Revenge of the Mad Scientist (Book One: Airship Adventure Chronicles) (8 page)

“Thank you, Belle,” Benji said as they stood at the rail. The lights of Cross Roads fell behind them. He looked down at the leather box, eyes ablaze with wonder. “I never thought t, t, to own such a thing.”

She smiled and put a hand on his arm. “It’s a good dagger, Benji. Take care of it. I have a feeling it will come in handy in the days ahead.”

“I w, w, will,” he said, tucking it under his arm.

“My Lady, would you care for some tea?”

She looked around. Jasper stood behind her with her china tea service on a silver tray, resplendent in his butler tails and waistcoat.

“Why, Jasper, you look better,” she said.

“Yes, My Lady. The ginger is a miracle. Now I believe you and the young master should be having your tea. I brought the dark Bellaca, your favorite.”

Belle now realized why Jasper had so much luggage. He had brought along the luxury items he thought she should have as befitted her station. A surge of fondness invaded her heart. Jasper hadn’t needed to come on this treacherous trip, but he was so dedicated to his job that he found a way to join them and bring along the tools of his trade.

“Yes, of course, Jasper. Tea is exactly what we need. Come along Benji. We’ll go down to the salon.”

She took a last look at the clouds gathering in the dark sky and the wind picked up, whipping about them. The storm was coming up from the south and she could only hope they made it to Eagle’s Peak before it overtook them. Meanwhile, her father was headed to Harruca with the possibility they would run out of fuel before they reached their destination. She sent up a silent prayer for all of them to make it safely through the next twenty-four hours.

Chapter 5

Rett turned the wheel and reached up, tugging the muffler away from his face. The temperature had risen enough that he was finally warm. He could feel his toes again and ice no longer crackled in his hair.

The wind picked up, coming directly from the south and
Gambit
bucked against the head wind. They made slow progress relying on the fans to fight against the increased current pushing them backwards. The wind whistled through the ropes that attached the gondola to the inflatable and they vibrated against the pressure. Sam made rounds on the main deck, testing lines and checking oil in lanterns.

“I see the lights,” Sam said as he climbed the stairs to the aftcastle.

Rett squinted and could just barely make out a glow on the horizon. It had to be the lights of Eagle’s Peak. They were still about half an hour away and the storm rose with wind like a firm hand, pushing them away from their destination. A blast of illumination lit the sky. Lightening, too far away to hear.

“Yeah, I see them. Is everything tied down?” Rett glanced at his first-mate.

“We’re as ready as we can be,” Sam replied. “I’ll put in another load of coal and water.”

Sam opened the hatch to the engine room and lowered himself to stoke the big steam engine for the coming storm.

A burst of air sent the ship higher and Rett had to hold tight to the wheel to stay upright. Sam cursed accompanied by a clatter of tools.

“Wind’s picking up,” Rett called. “Better get up here.”

The glow on the horizon grew closer, but a spit of rain drops hit Rett in the face. A rattle of coal below indicated Sam filled the engine hopper. Then he hurried up the ladder.

“It’s getting rough,” Sam said as he closed the hatch. “How much longer?”

“At this rate, maybe fifteen minutes. Let’s hope the wind doesn’t get any worse or we’ll never make it.” Rett inched the power lever forward to add some speed to the fans.

The spotlights of the Eagle’s Peak aeroport sliced through the sky. The clouds rolled white and dark blue against the grayish pink sky of approaching dawn.

“Send out the flyer pigeon,” Rett yelled above the rising wind. “Ask for a covered berth.”

Sam nodded and ran down the steps to the deck and the cabin beneath. He returned in a moment with one of the hardy dark feathered birds held between both hands. He set it on the pilot perch and it ruffled its feathers, then let out a soft coo. Sam placed the note announcing their arrival and docking request in the bird’s tiny backpack.

“Ready,” Sam said as he scratched the bird’s head.

“Let ‘er go,” Rett said, as he widened his stance and gripped the wheel. The ship bucked on a layer of rising air and then settled down.

Sam walked to the side and released the pigeon. Its large wings carried it swiftly out of their sight straight as an arrow to the aeroport control tower.

“Send the landing light down,” Rett said.

