The Atlantic Via Bathtub CH 12

Four minutes later they were alone in the deluxe suite.1

'Umm, you look a little on edge, I must say,' commented Charles casually as he flopped onto one of the beds. Which he found, much to his satisfaction, was very comfortable.2

'He stole Bootle!' yelled Pete so loudly that John jumped nigh a foot, and Charles fell of the bed.3

Clambering of the floor, Charles said incredulously, 'He stole Bootle? What would he want that worth-' he realised what he was about to say to an enraged Pete, deciding that that wording would probably find his head in some other location from his body, he changed it, '-much, piece, of... Engineering science... For?'4

'He's collecting bathtubs, and apparently my Bootle is a very rare one,' growled Pete.5

John sat on the bed quietly, deciding that it would probably be best to remain out of this conversation.6

'Whew, talk about mid life crises, collecting bathtubs? But I don't understand why he'd want Bootle, Bootle was just the old tub... From... Oh, I see.' finished Charles, the light dawning.7

'Exactly.' Pete sighed and sat heavily on one of the beds. 'My poor Bootle, we've been through so much together, and now she's doomed to sit on a pedestal gathering dust for the rest of her days.' He buried his head in his hands.8

John got up and went over to sit beside him, he stuck his hand round Pete's shoulder. 'This is all my fault isn't it? If I hadn't been with you, you'd have been able to beat them all up, but you didn't, so I wouldn't see any guts flying anywhere. Right?'9

Pete took his head of of his hands and stared John in surprise, then, despite himself he laughed. 'No laddy, it's not your fault, there were to many of them for me to be able to fight, even in me younger days, I wouldn't have been able to manage it.'10

'Oh, really?' John seemed somewhat disappointed in the fact that Pete couldn't have taken them all on single handed.11

Charles laughed loudly. 'I do believe we have a somewhat bloodthirsty lad here Pete.'12

'Aye,' said Pete, staring at John thoughtfully. 'You know, I have an idea, one that just might get us out of here.'13

'Indeed? Pray tell, what is this said idea?' asked Charles.14

eight hours, and two meals later.15

The door opened, and a guard entered, followed by Baldwin carrying a plater of food.16

No sooner were they through the door when John leapt up, and dashed past them calling out as he went, 'Got to do to the bathroom, don't wait!'17

The guard instantly dashed after him. Heedless to the fact that he'd left a little rather rotund man to the mercy of two tall somewhat not fat, just nicely covered men.18

'I say, this is nice, just you and us, time for a nice little chat eh?' said Pete menacingly. 19

'You vill not get avay viz zeez,' said Baldwin flatly.20

'Aye, probably not, but if we don't...' Pete ran his finger slowly along his throat. 'Get the picture?'21

'Clearly,' muttered Baldwin.22

'Have a seat,' said Pete, indicating to the bed out of sight of anyone coming through the door.23

Well Pete dealt with Baldwin, Charles stood behind the door, and waited for the guard to return with John.24

He didn't have to wait for long, John had done his job perfectly, and been caught quickly.25

He saw John walk through the door, and wrench himself out of the guard grip and dash to the bed, this was Charles cue. He slammed the door.26

It caught the guard on the front most part of his body, which happened to be his nose.27

Charles whipped the door open and grabbed the unconscious guard before he fell, and dragged him inside, he dropped the guard, and shut the door.28

'Fine work lad. Now, the rope if you please?' he said.29

John handed him the sheet which had been twisted into a tight length, to serve as a rope.30

Charles quickly, and expertly tied the guard up, he got a pillow case that had been twisted into a rope as well, he used it to gag the guard. Then shoved him under the bed, out of sight.31

'Hokay, step one, Operation: Take Over The Mini Blimp, done, now for step two, Operation: Take Over The Larger Blimp,' said Charles cheerfully.32

Baldwin scowled at him, obviously realising that he was the afore mentioned Mini Blimp. 'I fail to zee how I vill be of zervice to your little ezcapade.'33

'Ah, don't worry, you'll see, you'll see,' said Charles, smiling evilly at him.34

'All you have to do is show us where the control deck is. A nice easy task in exchange for your life don't you think?' said Pete.35

