The Lightning Lord

by Anthony Faircloth

  Persi raised her hand. “Excuse me Mario, how did the captain succumb from a bullet in the foot?”

  Mario smiled, glad someone had taken the bait. “Because once shot, he stumbled about until he fell and hit his head against a sharp corner.”

  Persi narrowed her eyes and shook her head.

  “It is true,” Mario grinned, “he never came to, and after that, the crew was more agreeable to my taking command.”

  “And what of the third ball, sir,” Burke asked through gritted teeth.

  “Mister Burke, you must come to the understanding that your desire to ‘make me pay’ is misplaced. I high jacked a British warship, I did not fire on you. The last round was from an overly excited gunner who didn’t want to let a good shot get away and could not get approval from the bridge.”

  “Balderdash,” Burke exclaimed. “No Gunner, trained in the British Navy would take a shot without being given permission. It’s unheard of!

  “I agree, Senhor,” Mario said. “If this were crewed by British Navy, but since it was crewed by deserters, mutineers and rascals, this is not the case.”

  “Excuse me, Mister D’Cruz, what are you saying?” Genevieve asked, sitting down her cup.

  “I am saying that the crew of the James H. Grant are in disguise.” He looked around the room and raised his hands. “My friends, they are pirates.”

  Chapter 56 – The Grant and the Swan Agree on a Plan

  The room was silent, except for Mario, who chuckled. “Your faces, my friends, impagavel ... priceless.”

  “You are serious?” Burke asked, walking directly up to the table and stopping beside the Captain.

  “Absolutely, one of the crew told me they took the ship, two months ago off the coast, north of Natal. Killed the captain and any crew that failed to join them, which was half. They learned of the Grant’s mission to capture or destroy the Swan, but they did not know the ship’s capabilities, regardless, they intended to attack, board, and take control, thus giving them two ships, and increasing their power.”

  “And now?” Genevieve asked. “You are in charge, what will you do?”

  He smiled and winked at the Captain. “And now we will use her to assist you in freeing my sister and ending this evil, Lightning Lord.”

  “And then?” Boots asked. “If, and I mean if, you live the coming conflict, what then? You must know Narcissa will not go quietly. As I understand it, he has struck some kind of deal with these ‘Old Ones’ which give or loan him his occult power over lightning.” Boots looked around the table, and into the somber face of each person. “There is a real possibility none of us will make it.”

  Mario leaned back in his chair. “Well, Mister Beacon, I believe we hold most of the cards. Yes, this Narcissa holds an ace, but,” he looked around the room himself, “we hold a straight. I will retrieve my sister, and perhaps other items of conquest that I feel I can trade, and return to Natal.” Before Genevieve could ask he said, “And as to the J.H. Grant, I can change her look and use her as a trade ship, or turn her over to the British for reward. I will need to put further thought into this.”

  Genevieve stood, motioning for the others to stay seated. “Well, then. We will set course, again, for Kifuka within the hour. Will you be ready, Senhor D’Cruz?”

  “I will return to Pointe Noir to off-load some old crew I do not trust, gather some new men and repair materials, maybe three hours?” Mario said.

  “Can you cut that to two hours?” Genevieve countered, “I would like to make the flight by night and arrive, and be in position long before dawn. Perhaps we can present them with a surprise when the sun rises?”

  “I will be ready in two hours Captain, but may I offer a strategy?”

  “Of course,” she said, though Burke bristled at this.

  “You may set course but at a slow speed. I believe my ship is faster, therefore I could set a course that is more miles but will place me to their north. Perhaps, when the sun rises, you will present yourself as the primary target on the south. Since I do not have the defenses and weapons you have, I can enter the fray when you believe it advantageous, at your signal, say a red flare, shot straight up?”

  Boots looked at Burke whose face had gone from eye rolling disbelief to nodding consideration. Genevieve and he did a quick confirming glance. “It is a good plan. We will approach from course 2-0-0, while you come in from 3-3-0, yes?”

