The Phantom of the Catacombs Read online

  “Ready to go for a swim?” Maeve yelled.

  “No.”

  The cart sped up, banging off the side of the stone wall. Sparks flew from the cart. Then it careened to the other side of the tunnel. More sparks. The cart kept moving forward and scraped the side of the tunnel. Maeve nearly lost her grip on the handlebar and did lose her grip on the phantom.

  She looked to see where he went. Gone. No longer on the cart. Maeve didn’t want to let go just yet. Soon she felt the fresh night air, followed by the wet immersion of the Tiber.

  She let go of the cart. The impact of her wild ride would have slowed anyone else down but Maeve. The elixir-enhanced monk swam to the surface and pulled herself up to the small stone lip next to the tunnel entrance. There was no Riverwalk on this side.

  “Not again! No! Not getting away again!”

  “Maeve!” Ivy flew over.

  “He has to be still in the tunnel of doom!” Maeve pushed her wet hair away from her face.

  The lighter fluid that soaked the tunnel had been burned through and all but dissipated. There were still some flames that refused to extinguish even so, and vision in the tunnel would be extremely limited.

  “I am going back in.” Maeve unsheathed her sword. Its glow intensified.

  “Let me go. I can see better in the dark. The glow of your sword is not enough. The phantom is dangerous.”

  “It’s not a ghost. It’s a person.”

  Black smoke billowed from the tunnel. Tons of it.

  “See! It’s just a damn smoke bomb!” Maeve coughed and coughed.

  Ivy hovered near the entrance. “Should I go in? Or wait and see if he tries to come out through the smoke?”

  Suddenly, Ivy stopped hovering and fell into the Tiber.

  The smoke continued to billow and expand out over the river.

  “Ivy!” Maeve waved her hand in front of her face to see.

  More coughing.

  The phantom’s smoke was choking her.

  Chapter Thirty-Five

  Bud couldn’t see a damn thing. Nighttime combined with a seemingly never-ending wall of smoke made him feel inadequate, hopeless. He saw Maeve emerge and Ivy splash into the water but nothing after that.

  “Bert, get the hell down there. Your infrared optics can see what is happening. Go. Go.”

  “On it, Bud.” Bert dove into the water from the Riverwalk.

  “Is your life always this exciting?” Sam asked.

  “Unfortunately, yes, and I don’t know if I would use the word exciting. Poor word choice.” Bud paced the Riverwalk and waved the smoke from his face as it traveled to their side of the river.

  Bert emerged from the water with Ivy cradled in his arms.

  “Oh no, not again. We got her. Find Maeve.” Bud and Sam grabbed Ivy from Bert’s arms.

  “Shit. He shot me. I think I am shot. My shoulder,” Ivy said.

  Bud examined her shoulder. “The bullet passed through. So that is good news. You will need surgery.”

  “I can bring her back to the Castel. We can take care of her,” Sam said.

  “Not necessary. I will teleport her back.” Bud hoped that Ivy still had the earphone he’d used to help her in Castle McDougall.

  Ivy. Listen to me. I can’t let you go back to the Order. They won’t let you leave. I will get you copies of the Vampyr scrolls. I will teleport you back to the hospital your father is in. I am sorry about this. Truly I am. Thank you for your help. Be safe.

  Bud. It is okay. Yes, I should get back to my dad. Promise me to let me know if you find anything else about the shapeshifter. I will let you know if I find anything. I am ready.

  Bud pressed his wristband and Ivy disappeared.

  “Wh--what happened to Ivy?” Maeve coughed as Bert lowered her feet to the Riverwalk.

  “She was shot. She is already getting tended to back at the Castel. What happened? Bert, get back in the water. See what you can find. Perhaps Clemenza and Brasi are at the bottom of this part of the river.”

  Bert jumped into the river. Again.

  “I tried to stop him on his stupid cart and got my ass kicked again. I really want to get this guy, Bud. And it is a human. Not ghostly or supernatural,” Maeve explained.

  Bud shook his head in disappointment. “Sam, have you any ideas what is causing the spikes, then? If it’s not the phantom?”

