Chapter Seven
It was several minutes later when Jim knocked frantically on the door leading out of the lounge. Butch opened it with an annoyed frown. "What do you want?" he snapped. "I told you Dr. Loveless would give you the rest of the tour."
"I know, but this has nothing to do with that." Jim gestured into the room, where Lafe was sprawled on the couch, moaning, and Ray was trying to comfort him. "The good doctor's motion sickness remedy has worn off. I want you to get him now so he can get a second pill for Lafe."
Butch frowned, coming over to the doorway and peering into the room. "It's not supposed to wear off that fast," he said. "He gave some to some of my crew and it lasted for hours."
"Lafe's been so upset that it wore off a lot faster," Jim returned.
"And what about his other buddy, the curly-haired guy I clobbered?" Butch continued. He started to turn, suddenly suspecting he was walking into a trap.
He didn't suspect it fast enough. Coley came from behind the door, bringing his fists down hard on Butch's neck. The pirate grunted in pain, slumping to the floor.
Jim hurried and knelt down, wrenching Butch's arms behind his back and snapping on the handcuffs. "Alright," he said, pleased with how the first phase of the plan had come off, "now we have to find our way to either the cockpit or the control room."
"And this time, not get stopped by a bunch of pirates," Coley grumbled.
Lafe sat up. "You're telling me," he frowned. "The next time one of us gets hit, it might be for keeps."
"That's why we're going to be extra careful that it doesn't happen this time," Jim said.
"Should we split up?" Ray wondered. "We could cover more ground, so to speak."
Jim considered it. "We know where the cockpit is, so let's all try to get in there first," he said. "If something goes wrong, we'll split up."
"If we run into Tycho, it's probably all over," Lafe worried.
"Hopefully he'll still be arguing with Loveless," Jim said. "Try to steer clear of the library for now, just in case."
"You don't have to tell us twice," Coley declared, heading for the door. Jane bounded after him.
Jim frowned. "Jane should really stay in here," he said.
"She won't," Ray told him. "Believe me, Mr. West, we tried to get her to stay before." He sighed. "And it might be better to see her anyway and know what she's up to."
"Not to mention that if we don't get back, she'd be trapped here," Lafe said. "We can't have that."
Coley regarded Lafe in touched surprise at his thoughts for the cat. Lafe shrugged and looked away, a bit embarrassed. He hadn't really bonded with Jane, but he knew Coley and Ray and Mrs. Featherstone loved her. And if Jane loved him now, he supposed he wanted to make more of an effort to make friends with her.
Jim decided not to argue. "Alright. Let's go before any more time goes by."
Ray and Lafe hurried into the hall after him.
"Everything's so quiet, just like the last time," Ray worried. "We could get jumped at any minute."
The sounds of talking and laughing from a side corridor almost immediately drifted their way. Frowning, Jim ground to a halt and indicated for everyone else to stop as well. They did, and two pirates soon walked past the hallway that connected like the top of a T.
"Everything's almost ready now," one was saying. "Those nuts will never know what hit them."
"We just have Kane and Butch to tell," the second added.
"What's going on?" Ray hissed. "It sounds like they're planning a double-cross."
"That's probably exactly what they're doing," Jim said. "The good doctor and Tycho finally got on their last nerve."
Coley peered around the corner once the footsteps faded. "You know, I hate to say it, but right now the pirates might be our best allies, if that's the way they all feel."
"It would sure be better to have them on our side instead of against us," Lafe declared. "But how could we trust them?"
"We couldn't," Jim said. "They'd eliminate us as soon as our mutual enemies were taken care of. But maybe by that point we'd have control of the ship." He looked thoughtful. "It would certainly help if we didn't have to stay on guard looking for pirates when we're trying to focus on stopping Loveless and Tycho's plans."
"But how do we get them to stay quiet long enough to listen to us, instead of sounding the guard?" Lafe wondered.
"They might not want to bring attention to themselves right now, either," Jim mused. "If we calmly approached them, we might not have any trouble getting them to listen."
