Abigail said, “But she doesn't look like a spy. She's too pretty for that.”
Jake Garfield grinned, his red hair over his eyes. “Well, sometimes I think it's better for spies to be pretty—get more sympathy that way.”
Reb said, “Shoot, I don't know. Here she appears in the middle of nowhere and says we're supposed to follow her.” His eyes were troubled, and though he had courage enough for ten young men, something about blindly following a woman clearly bothered him.
The talk went on for some time until finally Josh said, “We can't stand here arguing. We'll have to vote. Everybody that's in favor of following Jere to wherever she takes us, hold up your hand.” When he looked around, every hand was up except Dave's and Reb's.
“Well,” Josh said, “you two will just have to go along, I guess. Majority rules.” He lifted his head and called out, “Jere—Jere.”
The young woman came back up the beach. “Have you made up your mind?”
“Yes. Some of us aren't sure, but we're going to trust you. But I warn you,” he said suddenly, “if anything goes wrong, I'll be very close to you.” He pulled a knife out of his belt. “I don't want to sound unkind—but something may happen to you.”
Jere smiled suddenly, and she had one of those smiles where the eyes crinkle up until they're almost invisible. She laughed aloud. “You are wise beyond your years, young man. Come along, and I will take you to your destination.”
“You ride in the boat with me,” Josh said.
“No. You all will follow me.”
There was something majestic about her manner. As she walked toward the boats, Jake said, “I don't know who she is, but whoever she is, she's somebody!”
The others seemed to agree, even Reb and Dave. They followed her to the water.
Jere said, “You can get in the boats.”
“What about you?”
“I will lead you.” Then she looked at Josh and said, “Do not fear. I really am sent by Goel.”
Something about her words and her manner must have satisfied Josh. He shoved the knife back in its sheath. “I guess we'll trust you. Come on, everybody, get in.”
The Sleepers scrambled into the boats. Josh took one paddle and Dave the other. Then they looked back at Jere, who stood on the beach.
“Ready?” she asked.
“Ready,” Josh said. “But what about you?”
Jere reached for a small object that dangled from her neck and blew it. It looked like some sort of horn. Then she pulled down over her face the plastic hood that had covered her hair. She touched a button on the complicated belt she wore. The transparent suit inflated.
At the same time, there was a loud splash.
Sarah whirled and was shocked to see a huge, round nose and a row of sharp teeth protrude from the water. At first, she thought it was a shark, but then she recognized the animal. “A porpoise,” she cried out. “It's like Flipper.”
Jere said, “Flipper? No, his name is Captain.” She walked to the water, and the huge porpoise turned sideways. He wore a kind of saddle, and a simple bridle through his jaws. He croaked almost happily and moved so that Jere simply stepped into the saddle. She turned back to smile at them. “Follow me. I won't get too far ahead.” Then she spoke to the porpoise. “Captain—on!” And the porpoise began to plow through the water.
The Sleepers stared after her as the boats followed.
“Well,” Reb said, “I've been to two county fairs and three snake stompin's—but I ain't never seen nothing like that!”
Sarah leaned back and whispered to Josh, “I think she's all right.”
Josh said solemnly, “She'd better be. Elmas isn't going to give up—or his Sanhedrin. Not till we're all dead.” He looked after the beautiful young woman as the porpoise cut through the water. “If she is one of his spies, and if this is one of his traps, we're goners, Sarah.”
But Sarah said, “No, she's not one of Elmas s people, I just know it.”
* * *
The reputation of Elmas, Chief Interrogator of the Sanhedrin, was overwhelming. At the very mention of his name, people would tremble, and some prisoners had even been known to faint. But now, as he approached the throne room of the Tower, his own cruel face was filled with uncertainty. He wore a brilliant red robe with a heavy gold chain around his neck, bearing a strange medallion.
To himself he said, I don't need to be afraid. I've always been faithful to Lord Necros.
Still, when he was halted before the heavy door by two huge, armed guards, he noticed that his hands were trembling, and his knees felt so weak he was not sure he could stand.
