The Golden Owl (Clockwork Calico Book 1)

by Lana Axe

  It never came. The banker stepped over the mouse, never looking down to acknowledge him. Emmit sank low to the ground, relief sweeping over him. Curiosity took over where the fear had been, and he decided to follow the banker to see where he was going. The man rounded the side of the bank, making his way to the rear. When he heard the generator power down, Emmit’s jaw dropped open. The manager was working with Morcroft!

  Or was he? The mouse tiptoed closer, scrutinizing the banker’s every move. No longer did the generator puff and whir, nor was there a steady stream of vapor trailing above it. To Emmit’s watchful eyes, it appeared the man had waited for his colleagues to depart and was now disabling the security backup. There was no other explanation.

  Bending low, the manager inserted a small key into the unit. To Emmit’s amazement, the unit powered on again, buzzing at first then steadying to a hum. Realizing his mistake, Emmit regretted his suspicion. The man hadn’t been disabling the unit. He was repairing it. The loud, clunky noise it made before was a sign that it wasn’t working properly. Now its soft purr was almost imperceptible. With a bit of luck, Morcroft’s creations would not even know it was there.

  Biting at his lip, Emmit knew that wouldn’t be the case. Morcroft would have planned every single detail, leaving nothing to chance. Emmit had to be ever vigilant if he was going to be any help to Cali. Now he had to decide where to stand. He needed to see the front door, generator, and side window all at the same time. It was impossible for one mouse to do that alone.

  Focusing on the setting sun, Emmit knew he had to act fast. Though Cali would want him to stay put, he knew he had to leave. There were bound to be other mice around, and he needed their help. Dashing behind the bank, he sprinted for the nearest alleyway. It wasn’t far. Less than half a minute’s run brought him to a series of garbage bins. A familiar squeak sounded from behind them.

  “Annie?” he called to the darkened alley.

  Silence answered him. The mouse had ceased her squeaking.

  “Annie, is that you?” Emmit called again.

  “Emmit?” the she-mouse squeaked.

  “Yes,” he called back. “Are you alone?” He was surprised to hear no other mice squeaking.

  Instead of a verbal answer, Annie emerged from behind a bin, followed by six smaller mice. Smiling, she announced, “The girls are with me.”

  Emmit could have jumped for joy. “I could really use your help,” he said. “All of you.”

  The pale gray she-mouse considered it a moment. Patting her ample stomach, she said, “I’m not sure. There’s quite a stash here, you see. We haven’t finished eating.”

  “Bring a snack with you,” Emmit pleaded. “I really need the help.” He and Annie had met frequently in the alleys, passing information about the best food places in Ticswyk. She owed him no favors, but he knew her to be an honest and helpful mouse. If she wouldn’t help, he didn’t have time to find someone else.

  When Annie still didn’t seem ready to travel from her feast, Emmit had another idea. “Your daughters look like the courageous sort,” he said. “How would you girls like to take part in a real life adventure?”

  “Can we, Mama?” four of the girls said at once. The other two looked less enthusiastic, but they didn’t voice any protests.

  Rolling her eyes, Annie said, “I suppose so. Grab a snack and let’s see what Emmit’s up to.”

  “It’s simple,” he said. “All I need you ladies to do is keep an eye out for anything strange at the bank, and squeak as loud as you can if you see something. Can you girls do that?”

  The four excited mice replied, “Yes!”

  One of the two reserved mice asked, “What sort of strange things are you expecting?”

  “Sinister looking humans,” Emmit said, “or mechanical spiders. Things like that.”

  Annie stopped in her tracks. “Are you putting my girls in danger?”

  “Not at all,” he reassured her. “Don’t go anywhere near anything. Just keep a lookout from a distance and squeak. After that, I’ll come running. Then you ladies can go on about your dinner with my immense gratitude.”

  “We will,” Annie replied. With a sparkle in her eye, she added, “And you’ll owe me a favor, Emmit.”

  Smiling, Emmit responded, “Agreed.” He already knew the favor she would ask, and it would definitely involve food.

