Lee Falk - [Story of the Phantom 14]

by The Assassins (v0. 9) (epub)

  “I don’t like to lecture,” she continued, “but I do want to let you know what I’m thinking.”

  Diana smiled. Her mother always wanted to let her know what she was thinking.

  “I could be wrong, but I do feel you’re making a mistake wasting your time with this strange man.”

  “I’ve heard that before, Mother.”

  “Anyone who lives in a cave and only writes a letter once a year can’t be too enthralled with you!”

  “Mother, please. Kit’s been busy. I’m sure he’s meant to.”

  “I think it’s nonsense, that’s what I think. Why you waste your time—”

  “It’s her time,” Uncle Dave cut in, smiling. David Palmer was a husky middle-aged man with an open face, a long nose, bright eyes, and a pipe which he continually chewed on even when it was not lit. He affected a sharply creased fedora over his steel-gray hair.

  “I realize it’s her time, but she’s not getting any younger, you know. Certainly there are all kinds of men in our social stratum who’d love to marry her. She simply won’t let any of them get close enough to her to ask.”

  “Mother,” said Diana softly. “Please.”

  “Look, Diana,” Uncle Dave said forcefully. “Be sure to have a good time, and give my best to your—uh, friend. I always thought he was a very intelligent and interesting fellow.”

  Diana laughed. “Yes, Uncle Dave.”

  “Funny place to board a plane, don’t you think?” Uncle Dave stared out into the water at the four-engined amphibian floating beside the loading jetty. “I thought they only sent jetliners overseas today.”

  “No, Uncle Dave. I thought I’d take this line because it would be restful. You know, there’s so much fuss and feathers aboard a regular jet. Drinks. Movies, I thought I’d just rest and maybe read a little.”

  “Uh. Well, the ship looks sturdy, and surprisingly enough, there are quite a few people taking it.”

  “I think they’re tired of those infernal, time-consuming checkouts at the big airports,” Mrs. Palmer said. “It’s enough to provoke a saint. As if anyone would try to hijack a plane these days!”

  “They do, though,” Uncle Dave frowned.

  “I’ll be perfectly fine.” Diana stooped over to pick up her carryall. “I think they’re getting ready to board.”

  Uncle Dave put out his hand. “Have a safe trip, Diana. And enjoy yourself!”

  “Thanks, Uncle Dave. I will.”

  Diana’s mother presented her cheek for a kiss, and Diana obliged. “Take care of yourself. And watch out for that— that man.”

  “I will, Mother.”

  Diana moved, over and stood in line as a uniformed steward opened the door of the ship and stepped down to prop it against the side of the airplane. The passengers slowly filed in, showing their boarding slips to the stewardess at the door.

  Diana’s mother was watching with Uncle Dave. “Would you look at that distinguished man? Isn’t he something? I wish Diana would fall for someone like that, instead of that strange creature she’s going to see.”

  Uncle Dave glanced at the man his sister-in-law had pointed out. The man in question was tall and erect, middle-aged, and dressed with a sartorial perfection that hinted at a continental tailor. He wore a pearl-gray hat, a limp blue polka-dot scarf that was knotted loosely over his throat, and an expensive suit, cut in the European style. There was a monocle in his right eye and a waxed mustache above his flat lips. He smoked a cigarette in an elaborate holder. If anything, he seemed to be a fashion plate about fifteen years out of date.

  “Maybe Diana doesn’t like monocles.” Uncle Dave didn’t like them himself.

  “Humph.” Diana’s mother turned up her nose. “You’re just like all the rest of them, aren’t you?”

  The tall man with the monocle glanced around hurriedly and made a slight motion of the hand as if to signal someone. Uncle Dave could not see for whom the signal was iptended. Then, as he pondered, he realized there were two heavily built men, each dressed in nondescript gray suits, who were boarding the plane just in back of Diana. The signal was apparently directed at one of them.

  Odd.

  “Well, I suppose we’d better walk back to the car,” said Mrs. Palmer as Diana stepped into the plane, turning at the last moment to wave at them.