'You vould zink zo yez, but iz not,' said Baldwin flatly.36

Pete appeared slightly taken aback. 'oh, really?'37

'Yez, to get to zee "control deck" az you call it, one haz to go through no zecurity check pointz, pazt no guardz, but, only one perzon can fly zeez airzip. And zat iz what makez it hard, he vill not obey anyone but Zir Eric.'38

'Is that so, not even a gun to his head would change his mind?' asked Pete.39

'Nein. He vould die for Zir Eric. Pluz if only he can fly zeez zing, who iz going to zot him, if zey do zey diez az vell.'40

'So why's he so loyal to Sir Eric eh?' Pete asked, getting somewhat annoyed.41

'Mozt zonz are loyal to zere dadz,' explained Baldwin.42

'Ah, I see, the old get yer kids to work for you,' muttered Pete darkly. He thought for a minute, this seriously screwed their plans. Or did it? He smiled slightly. 'How much does Sir Eric like his zo...son?' he asked 43

Baldwin stared at him curiously. 'He hatez iz gutz, but iz zon doezn't know that,' he said slowly.44

'There we go! Our ticket out of here,' said Pee triumphantly.45

'I fail to ze–'46

Doesn't matter, you don't have to zee anything. You just have to take us there.' 47

Baldwin glared at him, if you don't tell me, I don't take you,' he said stubbornly. 48

Pete sighed exasperatedly, but seeing as he would get nowhere if he didn't, he told him.49

'It iz cruel, but I iz getting zick of zeez zip. Zo I vill take you,' said Baldwin.50

'Ok! Lets get this show on the road!' said Charles enthusiastically. 51

Two minutes later Baldwin had led into what looked like a storage cupboard, for all the sheets, blankets, clothes, etc.52

'Zere iz an air-duct up zee roof up zere, once you enter it, it vill take you to zee main air circulation room, zer vill be large fan in zee middle, don't fall into it, or you vill find yourzelf all over the roof. All round zee vall vill be more air-ductz. Each one leadz to a room in zee zip. Find zee one marked: Bridge. Go zere, and you vill be in zee control room viz Zir Eric'z zon.'53

'Ok, Charles, take John and get there pronto, once there, you know what to do. I'll remain here with Baldwin, and he's going to get me to Bootle without the guards shooting him, isn't he?' he smiled humourlessly at Baldwin, who nodded slightly.54

John clambered up the shelves till he reached the air-duct, and undid the bolt holding it on, which fortunately weren't done up tight, so he had no problem.55

Charles held up his hands, and took the air-duct cover, placing it on the ground as John climbed back down.56

'Care to give me a leg up Petey old boy?' asked Charles casually.57

'You're the pigeon here, you should just fly up,' growled Pete, as he cupped his hand for Charles.58

Charles put his foot in Pete's cupped hands, and stepped up, his hands out stretched he grabbed the air-duct rim and pulled himself in. 59

'Ow, dang it's cramped in here,' he grumbled, 'Sorry kid, but I won't be able to give you a hand in.'60

'That's 'K, don't need you to get in,' siad John smugly, as he climbed up the shelves, and then scrambled into the air-duct with the apparent ease of a ten year old boy.61

'Well you just suck don't you?' muttered Charles, as he watched John climb into the duct. To Pete standing below he called, 'You'll know when we're there.'62

'Aye, I'm sure I will.' called up Pete.63

'Hokay kid, lets have some fun,' so saying, Charles started crawling down the air-duct.64

After crawling for few minutes, they neared another grill, as they drew closer, they could hear a low whump whump, from the fan.65

They reached the grill, it was screwed shut, from the outside.66

Charles tried to stick his hand through the grid, but his hand was to big. 'Ah buggerit. John, do you have small hands?' he asked.67

'Yes, I do, very small actually.'68

'Oh good. Do you think if I lay down, you'd be able to crawl over me?'69

John looked at him, then at the size of the duct. 'It'll be a squeeze, but I think I could manage.'70

'Good, good. Back up a bit would you?'71

John crawled backwards. 'Ok.'72

Charles wriggled backwards, then lay flat on his stomach. 'See if ya can do it kid,' he said.73

John crawled forward, he felt Charles's feet with his hands, and kept crawling till he ran out of room, lying down he started to pull himself over Charles.74

