by Lana Axe
“While you’re out there,” Cali went on, “make note of any strange people or automatons. Don’t approach them or put yourself in danger, but if they’re doing something they shouldn’t, try to stop them or at least slow them down.”
Emmit’s beady eyes stared blankly at the cat. What she asked would be impossible. He couldn’t try to stop someone from suspicious activity without putting himself in danger. Rather than argue the point, he nodded instead.
“Keep yourself hidden,” she warned. “I don’t want anyone or anything attacking you while I’m inside the vault.”
“How do you plan to get in there?” he asked.
“I’ll have to find a way to distract the guards,” she said.
“I could have a go at them,” he offered. He’d survived his last run through the bank. What harm could a second one do?
Cali shook her head. “I don’t want you putting yourself in that situation again.” There was no longer a chandelier for her to grab onto, and she needed to conserve her energy if she hoped to stop the robbery that was about to take place. “I’ll find my own way in,” she said. Flashing a set of white teeth, she added, “Trust me.”
Emmit smiled. He did trust her. She was clever and strong, and she could most definitely look out for herself. There was really no reason to worry about her, though he still felt some apprehension. Posted outside, he wouldn’t be able to witness the events taking place in the bank. What if she needed him? I’ll just have to do the best I can from outside, he decided. If I know she’s in real trouble, I’ll come in anyway. His mind was made up. “I guess I’ll head out the window then,” he said. “Unless you need anything else before I go?”
“I’ll be fine,” she said, patting him on top of his head. “Remember, don’t let anyone see you.”
Nodding, he looked all around before dashing across the room and back into the manager’s office. Bouncing first to the desk and then onto the windowsill, he looked back at Cali crouching behind the statue. Her calico fur was neat and tidy, despite the ordeal she’d been through to save him. A true hero, he thought. He was proud to call her his friend. Hopping down from the window, he stood watch next to the transmitter.
Keeping a low profile, Cali did not emerge from behind the statue. The guards stood their ground while the cleanup continued, preventing her from entering the vault. A small bead of crystal rolled near her, and she decided to give throwing it a try. Lifting it in her enhanced paw, she tossed it toward the nearest guard. It struck the side of his neck, but the man didn’t even flinch. Cali could hardly believe it. Most people would have at least lifted a hand to see what had hit them. Not this guard. She’d have to try something else.
The only other thing within reach was the homemade explosive tucked into her implants. Throwing that was out of the question. She didn’t want to injure the guards, just move them long enough to get herself inside the vault.
Tapping a claw against her chin, she waited for an opportunity to present itself. Nearly an hour went by, and still nothing. The guards did not take breaks, nor did they shift their attention away from the vault. Apparently it was nicely protected. She wondered if she was being foolish by staying. Surely Morcroft couldn’t get past them.
As the afternoon went on, Cali grew drowsy. Taking a nap was a tempting idea. No one had noticed her behind the statue, so it was unlikely she’d be discovered, awake or asleep. Yawning, she let out a long sigh. I have to stay awake, she told herself. What if she fell into a deep sleep and missed the entire heist? Morcroft would get away with the theft, and she’d have to admit to Emmit that she’d been snoozing on the job.
Curling her arms beneath her, Cali settled in for a long wait. Instead of sleeping, she observed the people around her. Customers came and went, exchanging pleasantries with the tellers. Some left with small bundles of cash, others left empty-handed. Cali hoped one would enter the vault. If so, she might be able to tag along unnoticed. But no such luck. Not one person expressed an interest in going inside it.
A quiet crinkling from beneath the floor gave her a start, and she stood back up on all fours. She saw nothing, but the noise continued. Dropping down again, she pressed an ear to the wood. The sound grew louder and then turned away in the direction of the vault. It had to be the spiderlings. They were on the move again. She wondered why they would do so now, after hours of remaining dormant. Then she realized that, like her, they were waiting for the right moment. Something was about to happen.
