[Time Hunters 01.0] The Time Hunters

by carl ashmore

  ‘Do it, Will,’ Uncle Percy said coolly.

  ‘NO!’ Becky cried. But it was too late. The arrow had been fired.

  Becky watched with dismay as it pierced the bird’s neck and plummeted down, crashing into the water with a gigantic splash. Uncle Percy jumped in after it.

  Becky was hysterical and glared at Will. ‘You murderer!’

  Uncle Percy swam over, but the bird had vanished. Taking a gulp of air, he plunged underwater and seized its ankles, appearing on the surface seconds later.

  Becky watched as he swam toward them, dragging the bird’s carcass behind him. Will grabbed a length of rope and tossed it into the sea. Uncle Percy caught it and heaved himself aboard.

  ‘Now, Becky, Joe,’ Uncle Percy said, smoothing back his soaking hair. ‘That might’ve looked like a dreadful thing to do, but it only looked that way.’ He tossed the bird on the deck. It landed with a particularly heavy clank.

  ‘Dreadful?’ Becky screamed. ‘You just committed murder! I should fire an arrow into your throat.’

  Uncle Percy grinned. ‘Please don’t. And to murder something it had to be alive in the first place.’

  Becky wasn’t listening. ‘You’ve just killed an innocent bird for no reason.’

  Uncle Percy ignored her, picked up the bird and, in one swift action, twisted its head off.

  Becky yelped. However, instead of blood, she saw a thick gust of smoke and thin, wispy sparks of electricity.

  ‘This is a very advanced piece of technology,’ Uncle Percy said. ‘Joe, would you pass me a knife, please?’

  Joe raced to the hull. He snatched a large knife from an open sack of oranges and handed it over. ‘What is it?’

  ‘It’s a Cyrobot,’ Uncle Percy replied. Dropping to his knees, he plunged the blade into the bird’s breastbone; it splintered to reveal a series of torn flesh, blood, cabling and electronic circuits. ‘Look at the craftsmanship.’ He sounded impressed. ‘I believe, what we have here is an Enthium exo-skeleton, a voice relay tracking system, lycro-skin and solar-induced battery capacitors.’

  ‘I-it’s a robot?’ Becky felt a sudden urge to be sick.

  ‘Of sorts. A cyborg.’

  ‘Huh?’ Becky grunted.

  ‘It’s half-organic, half-mechanical,’ Uncle Percy continued. ‘It was a bird, now it’s a tool. A very sophisticated tool.’

  ‘And it was following us?’ Joe said.

  ‘Indeed.’

  ‘Why?’ Joe said.

  ‘Because of this.’ Uncle Percy pulled out a small metal cube.

  ‘What is it?’ Joe asked.

  Uncle Percy stood up, raised the box into the light and examined it. ‘It’s a recording device and, unless I’m mistaken, a cellular broadcaster. Someone, somewhere, is watching and listening to our every move.’ He dropped the cube onto the deck, raised his foot and smashed his heel down on it. ‘At least they were.’

  ‘So you can make a Cyrobot out of any dead animal?’ Joe asked.

  ‘Yes.’

  ‘And you can maneuver it like a remote control plane?’

  ‘That’s the idea.’

  Joe turned slowly to Becky, his face white as marble. ‘The psycho budgie!’

  Becky’s stomach tumbled. ‘Oh my God,’ she panted.

  ‘What is it, Becky?’ Uncle Percy asked quickly.

  Becky couldn’t speak, so Joe did it for her.

  ‘Becks was attacked by this mad budgie in our front garden a few hours before we came to Bowen Hall.’

  ‘And it kept aiming for my throat,’ Becky added quietly. ‘But it was after my pendant, not me.’

  ‘Then that’s something, isn’t it?’ Uncle Percy said, trying to make her feel better.

  ‘I guess,’ Becky replied. ‘But I nearly let that same budgie into my room just an hour before that. I nearly let the traveller into my bedroom…’

  *

  In contrast with Becky, the discovery of the Cyrobot seemed to raise Uncle Percy’s spirits. He spent the rest of the afternoon forcing Becky and Joe to play the dullest round of I-Spy imaginable (‘I-Spy the sea’ – ‘I-Spy the sky’) and taking Edgar’s lead in doing some exercise.

  ‘What’s put you in such a good mood?’ Becky asked finally, watching him collapse after his second press-up. ‘We are being followed!’

