Johnny Graphic and the Etheric Bomb (22 page)

Grandmother was lying on the floor a few feet away, snoring loudly. There were three other people there, as well, all of them wearing dirty white coats. Bao had seen them before, going in and out of the building where they made the bomb. Now they looked tired, hungry, scared—and curious about whom Mel was talking to.

“When are they coming?” asked Mel.

“Very soon, Sister. Best that you keep still for now. You do not want to alert the Steppe Warriors to our plan.”

“Are Johnny and Nina all right?”

“They are fine, Sister.”

Mel looked as if a weight had been taken off her shoulders.

Bao told Melanie to wait a few moments, and descended through the floor. When she popped back up through the teak, Lieutenant Finn was with her. The first thing the red-bearded ghost did was salute. Bao thought it a rather odd gesture, but these people seemed rather odd to begin with.

“Good to see you, Lieutenant,” Mel whispered.

“Likewise, ma’am,” he said, leaning toward her. “You all right?”

“Stiff and sore. Otherwise fine.”

“And Dame Honoria?”

“Dozing at the moment, as you can see. But oddly subdued. Don’t know why. She doesn’t seem to be hurt.”

“Who are these other three, ma’am?”

“Scientists, engineers of some kind. Had to have worked on the bomb. Rather close-mouthed about it, though.”

The conversation was more than Bao could really understand, but she enjoyed being amid people again. Sometimes just the sound of friendly grown-ups talking—the way her parents and aunts and uncles used to do—was enough to make her happy. It didn’t matter what they were saying.

“We have a plan to get you all out,” Finn said. “It involves a diversion by the boys and how quick-like you and these other people can get a move on. I ought to say that it’s not without risk.”

“I’m eager to hear the details,” Mel said. “But first, is there any sign yet of the colonel?”

“Alas no, ma’am. Now let me tell you what’s going to happen and what you have to do.”

Chapter 43

From his hiding place in the greenery, Johnny saw Sergeant Clegg and two other troopers come charging hell-bent out of the blinding sun—whooping and screaming, sabers twirling. As they descended onto their unsuspecting enemies, there were screams and grunts and exclamations of terror.

The knot of Steppe Warriors gathered around the front steps of the old teak headquarters building was caught completely off-guard. Not a one managed to draw a sword or nock an arrow before three ghostly heads flew off of three sets of etheric shoulders. It was a horrible thing to see. But what else could they do, Johnny thought. Mel and Dame Honoria’s lives were at stake.

The sergeant and the two privates lingered long enough to inflict several more wounds. The only cost to the attackers was an arrow sticking out of Private Moody’s shoulder.

Then up into the sky the Zenith troopers soared, galloping west at full tilt.

In short order, better than twenty more Steppe Warriors erupted out of the old plantation offices like angry fire ants—just as Finn had predicted. They leapt onto their stout little horses, then flew off in pursuit of Clegg and his men, into the bright blue sky.

* * *

While Bao and one of the troopers slipped beneath Sir Roderick’s old headquarters—to join Mel and Dame Honoria—Johnny, Nina, and the other horse soldiers tiptoed up the front steps and into the building. It wouldn’t do to go blasting in, Finn had advised. Better to keep the element of surprise. Johnny couldn’t have agreed more.

To get to the old office where Bao told them they’d find Mel and Dame Honoria, they had to go down the main corridor, then make a left turn. Johnny, gripping his machete, followed Finn. The other troopers came behind, with Nina trailing to the rear. But before they made the left turn, Johnny stuck his head around the corner. What he saw stopped him in his tracks.

There were two Steppe Warriors down at the end of that hallway—one of whom he recognized.

It was a Steppe Warrior from Jadetown, a friend of that fellow Johnny had pulverized back on General Tang Boulevard. Johnny doubted that the ghost soldier with the moon face would be very gentle, should he happen to get his hands on Mr. John Joshua Graphic.

Johnny backed up a few steps and told Finn what he’d seen, whispering in the ghost’s ear.

* * *

When the moment came, neither of the Steppe Warriors noticed the ginger-bearded face of Lieutenant Finn peering out of the wall behind them. But Johnny saw it all, peeking around the corner.

“Now, boys!” Finn yelled, surging toward the two Steppe Warriors.

