I said get up. You don’t want him finding you laying down on the job.
Yes, Mr. Edison wouldn’t appreciate him resting when he should be working. Though, Keegan was certain there was something he’d forgotten. The brush of something cold against his arm finally had him turn his face.
His robot.
And she was beautiful.
The automaton had fallen to her knees beside him, her long arm stretched out so it brushed against him. He could almost imagine she was alive, seeking to offer him comfort in his time of need.
It’s a bloody machine, not yer fuckin’ mother. Now, get up!
Knowing the voice was right, he pushed himself to a sitting position, doing his best to ignore the pain in his head. It was then that he saw the body lying not far from where he was.
“Oh.”
Oh? I get a bullet to the bloody neck and bleed out across the stones and all you can manage is “oh”? Are you a daft child, or has the poppy finally eaten the last bit of your brain?
“You’re Jonas.”
Yes, I’m Jonas. Idiot.
“How can I hear you in my head if you’re dead?”
I don’t rightly know. Something to do with that blasted machine of theirs.
“I’m sorry you’re dead.”
Images raced through his mind of people and places Keegan hadn’t known nor had ever been. Burly men coming home covered in soot and sweat. Old men, wearing the wounds of a battle Keegan hadn’t been alive for, picking him up and spinning him around before settling him on their shoulders. The sharp bite of a birch switch cutting across his back, punishment for some crime he hadn’t committed. Cruel hunger gnawing at his gut, the soft buzz of alcohol making his head swim.
Don’t be.
“What do we do now?” This automaton was completed, the test was successful, and Jonas was in his head. He’d done everything that had been asked of him and more, and now Keegan felt he’d earned his reward.
You’re a bigger fool than I thought if you think he’s going to give you anything. He’s going to kill you as surely as he killed me.
“No.” He’d been good. That wasn’t fair.
Life isn’t fair. Get used to it.
Keegan looked down to where his automaton’s hand rested in perfect beauty on the floor. If there was one thing he’d learned during his time with the Underlings, it was that the only person who was willing to look out for you was yourself.
“I’ll wait for Mr. Edison. I’ll give him the chance to give me what he promised first.”
And what if he proves me right? What will ye do then?
Keegan looked up at the automaton, smiling as the light in her eyes intensified. “I’ll make him pay.”
Chapter Fifteen
Emmet’s heart raced as silence blanketed his head. He’d lied to Nicola back in the alley about his fear of small spaces. It had taken him years to adjust to the Archives, keeping to the large rooms and meeting areas and avoiding the many corridors the others had played in. It wasn’t until much later, when Samuel had given him an extensive tour, teaching him the various pathways, that he’d grown comfortable enough to go exploring on his own.
But there were still moments, like the time in the alley, crawling through the machine to find Nicola, when the closeness pressed down on him, when his instinct to run overwhelmed his reason and ability to calm himself and it all became too much. In the blackness of the goggles was such a moment, the darkness compounded by the close space of the room, the nearness of Nicola, Edison, the corpse. He thought he might be consumed.
The unexpected gentleness of a hand to his shoulder stemmed the panic. He knew it was Nicola from the gentle caress of her fingers against his skin, into his hair. He would have reached up himself to return the gesture in silent thanks, but it was in that moment that a bright rush of light slammed into him.
He was standing in a field, spinning around and around in the tall grass. The smell of fresh ground filled his senses. It had rained recently, so she needed to be careful not to get mud on her skirts or mummy would be so mad at her.
Running as fast as she could through the narrow streets. She couldn’t afford to be late on her first day. What a terrible impression she’d make on her new employer. She’d heard Mr. Edison was a tough man, who expected everything a person could give. Maybe she’d make some friends here, learn from those who were smarter than she was.
Pain in her head. Lord, if the children would be quiet everything would be so much better. But they were outside and she couldn’t tell them they weren’t allowed to play at all. What kind of mother would that make her?
Thomas would be home soon. She was still so nervous about running the house full time instead of working at the factory. She would have preferred to stay with him all day and work on the projects. She missed the challenge of solving the puzzles with him, the look of triumph on his face and the elation she always felt when they succeeded.
“Emmet?”
Pain tearing through her body as the baby refused to come. Dear God, can’t you just pull the bloody thing free? Christ, it hurts! Thomas, help me!
“Emmet, you need to calm down and breathe.”
More pain, so much it hurt to sit up. She didn’t feel the needle as he pushed into her veins, but the blessed rush of relief as the morphine flooded her body. For the first time in ages, peace. Sleep, she needed to sleep.
The light began to fade as the rush of images petered out into nothingness. What little strength Emmet had disappeared, and he was no longer able to keep his body upright. The stones were cool against his heated skin, encouraging him to turn and press his cheek to them. Hands fumbled at his body, pulling and turning him. The pressure around his face was suddenly gone, leaving him to look up into a woman’s face.
She was beautiful.
“Emmet? Please say something to me.”
Emmet. And she was—
“Nikki, what happened?”
“Well, isn’t that cute. He has a pet name for you.”
His mind was still muddled, but with each passing moment things grew clearer. “Edison.”