The bank manager emerged from his office with a flat leather bag under his arm. Setting the bag aside, he motioned to a lady teller. She began removing money from her cashbox, and two other tellers followed suit. Cali watched with interest, wondering what would happen next. When the tellers were ready, they brought the cash to Lisen, who tucked the money in the bag and proceeded toward the vault.
Could this be the moment? Cali positioned herself for a pounce. The banker walked past the first guard, who immediately took up a position in the center of the open vault door. Cali weighed her options. The door was circular and quite large. There was plenty of room for her to fit around the guard. The trouble was, there was no cover. He would see her before she made it in. She could grab onto the banker’s leg, but he’d definitely feel it and shake her off before going in the vault.
When the manager disappeared inside the vault, she realized she’d missed her chance. Sitting back on her haunches, she wondered what would happen when he emerged. Several minutes passed, and Cali grew impatient. She stuck one paw from behind the statue, but the guard flinched, and she feared she’d been seen. Making herself small, she hunkered back down in her hiding place.
When Lisen emerged, he was followed by the second guard. Success! Cali thought. Now there was only one guard to deal with. When the outer guard joined the other two, her heart lifted. The three stopped at a mechanism on the wall next to the vault door.
Panicking, Cali realized what was happening. The bank was closing. That’s the only reason the guards would leave their posts. They were about to secure the massive door, and she’d lose any chance of getting inside before the spiderlings.
A loud hiss echoed through the bank, a signal that the door’s latch had been released. It was now or never. Cali braced herself, shifting all her power to her hind quarters. She had to avoid the heavy door as it swung closed on its own, moving faster as it neared its destination. The door’s jagged edge would have to be avoided as well, requiring some maneuvering on her part.
Steadying her breathing, she forced herself to wait. If she jumped when the door was too wide, she’d be seen. If she waited until it was too far closed, she would either be crushed or smack into the outside of the door. There was no room for error. Wiggling her behind, she prepared to pounce. She had to make it in one leap. There would be no second chance.
With the door only a foot away from sealing shut, Cali made her move. In a single bound, she propelled herself from the statue and sailed through the air. The edges of the door brushed against her fur as she flew past, landing with surprising softness on the marble floor inside. Immediately she dropped low and tucked herself behind a large trunk.
Did anyone see me? she wondered. Holding her breath, she remained perfectly still, listening for the faintest trace of human speech. Silence. She had made it without being noticed. Swiveling her head, she checked her weapon to make sure it hadn’t fallen during her entrance. Thankfully, it remained secure.
Cali allowed herself to breathe again, relieved to be in position. Now it was a matter of finding the owl and hiding it from the thieves. She’d also have to find somewhere to conceal herself. Taking in her surroundings, she wasn’t sure where to begin. Rows of locked metal drawers climbed all the way to the ceiling. Trunks and chests were stacked neatly along the walls.
With a sigh, Cali regretted not gaining access to the vault sooner. It was at least as large as Lionel’s apartment, and she had no idea where to begin searching for the owl. Why didn’t I search the bank manager’
s desk for more information? Again and again she scolded herself. There were so many roads she hadn’t gone down, too many lost opportunities. Next time she vowed to be much better prepared before taking on a master criminal.
There’s nothing I can do to change it now, she thought. I’ll just have to make do with what I have. What she had was a fine set of implants, augmenting all of her natural feline abilities. Scanning the immediate area with her mechanical eye, she altered its settings in every manner possible. The owl put off no heat, nor would zooming allow her to see through the metal drawers or wooden chests. Night vision was unnecessary. The vault was illuminated with a pale yellow lamp, more than enough light for a cat.
Smelling the vault’s stale air, she wondered if the owl would put off an unusual scent. It had come from a faraway island, likely a place full of spices and fruit. Maybe she could sniff it out. Trotting up and down, left and right, she sniffed in all directions. She did smell something. Pausing near a plain metal box, she ran her paws over its top. There was an unrecognizable smell to it, so she inserted her claw and practiced at the skill Emmit had shown her.
