The Time Hunters and the Box of Eternity (25 page)

‘
Well, traveller, it
looks like yer
’
ve acquired the services of The Black Head.
’

‘
The Blackhead?
’
Joe spluttered, about
to laugh, until Uncle Percy looked at him reproachfully.
 

Blind Hugh didn
’
t notice.
‘
Aye, lad,
’
he said proudly.
‘
She may not be the sprightliest on the Spanish Main but she ain
’
t ready ter swallow
the anchor just yet.
’

Uncle Percy looked confused.
‘
Don
’
t you need to talk this through with your Captain?
’

Blind Hugh laughed.
 
‘
The Black Head don
’
t have no captain. The
crew works as equals.
 
We
’
re all old salts and
sailed under captains fer too long.
’
His expression mellowed as he said,
‘
Well, excepting one and he
’
s too young ter
‘
ave a say in the
matter. Anyhow, when is it ya want ter set sail?
’

‘
When can you be ready?
’

‘
Within the hour,
’
Blind Hugh replied.
‘
And if yer
’
ll pardon my leave I
’
ll go inform me buckos
and make preparations.
’
And with that Blind Hugh stood, lifted up a thin cane that rested
on his chair and tapped his way to the door.

Becky waited until Blind Hugh had left and giggled,
‘
The Black Head? Is he
serious?
’

Joe grinned.
‘
Should
’
ve called it The Red Zit.
’

‘
Or The Blue Boil.
’

‘
Or The Purple Pimple.
’

Uncle Percy laughed with them.
‘
As long as it
’
s seaworthy, I don
’
t care if it
’
s called the -
’
His sentence was cut
short by a voice from the doorway.

‘
How very charming…
’

Uncle Percy whirled round. Will
’
s hand shot to his cutlass.

George Chapman moved snake-like from the shadows. He wore an English
naval officers uniform and held a gleaming sword. Dressed identically, Otto
Kruger trailed him in, a thick scar down his right cheek that seemed to glow
against his cold features. Just behind him, stood a colossal pirate with a
shaven scalp and tattoos that covered every inch of his chest and face. Two
Associates brought up their rear.

Chapman approached them, glaring at Uncle Percy.
‘
Let me make the
following matters simple, Mr Halifax. I am here for the map and whatever else
you possess in relation to The Box of Eternity. You will give me that which I
ask now.
 
In exchange, I offer nothing
bar your lives.
’
He struggled to contain his rising anger.
‘
You have already made
a fool of me and I assure you it will not happen again. Mr Kruger, if you would
care to show Mr Halifax how serious we are then please do so.
’

Smirking wildly, Kruger pulled a Luger pistol from his coat, turned
it on Will … and fired.

Becky didn
’
t have time to scream when Will
’
s blood showered her face.

Chapter 23

Firearms and Forearms

Time stood still. Trembling, Becky
’
s eyes watered as she waited for Will
’
s body to slump to the
table, dead. Instead, relief swept through her as she saw him tilt his head
coolly to the side, revealing a deep bloody channel in his cheek. Then, veiling
any pain he might have felt, his eyes met Kruger
’
s and he smiled.

Unable to process what had just happened, Uncle Percy opened his
mouth to say something but closed it at once.

Chapman, on the other hand, appeared more than willing to talk.
‘
Now the map, please,
Mr Halifax, or the next bullet will meet his brain.
’

‘
It
’
s in the time machine,
’
Uncle Percy said
without hesitation.

Chapman pointed the sword at Becky.
‘
Give the child the keys to your vehicle.
’
He glanced at the
bald pirate.
‘
Mr Doublehook …accompany her, and if she proves troublesome, show
her why Mr Drake was keen to recruit you.
’

The tattooed pirate nodded and raised his arms into the light. To
Becky
’
s
horror, she saw two razor-sharp iron hooks instead of hands.

Chapman turned back to Uncle Percy.
‘
And if you attempt to repeat the trick you
employed in Chicago she will be punctured like meat on a skewer. Now pass her
your keys.
’

At once, Uncle Percy pulled the keys from his pocket and threw them
to Becky, who caught them.
‘
The map is in the glove compartment.
’

Chapman gave a pitiless laugh.
‘
Mr Drake was correct about you. These children
are your weakness.
’

‘
I
’
m afraid you couldn
’
t be more wrong about
that.
’
Uncle Percy glanced at Will and the two of them exchanged a curious look.
‘
What do you think,
Will?
’

‘
I believe they give me
strength,
’
Will replied. Then, in a blur, he pulled free a dagger and pitched it at Otto Kruger.
Before Kruger could react, the blade struck the pistol, sending it rattling
across the floor. In the same movement, Will drew his cutlass and glowered at
Kruger.
‘
Perhaps
we should finish this now?
’

Kruger
’
s eyes burned with wild delight.
‘
I agree.
’
Slowly, he unsheathed his sword, then, with
lightning speed, he attacked. Blades collided. Kruger broke off and swiped
high. Will ducked, the blade whistling above him. Kruger attacked again,
stabbing at Will
’
s stomach. This time, Will parried.

