The Steampunk Detective

by Darrell Pitt

  Mr Bell started. “But surely the German government –.”

  “Much has changed in the last twenty–four hours,” General Churchill interrupted. “A coup was staged in the German parliament, resulting in the deaths of the chancellor and most of the party leaders. The Nazis are now in command.”

  “And their leader is this man, Drexler?” Mr Doyle asked.

  “Indeed,” the General confirmed. He lit a cigar and started puffing on it furiously. He strode over to the map of Europe and examined it. Finally he turned to the others in the room.

  “We stand on the verge of disaster,” he said. “To halt this terrible calamity we must take up arms against the Nazis before they can use these terrible weapons, these atomic bombs.” He turned to Joseph Bell. “Can you disarm the devices?”

  “Both myself and Mr Harker can disarm them,” Mr Bell confirmed.

  “Then we’ll need both of you,” Churchill said.

  “And us,” Scarlet interrupted.

  “Yes,” Jack said. “Count me in.”

  “And myself,” Mr Doyle said.

  Lucy looked around the room. “Anywhere my father goes, I go.”

  “My friends,” Winston Churchill said gently. “This is not the place for young ladies or boys or,” he looked to Mr Doyle, “even famous detectives.”

  Scarlet stood up and placed her hands on the table. “If it weren’t for Lucy and myself and Jack and Mr Doyle, none of us would be here. And no–one would be any the wiser as to the terrible crisis we are now facing. We are a team and we will remain a team.

  “England is in danger and it is the responsibility of every man, woman and child to defend our country with every fibre of our beings.”

  Jack thought she probably looked more beautiful than he had ever seen her before.

  “I cannot argue with your patriotism.” General Churchill slowly nodded. “Our next stop will be the French metrotower. The French have given us permission to use their facilities during this crisis. You may travel with us that far, but I cannot allow you to go any further. That would be endangering your lives for nought.”

  “Alright,” Scarlet nodded. “The French metrotower it is.”

  Chapter Twenty-One

  The airship rolled slightly as it came into dock at the metrotower. Jack could see little difference between this structure and its London counterpart. The windows looked slightly smaller and some bronze gargoyles decorated some of the cross beams, but apart from these small differences, the buildings were almost identical.

  This time they were coming in to land at a point much higher up the tower. Standing next to Scarlet on the observation deck, Jack felt both trepidation and a sense of disappointment. It seemed their adventure was coming to an end. Soon Mr Bell and Mr Harker would depart for the metrotower, leaving the rest of them behind.

  The airship jarred slightly as it connected to the tower.

  “Looks like we’re here,” Scarlet said.

  “Looks like it,” Jack replied.

  Scarlet turned to him. “Jack, there’s something I’d like to tell you.”

  “What’s that, Scarlet?” Jack asked.

  “I think you’re one of the bravest young men I’ve ever known,” she said. “I saw the way you saved Mr Doyle. He would have died out there on the snow without you. He is a great detective, but he’s not invincible. He still needs someone to look after him.”

  “You make me sound like a nurse,” Jack said, smiling.

  “Well, if you are, you’re the best around,” Scarlet said. “I don’t think he has any family, does he?”

  “His son was killed in the war.”

  “I suppose you’re like a son to him now.”

  “I wouldn’t go that far.”

  “I would,” Scarlet said.

  A bell sounded. “Looks like we’re disembarking,” Scarlet said. “From here there’s only one direction.”

  He looked at her quizzically.

  “Up,” she explained.

  They joined Mr Doyle, and the others in the disembarking lounge. With General Churchill in the lead, they wound their way through the structure to the elevators. Jack looked around in wonder. Everywhere he peered, he saw French words. Within every corridor he heard people speaking the French tongue. He had travelled to France with the circus when he was very young, but remembered little of the country or its people.

  French troops were assembled in close knit groups throughout the halls. Many of the men were smoking. Occasionally Jack heard them break into nervous laughter. They all looked kitted out with guns, bayonets and hand grenades.