After some wriggling, ouches, and swearing on Charles part, which got him a sharp rebuke and a jab from John, John was now ahead of Charles.75

He stuck his hand through the grill, near the top right hand side, it was a narrow fit, but by forcing, he got his hand through. 'Let's hope these screws aren't to tight,' he muttered.76

John felt around for the bolt, his hand found it, and he twisted, it moved. A few seconds later it was undone.77

'One down.' He pulled his hand out from the grill, a feat which was much harder then sticking it through in the first place. Moving over he slid his hand through the grill on the top right side, he soon found the bolt, and turned, it also came undone easily. Soon is hand was back this side of the grill.78

'How you going kid? They easy to undo?'79

'So far, still got two left though,' said John, as he squeezed his hand through the grill again, and tried the next bolt. 'Dang, it's stuck!'80

'Hmm, well do the one on the other side, if that can be undone, then it can be twisted out of the way,' said Charles.81

'Ok.' John pulled his hand through the grill. 'Ow! Dangnabit! I cut myself!' He glowered down at his hand a moment, before sticking it carefully through the grill, and trying the next bolt, he twisted, but there was nothing to grip. 'It's stuck as well,' he growled.82

'Well that just sucks.' Charles thought a moment. 'Say, how big are those bolts?'83

John pulled his hand, very carefully so as to avoid cutting himself again, back through the grill, he picked up one of the bolts and handed it back to Charles, 'Here.'84

Charles felt around in the dim light for John's hand with the bolt, he found it, and took the bolt. 'These are quite small bolts, which means the grill might be able to be kicked out. Do you think you can turn around, and maybe try kicking it?'85

'I don't know, I can try,' said John doubtfully.86

He rolled to his back, and curled himself up into a ball. 'Charles, see if you can spin me round, I can't by myself.'87

'Rightyhoo.' Charles reached forward with one hand, and grasped John's leg.88

With a bit of forcing, and John deciding that he didn't like air-ducts, they had him facing the other way.89

'Okay, let's try this...' From his position on his back, he drew his legs toward him, then let fly a kick. His feet hit the grill, it moved, but the impact had sent John sliding back, ruining most of his momentum. He wriggled forward again. 'Charles, I think you'll have to hold me in place, so I don't slide back again.90

'Mmm, my thoughts exactly.' Charles put his hands at John's shoulders, then braced himself against the walls. 'Try now.91

John drew his feet close, and let fly. As his feet travelled toward the grill Charles pushed him forward.92

His feet his the grill, and the combined effect of the kick and John being pushed forward, had the desired effect on the grill, there was a crack as some of the grill broke, but it was still attached.93

'Try again.'94

So again they tried, and again. On the forth kick, the two small bolts gave way and the grill crashed to the ground.95

'Okay! Now we're getting somewhere!' exclaimed John, as he manoeuvred himself through the hole, and into the main ventilation room.96

'Bah... stupid air-ducts... should be banned...' John heard Charles mutter to himself as he crawled out of the duct, and fell to the floor.97

He got up and brushed himself off. On seeing the room, he let out a whistle. 'Well, I see what the little blimp meant by, "zpread all over zee roof." ' he said, as he stared at the massive fan spinning in the middle of the floor. Underneath it was a line of ducts running to the outside of the airship, so it was sucking fresh air into the room, and pushing it, via the ducts through which they were travelling, all through the airship. Charles guessed that somewhere there was another room like this which sucked air out of the zeppelin.98

'Here's the one we want,' said John, who had been looking round the wall for the right vent.99

'Good work kid,' said Charles as he started walking over to John. He paused mid-stride as something caught his eye. It was a box, a tool box by the looks of it, probably left behind by one of the workers. He knelt down by it and opened it. In side was quite a large array tools. 'Hey kid, one of these will probably do to undo the bolts,' he said as he picked the tool box up and carried it over to John.100

Fishing through them, he pulled a shifter out, sticking it over the bolt, he tightened them till it held on nicely to the bolt head. 'Perfect.'101

He undid the bolt, then handed the shifter to John. 'Undo the rest, I'll see if there's anything else useful in here.'102

'Okay.'103

He knelt back down by the box and continued rummaging through. 'Ah-hah!' He pulled out a knife in sheath which was in there, 'This will come in handy I'm sure.' By the time he had strapped the knife sheath to his belt, John had undone the last of the bolts, and taken the grill down.104

