In a world of steamships and Progress, no one who sails due south across the Wild Sea ever returns.
No one knows why.
Dale Mortensen intends to solve the mystery. With the help of an old sailor and a reformed playboy searching for his missing sweetheart, he locates a captain and crew ambitious—not to mention crazy—enough to undertake the journey across the Wild Sea.
The Infinity and her crew sail south, but the truth of what really lies on the other side of the horizon is more amazing—and terrifying—than anything they can imagine.
It’s the adventure of a lifetime—and it may just get Dale and his friends killed.
Find out how this Young Adult steampunk adventure unfolds chapter-by-chapter every Thursday! Click here to start from the beginning. Or if you want to read it at your own pace, buy the ebook for $6.99 from Amazon, Apple, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Smashwords or Sony, or get it as a trade paperback from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or Book Depository.
THE OTHER SIDE OF THE HORIZON
E. R. PASKEY
CHAPTER FORTY-ONE
THE GUARDS DID NOT STAND A CHANCE.
In the span of a few heartbeats, Dale and Hawk crossed the yards of cave floor separating them to overpower the guards, knocking their chairs over in the process and almost taking the table, lantern, and cards with them. Focused as they were on their card game—and most definitely not expecting an attack to come from the direction of the beach—it took precious seconds for the guards to register movement.
Seconds they did not have to spare.
The man facing the beach tunnel saw them and reacted first, but he was too slow. By the time he started reaching for his revolver, Hawk had tackled him to the floor, cutting off his shout with a forearm slammed across his windpipe. The other man had not even turned around before Dale was on him. Under the larger man’s assault, he crumpled like a sack of potatoes.
Corwin, meantime, had rushed to cover the other tunnel entrance. No one came at the sound of the scuffle; either because they were too far away to hear it, or else because there was not anyone else to come. He ventured down it a short way before returning. “I think we are clear for the present.”
Peabody and Raphael, meantime, had both started upright at the ruckus.
“Dale?” Raphael flattened a hand against the glitterglass wall of his prison cell, dazedly staring out at Dale as though he could not quite believe his eyes. “Hawk?”
Glancing away from the guard he was trussing up with the man’s own belt, Dale raised a hand in greeting. “Heard you’d gone and gotten yourself Disappeared, Raph. Wanted to find out if it was true.”
“How did you even find us?” Raphael’s face was the picture of bewilderment.
“Wasn’t easy.” Hawk did not look up from his self-appointed task of going through his guard’s pockets.
“And you.” Raphael swiveled his head to stare at Corwin in mingled suspicion and astonishment. “What are you doing here?”
“I wanted to help Elena.” Corwin smiled wryly, still holding his revolver. “If it turned out you were dead, I was going to take your body back to her.”
Raphael snorted. “That I can well believe.” He waved a hand toward the man standing stock-still in the cell beside him and indicated Dale. “Peabody, this is my friend Dale Mortensen.” He named Hawk and Corwin as well.
Peabody appeared too stunned to respond.
“Are there any more guards we should be looking out for?” asked Dale as he approached the cell and began to examine the door.
“Two or three,” answered Raphael, “but they are all further in.” He shook his head. “How did you find us?”
“No time to explain,” said Hawk curtly. “We’ll show you.”
Corwin approached the glitterglass cell. “What about the dirigible?” he asked urgently. “Is it still intact? Have you been able to repair it?”
Raphael shot a smug look at Dale. “It is finished.”
“Really?” Hawk blinked in amazement. “Finished? It didn’t get smashed to bits?”
Peabody finally came to himself. “Oh, it was damaged,” he said in surprisingly deep voice. “But not beyond repair. Your friend here,” he tipped his head toward Raphael, “has been helping me put it back together.”
Dale’s face split with a wide grin. “Figured you’d be able to talk ‘em into keeping you alive to help.”
Raphael grinned back at him through the glitterglass wall. “That I did.”
Dale looked at Peabody. “Where’s the rest of your crew?”
A dark shadow fell over Peabody’s face. “Dead.” He did not elaborate.
Dale glanced at Raphael, who shrugged helplessly.
Setting that issue aside for now, Dale began to examine the glitterglass cube. How does this thing open? At first glance, it appeared to be solid, but a closer look revealed a small padlock on one side. Grasping it with one hand, he gave an experimental yank. It did not budge. “Hawk, we need you over here.”
Hawk strode over, whipping out his lock picks as he went. He worked quickly and efficiently—within a moment the padlock snapped open. He unhooked it and Dale pulled the glitterglass door open to release Raphael and Peabody.
The two men lost no time in trading the confines of the cell for the cave beyond. Raphael clasped Dale’s hand and tugged him into a back-slapping hug. He looked up at Dale, his dark eyes narrowing with concern. “Is Elena—”
“She’s fine,” Dale assured him. “Sent me a letter after you Disappeared to say something was wrong, but she didn’t for a moment believe you were actually dead.”
