by Israel Keats
“That’s my Narwhal,” he said. “It’s my favorite piece of equipment, but it’s broken.”
“What’s a Narwhal?”
“An underwater boat.”
Aha. A submarine. “If I fix it can I borrow it?”
“Why, certainly.”
She went over to get a better look. The ball-shaped hunk of metal and glass was about four feet wide. She peered inside and saw it would be a tight fit for even one person.
She opened a small door on the side and found a number of tiles with circuits crisscrossing and twisting across them. The circuits between tiles didn’t match up. But she found one loose tile she pried off, and then she could slide the rest around.
She slid the tiles until the parts started to match up. Some pieces could match up in different ways, so there was a lot of trial and error before she finally got them all arranged correctly. Finally she snapped the loose tile back into place and it fit perfectly.
She slammed the door and threw the switch. The submarine made a gentle hum.
“I got it working!” she told the man.
“Fair enough. You can have it for one hour,” he replied.
I’ll try to get it back, she thought, but I have a feeling it won’t be in an hour. She pushed the machine into the water and climbed inside, pulling the lid down above her head. There were four levers inside. She tested each to see how it worked. One rotated the machine right and left, one moved it back and forth, and the third moved it up and down.
And what does this one do? she wondered, pulling the last lever. A long, narrow spike emerged from the front. As she held the lever down, the spike started to spin.
No wonder it’s called a Narwhal. It has a horn, just like the sea creature.
She looked at her map, focusing on one of the X marks she knew had a treasure. She could get there by water if she could find her way across the bay and into the canals.
Maybe this time I can get away with the treasure before a rival gang shows up, she thought as she set out. As she traveled, she realized she could use the horn as a drill to break through any rocks or debris that got in her way. That would at least keep her on a relatively straight path. A shark came toward her, but she was also able to use the horn as a weapon to scare the creature away. When she found herself in a narrow channel, she knew she had navigated correctly. She entered the canal that ran through the city. She had to scoot the submarine along the bottom edge of the canal to avoid getting crushed by the hulls of bigger boats.
She made a turn into an even narrower canal and found a tunnel that led into a building. This was where the X was marked on her map.
She brought the submarine to the surface and threw open the lid. The tunnel led deeper into the building. From somewhere within, Gadget could hear rumbling, hissing, and the roar of what sounded like fire. Clouds of steam leaked through some heavy doors.
This is where they turn water into steam, she realized. The city runs on steam power.
She carefully steered the submarine over to a ladder and climbed out onto a concrete pier. Three massive words had been painted along the walls but were faded and hard to read.
VERNE STEAM WORKS
Looking around, she saw several curved pipes that emerged from the floor and disappeared into the walls. The steam must travel through those pipes and all over the city. But where’s the treasure?
There were small doors on each of three walls. She tried one and found herself in a smaller room with several valves. They didn’t have the hand wheels that valves usually do. Instead, they had big bolts that probably required a special wrench to move.
Gadget tried the second door and found herself in a maze of tunnels and pipes. The pipes hissed and some blew jets of hot steam sideways across the corridor.
It’s impossible to see in there with all the steam, she thought. I need to turn off the steam, which means I need a wrench, which means the third room must have one.
The third room did have a wrench. Unfortunately it was in the hand of a worker who turned and glared at her. She was the same age as Gadget but much taller. The girl slapped her palm with the wrench. She wore high-waisted pants, suspenders, and a billowy shirt. Resting on top of her head was a pair of thick goggles.
“Who are you?” the girl asked.
“Um, Gadget,” she said.
“I’m Maggie, and I work here. We don’t like intruders here at Verne Steam Works.”
Chapter 7
“I’m lost,” Gadget said, trying to sound helpless. “I came in through the water tunnel by mistake and need directions.”
Maggie wagged the wrench at her. “How did you miss all the signs that said ‘keep out’ and ‘no trespassing’?”
“I was underwater. In a Narwhal.” She shrugged.
“What’s a Narwhal?” Maggie was still holding the wrench but now looked curious rather than threatening. If she didn’t know the term, Gadget figured she must be a real player, not an NPC.
“It’s a submarine. Really small and easy to operate.”
“No kidding? Can I see it?”
“Sure!” Gadget was just happy Maggie wasn’t shaking the wrench in her face anymore. She waved her hand back the way she’d came. “It’s in this room.”
“You go first,” Maggie said. She held up the wrench again, as a reminder of who was in charge. Gadget led the way back to the first room. They stepped out on the pier. The Narwhal still floated right where Gadget had left it, next to the ladder.
“I’ve been stuck in this room since I started,” Maggie said in a low voice, revealing that she was a real person. “I’m kind of dying to get out and explore.”
“Do you want to sneak out in the Narwhal?”
“Really? You’d let me do that?”
“Yeah. Actually you would be doing me a big favor if you took it back to the rental place. It’s on the beach of the harbor.”
“I shouldn’t,” said Maggie. “I’ll probably get into more trouble than it’s worth.”
I don’t want her to get into trouble, thought Gadget. But I don’t want to lose the game either.