'You go first? Or shall I?' asked John.105

'Ah...' Charles paused and thought, if he went first he'd be able to check out just what was happening at the other end first, but they'd have to squeeze past each other again, and that'd be noisy. But they could always go back down the duct before they moved. 'I'll go first, I got to check out what's up at the other end first.'106

'Good idea,' agreed John.107

Charles climbed into the air-duct, and began the gruelling journey down the duct.108

John scrambled into the air-duct behind him and followed.109

Charles stared through the grill overlooking the bridge. What he saw was not what he had expected. The bridge its self was a large room, about the size of Sir Eric's main office. Which was right below it. But it was the contents of the room that surprised him, there was only one person, and he was sitting in a chair, surrounded by more buttons, leavers and knobs then you could poke a stick at.110

The person in the chair was deathly pale, as far as Charles could tell from looking at the back of him, he was stick thin, with wispy hair. Tubes ran from his arm, to what looked looked like a IV drip. Charles doubted it was that, but had no desire to find out just what it was either.111

'Hey kid,' he whispered, 'the grill looks bigger this end, I think I might be able to fit my hand through, so pass the shifter, and don't drop it.' He held his hand out behind him, and felt John put the shifter into it.112

Moving slowly and carefully, so as to make as little noise as possible, he slid his hand through the grill, which was indeed larger then the other one, he loosened the bolt with the shifter. He pulled his hand back through the grill, and repeated the process on the other bolts.113

Charles was glad he'd found the shifter, one of the bolts proved to be rather hard to undo, with a shifter it would have been impossible.114

He placed the shifter on the floor of the duct, and stuck his hand back through the grill, and started undoing the bolts, starting with the top ones. Finishing them, he came to the lower ones, with his left hand he held the grill in place, well he undid the bottom left bolt with his left hand.115

As he removed the bolt, it slipped from his sweaty hand, and fell, it hit the metal decking with a load clang. Charles swiftly pulled his hand back through the grill, well trying to keep it from falling. He failed. His grip on it slipped when he jerked his hand through and it fell swinging on one bolt.116

The figure in the chair had already started to turn when the bolt hit the ground, now he was staring straight at the grill, and Charles.117

Charles shivered at the sight of the young mans face, his face gaunt, and eyes sunken, but the eyes, they were like his fathers, piercing, seeing straight through you.118

For a moment he and Charles stared at each other, before the man in the chair made his move, his left hand shot out to a button on his control panel with unbelievable speed. 'Father! Intruder–'119

Charles didn't wait for him to finish, he hauled himself forward and out of the vent. He landed with a thud on the floor, and sprinted toward the door, which Baldwin had said was the only entry to the room, he slid the massive bolts in place. Sir Eric's son as he sent messages to his father, he checked around the room for any more entry, he saw one, a door, he opened it, there was a stairwell there, Baldwin hadn't mentioned anything about that. He closed the door and locked it.120

He then walked casually back to the air-duct, and helped John down.121

'Aren't you going to stop him sending messages?' asked John, pointing to Sir Eric's son.122

'Nah, not really any point, we want Sir Eric to know we're here. Shouldn't be long before this dump goes into red alert, or whatever they have.'123

On that a red light on the roof started flashing, and klaxons blaring could be heard from the other side of the main door. 'Shouldn't be long before they get here.'124

Charles walked over to Sir Eric's son. 'Okay lad, they know we're here now, no need to give 'em minutely updates,' so saying he gently but firmly removed the hand from the transmit button it'd been on.125

'You leave me alone! My father will cut your b–'126

'Hey, there are young ears here, watch yer language,' interrupted Charles.127

The man in the chair glared at him. 'And just what do you plan to do to me? Get me to steer this ship where you need it?'128

'Since you mention it, that would be mighty helpful if you would.' remarked Charles.129

'I will never help you! I'd die first!' yelled Sir Eric's son.130

'Indeed, I was told you would. Oh well, I guess we'll just have to wait till your daddy gets here then.' He sat on the floor to wait.131

'Well, I guess that means Charles has made it onto the bridge,' commented Pete dryly.132

'Yez, iz full red alert, that meanz all zee guardz vill be heading to zee bridge,' said Baldwin.133

