The train rolled to a stop in the town of Herzberg, nestled in the Harz Mountains in Lower Saxony, Germany.  The sun was just peeking over the horizon, a precursor to another hot summer Sunday.  As the doors opened, the train’s seven lone passengers made their way off, one at a time.

 

The ‘seven Summer Sleuths’, as Kat had dubbed them the day before, were all dressed similarly – crop tops and short shorts, comfortable attire in the heat of summer, with small packs on their backs.  Amanda Jones, the elected leader of the group, was first to step down; she was in a grey tank top, tied above her navel, jean shorts, black hose, and tennis shoes – her trademark look, as Ciara called it.  Ciara was right behind her, in a tan button-down blouse with the sleeves and bottom rolled up, khaki shorts, black hose, and ankle boots. 

 

Penelope stepped off next; the only one not wearing a crop top, her white blouse and navy-blue shorts mostly concealed her ‘Black Arrow’ attire she wore under it.  Her hair was up, and her black hose and boots completed the ensemble.  It was fitting that those were the first three off, as they were the three who had spent time together on the train, going over what they were going to do when they arrived, while the other four got more sleep.

 

Penelope’s friend and secretary, Lianne, was next, in a light-green top and shorts combination, almost a ‘tennis’ look, with a pair of white tennis shoes; it was an outfit she had bought the night before in Muhlhausen, as her (and Penelope’s) clothes were all still in the hotel in Bremen. Behind her was Hannah, in a brown top that left her navel exposed and a short hunter-green skirt, with hose and tennis shoes, much like Amanda’s.

 

As Denise and Kat stepped off last, the others all gave a laugh; the two girls, who had only just recently met, were dressed in the exact same outfit!  Kat, wanting to show her new American friend around the shops, found the outfit, amazingly in Denise’s size, and the young, impressionable teacher was only too eager to buy it!  The outfits consisted of white tops cropped well above the navel, short khaki shorts that barely covered their hips and buttocks, light green sweaters with a single button that, in Denise’s case, looked ready to pop open any moment, and heels – not high heels, but heels nonetheless.  Except for Denise’s brunette hair and larger bosom, they could be twins!

 

They stood on the platform, looking up the hill from the train station at the majestic castle, only a few hundred yards away.  “Wow,” Hannah breathed, “that’s it? That’s the castle?”

 

“That’s it,” Amanda answered.  “It’s been here almost nine hundred years.  Hard to believe.”  She motioned the others away from the train platform, towards the sidewalk that would lead up and around to the castle.  “Okay, so here’s the plan. We are going to split up into three groups-”

 

“Do you think that’s really a good idea?” Hannah interrupted.  “With all of the danger we’ve run into already?”

 

“Ciara and Penelope and I, we discussed it at length and we agree, there is too much area to cover to try and do it all as one group.  Nobody is going to be alone, and each of us is going to lead one of the groups.  Hannah, you and Lianne are going to be with me; we are going to the main entrance on the top level.  It’s Sunday, so there isn’t supposed to be anyone there, but we can’t be sure, so we need to be ready.”

 

“Okay, I feel a bit better, with three of us,” Hannah murmured. 

 

“Ciara, you and Kat are going to check out the cave.  See if you can find any clues or anything that past adventurers might have missed, see if there’s another way in.”

 

“So that leaves…me and Penelope?” Denise asked.

 

“Yes, you two are going around the side of the castle, the maps we found indicate an entrance down there, though we couldn’t figure out what it was for – perhaps a service entrance.  The three of us all have a walkie-talkie app on our phones so we can keep in touch.”

 

“Show Denise what you found last night,” Ciara prodded her friend, as she pulled their half of the map out.  Denise moved over to see what they were talking about.

 

“There’s these numbers here…1,2,4,1,1,3,2,1,1,4.  We have no idea what they are.  Any ideas, Miss History Teacher?”