“Come straight back,” Gadget said, “and if anyone asks, tell them you were returning a lost Narwhal you found.”
“That could work,” Maggie said. “Sorry I didn’t trust you at first. I was told to watch out for pirates, and, well, seeing how you’re dressed . . .”
“No problem,” Gadget said with a shrug. “You’re just doing your job.”
“So how do I operate this thing?” Maggie asked.
Gadget explained the levers and told her how to reach the bay. A few minutes later Maggie dove down in the submarine and disappeared.
There’s one person I wouldn’t mind having on my team, Gadget thought. Too bad she’s not a pirate.
Maggie had left the wrench sitting on the pier. Gadget picked it up and went back to the valve room. She started turning off all the valves, but then she noticed a meter on the wall. Each time she turned off a valve, the needle jerked to the right. It was already well into the red DANGER area.
She quickly opened the valves again. I have to figure out which valves to turn off. She checked the pipe room and noted which pipes were spitting steam. Then she returned to the valve room and shut off just those pipes.
She made her way through the maze of corridors to a platform elevator. She threw the switch. The elevator didn’t start. She went back to the valve room and turned on the steam halfway for the pipe powering the elevator, then hurried back. She hit the button and the elevator groaned to life.
It took her down a floor to a small cellar. The room was damp and the walls were covered with mold. Gadget spotted another safe in the shadows. As she stepped toward it, several rats came out of a grate and gnashed their teeth.
She drew her sword and swung it at the first rat, knocking it out of her way. Then she turned and swiped at the other two. She killed them both, but more came pouring in, rushing at her with teeth and claws. One carried a key in its mouth. She hacked and slashed un
til they were all gone and the last rat dropped the key to the safe.
She opened the safe. Inside was a doughnut-shaped metal device. The cylinder I found earlier must fit into this, but what is it? What does this thing do when we find all the parts and put it together?
Chapter 8
Gadget put the device in her pouch and stepped onto the platform elevator. But when she threw the switch again, the elevator strained and wouldn’t lift her. It wasn’t getting enough power with the steam turned halfway off. She’d have to find another way to get to the next floor.
She found a crate in the corner and pushed it over to the elevator. By climbing on top of the crate, she was able to climb up the elevator shaft and pull herself up to the main floor.
She hurried back toward the main room of the warehouse but slowed as she approached the door. After I found the decoder for the map, there were Aero-Navy soldiers waiting for me. When I found the first treasure, there were pirates. Who’s out there this time? And can I avoid them completely?
She pressed her ear to the door and heard voices.
“Split up and explore everything!” roared a man. “We’re almost out of time. Six of the eight treasures have already been found.”
Seven, she thought, but she wasn’t going to let them find out about the one in her bag. She turned around and ventured back into the tunnels. Soon she heard voices behind her.
“Hey, that’s a deckhand from the Zephyr!”
“Get her!”
Gadget broke into a run.
A moment later she reached a junction of pipes and valves on the wall. She took the wrench from her pouch and closed all the valves, then sprinted farther down the tunnel. Behind her she heard a muffled explosion and startled cries. The steam had built up in the pipes and burst them. She hoped that would slow down the men chasing her.
If I can get back to the Zephyr and hand in my treasure, I’ll win the game, she thought.
She reached a dead end and wheeled around. Two pirates emerged from the darkness, both frazzled and damp from the steam explosion.
“There you are!” the tall one shouted.
“That was a mean trick!” the short one said.
“You wouldn’t do it if you didn’t have a treasure,” the tall one continued. “If you surrender it now, we’ll let you escape.”
“No!” Gadget said. “I worked hard for it.” I found it. I solved the puzzle to get it. I fought off the rats. I even struck the deal with Maggie.
“Tell you what,” the tall pirate said. “Join my crew. We could use a resourceful crewmate like you. One who can locate treasure and take out experienced fighters like Pudge and me.”
“I don’t trust you,” she said. “Menacing Mike already robbed me once.”
“How about we pirate-shake on it?” asked the tall pirate.
The one he called Pudge nodded. “Good idea, Hal.”
Hal offered her his hand. Gadget stepped over and grasped it. He clutched her hand and a moment later had her arm twisted behind her back and his other elbow around her neck.
Gadget groaned. “Oh, come on!” she shouted through clenched teeth. “Isn’t anyone here trustworthy?”
Pudge reached into her pouch and grabbed the machine part she’d just found. “What’s this supposed to be?”
“I don’t know, but it’s what we’re looking for,” Hal said. He pushed her away. “Thanks for your help, deckhand. See you on the Zephyr—good luck facing the captain’s wrath when you show up empty-handed.”
I should turn them both in, she thought as they strolled away, chuckling between themselves. I would do it if I dared talk to those Aero-Navy soldiers again.
But she had a more important goal than revenge. I have to find the last piece of treasure. And it sounds like there’s only one left.
Chapter 9
After exploring the tunnels, Gadget found a ladder. She climbed up, pushed a grate aside, and clambered out into what looked like the boiler room of a large building. Steam pipes branched into smaller pipes and disappeared into the ceiling.
