Iron Horsemen (13 page)

I'd do whatever I needed to do to rescue my father, so I put those thoughts aside and threw on my leather coat and
dumped the contents of my bag, filling it with rope and a powder charge from the room we were staying in.

Genevieve, on the other side of the room, hooked her saber to her side and slipped into her long, blue coat. She called for Rodin and he landed on her shoulder.

“You look…” I paused too long, and her face started to harden.
Oh no
! I swallowed hard. “… like a knight.”

Her face softened, she smiled and looked me up and down. “You look just right.”

“Right?” I pushed the hair from my face.

“Just right for a rescue mission,” she nodded with that glint of fire in her eye, and I knew we were ready.

She squeezed my hand, and we ran back to the conning tower where we found Mr. Singh standing beside the captain, looking ready for war. His blue turban and tunic were impeccable, but it was the three circular chakrams— steel bladed rings—hanging on one side, the curved shamshir sword on the other, and the katar punch dagger with a gun barrel on each side of the handle that made him truly intimidating.

“He looks like a warrior,” Genevieve whispered.

Ignatius stood on the other side of the captain in his dark duster and matching cowboy hat. Hunter sat atop the airship with his rifles lying next to him.

Captain Baldarich waved his hands to gather everyone around him. “I don't know how he is doing it, but Alexander knows where his dad is. He is seeing it somehow, and he and Genevieve are going to be are guides. Ignatius, don't shoot anyone until I tell you. Mr. Singh, stay silent and use your blades. Hunter is our support and back-up.” He walked over and put his hands on my shoulder. “If I'm gonna get paid, I'm gonna have to keep you two safe, so here are the rules: Alexander, don't fire that Thumper unless I say so, and Genevieve, use that sword to protect the two of you. But no heroics. Understand?”

Genevieve and I glanced at each other and then nodded.

Baldarich clapped us both on the back. “Good. Now, let's go rescue this professor.”

“But how do we get to the island?” I asked. Towering limestone cliffs dominated the shoreline, and the villa perched on top looked inaccessible from the sea. This place wasn't a house. It was a fortress. Looking up at the formidable landscape, doubt began to eat away at my courage.

“It's too shallow for the ship to get any closer, the bottom would be shredded by rocks. And we don't want to risk being seen rowing toward shore in the small boats.” The captain pointed toward the crewmen arranging coiled hoses. “So, we walk.”

“Walk? How?” I asked. Then the crew brought large brass helmets on deck, heavy metal-clad boots, and stretched out thick canvas suits with lead-weighted belts set atop them.

“Put these on over your clothes.”

“What are they?” Genevieve asked.

“I bought them off a Venetian merchant who claimed they were designed by Leonardo DaVinci. I doubted it, but it was a good line, and they work great.” Baldarich bent to pick up one of the suits. “They're waterproofed with a coating of oils and saps. Keeps you as dry and as warm as possible. Sorry,” he looked at Genevieve, “we don't have lady sizes.”

“I will manage.” She smiled.

I climbed into one of the suits. The bulky, stiff material scratched my skin, but appeared sturdy enough to keep out the sea—and the sea creatures. Like an oversized collar, a heavy brass ring and rubber seal sat on my neck and shoulders, making it hard to stand upright.

I looked over at Genevieve. The oversized suit swallowed her, bunched up around the metal boots and hanging from every part of her. Mine didn't fit much better and standing
next to her, we sent the crew into fits of laughter.

Once suited up, Baldarich bent down. “Looks don't matter. Down there, the water will make you buoyant, hence the heavy boots and belt. But there are a few rules. One, stay on your feet; falling over will make the helmet fill with water. Two, watch your hose, don't let it snag on anything. And third, it will be dark, and you'll see things you've never imagined, but I doubt anything can hurt you. So don't go insane down there. Got it?”

Genevieve and I nodded.

“Good.”

I really wanted him to elaborate on the dark, creature-filled deep that I could all too easily imagine. Thoughts of sharks, giant squids, sea monsters, and other creatures swam into my mind, but I kept my mouth shut. There was plenty under the water that could hurt me, even the water.