  Returning to the bank, he pointed out to the girls where they could safely keep a lookout. He took a position near the window, it being the most central location. As long as Morcroft didn’t surround the building, Emmit should be able to get back and forth with ease.

  Waiting and listening felt like an eternity. Annie and her daughters munched happily on their dinner. The sound of their smacking set Emmit’s stomach rumbling. Though he suspected it was not truly hunger but nerves affecting him. Were the spiderlings trained to attack? Did Cali have enough air in that vault? Was there a sentry lurking in there with the unsuspecting calico? He could imagine too many scenarios of things going wrong. Cali was inside and possibly already in danger. Waiting and not knowing was painful.

  The sun disappeared from the sky, and Annie and her daughters had long since finished their meals. They would be hungry again soon, and Emmit didn’t know how much longer he could convince them to wait. He could see the girls were growing restless, having none of the adventure they’d been promised.

  As he sat quiet with his thoughts, Emmit couldn’t help but think what a crazy idea this truly was. He was no detective, and Cali was not trained to subdue criminals. They should have found a way to get the police to come in their stead. But he knew Cali was probably right. The police would only laugh and think it was some sort of joke. Cats and mice didn’t file police reports.

  A single gas lamp lit the street corner near the bank, its warming light helping to soothe Emmit’s nerves. It did little to ease his troubled mind. His thoughts continued to whirl, jumping from one doomsday scenario to the next. He began to wonder whether Morcroft was actually coming this night, or if the spiderlings had been sent for a trial run at the vault lock. When the lamp went dark, he almost didn’t notice. After some time in the pitch dark, his eyes began to adjust. What happened to the lamp?

  Instantly he knew the answer to his question. Morcroft’s creatures had arrived under cover of darkness. Racing to the window, Emmit hopped up and held onto a metal bar. Inside all was dark, the red light no longer blinking on the security device in the manager’s office. The main power had been cut, and it would take a few minutes for the backup generator to reactivate the security system. Emmit felt his throat tighten, his breaths coming in shallow spurts. Now was the moment for courage, and his had deserted him.

  Squeak! Squeak! Two of Annie’s daughters sounded the alarm, Emmit’s ears twitching at the sound. Rounding the corner to the rear of the bank, the mouse was stunned. Two oversize spiders, slightly larger than Cali, were approaching the generator. Annie’s girls ran from the spiders, grabbing their mother as they went.

  “We’re out of here,” Annie said to him, gathering the rest of her daughters. “Good luck, Emmit.” Speeding away, the family disappeared into the night.

  Emmit was sorry to see her go, but he understood her reason. Her presence was a small comfort, but she had to keep her daughters safe. There was no way of knowing how dangerous these large spiders would be, but he was about to find out.

  Keeping low in the grass to avoid detection, Emmit followed the spiders as they approached the generator. One dug furiously at the ground, the other stood idle. Were they trying to tunnel into the bank? The mouse decided not to interfere. How could he possibly disable one of the spiders, let alone two?

  When the first spider had finished digging, the second reached into the ground. It pulled out a handful of wires. Now Emmit understood. They were disabling the generator, not tunneling inside. In a single swipe, the digger sliced through the wires. Sparks flew over its metal body, a charge of electricity dropping it like a stone. Relieved, Emmit now had
only one spider to deal with. Maybe he could stop it from getting inside.

  What happened next was nothing short of astonishing. Instead of proceeding to enter the bank, the second spider began repairs on the first. Lifting the lid of its carapace, it reached inside and fiddled with a few gears. Emmit heard clicking as one spider worked on the other. Then, it wound the mechanisms tight, and the first spider sprang back to life. Unbelievable, Emmit thought. These were far more sophisticated than he’d expected them to be. That didn’t bode well for Cali.

  Though his knowledge of wiring was limited, Emmit knew he’d have to repair the generator. Without the security system, Cali would be entirely alone. She needed protection, and it was the only way Emmit could provide it. Despite his lack of training, he would find a way to repair the wiring, or electrocute himself in the process. For Cali’s sake, he had to try. She was already risking her life, and it was time he risked his.

