by G. P. Taylor
As they reached the solitary lamp by the west wall, they could see the door to the church was open.
Charity signalled for Titus to take a hiding place.
‘Wait here,’ he said in the faintest whisper. ‘I shall go in alone.’
Titus could not protest. Charity placed his finger upon his lips to stop him from speaking. In an instant he was gone into the dark church.
Once inside, Charity stopped and looked about him. At the high altar a single candle burnt brightly. There was the smell of incense mingled with the damp fragrance of the old hymn books stacked by the door. Pools of water from the broken roof glistened along the aisle like the footprints of an ancient amphibian. The sound of the cascading drops echoed upward to the high vaulted roof. There was emptiness to the place, as if the angels had been long gone and no one had noticed their reluctant departure. The keepers of the stones had gone about their mumblings day in, day out, not realising that they were alone. In their wisdom they had kept the traditions made by men and forgotten the love that bound the place stronger than mortar.
Charity shivered as he listened to his own footsteps. He walked slowly between the rows of planked seats. He sensed the church was empty. Something drew him to the altar. He climbed the three steps and stopped by an old tomb of a faceless knight.
Tracing his fingers over its features he saw the nose had been shattered. The knight stared up at him in the shadows like a street fighter, a broken-nosed pugilist knocked down for the last time.
‘Quite a place to end up,’ said a voice from behind him.
Charity turned quickly but could see no one.
‘Zogel?’ he asked. ‘I was expecting –’
‘Bardolph and his pocket policeman?’ Zogel asked. ‘It’s I who sent for you, Jack. I want the Ghost Diamonds.’
‘How do you know I have them with me?’ Charity asked.
‘I have Mariah Mundi – a pleasant boy, but speaks too much.’
‘He would have told you nothing,’ Charity replied, knowing Zogel lied.
‘He didn’t have to. I had him snatched from the Prince Regent,’ Zogel said and then paused. ‘By the way, I no longer want to buy it. Bardolph can have it and turn it into a temple for the Society of Truth.’
‘Thought that would be your ambition?’ Charity asked.
‘I am beyond dressing up and giving signs. The Bureau of Antiquities should keep you informed. Dedalus Zogel is now the Chairman of the Federal Reserve Bank of the Americas. The richest man in the world has his own licence to print money.’
‘Is that why you had Lincoln and Garfield murdered?’ Charity asked.
‘I wouldn’t use such a cruel word as that. They were in the way and so were moved to one side. Both of them foolishly asked for an inquiry as to who ran the bank. But he who pays the piper calls the tune. They didn’t listen.’
‘So – you are Skull and Bones?’ Charity asked cautiously.
Zogel looked around and spoke only when he knew he was alone.
‘That I am – the power behind the power as people keep saying,’ he replied.
‘So why do you want the diamonds?’ Charity asked as he put his hand in his coat and held the grip of the pistol.
Zogel clicked his fingers. Two men dragged Titus Salt inside the church and pushed him to the floor.
‘You should have come alone. Now I have Mariah, Sacha and this tramp. Strange how friendships can be our downfall.’
‘Where’s Mariah?’ Charity asked.
‘He’s outside. As soon as I have the diamonds I will let him go.’
‘How can I be sure?’ Charity asked.
‘Have I ever lied to you?’ said Zogel sheepishly.
‘Have you ever told the truth?’
‘In all things,’ Zogel said as he twisted the knot of his necktie.
‘Then tell me why you had Hoetzendorf and the others killed,’ Charity asked.
‘Simple – they owed me money. They bought things and didn’t want to pay. I had to make an example of them. Can’t have people buying guns and not paying. Saw to it myself.’
‘The hexogenamite … It was you who framed me,’ Charity said as a cold draught shivered through the church.
‘Simple, really, as I said. I needed them dead so I invited them for a display of the Irenzee. I pleaded to their sense of vanity. Told each of them they would be the only nation in the world to have such a ship – a submersible, a craft that can slip into any harbour undetected. Once they were in the hotel the rest was very easy. I was sad that I couldn’t watch them explode. I heard it was quite spectacular.’