  Sam just shrugged his shoulders, relying on his boyish good looks to skirt more scrutiny.

  “Bud! I found something rather peculiar!” Bert shouted, treading water.

  The smoke thinned out.

  “What is it? A shark? Out with it!” Bud slapped his forehead.

  “A small submersible!”

  “A sub in the Tiber?”

  “Yes, a small one.”

  “You said that already!”

  “Its propellers are moving. Shall I give chase, sir?”

  “The phantom!” Bud and Maeve yelled.

  “Sir! Shall I follow?”

  “Yes, Bert! Of course! See if you can force it to the surface!”

  Bert threw the wet floppy straw hat off and dove under.

  The night’s lack of light made it difficult for Bud, Sam, and Maeve to see anything below the choppy Tiber. Suddenly, three beams shot out from the front of the small torpedo-shaped submersible. There couldn’t have been room for more than two people in it. Even that would be tight. Bert must have caused enough interference to force the phantom to turn on the lights. The river lit up before their eyes. A bright green and yellow underwater scene played out in front of them. A robot attacking a small sub in the Tiber River.

  One of the lights dimmed, and Bud pointed to Bert covering the light, using his powerful robotic body to force the nose of the sub upward. He bear-hugged the front of the sub, and the propellers churned faster and faster under the water, which would give Bert what he wanted. He just needed to angle the nose just right.

  “Good work, Bert! Force it up!”

  The splash doused the Riverwalk. Sam absorbed the brunt of the initial wave. Bud moved Maeve in front of him to block the spray.

  “Nice, Bud. You ass,” Maeve said.

  “You are already doused!” Bud yelled.

  Bert fulfilled Bud’s directive. The sub surfaced with the android covering the nose with his arms and legs outstretched, bursting outward from the ridiculous soaked robe.

  The sub didn’t move forward. It just surfaced.

  “Bert! You can let go now. Open the hatch,” Bud said.

  “Oh, right. I must say that was thrilling.” Bert detached from the sub’s nose. The three lights turned off.

  “I didn’t know Bert could feel thrills,” Maeve said.

  Bud smiled at Maeve. “He is been acting quite differently since my grandfather got ahold of him in the dungeon. Bert! The hatch! I believe we have successfully fished the phantom from the Tiber.”

  Bert managed to stand on the narrow, paneled surface of the copper-toned sub. He moved to the small wheel of the sub’s hatch. The android grabbed for the wheel. Bert fell to the sub with a loud metallic bonk. He was completely lifeless.

  “What the bloody hell? Bert?!” Bud’s mouth dropped open.

  “Bud, what is going on? What is wrong with Bert?” Maeve grabbed Bud’s arm.

  Sam made a sign of the cross.

  Bert slipped off the sub and sank into the Tiber.

  Bud’s heart sank with him.

  Chapter Thirty-Six

  Bud looked to his band to check Bert’s status.

  “Didn’t that just teleport you places? What are you doing?” Maeve asked.

  “I made some upgrades to my band, but of course now it is not functional. Along with Bert. Somehow the phantom has hit us with an EMP burst. This enemy is quite formidable. He has taken two of us out with calculated moves.” Bud looked at the sub.

  The submersible’s lights turned back. It dove back under the Tiber.

  “Maeve and Sam, see if you can fish Bert from the bottom. I will follow
the sub.”

  “Oh no. I am going with you, Bud. Sam, can you get help?”

  “My phone not working as well. Not to worry. I will take care of Bert. Go!” Sam patted Maeve’s shoulder.

  Bud and Maeve ran parallel to the diving submarine.

  “Bud! What do we do if it turns its lights off?!” Maeve ran much faster than Bud. She kept pace with the copper boat now fully submerged.

  “Where the hell could it possibly go?” Bud struggled to keep up.

  “We are running out of Riverwalk, Bud!”

  “Oh, bollocks, we are going to have to dive in and secure a hold on the hatch wheel!”

  “Come on. It’s starting to speed up!” Maeve stopped and pointed.

  The copper-toned leviathan’s lights cast a green, ominous glow under the undulating surface of the famous river.

