks in case we run into trouble. Steampunks might have grafted bones, but I we still can’t breathe underwater.”
Giles helped Malcolm put on a diving suit. Malcolm took the harpoon and crossbow weapon. They noticed his diving suit had a propeller on the back.
“Nice propeller. You look like a mechanical tooth fairy,” Giles quipped.
“Shut up! You’re lucky I’m here to help you. Anyway, let’s load up and hunt down that pirate ship. If I’m going to die today, there’s no reason to wait around,” Malcolm growled.
After Giles and Malcolm made their final adjustments, the two men used the platforms to exit the submarine. They dove into the ocean and then Giles used the pod’s radar to navigate their journey. The propeller on Malcolm’s back kept him afloat. Both of the men had earpieces that helped them communicate with each other.
“How’s it going, Malcolm? So far, I don’t see anything unusual. Just follow me. According to my radar, we’re getting closer to the pirate ship,” Giles said, as he steered the escape pod.
Malcolm tightly gripped the harpoon gun. “I’m not going to lie. This plan terrifies me.”
Giles laughed. “Why? You’re wearing a huge iron diving suit and wielding a crossbow with harpoons. The pirates should be scared of you.”
“Thanks for trying to make me feel better,” Malcolm replied.
Eventually, they caught sight of the pirate ship and moved closer.
“That’s our target. Are you ready to beat up some terrorists?” Giles asked, while he slowed down the pod’s speed.
“Not at all, but I know it’s going to happen anyway,” Malcolm grumbled.
Meanwhile, Beauregard’s captors had tied him to a chair in Blaze’s office. The first mate saw two figures on his radar system.
Blaze hurried onto the deck and warned his crewmates. “Intruders! Deploy the emergency attack vessels!”
Three of the pirates rushed to their attack pods and boarded them. Other crew members used ropes to lower them in the water. Giles and Malcolm immediately noticed the three pods that entered the ocean.
“That doesn’t look good. I guess the fight is going to start before we step foot on the ship,” Malcolm remarked.
Giles kept his eye on the three pods. “Focus on the enemy. They’re coming straight toward us.”
One of the pirates fired a missile at Giles, but he performed a barrel roll to spin out of the way. Giles fired his turret gun and pelted the pods with bullets. Two of the pirate pods circled around his vessel. One of them fired a missile at him, but Giles dove deeper into the water to avoid damage. The missile hit the other pirate’s pod instead and blew it up.
“We got one of them! Now there’s only two pods left!” Malcolm commented.
Giles monitored the two remaining pirate vessels. “Be careful, Malcolm. One of them is targeting you.”
Malcolm froze when one of the terrorists fired a missile at him. He shot a harpoon at the missile and caused it to explode at a safe distance. Malcolm swam closer to his attacker and then he shot several harpoons into the pod’s windshield. It became heavily damaged, forcing the pirate to eject from his vessel.
“One left!” Malcolm declared.
Giles followed the remaining pod and said, “I got it covered. Stay back, Malcolm.”
He fired the turret gun and pierced the enemy vessel with bullets. Water flooded the pod, causing the pirate to eject from his vehicle. Two sharks swam through the area and moved toward the unarmed thugs. The two pirates tried to swim away, but the sharks quickly devoured them.
Malcolm found the sight grisly. “That’s gross. I guess the sea life is rooting for us.”
“Animals seem to like me. Reb and I were pretty sure alligators ate some of those Utopians in Louisiana,” Giles mentioned.
“You’ve seen so much violence that it doesn’t bother you anymore,” Malcolm grumbled.
Giles couldn’t argue with his logic. “I think you’re right. It will happen to you at some point.”
“Good. I’m glad to know that in the future I won’t feel like throwing up every time somebody is decapitated,” Malcolm cynically responded.
They surfaced next to the pirate ship. Giles opened his pod and examined the ship’s metal walls.
“These suction cups will be perfect for climbing the side. I also brought my pirate sword. Do you have a way to climb up the ship?” Giles asked into the microphone.
Malcolm looked at his wrist. “It seems like the suit is equipped with a grappling hook. I assume it will work.”
Giles pulled out the stolen suction cups. “All right. Hopefully, this will be the event that will bring down the pirate captain and his crew.”
Chapter 18
Adonis ran across a platform in the submarine’s underbelly. “I don’t have time to waste with Reb Nelson. There’s something wrong with that woman. Maybe those body modifications gave her brain damage.”
Blaze tried to reach his commander through the radio. “Captain, are you there? I have good news.”
“What do you need, Blaze? I’m almost approaching the treasure room. By the way, what happened to my men? I should have plenty of help down here, but everyone seems to be missing! Give me answers!” Adonis demanded.
The first mate was startled by his captain’s anger. “I don’t know why the crew isn’t helping you. Do you think something happened to them?”
&n
bsp; “Those Steampunks can’t be that tough. Anyway, I could use some good news. Tell me everything,” Adonis barked.
“We have a prisoner who might be useful. An art dealer named Beauregard Rousseau is being held captive in my office. He’s probably hoarding valuable artwork in the ship’s underbelly. I’m sure he can tell us about the treasure,” Blaze said proudly.
Adonis was impressed by his first mate’s message. “Very good, Blaze. Interrogate the art dealer until he says something useful. If he doesn’t give you any information, kill him. I don’t want loose ends.”
“Yes, Captain. Over and out,” Blaze said before he ended their conversation.
Without warning, another siren sounded. A series of flames shot across the platform to protect the ship from intruders. Adonis dodged the flames and scrambled across the floor. He used careful timing to avoid each blast of fire. The last flame charred the bottom of his coat, but Adonis quickly put out the fire.
The villain caught his breath. “I can’t believe they have more booby traps down here. These traps are so much worse than anything I’ve seen before. I have to admit; those Steampunks know how to manipulate technology.”
Meanwhile, Gable and Priscilla had also found their way into the ship’s underbelly. The pathway in front of them was blocked by a series of giant pistons that moved up and down. Gable and Priscilla were intimidated by the metal pistons that slammed on the platform in a choreographed sequence.
“Is this an engine room? I don’t understand the purpose of this contraption,” Priscilla remarked.
Gable was also confused. “Neither do I. This device is clearly dangerous. Let’s head back in the other direction.”
Once of pirates ran toward them and pulled out his pistol. “What are you doing here? The treasure belongs to us! You can’t have it!”
“Never mind! I think we have to venture into the trap!” Gable yelled, as he grabbed Priscilla’s hand.
“Are you crazy? Those giant pistons will kill us!” Priscilla shouted.
“The trap is running on a sequence! Timing is everything! We can make it!” Gable insisted.
The Post-Apocalyptic Society: A Nelson and Hyde Revolution Page 21