  Uncle Dave nodded, still curious about the odd signal he had seen.

  Diana moved along the aisle and found a seat by a window. She put her carryall in the rack above the seat and settled down to fasten the safety belt around her waist.

  She was excited because she had been thinking about the Phantom for months. It was simply because her mother had become so insistent that she go out with other young men— “beaux” as she called them—that Diana had decided to visit the Phantom.

  It was disappointing, of course, that none of her letters to him had been answered promptly. Of course, she knew that the Phantom spent most of his time on mysterious business engagements all over the world. But still, he could write to her more often.

  Of course, most men do not correspond the way women do. She settled down and peered through the porthole. She was on the side of the ship opposite the dock and could not see her mother and uncle. Soon she was conscious of a strange scent wafting through the air.

  She turned.

  In the aisle by her seat was a middle-aged man apparently totally inundated by an after-shave lotion or cologne with a spicy, almost citruslike, odor. He wore a waxed mustache, a monocle, and he was now removing his scarf and suit coat. He smiled at her as he placed them in the rack above the seat.

  “I don’t mean to intrude, but is this seat available?” He made a slight and rather effeminate bow.

  Diana shrugged. “Yes, it is.” She turned to the porthole. She hoped it wasn’t going to be one of those talk-talk flights. She wanted to rest and read and think.

  “Thank you.” The man sank into the seat, rapidly adjusting the seat belt.

  A moment later, the pilot shut the door to the cockpit, the steward closed the loading port with a slam, and the engines started.

  Ten minutes later they were airborne.

  “It isn’t often one sits next to such a charming companion.” The mustached man began talking as soon as the no smoking lights were off. “Do you mind if I smoke? And would you like one yourself?”

  Diana hesitated. It would be rude to say that she hated the smell of smoke and that she objected to tobacco for ecological reasons. She was too polite for that.

  “Not at all.” She smiled faintly. “And, no thank you. I don’t want one myself.”

  “Never took it up,” the mustached man observed with a bright laugh.

  Diana tried to place the accent. The man’s speech was not guttural enough to be German, and it was not nasal enough to be French. Hungarian? No. Russian? Possibly. Greek? It was difficult to tell. Diana was no expert on accents. She didn’t even care about his voice. It was enough that the man’s cologne was overpowering.

  “You’re a remarkably beautiful woman.” He placed a cigarette in an elaborate ivory holder and lighted up. “Most Americans are not beautiful, as I see it. But you are, Miss ... ?”

  “Miss Palmer.” Diana sighed and turned from the window.

  “Yes, Miss Palmer. I am Henry Kali. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance. Tell me, was that lovely couple you were talking with on the dock your parents?”

  “No.”

  Kali started, looking abashed.

  “One was my mother. The other was my uncle.”

  “I see.” Kali smiled. “There’s good in those people. America is a fine land, a proud country.”

  “Yes.”

  “I am a citizen of the world, Miss Palmer. That is, I do not dwell exclusively in one country. I have business connections everywhere, and therefore, I maintain residences in most capital cities.”

  “How nice,” said Diana.

  “That is why I travel so much. It is required by my international profession.”
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  “Oh.”

  Kali continued to drone on, flicking his finger against the cigarette and splashing the ashes onto the carpeting, adjusting his monocle every so often, grinning at her, running his hand through his greasy black hair, and emanating that overpowering cologne.

  Diana tried to shut out the sound and smell, but she could not.

  He was still talking during the meal. Once he stood up and peered past Diana’s shoulder out the porthole and then settled himself again in his seat.

  When the stewardess came to take away the empty coffee cups, Diana glanced out the porthole and was surprised to see lights on the surface of the water far below.

  “Do you think that is a fishing boat?” she asked, pointing it out to Kali.

  Kali leaned over her and smiled. “I do believe it is, Miss Palmer.”

  “Isn’t it quite far at sea? I thought fishing boats usually stayed reasonably close to shore.”

  “Indeed they do.” Kali glanced at his wrist watch. “Right on time.”

  “I beg your pardon?”

  “Nothing.” Kali stood abruptly. “Will you excuse me, Miss Palmer?”

