Baskergrand The Nautilus

Once Percival, Chess and Charles reached the bay, Percival was stunned to see that the carriage holding Valerie and Garth was floating on the water.

'Oh no!' Percival thought, as he saw that the carriage began to sink slowly.

''HELP! HELP US PLEASE!'' Percival could hear Valerie scream. He glanced over frantically at Charles, who had a wide fleer on his face.

''Ah-ah! Not so fast, Percival. You must retrieve the remote first before you can save them,'' Charles warned him. Percival gave him a look of incensed contempt.

''HEEEELP! PLEASE! SOMEONE!'' Valerie was heard shouting from the carriage once again. Percival looked desperate.

''Where is...my suit?'' Chess asked Charles.

''Funny you should ask, actually. Well, there was only one thing that I could use as an anchor to pull the carriage into the water, and your suit fit the bill. So...if you want it back, it seems that you are obliged to hand over the remote,'' Charles ordered her. He glared at her, with Chess returning his derisive stare. Chess then glanced over at Percival, who looked almost defeated. She then sighed and went under the folds of her dress, recovering the remote from the garter on her right thigh.

''Here you go,'' she said as she held it out for Charles.

''Thank you,'' Charles said as he held out his hand to take it. But before he could collect it, Chess suddenly threw it to Percival. Percival caught it as Chess then turned heel and ran into the woods, then Charles ordered the Nautilus to attack her. Seeing Charles distracted briefly, Percival turned his heels sharply and ran towards the sea. Charles directed the Nautilus to go after Chess, but noticed Percival running towards the water. He then swiftly turned around and ordered the Nautilus to attack him, but Percival dived in before he could be harmed by a concussive blast from the suit. Charles gazed at the waters angrily before he ordered the Nautilus to chase after Percival.

'I'll get to the suit first, then I'll save Valerie and Garth. I hope it's not too late. Wait for me, Valerie!' Percival resolved whilst he swam. He removed his coat as he swam and managed to kick off his shoes before he witnessed the other Nautilus suit come in after him. He hastily swam further down, following a rope which had been tied to the carriage and connected to the other Nautilus suit.

'I see it!' Percival exclaimed inwardly, spotting the suit just further ahead. He briefly turned to see that the Nautilus suit controlled by Charles was quickly catching up with him.

'Hurry, Percival!' he warned himself, holding the remote and pressing a button which said 'Open'. The suit then came to life and opened up instantly. Percival scrambled inside it just before the other suit could seize him. He then closed the suit up promptly and untied the rope around the suit's waist.

''Warning. A substantial amount of water has been detected within the suit. Preparing to dispense water immediately,'' the suit spoke. Percival was in the process of swimming upwards when the other Nautilus suit grabbed a hold of him.

''Aarggh!'' he let out, upon seeing that the Nautilus suit was holding his arms down.

''You are in close proximity with another object which is causing damage to the suit. Deploying countermeasures,'' the suit declared before the shoulders of Percival's suit opened up and produced on each shoulder a miniature device.

ZZZZZZZZZAAAP!

They shot out a laser beam of each one into the helmet of the other suit. The other Nautilus let go of Percival, and he didn't hesitate to swim as fast as he could to get to the surface. He grabbed hold of the rope that was still tied to the carriage so that, once he was back up at the surface, he could drag the carriage back onto dry land.

At that same time back on the surface, Charles waited patiently for the Nautilus to come back, whilst keeping an eye on the woods to see if Chess Hancock would spring a surprise attack on him. Charles turned back to the waters when he noticed something dark emerge. He smirked when he saw that it was Percival's coat.

''Well, well, it seems that Percival is no longer with us. Such a shame really, I thought he could join me in ruling England,'' Charles spoke out loud. He was trying to lure out Chess.

'He can't be dead...I'm sure he got to my suit in time. At least...I hope he did,' Chess thought apprehensively, hiding quietly in the woods. She kept an eye on Charles whilst he searched for her.

''I'm bringing up the Nautilus now. It won't be long before it finds you too, my dear,'' Charles threatened. He scoured the woods intently before he heard a noise coming from behind him.

''Ah, company has arrived,'' Charles said, turning around as a Nautilus suit emerged from the sea. Charles smiled, walking towards the suit. However, the smile began to fade when he noticed the suit was slightly different.

''Percival!'' Charles exclaimed. He pressed on a button which said 'Attack' on the remote, backing away from Percival, but Percival raised his right arm and procured a forceful blast which knocked Charles to the floor.

''Company has arrived indeed,'' Percival said, before he took the rope with both hands and hoisted the carriage back onto shore. Chess came out of hiding from the woods as Percival finished getting the carriage out of the water. She looked at Charles, unconscious on the floor.

''He is one crazy son-of-a-scum,'' Chess mused.

''Yes, he is crazy,'' Percival agreed. He then turned his attention to the carriage. He and Chess ran over to it and opened the doors. When they looked inside, they saw Garth and Valerie, tied up, unconscious, and soaking wet. They took them out carefully, placed them on the sand and took off the bindings from their hands. Percival put his ear to Valerie's and Garth's chests.

''Valerie is breathing, but Garth...'' Percival said as he went from one body to another. He exchanged a worried look with Chess.

''Don't worry, I've got this,'' she said as she came over to Garth's body. Percival watched as Chess pressed down on Garth's chest with her hands, and pumped up and down on it while she counted. He tended to Valerie, who was starting to come to.

''Per...cival...'' Valerie gasped as she opened her eyes slowly. She coughed for a little while, to clear the water from her chest.

''Yes, I'm here Valerie,'' Percival responded.

''What-what are you...wearing?'' Valerie asked him. Her eyes widened, observing Percival wearing the Nautilus suit. He had made the visor transparent so that Valerie could see his face.

''It's...a long story,'' Percival said to her. He smiled while he hugged her.

''Garth...is he...?'' Valerie began to ask when she cast her eyes over to Garth. She sat up when she saw Chess.

''What...is she doing to him?'' Valerie asked accusingly.

''No, it's all right! Valerie, she's helping him,'' Percival answered. Valerie looked over to Garth, who was still unresponsive.

''Come on, buddy! Come on!'' Chess mumbled to herself as she pumped on his chest. She then opened his mouth and blew into it, but Garth was still unconscious. She continued to press down on his chest when finally Garth came to life and coughed up some water.

''Garth!'' Percival called out to him. Garth was coughing while he was being propped up by Percival.

''Percival...you're here...'' Garth stuttered in between breaths.

''Of course I'm here, old chap,'' Percival said with a smile.

''Charles...he's...'' Garth began to speak.

''I know, I know about Charles,'' Percival interjected.

''Don't worry,'' Chess began to say as she stood up and dusted off her dress, ''he shouldn't be bothering us any mo-''

BFFFFFFFFT!

''Ugh!'' she moaned as she was hit from behind.

''Chess!'' Percival screamed, watching Chess fall to the ground next to him, unconscious. He looked up in horror, witnessing the other Nautilus suit on the shore, with one of its arms outstretched in the group's direction.

''No!'' Valerie exclaimed, staring at the malevolent robot. Percival stood up slowly to face the mechanical being.

''Garth, get Valerie and Chess to safety,'' Percival ordered his friend. Garth looked at Percival, whose gaze was focused on the other Nautilus suit.

''Yes, old chap,'' Garth acquiesced before he helped Valerie get up, and then gathered Chess up in his arms. As Garth and Valerie headed out of Tuckerby Bay, Valerie turned back to observe Percival.

''He will be all right, won't he?'' Valerie asked Garth. Garth glanced back at his friend.

''Yes, he will,'' Garth replied with conviction.