Fighting Back: The War Begins
Prologue: Past & Present
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"Damn right you're not gonna plan my funeral. I'm not dead yet." Blitz groaned.
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"Katie, Greg, Francesca! You're all alright! Where's Ferriman, did I kill him? Is he dead? Don't tell me I lost!" Blitz spoke before anyone could answer.
"Yes we're alright. All thanks to you." Francesca answered.
"And Ferriman?" Blitz asked, sitting up, now realizing he was on a medical bed.
"Up in smoke." Greg smirked with a wink.
"Good." Blitz let out a sigh.
"You jerk! You had all of us worried sick!" Katie berated him.
"Sorry… I was just a little…tired…I guess…?" Blitz shrugged.
"Don't you ever worry us like that again." Katie ordered, hugging Blitz around the waist. Blitz looked at her, & couldn't help it.
"I won't, I swear." He said, & patted her on her head, then rubbed her upper back as she began to tear up. "Don't cry Katie. I'm here; alive & well." Blitz smiled.
"But what if you weren't? What if you had died?" Katie retorted, hugging tighter.
"Then… I would have died doing what my duty called for, & my honor commanded. Even if I had died though, I would have taken Ferriman with me. There's no way I would have left him here to hurt any of you. Now then, buck up. I didn't die, & Ferriman's gone. We're all safe now." Blitz said, taking Katie's chin in his hand, & tilting her head to look at him. "Cheer up. Can you do that, for me?" He smiled.
"Yes." She said with a nod, & quickly hugged him again before letting go.
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"Francesca?" Blitz questioned.
"Yes?"
"Might I have a word with you, in private?" Blitz asked.
"I suppose." Francesca agreed, following Blitz into another room, Blitz closing the door behind her after she entered.
"I know you were helping Ferriman." Blitz said calmly, his criticizing gaze upon her as she tried to avert her eyes & look elsewhere.
"I…I…" She couldn't gather her thoughts. Yes she'd tried to help him, & she felt horrible for it now, realizing what she had helped with. "I did." Was all she could say.
"It's alright. Experienced Soul Collectors such as Ferriman are easily able to bring out the worst in a person, usually in the form of greed. What happened to you was no different, but, I believe I need to give you something." Blitz said.
"Give me what?" Francesca asked, looking half frightened.
"Just take off the glove of your right hand & shake mine." Blitz said, & while she still looked uneasy, she slid off her glove & they grabbed hands. As soon as her hand touched his it felt for a moment as though she was touching a glacier, then the cold subsided & he released her hand. Francesca looked down at her palm & saw a lightning bolt shape on her hand. As she looked at it, it began to fade into her hand.
"What was that?" Francesca asked, looking from her palm, to Blitz, & back.
"That was my Mark." Blitz said, & her eyes widened in fear at the statement.
"Does this mean that I'm going to…to…" She could form the words, so she just pointed down with her other hand as she stared at him.
"No, no. Remember, I'm a Ferrier…"
"But you said…"
"Only some of us damn people. My Mark is a moral guide to help people. It lets you know with a prick of pain if something you're doing is bad, or with a very light tickling sensation if it's good. It can't decide your fate, but it can help you make better decisions. Hopefully you won't get in this type of situation again. I also would like a favor from you. I know we don't know each other well… Hell, nobody out there knows anyone else all that well, but I would ask that once this ship reaches New York, you take care of Katie & Greg. I can't tell you what I know, but they'll need you." Blitz said.
"Take care of them how?"
"You'll find out when the time comes Francesca, but, please, will you?"
"I can try." Francesca finally accepted, though it didn't show on his features, she could hear the pleading in his voice. Then she felt a tickling sensation in her hand as she slipped her glove back on.
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"What's that?" Greg asked.
"That's my ship & crew." Was Blitz's reply.
"Does this mean you're leaving?" Katie asked.
"Unfortunately, yes. But I'm leaving you all in good hands. Greg, come here." Blitz said, & Greg came up to him.
"Yes?"
"Do you know how this ship works?"
"Yes."
"Could you pilot her?"
"Yes."
"Make repairs?"
"Could try."
"Good enough. Let all here be witness, that on this day, May…uh…" Blitz began, & Francesca held up two fingers, then changed them to three. "Ah, right, May Twenty-third, Nineteen Sixty-two, that I, Captain Blitz Von Krieg, award you, Gregory…uh…" Blitz began again, then whispered. "What's your surname?"
"Thompson." Greg whispered back, Katie laughing to herself at the obviously impromptu speech.
"Okay." Blitz whispered & began again. "You, Gregory Thompson, a commission as Captain of the Antonia Graza. Congratulations." Blitz said as he put the captain insignia on Greg's collar, & shook his hand.
"I approve." Came a voice. Everyone looked at who it was, & it was the Captain's ghost, nodding his head.