  “Certainly.”

  Out of the comer of her eye, she saw Kali walk down the 'aisle of the plane toward the cockpit. As he passed the seat ahead of her, she saw him reach out and touch the shoulder of the man seated there. Although she could not hear him, she knew he said something.

  That was curious, she thought.

  She watched as Kali approached the stewardess who had served them dinner. He pointed to the door of the cockpit and seemed to be asking the stewardess if he could go inside. The stewardess shook her head. Then Diana saw Kali remove money from his wallet and give it to the stewardess.

  A moment later he was walking into the cockpit.

  Even more curious, thought Diana. Kali did not strike her as the type of man who was interested enough in aviation to pay his way for a look into the cockpit of a plane.

  There was a sudden lurch as the ship faltered, tilted, and then regained its stability.

  From the cockpit came a muffled sound of gunfire.

  Diana half rose from her seat, hand to her open mouth.

  Ahead of her the man whom Kali had touched on the shoulder leaped into the aisle of the plane, moved quickly to the cockpit door, and turned to face the passengers. At the same time, he slipped his hand into his jacket pocket and removed a gun.

  “Ladies and gentlemen,” he snapped, “you will remain seated, please!”

  Skyjackers, thought Diana. And Kali was their leaderl

  CHAPTER THREE

  When the cockpit door opened, Captain Harmon, pilot of the airliner, had turned around expecting to see the stewardess with coffee for him and Lieutenant Anders, his co-pilot. Instead, he saw a tall man with a monocle and slicked-back hair.

  “Yes, sir?”

  The door closed immediately. The intruder reached inside his suit and pulled out a revolver which he aimed at Harmon’s head.

  “This is the end of the line, Captain Harmon. I’m taking over.”

  Harmon snorted. “Who are you, and what are you up to? We’re in midocean!”

  “Exactly why I boarded a seaplane.” The man smiled flatly. “Now don’t give me any trouble.”

  Lieutenant Anders was speaking into a microphone. “Mayday, Ground Control. Mayday. Latitude—”

  The gun in the intruder’s hand fired instantly. The slug tore apart the radio in the center of the instrument panel.

  “Enough of that,” snapped the skyjacker. “Now do as I say, or I’ll kill the first one who makes a false move.”

  “You’re crazy,” said Harmon. “You can’t get away with this!”

  “Oh, I’ll get away with it, all right. Now let’s put the plane down.” I

  “We’re miles from land!” Harmon protested.

  “We passed a small fishing boat one minute ago. Circle, and land near it.”

  “You must be out of your mind!” cried Anders.

  The gun fired again. The slug smashed into the wall of the cockpit.

  “A warning,” the man chuckled softly. “The next shot will not miss. Do as I say!”

  There was silence. The ship started down.

  Trying not to allow her fear to overcome her, Diana Palmer watched the ocean as the plane descended to meet it. Although it was dark, lights from the lone fishing vessel illuminated the water for hundreds of yards.

  The large four-engined seaplane landed in the water and coasted to a stop.

  In front of Diana, a large portly passenger in a baggy suit stood up and waved his fist in the air.

  “I won’t stand for this!” he shouted. “I’m on an important business trip! A delay could mean millions to my company!” “Simmer down, pops.” The armed man standing in front of the cockpit door glowered at the big passenger. “Sit down before I blow you into your seat.”

  Another man stood at the rear of the plane, training a gun on the passengers from the other direction. He was as hard-faced as the man in front of the cockpit door.

  The cockpit door opened and Kali stepped out, smiling behind his monocle.

  “You must excuse us for the unscheduled stop, ladies and gentlemen. You will all be well taken care of. There is no need to panic. The captain has agreed to cooperate, so no life has been expended superfluously.”

  “See here!” snapped the portly man, about to rise again. “Please do not descend to histrionics, sir,” cautioned Kali. “Now, stewardess, please open the passenger loading door.” The stewardess, hands trembling, complied, and the door opened outwardly. Through the opening, Diana could see the fishing boat with two men, stripped to the waist, standing on the deck. The seamen wore turbans around their heads.

