He led Priscilla into the obstacle course. They walked across each section while the pistons lifted upward, and then ran to the next area before it slammed on the platform. It was a seemingly endless pursuit of stopping and then moving forward.
The terrorist followed them while he tried to aim his pistol. “Come back here! I’m not going to let you steal our treasure!”
He fired the pistol, but a piston slammed on the floor and blocked his shot. The pirate became frustrated and pulled out another bullet to reload while he maneuvered through the obstacle course. Gable and Priscilla heard him scream, followed by a horrible squishing noise.
“Don’t look at it! Just keep moving!” Gable hollered, as he helped Priscilla across the platform.
She was both scared and nauseated. “Why can’t we have a normal vacation?”
They worked their way through the pistons as they moved in sequence; rising then slamming on the floor. Eventually, they reached the end of a pathway. The couple were relieved they had survived the obstacle course.
“At least we’re capable of teamwork. That’s a good sign,” Gable feebly said.
“Yeah, but I don’t think we should mention any of this chaos to the kids,” Priscilla muttered.
Gable nodded his head. “Agreed.”
Back on the pirate ship, Blaze returned to his office where Beauregard was being held captive. “This is your last chance to talk before it gets ugly.”
Beauregard was frightened but he didn’t want to show it. “Torturing me won’t make any difference! I don’t know anything about the treasure!”
Blaze opened a box that was filled with tools and pulled out a large wrench. “This is very typical for Steampunks. You’re so proud and defiant. This is my first time using a wrench as a torture device, so let’s see what happens.”
“Wait!” Beauregard yelped.
Blaze hit Beauregard’s face with the heavy wrench. Surprisingly, it didn’t faze him much. The pirate hit Beauregard three more times, failing to achieve the response he wanted.
“Why isn’t this working?” Blaze complained.
“That didn’t hurt very much. The grafting really works,” Beauregard said in awe.
Blaze tossed the wrench aside and pulled out a massive set of pliers. Beauregard thought the pliers were far more menacing.
“I know from experience that pliers are a great way to pull out people’s teeth. Let’s find out if grafted metal anchors your teeth inside the gums. This might be a good time for you to make a confession,” Blaze threatened, as he waved the pliers in front of Beauregard’s face.
The artist tried not to scream but couldn’t help himself. “Please, don’t hurt me! You’re not going to learn anything! Honest!”
Not far away, Giles carefully climbed up the ship while the pirates remained oblivious to his presence. When Giles reached the edge, Malcolm shot his grappling hook into the air. His hook clasped the ledge and then the line quickly pulled him up. They both climbed onto the deck, alerting several of their enemies.
“Intruders! Kill them!” one of the thugs hollered.
The pirates drew their weapons and approached the two Steampunks.
“Use your harpoon gun! Aim for those boxes!” Giles ordered.
Malcolm aimed his crossbow at a towering stack of wooden boxes. “It’s a good thing my aim is getting better!”
He shot the boxes, causing them to tumble on top of several pirates. The injured thugs groaned underneath the wooden boxes. Giles climbed over the pile to reach another part of the deck. Malcolm kicked some of the boxes out of his way and followed his companion.
“It wasn’t very smart of you to face us! The two of you are outnumbered!” a pirate threatened as he wielded a sword.
Giles shrugged. “I already know that.”
The attorney turned a barrel of gunpowder on its side, and used all of his strength to push it across the deck. It quickly knocked over a handful of pirates. Another terrorist, armed with a rifle, aimed it at Giles. Malcolm was quick enough to shoot the rifle out of his hands with a harpoon and save Giles.
“Let’s see if these pirates can stand up against an iron diving suit!” Malcolm declared, as he ran toward some of the pirates.
He used his shoulder to knock a thug into another crew member. Malcolm picked up another pirate and threw him into a pile of supplies.
Giles engaged in combat with a villain who was armed with a large hammer. The Steampunk dove to safety when his attacker swung the hammer down. Giles kicked the thug several times until he collapsed onto the deck.
