War of the Damned (Relic Hunters)

by Martin Ferguson

  ‘Yeah, but they’re all IC, Adam,’ Matt says. ‘Incomplete.’

  ‘And they’ll remain like that until you conquer the…’ Dave says before I cut him off.

  ‘Yeah, yeah, I know. Until I get over my problem,’ I say. My fear – water.

  ‘I think that’s enough for now,’ Charles says as he stops the recording just at the point my blackened face is frozen in an unflattering pose. ‘Echo Team, you have your assignment, Adam included. Head out to this recovered U-boat as soon as possible and report back what you find.’

  As the rest of the team begin to file out of the room, heading towards the museum’s hangar bay, I see Charles sigh heavily and lean against one of the chairs. He looks to his mobile phone as it flashes with an incoming call but he ignores it, sighing again before rubbing his tired eyes.

  ‘Boss, can we speak?’ I ask.

  ‘You and I both have places to be, Mr Hunter, so make it quick,’ he replies.

  ‘Your meetings with the United Nations, all the other interrogations you’ve had, it’s all because of what we did in Egypt,’ I say. ‘I didn’t stop the curse from being unleashed. It should be me facing the music, not you.’

  ‘It is kind of you to say so, Adam, but this is my job,’ Charles says. ‘I answer for the actions of the museum and its teams. Besides, I must make them see that it is only thanks to your efforts that the curse was stopped and that I still stand and breathe today. Now, you really should be going or the rest of the team will leave without you. Besides, I have a flight to New York I cannot miss.’

  ‘Take care of yourself, Charles,’ I say.

  ‘You too,’ he replies.

  I leave Echo Team’s operations room and take the lift to the main garage. Inside the garage are dozens of bikes, cars, Jeeps, trucks, and all manner of vehicles. Nearby, I see Matt’s copper red convertible and my father’s old Honda military motorcycle. Both have seen better days. Matt’s car has undergone repairs to its engine, bonnet, and bodywork, and has a replaced windscreen. My father’s motorcycle has endured even more extensive repairs, with a great deal of parts ordered in from countries all over the world. It’s taken me months but it’s almost roadworthy now.

  ‘And I see the final member of Echo Team,’ Tristram Hill greets as I cross the garage. His clothes are covered in oil and paint as always, an unlit cigarette tucked behind an ear covered in piercings.

  ‘And I see the reason Abbey gets so distracted at times,’ I reply, making him blush. ‘What does our favourite tech guy have for me today?’

  ‘I have your refurbished compound bow and the requested arrowheads,’ he says, handing me a case. ‘There are your usual arrowheads and the new incendiaries and explosives. I’m having a lot of fun testing a few new prototypes that we can run through when you’re back from bonnie Scotland. Oh, and of course, here is your body armour.’

  ‘Do I have to wear this?’ I ask. ‘The dark grey uniforms are bad enough.’

  ‘It’s Charles’ order,’ Tristram replies as he hands me my armour. Dave was right; it is very much a stab vest like those worn by members of the police. I pull it on, and it is a snug fit and carries some weight to it.

  ‘The plating is reinforced and should offer plenty of protection,’ Tristram explains. ‘The pouches will be useful, too and you will see, I have already stocked them with all your usual equipment of smoke grenades, bolas, and a first aid kit.’

  ‘Anything else?’ I ask, growing impatient and hearing the rest of my team calling me over.

  ‘One more item,’ he says. ‘Your headset.’

  ‘I wondered when I would see these again,’ I say cheerily.

  I take out the set of glasses from their small case. They have clear lenses and silver frames and appear innocent enough to the unknowing eye. In truth, they house display screens in both lenses with hi-tech sensors and communications arrays.

  ‘They cost me more to repair after your Egypt expedition than your bike and Matt’s car combined,’ Tristram explains. ‘Be more careful with them.’

  ‘Fingers crossed there are no Ancient Egyptian traps on-board this German U-boat,’ I joke.

  3

  ADAM—Eight thousand feet in the air, thirty miles east of Edinburgh, Scotland

  ‘How are you coping, Matt?’ I ask as the helicopter hurtles towards the coast.

  ‘I’m fine,’ he replies with his eyes clamped shut.

  ‘Still not a fan of heights?’

  ‘Shut up, Adam,’ he replies, making the rest of us laugh.

  ‘Sorry about the turbulence folks,’ Gabriel says over the communications sets. ‘If only this wasn’t my first day flying.’