  “They look like they’re ready for a full scale invasion,” Jack said.

  “They are,” Mr Doyle said. “French and British troops are gathering at the border. Mr Bell and Mr Harker will be boarding the French ship, the Joan of Arc, with a huge complement of military men and making their way to the German metrotower.”

  “Are they just going to attack the tower?”

  “They are giving the Nazis an ultimatum. Either they hand over the atomics weapons or it’s war.”

  “I hope they give them up.”

  “So do I,” Mr Doyle said. “So do I.”

  They wound their way around elevator shafts until they arrived at a large shaft close to the centre. Sets of boots lay on racks to one side. Major Evans picked up a pair.

  “Everyone has to boot up,” he explained. “These boots are magnetic, thus enabling you to walk about safely at the top of the tower.”

  Jack checked through the boots until he found a pair that looked like they would fit. He lifted them. They were heavier than a conventional pair. He imagined the extra weight lay in the magnets set into the soles. Putting them on, he took a few experimental steps. They were difficult to wander about in.

  “You’ll get used to them once we’re upstairs,” Major Evans said. “After a few hours you won’t notice the difference.”

  General Churchill led them into the elevator. They plodded after him across the floor, making a racket as they went. Stumbling inside, Jack noticed the French elevator had four rows of railings set across the middle. The General took a position next to Jack.

  “We must all hang onto the railings during the ascent,” General Churchill informed them. “It can be a bumpy ride.”

  Everyone climbed in. Jack heard a distant clanking sound and the lift shuddered. It started to ascend.

  “We now climb several miles,” General Churchill said to Jack. “It’s quite a distance.”

  “It sounds like it, sir,” he said politely. “Have you been up this tower before?”

  “A few times,” the General replied. “I was invited here when the tower was first built after the war.” He leaned closer to Jack. “I understand you’ve had quite a few adventures with Mr Doyle.”

  “A few,” he admitted.

  “We can use men like you in the army,” the General said. “Young, strong, fit chaps with brave hearts.”

  “I’ll keep it in mind,” Jack said diplomatically.

  The lift continued to ascend. The journey seemed to take forever. After a while Jack closed his eyes and focused on the continual clanking as it lifted higher and higher.

  He wondered how far up they were now. Many miles, he imagined. Ascending to great altitudes had never frightened him; he had lived at great heights for years with his parents. He had lost his fear of heights as a young child. Only after losing that fear was it possible to focus on jumping and flying without a fear of falling.

  He hoped he would not fall from here. It was a long way to fall.

  The lift jarred. He snapped open his eyes. The General looked up at an indicator above the door.

  “We’re almost there,” he announced. “Just another minute or two.”

  Jack stifled a yawn. He wondered if he had been asleep for the last few minutes. He felt like it. He looked over to Mr Doyle. The great detective looked tired as well. The last few days had been exhausting – for anyone. Let alone an older man
like Mr Doyle. He really did very well for his age.

  The lift slowly shuddered to a halt. They all looked at each other for a moment until the door slowly slid open.

  “We have arrived,” General Churchill announced.

  They exited the lift and clopped into an open area with tables and chairs. Some people were sitting around drinking tea. A maid carried a tray over to them, taking stiff steps across the room. Jack realised he was now walking in the same manner.

  Windows looked out onto the earth beneath them. The tower arced away, disappearing into clouds miles below them. Entire continents and oceans spanned across the surface of the globe like an enormous map. Jack wanted to stay and look out. It was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen, but the General urged them onwards away from the windows.

  “Must keep moving,” he said gruffly.

  They walked down another passage. People were everywhere. A group of nurses walked past with a determined expression on their faces. Soldiers stood around in groups, smoking and chatting. A woman handed out food and refreshments to waiting people.

  “The steamers are still boarding,” Major Evans explained. “There’s quite a backlog.”

