Again he had survived against amazing odds. It never ceased to amaze him when he lived through things like that. He felt that the day he became too nonchalant was the day that he wouldn’t survive.
“It’s good to see that Yue Tiansiang did not kill you, Aussie.” Ho Xu-tan’s voice drifted across the night to Dodge.
“These men found us floating in the river. As soon as the waters swept us away you seemed to fall into some kind of a coma, Dodge. I thought you were dead. I held onto you for as long as I could, but nearly lost you. Then Xu-tan and his friends came along and fished us out. He told me that he had accompanied you into the lair when you came to rescue me.” Susan finished excitedly.
Dodge gazed around at the rest of the boat’s occupants. Apart from Susan, Xu-tan and the bartender were the only others he recognized. “Where’s Tiansiang?”
“He is gone! Vanished into the night like he always does!” Xu-tan spat over the side of the vessel.
“Why do you hate him so much?” Dodge looked at his ally with interest.
“He was a bad father.” Xu-tan smiled cryptically and signalled his companions to start rowing to shore.
“My cap? Where’s my cap?” Dodge clapped his hands to his head, suddenly became aware that he was not wearing his beloved old pilot’s cap and goggles. Xu-tan’s mysterious comment slipped from the forefront of his concentration as a hollow feeling invaded his gut. A dreadful thought struck him and his spirits plummeted.
“We need to find my cap!” He looked at his saviours. “It really is important!”
“Why?” Susan asked him.
“The runes were hidden in the lining!” he responded miserably. “I knew that Tiansiang’s cronies would search me and then probably look through my hotel room. Thugs never search inside a cap! They don’t have the imagination.” He dropped his gaze “Hey, I’m sorry ... okay?”
Susan groaned.
Eventually, after several tedious hours of searching, they found Dodge’s drenched cap on a garbage strewn mud bank on the far side of the river. Xu-tan and his friends would occasionally bark at each other in Cantonese and although Dodge knew they were cursing him, he chose not to answer.
The cap was caked with mud. He examined the inside; finding the runestones still nestled snugly in the lining.
Dodge grinned triumphantly at his companions.
An hour later Dodge, Susan and Xu-tan stood in the seedy, narrow streets of the Stewartbank district. Dawn had finally arrived, but the streets were still very quiet. It was barely 6 am, but since no-one had gotten a good night’s sleep, they were all exhausted.
“Thanks for your help, Xu-tan,” Dodge told the scarred Chinese man.
“I was glad of the chance to cause Tiansiang’s organization some damage. Even though it was limited to merely killing some of his men.” Xu-tan smiled for the first time since Dodge had met him. “Even though he is my father, I hate him even more than the Nipponese swine that killed my wife!”
“You told me that your father used to tell you about all the evil things Yue Tiansiang did!” Dodge accused.
“He did! He was always a boastful man. That was why I left him to live in Manchuria.” Xu-tan started trudging away from the bedraggled adventurers.
“Hey Xu-tan!” Dodge called and the man turned. “You are such a bullshitter!”
The Chinese man started to laugh. “It’s called being inscrutable, Aussie! You should try it sometime! Take care of yourself, Dodge Danger! I’m sure we will meet again.” He headed off.
Susan faced Dodge. “So, what do we do now?”
“We have to track down Floyd Davidson, the evil bastard who led your brother’s expedition. But first I want to meet up with an old friend. He’s running a series of lectures in Boston. Twice knows more about Norse mythology than anyone that I know.”
Dodge and Susan started walking towards a bus stop, unaware of the small and nimble figure on the rooftops above them.
“Boston!” a voice whispered.
The figure darted off over the rooftops. His master would be displeased at Danger’s survival. However, Yue Tiansiang had an army of soldiers in Boston who would obey his every word.
Dodge Danger was as good as dead!
Chapter Six
Boston, three days later
“I must say Dodge, you seem to have had a hectic time in Wallace. This Yue Tiansiang chap seems somewhat dangerous.” Twice Weekly sat opposite his old friend, a mischievous twinkle in his eyes. He took a sip of tea. “I wonder why a Chinese crimelord is interested in Norse mythology. It seems a paradox. There are certain parallels that can be drawn between cultural mythology, including Taoism and Norse mythology, but that doesn’t explain why he put so much credence in the world tree legend.” Twice rested his teacup on a saucer and looked up at Dodge.