‘You killed all those people because of money?’
‘I would have killed them for less,’ Zogel replied as he laughed.
‘And you set me up so the evidence pointed to me?’ Charity asked as he clicked the lock of the pistol.
‘Not my idea. That was Inspector Walpole, a man with a sense of humour and a nagging hatred of you. Jealousy does strange things.’
‘Prepared to see me hang and not to tell the truth?’ Charity said.
‘I was going to tell the police as soon as I was safely away that Walpole was behind it all and have him hang as well, but how things change.’
‘And all for your own self-interest?’ replied Charity as another shivering blast swept icily through the church.
‘Then I take it we have a deal?’ asked Zogel as he sat on an ornate chair by the altar. ‘The diamonds?’
‘Once I have the boy,’ Charity said as he looked for a way to free Titus Salt.
‘This is a done deal, Jack – there’s no room for negotiation. It’s how I say or not at all. I could take the diamonds from you now and kill you both,’ Zogel said as he stared at Charity. ‘It’s my generosity of heart and colonial spirit that stops me from having you shot. The diamonds, Jack?’
‘Very well – take them,’ Charity said reluctantly as he threw the bag to the floor and watched the diamonds scatter across the dirty tiles.
Zogel bent down and picked them up one by one. He raised a diamond to his face and stared deep inside.
‘Can’t be – don’t look a day older than I do now,’ he said as he studied the ghostly reflection that twinkled in the diamond.
‘Where’s the boy?’ Charity insisted as Zogel placed the diamonds one by one back into the bag and clutched them tightly in his hands.
‘He’s here, Jack.’ The clear voice stilled the moment.
There was a rush at the church door as several men in long coats armed with pistols stormed in. Isambard Black stood in the shadows, holding Mariah close to him.
‘Isambard Black and the Bureau of Antiquities – how interesting,’ Zogel said as he laughed.
‘And Commissioner Ritchie of the Metropolitan Police,’ said a tall man who pushed through the flank of Bureau agents. ‘We heard everything, Zogel.’
‘Shame you’ll do nothing about it,’ Zogel said as he walked casually towards them. ‘I would suggest that you let my men go. I will of course follow them, and the Irenzee will leave without hindrance.’
‘You killed those men and you expect to walk free?’ Black asked.
‘Expect, no. Demand, yes,’ Zogel replied. ‘I have the girl, and if I am not back on the harbour side then she’ll be cast into the sea.’ He shrugged and went on. ‘Even if you did arrest me I would be out by the morning. What I did was a military action against an enemy state. They were combatants of war, Commissioner.’
‘Let him go,’ Charity shouted, his words echoing through the church.
‘At last – a man with sense,’ Zogel quipped as the armed guards stepped aside. ‘Sometimes there are no happy endings.’
‘We can’t just let the man go,’ said Commissioner Ritchie. ‘He murdered people. I heard his confession.’
‘He’s right, Commissioner,’ said Titus Salt as he got to his feet. ‘He would be out by the morning. Zogel is a diplomat of the Americas. No court in the land could convict him.’
‘I’ll
take my carriage through Paradise and be gone from you. If you stop me, my men have orders to bombard the town and turn it to rubble,’ said Zogel, his hands trembling.
Charity looked at Mariah and caught his eye. Mariah nodded, as if he knew what was to be done.
The police officers, Commissioner and agents of the Bureau stepped back and allowed Zogel to leave unhindered. His men picked up their guns and followed on. They were all silent and looked on as if at the departing of a funeral procession.
‘You’ll just let him go?’ Black asked in his clear voice.
‘Wait until you hear the wheels turn,’ said Charity. ‘Ready, Mariah? You know where they have Sacha?’
Mariah nodded and went to the door. He looked outside. ‘The carriage has gone,’ he said.
‘Isambard,’ Charity said without delay, ‘I will meet you in the theatre of the Prince Regent within the hour. Take the Commissioner and three men. Once I have dealt with Zogel we have another rat to catch and Mariah will be the bait.’