  “How many ships are there?” Jack asked.

  “Three French and four British ships,” he said. “The Nazis will have to listen to reason, else they’ll have a full scale war on their hands.”

  Jack nodded grimly. They moved down the corridor into an enormous waiting area. It reminded Jack of the departure lounge for a sea going vessel. Hundreds of people stood around. Some of them looked at their watches. Others nervously drank tea and looked out at the view.

  As they drew closer to the windows, Jack saw one of the steamers outside. The vessel looked like an enormous battleship. Made from bronze coloured metals, thousands of rivets covered the hull. Scores of portals decorated the side. The bridge looked like a big square cap positioned at the top of the ship. Square panels dotted the side at regular intervals.

  “That’s the Joan of Arc,” Major Evans said. “It’s one of the largest ships in the French navy.”

  “What are the panels on the side?” Jack asked.

  “Those are the cannons,” Major Evans replied. “Three decks of them. Twenty–one on each deck. A steam ship can fire all sixty–three at once.” He leaned closer to Jack. “Our British steamers are rather larger. The Nelson has four decks of cannons. A total of one hundred in all.”

  “What about the Germans?” Jack asked. “Don’t they have steamers too?”

  The Major pursed his lips. “They do, my boy.”

  He said nothing more after that.

  They followed the General to one of the docking bays. A long deck jutted out from the tower towards the French ship. Jack felt a little awkward. They had come all this way to say goodbye to Mr Harker and Mr Bell. Both the men were headed off on a potentially dangerous mission and might never return. Both the girls tenderly kissed them on the cheeks. Scarlet dabbed at her eyes. Jack and Ignatius Doyle shook hands and wished the men good luck. The men gave a final wave and exited through the departure doors.

  They stood about in a group looking at each other for a moment with nothing to say. Both Scarlet and Lucy looked upset about leaving their fathers. Jack tried to think of something comforting to say, but nothing sprang to mind. Mr Doyle looked out at the airship thoughtfully.

  “Time to go,” General Churchill declared. “And time for all of you to head off to the safety of home.” He held out a hand to Mr Doyle. “Well done, Ignatius. We would never have come this far without you.”

  As Mr Doyle shook his hand, he nodded to Jack. “You must thank Jack as well. He risked life and limb to get us this far.”

  The General gravely shook Jack’s hand. “Don’t forget what I said about soldiering. It’s a wonderful life and we need brave men such as yourself.”

  “I won’t forget,” Jack promised.

  “I suppose –.”

  The General stopped as the entire tower shuddered. An alarm started to ring.

  “Wait here,” he ordered.

  He hurried through the anxious crowd and spoke to a military man standing at a desk. They had a swift conversation before the General sped back to their group.

  “There’s been an attack,” he said. “The Nazis have crashed the aeroplane into the side of the tower. We are now in danger of collapsing, so the entire structure is being evacuated.”

  “Will we be able to get down?” Mr Doyle asked.

  “We’re not going down,” the General replied. “We’re leaving on the steamer.”

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Five minutes later Jack found himself squeezed into a cabin with Scarlet and Lucy. Ignatius Doyle had gone with the General and Major Evans to evaluate the situation. Jack squeezed his face to the window. All he could see was an endless line of people steaming down the covered gangway to board the ship.

  Lucy clenched her hands with frustration. “They have no right to keep us locked up in here.”

  “I suppose they are still trying to get everyone aboard,” Scarlet said.

  “How can they?” Lucy asked. “There are thousands of people inside the tower. They can’t hope to get everyone onto a few steamers.”

  Mr Doyle entered the room. “We should be departing in the next few minutes.”

  “What about all the people on the station?” Lucy asked.

  “The aeroplane has caused some damage, but it appears the tower is not about to fall,” he said. “As a precaution, everyone under the point of impact is being evacuated downwards. Everyone above that deck is slowly moving to the top.”

  “Why did the Germans attack the tower?” Jack asked.