“Twice, I don’t know what these Chinese are after, but I doubt the world tree exists. However they have killed a lot of people and kidnapped Susan here in their efforts to get hold of these!” Dodge brought out a soft cotton bag and emptied the runes onto the table. Twice examined at them and furrowed his brows. “Dodge, what do you know about Norse mythology?”
“It never was my strong point,” Dodge admitted.
“That’s what worries me. You seem to understand an awful lot about various components of the mythology without actually knowing it ... I’m not making much sense, am I?” Dodge and Susan both shook their heads. “Well, you mentioned seeing three women in your last vision. They were called the Norn!”
Dodge gave a nod and sipped his coffee.
Twice continued; “In Norse mythology the Norns are three women who bathe the roots of the world tree daily in an effort to repair the damage caused by Nidhoggr, the great serpent who constantly gnaws and bites at the roots. The Norns are much like the Greek fates - three sisters who know the destiny and fate of each man. They also crop up in English mythology as the Wyrd - three witches who control destiny ... or at least shape it.”
“The witches from MacBeth?” Susan ventured.
“Precisely! The witches were Shakespeare’s representation of the Wyrd. They form a trinity; a wizened old crone, a mother figure and a virtuous and pure virginal maiden. Some scholars suppose they also symbolise the Earth mother.”
“Twice, how does a Greek concept like the fates become part of Norwegian mythology?” Susan asked.
“It’s not unusual my dear,” Twice smiled, “there are many parallels that can be draw between the ancient Greek and ancient Norse legends; Asgard, the Norse home of the gods, is much like Mount Olympus. Odin is like Zeus; Thor is like Apollo and so on. There are also a number of half-formed myths about a race of travellers from the south who explored the north and called themselves the Sons of Apollo, but I think the similarities between ancient religions are a testament to the constants in civilisation’s development; the movements of the sun, moon, stars, weather, geological forces and so on. However, the intensity of Yue Tiansiang’s interest in these Norse legends does concern me.”
“Why?” Dodge looked levelly at his friend. “I mean the Norsemen travelled far and wide during their time. There isn’t any real evidence they reached China, but that doesn’t make it impossible. Perhaps they did have some potion that promoted longevity, and the Chinese alchemists refined the process. We’ve seen that it’s possible, haven’t we? Twice, Tiansiang looked like he’d aged fifty years over the past eleven!”
“Dodge, there are lots of medical conditions that can explain apparently rapid aging!” Twice exclaimed.
“I’m sorry for interrupting, Dodge, Mr Weekly - we know that, for whatever reasons, Yue Tiansiang is determined to get hold of these Runes. The important thing is that he seems to believe in this mythical tree. Perhaps if Dodge and I knew a little more about the actual myths then we could figure out his reasons.” Susan sensed that a debate was about to develop and was too anxious to sit through one.
Twice gave her a warm smile. “Of course my dear. What would you like to know?”<
br />
“My brother was of the opinion that he had unleashed Ragnarok. What is this? I only know that it’s something bad.”
“Ragnarok is the end of the cosmos. It is the Doom of the Gods and is recorded in the Edda, the most authoritative source of Norse mythology. Like the Bible the Edda is in two books. The first is a collection of thirty-four Icelandic poems interspersed with much newer prose written between the ninth and twelfth centuries, and the second book was written around 1220 AD by an Icelandic poet named Snorri Sturkson. It is thought to have served as a template for would-be Skalds.”
“Skalds?” Susan asked.
“Forgive me - Skalds were poets who told epic tales to members of the Norwegian courts. Sturkson was one of the most celebrated. Now the Götterdämmerung, or Ragnarok, myth is contained within a song called the Volspura. The whole concept of Ragnarok is much like ancient Norse life; harsh and unforgiving.” Twice poured another cup of tea from his China teapot. He took a sip. Dodge knew he had paused to gather his thoughts.
