Gutmann, Furda, and the Philadelphia Brotherhood of Thieves: Part Six, The Bamboozler

Be sure to check out parts ONE, TWO, THREE, FOUR and FIVE before continuing on with our weekly Serial tale of woe and heroics.

Dean Fabulous Furda took out a large pair of silver shears to cut the ropes from Dylan's wrists. Even Gutmann cracked a smile. We were going to save University City! 

Suddenly there was a load ~KABOOM!!~ The walls of the cavern shook and dust shook from the ceiling. Dylan's chair was knocked to the floor.

"What was that?" shrieked Furda. 

"Shh," said Gutmann. "Listen. Someone's coming."

I heard what sounded like heavy boots pounding on the floor of 30th Street Station above our heads. No one in the cavern made a sound.

"They found us. I know they would," whispered Gutmann. Her face was white. She was silent for a moment before quickly turning in my direction. "Come with me. All of you, come."

She began hobbling away towards the far side of the cavern. I noticed her walnut pegleg beneath her purple cloak was making indentions in the sandy floor. 

"Wow, she makes pretty good time with that thing," I whispered to Dylan in the hopes of introducing a moment of levity, and maybe start like a joking-around type of relationship with him. He gave me a dirty look. Ooh, maybe not the time, I thought.

Gutmann led us to a small rounded door that I hadn't seen before at the far edge of the cavern. After my eyes adjusted to the darkness of the room, I saw dozens of heavy metal swords of all sizes hanging on the walls.

"What the --"

"This is our arsenal," Gutmann snapped. "Arm yourselves quickly, there isn't much time."

"Why are all of these weapons hundreds of years old? And who's coming? Is it the Scurvy Sailor Crew of the Schuylkill River?" I asked. Suddenly, I was afraid for the first time since my run in with that unseen assailant outside of Lyn's.

I stopped my line of questioning and grabbed a cutlass. We all did. Furda looked scared.

Outside of the arsenal, we heard a high-pitched cackle.

"Oh no -- it can't be. The Bamboozler found us already," whispered Gutmann.

The Bamboozler! That's who nearly killed me on Spruce this morning! He must be the leader of the crew of pirates!

"Come out, come out wherever you are!" screeched an eerie Bamboozler. I locked eyes with Dylan. When his warm brown eyes met mine, however, rather than feeling afraid, I felt a sense of calm. I looked around at Foxy Furda and President Gutmann and was encouraged. We would fight. We might not win, but we sure as hell would fight.

"Here we are!" I shouted as I flung open the door of the armory.

Standing in the center of the cavern was The Bamboozler. He looked to be about seven or eight feet tall, and he was surrounded by dozens and dozens of extraneous pirates.

"Well hello there," he smirked. "I've been waiting all day to meet you."

TO BE CONTINUED...