They heard two male voices arguing with each other as they walked closer to the ballroom.
“I would say it’s time to scamper!” Beauregard insisted.
Gable pointed to the stage. “We can hide behind those curtains! Hurry!”
Beauregard and Gable quickly hid behind the curtains as the two pirates entered the ballroom. Both of them were armed with bronze swords.
“I don’t see anyone here,” one of the terrorists muttered.
“This is a ballroom. We’re not going to find any treasure here. Let’s catch up with Adonis. Our captain has the map,” the other pirate commented.
The two Steampunks peered from behind the curtain after their enemies left.
Gable furrowed his eyebrows. “So, the gossip was right about a hidden treasure. That’s why the pirates attacked this ocean liner.”
“Who’s Adonis?” Beauregard wondered out loud.
Gable shook his head. “I have no idea. He must be their captain or someone with authority. I think we should find the other members of my family. We’ll have a better chance of surviving with allies. Let’s move quietly. I lost my weapons in the explosion.”
Beauregard felt queasy. “Lead the way. I’m not brave enough to take the lead yet.”
The two pirates found their captain in one of the hallways.
“Captain, we slaughtered a few Steampunks, but there’s so many of them. What are your orders?” one of the villains asked.
Adonis was obviously distracted and replied, “Do whatever you want with them. Massacre all of the Steampunks if you think it’s right. Just don’t let them bother me. I’m searching for the treasure.”
“That works for us. We’ll see you in the underbelly after we get rid of more of those travelers,” the second pirate said.
After they left, Adonis pulled out his digital map. He looked for the safest path that led to the ship’s underbelly. The pirate captain had a long ways to go.
Chapter 13
Priscilla ran around the decks and hunted for her husband. “I know you’re here someplace, Gable.”
Along the way, she encountered a pirate who wielded an axe. He used the weapon to try to block her passage to safety.
“Where are you going? It’s not a good idea for a pretty lady to be running around where we can find you,” the thug said in a menacing tone.
Even though she didn’t have her metal fan, Priscilla remained feisty. “Get out of my way! I’m not scared just because you’re dressed like a pirate!”
The terrorist raised his weapon. “It’s nothing personal, but I can’t let you, or any other Steampunks, cause trouble for us!”
He swung the axe toward her head but she ducked out of the way. She zipped behind the pirate and untied the rope that was around her waist. Priscilla slung the rope around his neck and strangled him, causing the pirate to drop his axe. The villain pulled out a knife as she choked him, and then he stabbed her in the abdomen several times. Priscilla fell on the floor, giving her attacker an opportunity to escape.
“That moment of heroism backfired! Now you’ll bleed to death!” the pirate spat out.
He dropped the knife and retrieved his axe. An alarm blared while the terrorist hurried across the deck. The floor collapsed underneath him and then he fell through a series of trap doors, screaming the entire way. He fell to the ship’s underbelly where he was ground to a pulp in a chain of enormous gears.
Meanwhile, Adonis was dumfounded while he searched for the treasure. Even though he used a map, the captain still encountered multiple dead ends.
He yanked out his nautical radio. “Blaze, tell me what’s going on! I have the map in my hands and none of the passages are heading to the ship’s underbelly!”
“It must be the emergency system. The ship was probably designed to lock out intruders. I don’t think you can trust anything you see on the submarine. We already know the ship is capable of shape shifting,” Blaze explained.
Adonis was becoming frustrated. “There must be a way to reach the treasure! Supposedly, there’s a secret passage underneath the captain’s office, but I couldn’t find anything! Make yourself useful and give me an idea!”
Blaze looked at his tablet and examined the digital blueprints. “Have you noticed any surveillance cameras on the deck? I’m sure that’s part of the security system. You need to find a pathway that doesn’t have any cameras.”
“That won’t be easy. However, I might be able to find some extra corridors. The crew probably has side exits to maneuver through restricted areas of the ship. Maybe I can sneak behind the galley or storage rooms to find the right path. Keep your radio handy. I’ll be in touch,” Adonis ordered.