“It is said the world will be plunged into an unforgiving three- year long winter called the Fimbulvtr. This will be hard and without respite. The harsh conditions will eventually cause friends and family to turn against each other. Then, after this period the stars will wink out and the wolves Skoll and Hati will devour the sun and moon respectively. The world will be plunged into absolute darkness.” Twice dabbed his lips with a napkin and looked levelly at Susan and Dodge. “However, this will merely be the start of our troubles if Ragnarok really does come to pass. The entire planet will tremble in the grip of enormous geological upheavals. Earthquakes will shake the nine worlds and will be so forceful that they will break the bonds of Fenris, the terrible wolf, and his father Loki!”
Susan sighed. “I’m sorry for interrupting again, Twice, but who’s Loki?”
“He’s a major player in the pantheon of Norse deities. He is also known as the trickster, the sly one and the sky traveller. Loki is like the trickster gods of the North American mythologies, handsome and friendly in appearance but malicious and cruel in nature. In the early Norse myths Loki was a nuisance, a relentless practical joker. However as time progressed, Loki’s actions became increasingly more evil, culminating with him causing the death of Balder, the god of light. He had tricked Balder’s blind brother, Hod, into throwing a dart made of mistletoe at his brother, knowing that the plant would kill Balder. The Aesir decided Loki had to be punished, so they had him chained to three massive boulders under a poisonous serpent, which would drip venom onto his head. Loki’s wife, Sigyn, had been loyal to him throughout all his evil actions, and took a place beside her bound husband to catch the serpent’s venom in a bowl, thus sparing him from pain. But occasionally she would have to empty the bowl and the poison would fall onto Loki’s head for a short while. Loki’s agonised writhing caused earthquakes and upheavals. He is very much like the Christian concept of Satan. In fact his fate is reminiscent of Satan’s fate in the Book of Revelations.” Twice paused and peered into his empty teacup, as though searching for inspiration amongst the leaves.
“Loki will be freed by the earthquakes that herald the start of Ragnarok,” Twice continued, “and he will lead an army of the dead into battle, soldiers supplied by his daughter, Hel. Loki’s firstborn, the Midgard serpent Jormungand, will sense his father’s release and struggle to make his way towards land. The sheer size of this serpent will cause the seas to churn and the ensuing tidal waves will kill thousands. Jormungand’s every breath will pollute the sky and his venom will ruin the soil, making it barren and useless. The waves will also free the ship, Nagflar, and its crew of Giants from an icy prison. The captain of Nagflar is Hymir, a fierce warrior giant, who will set sail for Vigrid, the plain on which the final battle will take place. The fire giants, lead by Surt, will march up from the South and Surt’s sword, which is as bright as the sun, will scorch the earth. Fenris will gallop forth, his howls signifying the end of everything. During the final battle, in which everyone will play a role, Thor and Jormungand will kill each other. Loki will battle Heimdall and again, both will die. Fenris will devour Odin after a climactic struggle. This battle will rage until Surt throws fire everywhere, killing man, dwarf and god indiscriminately. His flames will even touch Yggdrasil and an inferno will devour the tree, the fire spreading to its roots and destroying all nine worlds. Once these are gone the Earth will fall into a black and poisonous sea. Every living thing will die!” Twice gazed at his small audience with a wry smile. “Cheerful people, these Norse poets!”
“Charming,” Susan agreed dryly.
Dodge cleared his throat. “So why would I be having these ... visions? When I first opened the attaché case I was convinced there was a snake inside. I almost wrecked a hotel because of this hallucination!”
“Loki is a trickster god, like the legendary Coyote - a god who is sometimes benign but also malevolent. Perhaps it was Loki’s influence that caused you to see the snake.”
“What about my visions of Yggdrasil and the Norns? They don’t seem to have been hallucinations. Each time it was like I was there with the tree.”
“Dodge, I can’t explain them. Listen, will you leave the runes with me for a while? I want to examine them in more detail and try to work out what’s going on. I’m owed a couple of favours from faculty-members at New Okkulten University. A lot of strange requests have come my way from the New Okkulten - research into pre-Sumerian culture and that sort of thing. All I ask are a couple of hours.”