Then another pirate unsheathed a sword and fought with Giles. Their weapons clashed against each other, until the terrorist disarmed Giles and knocked him to the floor.
The terrorist approached Giles and prepared to stab him. “You’re not going to beat pirates with their own weapons.”
Giles retaliated and kicked the pirate’s crotch area. The villain dropped his sword and crumpled to the floor.
“We’ll see about that!” Giles remarked.
The pirate rolled around the on deck. “That’s a rotten trick! I thought Steampunks were supposed to have integrity!”
Blaze heard the commotion from his office. “It sounds like a battle out there! Did any of your friends know about this ship? Tell me the truth!”
“Your crew members kidnapped me before I found out about this dumb ship! How could I possibly tell anyone about your location?” Beauregard argued.
The first mate pulled Beauregard to his feet. “You’re coming with me. I know exactly what to do about you and these intruders.”
Blaze brought him to the deck where everyone could see them. The first mate saw a number of pirates laying on the deck. Beauregard was surprised to see Giles and Malcolm.
“Giles, what are you guys doing here?” the artist asked.
“Apparently, we’re saving your life. I didn’t know you were being held captive on this ship. It’s a good thing Malcolm and I came. Are you okay?” Giles said, as he picked up his sword again.
“Could be a lot better,” Beauregard grumbled.
Blaze drew a pistol and aimed it at the two intruders. “You’re going to cease this attack! Obviously, my crewmates weren’t competent enough to kill you, but I know another way to make you disappear! Everybody knows grafted metal doesn’t float in water! So let’s see how your friend does when I toss him overboard!”
“What?” Beauregard cried in disbelief.
Before Giles and Malcolm could react, Blaze hastily threw Beauregard over the ship’s railing. The Steampunk fell in the water and promptly sunk.
Malcolm climbed over the edge and said, “I’ll get him!”
He leaped into the ocean with a belly flop. Malcolm’s propeller whirled around and helped him dive deeper into the water. He grabbed Beauregard and fastened the breathing mask to his companion’s face.
Back on the deck, Blaze gave orders to the crew. “Kill the remaining intruder!”
Giles hurried to the ship’s edge as some of the pirates fired their guns at him. The Steampunk quickly maneuvered down a rope and reached his escape pod. He closed the windshield and promptly used the vessel to dive underwater again. Malcolm swam up next to the escape pod with Beauregard.
Giles used his communication system. “I guess we’re not seizing control of the pirate ship, but it was a good effort. Beau, you’re a lucky man. You would be dead if Malcolm and I hadn’t infiltrated that ship.”
“I don’t think Beau can talk until we reach the submarine. Giles, you’re a crazy guy. Nobody in their right mind would attack a pirate ship without adequate backup,” Malcolm commented.
“You should see my wife when she’s in crazy mode. She’s downright terrifying,” Giles replied and then laughed.
They reentered the submarine via the dispatch area. After they entered the appropriate room, Giles and Malcolm exited their vessels and untied Beauregard.
The artist removed his breathing mask. “That was unreal! I never tho
ught we had to worry about pirates in this era!”
Giles patted his client on the shoulder. “Well, you made it out alive. Every Steampunk needs to go through some trauma. It builds character.”
Beauregard turned his attention to Malcolm. “It seems like you’ve built some character since I saw you this morning. That was a nice diving suit. What’s up with the propeller?”
“Shut up. You shouldn’t be making fun of me. After all, I rescued you,” Malcolm shot back.
“I can tell you’re going to hang that over my head. One of these days, I’ll repay the favor and then we’ll be even,” Beauregard insisted.
Malcolm was amused. “Bring it on. I have no intention of being a damsel in distress.”
“That’s funny, because you almost fainted when a booby trap decapitated one of those pirates,” Giles mentioned.
“Thanks for killing my ego again,” Malcolm grumbled.
Chapter 19
After they finished helping a group of injured Steampunks, Percy and Savannah returned to the upper deck. The couple walked cautiously and watched for pirates.