"Thank you sir!" Greg shouted as the Captain headed for the gangplank that had been run across between the ships. The Captain gave a single wave as he crossed the gangplank. "So does that mean I'm really the Graza's Captain now?"
"Looks that way." Katie said as she came to stand next to him. "Congratulations."
"Thanks." Greg smiled down at her.
"Now one last thing before I go." Blitz said, looking about his person.
"What is it?" Francesca asked.
"Uh… Heh… Anybody seen m' sword?" Blitz asked.
"I've got it. Along with you guns & everything thing else we found as we went through the ship. Now let's get a move-on! All passengers are aboard! Let's try for a new record time!" Donner shouted from the forecastle.
"Alright, I'm coming!" Blitz shouted back, & Donner stepped from the forecastle, shouting orders to the crew to prepare the ship to set-sail. "Safe journey." He said, & as he turned around, he noticed something: his ship was pulling away!
"You may want to hurry." Katie chuckled as Blitz bolted for the railing.
"What do you think I'm doing?!" He shouted over his shoulder.
"Not running fast enough!" Greg called out.
"Smart ass!" Blitz replied, running along the railing, toward the bow. "Donner! Stop the ship! I'm not on yet!"
"Just jump!" Donner shouted with a laugh.
"Oh to hell with it!" Blitz shouted to himself as he leapt onto the railing, & then coiled his legs & sprang forward, just barely grabbing onto the railing. "Pull me up!"
"Ha-ha! I knew you could do it." Donner said as he hauled Blitz onto the deck.
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Energy surged through the ship & it took on a light gold color; the underside becoming surrounded by a light green mist as the ship rose from the water. Blitz turned the wheel to starboard & it turned around. Headed toward the starboard side of the Graza, the ship's name now just above the Graza's deck as it passed by, the sails coming completely unfurled, & the ship's armaments began showing themselves. Everyone on the Graza's deck turned to watch the ship pass. Katie, Greg, & Francesca reading the name.
"The H.M.S. Immortal." The three said to themselves, though everyone heard them say it as the ship flew by. Just before it left completely, it leaned to its starboard side just long enough for everyone to spot Blitz give a jaunty salute & for them to wave, or in Greg's case salute, back before it righted itself & headed higher into the sky before disappearing from view completely, a sonic-boom echoing after it was gone.
"Think we'll ever see him again?" Katie asked as the all watched the spot the Immortal had last been.
"Yeah, I do." Greg said.
"So, shall we head for New York, Captain?" Francesca asked.
"Indeed madam, I believe we shall." Greg smiled.
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'It's been ten years since that day; ten years this very day in fact. Oh…I miss him. I wish he had time to visit…But I know he's busy. I hope he hasn't had any run-ins with Ferriman since the Graza.' Katie thought to herself as she walked about the house, holding a photograph of herself, the Captain, Greg, Francesca, & Blitz that had been taken the day before the incident on the Graza.
Incidentally, a sixth of the photo next to Blitz had been ripped off. Jack had been in it too. The Captain had suggest to her that a picture be taken of her with whatever friends she had made on the ship, & the celebrities aboard. Francesca of course because she was a famous singer, & Jack because he was the only survivor of the Lorelei, making him the ship's other celebrity. She'd ripped his piece of the picture off the next time she saw the photo, & burned it. The rest of the photo she'd put into a frame.
Katie set the photo back on the mantel above the fireplace & began walking about the house, lost in her good memories from the Graza. The house wasn't too big; it was two stories, had a kitchen, basement, attic, four bedrooms, three bathrooms, two guestrooms, a living room, & a dining room. A photo of Katie's parents, posters from Francesca's singing career, a painting of the Graza, & a few other things adorned the walls, including a wall-length mirror.
Katie stopped when she came to stand in front of the mirror & looked at herself. She wore a cyan colored tank top, bell-bottom blue-jeans, & sneakers. She stood about five-foot-six & her hair was down to her mid-back. She still held some of her girlish charm & all of her grace, but most importantly, to every guy that saw her anyway, she was twenty-two now, and looked it, if you get my drift. The boys swooned over her so much, sometimes it made her laugh. She took another look in the mirror & walked to the living room to sit on the couch, but was stopped when the phone rang.
"Hello, Giovanna residence, may I ask who's calling?" Katie answered the phone.
"You may ask, but to find out you'll have to come down to the Ocracoke Diner. Bring Thompson & Ms. Giovanna with you, as well as any & all documents you have regarding the Antonia Graza. I mean all of them Ms. Harwood. Goodbye." Was what she heard in reply before the phone clicked, whoever had been talking had hung up. Their voice had sounded menacing. Familiar somehow though too…
"Oh no. I'd better get Greg & Francesca." Katie said as she hurried off, but grabbed a Colt .45 & holster from a desk drawer first. She believed she knew who it was, & if she was right, she wanted to be able to try to defend herself should he try anything.
Here we go…