  Mario D’Cruz stood and saluted. “It is our plan, now I shall return and accomplish what is needed to join you at Kifuka.”

  Persi and Boots escorted him topside and watched as he climbed into his steam chair. After a short exchange of signal flags between the signalmen, Mario released a lever below the seat, and with a burst of steam, the chair climbed back up the rope to the deck of the Grant.

  After Mario was back on deck and the rope had been taken, Persi and Boots turned their attention to the beauty of the location. At this height, the glow of the sun was still visible in the west. Boots pulled Persi near him, as they watched it fade over the jungle canopy. He kissed her, unashamed, while the deck hands completed repairs and prepared to continue their excursion. She leaned into him. “Do you think you are right, that we may all fail in the conflict to come?”

  Boots looked down at her upturned face. “My dear, if I thought we would lose, I would have tied you up and left you safely with our Mister Mombutu.”

  “Pff, you would have tried you mean.” She slapped his chest as an exclamation point to her statement. “Most probably you would have had to explain away your black eye.”

  He smiled, “No doubt.” He kissed her again and she returned it, melting against him.

  “Are we interrupting?” a voice drifted in from behind. They turned to meet Jane, John and Aiyana.

  “No, certainly not, how was your sleep?” Persi asked.

  “Sufficient, though not completely restful,” Jane said, looking at Aiyana.

  Aiyana dipped her head toward the deck. “It is something hard to explain. It is like our connection with the Nosferatu, but not like it. I woke early, about two hours ago, with this presence in my head. It felt like a Nos but it was not, it was like a Nightwalker but not, and it was like a human but, it was ...” She held her head in her hands and began to cry.

  “It is very disquieting for her,” Jane said. Jane placed a hand on Aiyana. “For now, block it from your consciousness. Investigate it a little at a time so you do not become overwhelmed.”

  “Is there anything we can do?” Persi asked.

  Jane shook her head. “I don’t think so, she is very good about dealing with these things, but she did not want to keep it to herself, in case it meant something.”

  Persi stepped to Aiyana and hugged her. “Thank you we appreciate the information, but now do as Jane suggests, we have things to discuss.

  They found a table and several chairs, out of the way of the workers, and sat. Persi and Boots related all that had happened while they slept, and the impending conflict in the Congolese mountains ahead.

  “I am glad you are bringing our friends up to date,” Burke said as he approached. “I would like to speak with them also.”

  “Please,” Boots said, pointing at an extra chair.

  “Thank you,” he said as he sat, “I believe the majority of this battle will be fought from the air, however, if the ship has landed, there will be reasons to put men on the ground and that will mean, my men. Because of your skills, I thought I would ask you to join us.”

  All three brightened. “We would indeed,” John said. “Perhaps the point has been forgotten, but our brothers have been abducted and are being tortured and controlled for that man’s evil, purposes. We want them freed.”

  “Hmm, so you want us to ‘free’ Nosferatu, and then what,” Burke asked, “watch them rip us apart?”

  “No, if needed, we will stay and care for them, but if they are caged, perhaps it will be as easy as moving the cages to the Swan while they are asleep. If they are not in the cages, w
e will fight them and put them in cages, but if this is not possible, we will stay and care for them. They are our people and it is our responsibility.”

  Burke dropped his gaze. “I understand, as long as you understand that I have a responsibility to my people. I cannah let the Nosferatu kill them.”

  All was silent for a few minutes then Jane spoke, “It is all very messy. This is what happens when the natural order of things is altered. We will not hold it against you should you need to protect yourselves. If they attack you, please do what is needed to protect your live and lives of your crew, it is very possible you will only manage to stop or slow them, but perhaps it will not be that way, in which case, do not go looking for trouble.”

  Burke nodded and the nod carried with it weight of his word. “It will be so, I will tell my men, however we have some black scarfs we wish you to tie around your necks so we will know you from the others.”