Before anyone could reply, Mariah and Charity had run from the church. Taking the path through the charnel ground, they were soon running through the narrow lanes of the town towards the harbour.
[ 27 ]
The Night of the Fire Demon
THE horde of people that crowded against the railings of the harbour to look at the strange craft moored by the wall was several men deep. Others watched the waves breaking over the bows of the Irenzee in the bay. A wind blew spirals of sand along the promenade but still the babbling crowd looked on. Word had spread quickly of a boat in the harbour that could sail underwater. It was like a gigantic frog with goggle eyes and a brass mouth that could swallow eight men at a time.
Two hours earlier, the craft had appeared before three old fishermen. At first they had seen a strange green light under the rising tide and then, just as they thought the Kraken was about to appear, the submersible had broken the surface. Those who had come in the craft had left quickly. They were ushered through a small door into the fish shed, and then a darkened carriage had been driven along the promenade and up Paradise Hill.
Now everyone waited. As Charity and Mariah pushed their way through the crowd the door to the fish shed opened slightly and the uniformed figure of one of Zogel’s guards looked out.
‘Is that the place?’ asked Charity as he held the scarf to his face so he couldn’t be recognised.
‘It was in there, by the nets, a small room – that’s where they took her,’ Mariah replied as he pushed a fat woman with a monkey face out of the way.
‘And her father?’ Charity asked as the woman squabbled, not wanting to let them by.
Just as Mariah was about to speak, the door opened again. The guard peered at the crowd as if he waited for someone.
‘He’s looking for Zogel. We must have got here first,’ Mariah said as they broke through the mob into an open space near the door. ‘What shall we do?’
‘We attack, Mariah – we have been on the run for too long,’ Charity said as he saw the paleness of Mariah’s face. ‘Leave the guards to me – you find Sacha. If we get separated, head for the Prince Regent and find Isambard Black.’
The door opened slightly. In the darkness, Mariah saw the rim of the guard’s hat. Before the man could move an inch, Charity had jumped against the door. There was a dull thud, and the guard slumped to the floor. Charity pushed on the door as he took the pistol from his coat and stormed inside.
Just as Mariah followed, another guard leapt on Charity, pulling him backwards. Mariah didn’t know what to do as the man struggled to get the pistol from Charity’s hand. The gun fired three times in the air. The bullets ricocheted from the roof and around the baiting shed with its long tables and stink of fish. To his right was a pile of broken crab pots. Mariah took a long disregarded weight and struck the man across the back.
‘Tie him, quickly,’ Charity said as Mariah took a length of twine from a broken pot and wrapped it around the man’s legs and hands.
The guard moaned as the twine was pulled tighter until he couldn’t move. Mariah stuffed a length of rag into his mouth to stop him from speaking.
‘It’s this way,’ he said to Charity, who took three bullets from his pocket and reloaded the pistol. ‘There’s a room by a staircase – they took them there.’
They sneaked quietly across the stone floor of the fish shed. The wind howled outside and the sea broke across the harbour wall. In the corner of the shed was a weighing house. It was a peculiar small shed within the shed. A metal chimney came from the roof and a fire burnt within. The shed was lit by an oil lamp that cast the shadow of the faded net curtains across the ground outside.
Mariah peered through the dirty window. Sacha and her father sat by the fire. He could see no one else in the room.
‘Alone,’ he whispered to Charity, who crawled to the door like a giant cat.
Mariah slipped the bolt that had kept them locked inside. He opened the door slowly as Charity kept guard. Sacha smiled as she saw his face.
‘Zogel was going to leave us here and tell Walpole where we were,’ Sacha said as she reached out for Mariah’s hand.
‘Where is Lucius?’ Mariah asked.
‘He went back to the submersible ten minutes ago,’ she replied.
‘Then we have no time,’ Mariah said as he looked at her, wishing he could say that which he had wanted for so long.
‘Go to the coastguard,’ Charity said to Sacha’s father, who sat shame-faced looking into the flames. ‘Redeem yourself for what you have done. Tell them that the Irenzee must not be allowed to leave the bay.’