  “Good,” said Kali, smiling benevolently at the passengers. “Now, if you’ll all be kind enough to file out onto the gangplank which the seamen are fastening to the plane, no one will be harmed.”

  Diana glanced around. This was not the usual type of skyjack, when someone took over a plane and ordered the pilot to fly him to Cuba or Algeria. Nor was it the ransom type, with the skyjacker demanding a million dollars for safe delivery of the passengers. Kali evidently wanted the plane and that was all. Odd.

  The passengers had begun straggling toward the door, some grumbling, but mostly numbed with shock and panic-stricken. One by one they stumbled down the aisle, turned, and clattered over the gangplank which was held in place by the two grinning sailors.

  Diana moved out into the aisle and joined the line of passengers. At that moment she felt a hand on her shoulder.

  “Not you, Miss Palmer. You’re coming with us.”

  Diana was stunned. Kali was smiling at her through the monocle, his fingers digging into her arm.

  “I most certainly am not!” cried Diana.

  “Yes, you are.” Kali’s grip tightened, and he pulled her from the line of people. The passengers watched her apathetically and continued to go out through the door.

  Diana fought back. Kali’s face turned grim. He dragged her to the front of the cabin and forced her into the seat. “You stay there!”

  “No, I won’t!” Diana jumped up.

  At that moment the rear door slammed shut. She could see the two husky seamen standing in the aisle by the second gunman.

  Kali laughed. “I’m afraid it’s quite a swim, Miss Palmer!”

  He crossed to the porthole and stood looking down at the passengers and crew on the fishing boat.

  “Good-bye, ladies and gentlemen! I’m afraid I lied a bit to you. Your fishing boat is rudderless and without radio or engine.”

  There were shouts of anger from the vessel.

  “But don’t worry, you won’t drift long.”

  Diana felt a chill up and down her backbone.

  Kali smiled. “I’ve left a time bomb aboard the boat!”

  A woman shrieked.

  “Don’t bother to look for it,” Kali continued. “It’s very well hidden. And it’s timed
to go off in exactly five minutes—long before you could locate it Au revoir.” Kali closed the porthole.

  Diana jumped from her seat. “You monster!” she screamed.

  She ran down the aisle and thrust herself at the closed door. One of the heavily muscled seamen reached out to take her arm.

  She twisted away. In her panic, she looked up and down the aisle and saw only Kali and his gunmen. Then, almost within reach, she saw a section of the ship’s hull labeled

  , EMERGENCY EXIT.

  She grabbed at the handle, twisted, and the entire section fell open.

  “Grab her!” yelled Kali.

  One of the seamen jumped toward her, but she threw herself past him out into space. The shock of the cold sea water almost knocked the breath out of her, but she was an excel--lent swimmer and she struck out for the boat not more than ten yards away.

  On the deck the passengers were crowded at the rail watching her. One of the men held out his hand.

  Before she could cover the distance between herself and the vessel, she felt another splash nearby and saw the grim face of the second gunman churning toward her, his powerful arms propelling him swiftly through the water.

  He grabbed her.

  “I’ve got her!” he yelled to Kali.

  “Good!” growled Kali’s voice from above.

  She felt herself immobilized by the gunman’s strong arms. Through the air a rope was flung down from the airplane.

  The gunman tied a quick knot, looped it under Diana’s arms.

  “Stop it!” she cried. “You’re hurting me.”

  She fought desperately to get out of the loop, but almost immediately she felt herself being lifted out of the water and hauled up toward the emergency exit of the plane.

  On board the fishing boat, someone shouted to her, “I’ll help you!”

  Instantly there was a gunshot from above her, and the voice screamed in pain.

  Diana knew there would be no more help from that quarter.

  The rope tightened on her body as she was hauled unceremoniously aboard through the escape hatch she had activated.

  Wet and shivering, she was untied and pushed into one of the seats as the deckhands closed the exit.

  “Look out there, Miss Palmer.” Kali gestured with a smile. Diana peered out the porthole at the boat. “Well?”