off.
“It is nothing, Michael,” Shotsky waved away the thanks. “What you did was very brave. Very stupid, but brave.”
“No argument there, Pal,” Hannigan managed to grin.
Bridget was working under a steel panel she had raised to reveal the engine of the Grumman Duck. Hannigan noted that there were several large dents in the cover. “So is this what you do for fun out here?” he quipped.
She glanced over her shoulder at him. “You still look a little green, Hardluck.”
He grinned. “Yeah well my Ma always said green was my color.”
“Too bad she can’t see you now, or better yet, when Gregor untied you.”
“Yeah, well, she’s been gone a long time anyway.”
A shadow passed over his face, eclipsing his grin for just a moment, but he shook it off. “That was some slam bang flying back there.”
“Slam bang, yeah I bet that’s what you were doing all over my plane. Slamming and banging against the fuselage.”
“It was worth it Bridget. You’re safe. That’s what matters the most to me.”
“Listen Hardluck, don’t go all mushy on me. We saved each other’s life; it happens a lot out here.”
“Why do you keep calling me that?”
“Calling you what?”
“Hardluck.”
“Because you have the hardest luck of any man I have ever met! If it were not for bad luck, Mike Hannigan, you wouldn’t have any!” She winked, to let him know that she was only joking… mostly.
“ Hardluck Hannigan ; now why do I have a feeling I’ll be living up to that name all my life?” he asked.
“Hmm, maybe because it suits you?” Bridget asked, rolling her eyes.
“Could be,” he grinned.
“We were damned lucky none of their hits penetrated the engine cowling. Otherwise this trip might not have had the happy ending it has so far.”
“Yeah. I wonder how much time we have before the Nazi zeppelin catches up with us?” Hannigan asked.
“With any luck they won’t see us at all. Where I landed, we have a pretty thick canopy of jungle overhead. The trees really grow out over the river here,” Bridget replied.
“Is the engine okay then?” he asked.
“It’s as good as a new one,” Bridget replied.
“You know I want to kiss you, right?” Hannigan asked.
“I know you want to use a toothbrush before you try it,” She replied with a grin.
“As long as you know,” he grinned back.
“After you use a toothbrush,” she smiled back and it was a smile full of promise.
“I can live with that,” Hannigan grinned.
*****
Doctor Ragnarok scanned the jungle below as the zeppelin moved deeper into the Congo basin. It had been years since he had thought of Captain Dane Hawkins, the man responsible for his disfigurement. It had shocked him when Hawkins had drawn a pistol as opposed to the antique hatchet he normally carried. The pistol had been totally out of character for the American. The bullet had counter-acted his warding and turned the spell he had been casting back in on himself. It was something he should have foreseen, but he had not. Instead it had cost him his human face and locked him into a mortal body. The Emerald of Eternity was his only chance to free himself from his fleshy prison.
The Emerald of Eternity had been
“It is nothing, Michael,” Shotsky waved away the thanks. “What you did was very brave. Very stupid, but brave.”
“No argument there, Pal,” Hannigan managed to grin.
Bridget was working under a steel panel she had raised to reveal the engine of the Grumman Duck. Hannigan noted that there were several large dents in the cover. “So is this what you do for fun out here?” he quipped.
She glanced over her shoulder at him. “You still look a little green, Hardluck.”
He grinned. “Yeah well my Ma always said green was my color.”
“Too bad she can’t see you now, or better yet, when Gregor untied you.”
“Yeah, well, she’s been gone a long time anyway.”
A shadow passed over his face, eclipsing his grin for just a moment, but he shook it off. “That was some slam bang flying back there.”
“Slam bang, yeah I bet that’s what you were doing all over my plane. Slamming and banging against the fuselage.”
“It was worth it Bridget. You’re safe. That’s what matters the most to me.”
“Listen Hardluck, don’t go all mushy on me. We saved each other’s life; it happens a lot out here.”
“Why do you keep calling me that?”
“Calling you what?”
“Hardluck.”
“Because you have the hardest luck of any man I have ever met! If it were not for bad luck, Mike Hannigan, you wouldn’t have any!” She winked, to let him know that she was only joking… mostly.
“ Hardluck Hannigan ; now why do I have a feeling I’ll be living up to that name all my life?” he asked.
“Hmm, maybe because it suits you?” Bridget asked, rolling her eyes.
“Could be,” he grinned.
“We were damned lucky none of their hits penetrated the engine cowling. Otherwise this trip might not have had the happy ending it has so far.”
“Yeah. I wonder how much time we have before the Nazi zeppelin catches up with us?” Hannigan asked.
“With any luck they won’t see us at all. Where I landed, we have a pretty thick canopy of jungle overhead. The trees really grow out over the river here,” Bridget replied.
“Is the engine okay then?” he asked.
“It’s as good as a new one,” Bridget replied.
“You know I want to kiss you, right?” Hannigan asked.
“I know you want to use a toothbrush before you try it,” She replied with a grin.
“As long as you know,” he grinned back.
“After you use a toothbrush,” she smiled back and it was a smile full of promise.
“I can live with that,” Hannigan grinned.
*****
Doctor Ragnarok scanned the jungle below as the zeppelin moved deeper into the Congo basin. It had been years since he had thought of Captain Dane Hawkins, the man responsible for his disfigurement. It had shocked him when Hawkins had drawn a pistol as opposed to the antique hatchet he normally carried. The pistol had been totally out of character for the American. The bullet had counter-acted his warding and turned the spell he had been casting back in on himself. It was something he should have foreseen, but he had not. Instead it had cost him his human face and locked him into a mortal body. The Emerald of Eternity was his only chance to free himself from his fleshy prison.
The Emerald of Eternity had been
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