“My goodness, Daniel!” exclaimed Millie Drake. “Are you saying that the stolen map was actually made by Blackbeard the Pirate?”
“Quite so, my dear Mills,” I assured her. “Blackbeard, whose real name was Edward Thatch, drew the map during his time as the most notoriously prolific freebooter of the early eighteenth century. Many think it is a ‘treasure map’, but it is actually something quite different. It is, in truth, a coded series of coordinates psychically linking to a precise location along the Hudson River -- a location in which Blackbeard is said to have been empowered with certain occult abilities!”
We were in our secret headquarters, located as it is in the golden trapezoidal rooftop of a certain downtown NYC skyscraper, the ground floor of which is a takeaway restaurant called “The Pizza Gate”, named for its unique gateway-styled entrance.
I was clad in my usual finery; included a frilled poet shirt, velvet suit, and jungle boots. My panama hat and opera cape hung from a near by hallstand.
Millie is an exceedingly beautiful young lady; petite and perfect with luxurious chestnut hair, enchanting violet eyes, and a sun-kissed complexion. The purple dress she wore only served to highlight her slender figure.
Also with us was Kit-10, our mobile personal computer that resembles nothing more or less than a small mechanical cat.
“But what sort of ‘powers’ did Blackbeard have?” enquired Millie.
“According to several chroniclers of the period,” I opined, “he is said to have had the ability to emit bizarre flashes of light -- utilising them to frighten his opponents into submission.”
“But what kind of powers were they?”
“The region was once an outpost of Atlantis, so it is likely that they had their origin in that ancient civilisation. Perhaps Blackbeard discovered a place where some old Atlantean weapon had been stationed, hmmm? He then absorbed some residue of its power.”
“So now someone has stolen the map from its display at the Manhattan Cartography Institute?” Millie queried. “That crime scene where the security guard was found stabbed through the heart?”
“Indeed so,” I replied, twiddling my frills. “The thief -- or thieves -- had the knowledge necessary to disable the security cameras and cover all traces of their identity.”
“So it is someone who wishes to gain the powers that Blackbeard had?”
“Most likely that and more. You see, someone with a background in and knowledge of otherworldly powers could gain much more than Blackbeard the Pirate’s lightshow from that Atlantean technology. It is possible -- just possible, mind you -- that they could use such powers to control others -- and to establish themselves as fascist rulers of Earth!” …
My name is Doctor Daniel Rumanos. I carry within my blood the vastly superior genes of the mysterious Watchers of Algol, the most intellectually advanced race in all of the known galaxies, whose technology is so sophisticated it appears as magic to lesser beings.
Whilst most Algolites live in elitist seclusion from the rest of the Universe, I am an operative for an organisation known as the KOSMIKOS. Assisted by the beautiful Miss Millie Drake, I protect Earth from all manner of menace. I am -- The Daemon-Star!!! …
Unknown to us at the time, in an unused boathouse on one of the Hudson River docks, a quite strange scene was taking place. It was centred on a black draped table on which was a map -- in sooth the very same map that my companion and I had been discussing.
Standing at this table were two figures. One was a man seemingly of middle years, clad in a black business suit with a long, blood-red necktie. His visage stilled showed signs of handsome distinction despite being marred with the after-effects of lifetimes of extreme evil. His hair was long and dark, and his face decorated with a thin moustache and goatee. Most of all, his pale eye shone with an absolute hypnotic glare.
The other was an insanely-voluptuous teenage girl with long raven hair, luminous blue-green eyes, and a mouth painted like an inviting scarlet gash. She wore a scarlet bikini top, a black miniskirt, and spike heels.
The man was the one known as Magister Don Wingus, the renegade Algolite who is my oldest and most dangerous foe, in truth the most notorious criminal mastermind in all of Time and Space. The girl is his daughter, the perilously seductive Anastasia.
“We have it, Stacy!” exulted Wingus. “The very Map of Blackbeard the Pirate is mine, and I shall use it -- coupled with my own superior Algolite abilities -- to unite with the Atlantean powers and to establish myself as supreme ruler of planet Earth!”
“But Father,” said the young girl, “won’t Doctor Rumanos and that silly Miss Drake find out about this and try to stop you?”
“Now, Anastasia,” admonished the villain, “I shall not tolerate any of your ridiculous obsessions with that accursed Rumanos. If he interferes, he -- as with all others who oppose me -- shall be destroyed.”
