The Shasta Caper, Chapter Fifty-Nine

                       Chapter Fifty-Nine

The balconies above fell into a semi-lit darkness and an overhead spot lanced across them, pinpointing them on the field of battle. As it did a whirring and humming sound came from above and a circular platform supported by nothing, but air descended over their heads and then stabilized. On it was the  Leader of the Damned. He was wearing a blood red outfit, garnished with medals of an obscure kind. Samuel's eyes tuned in closer and he could see they were skulls with Nazi symbols crossing over them.

"I think we now know what really happened to the Nazi Third Reich." Samuel observed.

"They must have found the opening in the Antartic they were seeking after all." Jimbo added.

"What opening?" Nanny asked.

"Admiral Lindberg and thousands of marines and navy men were sent to the Artic to discover what was going on there. They had some of the most modern fighting equipment the world had ever seen."

"Yeah." Jimbo cut in. "They even had this huge snow mobile that could hold a huge number of people as well as tanks."

"So what happened when they got there?" Nanny asked.

"No one knows for sure." Samuel explained. "But it was believed at the time that they were seeking the secret Nazi bases that had been built towards he end of World War Two."

"They didn't find them?" 

Samuel looked at Nanny, then at Jimbo.

"They found something. Something so frightening that every single one of them hightailed it back to America as fast as they could. All kinds of rumors and myths arose because of it. No one knows for sure and no one told."

"Just another government black secret." Jimbo added.

"You guys are really into this stuff, aren't you?"

"And right now..." Samuel added for emphasis. "So are you!"

A huge SLAMMING sound came from across the tube at what appeared to be another doorway.

"What could make a sound that loud?" Nanny asked.

"You don't want to know." Samuel replied,  his spiritual vision showing him something vague and huge behind the door.

"Doesn't look good." Jimbo muttered, looking for some kind of weapon to defend himself with.

"Does it ever?" Samuel asked pleasantly, his voice hiding the trepidation he felt. He could feel his heart rate increasing and his heart pounding in his chest.

Jimbo and Nanny fell closer to Samuel and they formed a defensive circle. 

"Now what?" Nancy asked, her voice trembling with fear.

Jimbo put a comforting arm around her shoulders. "It could be worse."

"How?" She shrieked.

"We could already be dead."

Nanny punched him in the arm.

Above them the crowd burst into applause.

The Leader of the Damned raised a microphone to his lips. "See, my good friends, already an example of the nature of these beasts we have herded here for your viewing pleasure. The female of the species exhibits outstanding characteristics. She should be a great pleasure to watch during the battle."

The crowd applauded.

He leaned down and looked at his captives. "You Americans are so stupid! Led to the slaughter just like the dumb animals you are."

Jimbo growled angrily, not saying a word.

Nanny raised a fist and shook it at the hovering Leader of the Damned. "You just better hope I don't ever find you in a dark alley, you bastard!"

Samuel and Jimbo both gave her surprised looks.

She grinned. "Do you know anything better to say?"

Samuel returned her grin. "That's the right attitude. It'll keep your mind clear."

"But for what?"

Samuel didn't answer.

Opposite them, the door on that side of the tube opened slowly. The sound of hissing came from that side. Loud and rough, like burning wood combined with rushing water.

"I don't like the sound of that." Jimbo said, grabbing a leg bone to defend himself with.

Nanny grabbed one and then Samuel. 

They looked on in horror as one of the largest, most nasty snakes they had ever seen began slithering into the areana.

"And I used to keep them for pets." Nanny sighed. 

"Here, Snaky, Snaky!" Jimbo kidded her.

She punched him again, then gave him a sweet look. "I'm sorry. Force of habit."

"It's all right. I probably deserved it this time."

Then the snake reached the center of the arena and raised upon its coils so that it almost could reach the hovering Leader of the Damned.

"Something's keeping it from attacking." Samuel noted.

The Leader of the Damned looked upwards. A balcony at the top lit up and a man leaned over it. He had rough hair, and a brittle dark mustache and fierce eyes.

"Oh dear God!" Jimbo uttered, crossing himself. "It's the devil himself!"

"Alive!" Nanny added. Now she was really scared.