  ‘Shut up, Gabriel,’ Matt yells, making us laugh even more.

  ‘You never had a problem with planes,’ I say to him.

  ‘Planes are a lot safer,’ he replies.

  ‘What do you mean safer?’ Gabriel says. ‘It’s been at least a week since I last crashed!’

  Dave rides up front with Gabriel, I think in part to make sure our pilot stays focussed – and awake. The rest of us check over equipment, or in Matt’s case, try to keep the contents of his stomach in check.

  ‘Where’d the museum get this rust bucket?’ I ask of the old Puma helicopter.

  ‘Don’t you listen to them, Amy,’ Gabriel says. ‘Me and this old girl have been through a lot together.’

  ‘I can tell; it’s filthy,’ Emma replies. Satisfied her kit is ready, she is now putting her skills as an artist to use, drawing on her body armour. I can already see a tiger’s eyes and its snarling jaw taking shape.

  ‘Amy’s just unique,’ Gabriel says back. ‘She may be filthy, but she soars through the air like an eagle.’

  ‘Why Amy?’ Matt asks, trying to forget his fear of heights. ‘Why name a helicopter that?’

  ‘You call your car Missy,’ Gabriel says back.

  ‘Only when she’s misbehaving,’ my brother replies.

  ‘Where did you get her?’ I ask.

  ‘Borrowed from the British Army,’ Gabriel says, ‘and I conveniently forgot to give it back.’

  ‘And you wonder why people call us thieves,’ Emma comments.

  ‘I know, right?’ Gabriel chuckles.

  ‘What have you been up to since Egypt?’ I ask.

  ‘Helping Judy out with a few things,’ he replies. ‘She’s been struggling since losing John.’

  I’m initially shocked that his answer doesn’t include alcohol of some kind, but not surprised by his response. Judith Westmore is a member of the British Museum’s Charlie Team, as was her husband John until he lost his life during our excavation of Osiris’ tomb in Egypt. Gabriel was close to them both, and John’s loss hit him hard. It is good to hear he has been supporting Judith.

  ‘How is she?’ Matt asks with his eyes still closed.

  ‘Judy’s a strong girl,’ Gabriel says. ‘Certainly stronger than anyone I know. She’ll pull through given time. Anyway, what I want to know is, did Emma ever go for that drink with our dear sweet Adam?’

  ‘Good question,’ I add.

  ‘I’m in a permanent status of, ‘I’m busy.’’ Emma smirks.

  ‘One day,’ I reply with a grin.

  ‘So that’s another crash and burn from our youngest Hunter brother.’ Gabriel laughs. ‘How about Hunter senior? Matt, how’s Kat getting on? Eager for you to ask those four big words yet?’

  ‘It’s three words at the moment – Get Me Food!’ Matt replies, still with his eyes shut. ‘The pregnancy is certainly having an effect!’

  ‘Just wait until the kid is here,’ Dave says. ‘That’s when everything will change.’

  ‘Poppa Dave’s words of wisdom,’ Gabriel jokes. ‘Enough of those, I think.’

  Music sounds from speakers mounted on the helicopter; the songs of Frank Sinatra blare as we thunder on towards our destination.

  ‘Nice choice,’ I call out to Gabriel.

  ‘You’re a fan?’ he replies.

  ‘Our father was,�
� I say. The songs bring back good memories of my family when it was whole. I know Matt is thinking the same by the way he is smiling at me.

  ‘Guys, I got good news,’ Abbey says over the headsets. ‘The dredging teams have recovered the U-boat and lowered it on to the sands near Tantallon Castle.’

  ‘We’re very nearly there,’ Gabriel says. ‘In fact, we can see the beach and the landing site… and there’s the U-boat.’

  ‘And, it appears we have bad news, too,’ Dave says. ‘Seems the German team beat us to it. There’s three helicopters already on the beach.’

  ‘Damn,’ Matt mutters, finally opening his eyes and peering out through the helicopter’s windows. ‘Gabriel, cut the music.’

  I look out of the helicopter windows, and though the others are worried about the German teams beating us to the prize, it is the U-boat itself resting upon the sands of the beach cove that my eyes focus on.

  Even from a distance, I can see the U-boat, and it is just like I pictured; the long stretching metal hull of the German submarine, the tower and its anti-aircraft gun, the propeller, and even the periscope. It is entirely intact, spotless but for the ravages of time on the ocean floor.