Priscilla sat up and picked up the knife that had been used by her assailant. The blade was bent in a zigzag pattern.
“Check it out. Good thing I’m wearing one of my grafted corsets. It protects my belly from brutal attacks. Well, this is a nightmarish voyage. It looks like the ship has booby traps for invaders. Hopefully, the ship’s defenses won’t start attacking me or anyone else in my family,” Priscilla said, after she tossed the ruined knife aside.
She stood up and opened a door that led to the spa, trying to avoid potential enemies.
In another part of the ship, Giles and Malcolm stalked around the deck. They ran into several frightened Steampunks who were running for cover. However, they noticed that some of the Steampunks gave the pirates a difficult time. The two men saw a handful of Steampunks chasing terrorists with antiquated weapons. They saw a male Steampunk pounding one of the pirates with a chair. Another Steampunk pulled a straight blade out of his glove and impaled a pirate against the wall.
“This is absolute chaos! Why would the ship have this type of defense mechanism? People are going to kill each other!” Malcolm griped.
“That’s the point. I think the ship is supposed to trap everyone inside and let the stronger people pick off the weaker ones,” Giles bluntly replied.
Malcolm was disturbed by his friend’s statement. “Isn’t that horrifically barbaric?”
“You’re still getting used to our Steampunk instincts. Our world is about survival. Terrorism is through the roof, and people need to survive a beating or fight back. I don’t want to scare you, but this is pretty normal now,” Giles explained.
Malcolm rolled his eyes. “Terrific. Let’s just survive the trip and get back on dry land.”
One of the pirates found them and pulled out his vintage rifle.
“I saw the two of you on television. My reputation on the high seas will get a huge boost if I can kill a couple of celebrities,” the pirate gloated.
Giles raised his arms in the air. “Just surrender, Malcolm. Your aim sucks too much.”
“Thanks for killing my ego, Giles. I think this is a dumb idea. This guy isn’t here to take prisoners,” Malcolm grumbled.
The thug walked closer to them. “You’re right about that. Adonis is going to be really proud of me for eliminating two big fish like you guys.”
All three of them heard a sudden siren blast while red lights flashed in the background. Giles and Malcolm covered their ears to muffle the noise. The unexpected alarm caused the pirate to drop his rifle. Suddenly, a giant circular saw popped out of the wall and swung toward the villain. He screamed before the saw buzzed off his head. Blood splattered on Giles and Malcolm while the pirate’s body collapsed to the floor. His severed head tumbled to Malcolm’s feet.
“What the heck? That’s a human head!” Malcolm cried.
Giles patted his friend on the shoulder. “Now you’ve had a real initiation into Steampunk society. Welcome to a Post-Apocalyptic civilization.”
Chapter 14
Percy, Savannah, and Reb walked down a hallway where some of the passenger cabins were located.
“Three unarmed Steampunks. This is not a good situation when we’re being attacked by pirates. I have some weapons in our cabin, but getting there will be a risky journey,” Percy discussed.
> Reb rubbed her leg while she limped. “In hindsight, I should have brought a spare baton. It hurts a lot more to walk now.”
They heard something roll behind them.
“What’s that?” Savannah asked.
The trio turned around and saw one of the pirates wheeling a strange mechanical device in front of him.
“Unlike those Utopians, we know how to handle Steampunks,” the terrorist declared.
Reb raised one of her eyebrows as she looked at the cumbersome device. “No offense, but that machine looks big and clumsy. It’s not intimidating at all.”
“You just don’t know about its power,” the pirate gloated.
He flipped a switch that activated the machine. It unfolded and turned into a giant mechanical magnet. The device powered up and tried to pull anyone with metal bones and clothing down the hallway. All three of them tried to run, but only Reb hurried into the next corridor quickly enough. Percy and Savannah flew down the hall and slammed against the giant magnet. Both of them were completely stuck.