  “Why did you stop your progress?!” Bud asked, catching up to Maeve.

  The sub manufactured decent and steady separation from the monks of the Order.

  Maeve grabbed Bud’s thigh and shoulder.

  “What on earth are you doing?” Bud felt violated.

  “You will never be able to catch it. Take a deep breath! Grab the hatch!” Maeve lifted Bud over her head. Her strength took Bud by surprise. She threw Bud through the air and into the Tiber River right over the speedy sub.

  He took a deep breath and flapped his arms like a crazy albatross. The bubbles from his shocking and unexpected plunge filled his vision. His eyes were open, but the murky view did little to calm him. He hoped he was over the sub. There was light up ahead that spawned from the sub’s front end.

  He clawed for the hatch. He felt bolts, then a smooth panel. If he didn’t find the hatch, the phantom would get away.

  A yellow glow from above showed the sub below him. Maeve swam with her enchanted sword unsheathed and secured across her chest.

  Bud looked down and saw the hatch wheel. He grabbed it with one hand and reached for Maeve with the other. She took his hand. They rode the sub.

  Bud’s lungs strained. He didn’t know how much longer he could stay under.

  Chapter Thirty-Seven

  Bud and Maeve held on to the boat as it made its way down the Tiber River. They were submerged under the water. The compact sub slowed then began to rise and turned to the right.

  Maeve pointed to an opening in the side of the stone that bordered the river. The sub’s lights illuminated the small opening that was similar to the Cloaca Maxima’s tunnel exit, except smaller.

  Bud nodded. Hopefully they were headed into the arch so they could both get a gulp of the night air. Maeve pulled herself down to the hatch handle and lay down on the sub as best she could. She encouraged Bud to do the same with a wave. They tried to make themselves as flat as possible.

  The sub kept rising. It completed its turn into the smaller opening.

  Bud could feel the air. His clothes stuck to his body and were cold. He gulped in as much oxygen mixed with nitrogen and many pollutants as he could.

  “Bud, whatever you do, don’t put your head up. I just scraped mine. This flooded tunnel is tiny,” Maeve warned with a quiet voice.

  The glow of her sword was partially dimmed by her own body covering it. Bud looked up, and he could still see the stony ceiling of the tunnel.

  “Thanks for the heads-up. Ha. Get it. You must admit that was a wonderful jest.”

  “Better yet, you should put your head up. Shush.”

  “Sorry. I couldn’t help myself,” Bud whispered.

  His hand touched hers on the hatch wheel. Bud felt his heart warm even in his current cold and damp state.

  The scraping started rather abruptly. Cranky the Crossbow raked the ceiling. The narrow tunnel shrank the farther they traveled.

  “We should let go, Maeve. I believe we are running out of room.”

  The scraping grew louder, and Bud began to feel pressure on his back.

  “Letting go. Hopefully the propellers are set below the boat…” Bud let go and slid right off the back of the sub. Maeve followed.

  Bud treaded water in the dark tunnel. It smelled moldy, unsanitary, and not meant for swimmers.

  “Come on. We didn’t come this far to give up the chase!” Maeve swam after the sub.

  “What happens when the water reaches the ceiling?” Bud yelled.

  “We go back under the water. Come on, Bud. Grow a brain.” Maeve’s voice softened the farther she swam from him.

  Bud utilized a proper freestyle stroke and followed Maeve’s glowing gladius, his guiding light.

  The tunnel narrowed still. The water rose more and more.

  He reached Maeve. The water level almost filled to the tunnel ceiling.

  Maeve kept her chin above the water. “It is insane. It’s as if this tunnel was constructed to fit the sub’s size.”

  “I feel like a sperm in a fallopian tube for Christ’s sake. I can’t wait to get the hell out of here,” Bud complained.

  “Did you really just say that?” Maeve shook her head. She dove under.

  “A simple biological metaphor.” Bud took a deep breath and followed her.

  Maeve’s sword showed the submerged tunnel as she swam downwards as the tunnel dictated. Bud hoped an air chamber would be at the end of this tube.

  They continued their dive before the tube turned upward at a gradual incline. An air chamber or cave must be near.

