Angelique

by Carl Leckey

  He replies thoughtfully. “I really don’t know Adam. The aeroplane has always been reliable until this disaster. I can’t help wondering if it was Major Doomsday and his gangs work.” I reply thoughtfully. “The same thing occurred to me in the light of what Suzanne told us about the intruder. God our poor families will be out of their mind with worry.” Gunter reassures me.

  “Yes but I don’t think Estelle will give up on me until she has proof of my death. I’ve been in tight spots before and she never gave up on me. Well my friends enough of this idle chatter I believe we should save the Post- Mortem for later and direct our attention to escaping from this situation.” I remark. “That’s quite a nasty cut on your forehead Gunter.” Gunter explains.

  “I have Adam, thanks to that damned rocking horse. I thought we had got away with the crash unscathed. I was releasing my harness ready to abandon the aeroplane.

  As I looked up I saw the rocking horse had broken free. It was hanging by a thread.

  Then a wave flopped us about I recall seeing the rocking horse sliding off the wing. That’s the last I remember until I awoke down here.” Henri exclaims. “Ah! I did not know you had been in an aeroplane crash I assumed you had been rescued from a sunken ship.

  But a rocking horse and an aeroplane how do they fit together?” Gunter replies with a sardonic laugh. “It’s a long story Henri, but at this moment I believe we should concentrate on the matters in hand.” I apologise in advance for what I am about to do.

  “I am sorry my friends but I have the urge to pee. I am attempting to stand and do it the natural way.” I struggle myself into the upright position but I am restrained by the chain. Gunter and the Captain shuffle towards me allowing me to pull more chain through the ring bolt fastened to the bulkhead. By doing this I am able to achieve the standing position. Oh! The relief as I drain my bladder into a half wooden barrel. From my standing position I am able to gain a better view of the hold we are confined in.

  Rather than a cargo hold it appears to be a workshop and machinery store. There are empty steel racks screwed firmly to the deck. I remark. “Henri when you came aboard did you notice any details of the boat that may help us to escape?”

  He replies. “It was dark when I was dragged aboard, but I did wonder why the boat wasn’t moored with the other cargo ships. She is much smaller than the usual ships I have seen in this port. The boat was moored in a corner of the docks in amongst other work boats.

  I believe she is some kind of maintenance craft. Fortunate for them, not so good for us she is powered by an internal combustion engine. They chose the boat well they could not have managed a steamer.” Henri stops talking as if puzzling something over. He then states. “Strangely I had a feeling one of the crew was in league with them when I heard a strange voice on shore in the warehouse speaking in French, although I did not see him. Oh yes! Something else comes to mind, they appeared to have all the details of the boat before we boarded.”

  After considering this information I ask him. “So you think one of the crew is in cahoots with them Eh?” Gunter adds. “We have to assume we are dealing with four men, assuming he sailed with them?” Left to our own devices we talk for hour after hour. Despite the scampering of the rats I fall asleep on the hard wooden floor of the hold. I have no idea how long I slept but wake up stiff cold and very hungry I stand to stretch my aching limbs. My companions are already awake. We attempt to calculate how long we have been aboard the vessel. Gunter is stating in his reckoning we have been prisoners for at least thirty odd hours when an unfamiliar head appears over the hatch coaming. When he sees me standing erect he puts his fingers to his lips indicating the need for silence. He shows something in his hand hard to distinguish then tosses the article towards me before disappearing. The object lands with a jingle just out of my reach. I am able to identify it as a bunch of keys as they separate from a wrap of paper. To reach them I have to lower myself to the deck and reach out with my foot. After many efforts I manage to drag the keys to within hands reach. Excitedly I try the first key, no joy. I try another, my spirits slump as it also fails to unlock the handcuffs. I think is this some kind of a sick joke they are playing on us? Then with fumbling hands I try another key. Yippee! The handcuff springs apart. I am free. Without hesitation I make my way over to my companions and release them from their manacles. Through the open hatch we are able to see that the daylight is rapidly fading. Gunter whilst gratefully stretching his cramped limbs notices the crumpled paper the keys were wrapped in. He straightens it out and whispers. “Hey! There is writing on here.” He begins scanning the message when the last of the daylight disappears completely, plunging the hold into total darkness.

