Jack Canyon and The Superweapon of Atlantis | CHAPTER ONE

Words: 1753

There it was. It sat at the location that had been labeled on the return address on the package Jack Canyon had received just over a year ago. The same package someone had wanted to kill him for the very day he returned home from his long journey chasing the Wiccan Stones.

The wind whipped against his face, causing Jack to shield himself with the long sleeves of his grey-colored T-shirt. It was not near as cold as it could be. Luckily, he caught the summer months.

Jack tugged at the belt loop on the new Carhartt's. They were the same material as the pants he wore before. This color was known as midnight, which was a light navy color. He adored his Carhartt's. No way could he part with them. They were the perfect adventure pants, since they were so tough and durable. Since he had his own store now, he could order the ones that he wanted.

Brunswick castle. One castle of many in the German state, but the only one this far out in the middle of nowhere. What was inside?

Jack noticed the large iron gate in front, since he stood before it examining a way in. The wall that extended out from the fence was made of stone and very large. It was impossible to scale it alone.

No guards, which was odd.

Jack began to investigate the surrounding area for something useful. He spotted large boulders near the cliff where the wall ended. He rushed toward it and leaped onto the top one, pushed himself up and back toward the wall. However, the boulders gave way and started to slide down the ravine. There was only one way down, now, if he didn't get up. Shit, he thought.

Finally, out of desperation, Jack pulled himself onto the top of the wall. Safe. He dropped down off it and made his way down a long bridge-like path that allowed passage over the ravine that surrounded the entire castle.

The entrance was a set of large wooden doors with large iron hinges and rings to pull the doors open.

Jack moved around to the left side of the castle to find another way in. The front door was too obvious, and not near as fun. Nothing. So, he turned and walked to the right of the doors where he spotted a long drop down. However, there was a small balcony below. He swung his legs over the edge and then dropped. It seemed the small ledge was for some kind of maintenance purposes on the bridge.

A small pipe above him grabbed Jack's attention. He held onto it with his hands and began to maneuver down the base of the castle. When he ran out of pipe to follow, he noticed a window about three feet above him. He reached up, but it was too far. He pulled himself up, unable to hold himself there very long, and placed his knees onto the slim pipe. He only had one chance at this. He pushed himself up and grabbed the window with his hands. He grunted as he tried to pull himself up. Placing the toe of his boot onto the pipe, he shoved off and fell into the room.

It was an empty room, thank God. Not only of people, but furniture.

Jack moved to the door straight ahead, but it was locked. He didn't want to push it and make too much noise, so he turned right to the only other door in the room. He prayed it would open, because the other way out was the window, and he didn't want to go that way again. To his amazement, it opened with ease.

Moving along, Jack found himself outside again on a small bridge that led to another door. As he closed in on it, the door began to open. Thinking fast, Jack leaped off the bridge and grabbed a large chain which housed a lantern. It swung outward and toward another chain, which Jack grabbed onto. He released the other and began to climb up.

Two men had exited the door and stood out on the bridge to take a smoke break. They watched as the chain the lantern was hung on swing by. They looked at one another then up at the side of the tower. Nothing. They shrugged and continued to smoke.

Jack breathed deeply as he peeked down at them from above. He let out a long deep breath and moved on. He was at the top of a tower where he could see the entire castle now. He took note of the layout and even spotted the tallest tower. Maybe what he needed was in there.

A staircase on the other side of the tower led down into the heart of the castle where he was sure he would meet obstacles. Taking it slow, Jack inched around the wall, trying to keep out of site as he moved beneath a balcony where a German stood watching the area.

Safe. Jack made it passed the man undetected and into a long hallway full of doors. He slowly stepped forward doing his best to keep his boots silent. He was watching his steps when he heard a slow creaking noise. The door, he thought. Someone was coming.

A German man in a black suit had pushed open the door at the far end of the corridor and was making his way through.

Jack darted into the closest room to hide. He thought he was safe, but he heard someone from behind him speak in German. He spun around and met a big fist which connected with his chin. Jack stumbled back. Before he could retaliate, the large man had what felt like a vice around his neck. Then he felt his back pummel the door.

The man who had been in the hall heard the door rattle and tried to open it to check.

Jack struggled against the mammoth of a man to loosen his choke hold. He could not get free. Instead, the man threw Jack across the room and into the wall.

The other man entered to see the brawl.

The large man thrust his fist at Jack, who ducked. The man's fist collided with the wall, breaking one of the bricks in half. He grimaced in pain.

Jack forced his knee into the man's gut, forcing him to drop to his knees. He looked up and met another punch from the other guy. He shook his head trying to regain his bearings. Finally, he threw his own punch, knocking the man back. He spun and kicked the large man in the side, taking him out of the fight.

Turning to exit through the door, Jack received a kick to his chest. He winced and grabbed his chest. Before he knew it, the man grabbed him and threw him through the stain glassed window. He shielded his eyes as he crashed through, but opened them after. Jack found his safety net, a chain right outside. He grabbed hold as he swung out. Shifting his weight, he came back and drove both feet into the man's chest.

Once he stopped swinging, Jack moved up the chain. He reached another room, where he entered and found it empty. Sneaking down a staircase, he continued his journey through the massive castle.

The next chamber contained a large round table in the center, as if it were a board room. A chandelier was set in the center with a rope holding it in place. The rope moved up to the ceiling then toward the wall, where it was tied. Someone could lower or raise the candle light chandelier from there.

Jack moved up half a flight of steps where he found another corridor. A continuous maze was all this castle was. He found himself scanning the doors as he moved onward, finally reaching the end, which was bridge-like area that led toward the large tower. He stopped directly outside the door. Too obvious, he thought. So he climbed out the glassless window and onto the room of the bridge.

This was the highest point of the entire castle, aside from the large tower before him. He glanced around and back seeing the far side where he started. The fall was great from this height.

Jack placed his foot into a whole in the tower's rocks, and then placed his hand into a higher one. He pulled himself up an continued his trek upward, but soon he had to move horizontal, as that direction was the only place he could climb. He reached a large extension of the tower, there were four. When he pulled himself onto it, he realized they were gargoyles. He had reached the top.

He examined closely the top of the tower. It had a clay, dome-like top on it. No way could he climb over it. He looked for a way in and found one, but it would be difficult to get to. He jumped out toward the other gargoyle and caught it, but barely. As he slipped, the statue began to break near the tower. He looked down for his window and spotted it just as the structure gave way.

Using all his might, Jack pushed himself up off the falling gargoyle and grabbed onto the window's ledge. The statue made a loud crashing sound below. He pulled himself into the window to see an older woman bound to a chair. He moved around in front of her and took off her gag.

"Are you alright?" Jack asked.

"You shouldn't have come," she replied. "It's too dangerous."

"Well, I had to do something," Jack told her. "I got this in the mail." He pulled out a small, leather-bound journal. He moved around again and untied her.

"Oh, Jack," the woman said. "You really shouldn't have come here. I didn't send that to you."

"Then who did?"

"I did!" A female voice shouted from the dark corner of the room. Her voice was filled with a thick German accent. "I was hoping it would have summoned you here."

"Well, you got your wish," Jack said.

"That I did," the blonde woman smiled wickedly.

"This is just wonderful," the dark haired woman spoke. "Really. It's great. Just great."

Jack looked up from the dark haired woman and to the blonde, who still had that wicked, cocky grin, as if she had won some great victory. Jack sighed.