The Gadgeteer Box Set

by Gin Hollan

  "You'll stick out like a sore thumb."

  Melanie breathed out in relief. "Good. I'm going to change."

  "And I'm going to find my great-godfather."

  "Wait, really? Isn't he a bit ... crazy?"

  Arabeth laughed. "Only the best kind."

  // Chapter 22 //

  ARABETH TURNED TO get her satchel. What would she need for this excursion? Clement’s would be a short visit. After a few moments with him, she'd need to head out to the hospital again. She replenished her usual hand and ankle cuffs, knock-out sprays, and fox snacks. Imagining where she might wind up, she decided to bring a few candles and matches. Her portable lantern stood only four inches high, but it drank kerosene like it was dying of thirst.

  This barely counted as reconnaissance. It would be a conversation, nothing more. She closed her bag. There were answers to be had, and it seemed she was the right person to ask them. No one else cared. No one else saw the trends and contradictions she did. Noble friends said they'd help, but they either didn't believe her, or didn't have the full picture.

  Clement was in his garden, staring at a particularly tall rose bush.

  "I'm going to find the secret of that hospital," Arabeth said as she walked up.

  "Are you sure that's the best use of your time?"

  "What do you mean?"

  "Harbertrope's got a problem. If we fix that, he’ll owe us, so the other problems will keep," he said. "His wife and daughter have been kidnapped."

  "What? How? Who would be stupid enough to kidnap the police chief’s family?"

  "The war is shifting. War… well, it was a war. Now it’s a power-hungry madman living in a cave. He’s trying to influence the police chief and kidnapped his family to manipulate him. They were rescued early today and I want you to pick them up and get them safely back here. Would you be up to that sort of task? It's a little different than bounty hunting in that you have to do this in complete secrecy."

  “Of course I’ll help. And I am not a glory hound. There are a couple reports that stalk me, that‘s all.”

  "Sure, sure." The old man started walking at a livelier gait than Arabeth thought possible. "I'm actually quite disappointed with you, Arabeth. You should have found a way into your grandfather's lab by now. The books he has in there are akin to the thinking of Davinci and Galeleo, but centuries forward."

  "Where are you going?" she said, hurrying to keep up.

  "To let you in."

  They walked south. Her house was west.

  "To grandfather’s lab?"

  “No, I have no idea where that is.”

  Suddenly Marble whimpered and stopped, walking in a small, worried circle before sitting. Arabeth turned to pick her up, then realized why she'd acted that way.

  "We're headed to the checkerboard?" she sputtered. "Why?"

  "To bring back Wilma and Camilla."

  “I can’t bring Marble.”

  “The sonics are shut off for now. We use them to keep the area empty.”

  “Ah, I knew that area was too strange to not have a greater purpose. Most people I talk to think it’s a rich man throwing his money away to make a statement.”

  "A secret only stays that way if it's well hidden, and when it's hidden in plain sight, it is overlooked the most."

  "It also explains Larry's interest in the area."

  "Who?"

  "There's a young reporter who gives me information on some of the more dangerous happenings in our city. I can only guess that he's heard rumours about that place and figured I knew its secrets. He got pretty steamed when nothing happened." She shook her head. "I suspect he thinks I have a death wish. It’s that or he's trying to get rid of me."

  "Everyone seems to know a little about everything that’s going on, but no one has the big picture. That, my dear, is about to become your job."

  "How do you mean?"

  "Do you think your family sat back and ignored your sneaking out to be a bail enforcement specialist?"

  "They don’t care, as long as I’m not embarrassing the family."

  He shook his head, laughing. "No, sweetie. Your father wanted to see how much you could learn on your own. Your grandfather was right - you should be my next protégé."

  "Why is everyone deciding I need higher-level guidance? What if I'm happy as I am?"

  He laughed louder. "You won't be for long."

  She clamped her jaw shut, not wanting to take his bait. She was happy. Why did everyone assume she wasn't? Her parents, Sam, and now her great-godfather all seemed to be under the impression she was less than content. No matter what she said or did, they couldn't see she was fine the way she was.