Coley shrugged. "It's worth a try, anyway."
Jane leaned against and rubbed his legs. She approved.
xxxx
Snakes was silent as they bounced along in the Jeep, headed for the airstrip where Captain Caldwell was keeping his plane. He held onto his hat, not wanting it to fly away in the breeze. At his side, Arte was doing the same thing.
It was strange when he thought about it—him going along. He had hoped it wouldn't be necessary. And he could have easily backed out; Arte had given him that choice more than once.
Yet he had chosen to stay, both when it came to waiting around and now that going into the lion's den was the next step. How had these other lives come to mean that much to him?
Because of what he had told Arte, he supposed. He wanted to return their kindness. And he didn't want to think of them suffering.
So what did that mean? That his reasons were partially selfish and partially unselfish?
He wasn't sure.
"So, when were you in the military?" Captain Caldwell suddenly asked, breaking into his thoughts.
Snakes started. "Oh, uh . . . a while ago," he stammered, suddenly not sure how welcome the full truth would be even though Caldwell was aware of from whence Arte hailed.
"He isn't from this time either, Captain," Arte interjected.
Caldwell raised an eyebrow. "I see." He paused, mulling it over in his mind. "Civil War?"
"That's right." Snakes squinted through the hair blowing into his eyes. "Confederate Army."
"That's interesting." Caldwell seemed to be taking it all in stride. "Were you one of the patriots strongly advocating the succession of the South?"
"I was just a stupid kid who thought the Army was the way out of all my troubles," Snakes said honestly.
"And you soon learned otherwise, eh?"
"You said it," Snakes sighed. "The Army taught me how to kill. I'd never done anything like that before.
"But you must be one of the people who liked the military," he added, deciding he wanted to shift the topic away from himself. Up ahead, he noted, was a small airfield.
Caldwell nodded. "I made a career out of it. Fought in the Bosnian War. I was glad when that ended and I could switch to a less violent assignment."
"But you're still called in on dangerous missions when needed," Arte spoke up.
"Yes." They approached the gate and Caldwell showed his identification to the guard. After being waved on through, he stopped the Jeep and got out. "The plane's here. Let's go."
Arte and Snakes got out as well, staring at the plane looming above them with mixed feelings. Although they had ridden in a helicopter multiple times, they had never been on an airplane. And even during their times in helicopters, it had never been for something quite as critical as this.
Snakes drew a shaking breath. "I must be crazy, to be coming along on this," he said.
Arte looked to him. "You can still back out, you know," he said quietly.
"I know, but crazier still, I'm not going to." Snakes started to move toward the plane. "I'm in this for the long haul."
Arte nodded. "I believe you are," he said. "And although I wouldn't have thought it a few months back, now I also believe that you are a valuable man to have along."
"And hopefully a still-living one when it's all over," Snakes remarked.
"I hope that too," Arte said seriously.
They followed Captain Caldwell into the plane and, on his directions, sat down and strapped themselves in. Soon the plane was traveling down the airstrip and launching into the sky.
Arte stared out the window as they rose. "This is quite a bit different from a helicopter," he said in amazement. "It's so quiet. We were always having to yell to be heard in the helicopter."
Snakes nodded. "It looks like we're going a lot faster, too," he said. "But I don't feel it."
Caldwell smiled. "I never could get used to helicopters. Now, airplanes—there's where it's at for me." He sobered, looking ahead. "And we're going to be behind the airship, just as planned."
"As long as it doesn't suddenly turn around," Arte said.
"And as long as it doesn't have some kind of sensors to tell if anyone's there," Snakes frowned.
"It really shouldn't," Arte mused, "but this is Dr. Loveless we're talking about. It's possible."
Caldwell's eyes narrowed. "What do you think he would do if he spotted us?"
Arte sighed and shook his head. "Honestly, Sir, I don't know. He might threaten to kill the hostages. Or he might suddenly go through with his city domination plan, without us having any chance to stop him. He could probably drop something from the airship instantaneously, if he chose."