  “Very well,” Jane said.

  “We will drop from the ship like we did before in Natal, maybe up to a mile away from Narcissa’s stronghold.” Burke continued. “It will be dark under the canopy at night, and we could use you to lead us in, our eyes in the dark so to speak.”

  The Nightwalker’s nodded again.

  “After we are safely within the walls of his compound, you are free to do as you need. We have many resources, clothing, weapons ... is there anything you need?”

  Jane smiled, “Nothing, thank you. We have tried to use weapons over the years but compared to tooth and claw, it all seemed noisy, bulky, and clumsy.”

  He nodded again and stood, “I will go meet with my men. We plan to deploy in about five hours, come when you hear the Captain call to ready the rescue team.” He shook their hands and returned below.

  When he was gone, Aiyana turned to Jane and hissed, “It is not a ‘mess,’ sister, it is a thing that should never have happened and now ...” She put her face in hands and began to weep again.

  “And now, it is a mess, sister,” Jane replied, “and we must do what we can to clean it up and ensure it doesn’t happen again.”

  Julian stepped on deck to announce dinner would be served in the Wardroom. They all stood and followed him down to eat while Persi wondered if this might be their last meal.

  Chapter 57 – Boots Decides to be Adventurous

  As always, Genevieve’s table was without reproach. Plates of cheeses, fruits sat alongside bowls of steaming vegetables. This meal seemed to be centered on a large plate of grilled steaks. Persi was half way through her second piece when she discovered it was cut from a giant fish, a tuna. “But it tastes very much like beef steak,” she said. “It is amazing.”

  After dinner, Persi and Boots returned to their cabin for a nap before things got exciting. It seemed to them that they had no sooner lay their heads against the pillows, when a steward was waking them. They dressed and left their cabin. At the stairwell to the upper deck, Boots stopped. “Dearest, I need to speak with Mister Burke about a matter of tactics, please continue to the bridge and I shall join you in a bit.”

  There was something odd in his look but Persi nodded and chided, “Don’t dawdle.”

  “Oh, no dawdling from me,” he said and kissed her.

  On the bridge, all was in order. The crew was at their stations and the Captain stood, gazing out the large front window, her hands folded behind her back. The top two thirds displayed a dark sky filled with bright stars. Removing a tube from the rack she spoke into it. “Engine room, all ahead, one third. Helm maintain course 0-2-5.”

  All stations repeated their orders and complied.

  “ADRD, average distance to the canopy?” the Captain asked.

  “Average distance is ... five hundred feet.”

  “Five hundred feet, aye,” she said. “Ships Control, descend three hundred feet. ADRD, call out distance every thirty-second.”

  Persi was enthralled by the communication, each order was given, acknowledged, the action completed and a status returned. It worked together like a well-oiled clock.

  “The ship’s at two hundred feet, Captain,” the ADRD operator said.

  “Very well,” she replied, “Engine Room, all back full, zero knots, compensate for wind.”

  “All back full compensate for wind, Engine room aye,” came the voice from the tube.

  “Helm, Ships Control, keep us steady, compensate for wind,” Genevieve ordered.

  All parties acknowledged and complied as a shutter vibrated through the ship. Bull, standing at the Navigation station saw her eyes widen. “Nothing but a little cavitation, Ma’am,” he offered, “you know, as the engine room reverses the engines to slow the ship.”

  Persi nodded and was about to ask a question when the ADRD operator said, “Captain, there is an opening in the trees at course 0-2-0.”

  “Aye, Helm, steer 0-2-0. ADRD, let me know when we are over it.”

  “Aye, Captain. Approaching clearing in 3, 2, 1, over clearing,” the operator said.

  “Speed?” she asked.

  “Speed is less than one knot,” Helm replied.

  “Very well,” she said, picking up another tube. “Commander, deploy your team.”

  “Oh,” Persi whispered to Bull, “I was not aware they had been called.”

