by Marty Chan
“Ah, Mr. Weisz, I presume. And who are your companions?”
He said nothing.
“Cat got your tongue? No matter. I relish the opportunity to test my new interrogation equipment. Mr. Tesla, I imagine this invention will be your legacy. A footnote in the War of Currents.”
The hunters chuckled.
“Take the one with the metal arm,” Edison ordered. “He might have some useful information, but don’t damage his appendage. I would like to examine the device.”
“You are making a mis-s-s-take, mortal,” Kifo said.
“The only mistake here is what you did to my hunters below. Strap the demon to the interrogation platform.”
Kifo turned to Ehrich. “Now we proc-c-ceed my way.” He opened his metal hand and whirled about as he extended his claw. Tiny darts spit out of the four metal fingers. Three hunters fell, howling in pain as the darts pierced their eyes. Margaret stepped in front of Edison and took one in her chest. She crumpled against the commissioner, driving them both back against the wall. Wilhelm ducked. One grazed Gino’s cheek. At first, he seemed unfazed, but then he began to wobble on his shaky legs. Blood gurgled at the back of his mouth as he fell to his knees and keeled over. The darts were poisoned.
Kifo rushed at the group and shoved Wilhelm toward the other hunters as he bent down and hauled Edison from under Margaret’s now still corpse. He pressed the claws of his metal hand against the man’s exposed throat. The remaining hunters backed away. Ehrich stiffened at the sight of his former friends now dead on the floor. Just like that, their lives had been snatched away. Fury mixed with guilt and remorse flooded his chest and he had to swallow hard to keep them from spewing out.
“Take him down,” Edison wheezed.
A teen raised a weapon, but Kifo flicked his wrist and a dart streaked across the room, striking the boy in the eye. He shrieked once and fell to the ground lifeless.
“Weapons-s-s down unless-s-s you want me to hurt your leader,” Kifo warned.
The hunters obeyed.
“Now s-s-step away from the doorway. I leave you thos-s-se fools-s-s as a cons-s-solation priz-z-ze.”
“Kifo, we had a deal,” Ehrich yelled.
“I have what I need, no thanks-s-s to you.” Kifo took Edison out of the room, using him as a shield as he headed out of the lab.
Amina rushed the unarmed hunters and shoved two of them away as she kicked a dynatron to Ehrich. “We can’t let him escape.”
Ehrich grabbed the pistol, then took Tesla’s arm and pulled the Serbian out of the room. Amina scooped up a teslatron rifle and elbowed a hunter in the gut as he tried to tackle her.
Kifo shuffled down the winding stairs. Edison slowed him down. He clutched the railing and resisted every step of the way.
“Kifo,” Ehrich yelled. “Far enough.”
The assassin looked up but didn’t stop moving down the marble steps. Ehrich tracked Kifo with his pistol, his finger itching on the trigger. The assassin was about to slip through his fingers again. Not this time. Ehrich’s finger twitched on the trigger, but before he could fire, a bolt of energy seared the wall just over his head. Wilhelm rushed out with a rifle in hand. Amina whirled around, pulled Tesla behind her, and fired at the German teen. Wilhelm dropped to the floor as the bolt sizzled over his head.
“Looks-s-s like you have your hands-s-s full,” Kifo taunted as he pulled Edison another step down.
Wilhelm peered over the railing and trained his rifle on Kifo. “Let him go!”
“Drop your weapon or your leader dies-s-s,” Kifo threatened.
“My hunters will track you down if you do.”
“They’ll be too bus-s-sy accus-s-sing you for allowing your leader to die on your watch. If you want him to live, do me the kind favour of taking out thos-s-se three on the s-s-stairs-s-s.”
Wilhelm swung his weapon to Ehrich and his friends. Ehrich had no choice. He fired an electro-dart into Edison’s leg. The energy danced up the man’s body and rendered him unconscious.
“Damn you, Weisz!” Wilhelm yelled, squeezing off a shot at Ehrich.
Amina tackled Ehrich out of the way. The bolt seared the wall just past Tesla’s head. Amina returned fire, driving Wilhelm back behind the cover of the thick marble plinths of the railing.
“He’s getting away,” Ehrich cried, pointing at Kifo dragging the limp body of Edison to the bottom of the stairs. He struggled to get out from under Amina, who squeezed off another round from her teslatron rifle.
