Hurry, get up here. We’ve got to get into the hatch!” Larry called. Neil pulled himself up. “Duck!” Larry called and he flattened himself onto the deck just as the submarine came at them one more time. It was much smaller than Nori’s sub and seemed to have mechanical arms on the front. It looked like a deranged king crab, Neil thought.
Neil had seen Larry watching a documentary about raising the Titanic and they’d used something like that. Of course, Neil had instantly changed the channel to a Gordon Ramsay Christmas special, so he wasn’t exactly sure what they did. On the flip side, he did know how to swear at a stuffed goose.
Larry crawled over and banged on the hatch door. “Open up!”
“The pressure isn’t equalized yet. I can’t open it until the pressure is the same,” Jones called.
The mini-sub made another turn and headed back toward them. “Hold on TIGHT!” Jones yelled. Neil and Larry grabbed the railing with their legs and arms as Jones went full speed ahead. They shot forward and the mini-sub narrowly missed smashing into the tail. The remaining boxes of treasure slid off the deck and fell into the darkness below. Larry turned back and saw one of them crash into the front window of the mini-sub, sending sparkling golden coins flying into the darkness.
He also noticed that the mini-sub was following them and was gaining on them. “How are they gaining on us?” Larry yelled.
“You never took that chain off!” Jones said. “We’re still dragging that stupid door.”
Neil tried to pull himself forward to loosen the hook but realized it was useless. He looked back just in time to see the mini-sub’s arm reach for his leg. He pulled it back but the arm moved closer and grabbed him around the waist. The other arm reached over and grabbed Larry, who tried in vain to kick himself free.
Just then the old iron chains finally snapped and the large sub shot forward.
“Neil, let go!” Larry yelled.
Neil could feel his arm sockets being pulled apart. He let go with a loud yell.
He heard Isabella’s voice yelling “Neil!” Then he blacked out.
* * *
“Neil, wake up. It’s me, Larry, wake up.” Neil blinked. The lights were blindingly bright and every part of him ached. He turned over toward Larry’s voice and yowled. His left arm felt like someone was stabbing it with a thousand needles. He flinched and grabbed it with his right, which also shot with pain.
Neil’s eyes adjusted to the light and he saw Larry sitting next to him on a wooden bench. They appeared to be in a . . . sauna?
“Are we in a sauna?” Neil asked.
“Yeah, pretty weird but I think it’s because there are no windows and it’s small. We’re on a boat, though. I can feel it rocking, which means we’re on the waves, not under them.”
“How did we get here? The last thing I remember hearing was Isabella yelling my name.”
“I told you to let go. Jones and the others got away. Two guys with harpoons came out of the mini-sub and dragged us inside. Good thing too. I think those mechanical arms were cracking our oxygen tanks. I hear rapid decompression is a horrible way to die.”
“So who’s got us?”
“I don’t know. They blindfolded me and then stuck something in my arm. Next thing I knew I woke up here and you were talking in your sleep. I figured I’d better wake you before you said anything stupid.”
“Whereas you do that when you’re awake,” Neil said.
“Jokes are a good sign.” Larry smiled. “Not funny jokes, but you’re trying and that’s a good sign.”
The door to the sauna opened and two men dressed head to toe in black clothes motioned for Larry and Neil to stand.
“Are those outfits really necessary?” Larry said. “I mean, something more modern possibly? Ninjas are so fifteenth century.”
The closest ninja grabbed the hilt of his sword and took a step inside. Larry stopped talking and stood up. “I guess we’d better go,” Neil said. The ninjas nodded.
Neil and Larry found themselves side by side walking down a long hallway, with a ninja behind and in front. The sides of the hallway were metal and painted white. They passed a series of barred windows and Neil could see that they were indeed on a boat, but weren’t out at sea. They were anchored on the shore of an island. The island appeared to be covered with derelict and abandoned buildings. Neil even saw a huge section of one break off and crash to the ground.
“What is this place?” Neil whispered.
“Hashima Island,” Larry whispered back.
“Did they blow it up in the war or something?”
Larry shook his head. “The whole island was a mine, and hundreds of people used to live and work here. The mine closed in the 1970s and everyone left. Then it started falling apart. The wind and sea air don’t help.”
The ninja behind smacked Larry on the back of the head. “Silence!” he yelled.
Neil looked outside again and saw more bits of buildings flaking off in the wind.
The hallway ended at two bamboo and paper doors. They were decorated with a beautiful brush and ink painting of a cherry tree in full bloom. The guards stood on either side, and Larry and Neil stood, waiting.
“Koko,” Larry said, looking at the cherry tree.
Neil didn’t say anything. He sniffed the air but didn’t smell cherry blossoms. “Paper and bamboo doesn’t seem like a great security system,” Neil said.
“Not as bad as you’d think. Those kind of doors are known as shoji,” Larry said. “The light is coming from behind us, which means the people inside can see our shadows but we can’t see them.”
The doors slid open, revealing an incredibly ornate room. Golden walls were decorated with elaborate paintings of peacocks, trees, and ninja warriors attacking wooden forts.
The guards motioned for Neil and Larry to step inside. They stepped onto the matted floor. The doors slid closed behind them and they were alone in the room.
Neil looked up. The ceiling was also made of gold leaf and lacquered wood. Daylight streamed in from their left, but it was filtered through more colored paper, enhancing the opulent yellow glow of the room.
“This looks like another of Nori’s boats,” Neil whispered.
“You’re both wrong,” said a voice. It was coming from behind a set of shoji doors ahead of them, the ones decorated with the ninjas. The doors slid open and a man walked into the room. He was wearing a dark blue suit and golden tie. His face was covered with cuts and bruises.
“Hiro!” Larry yelled.