 

“I don’t know, it could be anything. Some kind of code maybe? Numbers aren’t my thing really.  Maybe it will make sense when we find the door that key goes to.”

 

“Okay well let’s get moving, don’t forget to stay in touch!”  They started up the sidewalk together, and after a hundred yards or so, the path forked in three directions.  Each group took a different path, and after a few minutes they were out of each other’s sight.

 

 

Amanda, Hannah, and Lianne trudged slowly up the steep incline of the sidewalk, finally reaching the top.  They were facing the entrance, and behind them, the parking lot was empty.  They glanced back down in the direction they came; their vantage point gave them a fantastic view of not just the train station, but the town of Herzberg as well.

 

Amanda stepped forward and tried the door; as she expected, it was locked.  “Okay, let’s look around for another way in,” and as she and Hannah started to walk in opposite directions, Lianne slid off her pack and started rummaging around.

 

“Lianne?”  Hannah turned to see what she was doing.  A moment later, the British girl turned, something shiny in her hand.  “What have you got there?”

 

Lianne smiled.  “Penelope got a brand new electronic lock picker last month.  I took the liberty of…keeping the old one.  Really happy I didn’t leave THIS in my suitcase!”  She slipped the end of the device into the lock, and pressed a button; a few seconds later, there was a click, and the door was unlocked.

 

“I knew I wanted you in my group for a reason!”  Amanda exclaimed, as she and Hannah followed Lianne through the doorway.

 

“Penelope has no idea, but I’ve been watching her and learning a few of her tricks.  I’m no Black Arrow, but I have picked up a few skills here and there.”  Lianne was beaming from ear to ear as they walked through the empty lobby, and their eyes widened as they entered the great hall.

 

“Now this looks like a castle!” Hannah whispered, as the three girls tried to take in the majesty and splendor of the huge room they were standing in.  The ceilings were high, and adorned with beautiful crystal chandeliers; the walls were covered with elegant tapestries; and the tables that were placed in the center were similar to what one might find the fanciest of restaurants.  The sunlight streaming through the east windows gave everything a glow that only added to the ambience.

 

“Okay,” Amanda breathed, as she looked around, “let’s start looking around the walls, check out everything we can in here; there’s a restaurant and a museum here too, but the information I found suggests they have alarms.  As far as I can tell, nobody will have any idea we are-”

 

Her speech was interrupted abruptly by the entrance door slamming shut.  As the girls turned to look, three men, all wearing masks over their faces, strode through the lobby and into the great hall.  The one in the lead had a large gun cocked and aimed in their direction.

 

“I guess I was wrong,” Amanda muttered, as they backed away fearfully towards the back of the hall.  “Who are you?” she shouted.  “What do you want?”

 

Lianne poked her.  “I think it’s the guys from the warehouse.  I think they might be a bit pissed.”

 

“That’s it, keep backing up,” the one with the gun barked, as he swung the gun back and forth between the three.  “You bitches have been a real pain in the ass, but thanks to Red here,” and he leveled the gun at Hannah, “we were able to follow you all the way here.”

 

Backed against the fireplace, the three exchanged glances.  “What does he mean, thanks to you, Hannah?” Amanda wondered.

 

“I have no idea,” Hannah answered, shaking like crazy.  “I didn’t tell them anything!”

 

“She’s right,” the larger of the other two grumbled.  “We put a tracker in her phone.  She didn’t know it, but we have known exactly where you meddling females have been ever since you escaped yesterday.  Now, sit down and be quiet!”

 

The three shocked girls obeyed, huddled together on the floor by the fireplace. 

 

“Perfect,” the one with the gun stated, as he reached into his pocket with his free hand and pulled out a small ball, which he rolled on the floor towards the wide-eyed girls.  As it neared them, red smoke began to billow out of it.

 

“Gas,” Amanda mumbled, “that’s why they’re wearing the masks…try not to breathe…”

 

Despite her advice, it was only a matter of moments before Hannah, on her left, and Lianne, on her right, had succumbed, and were slumped against her, unconscious.  Amanda looked up at the men, her eyes pleading, as she tried her best not to breathe in the noxious fumes, but all she did was delay the effects for an extra minute, as she, too, passed out.