“Stay down!” Tesla yelled. “I will stop him.” The lanky Serb jogged down the white steps.
Kifo raised his metal hand at Tesla, but before he could fire, a bolt of energy struck his arm, lighting up the copper shoulder. He howled in pain.
Wilhelm stood up with his teslatron aimed at the assassin. “One more move and you’re done.”
Kifo hoisted the limp Edison higher and used him as a shield. Wilhelm hesitated, unsure of whether or not to shoot. Kifo flicked his metal hand in the air, and a dart caught Wilhelm in the throat, spinning him to the marble floor. He would be dead within seconds. Ehrich resisted the urge to run up the stairs and tend to his former squad mate. Though they had their differences now, Ehrich couldn’t forget the young German boy who was fascinated with learning how his magic tricks worked. Now that boy was gone. Ehrich gritted his teeth and glared at Kifo, trying to focus his anger in any direction but inward. He couldn’t allow grief to overwhelm him.
The hunters then turned their fire on Ehrich’s group. Amina provided cover fire for Ehrich and Tesla to rush down the winding stairs. Kifo shoved the unconscious man toward them and bolted away. Ehrich caught Edison and lowered him to the floor. They couldn’t take him with them, not with the hunters bearing down on them.
By the time they stepped outside, Kifo was gone. They stepped over the bloodied bodies in front of the entrance and scanned the field for any sign of the assassin. He was running across the field toward the skiff. They had to catch up before he fled the island. Ehrich stopped to strip one of the dead bodies of his duster and teslatron rifle. He motioned the others to do the same. In the dark, they might be mistaken for hunters.
Shouts of the hunters echoed after them. More shouts were picked up from other hunters. Ehrich picked up the pace and stayed low, avoiding the lighted areas. They reached the shore, but not in time.
On the water, Kifo had the skiff and was propelling himself across the East River toward Manhattan. They had no means to leave the island, and the hunters had them surrounded.
“What do we do?” Amina said.
“Run along the shoreline,” Ehrich ordered. “I’ll lead the hunters away.”
He dashed off in the opposite direction, yelling at the hunters in pursuit. They turned toward him as his friends slipped away. He sprinted across the rocky shore. The intercepting hunters drew closer. He swung his rifle around and fired into the nearest one. The girl’s body lit up with blue energy as she fell twitching to the ground. Her companion stopped to check on her. The other hunters returned fire. He ducked low and ran toward the boathouse at the far end of the island.
He reached the guardhouse and spotted two teen hunters on watch. They pointed at the hunters shooting, but did not see Ehrich. He drew his duster’s collar up.
“What are you standing there for!?” he cried out. “The demons are attacking again.”
“Where?”
“There. They’ve taken my squad’s weapons. They’re posing as hunters.”
One of the pursuing hunters fired at Ehrich. The energy singed his hair, barely missing him. The pair drew their weapons to return fire at the approaching hunters. Ehrich’s ruse wouldn’t last long. As energy bolts seared the air overhead, he inched toward the dock. He slipped the rope from the post and pushed off in the boat. He then fired at the other craft in the dock, setting it on fire. He started up his boat. The motor roared to life, and he sped out of range of the hunters’ weapons. He piloted the boat toward the southern shore until he spotted his friends. He w
aved at them to swim out to his boat while he scanned the river for any sign of Kifo. The assassin was long gone.
“Lend a hand, would you?” Amina called out from the icy waters.
He hauled her into the craft. She helped Tesla climb in as Ehrich gunned the engine and pointed the boat toward Manhattan. The wet pair huddled in the boat as Ehrich piloted away from Devil’s Island. He searched the river for any sign of Kifo with no luck.
“We need to find a safe place to hide,” Ehrich said.
Amina shivered. “The nearest portal to Purgatory is across the city. It’s too far away.”
Tesla beamed. “I know the perfect place. I think this evening’s adventure has earned us dinner at Delmonico’s.”
“Are you kidding?” Ehrich asked. “A fine dining restaurant?”
Tesla beamed. “The last place Mr. Edison would search for fugitives.”
“Madness,” Ehrich argued.
“If they catch us, at least we’ll be well fed,” Tesla countered.
Amina shouted, “He’s got my vote. Better than hiding in the streets.”
