Steam City Pirates Read Free Page A

of your dreams!”
    The Count clicked his heels.  “I first flew in one of the American Union Army’s balloons operated by John Steiner.  I later renewed my interest, and this is the result.  I was living in Germany, in 1888, and Miss Haskins here came to visit me from the past.  I agreed to come back in time with her to create my craft for the Society!  And now you, my friend, will work with us to form a new force for good on this planet.  Life is so good, yah?”
    “Force?  What are we discussing here?  I thought you were scientists.  This looks like a craft for war,” said Monturiol.
    The Grand Inquisitor Abraham Manette marched over to where the short inventor stood.  He placed his long arm around the inventor’s thin shoulders and tilted his head down.  Monturiol looked up and could see the brass coils around the big leader’s neck.  When the voice came out of them, the Spaniard almost fell backward from their vibrating blast.
    “Money is the root of all evil, and it is also the root of all invention.  Our plan, you see, is to earn our fortunes in order to create your undersea world.  Mister Monturiol, the forces above do not appreciate your genius.  All they understand is power and, yes, force.  We plan to create a torpedo for your steam-powered submersible, and it will be infused with steam so that it will penetrate the hull of any ship those above have in their navies.  Once one of these merchant ships has been sunk, the Count’s airship will move in.  We shall tell them via telegraph that unless they allow us to plunder the other ships with our balloon armada, they will all be sunk!  See how ingenious we are?”
    The mechanical voice was now booming in the little man’s ear, and he pulled away in fear.  “You want to kill people and steal their cargo?  I can’t have that.  I am a man of peace.  I belonged to a communist society in Spain, and we only want what’s best for the common people!”
    “How can you believe the common man can save us from all the greed and corruption going on above the earth?  Did you not advise me that our hope lies beneath the sea?  The only way you can get us beneath the sea in your paradise is to join us in procuring the funds we need to make your inventions real!  Won’t you join us?  We can begin tomorrow with your designs.  Let your mind go free!  Become an inquisitor!”
    The woman called Jane the Grabber spoke to him, and he turned toward her.  Her eyes flashed, and the clock in her corset began to spin around and around as she told him, “I have been into your future, Señor Monturiol.  If you do not change your life now, you will end up dying in poverty, penniless and alone.  Don’t you understand how the powers above can corrupt the future?  Please, won’t you join us?”
    Monturiol made a decision.  Without money, he could not go on.  He was possibly entering Dante’s Inferno, but at least he would have the money to see his dreams realized.  What more can any mortal ask for?  “Yes, I will do it!  We will steal from the rich and give to the poor, correct?  Like the British Robin Hood?”
    “Of course!  Your dreams will be realized and our Society will prosper!  Let’s go eat.  A banquet is in order, and we shall feast upon the creatures from the sea!”
    Music filled with brass instruments, drums and steam whistles began to vibrate the cavern.  They all walked toward one of the other small caves, the one on the eastern side of the grand cavern, and as they passed into its confines, Monturiol could see the band.  Seven men and four women played the music, and they all wore pirate attire.
    “These are the Steam City Pirates!  They will serenade us whilst we feast!” said Manette.
    Bat Carry escorted Monturiol to his place at the long banquet table, pulling out the chair.  The Spaniard sat down and saw that the table was filled with steaming bowls of clams, oysters, crabs, and lobsters.  There were also heaping