Relief flickered over Raphael’s face. “Good girl.”
It was Dale’s turn to hesitate. “You haven’t seen Belly, have you?”
Raphael slowly shook his head. “I am sorry, my friend.”
Dale nodded, swallowing past the growing tightness in the back of his throat. He had not really expected to find the old sailor here with Raphael, but he had not realized until now how much a small part of him had hoped.
Peabody proceeded to pump their hands as well. “Thank you very much, gentleman.”
“It’s an honor to meet you, sir,” said Corwin. “I’m anxious to see this machine of yours.”
“I’m anxious to get back to her.” Peabody rolled up his sleeves. “Are there any more of you?”
Corwin shook his head. “Just us. We weren’t sure if we’d find you or not.”
“Well, you hit the jackpot, my boy.”
“Where is the dirigible?” Dale looked from Raphael to Peabody.
“You mean you did not see it?” Raphael nodded to the tunnel through which Dale and the others had emerged. “If you came from that direction, you had to have passed it.”
Dale wanted to laugh at the irony of it. “Didn’t have a light.”
“We’ll fix that.” Peabody picked up the lantern from the table and held it aloft. “Follow me.”
Raphael grabbed the other lantern, while Hawk and Dale dragged the unconscious guards over to the glitterglass cell and shoved them inside. They were coming to now, but Dale and Hawk had gagged them efficiently, rendering them unable to shout for help. They were also about to be left in the dark.
Dale could not quite muster up any sympathy for them.
Peabody led the way out of this cavern and back down the tunnel. The lantern threw shifting patterns of light onto the tunnel’s rocky walls and ceiling as they hurried along. When they emerged into the larger cavern, Dale caught his breath. This cave system was much, much larger than he had realized.
How does it even fit in the mountain? he wondered in amazement. It doesn’t look like it should fit.
In the back corner of this cavern, on the other side from the tunnel that led to the glitterglass cube, the flickering lantern light revealed the massive form of the dirigible. Dale had never seen one up close before. Despite himself, his heart quickened its pace. He had railed against the dirigible’s existence, passionately hated it and the change for which it stood, but now, standing beside it, he was never so glad to see a machine in his entire life.
A flash of sun-kissed sand and gentle waves danced before his eyes. We can go home.
The dirigible’s giant gasbag, which nearly brushed the cavern’s ceiling, seemed to sprout from an ornate metal keel that contained the gondola. A large propeller screw had been mounted on the stern. A number of large portholes lined both sides of the upper deck of the gondola, growing smaller as they approached the stern, while a smaller row of port holes lined the lower deck. A multitude of ropes had been tied to the gondola and attached to heavy weights to keep the dirigible grounded.
Dale did not see a hatch. Must be on the other side.
Under Peabody’s direction, they set about removing all of the ropes. “Raphael and I only just finished fixing the engine today,” he said thoughtfully.
Dale sent a grin in Raphael’s direction. “I’m sure you loved that.”
“One of the best moments of my life,” agreed Raphael solemnly.
As they untied the last of the ropes, Dale remembered the gate. We’ll have to open it first. He started toward it, but he had only taken five strides before a cold voice boomed through the cavern, freezing them all in their tracks.
“Don’t move, or we will shoot you where you stand.”
Oh, no. Dale’s heart plummeted straight into his stomach. Not now. We were so close.
Behind him, Raphael said something under his breath. So did Hawk. Peabody and Corwin said nothing. Very slowly, the four men turned to face the tunnel.
A group of armed men stood there, every revolver directed at Dale and his friends. Their leader, a short man with shoulders nearly as wide as he was tall, started to open his mouth, but Corwin spoke first.
“I believe there’s been some kind of mistake,” he said smoothly. “I’m Corwin Hamper—my father is on the Council—and these men are my friends. We’re here to—”
“—steal what doesn’t belong to you,” growled the leader. “Hamper’s boy, eh? At least you’ve got more guts than your father.” He smiled, revealing several gold teeth. “Not that it’s going to help you.”
He motioned with his weapon. “Hands up. Any weapons, drop ‘em now. I have to tell you that the lads and I wouldn’t mind a bit of target practice.”
Stone-faced, Hawk dropped his revolver to the cave floor and stepped back from it, raising his hands in the air.
Dale considered attempting to draw his own revolver from his pocket, but he dismissed it as a foolish idea and held up his hands. Not worth getting shot. We’ll find a way out of this. He was more concerned about Raphael, who was loathe to relinquish his newfound freedom.
At last, Raphael set the lantern down and raised his hands. His dark eyes were full of mingled rage and misery.
Peabody sighed. “And here I was looking forward to finally getting some fresh air.”
“You’re coming with us.” The leader waved them forward. “Quick-march now, but no funny business, or I’ll shoot you myself and leave you out for the Streamers.”