 

The gas quickly dissipated, as Kristian, the one wielding the gun, holstered it, and removed his mask.  He motioned to Billy and Steve that it was safe to remove theirs.  “Okay, search the bitches, we need that key.” He pulled out his phone and dialed it.  “Yeah, boss, we got three of them.  The guys are searching them now.”

 

Steve was rifling through Amanda’s pockets, when his fingers found something.  He pulled it out; it was the half of the key she was carrying. “I got part of it!” he shouted.

 

“We got half of it so far,” Kristian repeated into the phone.  “Okay, we’ll bring these three down, secure them as you instructed, and then we’ll come back and track down the rest.”  He hung up, walked over to Steve, and unceremoniously yanked the amber out of his hand.  “I’ll be keeping this.  You two have lost enough stuff already.”  He knelt down in front of the sleeping Amanda.  “So you are Amanda Jones.  You and your friends have been a thorn in our plans for long enough.”  He reached down and picked her up, sliding her over his left shoulder, as he motioned for the other two to follow suit.

 

Billy threw the unconscious Lianne over his shoulder, and Steve did the same with Hannah; though he struggled a bit more than his larger colleagues, he finally managed to get her in place and stand up.  “Where are we taking them?” he asked Kristian.

 

“Back down to the truck.  Boss has special instructions on how she wants us to handle them.”  Kristian turned and headed out the door with his unresisting cargo, the others right behind him.

 

 

Penelope and Denise were walking down a different path, towards the lower side of the castle.  The path wound through and around trees and other vegetation; it was clear that it was a path not commonly taken.  Penelope was looking straight ahead and focused, while Denise was anything but.

 

“Wow, so you’re like a real secret agent!  I can’t believe I got to come with you, this is going to be so exciting!” the 24-year-old brunette bubbled.

 

Penelope had been listening to the younger woman carry on like this for the last couple of minutes; finally, she stopped and turned to face Denise.  “Listen to me carefully.  This was not my idea.  I would have much preferred to have Lianne with me, instead of…” and her hand waved at Denise’s bouncing chest, “this.  So here’s the deal.  You stay close to me, you stay out of my way, and you don’t do anything, you don’t touch anything, and you keep quiet.  Got it?”

 

Denise gulped and nodded.  She wasn’t used to being talked to in such a manner, but she also respected the older, more experienced woman. She knew that, compared to the others in this group, she was the amateur, the one who was really out of her element.  “Okay.  Sorry, this is just something I always dreamed about, a real honest-to-goodness adventure.  I got a bit overexcited I guess.”

 

Penelope gave her a slight smile.  “I was like that when I first got into all this.  I learned the hard way to temper my excitement and keep my focus.  Just try and follow my lead, and if you’re not sure about something just ask me, okay?”

 

“Okay,” Denise replied.  As they started down the path again, she stumbled on a rock, catching herself before turning her ankle. “Maybe these heels weren’t such a good idea. But they look so cute on me…”

 

“Yeah, in this profession, boots are the way to go.” Penelope glanced over, catching sight of a rusty-looking metal door.  “We’re just about there, watch your step.”  She left the path and headed through the thick brush, as Denise gingerly stepped over obstacles trying to keep up.

 

“How are we going to get in?” Denise asked, as Penelope reached under her blouse and into her black suit. 

 

“With this,” and she held up her electronic lock picker.  “This comes in handy all the time,” she added as she slipped the end into the lock.  A few moments later, she turned the knob of the unlocked door.  It took her a few tugs, but finally the door opened.  “Wow, looks like nobody’s opened this door in a while.”