  ‘Correction. We were being followed. That’s precisely why I’m happy. And so long as there isn’t another Cyrobot disguised as a bottle-nosed dolphin, then this traveller has no idea where we are.’

  Day melted into night and Becky found herself lying under a blanket, staring wistfully at the glittering stars above. The only sound was the lapping of the water against the ship and the sail flapping as it gathered every trace of wind. She had so many questions to ask Uncle Percy, but judging by the soft snores coming from his bed now was not the time to ask them. What she was most eager to know, however, was something she felt sure he wouldn’t tell her: the topic of the argument between him and her dad. What on earth could be so serious they hadn’t spoken for so many years? She had no idea what it could be. And so she just lay there, gazing at the heavens, as the ship glided through the ocean.

  *

  On the second day, Becky sensed a mild but tangible air of tension as Uncle Percy busied himself by performing safety checks on Bertha. Edgar spent most of the afternoon sketching a detailed map of Kera, offering hushed words of advice to Will and Uncle Percy which were received with nods and murmurs of agreement.

  Becky awoke on the third morning to find Uncle Percy, Will and Edgar staring fixedly on the horizon. She kicked her brother awake and ran to join them. ‘Is that it?’

  ‘It is,’ Edgar said in a low voice. ‘The Island of Kera …’

  ‘It’s big,’ Joe yawned, appearing behind them. ‘Do we know where we’re going when we get there?’

  Uncle Percy held up the map. ‘We know exactly where we’re going.’

  As the island extended before them, Edgar lowered the sails and took up the oars. Fighting the current, he steered the ship to the shoreline. Kera was more imposing than Becky had expected. There were sprawling golden beaches, exposed reefs of coral and emerald blankets of scrubland. A vast, rust-coloured mountain range was just about visible.

  Edgar guided the ship into the shallow waters, toward a bay that clung to the shore like a giant horseshoe. Raising the oars, he dropped anchor. Will positioned two wooden planks between Bertha and the beach. After loading their belongings, Uncle Percy drove on to the sand, before returning to the ship.

  Uncle Percy, Will, Becky and Joe lined up before Edgar, whose black eyes were misty and lifeless.

  ‘It’s time to say goodbye, Edgar,’ Uncle Percy said. ‘Thank you so much for everything.’

  ‘It has been an honour and a pleasure,’ Edgar said glumly. ‘Please, be careful.’

  ‘We will,’ Uncle Percy replied, extending his hand.

  ‘Goodbye, Edgar,’ Becky and Joe flung their arms around his waistline.

  Edgar hugged them tightly. ‘I will miss you both, very much.’ His voice quivered. ‘You must take excellent care of each other.’

  ‘We will,’ Becky and Joe replied at the same time.

  Will stepped forward and offered his hand. ‘Our thanks, my friend, and our best to your brothers.’

  Edgar pushed Will’s hand aside and pulled him close in a back-crushing hug.

  Releasing Will, Edgar turned to the group. ‘I refuse to weep,’ he sniffed, ‘but there is one more thing...’ He reached down and lifted up his sack. He pulled out a long object swathed in matted brown cloth. ‘I want you to have this.’

  He unraveled it to reveal an orange dagger, which glistened in the sunlight. The dagger appeared to be made from the same curious metal as the Theseus Disc. ‘It was my grandfather’s.’

  ‘We can’t, Edgar,’ Uncle Percy said. ‘You’ve given us quite enough.’

  ‘You must,’ Edgar insisted. ‘If you are to face the great beast your mortal weapons will be of no us
e. This is made from the metal of my motherland. It may bring you the fortune you need. I beg you to take it.’ He offered the dagger to Uncle Percy, who took it.

  What was a dagger in Edgar’s hands was nothing less than a magnificent sword in Uncle Percy’s.

  ‘Thank you, Edgar,’ Uncle Percy said sincerely. ‘We’ve taken so much from you and given you nothing.’

  The Minotaur gave a deep bow. ‘Your friendship has been the finest gift I could have ever wished for…’

  Taking it in turns, they each gave Edgar a final hug. Then they climbed into the time machine and drove off.

  Grief-stricken, Becky turned and watched as Edgar grew smaller and smaller, his plate-sized hands waving madly.

  What she couldn’t see were the streams of tears rolling down his snout.

  - Chapter 27 -

  The Red Caves

  As they pressed deeper into the island, Becky felt a profound sense of loss swell inside. She missed Edgar terribly, and judging from the glum faces around her she wasn’t the only one.