"And let's not forget the guy I ran into," Snakes said. "Maybe he's up there too."
"I wouldn't be a very good judge on what he might do," Arte said with regret. "I never met Tycho."
"He seemed like someone who wouldn't put up with any kind of nonsense," Snakes said.
"What's this about someone named Tycho?" Caldwell frowned. "I didn't find any record of him in those files."
"Oh . . . well, he's someone else like Dr. Loveless, I'm afraid," Arte said. "At least where world domination is concerned."
"He's arrogant, too," said Snakes.
"Hmm. I wonder how he and Dr. Loveless are getting along," Arte mused. "I thought it might not work out very well."
"That might work to our advantage," Caldwell said. "They might be less likely to notice us." They were still coming up behind the airship, which had not moved or given any indication of the occupants noticing the airplane's presence.
"Are we really, for all intents and purposes, invisible?" Arte marveled.
"The closest thing to it," Caldwell said.
As they arrived directly behind the airship, Caldwell paused and waited. Still not receiving any acknowledgment, he moved the airplane up above it.
"I still don't see how we're going to get inside," Arte frowned. "Not unless there's a platform and an elevator on the roof."
"There's an international corporation that has an airship like that," Caldwell remarked. "But I'm not seeing anything of the kind on this one."
Arte sighed. "Dr. Loveless either didn't think about it, or he did, and didn't add it just so that people couldn't hijack the ship that way," he decided. "And knowing Dr. Loveless, I wouldn't be surprised if it's the latter."
"So we'll have to wait," Caldwell said. "If everything is going as planned on the ship, we'll probably get another announcement when something's going to happen."
Arte interlocked his fingers. "That's the thing I detest the most about my job," he declared. "Even more than fighting, I can't stand waiting."
"You have a lot of company, Mr. Gordon," Caldwell said.
Snakes silently concurred. Waiting was always terrible, especially when wondering if death was going to come, and how soon.
xxxx
As it turned out, Jim was right—the pirates were eager to go in with them on a plan to overthrow Loveless and Tycho. A small group gathered in the cockpit to plot.
Coley was cautiously optimistic. Of course they all knew that the pirates could not be trusted, as they had already discussed. He wasn't even fully sure that they would help at all, in the end. Maybe they would still think that Loveless and Tycho were the most profitable ones to follow, and they would lead Jim and company on only to betray them when it best suited them.
"We should also know how to steer this ship," Jim said. "Any one of us might have to bring it down in a hurry."
A pirate nodded agreeably. "It's pretty easy to work with," he said. "This Loveless guy might be nuts, but he knows how to make a good machine."
He demonstrated the various controls and their usage, and Jim took special note that the levers and buttons actually did as the man claimed. It would be so easy to pretend that they had certain functions, if they were only pointed at and not used, but Jim made sure that each was given a practical demonstration.
"You know," he mused, "we could just bring the airship down right now. Dr. Loveless and Tycho wouldn't be able to do a thing about it."
"That's where you're quite mistaken, Mr. West."
Everyone stiffened at the sudden voice. Tycho was not in the cockpit, but his voice was very audible. Jim's eyes narrowed and his stomach twisted at the realization that Tycho had, indeed, been listening to everything—just as Jim had feared.
Concern flickered through the pirates' eyes. Now Tycho, at least, knew about their secret alliance.
"You are very crafty, Mr. West, just as I remember you were in the past," Tycho continued. "And of course I knew that the loyalty of pirates could not be depended upon. That was why I felt it in my best interests to install a listening port. I see that I was correct in my predictions."
"Maybe so, Tycho," Jim returned, "but what do you think you're going to be able to do about it? Even if you and Dr. Loveless decide to set aside your differences, you're still only two people against all the rest of us."
"You should have more faith in us than that, Mr. West!" Dr. Loveless suddenly exclaimed. "You see, I don't need the controls in the cockpit to unleash my new weapon. There's another lever somewhere on this ship that only I know the location of. If you try to do anything foolish, all I have to do is pull that, right now, and the entire Hall of Justice will be vanquished. And that's just to start with!"