“I’m sorry the cruise turned into a disaster. This was supposed to be our chance to recuperate from the events that happened in Louisiana, but it backfired on us,” Percy said. He had a guilty conscience about everything that was happening.
Savannah didn’t hold it against him. “Don’t blame yourself. A cruise sounded like a nice getaway at the time. I’m just glad you’re here at my side.”
Percy thought about their family. “You want to know something? I’m really worried about our kids. Gable and Reb are lost in this aquatic maze, and we don’t know what happened to them.”
“I try to have faith during difficult times. Gable and Reb are survivors. We raised them to be strong and they learned how to survive during the Apocalypse. Deep down, I know their odds of survival are very good,” Savannah said optimistically.
Percy understood her point. “You have a lot of wisdom for a trophy wife. I know you’re very intelligent, but it seems like many people underestimate your brilliance.”
“That’s what makes me so dangerous. People let their guard down around me,” Savannah smugly replied.
Before the pair could finish their conversation, a pirate tried to attack them with a spear.
“Long live Adonis!” the terrorist yelled as he charged at them.
Percy swung his axe in a downward motion and broke the spear in half, then used the blunt part of his axe to pin the pirate against a wall. The impact knocked their attacker senseless and he slid to the floor. Two more villains attacked the couple from both sides. One of the thugs aimed his pistol at Savannah, but her reflexes were fast. She shot a nearby pipe that blasted hot steam on the pirate.
He screamed and ran away. “It’s hot! I’m burning up!”
The second terrorist aimed a crossbow at them, but Savannah quickly shot down a sign that hung in front of the cafe. The metal sign landed on the thug’s head and knocked him out.
Savannah looked at her useless weapons. “That’s it. I ran out of ammunition.”
“Are there any more pirates?” Percy questioned.
Right at that moment, another terrorist plowed through an open door and leaped on Percy. The pirate pulled out a knife and tried to pry off Percy’s monocle.
“Grafted metal is a hot commodity! Hand over the monocle!” the assailant demanded, as he dug the knife against Percy’s metal enhancement.
“It’s permanent, you idiot! My monocle doesn’t come off!” the computer mogul complained.
Savannah grabbed her necklace’s sharpened pendant and stabbed the pirate’s right eyeball.
“Go away, you maniac!” she yelled.
The villain cried in pain and covered his damaged eye. “I can’t believe you did that! My captain is going to make you pay!”
Percy watched the pirate flee. “It’s ironic. Now that pirate will need a real eye patch.”
“It still sucks because I lost a necklace,” Savannah griped.
“When we get back to the shore, I’ll buy more necklaces for you,” Percy replied.
Meanwhile, Reb wandered through the ship’s underbelly and spotted a communication panel. She fiddled with it for a while. “This looks promising. Maybe I can contact someone who can help. I guess the staff had a communication system down here in case they needed to speak with their supervisor. Let’s see who I can contact.”
Down in the secret weapon room, Giles, Malcolm, and Beauregard heard a fuzzy transmission coming from the computer.
“What’s that? It almost sounds like someone is trying to reach us,” Beauregard pondered out loud.
Giles approached the computer and tried to operate it. All three of them were shocked when Reb’s face popped up on the screen.
“Can anybody hear me?” she asked.
Giles felt relieved to see her alive. “Reb, it’s me! I tried to find you earlier, but we kept running into pirates!”
“Honey, is that you? I don’t have a monitor on this communication device,” Reb said, as she tried to make adjustments on her end of the system.
“Yeah, I’ve been fighting sea scum all day long. Malcolm and Beauregard are here with me too. You should be proud of Malcolm. He’s making excellent progress,” Giles explained.
Malcolm raised his eyebrows. “You’re making me sound like an experiment.”
“Don’t give us grief, Malcolm. I’m in a seriously bad mood,” Reb snapped.
“Where are you located? The background looks like some kind of like an engine room,” Giles speculated.