  ‘I hope Edgar will be safe,’ Joe said.

  ‘He’s the size of a monster truck,’ Becky said. ‘Of course he will be.’

  ‘I know, but -’

  ‘He will,’ Will reassured them.

  ‘According to the alto-radar,’ Uncle Percy said, ‘his family’s island is less than a mile away. It’ll be good for him to see his brothers again.’

  Becky twisted to face front. ‘Uncle Percy, why don’t we know about Minotaurs? I mean, we know about dinosaurs and other extinct things. Surely, someone would have found Minotaur fossils? They’re big enough.’

  ‘That’s an excellent question, Becky,’ Uncle Percy said. ‘And I was the biggest doubting Thomas about their existence, wasn’t I? I suppose, the reality is that there are many creatures that we have no idea existed. If there was only a small population to begin with, the chances of finding remains are actually very remote. Alternatively, hundreds of new species of fish are discovered each year.’

  ‘But that’s just boring fish,’ Joe quipped, ‘not massive Bull-men.’

  ‘The same principles apply, Joe,’ Uncle Percy replied. ‘There are many species that have managed to remain hidden from human eyes, some living in such hostile climes it’s virtually impossible for humans to explore.’

  ‘Like Yetis,’ Joe said excitedly. ‘Do they exist?’

  Becky snorted. ‘Of course they don’t.’

  ‘Actually, Becky, they do,’ Uncle Percy said. ‘I’ve met one.’

  ‘You have?’ Joe gasped.

  ‘I have,’ Uncle Percy confirmed. ‘A community of them, in actual fact.’

  ‘Where did you meet them?’

  ‘I was in the Himalayas exploring the south-western slopes of the Menlung Glacier in 1950, and I got separated from my party, a British geological expedition. Anyway, I was at an altitude of about 15,000 feet, when I discovered some large footprints covered in blood. I followed the trail and found an injured Yeti. It had been attacked by a number of snow leopards. Fortunately, I had food and an extensive medical kit, and spent two days nursing him back to health. He told me his name was Gimbledok and -’

  ‘Yeti’s can talk?’ Becky interrupted, sounding very skeptical.

  ‘Not particularly well, I’m afraid,’ Uncle Percy said. ‘However, he was speaking in an ancient Nepalese dialect, and I, of course, was wearing my transvocalisor. Anyway, by way of thanks, he took me to his cave village, high in the mountains. There were about twenty Yetis in total. Gimbledok was their chieftain.’

  ‘What were they like?’ Joe asked.

  ‘Very noble,’ Uncle Percy said. ‘Very loyal, peaceful unless provoked, and they love collecting things. Some things I found dated back hundreds, if not thousands of years. That reminds me, I really should visit them soon.’

  ‘Would you take me?’ Joe said immediately.

  Uncle Percy chuckled. ‘We’ll see.’

  ‘What other creatures exist?’ Joe said eagerly. ‘Ones I might’ve heard of.’

  ‘Err, Unicorns,’ Uncle Percy said, glancing at Becky in the rear-view mirror.

  Becky’s ears pricked up. ‘Really?’ Unicorns had always been her favourite mythical creature.

  ‘Indeed, they do. As a matter of fact, they still exist on an unchartered island in the South China Seas. There are hundreds of them. Staggeringly beautiful creatures.’

  ‘What about werewolves?’ Joe asked enthusiastically.

  ‘Not to my knowledge.’

  ‘Vampires?’

  ‘There were rumours during the seventeenth century, but I honestly can’t say.’

  ‘Dragons?’

  ‘Again, plenty of rumours, particularly from twelfth century Europe. You’re from then, Will. Did you hear of any dragons?’

  Will smiled. ‘Tuck claimed he saw one once. But the friar’s fondness for mead clouded his vision on more than one occasion.’

  For a further five minutes, Joe asked about which other mythical beasts existed and which hadn’t. He was particularly disappointed to discover the Loch Ness Monster was a mechanical cow planted by an Irish time traveller, Fergal Murphy, in the nineteen twenties, the result of a drunken dare.

  After much laughter, it was Becky’s words that changed the tone. ‘And what about Hydras?’

  The campervan fell silent.

  ‘That, Becky, remains to be seen...’

  *

  Soon the conversation dwindled to little more than the odd murmur. The gravity of their situation had dawned - they were approaching the Red Caves, the supposed location of the Golden Fleece.