“Not on my beach, you will not,” said a familiar voice, from the tunnel behind them.
Dale jolted. Glancing sideways at Corwin, he saw the color drain from the other man’s face. Gregor Sivak, himself. He suppressed a snort. I guess that answers the question of whether or not the man knows what’s going on under his nose.
The four of them were frog-marched back to the cavern containing the glitterglass cube. The cavern had filled with more men, some of them bearing lanterns. Standing in the forefront was Sivak himself. His meaty arms were crossed over his chest and malicious triumph glittered in his eyes.
“Well, well, well, what have we here?” His eyes swept over Hawk before settling on Dale. “You. I would have thought you’d have the sense to stay out of this.”
“He’s my friend.” Dale shrugged.
Sivak’s gaze slid past him to rest on Corwin. “Now, this is a surprise. The Hamper Scion, involved in trespassing and attempted thievery. Does your father know you’re here, I wonder?”
Corwin drew himself up to his full height. “It might be trespassing,” he said scathingly, “but rescuing two men the rest of Rift City has believed dead is hardly breaking the law. And the dirigible still belongs to him.” He jerked his head toward Peabody.
“That is a matter of opinion, considering that it crashed on my property and it has been my property that restored his machine,” said Sivak coldly.
“You imprisoned me!” protested Peabody. “I could hardly—”
Sivak flicked a finger and one of his men stepped forward to belt Peabody across the face.
Dale, Raphael, and Hawk all bristled, but Sivak’s men raised their weapons menacingly.
Peabody raised his head, his now-bloody face impassive. He said nothing further.
Sivak considered him for about five seconds before nodding to the man who had struck Peabody. “Put him back in the cell. We need him alive a while longer.”
The man obeyed, roughly shunting Peabody back over to the glitterglass cube and shoving him inside.
Sivak then turned back to Dale, Raphael, and Corwin. “Now, what to do with you three?” His cold eyes flicked to Raphael. “You talked yourself into a reprieve from death once, but I’m afraid you will not be able to do it again.”
Raphael lifted one shoulder in an insouciant shrug. “So you say.”
“You…” Sivak looked at Dale. “It’s a shame the Platform will lose so many of her workers in so short a time, but examples must be made. You went looking for the Disappeared, and you shall find them.”
That, Dale thought grimly, does not bode well.
“Now, you, on the other hand…” Sivak clasped his hands behind his back as his gaze swung to Corwin. “You present me with an interesting dilemma.”
Dale and Raphael looked sideways at Corwin, though they both kept one eye on Sivak. It did not take a genius to see where Sivak was going.
“It’s a shame about your father,” continued Sivak blithely. “How many years has he pleaded with you not to go gallivanting around the coast?” He shook his head. “If only you had listened.”
Corwin’s face paled further, but he lifted his chin. “What are you going to do, toss us onto the beach and leave us for the Streamers to find?”
Sivak shook his head. “Oh, no. I don’t want those things anywhere near this beach. Not again. And I don’t think we’ll be taking a chance that one of your compatriots has instructions to patrol the coast later in search of you.”
“Then how are you going to get rid of us?” Dale was tired of listening to the man. “Shoot us? Bury us in one of these caves?”
“Tempting, but no.” Sivak’s dark eyes glittered with malice. “You’ll Disappear the same way everyone else does—without a trace.” He flicked a finger toward his men and they forced Raphael and Corwin down onto their knees.
They had trouble bringing Dale to his knees. He was too tall for them to put hands on his shoulders and force him down. For a brief moment, he stood stalwart and immovable.
Then one of the men rammed his fist into Dale’s stomach. He folded over, the breath knocked out of him, and two more men pounded his shoulders, sending him to the ground. Rough hands rummaged through his pockets while he wheezed in pain, nearly missing Sivak’s parting words.
“Tie them up and stake them out at the usual place.”
“Don’t you think we’d better kill ‘em first, Mr. Sivak?” asked one of the men doubtfully. “Just in case?”
“Oh, no.” Malicious delight dripped from every word. “The Streamers like their food alive. And I wouldn’t want them to miss a moment of it.”
The Streamers? Dale jolted, realization washing over him like a wave of cold, foul-smelling water. That’s how they make people Disappear! He turned to find Raphael, to see if he had reached the same conclusion, but a rough hand shoved a rag soaked in some sweet-smelling liquid in his face. He had no idea what it was, but the fumes made the edges of his vision go black. His last thought before unconsciousness claimed him was to wonder how they could appreciate whatever was coming if they were out cold.
Find out how this Young Adult steampunk adventure unfolds chapter-by-chapter every Thursday! Or if you want to keep reading right now, buy the ebook for $6.99 from Amazon, Apple, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Smashwords or Sony, or get it as a trade paperback from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or Book Depository.
Copyright © 2013 E. R. Paskey