  But then again, this was all very interesting. Her gadgeteering gave her the same sensations. The same buzz, as it were. It was … stimulating.

  "We can talk later. Tell me more about the checkerboard."

  "Not out here. You'll understand soon enough."

  "Why make it such an obvious thing?"

  "The pain your fox felt before is caused by radio frequencies on the high end of the spectrum. That audio interference is something not many can tolerate, and only young people and animals can hear. People assume a bored rich person wasted money on a land development project in an area with bad harmonics."

  "They encourage people to believe this is a New Science project?"

  "Ha! New Science is a group we made up to explain things we’d rather not explain, when we need a scapegoat."

  "What doesn't kill you, will get you later."

  "Sorry?"

  "Nothing. It's just something my friend Melanie likes to say."

  Arabeth looked down at Marble. She’d stopped worrying, and walked along, ears searching as she went.

  When they reached the northeast corner, Clement walked south one rock and one grass square, then turned sharply and walked the same distance to the west. The house in that square had a door on each side, so he walked to the closest one and stopped on its right side.

  "This panel." He flipped up a hand-sized sheet of metal. Underneath sat a grid of button with out-of-sequence numbers on them. "The number blocks get moved once a week, so you have to remember the code." He pressed six numbers. "And they have to be in the correct order. There is no reset key, so get it right the first time."

  The door clicked and he quickly opened it and waved her inside after him. Arabeth held the door long enough for Marble to dart in. The entire activity took less than thirty seconds.

  "This is different." Arabeth stood a moment and looked around. The interior was two storeys tall, as suggested by the outside, but there was no second floor. A series of embellished metal sheets lined the walls, but the floors were stone.

  "The interior is sound-dampened against the harmonics."

  That would certainly motivate people to get inside quickly.

  "That mural." He pointed to a large impressionist painting of a city street in the spring. "You will find Mrs Harbertrope and her daughter on the other side. Do you have a way to defeat potential thugs in that strange satchel of yours?"

  “A few knock-out darts and a set of restraints. I haven’t needed them since the program shut down.”

  He nodded and walked over to a large blanket chest and lifted the padded lid. "There may be a few things in here you can use. I stocked it yesterday."

  "Wait. Are you the one who built this checkerboard?"

  He smiled, shaking his head. "There's no time to explain, sweetie. I can tell you that story when you get back. All you need to know right now is that the sonic field around the area has been disabled and will stay off until you get back. They should be in one of the houses on the other side already, waiting."

  "Fine." Not seeing anything she could use in the chest, she walked to the painting. "Where does this go?"

  "There is a network all over this continent, with rail cars that go to all the big cities, and a few smaller ones. This painting hides a tunnel down to a network of rail lines. You'll understand once you're down
there."

  "An underground rail system? Who made it, when, and why? Is it privately owned?" Arabeth asked.

  "Questions later. Go now. Be on the trolley back by sunset." He opened one of her hands and pressed a pair of metal tokens into it. "These are the only way to pay for the trip, so don't lose them. One there, one back. This is a retrieval. They've already been found and moved." Clement pushed the bottom of the painting to one side, revealing a short, smooth stone staircase leading sharply down.

  The smooth grey walls and pillars of the underground tunnel made it seem like it had existed for years. Maybe decades. Arabeth resisted the urge to go back and demand answers. Her great-godfather could have at least walked with her and explained more.

  A light rail track to her right reminded her of a heavy mining cart track, not a train track. The tunnel ahead seemed short as well. Hopefully a trolley would be along soon.

  In the meantime she double-checked her satchel. She'd carried it so long and so consistently that it felt like a part of her. Inside, along with her usual items, sat one of Graham’s little smoke bombs. That was fantastic! She double-checked the volume of her vials, hoping she had enough of the knock-out scent for this excursion. Something was missing, but she couldn't put her finger on it.

