Vampirates 4: Black Heart (20 page)

"You must go," he rasped. "Lady Lockwood and I have business to conclude."

"Go?" said Zak incredulously. "Where?"

"The skiff sank, Commodore Kuo," said Varsha. "Don't you remember?"

"Yes," he said, but his voice was distant, disconnected.

"He's right," said Lady Lockwood. "You two really should leave."

"We can't leave without Commodore Kuo," said Varsha. "He looks terrible."

"You must," Commodore Kuo said. "Swim to shore. Wait at the beacon for the next crew. They'll fetch help, and you'll go back to the academy."

"Swim?" protested Zak. "In my new suit? But why?"

"No more of this!" announced Lady Lockwood. "Angelika, remove them from the ship."

"Aye, Captain." Angelika turned and beckoned to three of her comrades. Between them, they led Zak and Varsha toward the edge of the deck.

"Jump in, little fishes," Angelika hissed, her eyes flashing fire.

Zak caught sight of it, but Varsha missed it. In a flash, he realized what was happening. He grabbed Varsha and pulled her away from the ship, plummeting with her into the icy waters.

Angelika led her comrades back across the deck. "They're gone," she informed Lady Lockwood.

"Free?" Commodore Kuo rasped.

"Yes," said Lady Lockwood. "As per your last request. That was your last request, I trust?"

"Yes," gasped Commodore Kuo, slumping to the deck.

Angelika glanced at Lady Lockwood, awaiting orders. The captain rose from her seat. "Take him to the pressing room," she said. "But be careful with him." She smiled. "I want the corpse in prime condition later."

"Aye, Captain," said Angelika, turning once more to summon assistance.

As she turned her back, Commodore Kuo seized his opportunity. In one seamless motion, he rolled forward, withdrew the Toledo blade from its scabbard, and lunged directly at Lady Lockwood. He had no idea if a blade through the heart would destroy her, but at the very least it must inflict a deep wound.

But Lady Lockwood was faster than him, and as he lunged she stepped backward. "My, my, Commodore Kuo," she said. "You appear to have made a remarkable recovery."

Commodore Kuo wielded the blade menacingly in the direction of her heart. "Your sedative had no impact on me. I drew on the samurai's skills of willpower to overcome its effects."

Lady Lockwood smiled. "The samurai's skills of willpower and some decidedly hammy acting," she demurred. She folded her arms across her chest. "So what's the plan now, little man? Are you going to slay me and my crew single-handedly?"

Commodore Kuo looked her in the eye. "It wouldn't be a first," he said.

"Well, bravo!" Lady Lockwood said. "Full marks, John. I'm starting to see how you built your impressive reputation. You do have a few tricks up your sleeve." She unfolded her arms. "But unfortunately for you, so do I."

She began circling one hand about the other, first slowly, then gaining pace. As she did so, Commodore Kuo felt the Toledo blade vibrating in his hand. It was as if Lady Lockwood was exerting some kind of magnetic field, drawing the sword free from his grip. Using every last grain of determination, he gripped the stingray-skin hilt.

Lady Lockwood's hands spun faster and faster until it was impossible to separate one from the other.

Commodore Kuo could feel his grasp on the sword loosening, but even he was not prepared for what happened next. The Toledo blade came free, but instead of dropping to the floor, it remained hovering in midair, a little distance from him. Then, as Lady Lockwood continued to spin her hands, the sword spun around so that its blade was threatening Commodore Kuo himself. He stood transfixed. Was this the end, then? Felled by his very own sword? When they spoke of the great pirate Commodore John Kuo, was this the story they would tell?

Lady Lockwood's clipped voice cut through his thoughts. "You said before that you had the skills of a samurai, so why not choose to die like one? Fall on your own sword. Isn't seppuku the most honorable way for a samurai to die?"

Commodore Kuo watched as the Toledo blade threatened its master. Now he knew what his hundreds, perhaps thousands, of victims had felt in the very same position. Perhaps she was right. Perhaps this was the best, most honorable way to die. He found himself hypnotized by the glittering hilt of the sword, made all those years ago by the master craftsman of Toledo.

"I've known samurais, John Kuo," said Lady Lockwood. "And you're no samurai."

He thought of Zak and Varsha, swimming their way to freedom. He thought of the other captains, racing home to the academy. He thought of Cheng Li, who had just assumed the rank of captain. His work was done. The glory that had once been his was passing to the next generation. This was the fitting end. He felt a sudden surge of adrenaline as he threw himself toward his sword.

Lady Lockwood beckoned her crew around her. "Take him below," she said. "I don't want a drop of his blood wasted." As they lifted him, she took the sword and drew it from his flesh. It was coated in blood. She touched a finger to the blade, then lifted it to her lips. She let the taste roll around her mouth before declaring her verdict. "Complex and exquisitely well-balanced. Explosive, sweet, with an exotic pomegranate note in the finish. Delicious." She passed the sword to Angelika. "Have this cleaned. It will make a nice addition to my collection. I'm going to my cabin. I want some time to myself." She began walking away.

"Captain," Angelika called after her.

"Yes," Lady Lockwood said, turning.

"The two students. Did you really want them to go free?"

Lady Lockwood considered for a moment. "I don't really care," she said. "I shall leave that decision, my dear, in your very capable hands."

Zak and Varsha swam toward the island.

"We'll never make it," Varsha cried. "It looked close, but it seems to get farther and farther away."

"It's because we're tired," said Zak. "But we're doing well. Keep swimming! There's the beacon. Keep your eyes fixed on that. We'll wait there for whichever crew comes next."