Percy gave his daughter a warning when she peered around the corner. “Don’t come any closer, Reb! This magnet is a trap!”
Savannah tried to move, but the magnetic power kept her metallic bones and clothing stationary. “This time, we need you to stay away. I’m really sorry, but you need to leave us behind.”
Reb looked sadly at her parents. “It wasn’t supposed to be like this. I’ll come back.”
“Not if you want to live! Just go already!” Savannah demanded.
Reb looked at them for a moment and then she hobbled away.
Meanwhile, Giles stole an iron sword from a dead pirate.
“I could definitely use this. Fortunately, other Steampunks will eliminate some of these pirates for us,” Giles said as he tied the sword to his belt.
Malcolm fished two other items off the pirate’s body. “What are these suction cups for?”
Giles took them from Malcolm. “I have a feeling they used these suction cups to climb up the ocean liner’s walls. It is an effective way to scale metal walls.”
Malcolm glanced at around the deck. “Maybe your relatives are deeper inside the submarine?”
“You’re probably right. There’s a doorway here. Let’s go inside and figure it out,” Giles agreed.
He opened the door and they ran down another hallway. Malcolm tried to stay calm when he saw multiple dead Steampunks laying on the casino floor.
“What happened? I thought enhanced humans were built to survive terrorist attacks,” Malcolm rambled nervously.
Giles remained focused on their journey. “We’re not immortal. The pirates used powerful explosives to destroy this room. Our clothes are virtually fireproof, but Steampunks will die if they inhale the flames and smoke.”
“Do you think Reb is okay?” Malcolm asked.
Giles was worried but he didn’t want to show his emotions. “My gut feeling is telling me that she’s all right. Reb’s a trooper. I watch out for her, but she’s the type of woman who isn’t helpless.”
They found a door that was painted to appear like part of the wallpaper.
Malcolm found the door handle. “This is a hidden door. I wonder where it goes?”
“Hopefully, it will take us to Reb or some of her relatives. There’s only one way to find out,” Giles replied.
He opened the door and the two men looked down a dark corridor.
“I normally stay away from dark and ominous corridors, but I suppose it’s better than facing pirates,” Malcolm grumbled.
Giles pulled out his pirate sword. “If it makes you feel better, I’ll keep this weapon handy. You might want to pull out your gun. Bad aim or not, we could run into anything here and you’ll want some type of protection.”
They slowly walked through the dark hallway and stepped down a flight of stairs. It was a hall that looked appropriate for a Steampunk submarine. The walls were grafted with iron, and several pipes pumped steam through the ship.
Malcolm looked in the upper left hand corner by the ceiling. “Look at this. More of those creepy cameras are here.”
“I assume those cameras trigger the alarm system and booby traps. They can probably detect metal inside a human body. You should be thanking those silly cameras. They’re smart enough to rescue Steampunks,” Giles said, as he tried to look through a cloud of steam.
Giles and Malcolm walked further down the corridor until Adonis jumped through the steam and scared them.
The menacing pirate unsheathed his massive sword and pointed it directly at them. “What are you doing here? Get out!”
Both of the Steampunks kept their weapons drawn.
“That’s a cool sword. Do they sell weapons like that online?” Giles taunted.
“I’m not leaving here without the treasure! Go back to the surface if you want to live!” Adonis threatened.
“Why couldn’t you find a treasure somewhere else? This was an ocean liner filled with civilians!” Giles yelled.
Adonis sensed fear from his opponents. “Not my problem! The Steampunks were foolish enough to put vacationers and priceless treasure on the same vessel! Blame your own culture!”
“I have a problem letting terrorists get away. That means I have to stop you,” Giles warned.
Adonis chuckled and waved his sword in the air. “That’s fine with me! It’s your funeral!”
Giles looked at Malcolm. “Stay back! I’ll handle this guy!”
“Are you crazy? This guy knows how to fight like a pirate and you don’t!” Malcolm shouted.