With little effort, the lock gave and the box sprang open. Cali peered inside. A tiny paper box in the shape of a lizard lay inside. Strange, unrecognizable markings of blue, red, and gold covered the paper. It had not come from this land or any she knew of. Her nose tingled at the thick layer of dust that wafted from the box. Fighting the urge to sneeze, she lifted the lizard box and sniffed it. Repulsive! It was a foul scent, one she didn’t care to investigate further. Stuffing it away, she shoved the box toward the back of the vault. Whatever was inside it, she didn’t want anything to do with it. It certainly wasn’t the owl.
Cali took a gamble and decided not to search any of the drawers for now. She figured the owl was more likely to be in one of these chests. It needed temporary housing only here in the vault, so it was probably still in its original casing. If only she knew what the princess had used to transport it.
With vision and scent failing to lead her to the treasure, Cali decided to use the law of averages. If she searched enough of the trunks, she would eventually find what she sought. It was tedious work. Seven chests later, she still hadn’t found the owl. Hissing in frustration, she swung around, working at the chests on the opposite side of the vault. At least it was a change of view.
A faint scratching sound at the vicinity of the door drew her attention away. Creeping on silent paws, she padded toward the door and listened. The pitter patter of metallic feet echoed throughout the locking mechanism. The spiderlings had reached their destination inside the lock. It wouldn’t be long before they managed to open it. Cali had to work faster.
Ok, Cali, think, she said to herself. If I were an island princess, how would I travel with a golden owl? Answering herself, she realized it was probably within the most ornate chest in the vault. A princess would travel with only the best. Scanning the chests, her eye fell on a large trunk embellished with gold filigree. That had to be it.
Springing across the vault, Cali pounced on the opulent trunk. But then she saw something next to it. This chest was smaller, but still large enough for a cat to fit inside. The outside was solid blue, adorned with a single sapphire set in gold. Princess Kaleyani from the Sapphire Sea, she recalled. This had to be the one.
The scratching grew louder, prickling the hairs in Cali’s ears. There was no time to lose. Inserting a mechanical claw into the lock, she twisted it with every expectation of success, but the lock didn’t budge. Fear ran through the calico’s heart. What if locks on the islands worked differently from the ones here? Why hadn’t she searched Lisen for a key? Kicking herself would not open the box. Ignoring her own thoughts, she focused only on the lock.
“Come on,” she whispered to the lock, her tongue lolling out to the side. Without her notice, her body was twisting along with her claw. Nothing worked.
Taking a step backward, Cali removed her claw. Deciding she needed a new perspective, she cocked her head to the side and studied the lock. Zooming with her mechanical eye, she saw its inner workings. To her surprise, it was similar to those Lionel had designed nearly a year ago. They were all sold to the same buyer, one Cali never laid eyes on. Could it have been the princess or her people?
It didn’t matter. The spiderlings would soon break the vault lock, and Cali had to get the owl to safety. Remembering the schematics as best she could, Cali chose a new approach. The locks were tricky, and the average person would never break them. Luckily, Cali wasn’t an ordinary cat, and she’d seen Lionel create the locks. Flipping upside down, Cali balanced on her head, using her tail for support. Reinserting her claw, she worked at the lock from this new angle.
Clink.
It was music to Cali’s ears. She opened the lid, its hinges creaking softly. Gold glimmered before her, illuminating her tricolored fur. Diamond eyes stared into her own. If she didn’t know better, she would say its expression looked grateful. The owl had no desire to be stolen by criminals.
Lifting the owl from its sanctuary, she held it toward the light. Beautiful, captivating, and surprisingly heavy. It was likely worth a fortune. Cali wouldn’t have minded a few more minutes to marvel at it, but there was no time. Choosing a plain, paper crate, she concealed the owl inside. Strangely, she felt the need to apologize for placing it in such surroundings. Shaking her head, she realized it was a silly thought.
Diving inside the blue chest, she closed the lid on top of her. Now when the thieves showed up, they’d have Cali to deal with.