One of the guards opened the door, disappeared, then was back, his heavy face staring down into the face of the Interrogator. “Lord Necros commands your presence.”
Something about the words seemed filled with doom, but Elmas straightened up and forced down the fear that had been running through him. He followed the guard into a huge room.
A strange being sat on a throne. He was dressed in black, and a hood covered his face, but Elmas could see his powerful, clawlike hands, almost like eagles' talons. And in the shadow of the hood, the eyes of Lord Necros glowed red.
Here was something terrifying and evil, even to Elmas, who knew something about evil. This, he knew, was like nothing he himself could conjure up.
When Necros spoke, his voice was somehow full and yet had a deadened quality. It was as if a recording were speaking. Still, evil sounded in his speech.
“I have waited too long for your report.”
Elmas's words ran over each other. “Yes … of course, my lord. But you must forgive me for … well, we have had difficulties—”
“Difficulties! I want results, not excuses. Give me your report.”
For some time the Interrogator avoided the issue, and the red eyes of Lord Necros seemed to burn into his very soul.
Finally Necros said, “Enough. What is the result of your mission?”
“I … I regret to say that the … the Sleepers have … escaped.”
As soon as the words were uttered, a searing pain began at the top of Elmas's head. With a groan, he grabbed his head and fell to the floor.
He sensed that Lord Necros was staring down at him as if he were some sort of insect. It seemed to Elmas that his head would fly off at any moment. “Please, my lord, I can explain—”
Lord Necros then gestured with one clawlike hand. At once the pain began to go away.
“Get to your feet,” Lord Necros commanded. “Now I know what you are—a useless servant, indeed, of the Dark Lord.”
“No!” Elmas cried out quickly. His hands were trembling so badly that he had to hold them together. Fear had driven almost everything from his mind. But he knew that he had only one chance. “I have a plan, my lord Necros.”
“He has a plan.” Necros raised his hand again, as if to send the pain flowing through Elmas again. Then he hesitated. “Well, what is this plan of yours? As I explained to you, we control most of the land now, so the Dark Lord commands that we control the sea. You have failed in that mission too, I suppose?”
“No, Lord Necros, please, just listen to me. The plan I have will gain us control of Atlantis—and it will mean the death of the Seven Sleepers.”
Lord Necros leaned back on his throne, folded his hands together, and stared down at the Chief Interrogator. “And how are you going to perform these two miracles? You can't even catch seven children with all of your army!”
“But now we'll have them,” Elmas said quickly. “You see, lord, it has been obvious from the first that we could never take Atlantis by force. Our people could not compete with the Atlantians under the sea by military power. Since we cannot, my lord, take the city by force, it must be taken from within.”
“How do you propose to do that?”
For the first time, a trace of a smile and some assurance came to the face of the Interrogator. “One of the Atlantians has come over to our side.”
“One of the en
emy? Who is he?”
“Duke Lenomar.”
Necros looked thoughtful, then demanded, “Is this true?”
“Yes, sire! He has gained the mind of Lord Aramis and clouded it so that the admiral obeys his commands.”
“Then, as you say, the plan has possibilities. Now—” Necros held out one claw again so that Elmas flinched, expecting the pain to strike him again. But it did not come. Instead, Lord Necros said, “Two things you will accomplish. First, the kingdom of Atlantis must be conquered. We must control the sea, and we can only control the sea when Atlantis is in our power.”
“Yes, my lord, and the second thing?”
“As you have been told, the Sleepers must die. Somehow,” he said, sounding puzzled, “these young people are tied up with the fate of the world. Our kingdom cannot tolerate their existence. They are the servants of Goel, therefore they must die.”
“Yes, sire, I will see to it personally.”
Lord Necros looked hard at him and said softly, “See that you do, Chief Interrogator. For if you do not, you will make a trip to one of my torturers, and if you think your questioners are harsh, you will think much more highly of ours.”