  First, he needed to tell her they’d arrived. The transmitter lay where he’d left it beneath the window. Still keeping low, he rushed through the grass, the spiders skittering close behind. Gaining speed, they charged toward him, forcing him to roll sideways to avoid their spiky legs. Regaining his footing, he watched in horror as one of the spider’s feet connected with the transmitter, sending it flying across the sidewalk. It landed hard in the street and slid to a halt.

  Emmit only glanced at the spiders as they proceeded to the window and began sawing at the bars. With the grinding of metal on metal ringing in his ears, he charged toward the street. Skidding to a halt, he heard the heavy stride of a horse and the clattering of carriage wheels. Placing his paws on either side of his head, Emmit gave a soundless scream. The transmitter would be destroyed!

  Placing his paws on the street, he attempted to rush out before the carriage reached it. Too late. The wheels were too close, forcing him to retreat or be squished. As the carriage sped on its way, Emmit whispered a silent prayer to the night. Please let it be in one piece.

  Hurrying to the transmitter, Emmit couldn’t believe his luck. It was scratched and dinged but otherwise unharmed. He pounced on top of it, pressing the button with all his weight. Cali would know the spiders were on their way in, and she would have time to prepare her defense. Grabbing the transmitter in his teeth, he raced back toward the generator.

  A single spot of keyhole-shaped light found its way into the blue chest. Cali waited inside, her mechanical eye peering out into the vault. A soft tapping echoed through the room, the sound of spiderlings working away at the locking mechanism. It was complicated. She knew it would take time for them to decode it. Morcroft might have taught them how to overcome it, but Lionel had put in so many fail-safes that even the most skilled thieves would require immense patience to open it.

  Inside the owl’s resting chamber there was nothing more to do but wait. Settling in, she realized she’d been waiting all day. Where was the adventure? It was about to find her. She wondered if she’d regret her decision to take on Morcroft before this night was over. It was too late to dwell on that now. She was here, and she had a job to do.

  Realizing that the hour was growing late, she hoped Lionel wasn’t worried. It wasn’t like her to stay away for long hours, especially past dinnertime. Her rumbling stomach reminded her that she’d done just that. Salivating at the thought of tinned chicken, she licked her lips hungrily.

  After an eternity crouched in the same position, she managed to stretch her legs a bit. Her arms came next, but there was still no getting comfortable inside this box. Turning in a circle, she settled herself back down and counted the clicking of the spiderlings’ feet as they fiddled with the lock. When the sound stopped, she knew they’d mastered it.

  The feet skittered faster now, scurrying from the lock and heading for the next task. What was it? Cali could not see, but she recognized the sound she heard. It was metal scraping against a marble floor. The vault door was opening in the same manner it had closed. Morcroft’s spiderlings had accomplished their mission. A shiver ran down her enhanced spine as she strained to hear what might happen next.

  Cali’s ears perked up, standing straight at attention on top of her head. Swiveling them in every direction, she searched for the spiderlings’ location. Were they inside the vault? For a moment she heard nothing, and then the soft clink of metal feet. Apparently Morcroft hadn’t bothered to pad the metal, knowing that no one should be inside the bank to hear them.

  But Cali was there, and she wasn’t going to let those little devils get away with their plan. Morcroft could find another way to line his pockets. The princess’s gift would not fall into his destructive hands, and neither would the clockwork calico. Whatever it took, she would keep herself and Lionel safe from his grasp. If all went as she planned, Morcroft would find himself in a world of trouble after his heist failed. This was not only a theft, but it was also an attack on the heart of Ticswyk. Certainly this time Morcroft couldn’t buy his way to freedom. It would mean jail time for sure.

  At least that was Cali’s hope. If Morcroft had enough troubles of his own, he’d probably give up on making Lionel’s life unbearable. Chuckling at the thought, Cali knew that wasn’t true. Lionel had never let Morcroft get to him. Yes, he’d been shaken up by the kidnapping, but Lionel had an indomitable spirit. He was tough and clever, and Cali was proud to call him her own. What dearer friend could a cat have?