  “Were you able to read anything Gunter?” “Not all of it but I believe we have an ally aboard. The man that threw the keys down to us is evidently the Captains son.

  They are holding his Father at gun point with the threat of shooting the two of them if he does not cooperate. There was also something about the Bay of Biscay but I am afraid I didn’t have the opportunity to read the entire message.”

  As he says this I notice the boat is rolling and pitching about much more pronounced than before. Henri has been quiet until he contributes. “If I recall my school geography correctly we have to navigate through the Bay of Biscay to get to the straits of Gibraltar. I have heard the seas in the Bay can be quite rough especially at this time of the year. Have you chaps noticed the craft is getting quite lively?” Gunter and I confirm his observations. Gunter reminds us. “Do you remember the chap being sick and the conversation I translated regarding them suffering from sea sickness? This could be the opportunity we have been waiting for. They assume we can’t escape even with the hatch covers off. I think we should wait a while and see if the weather gets any worse. By my reckoning it is about five o’clock in the evening.” Henri agrees. “I believe we should make our move in the early hours, they will have a combination off sickness and fatigue by then. As a soldier I would recommend that is the best time to catch an enemy off guard.”

  “That’s all very well.” I reply dejectedly. “But how do we get out of this hold? There’s no ladder I can see.”

  “Yes I reckon they lowered us down here using the derrick.” Gunter adds thoughtfully. Henri confirms this. “They lowered you both together like so many fishes in a cargo net. I myself was forced down the hold by gun point on a rope ladder.

  Gunter says. “If only we had a lamp of some kind? Anyway, the best thing we can do is explore the place. Maybe we can find something we can arm ourselves with supposing we do get the opportunity to tackle them. That depends on whether they do come down here again.”

  We proceed to explore the hold by touch with the assistance of a glimmer of weak moonlight penetrating the hold. Behind the storage racks my outstretched fingers identify a steel circular structure. Slowly I pass my hands across the surface. I identify what feels like a projecting hinge. Further exploration reveals another hinge set about four feet below the other one. Excitedly with my index finger I trace a seam in the metal upward then across then down again. I whisper to my companions.

  “I think I have found something interesting.”After crashing about and a few curses they join me behind the storage racks. By the time they arrive alongside of me I have identified a handle on what is obviously some kind of door.

  With bated breath I try the handle, up and down. Although the handle moves freely, when I try pulling the door towards me it does not budge one inch. I give up with a sigh of disappointment. Gunter takes my place he tries the handle unsuccessfully; there is a pause until he enquires. “Adam. Do you have those keys with you? There is a keyhole here I wonder will one of the keys fit?” I do have the keys in my pocket. Nervously I pass him the keys. I hear him locating key after key into the door lock followed by him exclaiming the disappointing word. “No!” My spirits plunge. The very last key in the bunch turns the lock. I feel like cheering although we have no idea where it will lead. With growing excitement w
e hear the creak of rusty hinges as Gunter opens the door. This we identify as a ventilation shaft a man sized emergency escape route. There is light penetrating the shaft halfway up. The sound of the throbbing engine is very pronounced. Bolted to one side of the shaft is a steel ladder leading to a very dark area. I volunteer to investigate if the shaft is a means to escape the hold. Cautiously I enter the shaft and begin to climb. I reach the source of light it leads via another ladder to the well lighted engine room. I continue the climb until I reach a sharp bend.