The captain stepped up with one of the brass helmets. “This ring locks onto the suits. I'll warn you it's heavy, but once you get underwater, you'll hardly feel it.”

Baldarich placed the helmet over my head and locked it in place. The last of his instructions echoed through the cavernous dome. The captain was right. It pressed down on my shoulders and made me unsteady enough to fear tumbling into the sea. Holding on to the conning tower, I tried to look at the others. I stared out through a small circular window, but couldn't see much. Turning my head did nothing—the helmet didn't move—so I shifted my entire body, but that only made me wobble on the pitching deck. Gripping the conning tower as if it would anchor me to the world, I waited for the others to get ready.

Finally, Baldarich plunged into the water and the hose attached to his helmet chased after him.

I didn't want to follow. As I stared at the inky darkness, Mr. Singh and Ignatius stepped off and disappeared into the depths. I looked at Genevieve.

“Together?” Genevieve asked in a hollow echo that barely escaped her brass helmet.

“Together.”

We stepped off the Sparrowhawk and the churning water enveloped us in a cloud of bubbles. Falling feet first like a stone quickened my breathing. It felt unnatural not to be floating on the surface. Greeted by endless night we sank until we struck the seafloor with a gentle thump. The air filled the suit making it stiff and bulbous, and I felt like an oversized balloon. The lead weights on my belt and boots secured me to the ground, but didn't feel nearly as heavy down here. Indeed, I felt almost light on my feet and with a bounce in my step, I spent a moment getting accustomed to moving underwater. After a few moments, I felt safer than I thought possible.

Peering up through the window atop the helmet, I saw flashes of color drifting in the current and the silvery moon shimmering on the surface. Genevieve came up beside me, and together we moved toward a light bobbing in the dark.

Captain Baldarich raised a large battery-operated lantern and held up his thumb to see if we were all right. I returned the gesture and Genevieve tried, but had trouble getting the oversized glove to cooperate.

The wildlife on the sea floor stunned me. Creatures clung to the coral and strange plants swayed in the current but remained anchored to the rocky outcroppings. I could feel the rhythm of the waves lapping against the cliff. Several small but brightly colored fish circled my helmet. What on the surface seemed like a barren desert hid a myriad of life below its watery veil.

I wanted to explore and could stay here forever, but I had a mission.

We plodded along the sea floor marveling at the sights, heading ever closer to the shore, ever closer to the surface. I climbed up a small rock shelf and almost fell backward as
the biggest creature I'd ever seen lunged toward my head, jaws open, jagged razor-sharp teeth bared. An eel. The long, sinewy animal whipped out from a crevice and my heart nearly stopped. But, just as quickly as it appeared, it retreated back into its den.

Captain Baldarich shut off the light as we approached shore. Slowly the surface grew closer as we ascended the rocky shoreline. The waves pushed the suit but the lead weights made it easy to withstand them. When my helmet finally broke the surface and the beads of water ran down the window in front of me, I wondered what it would be like during the day. I would have to go diving again, next time with sunlight filtering below the surface.

Once on shore, we slipped out of the suits, heavy brass helmets, and oversized boots, and then reconnected the pieces so it looked like flattened versions of us lying on the beach. After the captain tugged his hose three times in short succession as a signal, the crew back on the Sparrowhawk retrieved the suits by drawing them back by the hoses. Now we were on the shore with no way to get back to the ship. It was time to find my father.

We'd come to this island for a reason, and it was time to get serious about that mission. I couldn't let my father down. I heard the soft whir of Rodin's wing beats and turned as Genevieve held out her arm and Rodin flew in and landed. Genevieve's expression was one of grim determination, and I was glad she was with me.

Captain Baldarich led us up the side of the cliff using a switch-back trail. It was the only way from the sea, and I hoped it would be empty this late at night. The captain was cautious and we all followed his example, treading softly and keeping our eyes and ears open for any unusual sights or sounds.

We finally reached the top of the cliff and slipped along the arched colonnade I'd seen in my vision. As I approached the large square building, I saw bars on one of the windows above. This was the place. I felt it with every step.