The man turned and gave a frail half smile as if the will of life had drained from him.
‘He told me he would bombard the town if I didn’t allow the Irenzee to leave,’ he replied wearily.
‘We shall see,’ said Charity. ‘Sacha. I need your help – will you come with us?’ Sacha smiled at the note of sympathy of Charity’s words. ‘Go with Mariah. Walpole will be in Athol House. Make sure they see you and run to the Prince Regent. Isambard Black will be in the theatre. He will know what to do. I shall go for Zogel and the Ghost Diamonds.’
They saw Charity turn and approach the door of the weighing shed. The shadow he cast crossed the floor and for an instant flickered on the dirty net curtains. Outside, Mariah saw out of the corner of his eye something move. It was small, compact and glinted in the light from the window. Then, as if it had been a dream, it vanished. Charity noticed the look on his face.
‘What was it?’ he asked, worried for the boy.
‘I don’t know. I think I saw something move. I can’t be sure,’ Mariah said as he drew closer to the window and peered into the shadows.
Sacha pressed close to him. Not so much to look as to be near.
The shadow came again, followed by the glint of light. This time it was further away, by the long flight of wooden steps that led to a gantry for drying fishnets.
‘There is something out there,’ Mariah said, sure he had seen a creature move in the darkness.
Charity cocked the pistol and pushed against the door. Mariah kept watch.
‘It’s by the wall, coming closer,’ he said as a loud hissing noise began to billow from outside.
Just as Charity pushed the door open there was a smell of kerosene. It sprayed against the window of the shed and dripped from the roof.
‘Run!’ shouted Mariah as he pushed Sacha through the door and into the outer shed, followed by Charity and Sacha’s father.
There was a sudden burst of light from under the wooden stairs. A surge of bright blue fire spurted through the air towards them. The weighing shed exploded as it ignited in red flames.
Mariah could see a creature coming towards them. It was the size of an ape. From what seemed to be its mouth it dripped fire. It had what appeared to be one large glass eye in the centre of a head that looked as though it were made of metal.
Charity fired at the creature. The bullet bounced off its head a
s it were made of steel. There was a wheezing noise as if it were gasping for breath. Then the dribbles of fire came again. Kerosene spurted from its mouth and suddenly exploded in a shaft of fire. The flames shot above their heads.
‘What is it?’ Sacha cried as the creature came closer.
‘It’s … It’s a fire-starter – a weapon, made by Zogel,’ Charity cried as he shot again. ‘Bulletproof,’ he shouted as they all ran from the fire demon.
‘I think it’s Lucius – he went back to the submersible,’ Mariah bawled above the wheezing of the flamethrower.
An inferno began to engulf the building as smoke filled the fish shed. In the light of the encroaching fire, Mariah could see Lucius clearly as he got closer. The flames came like breath from a head that was made from a brass diving helmet. Upon the fire-starter’s back was a large shell-like tank with a thin tube connecting to the helmet. Beneath was a suit of thick golden material that was wrinkled about the arms, and on its feet were black leather boots that steamed as he walked.
‘We’ll have to get outside,’ Mariah said as they ran towards the door.
Charity and Sacha’s father grabbed hold of the guard and dragged him outside. Already the crowd had moved away from the burning building. As Charity stepped from the building he was recognised. Angry voices were raised up in alarm.
‘That’s him – the murderer!’ screamed a man so fat that he looked as if he had eaten the food of many men. The mob began to holler and bawl for Charity to be arrested.
Mariah and Sacha came out of the building and into the night. The fat man made a grab for Charity and just as Mariah pushed him away the crowd began to scream. They pointed to the doorway in terror as if they looked upon the devil.
There, in the shadow of the flaming building, was the fire-starter. It stood like a dwarfed dragon gasping for breath. It sighed deeply. Mariah noticed that its hand pulled the handle of what appeared to be a pump.
‘It’s pressurising the tank,’ Charity shouted as he pulled the bound guard to the safety of the harbour side. ‘Get out of the way.’