Sam lit the large gas lantern and closed the glass door to protect the flame from the wind. He lowered it with a rope just over the bow so the land crew could see them more clearly. He then checked the lines at all four corners of the vessel to make sure they were ready to haul over the sides.

Rett steadied the descent and could now make out the landing area ahead of them. Gas fueled spotlights ringed the large rectangular field and the small specks running around were the ground crew working to get in the flurry of arriving ships before the storm hit. Enormous tin roofed buildings lined the sides of the field and Rett hoped there was space in one of these hangers for them to dock.

Gambit’s
gondola swung to starboard as another blast of wind passed them. Rett leaned on the wheel and gave it a nudge to stop the body of the ship from starting a dangerous pendulum swing.

A flutter of feathers and their flyer pigeon returned to its perch, flapping its wings to find its balance. Sam ran up the steps and gave the bird a treat, then removed the message from the backpack. He rested one hand on the bird’s back as he read the slip.

“Great! We’re in hangar number four,” Sam announced with a big grin. He handed the slip to Rett so he could see the light sequences that would guide him in.

A surge of relief ran through Rett’s chest. They could ride out the storm protected from the wind and rain. The cargo waiting for them would more than pay for the luxury of the covered slip and leave enough to pay off their debt to the Baron. Sam would be happy to work on ship repairs in the comfort of a closed hanger. Seemed like their luck had turned at last.

He could now make out the flashing lights and began the descent. They would barely make it. Icy spears of rain hit him and Sam took the pigeon below so it would be out of the burst of storm they would have to endure before they entered the hanger. He gritted his teeth, tightened his hold on the wheel and pulled the lever back. They were going in.

###

Belle clung to the rail as the wind rose and drops of rain like bullets stung her face. They were still an hour away from Eagle’s Peak according to the captain. The gondola of the large ship swung side to side in the heavy wind. Jasper had gone below to take more ginger when the wind picked up. Benji was up on the aftcastle with the captain watching the navigation maneuvers with intense interest.

She pulled her scarf around her face and looked out into the swirling gray clouds. The ground below was no longer visible. Her father was out there somewhere ahead of them. She could only hope they had outrun the storm and would make their next port safely.

A smile curved her lips as she thought back on all the times her father had come to her rescue or supported her against the odds. When she invented the steam powered spinning wheels he had been as proud as if she had managed to marry the Prince of Urbannia. He was skeptical when she decided to set up her own business instead of selling the invention to some man more capable of organizing a major manufacturing endeavor. But when she’d succeeded, she saw the pleasure reflected in his eyes.

A surge of fear stabbed her heart when she realized she was his only hope at this point. What if she failed? Her fingers tightened on the rail as a tear mingled with the rain on her cheek. The thought of losing her father was too painful so she pushed it away with determination.

“My Lady.” The captain came to her side.

“Will we make it?” She searched his worried face.

“It will be close. I’ve got the ship moving as fast as possible, but the storm is overtaking us. I can’t lie. It would be best if you go below, My Lady.”

She looked up to where Benji pointed out in front of them, talking to the pilot. “You must tell Benji to come below, Captain. I doubt he will listen to me.”

The captain nodded with a slight smile.

She took his offered arm and let him escort her to the door leading to the cabins, grateful for the steady support as the deck bucked beneath her boots. She held tightly to the stair rail as she descended to the salon area. Jasper sat there, pale but at least not green.

He rose when he saw her and came forward to help her to a chair as she stumbled across the pitching floor. It was a good thing the furniture was secured or it would have been sliding all over the place.

“My Lady, this seems quite perilous.” He frowned as he settled her in a chair. “What does the captain say?”

“The storm is overtaking us. We must trust in his skill to get us to the port.” She sighed and unwound the scarf from her neck. “How is your airsickness?

“Better with the ginger. Where is Master Benji?” he asked, brow furrowed.

She was relieved of answering by the appearance of that young man entering the salon, face flushed and eyes bright.

“I s, s, say Belle. This is most thrilling.” He flopped down on the sofa opposite her and glanced at Jasper. “Jasper, old man, you look better.”