'All?' asked Pete, a thought striking him.134

'Yez. It vould appear zat Zir Eric iz razer more worried about people on zee bridge zeen I thought he vould.135

'Dang, is there any other exits off the bridge besides the air-ducts, and the main entrance?'136

'Yez actually, zer iz a ztairvell going down to zee zecond floorz emergency ezcape zeppelinz,' Baldwin told him.137

'Good good, that will be very handy. Now, to Bootle!'138

Baldwin opened the door and check the hallway, no one was in sight, all the guards from this section had already left. Baldwin opened the door fully, and stepped out into the hallway. Pete followed, walking causally to match Baldwins walk.139

Baldwin lead the way to the lift, and hit the button. When the door didn't open, Pete looked at Baldwin questioningly.140

'Zomeone elze iz in zee lift, it vill be here zoon,' he explained, on seeing Pete's look.141

'Good thing you got me to get the guards suit then eh?' commented Pete.142

'Thiz iz why I got you to, zomezing like ziz waz bound to happen, but look down nonezeelezz, you don't vant to give zem a chance of not recognizing you.'143

Pete seeing the wisdom in what Baldwin had said, looked down.144

A few seconds later the door opened, and four guards barrelled out, completely ignoring Baldwin and Pete as they charged down the hall.145

Pete and Baldwin stepped into the elevator, and Baldwin hit the button for the second floor.146

'Zere iz a large entrance to zee tub room from zee zecond deck, it iz uzed to tranzport zee tubz into it.'147

'Right, so that's how we'll get Bootle out.'148

'Yez. Zen we load your preciouz tub into a zmall attack zeppelin.'149

'Where on the second deck does the emergency exit from the bridge come out?'150

'Below zee bridge of courze,' said Baldwin dryly.151

'Okay, okay, stupid question. After we've loaded Bootle, you show me to the emergency exit, and we go and get Charles and John.'152

'If you zay zo. But vat happenz to me once zeez iz done?' asked Baldwin.153

'Good question, if you want to stay here you're welcome, or we can take you and drop you off somewhere.'154

'I'll zink about it.'155

The doors slid open. 'You do that,' said Pete as he stepped out of the elevator, and into a huge room, about the same size as the tub room, except this one held three small attack zeppelin, each looking like ferocious bumble bees. They lay lengthways in the room, on what looked like large rollers, ready to be sent out the huge doors on the side.156

Baldwin stepped out after him. 'Ziz vay.' he turned right and waddled down the flight deck.157

Pete followed him, looking as much like a guard with a purpose as he could.158

They arrived without incident at an square indent in the floor, and a matching square section in the roof.159

Baldwin hit one of the buttons on the small control panel on a piller by the lift.160

there was a grinding sound, then the lift began to lower.161

Pete saw that there was a chain attached to each corner, he guessed that there'd be a whole pulley system above which lowered it.162

It reached the ground, fitting smoothly into the indent in the floor.163

'Will we need anyone to get Bootle down?' asked Pete.164

'No, Zir Eric haz a very good crane zetup in zere,' said Baldwin as he and Pete stepped on to the lift. Reaching out Baldwin hit the button to take them to the next floor.165

There was a jolt, and the lift started it's journey up.166

'If anyone ztops you and azkes vat you are doing, tell zem zat Zir Eric haz ordered zee Bootle placed on iz perzonal attack zeppelin, in caze anyzing goez vong.'167

'Right.'168

'Once zee lift ztopz, get to Bootle, I vill operate zee crane, you juzt have to attach zee chainz.'169

'How do I know I can trust you with the crane?' asked Pete narrowly.170

'You don't have any choice... You don't know how to run zee crane, I do.'171

'It can't be that much different from the ones on docks?'172

'It iz vaztly different,' said Baldwin as the lift came to a stop in the tub room.173

Pete stared at him, trying to workout whether or not he could be trusted.174

'Vee don't have zat much time, zo I zugezt if you vant to zucceed you might like to leave now,' said Baldwin testily, as he walked as swiftly as he could toward the crane controls.175

Pete seeing as he didn't have much choice in the matter, strode to where Bootle was on display, and waited for the crane to get there, hoping that he was right in trusting Baldwin.