Frozen to the windowsill, Emmit’s eyes remained glued on the vault. From his position, he had an angled view of the opening. It wasn’t the best vantage point, but he dared not disobey Cali. She had ordered him outside to keep watch, and that’s where he intended to remain. The only exception might be for an unforeseen emergency. Fortunately, there wasn’t any such thing happening right now.
He supposed she never found a way to distract the guards, since he never saw either of them leave. With little interest, he watched as the cleanup continued from the broken chandelier. It made for a rather dull afternoon. Though he couldn’t see Cali, he wondered if the cat had decided to take a nap. After all, that was what cats did best. Laughing to himself, he decided that wasn’t true for Cali. Yes, she enjoyed sleeping long hours, but what she did best was look out for her friends. Why else would she be in the bank right now?
Lionel certainly meant a great deal to Cali. She’d go to the ends of the earth to protect him from harm. Emmit didn’t doubt she’d do the same for him. True they hadn’t known each other long, but they made a good pair. After this was all over, he wondered what other adventures she might lead him on. His days as an ordinary mouse might well be over, now that he had his clockwork friend.
After a long, boring, wait, Emmit finally witnessed significant movement inside the bank. There was still no sign of the calico, but the manager had returned to his office and finalized the figures in his book. The mouse had a fairly good head for figures, so he checked the banker’s math before the book was shut and stored away in the man’s leather bag. When he left the office, Emmit craned his neck to keep him in his sight.
Some time passed before he witnessed Lisen and the guards entering the vault and exiting again. Cali had to make her move soon. When the bank closed, so did the vault. The mouse tried not to blink for fear of missing the feline’s actions. He could not see the statue where he’d left her, but she’d have to come into view if she were walking into the vault. Assuming she hadn’t already made it in somehow without his knowledge.
Continuing his vigil, he witnessed the round metal door swinging to a close, but there was no sign of the feline. Where was she? Had she been so stealthy that the mouse had completely missed seeing her? Emmit began to wonder if his attention had waned despite his best efforts to remain alert. Then suddenly, a blur of calico flew through the narrow opening an instant before the door clicked shut. The mouse nearly fell from his perch. Clutching his sides,
he allowed himself a hearty laugh. A clever cat she was indeed.
As he continued to watch, the lights inside the bank dimmed. Lisen approached the window, and Emmit held his breath. Without taking notice of the mouse, the banker secured the window latch. Emmit let out a sigh of relief as the man walked away. He continued to observe as Lisen shut and locked the door to his office, leaving Emmit with a limited view of anything happening inside. From this moment on, Cali was entirely on her own. Not only was she inside the vault, but her mouse sentry could no longer see the vault door. His only way to communicate with her was through her transmitter, which conveyed little information.
The steam-powered generator behind the bank whirred to life, powering the bank’s security system. It was a backup method, designed to foil burglars who knew only to disable the main wires running to the bank. But the unit was still vulnerable, so Emmit made note of its position. He would have to keep a close eye on it.
Without warning, bars descended above Emmit’s head. Scrambling from his perch, he narrowly avoided being crushed from above. The window was now inaccessible to the average criminal. However, the slits between the bars would easily allow access to a clockwork spider. If only Emmit could warn the banker. With a sigh, he knew it was impossible.
Keeping low in the grass, the blue-gray mouse peeked around the corner. The entire bank staff exited at once. Tellers, guards, and the manager said their goodbyes as the door sealed shut behind them. The manager’s key clicked in the lock, then in the second, and finally, in the third. Emmit doubted three locks would be enough. What he knew of Morcroft suggested the master criminal would blow up the door if he couldn’t get through it easily enough.
Rather than continuing toward the street, the manager turned in Emmit’s direction. The little mouse froze, terrified that he’d been spotted. Running would reveal his position, but staying put could mean certain death. His heart thundered in his chest as black leather boots closed in on him. Tucking his head beneath his arms, he awaited the crushing blow.