Becky could barely look.

Time and time again, Kruger threw everything into his assault. But
Will was faster, more agile. He dodged every assault. Seeing this, an Associate
charged into the fray, sword held high. Like a dervish, Will fought them both
off, blocking and attacking, twirling and slashing.

Becky
’
s heart was in her throat. Then she saw something that sent
shockwaves through her.

Uncle Percy had unscrewed the handle of his cane and pulled free a
sword.
‘
Chapman,
’
he said.
‘
En garde…
’

Chapman smiled viciously as he raised his sword and lunged at Uncle
Percy.

At the same time, Bruce stepped toward Doublehook.
‘
Well, buddy, I don
’
t know
‘
bout you, but I feel
kinda left out.
’
He withdrew his cutlass.
‘
You wanna dance?
’
With a wild grin, Doublehook sprang, arms
outstretched, hooks glinting in the half-light.

Horror-struck, Becky surveyed the bedlam. The clatter of metal on
metal shattered the air. Then her eyes widened. Joe had extended his Joe-Bow.
‘
What are you doing?
’

Joe ignored her. He set an arrow on the bowstring and aimed at
Kruger. The remaining Associate saw this and charged at him like a bull, nearly
bowling him over, before seizing him in a headlock and squeezing hard.
‘
Argghh,
’
Joe cried.

Desperate to help, Becky looked round. Spying Blind Hugh
’
s empty rum bottle,
she grabbed its neck and, with one almighty swing, smashed it across the
Associate
’
s
head; the glass shattered on impact, sending the Associate crashing to the
floor.

Joe gulped a lungful of air.
‘
Thanks, sis.
’

‘
My pleasure,
’
Becky panted. Looking
round, she saw the fighting had intensified. It was surely only a matter of
time before Uncle Percy, Will or Bruce was hurt or killed. She had to do
something. Suddenly, she spied a flash of metal: Kruger
’
s pistol. Sprinting
over, she fell to her knees, skidded a few feet and scraped it up. Then she
aimed at the ceiling and fired. The sound ricocheted off the walls.
‘
STOOPPPP!
’
she yelled. Then she
pointed the gun at Chapman.

Slowly, one by one, each duel stopped. Everyone turned to face her.

Chapman began to laugh.

‘
SHUT UP!
’
Becky shouted at him,
her hand tightening around the grip.
‘
I know who and what you are and have no problem
pulling this trigger.
’

‘
You know nothing,
’
Chapman sneered.

‘
I know you
’
ll drop that sword or
I
’
ll shoot
you in the leg.
’
Becky had never sounded more serious. Chapman appeared to recognize
this and, grudgingly, released his sword. She turned the pistol on Kruger.
‘
And you, goob!
’

Kruger hesitated for a second, and then shrugged coolly as if he,
too, was about to comply. But, with a piercing yell, he swung the sword at Will
’
s head. Becky didn
’
t have time to scream
a warning. It didn
’
t matter. With lightning reflexes, Will pivoted on his back foot and
leaned back. The blade missed by an inch. As the sword
’
s momentum continued,
Will brought his cutlass upwards. It sank into flesh, severing Kruger
’
s arm at the elbow.
Kruger gave a horrific, inhuman scream and dropped to his knees, agony lacing
his face. Instinctively, Will whirled round for the kill. But then a quivering
voice filled his ears.

‘
No, Will!
’
Joe pleaded.
‘
Don
’
t kill him. He
’
s finished.
’

Will
’
s rage dissolved at once. He let the cutlass drop to his side.
Slowly, darkly, he leaned into Kruger
’
s ear.
‘
That was for my friends, Maria and Jacob. Should
our paths cross again, it will be for their kinfolk and you will not be left
with a single breath in your unholy body…
’

Uncle Percy walked slowly over to Becky and tendered his open palm.
‘
Please, Becky,
’
he said.
‘
May I have the gun?
’

Unable to tear her eyes from Kruger
’
s severed arm, Becky felt close to fainting.

‘
Please, Becky, the gun
…
’
Uncle
Percy repeated.

Shaking uncontrollably, Becky passed the gun over.

Uncle Percy turned it on Chapman.
‘
I
’
m going to give you a courtesy you would never give us…
’
He exhaled deeply.
‘
I
’
m allowing you to
leave with your life.
’
He nodded at Kruger.
‘
Now go … get out of here, and take his arm with you! I wouldn
’
t want Beattie to have
to clean that up.
’

Chapman glared back.
‘
This affair isn
’
t over.
’

‘
Perhaps. But it is for
now …
’

Within minutes, Chapman, Kruger, Doublehook and the two Associates
had left, leaving Becky feeling sickened, confused, and fearful of what was to
come. Somehow, George Chapman had discovered precisely where and when in time they
were. She didn
’
t know how. She didn
’
t know what he had in store for them. But she was under no doubt his
parting words were no idle threat.

Nothing was over.