Jim's eyes narrowed. "I should have known."
"Yes, you should have!" Dr. Loveless said in delight. "But it makes it so much more fun that you didn't think of it!"
Coley clenched a fist. He didn't dare speak when he knew they would hear him, but his eyes flamed with frustration and anger.
"This is only a temporary setback, Doctor," Jim said now. "You should know that I won't give up until I find your other lever."
"Oh, naturally, Mr. West. But will you find it before I decide to give the population of Los Angeles a taste of my power?"
Jim gestured to Coley and the others, silently telling them to get out and begin the search. Nodding, Coley opened the door to the cockpit and stepped into the corridor. Lafe, Ray, and Jane followed, along with several pirates. Jim ran out last, Dr. Loveless's insane laughter ringing in his ears.
"So what do we do now?" Coley growled as Jim shut the door behind them.
"We don't have any choice. We have to find this other lever," Jim replied. "Not to mention Dr. Loveless and Tycho. If we can entrap them, they won't be able to use the lever."
"Unless it's right with them all the time," Coley frowned. "Maybe it's a remote control."
"I've thought of that, too," Jim said. "So we'll make finding Loveless and Tycho top priority, even above the lever. Now, spread out in teams of two or more and look!"
"Someone should go with you, too, Mr. West," Ray said.
"I'll go," Lafe volunteered.
Coley regarded him in surprise. "Okay, Lafe. Get going then."
He and Ray hurried in another direction, Jane scampering at their heels.
Jim stood by, watching the other teams begin to separate and spread out before turning to go down another path. Lafe kept pace alongside him.
"I'm surprised you didn't go with Rodman," Jim remarked.
"Well . . ." Lafe shrugged. "I thought maybe he'd like to spend some time alone with Ray, even if it's to look for two crazies." He sighed. "We don't really know if any of us are going to get out of this alive."
Jim nodded, sobered. "That's true, we don't. I'm going to do everything I can to make sure you and the others get off of this ship safe. But in the end, something could still go wrong."
"Especially when the whole city, and I guess the whole world, is at stake," Lafe said. "We might have to sacrifice ourselves for everybody else, right?"
"It might come to that," Jim admitted grimly.
Lafe shook his head. "That's weird to think about. I never thought that might be how I'd die."
"I'm sure Snakes never thought it about himself either, but he did it last December and he survived." Jim looked to Lafe. "So there's always hope, even if it comes to that."
"Yeah," Lafe mused. "I guess so."
Jim paused. "You know, of course, that if this is the end, Rodman would want to spend time with you, too."
"I know," Lafe nodded. "And I'll make sure I see him again. Well, if I can, I mean. But it's not just the two of us anymore; Ray's here too, and here to stay."
"Are you sure you're not still jealous of him?" Jim wondered.
"I don't think I am," Lafe said. "I guess, though, I know how I felt, and I know I'd want some one-on-one time with Coley, so I thought Coley and Ray might like some too."
Jim nodded. "Hopefully, you'll still all get to spend as much time with each other as you'd like," he said, again hating that Dr. Loveless had thrown them into this situation just to get at Jim.
He hoped that he would see Arte again, too. He certainly did not want this to be the end. But he knew what his duty was, if it came to that. And even though Lafe and the others weren't government agents, they knew and were willing to lay down their lives in the same cause.
That meant a great deal.
xxxx
Tycho crossed his arms. "How noble," he mocked. "All of them willing to be sacrificed for the greater good." He stepped away from the master listening port in his cabin, which let him listen to every other port he had installed on the ship.
Dr. Loveless scowled. "I don't like how everyone has such little privacy and they don't even know it. You know I don't go in for these kinds of tricks. You didn't even let me know you had sent someone through the portal to order these listening ports when the ship was being built!"
"Of course not, because I knew you would object. Still, you certainly had no qualms about slipping a drug into your servants' food that made them kill each other off," Tycho said dryly. "Having done that, can you really criticize my listening ports? Thanks to them, I learned of the pirates' unease sometime back—although I didn't let on to Mr. West that I knew. And we both heard them conspiring with Mr. West and the other hostages just moments earlier."