  Orange light penetrated the tube. The surface neared.

  Bud swam harder and faster up the tube upon seeing the light. He nearly surpassed Maeve because of his need for air. The will to live urged him to the surface.

  Chapter Thirty-Eight

  Maeve slowed Bud’s ascent. She grabbed him and put a finger to her mouth as if to signal a quiet and measured breath of air.

  Bud nodded.

  They breached the surface together and face-first.

  Bud breathed in with his nose then kept his eyes and nose above water to scan the area. To the left, the submersible had already surfaced and was secured to a small platform that floated from a raised stone ground level. Bud eye’s widened. The skeletal remains of at least a hundred people were stacked within the walls. Skulls upon skulls lined up in rows at various openings rather haphazardly. This hidden section of the catacombs wasn’t reserved for the wealthy. It was chaotic.

  “Bud. Get back under,” Maeve whispered. “The sub hatch is opening.” .

  Bud forced himself under the water once more. Maeve swam to the back of the sub and surfaced. Bud was careful not to hit the propellers and followed her up. Their heads were hidden.

  The whine of a spinning metal wheel denoted the phantom’s imminent exit from the boat. The creak of hinges. Then a grunt. But not a low grunt like that of a man’s. A more feminine grunt.

  Bud saw a shiny black shoe hit the small metal platform. Then another. The phantom walked onto the catacomb floor. The footsteps continued. Bud could no longer see the phantom and didn’t want to risk being seen.

  The footsteps stopped.

  Bud looked at Maeve. They held on to the poles that held the propellers below the surface. The hold gave them some rest from having to tread water. They huddled close together, shoulder to shoulder to keep hiding.

  The footsteps resumed and grew louder. The phantom approached with heavy, perhaps angry steps. Did he or she forget something in the sub?

  Maeve’s sword still glowed across her chest. She quickly and quietly pulled Bud close to her to banish the light. Their noses touched. Bud’s lips grazed hers as he positioned his head next to hers. They embraced and tried to keep still. Bud gripped the screw propeller shaft under the surface to keep their position even harder.

  His heart thumped. Hormones shot from his endocrine system and flooded his blood stream. He hoped Maeve didn’t feel his physical elation below. His body defied the known logic of cold water.

  The loud shoes clicked and clacked on the metal platform.

  “Ugh. There it is. Need more bullets.” The ph
antom was talking to herself.

  The phantom was NOT a man.

  She rummaged through the sub’s open hatch. The sound of a gun clip releasing from the chamber and then sliding back into the gun frightened Bud.

  The footsteps resumed and then faded the deeper into the catacombs she walked.

  Maeve pulled her head back and looked into Bud’s eyes. Her wet hair was partially matted against her forehead and covered one of her eyes.

  Bud slowly moved her hair away to uncover her other hazel eye and then gently tucked it behind her ear.

  His heart continued to thump. He didn’t know if cardiac arrest was possible at his age with his diet and exercise, but the notion seemed entirely plausible.

  He was more scared in this moment than he had been all day.

  “We should follow her,” Maeve whispered then smiled.

  “Right…yes. Of course. On the double quick.”

  Maeve let go first. Then he. The hunt continued.

  Chapter Thirty-Nine

  Bud and Maeve were careful not to make too much noise as they pulled themselves out of the water and onto the stone ground of the catacombs. The phantom kept her quarters tidy. The ground was truly clean. As much as it could be given the circumstances. The dust of crumbling bone lined and built up along the walls of the dead packed into their final resting places. Yet the ground was clear of it.

  Bud reached over his back and grabbed Cranky the Crossbow. The soaked leather jacket was heavy but the adrenaline pumping through his veins negated any discomfort that might impede his abilities. He checked his wristband. No light to indicate power. Still dead.

  “We won’t have the aid of teleportation or our inner ear communication,” Bud whispered.

  Maeve held her sword with both hands. “We will have to go old school. Remember your grace power, Invisible Man.”

  Bud nodded. Pulled the crossbow up to his shoulder with a bolt at the ready. He walked down the creepy corridor first.