  Then her thoughts turned to Emmit. The brave little mouse was sitting vigil somewhere outside, ready to warn her at a moment’s notice. What other mouse would do half as much for a cat? Cali was very lucky to have such friends.

  Sudden darkness drew Cali away from her thoughts, forcing her back to reality. Peering through the keyhole, she made out the figure of the lamp. Where it had once glowed yellow was now void of power. They’ve cut the electricity, she realized. Of course they would. That would disable the security cameras, and prevent the defensive mechanism from attacking the spiderlings and whatever else Morcroft was sending.

  A hint of red illuminated the darkness. Emmit had lit the beacon on the end of Cali’s tail. Every muscle in her feline body tensed, her tail flicking side to side. Hearing its thump against the inside of the chest, she forced it to keep still. This was not the time to give away her position.

  Outside the vault she could hear the sound of metal being sawed. That didn’t give her any sense of where the thieves would enter. It was possible they were cutting through the door, wall, ceiling, or anywhere. All she could do was stay put until they reached her, and hope that there weren’t too many for her to deal with.

  A loud crash echoed throughout the vault, and she suspected the entire bank as well. Whoever they were, and wherever they’d chosen to enter, it was obvious they’d succeeded. Biting at a claw, she tried to calm her nerves. Her mind wandered momentarily to Emmit, and she hoped he was someplace safe. Stay hidden, she projected with her mind. If only he could hear her. The last thing she wanted was for him to try to interfere on her behalf. He was a worrier, and his heart was in the right place, but he was too small and fragile to fight this battle.

  Heavy footsteps plinked against the marble floor. These feet were far larger than those on the spiderlings, but they were no less metallic. Without seeing them, Cali knew what had come. Larger spiders, big enough to carry their prize away, had entered the vault. Now they were looking for the owl.

  Could their eyes see through the collection of chests and metal drawers? If so, Cali’s plan would fail quickly. They’d scan the area for the golden owl and be off before she could spring out of her box. If they had to check manually, she’d have time to size them up.

  Focusing her mechanical eye, she hoped the spiders would come into view. Soon she got her wish. Two large spiders stepped into view. Their bodies were about the same size as hers, which was pleasing, but they stood taller, and their feet looked sharp and deadly. These had to be more sophisticated than the ones she’d already encountered. Otherwise they’d pick up the first shiny object they sa
w and run away with it. Better-designed enemies meant more trouble for Cali.

  At least there are only two, she thought. It was only partly reassuring. One would have been the best scenario, but she’d just have to use all her wits to get through this. Beams of light shone from the brass spiders’ eyes as they scanned the vault for their prize. Cali remained motionless, wondering how long it would be before they found her.

  She didn’t have to wait long. One spider homed in on the blue box and began to buzz. The second spider reacted by shining his eyes on the same location. With long, heavy strides they made their way through the vault and past the other chests. Ignoring everything else, they descended on the blue chest. Apparently they had known exactly what they were looking for. They hadn’t needed to check any other boxes or drawers.

  Cali readied herself, crouching low against the blue velvet lining. Preparing for a pounce, she hoped to disable one spider immediately, giving her the opportunity to attack the second. It was the best strategy she could think of. Being outnumbered certainly made things difficult, but she had expected no less.

  Staring out the keyhole, she waited for the spiders to lift the lid. She wondered if they were capable of feeling surprise. She hoped so. The sight of her instead of the owl would send a human thief into fits. It would have been amusing if her situation weren’t so serious.

  As Cali maintained her attack posture, she found it strangely difficult to keep her balance. Her eyes grew wide as she realized why. The spiders had no intention of opening the chest. They were retrieving it to take back to Morcroft.

  No! she thought. I can’t let them take me to his workshop. He would dismantle her piece by piece. She had to fight now, or there wouldn’t be another chance. The glint of metal visible from the keyhole suggested one spider was in front, the other in back. The chest was being carried sideways, with the opening facing between the spiders. It would have been better if she faced one of the spiders as soon as she lifted the lid. That would have given her the best chance. But it wasn’t meant to be. She’d have to fight them both at once.