Saint Augustine

Chapter 2:

Chapter 2:

The Russian’s attack was swift and brutal. Their individual flying machines allowed them to dart about the airship just out of reach. However, the blades of their contraptions made boarding the ship impossible. If they closed the distance, getting tangled in the rigging was a possibility, sending The Legend and the attackers plummeting to their death.

Helena stood next to Captain Cox, her arms crossed looking out from the bridge across the deck. The cloud cover allowed them to escape the Russians, but the low visibility made flying particularly hazardous. “The clouds so thick, aren’t you concerned with flying into something?”

Captain Cox cast Helena a side glance before turning the helm over to another crewman. “That is a very astute question. Perhaps you should learn more about the ship you control.” The captain touched Helena’s elbow with his mechanical hand, guiding guided her to the right-hand side of the helm, and pointed to an instrument. “This here is an altimeter. It tells us how high we are above sea level. Mister Wizard guarantees me its accurate to a few feet. The device tells us we are at three thousand feet.”

Helena nodded in understanding.

With his metal foot thudding heavy on the bridge deck, he guided her behind from the helm to the chart table. “These are the best charts we could find. You will notice a line drawn on the chart. That is our intended course. Also, notice the vast emptiness that we travel through. If we could see the surface, all we would find would be water. Without the stars or the sun, we would be unable to gain our position on the earth. We left San Francisco and was blown out to sea. We then turned south. When we reach this point,” Captain Cox pointed at the map where the next waypoint was drawn, “we will need to set our bearings. For that, we’ll either need to go high enough to find the sun or low enough to find the coast. The highest mountain on the California coast south of San Francisco is four thousand feet. Once we turn east, we will need to increase our elevation or find visual contact with land to avoid flying into a mountain.”

“Since we’re over water, we shouldn’t run into anything.” Helena connected the dots and answered her original question.

“Unless there are more flying devices in the air people neglected to inform us about, we should be safe from any collision.”

The murk they sailed through grew lighter as the sun rose. It turned the black of the night into the gray of a foggy morning. The view reminded Helena of San Francisco when the fog didn’t burn off, sometimes for days at a stretch. She found the gray strangely peaceful after the events of the past few weeks. She hadn’t taken the time to fully digest everything that had happened. Things seemed to move too fast. When the journey to find her parents began, she had hoped she’d find time to crack her father’s code, to discover how to read her mother’s book, and to finally mourn the dead. She expected one day to return to her home in San Francisco. So many things had been left half completed. She must return and help make her city a better place to live.

A soft tap at the bridge door broke her from her thoughts. She turned to see Phoebe standing at the door, waiting for permission to enter.

Helena motioned for Phoebe to come to stand next to her. With her head lowered and hands clasped in front of her, Phoebe padded to Helena’s side.

With a hushed voice, Phoebe began, “Mistress, I’m sorry to intrude, but Gertrude is missing. I’ve searched everywhere, and I can’t find her.”

Helena tried hard not to get excited, but the fear leaked into her voice, “What?” Helena turned and faced Phoebe, giving her the undivided attention she deserved. “When was the last time you saw her?”

The small Chinese woman wrung her hands while she spoke. “I know she was on board. We stood next to one another when the ship left the ground. It was so rough... We were together when the captain called us all on deck. Then the attack came, and we scattered. I looked for her afterward, and I’ve kept looking since. I haven’t been able to find her.”

They spoke in hushed tones, but the bridge was a small room, so everyone heard the discussion. Captain Cox took the few steps to join the women.

“Mistress Helena, I couldn’t help but overhear. We will begin a search of the ship immediately. If she is on the ship, we will find her.” Captain Cox turned, and with a few shouted orders, he rousted the crew out of their racks, and a top-to-bottom search of the ship commenced.

Helena tried to console Phoebe has she broke into tears. “Please, dear, we will do whatever we can to find her.”

Phoebe tried to speak through her tears. “I should never have left her. Though she is older, I’ve always looked after her.”

Helena fought hard not to join her in tears. She knew she had to be strong. “It’s not your fault. It’s the damned Russians that attacked us.”