  Holding onto the top rung with one hand I reach out until my other hand encounters a rough wooden bung. Securing myself to the ladder with my belt I place both hands on the obstruction and gently exert pressure. The bung moves slightly. I push harder, suddenly the bung disappears. I detect a soft thud as it hits the deck. I am confronted with a moon bathed deck and starry sky. The boat climbs to the crest of a wave then dips into a trough, a cold salty spray hits me in the face. I realise the ventilation shaft is located on the foredeck. The mouth of the ventilator is pointing towards the bow of the boat. If the boat has a wheel house behind the ventilator this is where at least one of the kidnappers will be guarding the Captain and his Son. If I risk climbing out onto the deck I will almost certainly be seen by them. I can only hope they didn’t see the bung falling onto the deck. Undoing my belt I climb back down the ladder to discuss a plan which is already formulating in my mind with my two comrades. I outline the layout of what I have observed from the top of the shaft and suggest an idea. “Suppose there is a way to stop or slow down the engine. They would surely investigate the problem. That would give us the opportunity to take them by surprise in the engine room. From what I observed there are plenty of places to hide out of sight in there. If we only capture or disabled one of them and retrieve a weapon into the bargain it would give us a fighting chance. Murmurs of approval come from my comrades. Henri is the first to speak.

  “The recapture of these criminals and delivering them to justice is my responsibility. If there is any fighting to do gentlemen I am the one to do it.” Gunter begins to object but Henri intercedes by adding. “Besides I am a trained soldier and the only one familiar with weapons.” I see his point I have no idea what the weapons are they have and wouldn’t know how to fire them if I had to. Gunter contributes his own ideas thoughtfully. “The boat has a diesel engine I am familiar with them. If I had a length of string or something similar and if it were long enough I could attach it to the throttle and slow it down or even stop the engine from inside the ventilator shaft. Give me a minute to have a look at the engine room layout for myself.”

  He disappears into the shaft to reappear shortly, he calmly informs us as if he did this kind of thing every day. “The throttle is fairly near to the ventilator hatch. I reckon if we are able to find something suitable it will do the trick.” Henri congratulates him on his plan and suggests.

  “Well that’s our next move my friends let us seek the means to disable the engine. If there is nothing we can use we will have to look at an alternative plan of action.” We scour the hold to no avail, the fact that it was in almost complete darkness does not aid our search. We are seated on empty barrels considering our situation when Gunter snaps his fingers and asks. “Remind me Henri, are you wearing your full Legionnaires uniform?” “Yes I am except for my Kepis, that was lost during the struggle. Why?” Henri questions in a puzzled voice. Gunter explains “On your left shoulders under the epaulette don’t Legionnaire officers wear a lanyard?” Henri replies shamefully. “My. God! Gunter! How stupid am I? Why didn’t I think of it? Gunter reassures him. “You are not alone. Why didn’t we all think of it sooner?” Henri replies. “Give me a moment to unravel it.” Silence prevails until Henri declares. “I reckon there is about two metres, will that be enough Gunter?” In a disappointed voice Gunter replies. “I really need about three metres to do what I originally planned. I want to be able to circle the throttle lever from my hidden position. If one of the villains appears I want to retrieve the line before he detects it.” I point out. “We all have belts or braces I presume? Will they give us the extra length you need?” Gunter exclaims. “That’s a brilliant idea Adam. I reckon it will just about do the trick. Give me your belts and anything else I can use gentlemen and let us set about freeing ourselves from these scoundrels.” With a combination of the unravelled lanyard our three belts and Henri’s tie Gunter is able to run a lead around the throttle and back to the ventilation shaft.

  Only one of us at a time fit into the shaft.

  Henri and I sit impatiently in the hold whilst Gunter puts the plan into action. I feel the engines steady beat give a kind of pause then pick up again. This occurs four or five times. Frustrated by my lack of partaking in the action I put my head inside the shaft.

  To my surprise I hear Gunter talking to someone. I quickly withdraw me head as he descends the ladder at speed enters the hold and explains. “The Captain came to check on the engine, they have his son in the wheehouse under threat of death if he doesn’t rectify the engine fault. His son made him aware he had given us the means of escape by supplying the keys. He informs me they are all very sea sick. One of them has taken to the bunk in his cabin, in his opinion that one is no threat to anyone. The other two are in the wheelhouse most of the time. When one goes out onto the deck to spew the other remains very alert covering the Captain and his Son with a loaded pistol. The Captain and I have planned our next move subject to your agreement.”