  “Oh, aye, before you were awoken. A request of Mister Boots,” Bull said.

  “Team deploying in 3, 2, 1 ...” Burke counted off.

  Persi looked at Bull, not understanding. “He what?”

  “Rescue Team away,” the Commander said, then, “Nightwalkers away.”

  Bull smiled, his broad honest smile, a purple scar on his chin widening into a blotch looking very much like a short-eared rabbit. “I think he wanted to give you less time to worry about him deploying with the team.”

  Burke’s voice came again, louder. “Mister Beacon is, away. See you when it’s over, Captain.”

  A rush of air blew from the tube, followed by a slam of the hatch doors through which the rescue team had deployed, and silence. Except for Persi’s wailing voice, “He did what?!”

  ****

  On the ground, the team gathered, twelve of the commander’s men, and the three Nightwalkers. After a few seconds, Boots joined, followed shortly by Commander Burke.

  There was a rattle and a light green glow slowly emitted from a small lantern held by one of Burke’s men. Boots asked to hold it and held it up to his face for a better look.

  “Something we found onboard after we were away from the base,” Burke said. “It appears to be some kind of phosphorescent sea animal, the type frequently seen riding bows wakes. In the light, the creatures slip through holes in the base of the globe to reside in the darkness. In the dark, they come up into the main area and glow when we disturb them by shaking the lantern.”

  “Fascinating,” Boots said.

  In the dim light, the human team members stared at the Nightwalkers, now in their Nosferatu form, but with black ribbons tied around each neck. Boots smiled at one he thought was John, who had tied the ribbon into a miniature cravat. Each carried a small rucksack, which seemed odd to Boots since in previous discussions, seemed adamant about not using any extra equipment.

  “All right men, huddle up,” Burke said, then looked at the three pale bodies of the vampires and nodded, “and friends.”

  They returned his nod. Above, the propellers began to spin again and the Black Swan pulled away.

  Burke pulled a quickly drawn map from one of the many pouches in his ‘combat waistcoat’ as he called it. It was a dark grey waistcoat, onto which rows of pockets had been sewn. Items that might be needed in a combat situation were located in the various pouches and each member of his team wore one.

  He pointed at the map, “We head north by north east from here. The Nightwalkers will proceed ahead and scout as we go. One will stay with us to be our eyes as we go forward. Mister Beacon is here as an extra gun, as well as for his medical training and experience with Stanley in the Congo several years ago. He also has k
nowledge of the target and his ... weapons. Keep quiet and alert. We will stop again when we reach the compound. Everyone understand?”

  The team acknowledged.

  “Nightwalkers, decide who will stay and deploy. You others, check your weapons, ensure all of them are in proper working order.”

  Each man nodded and unslung their rifles, a bolt action .45 calibers Hanson pneumatic slug-throwers. They were a short distance carbine but deadly accurate within 300 feet, and quiet, one third the volume of the equivalent center fire rifle. For their stealth, range and caliber, they were the perfect weapon for this mission. Each man also carried a standard pistol of his choice, as well as several assorted edged weapons. Boots had borrowed a waistcoat and a rifle and he carried his pair of .40 caliber six shooters, one on each hip.

  After several seconds, the vampires nodded and two left the group disappearing into the undergrowth. The third found a small game trail heading generally in the desired direction and began walking. Burke pointed and the first man began to follow. Boots followed the last of Burke’s men, with Burke bringing up the rear.

  They hiked for two hours with little difficulty due to the skill with which the Nightwalker guided them. She, for Boots believed it to be Jane, lead them down one game trail after another, and though they sometimes seemed to go the wrong direction, they eventually found themselves correcting course. Several times, Jane stopped and listened, or she may have been getting a psychic message from one of the other two, Boots couldn’t tell. Once, she stopped suddenly and motioned for all to kneel. Several hundred yards away to their left, they heard rustling as multiple creatures moved past them to the south.