Adonis and Giles exchanged blows with their swords. Despite his enhanced strength, Giles struggled to fight against the titanium weapon. Adonis used his sword to knock Giles against the wall. Giles ran out of the way before the titanium sword scraped against the wall. Sparks flew when the large sword left a scratch on the submarine’s décor. They fought until Adonis swiped at Giles’ legs. He leaped above the blade and landed safely on the floor. The two men clashed their weapons several more times until Adonis knocked Giles down. Adonis tried to strike Giles on the floor, but he rolled out of the way. The pirate captain grew angry and brought his sword down again. Giles dodged the titanium sword yet again and then got up. He ran down the corridor and Adonis followed him. Malcolm frantically chased the two men. Giles and Adonis stopped their pursuit and resumed the fight again.
“Your splicing isn’t going to help much! That’s why I have this titanium sword! The Steampunks aren’t the only people who use metal to their advantage!” Adonis boasted.
Malcolm stopped and aimed his gun at the pirate captain. “Freeze, you costume wearing freak!”
He fired the gun and grazed Adonis on the shoulder.
The villain glared at Malcolm. “That was a lucky shot! I have work to finish! We’ll be seeing each other again! I guarantee it!” And with that, Adonis fled down a flight of stairs and disappeared.
Giles breathed heavily, looked at Malcolm, and managed to say, “Good job. You’re starting to look like a Steampunk now.”
Malcolm’s hands shook as he put the weapon away. “Yeah, but it’s a big adjustment.”
“You know what? I think we should find the control room. There’s got to be a way to bring the submarine back to the surface. I don’t think we can get rid of these pirates by ourselves, but the navy or coast guard should be able to apprehend them,” Giles logically explained.
Malcolm was growing tired of their journey. “The control room. Why not? I have nothing else to do anyway.”
On the pirate ship, Blaze monitored the submarine’s path on his navigational system.
“Stay on track! We’re right above the submarine!” Blaze yelled.
The pirate who steered the wheel was doubtful. “How do you know that? We can’t see anything!”
“Our captain gave me a state-of-the-art navigational device that was designed for nautical traveling. I don’t know anything about his connections, but he finds a lot of great tools through the blac
k market,” Blaze explained.
Another pirate complained about his situation. “I think we’re lost. How do we know Adonis and the others are even alive?”
Blaze kept the crew under control. “I’ve been communicating with the captain. We have radios that work underwater. Anyway, I need all of you to be at your stations in case we run into the military. Keep your eyes open.”
Back on the submarine, Reb limped through a hallway as she tried to get away from the passenger cabins. She glanced around the corner and saw a pirate patrolling down another hallway. He was armed with a trident.
She felt the urge for vengeance. “Those pirates are making it personal for me. It’s time for some Steampunk justice,” she said quietly to herself.
Reb leaped on the terrorist and tackled him to the floor.
“Get away from me, you crazy woman!” the thug demanded.
She repeatedly punched the man’s face until he was knocked out. Reb took the trident and stood up.
“Now this is what I call a baton. I think it’s time to venture into the underbelly and see what’s so important about this treasure,” she said, as she planted the trident on the floor.
Chapter 15
Percy and Savannah were glued fast to the giant magnet but attempted to break free.
“Are you having any luck?” Savannah asked as she struggled.
Percy couldn’t budge, despite his tremendous strength. “I can’t move. This doesn’t look good. I’m not sure if it’s going to work out for us this time.”
The pirate pulled out an iron axe. “This magnet really works well. I got two Steampunks at the same time. You seem like good people, but I have to follow the captain’s orders. I’ll make it quick.”
Percy and Savannah used all of their strength to hold each other’s hands while the pirate walked closer. The thug’s movement triggered another alarm. He dropped the axe and covered his ears as the alarm bellowed.
“What is that infernal noise?” Percy growled.
“I don’t know! It’s so loud!” Savannah yelled.
The Post-Apocalyptic Society: A Nelson and Hyde Revolution Page 19