There was a tattered blueprint of the Steam Works building taped to the wall. She could see that the building was shaped like the letter H, with a fat middle bar. She searched her own map until she found a building of the same shape. She remembered that one of the treasures was less than a mile away. On her map, the building was shown with a clock face. She thought of the tower she’d seen way back at the beginning of the game with the stopped clock.
But how do I get there from here? For starters, how do I get out of here? She checked the blueprint for the nearest exit and took off in that direction.
At last she saw a set of glass doors and burst through them onto a bustling street. Steam-powered carriages chugged along like tiny trains off the rails. Delivery robots sped along on built-in wheels. People stood along the edges of buildings selling newspapers, fruit, and gadgets.
She was about to plunge into the streets when the people all fled to the sides of the buildings. A steam-puffing vehicle came storming down the street, something between a train and a tank. It screeched to a halt and Aero-Navy soldiers spilled out. The red-faced commander she’d seen at the inn barked orders at two dozen henchmen.
“Search the area! Arrest anyone who looks like a pirate!”
Gadget frowned. I look like a pirate. She headed back for the stairs and went up another flight, then another. She could hear soldiers in the building shouting to one another, their footsteps echoing up the stairs from below.
She reached the eleventh floor and found a room with large windows. She peered out at the city and saw the streets were still packed with soldiers. But she also saw rails connecting the buildings. A cart came flying in on one of the rails and jolted to a stop. A bell rang, and moments later several messenger boys and girls filed into the room. They sorted the piles of envelopes and folders, shoved them into tote bags, and hurried out again.
In the distance she could see the clock tower. The clock was still stopped at two minutes to twelve.
Gadget heard soldiers on the stairs getting closer.
She flipped a switch and jumped into a cart as it started rolling. It rolled along the rail, hit a slope, and moments later she was speeding downward in midair.
The cart hit the lowest part of the dip and rumbled slowly back up. Gadget gripped the sides of the cart, hoping it wouldn’t tip over.
The cart reached the top of the rail and zoomed down again, this time taking a hard curve. She leaned to the right to keep the cart from flipping off the track. She shifted her weight back and forth as the rail zigged and zagged.
The cart sped up again as it approached a fork. To the left, Gadget could see the majestic tower with the broken clock. To the right was something that looked like a fort.
That must be the military headquarters, or maybe a prison, she thought. I need to go left, to the clock tower. As she approached the fork she threw her weight to the left and forced the cart to scoot over to the new rail. She realized too late that this rail was damaged. There was a four-foot gap between rails. She was about to plunge to her death.
Gadget threw her weight up and made the cart hop across the gap. It landed on the rail opposite the gap and scooted into the big, colorful building.
The cart braked hard and tipped, spilling her to the floor. A bell rang. Soon she was surrounded by a dozen children wearing short pants and long socks and buckled caps with short brims. They seemed to range between nine and thirteen years old.
“What are we supposed to do with her?” one asked.
“Turn her in to the Verne Aero-Navy,” said an older boy who was dressed differently than the rest. He wore a vest with a tie and a pair of thick, round glasses. Judging by his confident posture, Gadget guessed he was the group’s ringleader. “She’s a pirate. There’s a reward for collaring pirates.”
Gadget drew her sword. “That’s right. I’m a pirate. Aren’t you afraid?” I sure hope you are because I don’t want to fight kids.
“You’re pretty small for a pirate,” one of the girls said.
“She’s only a few years older than I am,” a boy added.
“I’ll bet she doesn’t even know how to use that sword,” yet another boy said.
“I do too!” Gadget protested. She swiped the sword as if that would show she could use it.
“Prove it, then,” the ringleader said, crossing his arms. “We’ll give you a challenge. If you lose, we’ll turn you in for the reward.”
“Good idea, Archie!” said the girl.
“What if I win?”
“Then we don’t turn you in,” Archie said.
“Not good enough,” she said. “I need one of you to show me where something is in this building.”
Archie paused, thinking it over. “I’ll take you anywhere you want to go.”
“Great.” She realized she didn’t know what the challenge was. “What do I have to do?”
“We have to open all these envelopes,” Archie said. “We’ll throw them in the air and you open them with your sword. If you get one hundred before you miss three, you win. If you don’t, we’re turning you in.”
“Sounds like fun.” Wish I’d practiced with my sword more, she thought.
It started easily, with Archie lobbing a single envelope in the air. Gadget slashed at it with her blade. She didn’t actually open the envelope so much as destroy it, but it didn’t seem to matter. A younger boy held up a finger to show she’d scored.
Then other children joined in, flinging envelopes in the air two and three at a time, while others lined up to track her score. She had to speed up her swings and hit as many as she could with each slice. She found herself leaping around, spinning, and diving. She missed one envelope that was out of reach and another she just didn’t see.
The final flurry came. She swept the sword frantically, making the envelopes explode into confetti. Too late she saw another one drift to the floor, but when she looked up she saw ten kids lined up, each with both hands up and ten fingers spread. She had gotten a hundred before the third envelope reached the floor.