  We both approve he continues. “You Henri conceal yourself behind the ladder you are well hidden from the entrance hatch there. You Adam crouch down behind the engine with the handcuffs. I will cause the engine to completely stop. The Captain will insist his Son must assist him in the engine room to restart the engine. He knows they will not permit that and one of them will escort him instead. As he descends, you Henri will push him off the ladder. You Adam will leap on him retrieve the weapon with the aid of Henri and the Captain secure him in the engine room with the handcuffs. We will then be free to deal with the other two. We will plan that part of the operation after the first action is successful. Do you agree gentlemen?”

  My guardian Angel is definitely on our side. The capture of the first of the villains we had planned meticulously is so easy. We took up our positions I am hidden behind the engine Henri is concealed behind the access ladder. Gunter pulled his string the engine paused coughs then stops altogether. It is eerie as the lights fade out when the engine ceases running. I detect the tread of feet on the deck overhead. The Captain enters the engine room climbing down the ladder seaman style facing outward he shines a torch around the engine room observes Henri behind the ladder then began tinkering with the engine. Without headway the boat wallowed violently.

  The villain stood in the hatchway a torch in his hand watching the Captain. The Captain informed him he needed his help to restart the engine. The villain curses steps onto the top rung facing the ladder the land lubbers way. He is almost halfway down with one hand grasping the ladder the other holding the torch when the beam lit upon Henri’s face. He screams in terror Henri smacks his hand clasping the ladder with a spanner. The boat lurches the villain crashes to the deck plates banging his head on the engine block. When I reach him he is unconscious.

  The Captain restarts the engine it settles down to a steady thump, thump, we have the lights again. Although we search his body and the engine room there is no sign of the weapon we assumed he would have armed himself with. One down two to go, but without the weapon we expected to have to carry out the next stage of our bid for freedom. We have a confab and decide to adopt the Captain’s idea. He will return to the wheelhouse weigh up the situation telling the villain that his comrade has taken to the cabin also. He will send his son back to the engine room on a pretext to report to us. We wait impatiently after hand cuffing the unconscious villain to a steel hand rail but not for long. We all witness the thunder of feet overhead as someone races along the deck. Henri whispers a curse. “We
should have hidden that scum out of sight.”

  Too late a head appears in the hatchway it is the Captain’s son. His face is beaming when he informs us. “Gentlemen the ship is ours. My Father wishes to talk to you in the saloon, please follow me.” The boy escorts us to the saloon and returns to the wheelhouse to relieve his Father at the helm. We are seated comfortably enjoying a glass of Cognac from the decanter rack when the Captain joins us and explains. He points to a door leading off the saloon and reveals.” Number three is bound up in there. Number two has decided to swim for shore with the help of a shove from my son. He was spewing over the side my son crept up on him. The boat hit a big wave he staggered my son tried to assist him to no avail.

  We now have to decide where do we go from here? I am able to reveal I do not have enough fuel to get back to Le Havre. I can easily make it to a Spanish or Portuguese port. At a push I will make Gibraltar or Morocco using all my last reserves. It‘s entirely up to you gentlemen I would prefer myself to land in a French port because of the problems with the prisoners Tangiers would be my choice.” We talk it over for a while and Gunter declares. “You are the Captain my friend and the legitimate authority we abide by your decision.” The Captain stands and announces.

  “Tangiers it is. Help yourself to drinks gentlemen, there are washing and toilet facilities along the alleyway and the galley is well stocked with food. In the crews accommodation you will find some clothes to change into. Do any of you have any navigation or boat steering experience? Gunter confirms he has. Henri and I offer to help in any other way. The Captain explains. “I might call on you Gunter, my Son and I are dog tired and need sleep. If you get a couple of hours now you can relieve me at daylight.” I had been on watch with the Captain making him coffee cooking him food and keeping an eye on the two prisoners. We had moved them into the hold in the very place they held us prisoner. We are gratefully relieved an hour before daylight by Gunter and Henri. It feels only minutes since I had laid my head down on one of the bunks in the crew’s quarters when I feel my shoulder being gently shaken. It is Henri staring down at me. By the throb of the engine I am aware the boat is moving much slower than normal.