Captain Cox returned and spoke in a calm voice. “Madam, I understand what your gut will want to do, but before you make a decision, let me explain a few things. We’ve never been below a thousand feet in the air. A fall from that distance would be fatal no matter what surface we are over. Assume for a moment that she did survive the fall. The water is sixty degrees. A person cannot survive long in that cold of water. Remember the vastness of the open space I showed you on the chart.”

“Thank you, Captain. I understand the unlikelihood of... a happy conclusion to the search.”

“No offense intended. I just believe it is important to receive all relevant information before deciding. One more point. Somewhere to the north, the Russian airship is searching for us,” the captain finished.

“None taken, but Captain, understand I will do whatever I need to do to find out what happened to our friend. If that means going back and searching for her body, we will. Now we will settle for a complete search of The Legend. Understand there are other ways to search for something than by simply looking.”

“Aye, Mistress, we will search.” And they did, finding no trace of Gertrude.

“Helena, I don’t think you understand what you’re asking. If we do this, we are opening ourselves up to a world we don’t fully understand. The ramifications could be... unforeseen.” Deirdre sat in Helena’s room. The small round table only allowed room for three. Phoebe had joined them at Helena’s request.

Helena shook her head while speaking softly, “No, you don’t understand. We’ve used every option. I know some witches can commune with the dead. I’ve seen it happen. If Miss Hettie were here, I would ask her, but she isn’t. You are our only choice. You keep telling me you are more powerful and that I take you for granted. Prove to me now how powerful you are.”

Deirdre sat quietly, her eyes watching her folded hands.

Phoebe chimed in, “Miss Helena, if it is too dangerous, perhaps it is better we don’t try—”

Helena cut her off, “Damn it! The only reason she is on this ship is that I allowed it. I must know if she died because of me. If she is alive, we must discover where to save her. If she is in the water, we must hurry, or we will be too late! I must learn what happened to her!” Tears welled in Helena’s eyes as she spoke.

In the softest voice, Helena had ever heard come from her aunt, “We will try this, but magic always has a price to pay. I am sure of it.”

“I am, as well. When has magic not carried a price?” Helena watched her aunt closely.

Deirdre shook her head. “But you might not be the one to pay it.”

Helena stood. “I am willing to take that risk. What do you need?”

“Close the drapes.”

“Miss Helena, are you sure this is wise?” Phoebe asked.

“Not at all, but I will not abandon someone I am responsible for.” She pulled the drapes closed with a flourish. “Anything else?”

“Just a candle.”

She pulled the candle that stood next to her bunk and brought it along with a box of matches to the table. Before she managed to light the wick, Deirdre pulled her fire-starter from her pocket and touched her flame to the tip.

“One of these days, you need to let Mister Wizard inspect that. I bet he could reproduce it.”

“He probably could, but where would the fun be in that?”

Helena sat at the table, forming an equilateral triangle.

Deirdre held out her hands to the other two women. “Join hands, and no matter what happens, don’t let go.”

Experienced in the process, Helena laid one of Gertrude’s scarfs in the center of the table. “Ask for Lo Wai Han, that is her true name. She only took the name of Gertrude a few days ago.”

The circle of hands joined. Deirdre closed her eyes and nodded her head. “Spirits of light and spirits of the dark. Please hear my call, follow the spark. Answer the call, be drawn to the light. Follow my voice, help make this all right.”

Helena felt a breath of air move about the room.

“We look for Lo Wai Han. We need to know if she walks among the living or the gone. Please answer our call, and we will be gone.”

The light blew out. Deirdre’s voice shifted three octaves lower. “What you seek, walks not among the dead.”

“She is alive!” Helena had to force herself not to break the circle in her excitement. “Where is she?”

“Not walking among the dead, nor walking among the living, yet she lives... and flies!” The spirit voice grew louder as it spoke.

Phoebe asked softly, shrinking into her chair, “What does it mean?”

Before Helena answered, the voice spoke through Deirdre, “Through your actions, you unleashed hell amongst the living. You must stop playing with this kingdom you do not understand.”

Helena thought about telling the voice what it could do with itself but decided to remain quiet.

“Death comes on white wings,” were the last words Deirdre said before her head slumped to the table.

Phoebe asked again, “What did it all mean?”

“I’m not sure, but I think I can guess where Gertrude is.” Helena rose to pour her aunt a double shot of brandy. She knew she would want the drink when she awoke from her slumber.