Fear washed over Elmas. “My lord, it shall be done. Have I your leave to go and set the plan in motion?”
“Leave. And we will expect success, or you will meet a fate worse than death!”
3
A Step of Faith
Josh paddled as fast as he could in pursuit of the young woman Jere, who always kept herself well ahead.
“It looks like she's just gliding through the water,” Sarah murmured. “I never saw anything like that. I know she's been sent by Goel, though.”
Josh dug his paddle into the water. “Like I say, she'd better be. Because if we're going into a trap, I don't see any way out of it.”
He put his strength into paddling and staying in the current. The river had broadened now, and although the ceiling was not quite so high, somehow he was not as frightened as before. The roar of the water had been the most terrifying of all.
For the next twenty minutes, they paddled. Finally Dave Cooper called back, “Look, I think there's light out there. See ahead of us?”
Sure enough, far ahead there seemed to be a pale flicker.
“Come on,” Dave yelled, “I want to get out of this place.”
Josh worked at keeping the boat in the middle of the stream. Dave was doing the same.
Then suddenly sunlight was filtering down, lighting the sides of the cave. And almost before Josh was ready, they shot out into the open, and the bright light blinded him.
Sarah put her hands over her eyes, crying out. Then she slowly removed them and looked around. “Why, look —we're at the ocean!”
Josh shaded his eyes. “It's some kind of a lagoon. But sure enough, that's ocean out there. Where's that girl?”
“Right over there,” Sarah answered. “See, she's beckoning for us to come. Hurry, Josh. Let's get over to where she is.”
Dave had seen the girl as well and turned his boat around. Soon both craft were drawn up on a white, sandy beach.
As the young people unloaded, Jake looked around, his brown eyes squinting against the bright sun. “You know, this looks like Hawaii. At least, it's got a beach like it. My folks took me there once.”
Abigail pouted. “Well, we got out of that old cave anyway.” She moved closer and held onto Dave's arm. “I wouldn't go back in that cave for anything in the world.” She looked up at him with her beautiful eyes and fluttered her long lashes. “I think you did just wonderfully to get us out of there, Dave.”
Standing a few feet away, Josh glared at Abigail and muttered under his breath, “I guess he had a little help.” But when he caught Sarah's warning shake of the head, he stepped forward and said, “Well, Jere, is this the place?”
“Yes, it is.” She waved her arm. “We're here and ready for the second part of the journey.”
Josh looked out over the smooth sea, broken only at the shore by white water as the waves spilled over the shining sand. As far as he could see, there was nothing but water, water. He looked back at her. “You mean” — he swallowed hard— “we're going out there?”
Jere faced them all. She had pulled the plastic hood away from her face, and her raven-black curls blew in the soft, warm breeze. “Yes. That is, if you want to be obedient to Goel.”
“How do you know Goel?” Sarah demanded.
Jere gave her a slight smile. “I have known him for a long time, but we don't have time to talk about Goel just now. I must know if you're ready to go with me—out there.” Once again she waved toward the vast, open reaches of the ocean.
Josh knew it was up to him, and he said, to forestall argument, “Yes, we made up our mind back in the cave. We voted on it, didn't we?” Some of the nods he got were not very strong, especially from Wash and Abigail, but Josh took it as approval. “All right, Jere. Where's the boat, if we're going to get out there? We can't swim.”
With another smile, Jere reached down to her waist, took a tiny horn, and put it to her lips. She blew, and there was a high, shrill, keening noise, yet it had a melodious sound. When she lowered the horn, she said, “Just one moment.”
Josh and the other Sleepers watched the sea, waiting for a boat to approach. Josh saw nothing.
After looking in all directions, Wash said, “Well, ma’am, I don't see nothing, and I'm telling you flat, I can't go out in that ocean without a—”
Suddenly the water seemed to boil a hundred yards down the beach. Josh stared in shock. “It's a whale!”
“A killer whale!” Dave whispered. “I saw one like him in a movie. That's what he is, a killer whale, all right. I never thought I'd see a real one.”