  Becky stared at Edgar’s dagger. And she wasn’t the only one. Joe was looking, too. Hesitantly, he leant over and picked it up.

  ‘Be careful with that, Joe,’ Uncle Percy said. ‘It’s extraordinarily sharp.’

  ‘And this is what we’re going to kill the Hydra with, is it?’ Joe said.

  ‘If there is a Hydra, Joe, I’m sure it will be dealt with in whatever way is necessary,’ Uncle Percy replied. ‘However, whatever happens, we are not going to be killing anything. At least, you’re not. You and Becky are not taking one step inside those caves.’

  Becky was gobsmacked. After all they’d been through together. How could he even consider them not being together at the end?

  ‘But -’ Joe spurted.

  ‘But nothing,’ Uncle Percy replied firmly.

  ‘We can fight,’ Joe said resolutely.

  ‘I’m sure you can,’ Uncle Percy replied. ‘But not today.’

  Joe’s voice was rising now. ‘So what are we going to do?’

  ‘You can wait outside and guard Bertha!’

  Joe turned beetroot red. ‘From what?’ he barked. ‘Monkeys?’

  Uncle Percy didn’t rise to the bait. ‘I’ll be setting Bertha’s remote to Bowen Hall. If Will and I don’t return, you will travel back to the Hall. It is not open to discussion.’

  Joe looked to Will for support. ‘But Will?’

  ‘I would have it no other way,’ Will replied honestly.

  Finally, Becky broke her silence. ‘But you need us …’

  ‘What I need,’ Uncle Percy said, ‘is for you both to be safe.’

  ‘But you can’t go in there alone,’ Becky said.

  ‘I never said we were going in alone,’ Uncle Percy replied mysteriously.

  ‘But -’

  Uncle Percy smiled sweetly at her. ‘And that is my final word on the matter…’

  - Chapter 28 -

  The Great Gate

  Becky and Joe sulked as the campervan weaved its way through dense jungle into the heart of the island. Joe had thrown the dagger to the floor. He refused to speak to anyone and stared furiously out of the window.

  Much to Becky’s frustration, Uncle Percy was ignoring their silent protest and acted like he hadn’t a care in the world. He hummed loudly, pointed out interesting wildlife, cracked jokes and conferred with Will as they pored over Edgar’s map. Then it swelled o
n the horizon: a red mountain.

  ‘What the - ’ Uncle Percy said, his gaze fixed on the road ahead.

  Becky peered through the windshield and let out a gasp of surprise. Before them stood the ruins of a decimated village; flecks of sand carried on the air like a yellow mist, landing on the scarred remains of burnt out buildings. Her surprise turned to horror as she saw dozens of human skeletons scattered everywhere, their flesh long since torn off by scavengers. She felt bile rise in her throat as she saw a snake loop the black, empty eye-socket of a human skull.

  ‘What happened here?’ Joe puffed.

  ‘No idea,’ Uncle Percy said gravely. ‘But whatever it was happened a long time ago. It’s none of our concern.’

  From the sound of his voice, Becky wasn’t convinced.

  Uncle Percy steered Bertha toward the Red Mountain. They were now close enough to see something gigantic and silvery fashioned into the rock.

  The Great Gate.

  A few minutes later, Uncle Percy drew Bertha to a halt and they all clambered out. Soon, they were standing in a dumbstruck silence before the colossal grilled structure that gleamed brightly in the high sun.

  Reverently, Uncle Percy’s eyes moved left and right, up and down, as he absorbed every inch of the magnificent construction. ‘So this is Minotaur craftsmanship … remarkable!’ His hands moved across the thick panelling to find a circular space on the far left-hand side. ‘The keyhole…’

  Becky’s pulse raced as she felt Joe’s hand slip into hers.

  They were so close.

  At once, Uncle Percy swivelled on his heels and marched to the campervan. He climbed in, inputted something onto the time pad, and wound down the window. ‘Now Becky, Joe, I won’t be a second. Literally…’

  Becky and Joe exchanged as, with a BOOM, Bertha had vanished.

  ‘What’s he doing?’ Joe said.

  ‘Worry not,’ Will smiled. ‘His plan is - ’ Before he could finish, Bertha reappeared in exactly the same spot as before.

  Uncle Percy was sitting there, a broad grin on his face. ‘I told you we weren’t going in alone.’ He flung open the driver’s door. ‘I’ve brought the cavalry.’