Reb thought about it. “I’m not exactly sure what this room is called. It’s definitely not the regular engine room. However, the contraptions in this labyrinth appear to run part of the ship. This room is deadly. It’s full of giant booby traps that can kill people. I saw the pirate captain and he was searching for treasure down here. Yesterday, I thought this industrial dungeon was a myth, but I was proven wrong.”
“Just stay there. I’m going to find you,” Giles insisted.
“We need to apprehend the pirate captain. His name is Adonis Pavlos. I saw his picture in the newspaper. Earlier today, my parents got stuck in a trap. I fear the worst for them,” Reb fretted.
Giles corrected her, “No, your parents are safe. Well, they were okay when Malcolm and I freed them. I don’t know what happened afterward. At the time, I told them to seek shelter, but you know they’re very stubborn.”
Reb was thankful. “Are you serious? I thought it was the end for them. Giles, I’m really grateful that you and Malcolm saved my parents. It means a lot to me.”
“I’ll do anything for you and everybody else in the Nelson family. Hang on. I’ll find a way to reach you,” Giles replied.
Reb glanced at the industrial surroundings. “Let me give you a hint. This is probably the bottom of the ship. If you find a stairway or elevator, it might be the fastest and safest passage.”
“Got it. I’ll see you soon,” Giles said, and he ended their communication.
Malcolm and Beauregard looked at him sympathetically.
“Do you need help?” Malcolm asked.
Giles shook his head. “Not this time. I belong with Reb and she needs an ally. If you really want to improve your reputation and make a difference in the world, I suggest helping civilians. Even though Steampunks are a tough culture, they could use a hero too. Maybe it can be you guys.”
Beauregard shook his hand. “Thank-you for guiding me. I wish you luck.”
“Yeah, I learned a lot from you today. Make the pirates pay for this mess,” Malcolm added.
Giles approached the secret room’s elevator. “Be strong. I’ll start in the control room and then I’ll find the next logical path. All right, here I go.”
He entered the elevator and rode to a different floor.
Nearby, Gable and Priscilla felt lost in the ship’s underbelly. They glanced at the massive labyrinth that was filled with platforms and mechanical
traps.
“We can’t win. The deck isn’t safe and neither is this maze,” Priscilla griped.
Gable held her hand and said, “This might be a good time to find my family. We tried hiding down here, but we ran into pirates anyway. Let’s get out of this living engine and move forward.”
Priscilla nodded. “That sounds good to me. Lead the way.”
The pair traveled across a platform and headed to the right. They ran up a stairway and eventually reached another corridor. Their location was potentially an intermediary between the ocean liner’s surface and the underbelly.
“This corridor looks promising. There doesn’t seem to be any propellers, pistons, or gears. I’m sure we’ll eventually reach the main part of the ship from here,” Gable optimistically said.
Priscilla walked cautiously next to him. “You’re probably right. This area looks similar to the hallway where Beau was kidnapped. Do you think he’s still alive?”
Gable felt uneasy. “Honestly, I don’t feel good about it. Pirates aren’t known for their compassion.”
Unfortunately, one of their enemies appeared from around the corner and unsheathed his sword. “The two of you are wandering through dangerous territory. I need to keep people like you away from my captain and the treasure.”
“We’re unarmed! There’s no reason for you to attack us! We don’t know anything about a treasure either!” Gable ranted.
The terrorist moved closer to them. “Why should I believe what you say?”
“I don’t understand why everyone thinks we’re going to steal that treasure! We’re not pirates!” Priscilla complained.
An alarm sounded and all three of the individuals covered their ears.
“What’s that?” Gable hollered.
Priscilla felt her eardrums throb. “I don’t know, but it’s giving me a splitting headache!”
The pirate dropped his weapon. “Somebody, make it stop!”
They were startled when the doorways closed and the walls moved closer.
“What’s happening?” Priscilla asked in a frightened tone.
“The walls appear to be trapping us! This can’t be good!” Gable responded, as he tried to remain calm.
The Post-Apocalyptic Society: A Nelson and Hyde Revolution Page 22
