by G R Jordan
Kirkgordon watched Austerley come to and gradually pull himself into a upright position. At first he looked distant, almost contemplative, but then he let loose.
“You said you wouldn’t let anyone cut my foot off. You said you wouldn’t let them. Look at me, just look at me.”
“Piss off, Indy! Just piss right off. Your damned foot nearly got us all killed. Bogey did us all a favour.”
“But that was my foot!”
“And your bloody foot attacked me. That stuff in it, that blackness, it got into my head, Indy. It got right in. So don’t you even begin to have a go. You brought it all on yourself, taking that girl’s foot. I’ve got two of my team missing, one recovering and I’m stuck in the arse-end, no offence Kilon, of some city in the back of beyond wondering what the hell to do, so Indy take a hint and just piss off!”
Austerley turned away. Nefol stood up against one of the stanchions of the storehouse, eyes gazing at the floor. Kirkgordon drank some more of his water. And the bogeyman lurked in the shadows by the door. There was a silence throughout the storeroom except for the distant, quiet splat of Kilon on the move.
Then came a knock on the door. Nefol and Kirkgordon exchanged glances and then each put a hand on their weapon of choice.
Another knock.
“Kindly open the door, Mr Kirkgordon. We have much to discuss and not much time to decide on your course of action.” The voice had all the qualities of Havers except for one thing: instead of a brisk tone of command, there was the slightest sneer, the element of delight in coercion. Kirkgordon loaded and then drew his bow.
“Bogey, open the door and let him in.”
The door was opened slowly by a seemingly invisible hand. From out of the shadows of night hobbled Farthington. Dressed in a dapper suit and wearing an eye patch, he was in obvious pain as he took centre stage in the room.
“Not looking so healthy these days, Farthington,” said Kirkgordon.
“Indeed, Mr Kirkgordon, but then neither is Mr Austerley or yourself. I see he has rid himself of the blackness. It was quite unsavoury, turned that young girl at Dillingham into a drooling well of evil. Still, at least she had a saviour. Quite a sacrifice from the old priest.” Nefol’s hand tensed on her staff.
“That’s enough of the goading, Farthington. State your business before my patience disappears.”
“Business? Well, I believe my business is now your business. It appears we are now fugitives from the same enemy.”
“Maybe Austerley and you. But not me, Havers,” spat Kirkgordon. “You’re my enemy. As long as you have my wife, you’re my enemy.”
“Then let’s work out a solution to that. A mutual accommodation. You may have heard that Dagon wasn’t too happy at being put back into his cage and has been seeking myself and Mr Austerley. Unfortunately, my travel between our world and this one through the portal in Russia has come to the attention of his agents, and I believe that they now intend to manifest Dagon right here in this city. This would have obviously catastrophic effects for this dear little place and I doubt it would stop there. Once in this place he could use the portal and take command in our world, Mr Kirkgordon. I’m sure neither you nor I would relish such an invasion.”
“Churchy,” interrupted Austerley, “we need to close the portal. We need to leave and get back now.”
“Not without Calandra,” shouted Nefol.
“And not without my wife,” said Kirkgordon. “And what of Kilon’s world, Indy? He’s helped us and so we just abandon him? One thing bothers me, Farthington. You know Dagon’s coming here, so why haven’t you just popped back home and closed the portal yourself?”
“Because, my good man, I didn’t open it. And that means I cannot close it, or I would have done exactly as you suggested. I’m afraid only the person who opened a portal such as that would be able to close it. Wouldn’t that be so, Mr Austerley?”
Austerley hung his head.
“You opened that portal?” said Kirkgordon. “Bloody hell, Austerley, you really do stick your nose into the trough, don’t you?”
“In defence of the Professor,” said Kilon, entering into the fray from the back of the room, “it was how my family and I returned home. Although we never knew it was you, we did suspect and searched for you in our world for some time.”
“You’ve been here before, Indy?” asked Kirkgordon.