“Fine. Tell me where to go.”
Tesla clapped his hands together. “Oh goodness, it has been so long. You’re in for a treat.”
v
North of the Lower East Side and the Bowery, Manhattan’s cityscape changed from dilapidated tenements where people crowded elbow to elbow to opulent buildings where entrepreneurs rubbed elbows with bankers. Fifth Avenue served as the lavish playground for New York’s wealthy, and the centrepiece was Delmonico’s restaurant. This legendary business catered to the wealthy with traditional French cuisine.
Decked out in a borrowed tuxedo, Tesla seemed at home among the theatregoers stopping by for a late-night dinner. Amina shifted uncomfortably in her linden green bodice and bustle. She tugged at the tight waist, trying to breathe without ripping the outfit. Even Ehrich wore a change of clothes. At Tesla’s insistence, he wore a grey tweed suit jacket, so he matched his dinner party. The clothes came courtesy of the restaurant’s owner, Charles Delmonico, who preferred to be called Young Charley. Tesla called in a favour with Young Charley, who was able to offer a selection of clothes from his own wardrobe, as well as his Aunt Rosa’s collection. Once dressed suitably for dinner, the trio adjourned to the smoky dining hall for a meal Ehrich would never forget.
He examined the linen tablecloth on the table. In all the eateries he had been in, he had never seen such extravagance as to cover a table with a cloth. The assortment of cutlery on the table dazzled almost as brightly as the silver chandeliers overhead. Even the well-groomed servers provided a visual treat in their crisp, long-sleeved white shirts, smart, black trousers, and ties.
“How are we going to pay for this?” Ehrich asked. “I barely have five dollars.”
Tesla’s eyes lit up. “Ah, the wonder of Delmonico’s is the honour system. When it is time to settle my bill, I will know.”
The French restaurant was the epitome of decadence. Hand painted on fine paper, the menu itself was a canvas of art. Ehrich left the parchment on the table for fear of smudging it with his sweaty hands. Though he had no need to read the offerings; Tesla ordered for them.
The svelte Serbian leaned back in the wooden chair and sighed. “Ah, it’s good to be home.”
Ehrich leaned forward, “But sir, we’re not out of the woods. Someone is going to recognize us.”
Tesla shook his head. “Thomas Edison did not make a public statement about my arrest—and when was the last time you saw a patrol on Fifth Avenue?”
Ehrich nodded, recalling how few patrols reached into the wealthier neighbourhoods of New York.
“Amina, your elbows,” Tesla chided.
Tesla waved at the slouching Amina with her elbows on the table.
“Like this,” he continued as he demonstrated the proper way to sit with his back against the mahogany back. She complied.
“The trap they had set for us was quite the gamble,” she said. “No way the hunters could have predicted when we’d show up or where we’d go.”
Ehrich shook his head. “After the run-in at the pier, I think Wilhelm knew I would come for Mr. Tesla. I’m sure he had hunters stationed near the prison entrance as well.”
Amina leaned forward, resting her elbows on the table again. “Now do you want to explain yourself, Ehrich? What exactly was your plan?”
Tesla brushed her back from the table. “You mean the plan was not to rescue me?”
“Sorry, sir, but not exactly. We didn’t even know that you were being held in the tower. I was going to take the Infinity Coil from Kifo and make him restore my brother.”
“But Ehrich had promised General Xian that he would free Ba Tian. Of course, this isn’t possible because we trapped Ba Tian in another dimension.”
“An uncomfortable predicament,” Tesla surmised. “What do you plan to do now?”
“We need to track down Kifo and convince him to release Dash.”
“Don’t you think Kifo will report back our mission’s failure?”
“I have the radiotelegraphometer,” Ehrich said. “Besides, I can’t quite put my finger on it, but I have the feeling he’s operating on his own agenda.”
“Where do you propose we start searching?”
“Mr. Tesla, Kifo won’t be able to sneak onto Devil’s Island again. He’ll try to find another location to nab Edison. If we capture Edison, however, Kifo will have to come to us.”
“The commissioner travels with security at all times,” Tesla pointed out. “Not the easiest target to acquire.”
Amina slapped the table. A few patrons turned their heads, but Amina didn’t care. “What about our friends on the airship? We can’t abandon them.”