“You best pray this works.” He was holding a vial, though unlike every extraction he’d seen in recent years, the color of this one was purple. “Why is this different from Jonas? Did you do something to make this wrong?”
The last moments of Mary Edison’s life became crystal clear to him. The feeling of utter relief as the morphine dose washed through her stronger than before. The strange feelings as her body no longer did as she wanted, the weakness that overcame her and the brief worry for her husband and children when she realized she wouldn’t live through the night.
“Her death wasn’t violent. She was happy in her final moments.”
“No. I can’t accept that she was pleased to be leaving us behind.” Thomas got to his feet, the vial in his hands, and strode from the room.
Nicola’s hands cupped his cheeks, forcing her to look him in the eye. “Oh, Lord. What the hell did this do to you?”
She loves you.
For a moment, he thought the voice was his own. Yet the sentiment was too honest to be his. With a shake of his head, he tried to push Nicola away and give himself room to move. “Help me up.”
Clearly worried for him, she did as he asked and continued to pat his body down, looking for wounds that didn’t exist. “Go slow. You’ve been through an ordeal.”
Not an ordeal. He was now officially an archivist.
He’d officially lost his soul.
Don’t say that. You did what you had to do. Thank you for that.
“We need to stop Edison.”
“Thomas can wait. We need to make sure you’re okay.”
Ignoring her protests, he stumbled to his feet. “He’s going to put her into the automaton. We have no idea what he’ll do after that.”
Please help him. I know you think he can’t be trusted, but he’s a good man at heart.
“Your eyes—”
“Have c
hanged. You saw the same thing with Jones and said nothing. We don’t have time to worry about what might happen to me.”
Nicola narrowed her gaze for a moment before she took him by the hand. “Come on then.”
His body hadn’t fully recovered from the extraction, and didn’t move as gracefully as he would have liked. Stumbling along behind her, he paid a passing thought to the other guards and what might have happened to them before they saw Edison standing in front of the automaton pointing a gun at Keegan.
“I said get the hell away from her.”
If Keegan was afraid, he didn’t show it. “I will, Mr. Edison, as soon as I receive my payment for the completion of my task. I did everything you asked as quickly as you wanted.”
“I don’t have time for this. Don’t you understand, we have the memories. I need to know, to hear her again. Now move!”
Keegan held his ground. “I’ll make sure she doesn’t work. I can bend the metal now without even touching it. Use my mind to change the song to a tune you won’t know how to play.”
Edison’s hand that held the gun shook. “You want your payment? Fine.”
“No!” Emmet pushed Nicola aside and ran toward them. “Don’t you dare shoot him, Tom. He’s just a boy.”
Edison’s head snapped around and he stared at him wide-eyed. “What? What did you say?”
He’d given voice to the words before they’d fully taken thought in his mind. Mary was in his head and there her memory echo would stay until the archivists removed her. “Don’t do it.”
“You called me Tom.” He licked his lips and looked back toward where Keegan stood. “Fine. You want your payment. You can have it.”
A small bag landed on the floor, skittering across to stop by Keegan’s feet. He stared at it before hesitantly picking up the offerings. “More sweets?”
“Here’s a silver as well.” The metal made a loud clinking noise as it landed. “There’s all I offered you, so that’s all you get.”
Keegan pushed two of the sweets into his mouth before reaching for the money. “Ta.”
Edison waited for him to step away before approaching the automaton. Perhaps he should stop the man from taking this final step, but his body refused to move.
He loves me and is scared. I promise you he can be reasoned with.
“Emmet?” Nicola took his hand in hers.
“Wait.” Emmet’s voice echoed in room, but it went ignored.
Edison unlocked the chest piece with the key, the plate sliding open far more smoothly than it had before. With three quick movements, the vial was placed into the Parkesine orb, changing the light to indigo.
Thomas stepped back as the automaton lifted its head and slowly rose to its feet. The machine’s eyes flashed bright and she awkwardly turned her head to inspect the room. Her unnatural gaze landed on each person in the room, pausing in her inspection until she saw Thomas.
Nicola squeezed his hand and held her breath as the automaton reached out and cupped Edison’s face. “Hello, Tom.” The voice was most definitely feminine and had lost Jonas’ edge.
He loves me. That’s why he’s doing this.
“Hello, my darling.”
“I’m cold.”
“I’ll make sure to warm you up. You’ll never feel anything but happiness again.”
“I’m cold.”
“The children are looking forward to seeing you. Dot hasn’t been sleeping well and William wants to visit your grave constantly. I didn’t have the heart to tell him you weren’t buried in the ground.”
The robot Mary turned her head and looked at Keegan. He smiled at her when she gave him a stilted little wave.
“Mary?” Edison followed as she rose to her feet and moved to where the boy stood. “Let me help you. We can visit the children together.”
“I’m cold.” She said to Keegan and held out her hand.
“I can fix you up, Miss Mary.” He slid his fingers into the much larger metal ones until they were laced together. “You won’t be cold no more.”
The metal of the automaton’s hand began to glow as Keegan closed his eyes. Thomas moved to pull the boy away, but Mary swung out her arm, connecting with Edison’s chest.
“Thomas!” Nicola raced to the fallen man’s side, checking his head and neck.