It is then that an onrush of flashing black and silver light began to emanate from the map. The light rose upwards and hovered above the table, as if awaiting instruction.
“Behold!” exclaimed Don Wingus, his face twisted into utter madness. “Do you see? The powers of the map have recognised my superiority, and have offered themselves to me that I may utilise them! I, Don Wingus, shall soon rule over all!!” …
Back at our headquarters, one of the computer systems suddenly erupted with an alarm sound.
“By the Triple Star!” I swore. “Atlantean powers have just been activated somewhere in the city. Kit-10, can you track a more precise location?”
“Accessing, s--,” replied the robotic cat in her simulated yet pleasantly-feminine voice. “Location verified as Boathouse 15 of the East Hudson Marina.”
(It should be noted here that Kit-10, along with her other feline characteristics, is possessed of the total inability to openly show respect to anyone. In fact, the closest she ever comes to it is by addressing me with a slight “s--” sound -- for “sir” -- and Millie Drake by “m--” -- for “ma’am”.)
“Daniel, we need to get over there right away,” announced Millie.
“Quite so, my dear,” I agreed whilst fetching my hat and cloak. “Come along, Mills and Kit-10, but be warned -- this is quite likely going to be a very dangerous mission. We are tracking the abilities of Blackbeard the Pirate!” …
A short time later, my companions and I were hurrying to the marina location on the outskirts of the city; a thick leprous fog having settled over the entire area, making the midday nearly dark as night. I was driving my specially modified canary-coloured Edwardian roadster, affectionately known as “Lizzie”.
“So Daniel,” said Millie Drake from the passenger’s seat. “The person who stole the Map of Blackbeard. Since they have to have had such special abilities and knowledge, do you think it could be… ?”
“Now now, Millie,” I admonished. “Let us not speculate before we have more facts, hmmm?”
“S--, m--,” suddenly interrupted Kit-10 from between us. “Detecting a build up of energy directly above our current location.”
At this, Millie and I looked up and beheld an horror -- an huge mass of swirling black and silver eldritch power dropping directly to-wards us!
I immediately utilised one of Lizzie’s special abilities by shifting her into sixth gear and moving forward at near the speed of sound. It was only for a moment, but was enough to propel us out of the way of the darkling power that had been falling to-wards us.
“Daniel,” said Millie, glancing behind us. “It disappeared!”
“Hmmm,” I pondered. “It was likely only a side effect; a comparatively small manifestation of the energies. Forsooth, the full force of the Atlantean powers will not be so easy to vanquish.”
I drove Lizzie farther until we had reached the marina. Then I parked the car and my companions and I got out and cautiously began to approach Boathouse 15.
The fog seemed to even thicker here. It was as if the powers of darkness had rallied to gather together on that fateful day -- that day in which an ancient and profoundly dangerous power was being evoked.
“So, Daniel,” said Millie. “This Atlantean power. Is it what caused that ancient civilisation to be destroyed?”
“Quite right, love,” I affirmed. “It was the ancient priesthood of that island continent having lost control of these forces and fallen into corruption that led to the infamous destruction -- the very sinking of Atlantis as told by the Egyptians and recorded by Plato.”
“So will the same thing happen if someone attempts to use the power now?”
“Quite likely, yes -- especially if it is someone of little moral compass, hmmm? Something that seems quite evident due to the severity of the crime during which the Map of Blackbeard was stolen. In fact, I am quite certain that… ”
At that moment, unseen by me, a long stiletto throwing knife was headed directly to-wards Millie Drake’s heart!!
Kit-10 sent a blast of her nose-laser at the knife just before it reached Millie. The weapon then fell and clattered loudly to the wooden planks of the marina.
“Oh my gosh!” exclaimed Millie. “Someone was trying to kill me!”
“Fortunately, Kit-10’s blaster is faster than the knife,” I said.
“Of course, s--,” added the robotic cat.
“Daniel, look!” said Millie. “That’s who threw the knife!”
I turned to where my companion had indicated and beheld a female figure vanishing into the fog. My friends and I hurried onwards in pursuit, soon following the fleeing shape directly into Boathouse 15.
Inside, we found our answer. On a table was the Map of Blackbeard the Pirate, and behind it were two individuals; one was the girl who had thrown the knife at Millie, and the other was the black-clad criminal that was the evil mastermind behind this and so many other horrid acts of wickedness..
