Part 3: The Revenge of Colonel Staquait
Chapter 36
"Planning a Rescue Mission"
As Jane and her friends continued to endure the hardships of Cape Doom, Dumont had managed to summon British and French Military Commanders to the trading post to plan a rescue mission of Jane and her friends as well as any innocent men who were unlawfully imprisoned on Cape Doom. You see, Colonel Staquait was a man who was abusing his power and authority as a commander of Cape Doom and that he had to be stopped. It appeared that Jane and her friends were just the latest in a string of kidnappings and unlawful imprisonments and that Staquait's reign of terror was going to new extremes.
"I appreciate you all coming here on such short notice," said Dumont, as he played host to two British generals and two French generals as well as Tarzan, Archimedes and Hugo and Hooft. "It appears that Colonel Staquait has crossed the line when he kidnapped four British women two days ago."
"It's our pleasure," said the elderly British general. "We have been closely monitoring Staquait's movements for the past several days and our intelligence ships off Cape Doom reported a ship bearing four woman hostages headed there just a few nights ago."
"Hey, we know what ships that those guys use," said Hugo. "Believe me, when you step on those ships, you just want to get off."
"Yeah, they make you starve," added Hooft. "No food, no water, no nothing. Why, you can't even use the bathroom."
Everyone fell silent upon hearing those words and after a moment, they chose to ignore that and refocus on the task at hand which was to plan a mission to shut down Cape Doom once and for all.
"I see," said Dumont, having lost his concentration for a moment before looking towards the French General. "Anyway, how long do we have to wait until help arrives, General Bonaparte?"
"It will be about several days," he said, taking a sip of tea. "Our people have been mobilized and our ships are in the process of leaving France tonight. The Government of France has ordered that Staquait be put down once and for all."
"How about capturing him and bringing him back for trial?" suggested Archimedes, trying to get in on the talks. "Charge him for all the crimes he has committed including kidnapping, unlawful imprisonment, torture, rape anything."
"Since when did you get involved in this, Professor Porter?" asked the younger British military commander, surprised by what he was hearing. "All you had to do was carry out orders to defend Rorke's Drift."
"I know," said Archimedes. "But this is a matter of my daughter here. I have seen the horrors of war first hand and I fear that my daughter may be subjected to the same treatment."
The British officers then turned to Tarzan and waited for his input on the matter. Although he may have been raised in the jungle all his life, Tarzan knew about military experience thanks to Archimedes' stories on how he managed to survive with the British Army.
"What is your view on this Tarzan?" asked the elderly commander. "I mean, this is your wife and that you know firsthand about Cape Doom Prison don't you?"
"I do," replied Tarzan. "Hugo, Hooft and I know the horrors that go on behind those walls and that we have been subjected to as much horror as Jane and her friends are experiencing right now. In fact, I did manage to rescue someone who was at the picnic the moment that they attacked."
Tarzan then looked to the room where Henry was in as he was still recovering from his fall in the attack. It was a deep fall from the cliff and yet, Henry managed to survive and lives to tell the tale. After a moment, he turned back towards the other men and refocused on the conversation.
"How is he?" asked Dumont. "Is he able to talk yet?"
"Not yet," said Tarzan. "He can talk, but he was very weak when I found him."
"Then I suppose that we will have to wait," said Dumont. "We need a description on who exactly we are looking for and that can only happen if we have the witness with us."
"I know who he is," said Tarzan, standing to his feet. "Can that be enough?"
"It's not enough," replied the younger French Commander. "Military protocol states we need a clearer description of the subject as much as possible and that means that we need to have a firsthand account from the surviving subject."
Tarzan was growing frustrated by this and wanted to get on with this and rescue Jane as quickly as possible. But, like Jane had once said to him before he went to rescue Hugo and Hooft, this was a matter of the law and that he would have to follow what they would say.
Just then, the sound of footfalls came into the room and Henry staggerly walked into the room, still feeling dizzy from the water consumption that he had taken in. He stepped into the room and sat down in a chair, but not before being helped by Hugo and Hooft.
"Easy there, pal," said Hugo.
"Don't want you to go and suffer any more hardships," added Hooft as he and Hugo sat him down in the chair. Henry placed on his glasses and stared at the men in the room, sighing contently knowing that there was going to be a mission to save Greenley and the others.
"Well?" asked Dumont, waiting to hear what Henry had to say. "Are you able to talk?"
Hugo handed Henry some tea and he took a sip of it before he began to say what he needed to say. He was still disoriented, but was able to give the information that the men needed for their rescue operation.
Meanwhile, as Henry began to speak, Timon and Pumbaa were outside the trading post waiting for Tarzan to come out.
"You know, Timon," said Pumbaa. "I'm beginning to wonder if Tarzan really is going to help us fight the humanoid hyenas."
"Don't you see?" groaned Timon. "Tarzan has a mate to save and we need to support him on that before we focus on our own problem. Besides, Simba and his lionesses have got everything under control, don't they?"
"I'd guess you're right," sighed Pumbaa. "I've been meaning for a new outlook outside of the jungle and besides, do these humans offer bugs? Because I can sure use some bugs right about now."
"Of course, you can," said Timon, laughing sarcastically. "You're a pig, you eat anything. Just try to focus on the task at hand, will you?"
"Oh, you're right," groaned Pumbaa, who then felt something in his stomach and knew he needed to go into a private area and blow some gas. "Would you excuse me?"
So, Timon watched as Pumbaa as went into the bushes and passed out some gas, much to his annoyance. He then looked out back into the jungle and wondered if his old life with Pumbaa and Simba would go back to the way it once was before all this came onto them. But, he had a new friend to help and he would do anything to help a friend, even if his own needs would have to be placed before anyone elses…