Chapter 30

The beach was narrow and sandwiched between two coastal cliffs. This is where the motorised boat brought The League, while Executive Officer Brieux kept the Luftpirat out of sight. Four Indian crewman with rifles joined the League as they jumped on to the sand and made their way inland to the cover of jungle. Lindo was driving the landing craft he promptly moored the boat at a hiding spot then remained with it.

This was the apparently undeveloped side of the island; there were no ports, airfields or lookout towers. The inhabitants did not seem to be watching this side.

Tarzan called everyone to a halt just before reaching the cover of trees.

"This jungle not feel right." He exclaimed. "It has strange things in it."

Mors and Biggles bade everyone to continue. "Nevertheless. We have to proceed." Said Biggles.

The ape man reluctantly joined the reckless bunch. Beyond the first row of trees the rainforest proved to be spacious with much grassy ground between the arboreal wonders. The canopy was still plush and would provide the needed cover.

A galloping creature the size of a small dog darted across the ground in front of them. It had all the appearance speed and mannerisms of a horse, it even gave a utterd a whinny before it disappeared into the foilage.

"That was a very small pony." Exclaimed Irma.

"That was no pony." Said Mors. "That was an Eohippus."

"It can't be." Yelled Biggles. "They're prehistoric and extinct."

"Not here." Answered Mors.

Before further explanation was attempted multiple little galloping sounds permeated the forest. A whole herd of about thirty minature equines bolted through the area, some even ran straight past stunned individuals among the explorers. These often let out a desprate whinny when manouvering through the largely human obstacle course while maintaining a frenzied pace.

Tarzan recognised fear in the little horses motivation and the creature they were fleeing soon came into view. A large beaked head broke out of the canopy and travelled across the air with its long neck behind it. In an instant it darted to the ground and seized an Eohippus foal in its beak. The kicking prey ceased its struggle as the walking bird came into full view astride large ostrich legs, yet the wingless predator was twice the size of an ostrich or a man.

All rifles were levelled at the feathered monstrosity but Mors demanded all to lower them and not to move. Gregor did raise himself on his hind legs just to get a sense of their height.

"That's an elephant bird." Said Mors. "Another supposedly extinct species."

All unsaid questions about whether it was the last one or a solitary throwback were quashed when several more of the predatory bipeds entered the clearing. They gave no attention to the motionless humans, being only concerned with getting a share of the first elephant bird's kill. They began to peck at the unfortunate foal in their brother's beak. The whole bunch of them moved away still pecking for shreds of meat.

"Your'e right Tarzan." Uttered Biggles. "This jungle does have strange things."

Tom Swift said. "First Eohippi then elephant birds. This Dr Totenkopf must have found a way to bring them back from extinction. If he can do something so wonderful, why is he making things so monstrous?"

Mors answered. "Because he has lost the plot Tom. Thus we must deal with him."

Irma asked. "What else has he brought from the far past?"

No one was in a position to answer but Irma's query had dark overtones.

Tarzan led the troupe through the tropical greenery but he would often stop to hone his senses on an indistinguishable possible threat. These pauses became too frequent that Tom took the lead with Mors behind him. At one point Tom stepped between two green screens into a moist surface; he was about to proceed when Mors noticed a set of bones near Toms feet. The Luftpirate quickly seized Tom's shirt collar and yanked him back just before the giant Venus fly trap closed on the space where the American was half a second ago.

"Now all of you better listen." Announced Mors to the shocked group. "This island is nothing like Earth. From now on you must act like you are on another planet with dangers you cannot forsee."

The trek continued cautiously though it was increasingly being written off as a bad idea. A gap in the jungle canopy gave Irma a view of the volcano's peak and a new idea. She called everyone to attention but before she could explain Tarzan demanded silence. All knew his look, it was one of approaching danger; it had to be strange because he was struggling to put words to their peril.

"Numa." Uttered the jungle lord."

Tom knew Numa was Tarzan's word for lion. Sure enough a fierce big cat roar reverberated throughout the scene. That which jumped out of the foilage was much bigger than any lion; there was no mane but frontal muscles that bulged with strength and faint stripes. It was the teeth that told all; two thick elongated canines stretched from its upper jaw to below the chin. It was a sabre toothed tiger; Totenkopf had brought this primordial monster back from the Pleistocene age to guard this side of the island.

Tarzan was its intended prey but the ape man had sensed the approach and darted up a tree just as the the claws raked the air in his wake. The rifleman came out of their shock when the beast charged them, they had barely time to raise and no time to aim. the first two were bowled over by its massive bulk, the third got a shot off but the tiger's movements were different from that of his Asian cousin and the rushed fire missed. A claw raked the rifleman's chest, sweeping him aside in agony.