  For once, I don’t need Abbey to give me any detailed historical background. I know that during the Second World War in particular, the German Navy utilised its U-boat fleet to strike fear across the waves. The U-boats nearly crippled the Allied fleets transporting badly needed supplies to Britain. We are about to see one of the last of those terrors ever built and put to sea.

  ‘Reckon we’ll be able to go aboard?’ I ask, unable to contain my excitement.

  ‘We didn’t come all this way for nothing,’ Emma says with a similar grin on her face.

  ‘Hang on,’ Matt says. ‘Is that smoke coming from the landing site?’

  ‘Smoke and gunfire,’ Dave warns, quickly checking his own firearm is loaded and ready.

  Flashes of gunfire and smoke rise from what I guess are the vehicles of the dredging crew.

  ‘I’m taking us in closer,’ Gabriel says, descending the helicopter sharply before his voice calls out from the loudspeakers.

  ‘THIS IS THE POLICE. CEASE ALL HOSTILITIES AND COME OUT WITH YOUR HANDS UP!’

  The response is a dozen bullets striking the fuselage of the helicopter.

  ‘That’s not very nice!’ Gabriel yells as he banks our aircraft sharply away. ‘Hang on to something! I’ll get us clear!’

  ‘Those aren’t the German archaeological teams,’ Matt says. ‘Gabriel, land us on the far side of those beach huts. They should give us some cover.’

  ‘What do you want us to do, boss?’ Dave asks.

  ‘Dave, Gabriel, try to reach the dredging crew and get them to safety,’ Matt instructs, snapping immediately into his leadership role in the team.

  ‘I’m just here to fly the helicopter,’ Gabriel complains.

  ‘You really want to miss out on a fight?’ I ask.

  ‘You got me there,’ he replies with a chuckle before turning the helicopter hard and diving down to land.

  ‘Emma, Adam, you two are with me,’ Matt instructs.

  ‘And where are we going?’ Emma asks.

  ‘We’ve got to reach the U-boat,’ Matt says. ‘Somebody’s certainly interested in it and I want to know why.’

  ‘Abbey, you hearing all this?’ Emma asks via her earpiece.

  ‘I hear everything,’ she replies, her excitement and fear heightening her Irish accent. ‘I’m trying to contact the local authorities and get any kind of help over to you guys.’

  ‘Just do what you can,’ Matt tells her. ‘Everybody else, arm up.’

  ‘Glad I always tell you to be ready for anything?’ Dave asks, but we don’t answer.

  Matt, Emma, and Dave check over what weapons they have with them and I go through my own equipment. I have the smoke grenades and the wire bolas for entangling and tripping, my collapsible bow with quiver of arrows, and of course, the glasses headset. I pull them out first, putting them on and connecting with Abbey back at the operations room at the museum.

  ‘You guys ready?’ Matt asks Emma and me as Gabriel swings the helicopter round, ready to land. Before we can answer, bullets rattle our helicopter and the rotors begin to stream smoke. Warning sirens scream out from the cockpit.

  ‘Get us down, Gabriel!’ Matt orders, and our pilot puts us into a steep descent before levelling out just before we land – hard.

  ‘Stay together and you’ll be fine,’ Matt tells us before forcing the helicopter door open and climbing out. We follow him out and towards the beach huts. Dave and Gabriel join us once the helicopter’s smoking engine is shut down.

  ‘Ready?’ Matt asks. He is armed with a handgun, the same as Emma. Dave carries a shotgun, and Gabriel, a six-shooter pistol that looks eerily similar to the one his former-friend Hank Buchanan used to carry.

  ‘Protect the people and save the prize,’ I say.

  ‘Just like always,’ Matt replies. ‘Stay together and stay safe.’

  ‘Stay safe?’ Gabriel questions as he laughs. ‘We’d never have signed up for this life if we’d wanted to stay safe.’

  ‘Stay alive then, you crazy fool,’ Dave says before dragging Gabriel towards the beach and the dredger crew. Instantly, we can hear them calling to the workers and trying to get them to safety.

  ‘Right, those two are also…’ Matt begins to say before I interrupt.

  ‘The distraction?’ I guess.

  ‘You got it,’ my brother replies. ‘You know Gabriel won’t exactly be quiet.’ As if on cue, we hear the gunshots of Gabriel’s six-shooter and his cries for a decent challenge.

  ‘Let’s go,’ Matt says, taking the lead as Emma and I follow him towards the beached U-boat.