The Steppe Warrior from Jadetown barely had time to unsheathe his blade before Finn’s cavalry saber came swinging down. The ferocious momentum of Finn’s attack drove the wraith back up the hallway toward Johnny. Johnny was amazed that the Steppe Warrior managed to keep his head from being sliced off.

Back at the other end of the hallway, the second Steppe Warrior had managed to slow the troopers’ onslaught. The blades clanging against each other made a terrible racket.

Just at this juncture, a door down the hallway cracked open and out popped Mel’s head. She looked away from Johnny at first, then right at him. “Johnny!” she screamed. “Behind you!”

Johnny spun around and found himself facing a Steppe Warrior who was sneaking up on him—only about ten feet away. For a second or two they gaped at each other. Hardly believing what his reflexes decided to do, Johnny charged at the ghost with his machete upraised.

The Steppe Warrior backpedaled in the direction he had come from. He stopped and waited for Johnny’s first blow, then started raining down strikes on him.

Johnny’s blade was heavy and clumsy, but he miraculously managed to parry the Steppe Warrior’s strikes. This guy, Johnny thought in a rush, must not be a very good sword fighter—if I can make a fight out of it.

Just then the “guy” came at Johnny with a malevolent look on his face. Johnny grimaced and prepared for the assault, ready to repulse yet more sword strikes. But the Steppe Warrior looked around Johnny, quick-footed it backward a ways, and launched himself violently up through the ceiling.

For a second or two, Johnny thought that his skill with the machete had discouraged the Steppe Warrior. But, in fact, it was the arrival of Lieutenant Finn and his troopers, from behind Johnny, that caused his opponent’s precipitous retreat.

Finn regarded Johnny with a grim smile and a nod. “Not bad, for a beginner. Glad you still have your neck, Master Johnny. If just barely.” He resheathed his saber. “Best you not try to do that again, if you divine my meaning. Now, let’s get our folks out of here.”

Almost breathless, Johnny nodded. “Okey-dokey, Lieutenant. No more sword fights. Swell idea.”

That’s when Nina came rushing down the building’s main corridor. “Can somebody please tell me what’s going on?” she asked, sounding a bit over-anxious.

They marched back down the side corridor just as Mel and Dame Honoria emerged from their “prison cell.” The old lady was too quick for Johnny and had him in a sweaty, snuffling embrace before he could back out of range. His sister knew enough not to try such a thing and gently slugged him on the shoulder. Mel looked from Johnny to Finn and back again.

“Pretty good job, you two,” she said with a cockeyed grin. “I have a feeling it wouldn’t have ended well if you hadn’t rescued us.”

Johnny shook his head. “Well, you’re not entirely rescued yet. We’ve got about four miles to cover before dark, to get back to the flying boat. With about thirty or forty Steppe Warriors still on the loose. Hate to say it, but we’re definitely outnumbered.” He then scowled as the three white-coated scientists came out into the hallway—a middle-aged man and woman, and a young guy who looked as if he could still be in high school. “Have these people told you anything?”

Mel shook her head. “They’re totally mum. Won’t even tell us their names. I think they’re more scared of whoever sent them here than they are of us.”

Johnny cleared his throat and everyone looked at him. Time to go to work again.

“Let me just get a quick shot of you,” he said to his sister, “and Dame Honoria and the scientists. We’ll need it for your story.”

Dame Honoria and Mel moaned in quick succession about how absolutely dreadful they looked, but reluctantly agreed to Johnny’s request—if only to get it over with.

* * *

By midafternoon, they all were making their way southward, on the rocky trail that snaked through the coral hills. Sergeant Clegg and his raiding party had rejoined the main group. All the living people had clambered up into the saddles with Zenith troopers, to speed their passage along this very difficult path. Johnny had to stifle a grin, seeing the alarmed expressions on the faces of the scientists and Nina. As far as their own senses were concerned, they were bobbing along up in thin air.

Johnny felt incredibly relieved that no one had gotten hurt. So far. But he could tell that something had happened to Dame Honoria on Old Number One. She ought to have been expounding and pontificating, even in these dire circumstances. She was definitely not her normal, bossy self. But why?

When they emerged from the rocky path, everyone but Dame Honoria and the woman scientist dismounted and started hiking under their own power. An hour or so later they came upon Marchiano and Ozzie Eccleston, still locked in their pugnacious embrace. Both specters looked as if they’d been on a steady diet of vinegar. Sour, resentful expressions were etched on their faces.