We crept as silently as possible. Noises came from the far side of the other building. I knew my father was near.
But where? And where were his kidnappers
?

We entered through an unlocked doorway and found the villa full of rooms with contrasting styles. The first room was lavishly decorated with Greek murals while the next looked as barren as that of a cloistered monk. We walked through the rooms on the first floor, but confronted no one. No guards. No servants. No one.

We came to a staircase and the captain turned to look at me. He pointed up with a questioning look, and I nodded. So he led the way and we headed up to the second floor
where we discovered a door with bars in the middle.

The captain peered in and motioned to me. Inside I saw an empty cot, a tattered blanket, and a straw-strewn floor. A cool breeze carried the aroma of the sea from the opened window.

I pushed the latch and the cell door opened with the squeal of grinding metal. I walked into the empty room.

Baldarich leaned into the cell and whispered, “Now where?”

“He's either in the library or the dark place.”

The captain stared me in the eye and said, “Your call, kid.”

“The dark place.”

“You sure?”

“No, but I've got a feeling that he's not in the library. Not tonight.”

“Yeah,” Baldarich said. “I doubt he'd be in the library at this time of night.”

“If we were back at home, he'd definitely be in the library. Or in his office.” I stepped out into the corridor.

“So where's this dark place?” Ignatius asked.

“Down a long flight of stairs. That's all I know.”

Genevieve spoke up. “What about that stairway tucked away near the colonnade where we first entered?”

“I saw it, too. That must be it.” Mr. Singh said.

Baldarich placed his hand on Mr. Singh's arm. “You lead the way.”

Once back on the first floor, we walked toward the room we first entered. It was lavishly decorated with fine antique desks and tables. At first I thought we might be in a library, but there were no books—only trinkets.

I ran my hand over a beautiful bronze astrolabe perched on a shelf. I walked under an orrery, the planets spinning around a brightly lit sun atop a marble pillar. On a nearby table sat a spiked manacle with chains, but the spikes were
arranged around the inside. I bumped a table and saw a golden chain with small studs and claws arranged like charms. It looked like a medieval torture device, and I didn't want to know what it was for.

Genevieve pointed to a large map, a mural painted on one of the walls, and I stopped in my tracks. I suddenly knew where we were. This villa was the home of a Knight of the Golden Circle.

I stepped forward to examine it more closely. It was a finely rendered map of the world with three golden circles overlaying much of it. The detail of it amazed me. One of the three circles was painted around the American south: Confederate country. The second circle enveloped the first along with Mexico, Central America and the American West. The third encompassed the other two and all of Europe and the Mediterranean Sea.

Perhaps the mural showed spheres of influence. Maybe the goals of some grand plan, but beside me a beautiful, immaculately painted, carved wooden globe with a shining golden line encircling the equator made their ambitions perfectly clear. Complete domination of the world.

Baldarich pushed Ignatius and the others. “Keep moving. He's not here.”

I nodded and shuddered. This room gave me a sickening feeling that crawled up my spine. I wanted to get my father and get out of here. We moved out of this wretched museum and back out to the colonnade.

Tucked back in a corner, a stone stairway descended into oppressive darkness. My nerves were completely on edge, warning me against descending into the black, but I didn't allow myself to hesitate. We started down and were met by a foul, putrid stench that choked my senses and made me hold my breath. Everyone stopped. Even Rodin coughed and turned away.

“What is that smell? Genevieve said.

“Whatever it is, it isn't good.” The captain sniffed and frowned. “But a foul odor won't stop the crew of the Sparrowhawk.” He primed his lightning cannon, looked back at each member of his crew, and headed down the steps.

As we descended a few steps, the light from above faded and we came across a kerosene lantern hanging on a peg. The captain adjusted the lantern's knob, coaxing the flame inside, then handed it to me. I held it up to illuminate the stairwell, but what I saw made me wish I hadn't. A coating of green slime covered one wall and the worn stone stairs bowed in the center as if they'd been trod upon by countless souls over the millennia. This place was old. Maybe older than any place I'd been before.