“No. Never. I did open the door but I never went through. When I tried to test it, it seemed unstable. It was only when I saw how Farthington and his lackeys used it that I understood it to be safe enough.”
“And you never thought you should mention any of this?”
“Well, with Havers around one doesn’t mention any sloppy work. He’s not very forgiving.” Kirkgordon, mouth wide open, stared at Austerley. “What Indy, what?” Kirkgordon just shook his head.
“So you have a choice, Mr Kirkgordon. Will you tuck tail and flee or will you stand here and stop them from bringing Dagon to this place?” Farthington, one eye covered by the patch, stared intently with his other eye.
“We are not leaving Calandra!” insisted Nefol.
“No, Nefol, we aren’t,” said Kirkgordon. “We won’t be leaving anyone behind. And we won’t abandon Kilon and Bogey to their fate either.”
“Churchy, think about this. This is Dagon we are talking about,” said Austerley, rising up onto his good leg. “We won’t just die, we’ll end up in a perpetual darkness, soul shredded forever. Do you even begin to understand what I’m saying?”
“No, Indy. I really don’t. But I won’t be able to live with myself if we abandon Cally and Havers, if we leave Kilon and Bogey and everyone else in this place to what you have just described. And I am not leaving without Alana. So here’s the plan. We are going to stop this summoning of Dagon, we are going to get everyone back to their proper worlds and then Indy is going to clean up his mess and close the damn portal. And I will beat the tripe out of anyone who doesn’t lend their full weight to this.”
“Oh, well said, Mr Kirkgordon, well said,” sneered Farthington. “Such ambition. And I wish you bonne chance.”
“And you, Farthington, you smug bastard, are coming with us!”
“And pray, Mr Kirkgordon, what makes you think I will be accompanying you on whatever plan you are hatching?”
“Because you are here. You have sought me out. We’ve been on your trail and you knew we would come. You had the upper hand holding Alana and the smart move was to stay hidden and keep your joker. Instead you are here, which means that you can’t stop Dagon and trust me, if you don’t come with me, I’ll kill you here. I’m done with games, Farthington. You need me and so it’s my terms. And that means I need you.”
“And pray what help can I be?”
“We’re blind when it comes to this place. Yes, Kilon can help us somewhat but you’ve been dealing with Dagon and his followers so you have the inside scoop. That means you’re useful. And I know you can fight when you have to. So you’re in.”
“Very good, Mr Kirkgordon, but where do we start? What is it that I can do for you?”
“You have contacts here. You know that his followers are here and I dare say you can get us a lead onto them. Indy, do you know how they would summon him here?”
“It’s not so much summon as invite.” Austerley gulped at Kirkgordon’s angry stare. “But as you say summon, eh… no.”
“Then we need to know how. Farthington, you need to get us that lead. You have twelve hours. Until then we have a truce. If I don’t hear from you, all bets are off.”
“Very good, Mr Kirkgordon.”
“Oh, and Farthington, if Alana is hurt in any way, I will come for you.”
“I expect no less. Twelve hours, Mr Kirkgordon. I will be in touch.” With a smart turn on his heels, Farthington made his way back out the door.
“I’m glad you decided not to kill him right here,” said a deep voice from the shadows.
“Why’s that, Bogey?” asked Kirkgordon.
“Well the fifty or so guards outside the door may have had something to say about it. He’s connected, Archer, right to the top in this city.”
“If that’s so, why doesn’t he just get his contacts to get rid of this Dagon threat?”
“Because nobody touches them. Wherever they have been people have left them alone. The consequences are too dire to think about. Madness generally ensues.”
“Well it’s good he’s come onto our side, because madness seems to be the pre-requisite. That right, Indy?” Austerley grunted and began to hop off.
“Professor, before you go anywhere I think I may have something to interest you,” said Kilon, producing a wooden leg. “It wasn’t easy to get on such short notice but I think it should fit okay, although the transition can be sore, others have said.”
“I guess it will have to do if I am going to be entering the fray again,” spat Austerley.