Dame Honoria’s former servant wailed for his release. Johnny, Mel, and Finn talked it over and decided that they couldn’t risk having Ozzie find his Steppe Warrior friends and give them away. Mel ordered Marchiano and another Zenith trooper to bring Ozzie along to the beach, then release him as soon as their aeroboat took off. Each trooper gripped one of his arms.

Not that it mattered.

For when they were within a hundred yards of the beach, Private Schultz—a wiry ghost with a heavy Barovian accent, who had been sent forward to scout with another trooper—came rushing up to them.

“Dare are Shtep Varriors out dare,” he whispered urgently to Johnny, Mel, and Finn. “Vaiting for us. Upon de vatter. Tventy or dirty.”

“Have they taken the flying machine?” asked Mel. “Do you know if Uncle Louie and Danny are safe?”

“I do not know, Commander Grapheek. I left Private Boo out zere to keep an eye upon zem.”

“Can’t go forward,” Johnny stated grimly. “And there may be Steppe Warriors back the way we came. So we’re in another jam, huh?”

Chapter 44

Slipping off the ghost horse, Dame Honoria hobbled forward to join her godson and his sister. Bao tagged along behind her.

“Don’t you worry, Johnny,” Dame Honoria said, her deep, resonant voice a bit tremulous. “We shall get out safely.” There were tears in the corners of her pale blue eyes. “You are such a fine young man. So talented, so determined, so energetic, so upright. I wish I had a son like you.”

Johnny blinked at his godmother. What was
that
all about? He had never seen Dame Honoria speak so emotionally in all his life.
Something
was up with her.

He was about to ask what their plan ought to be, when another ghost trooper burst out of the undergrowth. Johnny saw the look of fear on Private Boo’s baby face and his heart dropped. He knew the situation had just gone from bad to worse.

“They’re headin’ right fer us, Commander,” Boo exclaimed. He snapped off a quick salute, as he skidded to a halt before Mel. “Comin’ off the water and into the jungle. We’d best turn around and run.”

“Are you absolutely sure?” Finn snapped.

“Afeared so, sir.”

“In my opinion, ma’am,” said the lieutenant, “Private Boo has given us the only choice we have.”

“You think we should go back toward the coral hills?”

“I do, Commander Graphic.”

Mel gave a fatalistic nod. “We’re heading back inland,” she shouted. “The Steppe Warriors are coming.”

Everyone turned around and the two white-coated scientists on foot at the rear of the group suddenly became the leaders. The first of them—the slender youth with thick blond hair and wire-rimmed spectacles—began gasping for air, as panic took hold of him.

“I’ve gotta get out of here!” he screamed.

He started running down the narrow track, back in the direction they’d come from.

Johnny had a clear view of what happened next.

The young man in the white coat couldn’t run very fast on the jungle track and had only made it fifty or so feet, when an arrow shot out of nowhere and went
thwuuump
into his chest.

As if he’d hit a stone wall, the young man came up short, turned and faced the others, and toppled over backward, like a rag doll. His dying face was a mask of bewilderment. The arrow that pierced his heart remained solid for a few seconds, then evaporated.

By the time Johnny had dashed up, a wraith that was an exact twin of the young man—right down to the white lab coat and spectacles—was standing over the body, semi-transparent, his feet floating a few inches over the ground.

“C-c-c-can anyone,” the brand-new ghost stammered, “t-t-t-tell me what j-j-j-just happened?”

Johnny was about to explain, when a dozen mounted Steppe Warriors appeared above them, with bows drawn and arrows nocked. Almost simultaneously, each of the blue-coated troopers reached for his revolver. But Mel shouted, “NO! One murder is enough! Troopers, stand down.”

A Steppe Warrior descended to the ground, dismounted, and swaggered toward the bedraggled captives, sword in hand. Uh-oh, thought Johnny, it’s the wraith from Jadetown.

The ghost surveyed Mel and Nina and Dame Honoria. Then he stepped up to Johnny, looking him up and down.

“My name is Temur,” the Steppe Warrior said. “Now drop your blade.”

Johnny didn’t see how he could do otherwise—as much as he wanted to fight—and threw his machete aside.

“I wouldn’t have thought a midget like you could have defeated my friend back in Jadetown,” Temur said. The wraith glared pointedly at the boy, then brought the tip of his sword right under Johnny’s nose and delicately clipped it.