 

Denise peeked in.  “It’s dark, I should have thought to bring a-” and a light shone from another device in Penelope’s hand, “flashlight…”

 

“I’m prepared for anything.” Penelope pushed her way in, using her free hand to clear away some cobwebs, Denise following in behind her. “It smells musty.  Don’t lean against anything in here, the wood might be rotting through.”

 

“Got it…not going to touch anything,” Denise mumbled, treading carefully on the dirt floor. She made sure to stay close behind Penelope, who was shining the light all around.

 

“This way,” Penelope stated, “looks like a corridor.  Watch your step and stay a few feet back, just follow the light and you’ll be fine.”

 

“Got it…follow the light…that’s the only thing I can see anyway!”  The corridor turned a bit left, then a bit right, and the young teacher was struggling to keep up.  At one point, her foot slipped, and she looked down as she steadied herself.  When she looked back up, the light wasn’t so close anymore.  “I gotta catch up,” she whispered to herself, as she headed quickly towards the light, which grew brighter and seemed to have stopped moving.

 

As Denise turned to follow the light, and stepped through another doorway, she found herself in a large, open space.  The light was bright in front of her, and she blinked as her eyes adjusted.  “Penelope?”

 

“Who?” the vaguely familiar voice responded, as the source of the light moved closer to Denise, revealing a face she instantly recognized.

 

“Rachel?” she gasped.  “What…how…what are you…how,” she stammered in complete shock.

 

“It’s good to see you too, honey,” Rachel smiled, as she stepped closer, shining her light all around the confused brunette.  “I must say, that outfit really works.  Not what I’d expect from a shy, demure school teacher,” she added with a wink.

 

“I don’t…how did you…why are you…” Denise muttered, still stunned by Rachel’s presence.

 

“It was no accident that I was in the library that night, you see.  I, too, am looking for the Amber Room, and I intercepted some communication that let me know who you were, and why you were coming to Berlin, and more importantly, what you were in possession of.”

 

“The map…” Denise breathed.

 

“Yes.  I took the liberty of snapping a picture of it, while I was looking over your shoulder at your lovelies,” Rachel purred.  “I already had a photo of the other half, you see, and thanks to you, my associate and I knew exactly where to go.  I must say, I never expected to see you again, but it’s an unexpected bonus.”

 

“Your associate?”  As she asked this seemingly innocent question, a large, masculine hand came around her head from behind, clamping a damp cloth over her nose and mouth. “Mmmmm! MMMMM!!”

 

“Yes, my associate.  That’s chloroform, my dear, and he is the one behind you.”  Rachel watched in glee as Denise’s arms dropped limply at her sides, her eyelids fluttering heavily as her eyes rolled back.  A few seconds later, she slumped back into his arms, completely out.

 

“Alright, she’s your responsibility for now,” Rachel instructed, “keep her close.  Her friends must be here as well, which means so is the key.  She may prove to be an important bargaining chip to get what we want.”  And with that, Rachel headed out, down the same corridor that Denise just came from.

 

 

Ciara and Kat were already getting hot and exhausted as they explored the area around the mouth of the cave.  Kat, like Denise, was really regretting her decision to wear heels, as the ground around the cave was quite rocky and uneven.

 

“This is a waste of time,” Ciara finally declared. “There is nothing here, no way into this cave. The entrance is sealed and I can’t find any evidence of any other way in.  I hope the others are having better luck than we are!”

 

As if to answer her last statement, her phone buzzed.  “Ciara?” she heard Penelope’s voice on the other end.

 

“Yes, any luck? Did you find anything?”

 

“No, and worse, I lost Denise.  One second she was behind me, and the next, she was gone. I’ve backtracked my steps and there’s no sign of her.”

 

“Did you tell Amanda?”

 

“That’s the other thing.  Amanda’s not answering.  I’ve tried seven times.  I’m heading back to the door we came in.”

 

“Okay, we’ve found nothing here, we’ll meet you there in a few minutes.”  Ciara clicked off the walkie-talkie app, and motioned Kat to follow her, as they headed towards Penelope, both of them unaware of the danger their friends had already found…