  A sound not unlike a pneumatic tube started up behind her and a strange, tube-shaped vehicle sped into view. The shape reminded her of the tube system one of the central bank offices had started using a couple years ago.

  She stepped back as it came to an abrupt halt in front of her. Was this a giant version of that message system? And did Clement expect her to ride this? Seriously?

  Walking forward again, she looked it over. It seemed safe. The top third popped open, startling her as it rose up, revealing three rows, each with a pair of comfortable-looking recumbent seats.

  "Kindly take a seat. This tube is scheduled to leave for Enasea in three minutes," a female voice said from a speaker inside.

  "How far is that?" Arabeth wondered.

  No answer. Of course. Two-way communication was still in its infancy. This must be a triggered announcement caused by a wiring gap closing when the metal wheels slowed to a stop. The same trigger that opened the canister. No ... carriage. She'd call it a carriage. Anything else reminded her of a coffin.

  With a shudder, Arabeth sat and Marble jumped up into the seat beside her before she pulled the door down to close. It was actually pretty comfortable, she conceded as she leaned back.

  "Insert your coin to begin transport," the woman's voice instructed.

  Oh, right. She reached into her pocket and withdrew one. Where did it go? The lighting was dim but she saw one spot that might work - a small, flat gap in the wall ahead of her. She dropped it in. Immediately the vehicle started to move. Arabeth was pressed back into her seat, and suddenly overcome with the urge to laugh. Once her body adjusted, she sat relaxed, almost bored. She closed her eyes. Before she knew it, the conveyance stopped. She must have fallen asleep. How long? The door opened.

  She sat forward and peered out. It looked exactly like the place she’d just left. Stepping out, she looked for anything different. A rock out of place would be enough proof that this was new. The trip was too short. Something must have gone wrong. She checked her pocket watch. Half an hour. That was short. Still, nothing seemed odd. There were a few stray items. Then she spotted a small metal plate on one wall. "34." She hadn't noticed a numbered plate before.

  Climbing a steep stone staircase, she flipped a lock latch on the edge of a narrow door and peeked through. It was another house, but this one looked lived-in.

  "Hello?" she called out.

  No answer. Stepping out, she relaxed. There was too much dust, too few creature comforts for this house to be anything other than a front.

  Someone coughed behind her. Startled, she turned, hand going to a pocket where she kept a small atomized spray bottle of skunk odor. The woman facing her nodded.

  "Are you the one I'm waiting for? The man told me you could get me and my daughter out of here."

  Anti-climactic, Arabeth thought. The hunter in her was disappointed, but she nodded. "Your daughter is here as well?"

  "Yes," she said, turning. "It's time."

  A tiny girl of no older than seven years age walked over and took her mother's hand. Looking up, she gasped. "You're Arabeth! I've seen you in the newspaper."

  Smiling softly, Arabeth nodded. "Yes. We should go." She indicated to the door.

  "In there? That was locked," the woman said.

  "For reasons that will shortly become apparent. Follow me." She stopped. "I'm sorry. What are your names?"

  "Oh, I'm Wilma. My daughter is Camilla."

  "Nice to meet you." A shadow passed one of the windows. "Let's go."

  "They're bringing us food. Can we wait another moment?" Wilma asked.

  "I'm sorry, but I was told we had to get you back right away. Can you wait just a bit longer for food? It's a quick trip." She asked the daughter more than the mother, wishing she'd had a chance to pack a snack bar or fruit for them.

  The girl nodded. "We should go, Momma."

  "All right."

  Locking the door behind them, Arabeth wondered how to tell the conveyance where they were going. She stopped. Maybe the coin did that. She pulled it out, examining it. It was a double-headed coin. She recognized the head on one side as the founder of Elsborough. The other must be the founder of this city.

  "Hop in. This will take you back. Brace yourself - it travels at incredible speed and may frighten you at first."

  "Not me, it won't," the girl said, climbing in. Her mother gave a resigned sigh and followed. "Are you coming?"

  "There is only space for two. I'll catch the next one. You're about to go very fast. The pressure will push you back into your seat and it may feel a little like you're squished. Stay calm. It's normal."