“What shall we do in the meantime?” asked Dodge.
Susan replied; “Perhaps we can visit the local zoo. After all I’ve been through lately, I’d like to connect with some comforting creatures for a while.”
Dodge shrugged. “Don’t see why not. Let’s go!”
Twice examined the list of Runes. He had catalogued them and was pretty sure that he had them all correct.
They were Tir the creator, Eolh the protector, Beorc the birch, Lagu the elemental force of water, Hagall the primal force of the universe, Agarr the wolf, and finally Loki the trickster.
However now he needed to see exactly how the Runes had been laid out. Each stone could mean different things and they had a different meaning if reversed. For instance; Beorc the birch was a fertility symbol, its very design reminiscent of a woman’s breasts. Its presence would seem to indicate fertility and an abundance of crops. However, when reversed it signified sterility. This, coupled with the presence of six other Runes, made their divination almost impossible.
Twice would have to see Davidson’s records of the site before he could help Dodge. He picked up his phone.
“This is Mr Twice Weekly in room 262. I’d like to make a telephone call to the New Okkulten University in Morton please. No I’m afraid I don’t know the telephone number but it should be listed.”
Twice waited as the hotel switchboard operator began to search for the relevant telephone number.
Twenty-six miles off of the coast of New England
The Dark Lotus was an old tramp steamer that had plied its trade in the South China Seas during the 1920s. In 1926 it had supposedly been attacked by the Japanese and was recorded as being lost at sea with all hands. The Japanese had been searching for it since 1927, after a platoon of their soldiers had died trying to liberate wealth from a fortress in Ko-Ru-Tan. One of the men killed had been a distant relation of the Emperor Hirohito. This connection had ensured that the fortress owner - a mysterious businessman known as Yue Tiansiang – made the top of an extensive list of “enemies of the Japanese people”. Ironically, Hirohito had also placed a certain Dodge Danger near the top of the list, after incidents in Manchuria and Egypt had resulted in Japanese military intelligence losing one of their most accomplished spymasters.
However the Dark Lotus had not been destroyed. The Japanese had sunk its sister ship two hundred miles off the coast of Hawaii, drowning an entire crew of innocent Chinese fishermen.
Yue Tiansiang had lost no sleep over th
is incident.
Yue Tiansiang had not slept since 1911, a fortunate after-effect of the elixir of longevity. It had been concocted from the spring waters and ash tree leaves that Norse explorers had brought to China hundreds of years earlier. Tiansiang had used this to his advantage, taking the extra time to wipe out his enemies.
He probably wouldn’t have lost any sleep over the Chinese fishermen even if he did indulge in slumber.
The Dark Lotus rested at anchor in the dark waters of the North Atlantic. Twenty six miles away lay the sleepy but sinister fishing village of Rockworth. There had been a number of dark, lurid tales revolving around this township, but Tiansiang had other reasons for visiting.
Reptilia lounged in a wicker chair, drawing languidly on a cigarette in an elaborate ivory cigarette holder. She smiled and closed her eyes as the sweet perfumed smoke filled her lungs. Her cabin was bare with unadorned metal walls. Three of her father’s elite Dragon clan assassins waited in three corners of the room. Her chair occupied the remaining space.
Two people sat bound to chairs in the middle of the cabin, both missing members of Davidson’s student expedition. They had been abducted from their hotel rooms in Rockworth early that evening.
“Hubert Marson and Patrick Glass, I am honoured to have you as my guests,” Reptilia purred at her captives. They looked wretched; covered with bruises, bleeding from numerous cuts and abrasions, each sporting a black eye. Her guards had been beating on them since they had been brought on board. Reptilia stood up, smoothing her satin dress. She walked towards the bound men and took a last drag from her cigarette.
“I need some information, and I think you gentlemen have had enough time to think.”
“Piss off you bitch,” Glass hissed. He hailed from the East End of London and had been one of Marcus Kirkmuir’s best friends.
Reptilia gave him a cruel smile. “Each time you displease me I’m afraid I’ll have to cause pain.”
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