"What if they attack them, too?"

"It's over," Zak said. "Put it out of your head."

"But what they did to Commodore Kuo -- what they're doing to him ..."

"Stop!" Zak said. "He wouldn't want you to think about that. Remember his lectures. Zanshin and all that. We need to be strong and direct our entire focus on getting home safely. It's what he'd have wanted."

Varsha heard his words, and as she watched Zak swim on, she thought perhaps he was right. Perhaps they could make it.

Just then, there was a popping noise in the water. A head bobbed up a couple of meters away from them. A woman's head. Then another, a few meters to the other side. Then two more. Then another two. And two more.

Zak and Varsha found themselves surrounded by Angelika, Marianne, and six other members of Lady Lockwood's crew.

"Hello again," said Angelika with a smile. "How are you enjoying your swim?"

"Leave us alone," said Zak. "That was the deal. Commodore Kuo sacrificed himself so that we could go free."

"We're just swimming," said Angelika.

"It's a free ocean," added Marianne.

"Come on," Zak said, pushing Varsha forward. "Keep swimming."

The two students pushed on toward the shore. Lady Lockwood's crew kept pace, maintaining a perfect ring around them. It was almost as if they were protecting their young charges.

"It's no good!" Varsha said. "I can't do this, Zak."

She stopped. Zak had no choice but to pause and reach out for her. "Rest your arms a moment, here," he said. "But keep treading water."

The eight women had stopped with them. Suddenly, they began swimming around Zak and Varsha in a perfect circle. Their beautiful faces were smiling. Perhaps this was some strange game, one that might not necessarily end in danger. Zak wondered how long it would last. His legs were growing numb in the icy water. He could sense Varsha's remaining strength sapping away.

Suddenly, Varsha let out a sneeze. Then a second. And a third.

The women giggled. In unison, they began singing as they swam around and around.

"Ring around the roses,

A pocketful of posies.

A-tishoo! A-tishoo!

We all fall down."

As they finished the last line, they laughed and shot down under the water, out of sight.

Zak was taken by surprise. He and Varsha were alone again. It was over. The island was only ten meters or so away, maybe less. He felt a fresh jolt of adrenaline rising. He smiled reassuringly at Varsha. "Come on," he said. "Not far now."

But as he tried to pull away, Zak felt a pair of hands clamping around his ankles. There was a brief moment of terror as he realized the fate about to befall him and Varsha. Then he felt a merciless tug from below, and he was utterly powerless to resist.

20WINNERS AND LOSERS

"Here they come!" Excitement spread like wildfire as the first of the returning skiffs was sighted entering the academy harbor. "Who is it?"

"It's Captain Platonov!" Connor exclaimed. "Way to go, Jasmine!"

"Better watch out," Cheng Li said. "There's another skiff coming through the arch now. It must be Commodore Kuo."

"No," Connor cried. "It's Captain Singh. And he's gaining fast on Platonov."

Another two skiffs approached the arch, barely a length separating them. "I don't believe it!" said Connor. "Captain Solomos and Captain Moscardo are still neck and neck after all this time."

Cheng Li lowered her glasses and frowned. "That means Commodore Kuo's in fifth place. That's a low ranking for him."

"He isn't in fifth," Connor cried excitedly, pointing. "It's Captain Quivers and Jacoby."

As he spoke, Lisabeth Quivers's skiff skimmed through the arch, taking advantage of the wind to narrow the distance between her vessel and the skiffs just ahead. The waves in the harbor were illuminated by the final few fire beacons. There was so much happening at once, it was hard to know where to look. Another skiff approached the arch, but it was surely too far behind the others to be a serious contender.

Captain Platonov still had the lead, closely pursued a single length behind by Captain Singh. Captains Solomos and Moscardo were fighting it out for third place, but Captain Quivers was gaining on them every second.

"Come on, Jasmine! Come on, Jacoby!" Connor cried.

Around him, the students and guests were all calling out to their friends and favorites. The waves in the harbor were high and choppy. One of them threw Captain Moscardo's skiff up in the air. As it landed, it crashed into Captain Solomos's boat before cartwheeling off to the side. The crowd gasped. Both skiffs had, in the very last moment, been taken out of the race. The archrivals had neutralized each other's threat.

The crowd's attention turned to the front-runners. Barely a length separated Platonov from Singh, and there was no more than a half-length between Singh and Quivers. Connor was hoarse from yelling, but he wasn't about to stop. "Go, Jacoby! Go, Captain Quivers!"

As he shouted, he was delighted to see Captain Quivers's boat draw level with Captain Singh's. Platonov was still a length ahead as the skiffs flew into the final section of the harbor and approached the finish line.

"Come on!" The cries of the crowd rose to a crescendo.

It was Captain Platonov who crossed the finish line first, a half-length ahead of Captain Quivers, with a clearly disgruntled Captain Singh forced into third place.

"They did it!" Connor cried excitedly. "Jasmine and Jacoby did it!"

"Yes," said Cheng Li. "Captain Quivers certainly pulled out all the stops at the eleventh hour. Kudos to her."

"Look!" Connor said. "The next two skiffs have come through the arch."

"Let me see!" Cheng Li raised her binoculars. "Captain Grammont and Captain van Amstel," she said.

"That only leaves Captain Avery and --"

"Commodore Kuo," said Cheng Li. "It's unthinkable for Commodore Kuo to finish in ninth or tenth place! Something's wrong here. I'm going down to talk to Platonov. Perhaps he knows something."