Jasper rolled his eyes but appeared gratified at Benji’s notice nonetheless. As much as they bickered, she knew Jasper had a soft spot in his heart for Benjamin Carter Wentworth just as she did. To think of him wasting away in that insane asylum made bitter bile rise in her stomach. What kind of parents did that to their child just because he was different? She shook her head and the disturbing thoughts vanished from her mind with a huge pitch and roll of the gondola.

“Benji, we are certainly in no small amount of danger. Thrilling is hardly the word I would choose in this situation.” She removed her gloves and draped them over her knees so she could better grip the arms of her chair.

“I suppose. But you m, m, must admit it is a bang up adventure.” He grinned.

“Only if we survive, Master Benji.” Jasper grabbed the arms of his own chair as the ship dropped over a gust of wind.

Benji frowned. “Yes I suppose it would ruin the f, f, fun if we were to crash.”

Belle stifled a gurgle of laughter. She looked down at the large silver ring on her forefinger, the ambassador’s ring, and her heart skipped a beat. Was her father in this storm as well?

The gondola shivered and Belle glanced up. Jasper’s face was white and grim, Benji’s expectant but subdued. Rain pelted against the windows of the salon and the booming sound of thunder echoed outside.

“Are you scared, Belle?” Benji asked.

She took a deep breath, determined to be a good example. “We have an excellent captain. I’m sure he has been in much worse situations than this.”

A flash of light outside followed closely by a crack of thunder made Belle jump in her seat. The ship shuddered and her stomach rose in her throat as they dropped in altitude. Had they reached the aeroport at last?

A clatter of footsteps on the stairs made the occupants of the salon turn as one. One of the crew hurried into the room holding on to the walls.

“My Lady,” he said, breathless. “The captain sent me to tell you the inflatable has been hit by lightening. We’re going down!”

“What?” Belle rose to her feet only to fall back to her chair as the salon floor lurched upwards. “We’re going to crash?”

“The captain is trying to make it to the port; he’s at the helm himself. But it will be a rough landing any way you slice it. He said to hold on and brace yourselves.” With that, the man hurried back up the stairs to the deck of the ship.

Wind whistled around them and the feel of dropping rapidly made Belle’s stomach heave. She saw Jasper close his eyes and grip the arms of his chair, knuckles white. Benji looked at her with an unfathomable expression. She wrapped her fingers around the arms of her seat and sent up a silent prayer. If something happened to her she hoped someone else would pick up the real trail and rescue her father.

The ship swung sideways and then they were thrown from their chairs as the gondola hit the ground. A screeching sound pierced Belle’s ears as she slid across the floor and slammed into the far wall. Jasper cursed and Benji landed on top of her in a tangle of arms and legs. The screech of timbers renting and the crack of ropes snapped through the air. More thunder booming drowned out the sounds of their ship and the smell of sulfur stung Arabella’s nostrils.

She struggled to move Benji off of her but she could tell the ship still slid across the ground bumping over the terrain as the deflated inflatable was driven before the storm. Benji put out a hand and pulled her against his chest. He wrapped his arms around her in a protective gesture, bracing his feet against the wall. Then a table escaped its mooring to the floor and crashed into them. It was the last thing Belle remembered before everything went black.

###

Rett drew in a shuddering breath of relief as
Gambit
nosed into covered hanger number four. The whistle of wind and slash of rain diminished and he wiped the beaded drops from his goggles. The big ship hovered over the ground until the docking crew caught the mooring ropes and pulled them to their docking space.

Sam flashed a grin as he hurried down into the hatch of the engine room to shut down the steam engine. They had made it. The storm broke over them just as they entered the hanger. The roar of pelting rain on the tin roof above gave evidence to the fury of the deluge outside.

Rett pulled the lever back to the neutral position and then joined Sam who had climbed up from the engine room and hurried to the side rail to make sure the docking crew tied them up properly.

“That was a bit of luck,” Sam said, leaning over the rail. “We made it in by the skin of our teeth.”

Rett nodded. “Let’s secure the ship and then we need to go to the Burton Cargo office and let them know we’re here to pick up the shipment to Jenta. We’re already one day late, so we need to take on the cargo as soon as possible and get in the air after this storm blows over. Hopefully we can make it out before we run into any of the Baron’s men.”