Of course, I recognised the villain immediately.
“Don Wingus!” I said his name. “I should have known. So you did escape from The Al-Hazred Amulet, and re-united with you daughter Anastasia here to steal the Map of Blackbeard.”
“Greetings, Rumanos and friends,” countered the evil one as flashes of dark power appeared around him. “We have been expecting you.”
“So it was indeed you that stole the map from the Manhattan Cartography Institute,” I said, “and so cruelly murdered that security guard.”
“Oh, my little Stacy here performed the latter honour,” chuckled Wingus. “She is quite adept with the knife.”
“So I noticed,” shuddered Millie.
“Wingus, stop this insanity immediately!” I charged. “You cannot properly control the Atlantean energy. It shall destroy you just as it destroyed Atlantis itself.”
“You are quite incorrect, Rumanos,” countered Don Wingus. “My superior Algolite abilities have complete control over the energies of that lost continent. They are a power that I shall use to establish myself as ruler of the world! Indeed, they are powers that I shall first use to bring about your destruction!!”
With this, the pulsating black and silver powers suddenly increased. They increased by a seemingly countless measure. They increased and suddenly surged forwards to-wards my companions and me!
“Now, Rumanos,” exulted Wingus amongst peals of his own mad laughter. “Now -- you shall die!”
Is it possible for you, my dear friends and most-appreciated readers, to even commence in an understanding of the complete eldritch horror, forsooth the total unhallowed terror in which we then found ourselves? There we were, the lovely Miss Millie Drake, the robotic Kit-10, and me -- Doctor Daniel Rumanos. There we were, facing the evil arch-villain known to eternal damnation as Magister Don Wingus, along with his wickedly seductive daughter, Anastasia. There we were -- as the darksome forces of ancient Atlantis began to invade our very being!!
“You will now die, Rumanos, along with your accursed friends!” repeated the criminal Don Wingus, amongst further peals of his absolutely insane laughter. “The powers of the Map of Blackbeard shall sear your bodies and souls, and I shall then take my rightful place as ruler of this world!”
The powers had now surrounded us. Millie and I began to crumple to the floor, whilst Kit-10 spun around as her systems malfunctioned. She had attempted several shots of her laser at the dark energy, but it had no effect.
“No, Father, no!” suddenly interrupted Anastasia Wingus. “Please don’t kill Doctor Rumanos! I like him. I… want him. Please just give him to me so I can make him mine. Please, father. Please?”
“Stacy, you halfwit whore!” raged Don Wingus, striking his daughter hard across the face. “I have already told you that I shall not tolerate any of your stupid schoolgirl crush on that damned Daniel Rumanos!”
I then noticed something. I noticed that the powers that were attacking us had ceased to increase against us. I was then just able to break free and to step forward -- and to strike Don Wingus across the throat with a karate chop.
Wingus fell to the floor just as the now-reversing power reached him and his daughter. I heard Anastasia scream in horror whilst her father bellowed in outrage. Then, in a mere moment, all was silent.
I looked around the boathouse room carefully. There was no sign of the villains or of the dark powers. The map was still upon the table.
“Are you all right, my dear Millie?” I enquired concernedly.
“Yes, I’m okay now,” she replied, taking my hand.
“And you, Kit-10?”
“Systems undamaged, s--,” returned the mechanical feline.
“So, what exactly happened, Daniel?” queried Millie Drake. “I know that Don Wingus lost control of the energies, but where did they go?”
“The energies will have dissipated into an inter-dimensional realm that is parallel to non-existence. They have taken Wingus and his daughter with them into that realm -- from which they shall do no further harm to this world.”
“Well that’s good. Do you think we have really seen the last of them this time?”
“We shall see,” I pondered. “We shall see.”
I carefully lifted the Map of Blackbeard from the table, rolling it up and placing it in an inner pocket of my jacket.
“So what should we do with the map?” queried Millie.
“I am quite certain it is now safe to return it to the Cartography Institute,” I answered as we exited the boathouse. “The residual Atlantean powers will have been exhausted by the attempt of Don Wingus to use them. The map is now just a symbol -- a symbol of the legacy of Blackbeard the Pirate!”
***** DANIEL RUMANOS AND MILLIE DRAKE SHALL RETURN