He loves me. But I hate him.
The automaton reached down and lifted Keegan up, placing him on her shoulder. “I’m not cold.”
“Keegan, where are you going?” Emmet ignored Mary’s giggle in his head. “You need to get help so we can get Jonas out of your head.”
“I don’t need to worry about Jonas no more either. Mary here can get him out of my head.” Mary turned him to face Nicola. “Thank you for everything you’ve done. You’re a nice woman.”
“Mary—” Nicola tried to get up, but Thomas held her fast.
“Don’t go,” Thomas pleaded with Mary.
“No. We need to go,” said Keegan. “She’s going to help get Jonas out and I want to show her our city.”
Mary moved to the wall and set Keegan down. She pulled back her fist and began to pummel the stones, shaking the wall. Dust rained down, covering them all. With one final blow she knocked a hole through to the outside. Emmet was frozen.
He loves me. But I hate him. He took advantage of me from the beginning. My projects, ideas, he gushed over them. Over me. When he’d touch me, caress my cheek, it made me feel special. There was a time when I thought I was the most important person in his life. More important than his work. Oh, how wrong I was.
I think Tom loved me in his own way, but it was never about me. He loved my ideas and where they could get him. He loved taking credit for them, basking in the accolades that should have been mine. I confronted him about it once, before I got sick, and he laughed. “We’re married. Everything about you belongs to me now.”
I needed to get away, as far away as I could, so he wouldn’t touch me. My head screamed with pain and he never did anything to help. Take your drugs, stop your whining, he always said. I hated him for that. As long as I could still work, fix his broken ideas, that was all he cared about. I never left the house, he wouldn’t let me. Raise the children. Spread my legs for him. Do what he wanted.
I took more and more of the medicine. It let me forget. It gave me a way out.
I wanted to die to escape him.
Keegan stepped carefully over the rubble, disappearing into the bitter night air. Mary followed behind, leaving them alone.
“Emmet, help me.”
As quickly as he’d frozen, Emmet could move. With a shake of his head, he jolted himself into action and turned to Nicola and Thomas. “What’s wrong?”
“He hit his head and is bleeding.”
“We need to stop her,” Thomas muttered and attempted to rise, but quickly slumped back to the floor.
“We need to get to the Archives first.” Emmet looked toward the broken wall. “Will you be fine if I see where we are?”
“Go. He won’t be going anywhere.” She withdrew Edison’s revolver and stood above him. “Hurry, before I’m tempted to shoot.”
Knowing time was of the essence, he bolted off in search of help.
* * *
The air was cool, but Mary’s body gave off a pleasant heat that warmed his body. Keegan clutched the hand that held him in place on her shoulder, enjoying the gentle sway as she walked. It was dark, leaving the streets nearly abandoned. There was no one to see him and his beautiful creation.
What the hell did you mean she’d git rid of me? You little bastard! I’m here and I ain’t going nowhere.
Even as Jonas spoke in his head, Keegan could feel Mary’s presence infiltrating alongside him. He wasn’t sure how he knew, but Mary would be able to crush Jonas under the weight of her personality, filling the void he left behind.
“What do you want to do, Mary? Would you like to see the city?” She said nothing in response. “I would. No one pays much mind to an Underling in this place. They�
�d just as soon run me over as look at me.”
“Home?”
He didn’t have a home to speak of. No family anymore to go to, to be greeted with open arms and kisses. The Underlings were there, though he doubted he was missed much by that lot. Still, it was a place to go with a bed and a meal.
“We could go there. Bet Glyn would like to catch a glimpse of you.”
Her metallic voice reverberated from the mouth hole as she hummed.
“Do you miss him? Mr. Edison?” he asked. “We could go back and get him if you’d like?”
“No.” She turned the corner to the alley that would lead them down to the Thames. “Home.”
“I’m not sure if the Underlings will be able to keep you a secret for long. You’re too big for our place.”
The rest of yer little pack will destroy you, boy. I-I-I-I can’t w-w-w-wait-t-t to see.
“Home.” Her robotic voice now reverberated inside his head. Somewhere deep in his mind he could feel Jonas scrambling, looking for a way out.
W-w-what’s h-happening t-t-to me-e-e-?
“You’re dying.” Keegan patted Mary’s shoulder. “We’ll be fine with the Underlings.” It would be good to see the others, even if he knew they wouldn’t care for what he’d created. “I’ll take you home tonight and we can rest. Then I’ll show you the city.”
That would be wonderful.
Keegan reached out with his mind and gave her cogs another little nudge. There was something in her voice, something wonderful now that he could hear her in his mind. The tune had changed, and for once Keegan thought he actually knew the steps to the dance.
As they continued along the river, he popped the last sweet into his mouth, savoring the sugary rush while he heard Jonas scream for the last time.
Chapter Sixteen
It took Emmet some time to locate a Bow Street runner. “You there!”
The lad, who was clearly a new recruit, took one look into his eyes and nearly fainted. He’d been forced to grab him by the shoulders to keep him from bolting.
“Cole, sir.”
“Cole, do you know Sergeant Hawkins?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Do you know who I am?”
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