Josh watched with amazement as the whale's rounded back and huge dorsal fin broke the surface again and again.
“And what's that thing he's pulling?” Reb called. “Look at that. It looks like a boat.”
“It is a boat.”
Jere had been watching their reaction with a smile. “That's what you'll be riding in.”
The huge whale stopped twenty yards off shore. Josh could see clearly that some sort of harness was fastened to the front of the whale's body. The harness trailed back into a single cable, and to the cable was attached what looked like a large, flat sled. It looked very scarey.
“I can't ride in that thing!” Abbey moaned. “Oh, Dave, don't make me get in there!”
Dave Cooper always prided himself on not being afraid of anything, but now he swallowed quickly and shook his head, muttering. “Well, it does look a bit flimsy, doesn't it?”
A murmur went around the group.
Before there was a long argument, Sarah spoke up. “Look, we voted back in the cave, and it ought to be obvious we didn't have a hope in the world of getting away from the Sanhedrin and the soldiers. But the stone wall opened, and we made our way through the river, and Jere came to lead us out. And now there's a boat.”
“You're right.” Josh nodded. “Come on, let's get in that thing.” He managed a grin. “I think they used to call it a Nantucket Sleigh Ride back in the whaling days. They harpooned a whale, and the whale would pull their little boat all over the ocean. Well, let's just pretend this is a sleigh ride.”
“That is a good thought, Joshua,” Jere said. “Come, you and I will bring in the boat for the others.”
Josh felt much less brave than he seemed, wading out into the water with Jere toward the strange craft. Together they pulled the boat to shore. It was made of some lightweight but very strong material. There were several seats and several compartments, obviously watertight, and Josh began to grow interested.
“Come on,” he said. “After all, it's just a boat.” When everyone hesitated, he said, “Come on, how many kids get a chance to ride behind a real killer whale?”
Dave, obviously embarrassed by his own uncertainty, said, “Sure. Come on, Abbey. It's just another boat ride.” He splashed out, holding Ab
igail's hand, and the two of them clambered aboard.
Wash, Reb, and Jake followed. Sarah came last, and Josh helped her into the front seat.
Jere said, “Not many young people would have the courage to do what you're doing. I believe that Goel has sent me to the right place at the right time. Now we must go.”
She blew her whistle, and the porpoise was at her side, sticking his head up, grinning at her, it seemed. Slipping into the saddle, Jere said, “On, Captain, on!” and, holding the reins in one hand, she threw her other hand forward.
The huge porpoise began to plunge through the sea, and then the great whale stirred forward, not as actively as the porpoise, but magnificently. He stayed very close to the surface.
“Look,” Josh said. “You can see his tail.”
“Why, it's on sideways, ain't it?” Reb said. “Not like a real fish.”
“That's one of the differences between whales and fish,” Josh said. “They have horizontal tails, and that's the way they get their power. They breathe air too—instead of having gills.”
“I never knew that,” Reb muttered.
Suddenly the whale gave a lunge, and the sled seemed to fly over the water. Reb pulled his hat off and let out a wild cowboy yell. “Whoo—ooo!” he bellowed. “Ride ’em, cowboy!”
All the passengers in the sea sled gripped the handholds tightly. Most seemed afraid at first, yet there was something wonderful about the giant whale as he knifed his way beneath the waves, rising and falling, the huge tail propelling him forward. The sled flew after him, bobbing up and down as the whale slowed or sped up, and always there was Jere out in front, as Captain plunged ahead.
“That looks like fun, don't it?” Reb said to Sarah. “I'd kind of like to ride a critter like that. The only thing I ever rode is horses, four-footed stuff. But that looks like a fun critter to ride.”
For a long time the sleigh slid across the water, leaving behind it a white wake that broke the greenness of the ocean. The water was smooth. The only sound was Jere's occasional cry, encouraging them to come on, and once in a while the mighty tail of the killer whale rose out of the water completely and slapped the surface with a resounding crash.
Gates of Neptune Page 2