“Easy, Indy,” said Kirkgordon. “Thanks Kilon, it’s much appreciated, as is all this. I may have seemed uneasy at your appearance but you have a very kind disposition.”
“You are welcome, Archer. And thank you for volunteering to save my city. Many wouldn’t.”
Kirkgordon lay back down and tried to rest up but his mind was racing. What threat was this that Farthington had reached out to him? What had a place like this so scared that they wouldn’t deal with the frog-men? I don’t feel lost at sea, more like drowning in the depths. And my two wise heads are missing, dammit. His mind shot back to the blackness covering him and the depression that had come. This had to be stood up to, just like the priest had stood up. This was his purpose.
“Why did you deal with him?” Nefol was standing over him.
“What would you have done?” asked Kirkgordon, tapping the sack beside him for Nefol to sit on.
“I wanted to kill him. I wanted to batter him first and then hang his body up so that he screamed in pain.”
“I get that. Trust me, Nefol, I do get that, but it wouldn’t be helpful.”
“Maybe not, but I would feel better knowing he was dead.”
“No you wouldn’t. You’re too young to have so much hate… actually you’re not, especially after all that you’ve seen. And now that Calandra’s missing. But it changes nothing. You won’t feel better when Farthington’s dead.”
“And why not? He practically had a go at my father’s sacrifice.”
“Yes, he did. And he is full of evil and hate. If you kill him for revenge then you’ll just open yourself up to the same hate. Your father is dead and it hurts. But nothing you do to other people will change that. Healing will only come from within you. And from Him.”
“But you don’t get on well with God, do you?” asked Nefol.
“Well, it’s not been a perfect relationship lately. But trust me, or rather trust Him, revenge will bring nothing to you. You’ll end up like Havers. Talented and brave but mistrustful, manipulative and full of hate. Don’t trust his outer demeanour; he’s broken inside. You’re not yet. Whether you stay that way is up to you and no one else. Take your father’s example: sacrifice and trust, it’s what we all need.”
“Bullshit, Churchy, bullshit,” shouted Austerley from across the room. “You need to take what you can, and when and if you can stop these things then you do it. No mercy for those that tried to kill me.”
“We need Farthington at the moment. But it’s up to you, Nefol. Take Long John’s advice or mine. But beware vengeance. It never healed anything.”
Leaving Town
Standing atop the highest city wall, Kirkgordon surveyed the temple cut into the rock. Although he had passed it on his journey into the city, now in the morning’s dim light its vastness was impressive even at this distance. But there was a stillness about it. Nothing seemed to enter it and nothing had come out of it in the three hours he had been watching.
“How good is your source?” asked Kirkgordon.
“Really, there’s no need to be vulgar. If the information wasn’t solid, I wouldn’t have brought it to you. You really need to develop some trust, Mr Kirkgordon, if we are going to be working together.”
“Farthington, that is an unknown and some distance away. If we are going there then we need to be sure.”
“The source is good. Mr Havers was moved to that location during the night. Apparently he wasn’t in a good state of repair either.”
“And you’re sure they were frog-men.”
“They hop, Mr Kirkgordon, it really isn’t that difficult to identify them. Give my people some credit.”
Kirkgordon pulled the rudimentary binoculars from his eyes and thought hard. Havers wasn’t that easy to catch. There must be plenty of them.
“Are we going to stay here and stare?” asked Farthington.
“Nothing about Calandra. Are you sure about that? She wouldn’t leave him.”
“Maybe she didn’t have a choice. She seems capable of making the tough calls.” Kirkgordon ignored the jibe.
“Okay, we move out in an hour. Austerley, Nefol, me, you and the bogeyman.”
“And Hanwere, my associate,” added Farthington.
“Who?”
“Hanwere, my guard. Takes care of me on my travels, Mr Kirkgordon. You should get one. Or maybe you already have one. Or at least had. Miss Calandra is much better looking, I’ll give you that. Is she a bodyguard or a personal assistant?”