  Mr Doyle gave him a nod of approval. “That’s a good question, my boy.” He sat down on one of the bunks. “We believe it was actually an attack on Mr Bell and Mr Harker.”

  “Because they know how to defuse the bombs?” Lucy asked.

  “Yes.”

  “So where is the Joan of Arc heading?” Scarlet asked.

  “Unfortunately,” Mr Doyle said, “we’re going into battle. We are attacking the German tower immediately. At the same time, a coalition of countries are making a ground assault into Germany.”

  “What countries?” Jack asked.

  “All our allies have become involved,” Mr Doyle explained. “The Prime Minister personally rang several world leaders to ask them for assistance. As a result we have troops from Spain, France, Holland and Russia. Even Australia is sending troops.”

  It’s war, Jack thought. How horrible.

  “What does Germany make of all this?” Lucy asked.

  “The troops are not attacking, unless they are provoked. There is still an enormous amount of confusion regarding the coup,” Mr Doyle explained. “Most of the German people are outraged that the Nazis have taken control without elections. Many of their troops are refusing to fight. Others have taken to fighting each other.

  “As a result, our coalition forces are making straight for the base of the German metrotower, mostly without opposition.”

  “So our job is to attack the top while the land troops attack the base,” Jack said.

  “Very astute,” Mr Doyle congratulated him. “The military men are hoping to catch the Germans in a pincer movement and seize the weapons.”

  A bell sounded across the ship.

  “It sounds like we’re departing,” Mr Doyle said.

  Jack went to the window. “There’s still a line of people waiting.”

  “Other ships are lined up to take on passengers,” Mr Doyle said.

  Jack looked to his left. Mr Doyle was correct. A line of steamers had assembled to evacuate the French Tower. Jack felt terrible that the French had already suffered so much to assist them.

  “And this is all because of those bombs,” Jack said. “What a lot of bother over a couple of weapons.”

  “Those weapons mean power,” Lucy said. “Absolute power.”

  “Well you know what the
y say about absolute power,” Mr Doyle said. “It corrupts absolutely.”

  Another bell rang across the ship. Jack looked out the window. It appeared the top of the tower was moving away from them, but of course they were moving away from it. After a moment he could see the entire tower poking into space. It arrowed down towards the planet until it looked like a single metal beam arcing towards earth.

  About half way down he saw a smudge on the edge of the beam.

  “I can see where the plane hit,” he said excitedly.

  The others grouped about the small window.

  “It seems strange the Nazis should sacrifice their own people to attack the tower,” Scarlet said.

  “Many of the Nazis are fanatics,” Mr Doyle said. “Such people are often without fear.”

  “I don’t care how fearless they are,” Scarlet said angrily. “They have killed innocent people.”

  No–one argued with her.

  Another bell chimed across the ship.

  “What now?” Mr Doyle asked. He opened the door to the corridor and grabbed a passing sailor. “What’s the meaning of that alarm?”

  “That’s general quarters,” the sailor explained hurriedly. “It means we’re about to attack.”

  “Already?” Mr Doyle asked, astonished.

  The sailor continued down the corridor, speaking over his shoulder. “The German steamer Bismarck is on its way. It’s brought the war to us.”

  The man disappeared out of sight. Mr Doyle turned to the others grimly. “It looks like all hell is about to break loose. I suggest we make our way to the main lounge.”

  They started out of the room. As they headed out, Jack saw a metal plate sliding down over the window.

  “They’re closing off all windows,” Mr Doyle explained. “In case of cannon fire.”

  Jack and the others headed down a corridor. It led to a set of stairs that they climbed to the upper decks. Two floors up, they turned down another corridor and entered a room with tables and chairs bolted to the floor and an open kitchen at the other end. A number of older people were seated at the tables. An elderly lady clenched a handkerchief tightly. Another older man with a long, flowing beard stood gripping one of the chairs angrily.