Ehrich winced. The mention of friends caused his mind to wander to the loss of Wilhelm, Margaret and Gino. Even though the hunters had turned against him, they were still once his friends, and their loss left an absence in Ehrich’s chest. Kifo had much to answer for, and the deaths of his former squad mates was now another on the list. Ehrich answered, “If we capture Edison, we can bargain.”
“And if we don’t?”
Ehrich said nothing. The tension was broken when the waiter arrived with oysters, the traditional start to any meal at Delmonico’s. They ate in silence. Ehrich slurped the fresh pea soup that followed the oysters, not even glancing from his bowl. By the time the crab cakes had landed on the table, he was more inclined to speak. “I’m sorry, Amina. I haven’t forgotten about Ning Shu and Mr. Serenity. We will find a way to help them. And Ning Shu volunteered to stay on the airship. I suspect she might have a plan of her own.”
“Your food is getting cold. Eat,” Tesla ordered. He cut into the crust of his crab cake and arranged three piles before scooping one up with his two-tined fork.
“You’re banking on the fact that Kifo will go after Edison,” Amina said.
“He knows as well as we do that Ba Tian isn’t in prison, and he didn’t protest too much about my proposal. He must want something down here. Did you remember how curious he was about Edison’s labs and his whereabouts?”
“I suppose, but this is still a long shot. I don’t like long—”
Tesla interrupted. “Patience, Amina. When one fishes, the chances of success increase when one takes his boat on water rather than leave it on dry land.”
“But you can’t be sure that’s where Kifo is headed,” she pointed out. “General Xian isn’t going to wait forever.”
“Short of amassing an army to storm the airship, this is our only option. Unless you have another plan.”
Amina fell silent.
Tesla rubbed his hands together as a trio of waiters approached with steaming plates. “Ah, Lobster Newburg.” The once intense scientist now seemed giddy, perhaps because he had his first taste of freedom in a few weeks.
“I’ve never tried lobster,” Amina said.
“Then you will be spoiled for all other forms of lobster you may encounter in the future. Ch
efs can prepare lobster many ways, but this is the one method which puts all the rest to shame.”
The trio tucked into the hearty pieces of lobster in rich cream sauce. Tesla was right. Ehrich had never tasted such a dish. The thick cream had a hint of salty brine, and the lobster was meaty and sweet. He could have eaten ten of them.
The meal did not end there. A light sherbet was served to cleanse the palate, and then a crown roast of pork followed. To end the meal, the three devoured Baked Alaska. Ehrich tapped the meringue topping and cut through to a sweet surprise of ice cream at the centre of this dessert. For a moment, he lost himself in the food and enjoyed every single bite. He hadn’t had a decent meal in quite some time. Mr. Serenity was resourceful when it came to scraping together meals, but he lacked a refined palate.
After dinner, they conversed about the weather as if they were one of the posh diners, oblivious of the world beyond the walls of this cultured restaurant. Ehrich imagined himself sitting at the table with his father and mother, and he pictured Dash beside him. He imagined them all celebrating the family’s reunion. The first time they had been reunited was when his mother came to America with Ehrich and Dash in tow. They met their father in New York and had a humble but celebratory meal. He believed the next reunion would be even better. He took the time to appreciate this moment because he didn’t know when an opportunity like this would arise again.
Amina took a sip of wine and nearly spit the red liquid out. “What is this? It tastes like old bread.”
Tesla laughed. “Stick with water, my dear. That wine is too expensive to end up on the floor.”
She sat back. “Do you think we can order more of this Baked Alaska?”
Ehrich shook his head. “Where do you put it all?”
She patted her belly. “Can we order more?”
Tesla smiled. “I suggest we try the roasted figs instead.”
Amina wiped the corner of her mouth with the linen napkin and glanced at Ehrich. “You have some.... Here.” She used the same cloth to wipe his mouth. “I can’t remember the last time I sat down and enjoyed a meal. Before the war, I think. My aunt made—I don’t know how you would describe them—grelbach. They were like dumplings. Inside was meat and tiny dots of dried bread. The outside was soft dough. You dipped the grelbach in a spicy and sweet sauce. I ate twelve of them in one sitting once. Auntie stood over the pot and cooked as we ate. One time, she never left the pot because we couldn’t stop eating.”