"That's true," Dr. Loveless conceded, "but I still don't like it."
"You have such a contradictory sense of honor, Doctor," Tycho said. "By the way, of course you also must realize that I overheard you plotting against me, too."
"Well . . ." Dr. Loveless threw up his hands. "We know that we're both regretting this partnership."
"At least I have to be grateful that your sense of honor extends to not allowing me to be thrown out of the airship at the altitude we're currently sustaining," Tycho said, still with that dry, sarcastic tone. "Although I can't help wondering if your concept of a merciful betrayal would be just as bad. In my own estimation, all betrayal is alike."
"It isn't!" Dr. Loveless immediately retorted. "Some forms of betrayal are much worse than others."
"Hmm." Tycho looked most unsurprised. "Then once again, we have found a principle on which we thoroughly disagree.
"But nevermind that. The main issue before us now is deciding what to do about all of our poor, misguided, noble hostages and our foolish, mercenary, ignoble pirates." Tycho laced his fingers.
"Let them run around for a while," Dr. Loveless grinned. "It's not as though they're going to find anything, since I have the control for the lever right here." He drew a small joystick out from inside his suit coat.
Tycho nodded, thoughtfully. "I suppose they can't do much harm searching the ship," he said. "But they are looking for us more than a separate lever. It's already occurred to them that one of us may be holding it."
Dr. Loveless still looked gleeful. "And the instant they do find us, all I have to do is pull the lever, right in front of them. There's nothing they can do to save the Hall of Justice. And there won't be anything they can do to save the city or the world!"
Tycho leaned back, allowing himself a cruel smirk. "I will enjoy seeing their faces when you pull the lever," he said. "Especially Mr. West's."
Dr. Loveless nodded. "And after the Hall of Justice is vanquished, I will have another surprise in store for Mr. West and his friends," he reveled.
"You said you would let them go," Tycho noted, "but you never actually said you would let them go alive."
Dr. Loveless grinned wildly. "Of course I didn't, because I won't."
"You are truly devious, Doctor, in spite of whatever honor you claim to possess," Tycho commented. "This side of you I like."
On its perch, the raven spread its wings and cawed in agreement.
xxxx
Ray nervously watched as Coley opened another door in the hall. They had taken a path that had led them right to the music room. Now, as they stood in the doorway and watched, Antoinette calmly played the harpsichord, seemingly oblivious to their presence.
Coley pulled the door shut again. "Do you think it's possible that the doc hid the other lever with her?" he wondered. "She's completely loyal to him."
"And apparently even loves him," Ray said, shaking his head. "I don't know, though. Dr. Loveless seems to like to be in complete control. If the other lever is portable, I can't quite imagine him passing it on to anyone."
"Yeah," Coley frowned. "What if it's in the wall or on a control panel, though? Maybe she's guarding it."
"Maybe," Ray conceded. He sighed. "I guess we'll have to look in there in any case."
Coley grunted. "We can't overlook this place," he agreed. Neither of them was looking forward to talking with Antoinette again, but there was no other choice. Coley opened the door a second time and stepped inside, with Ray and Jane right with him.
Antoinette still seemed not to notice them, as she continued to calmly play and sing one of her favorite pieces. "I know where I'm going," she sang, her melodic voice echoing through the room via its specialized acoustics. "And I know who's going with me. . . ."
Coley stayed quiet, keeping to the back of the room as he peered behind instruments, stands, and bookcases filled with sheet music. Jane helped by peeking at the lowest shelves and pawing some of the music aside.
Ray took the other side of the back of the room, slowly moving over the plush pink carpet and around a large potted plant to arrive at the room's window. The long pink drapes were blowing in the breeze from an air conditioning vent directly underneath the rounded pane. He paused, marveling and wondering for a moment as to why the curtains were so long for such a small window. But he shrugged it off and kept going. Now he was approaching a large harp.