The fouth rifleman could not fire without endangering Mors and Tom who were unfortunately in the beast's vivcinity. Irma stood in the deep dark shade of a tree and tried to look part of it. Despite the fact that the tiger would have smelt her it attacked Mors and Tom. The former's pistol was the only weapon between them. When the striped fury pounced it was knocked aside by a swinging limb from Gregor. Its fury re-directed at the man insect, the tiger snarled baring the full length of its sabre teeth. Gregor went down on his belly and withdrew his head into the thorax. The tiger pounced, past Mors and Tom knocking each down, landing onto the insect back and raked its carapace with its claws to no avail, even the sabre teeth could not penetrate Gregor's armour.

A shot from the rifleman hit the big cat but only seemed to anger it; in one pounce and a few steps the tiger was on the Indian, whose rushed second shot missed the frenzied attacker. Powerful forelegs pushed over the crewman with a set of claws embedded in his chest another set shifted to his face. Tarzan leaped onto the tiger's back from the branches above, his knife was ready to stab the creature's neck but a powerful jump up with a fierce growl threw the ape man ten feet to the side. The tiger resumed its forleg press down on the agonised crewman then dug its sabre teeth deep into the victim's chest until its lower jaw also clamped on the ribs. Those nearby heard the cage get crushed under the vice like bite. A snarl erupted from the blood drenched jaws as the tiger laid claim to its kill, then resumed its hold on the slain crewman and carried it away with surprising speed.

Everyone took a few seconds to come out of their shock and Gregor out of his shell. The two uninjured riflemen got up to tend to their surviving crewmates scratched chest. Irma stepped out of the dark shadow still half frozen with terror. Tarzan, Tom and Mors got to their feet.

"I can't risk any more of my crew traversing this savage jungle." Announced Mors. "We should turn back and re-plan."

"We don't have to." Explained Irma. "We can see the volcano's peak from here. Gregor can carry us there one at a time. Once there we make our way down the industrial interior. That should be more stealthy than going in through a ground level entrance."

Gregor looked through the canopy gap and gave a positive gesture to that plan. Biggles and Tom nodded affirmatively, only Tarzan showed a level of concern, he had not been in Gregor's embrace yet.

Mors turned to his crewmen. "Take our injured shipmate back to the beach. Lindo will come with the boat and drive you back to the Luftpirat. From this point its just me and The League. A portable stretcher was unfoldedfor the injured rifleman, Mors keeping his rifle, the two crewman began to carry their shipmate back to the beach.

Irma volunteered to go first as she can best assess the plan's feasability once she was up there. She raised her arms as Gregor clamped his limbs about her then lifted her up as he flew throught he canopy gap and higher than she had been before. Irma tried not to look down but she was travelling in a few minutes a distance that would've taken hours, deciding to look at the distant ground passing beneath her she felt more glorious than disorientating. All the terror that gripped her during the tiger attack was blown away by the thrilling sensation of flying so high.

Her feet rested on solid rock as Gregor landed on the crater's rim and relaxed his grip. The wind was only slight, it would not blow anyone away. A gaze down the crater verified what they saw from way above. Catwalks and ladders that could provide a way down into the interior.

"Thank you for a thrilling ride Gregor." Said Irma. "We can get down there from here. You can go get the others now."

Antennae and limbs all gestured positively as the man insect took off back to the jungle. Biggles put his hand up to go next but Gregor gestured that he could take two, so Tom was carried on one side while the pilot was carried on the other.

Vocal cries of rejoicement sounded from Tom's mouth as he was lifted up above the jungle roof. Gregor was not taking the high flight path this time as the double weight had him take a closer to the ground approach. For Tom it was still a thrill seeing the land pass beneath him so fast; yet for Biggles it was his vocation.

Gregor reached the side of the volcano then began to skirt its diagonal surface. Tom noticed a circular window suddenly open up on the mountain side ahead, feeling it could only be bad, he yelled out a warning to Gregor. Too late; when the man insect flew over the new hole, a large clicking sound brought a mesh of interlocked strands around the three travellers. Gregor suddenly found it difficult to fly, his wings could not function with all these strands, he could barely manage a soft landing on the mountain slope.

This was a net, a huge strong net. Gregor had to retract his wings but could not close his elytra as it was tangled in the netting which was tightening each second. He let his two passengers go as they were tangled too. His pincers made a little progress cutting the strands but the tightness was constricting his movements. All three were dragged up the slope as the net having caught them was being winched in. Soon they were dragged through the dark circular window, which closed behind them.

Irma noticed the capture by net and realised she was on her own. Mors and Tarzan were too far away. It was she who would have to sneak in to the complex and help the captured ones. Hey, she was a catburglar, it should be a piece of cake to her.

Tarzan and Mors saw the capture then stared at each other.

"They did see us coming." Said Mors.

"Looks like we're going to have to walk." Said Tarzan.