Kirkgordon planted a punch right onto Farthington’s chin, flooring the dragon and bringing a man clad in black running towards him. Squaring up, Kirkgordon looked into the newcomer’s eyes and drew his bow in anticipation. The man wore a hood covering his face but on reaching the scene he dropped it and revealed the face of a lizard. Kirkgordon just stared on, no longer surprised by the visage of anyone he met.
“No, Hanwere, stand down. That was deserved. My apologies, Mr Kirkgordon,” said Farthington, standing and rubbing his chin. “Not a moment’s hesitation. This does bode well for our journey.”
“You can have your gimp, Farthington, but make sure he’s on a tight leash.” Farthington nodded and strode away to make final preparations for departure. Austerley, who had been watching from a distance, now came half-limping and half-hopping over.
“So what’s the deal, Churchy?”
“They took Havers there. Frog-men, according to Farthington.”
“I don’t trust him, Churchy.”
“And I do? Give me some credit, Indy.”
“Then where’s Alana?”
“She’s missing.”
“Did he say that?” asked Austerley.
“No, he didn’t have to. If he had her he would have shown her to me to get me on board, then shown me what would happen if I failed on this trip. He doesn’t have her. I think the frog-men do. Anyone else and he would have said. Or rather, he would have sorted it out with his connections. But as Bogey said, no one goes near the frog-men.”
“Well, if they are taking Havers there…”
“Then there’s a good chance Alana is there too,” finished Kirkgordon. “And Cally is missing, Indy. I’m sorry, but this thing just got so much bigger. It was meant to be a rescue mission but now it’s like being back on the island.”
“Two worlds this time, though. Look, Churchy, last time I knew all the rituals and the methods. This time I don’t. I can’t just jump in.”
“I know, but if there’s anything written about it, I need you to read it. This won’t get done without you, Indy. Without you, there’s no life for any of us when he comes through whatever portal they dream up. Even Farthington needs you this time.”
“Still don’t trust him.” Austerley bent down and rubbed at his stump where it joined the false piece of leg. “I don’t know what pace I can keep. You know I’ll slow you down.”
“Look, Indy,” said Kirkgordon, “I know you’ll be slow and probably make us more of a target. I’ve already asked Kilon to stay behind because of his lack of speed. But you I need, however much you drag us down. I’ll keep you saf
e, just like in Russia. We have Nefol too. Just focus on your job. I need to understand what is going to happen, stop it, and then get everyone, including Alana, safely back to our world.”
“What about Farthington?”
“I couldn’t give a damn about Farthington if we get the rest done.”
“Havers won’t see it like that.”
“Havers has enough on his plate. He needs to start worrying about himself and not the bigger picture for once. Come on, Long John, let’s go.”
An hour later the small party were on the road, Nefol and Hanwere on point, Austerley escorted by Kirkgordon in the middle and Farthington bringing up the rear. Kirkgordon hoped that their approach would be hidden by the immense canopy of trees that surrounded the city, but deep down he didn’t truly believe it.
His mind was also distracted once again by the two foremost women in his life. Alana would swing out of his unconscious mind into scenarios where she was being abused or even killed. Fighting hard to push such images from his internal vista, he found Calandra appearing, swinging upside down as he had found her on the island. Most disturbing was how he would begin to process the demise of either party and then set about planning life with the other. He needed some action.
Progress was slower than desired due to Austerley’s awkwardness with his new appendage. He would clump along, failing to achieve any regular rhythm, and had fallen several times. It was getting to the point that Kirkgordon felt the pain of carrying the professor over his shoulder might be worth it. There was also the other tick that kept ruffling through the back of his mind. Where was Bogey?
Kirkgordon had estimated it would take a good four to five hours at Austerley’s pace and the party was just over the halfway mark when Nefol signalled from up ahead. The casual onlooker would not have noticed the difference in her demeanour but Kirkgordon spotted it immediately.
“Indy,” whispered Kirkgordon, “stay close.”