If Antoinette was aware of them by now, she apparently didn't care. She finished her song only to start another, and Ray was again surprised. He had never heard Sloop John B played on a harpsichord before. And he was sure that song had not existed in the time period from whence Antoinette hailed. He wondered where she had learned it.
Coley was moving along the opposite wall now, past another, larger bookcase—this one bearing glass doors—and busts of several famous composers. He raised an eyebrow to see Dr. Loveless's signature on the one of Ludwig von Beethoven. The man certainly had a wide range of interests. Too bad he couldn't put the harmless ones to use and not the crazy ones, Coley thought to himself.
Not being familiar with Sloop John B in the first place, he was unaffected by hearing such a unique version. But he did keep track of the singing in the back of his mind, wondering what Antoinette would do upon finishing that piece.
As it turned out, she paused for a brief moment and then proceeded to quietly play an instrumental composition. "You're not going to find what you want in here," she announced.
Both Coley and Ray gave a start. "How long have you known about us being here?" Coley demanded.
She shrugged. "I saw your reflection when you opened the door." She indicated the gold-plated music stand on the harpsichord.
Coley muttered under his breath. Louder, he said, "And you just let us hang around poking into everything because you knew we wouldn't have any luck?"
A nod. "Of course. Miguelito doesn't care if you search the ship. Actually, he welcomes it. He's proud of his beautiful designs." Antoinette stood and stepped away from the bench, spreading out her skirt. "I helped a little, especially with this room. It's our favorite."
"I see," Ray nodded. "Do you know where the second lever is? Out of curiosity, of course. I know you won't tell us where it is."
Antoinette gave him an entertained look. "Naturally, I know where it is. And you're right that I won't tell you. Why would I want to do anything to help you instead of Miguelito?"
"Why do you want to help him hurt so many innocent people?!" Ray could not refrain from exclaiming. "You seem like a nice girl."
Antoinette smirked at him. "Appearances can be deceiving, Mr. Norman."
"You mean about you being a nice girl? Or about you wanting to hurt innocent people?" Ray returned.
Coley crossed his arms, smirking a bit as well. This was an interesting confrontation.
Antoinette chose not to directly answer the query. "People are always hurt in any cause," she said. "I'm sure you feel that there were necessary casualties in your wars, even if there were some innocents caught up in them too. Well, Miguelito is waging a war of his own, a very important war."
"A very sick war, as far as I'm concerned," Ray retorted. "He clearly has the intelligence and abilities to do amazing things with his life, but he squanders them when he chooses instead to keep thinking of things such as what will be released on the Hall of Justice if that blasted lever is pulled!"
"He has to make a point," Antoinette said calmly. "Right now, he finds this the best way to do it."
Ray's lip curled in disgust. "I'm not going to stand around and debate his ideas or the purpose of this war of his," he said. "I can see there's no point." He turned to go.
Antoinette just shrugged, unaffected by his outburst. She stood and watched as Coley and Jane followed him out the door and into the hall. Then she turned, crossing the room to the harp.
"Nice," Coley commented as they re-entered the hall.
Ray ran a hand into his hair. "I don't know what came over me," he admitted. "Suddenly I was so furious. You know, I think she's more frightening than Dr. Loveless." He looked to Coley. "I suppose Dr. Loveless is out of his head, probably partially driven to that after the wretched life he's had, according to Mr. West. But the girl probably had a perfectly normal upbringing. And she can stand there and spout nonsense about Dr. Loveless waging an important war and not even care who gets hurt by it!"
Inside, they could hear Antoinette beginning a beautiful song on the harp.
"I think you're right," Coley said. "And you've proved that you still can be forceful, when it calls for it." He remembered that Ray had wondered whether he was even still capable of it after leaving his life of blackmail behind.
Ray nodded, managing a weak smile. "Yes . . . yes, I guess I can be."
Coley laid a hand on his shoulder. "Well, on to the next room."
Ray followed him, praying, as he did for each room, that the next one would bring them the good fortune they so desperately needed.