  We use the dredging equipment for cover, trying to remain unseen for as long as we can and get as close as we can to the German submarine. By the largest crane, we find a small group of the workmen huddling together.

  ‘Who’s in charge here?’ Matt asks.

  ‘Chief Garman,’ a large, burly foreman replies. He clutches his shoulder, blood seeping from a gunshot wound. ‘What the hell is going on?’

  ‘We were going to ask you the same,’ I reply. ‘How did this all happen?’

  ‘Keep your heads down!’ Emma yells as bullets strike the crane ahead of us. She fires her handgun three times in reply, swearing loudly.

  ‘What happened here?’ Matt repeats, focusing on the workmen’s chief.

  ‘We’d just beached the U-boat when their helicopters loomed overhead,’ he explains hurriedly. ‘We thought it was the German archaeologists or the British Museum…’

  ‘They’re not with us,’ I reply.

  ‘We guessed that as they started shooting immediately,’ Chief Garman says. ‘They killed at least three of my crew and I’ve no idea where the rest of them are.’

  ‘You know what they’re after?’ Emma asks as she keeps watch.

  ‘They made straight for the U-boat,’ he replies, wincing as he dares to see the damage done to his shoulder.

  ‘Keep pressure on the wound,’ I tell him, taking the first-aid kit from my combat vest and giving it to one of the workers. ‘Bandage it up, and when the coast is clear, make for the beach huts.’

  ‘There’s about five gunmen around the U-boat,’ Emma says, before firing her handgun twice more. ‘Make that four gunmen. Any ideas?’

  ‘I got one,’ I say, drawing a smoke grenade and attaching it to one of my arrowheads. I prepare another two arrows just like the first. ‘Ready?’

  ‘Go for it,’ Matt and Emma say together, both grinning.

  ‘You two are mad,’ I laugh.

  ‘You’ve got to be in this life,’ Matt replies.

  In one quick movement, I step out of cover and loose the three arrows towards the U-boat and the thugs guarding it. The grenades explode upon impact, covering the area in a thick, dark cloud.

  ‘Go!’ Matt orders. The three of us advance on the submar
ine.

  We sprint forward, weapons raised and ready for anything. One man stumbles out of the smoke, coughing horribly before Emma puts him down hard with a trio of strikes. Another emerges and fires wildly until Matt disarms him and sends him sprawling to the sand. One last man advances with a gun raised at my brother’s head, but I hit the assailant with two arrows to disable him before he can pull the trigger.

  ‘These don’t look like Winterbourne,’ Matt says as he inspects one of the gunmen. ‘Hired thugs by the look of it.’

  ‘Emma, you said four gunmen before,’ I say. ‘I count only three.’

  ‘Missed me,’ a man grunts from behind his gasmask, machine gun raised towards me. ‘Drop the bow.’

  A gunshot sounds and I hear a bullet hiss past me and strike the thug square in his chest. I cannot believe it, and turn to see Dave signal from farther down the beach with a thumbs up. He drops the rifle of the gunman he has disarmed and helps one of the dredging crew to shelter.

  ‘He won’t let you forget that,’ Emma says with a smirking grin.

  ‘I know,’ I reply, still in shock at the impressive accuracy.

  ‘C’mon,’ Matt says, hurrying towards the hull of the U-boat. ‘We’ll take this side-hatch. Looks like they already blew it open. The rest looks intact with no other damage. Give me a foot-up?’

  ‘Sure,’ I reply, helping to lift him and then Emma up and into the side hatch of the submarine. I take a run up, and with a leap, I pull myself on-board the U-boat.

  4

  PRIVATE ANDREW COOPER—2ND Platoon, F Company, 1ST Battalion, Suffolk regiment. River Scheldt, France. 29TH May 1940

  ‘Take cover! Suffolk Regiment, take cover!’ Corporal Brooke screams at us.

  He drags me to the nearest foxhole and throws me down into cover. I barely have a chance to grab my rifle and helmet. My canteen and pack are scattered and lost on the ground of the riverbank. Campbell and Wilson are beside me, both looking as terrified as I am.

  I crouch down as low as I can in the slit-trench, covering my ears and face as the world erupts around me. Artillery shells and mortars; there are dozens of explosions in every direction. Trees fall, and earth and mud shower us as the ground tremors. We hear screams from the wounded and dying, but we can do nothing for them; at least not until the bombardment stops.