  "I'm not an infant," the girl said. "You can talk normally."

  "All right." Arabeth smiled. "You'll be home in about half an hour. There are cloaks upstairs. Hide your faces until you can take a cab to the police station, to Mr. Harbertrope. Please keep this tunnel a secret between us three. In fact, it would be best if you put it out of your mind completely."

  "We've been warned. Thank you. I'm sure Peter can keep us safe once we're back." Wilma smiled to soften the harshness of her tone.

  "Ma'am, I'm not sure you understand the seriousness of what has happened. Cover your daughter's ears if you must, but we need to talk. There are enemies amongst us, and around us on the surface."

  "Speak. My daughter knows discretion."

  Arabeth glanced at the girl and nodded, hoping that would help secure her tongue.

  "I’m certain someone is targeting Blastborn as more than a testing ground.” As someone using Blastborn criminals to test her own devices, the irony was not lost on her. Her motives were to make the city safer though, and it always boiled down to intent, to Arabeth.

  "You know what's been happening?" Wilma stared.

  "I’m starting to put the pieces together, ma'am. And I have the beginnings of a plan to stop it before it does more damage to the people of our city. I need you to talk to your husband. I'm sure your kidnapping was used to manipulate him. Find out what they wanted him to do and let me know. Would you do that?" Arabeth asked.

  "How will I get the message to you?"

  "Get Melanie Chambers her job back at the detachment. She made the mistake of thinking that her work there doesn’t matter and that she’s easily replaceable. Please change her perception of that. She’ll pass me any information you have."

  "I can do that," Wilma agreed.

  Camilla made an excited sound, causing both women to look down at her.

  "This is exciting. Isn't this exciting, Momma?" The girl nearly hopped in place, grinning.

  Wilma nodded. "But it's a secret, between us three." She looked back at Arabeth. "You'll help us again, if we need it?"

  "Of course, ma'am. It would be my pleasu
re." She gave a slight bow, then extended her arm, indicating the two should climb into the travel tube.

  No sooner had they disappeared down the track when Arabeth heard footsteps coming down the stairs. Darting into a shadow, she signaled Marble to go into the shadows.

  A group of five men, all a foot shorter than her, came to a stop at the bottom of the stairs. It had been years since she'd seen anyone from Eltesea. She remembered them being taller. And louder. This group walked on soft feet, it seemed.

  "Well, where is she?" the tallest of the men grumbled. "Spread out and find the foreign woman, Arabeth Barnes."

  It was as though they'd been waiting for the sound of the shuttle leaving, then came in. Why did they want her? Tinkers were the new tool in the making or breaking of the war, she'd been told. Graham had warned her. They had to know she'd be dead before she gave them an edge over her friends and family.

  Thinking she could slip from shadow to shadow, in the underground passage, she stepped out. The dim light worked against her and a rock shot out from under her boot, pinging off a nearby wall. Before she could hide again, one of the men focused on her as he raised something like a pistol and fired. The glint of red glowed around his weapon and then out toward her. Every inch of her hurt for a moment, then she sank to her knees, losing consciousness.

  // Chapter 23 //

  WHATEVER GAME Victor Dane was playing, Arabeth did not appreciate it. She sat on the edge of a small, rickety cot, staring at him. Twins should be a little easier to tell apart, she thought. Emotion blinded her, and fear kept her from thinking straight.

  "What did that man shoot me with? That was not a pistol."

  "Can I get you a cup of coffee, or some lemonade, perhaps?" Vic asked her.

  She glared back, saying nothing. She leaned forward, testing her legs. They hurt in the same way a muscle cramp would, but seemed otherwise functional.

  "I apologize for the nature of our reunion, but time is at a premium. This was the only way I could see you without the entire civilized world finding out." He looked away. "And Samuel wouldn't understand my wanting a chat. He trusts me, but not with you." His brief but wry smile hid another secret. “There is a mountain to the north and I need someone to go there and retrieve an item for me."