The Engine What Runs the World

by Quinn Buckland

  Constance could hear the cheering and applauding from the crowd. Dread began to fill her as she recalled what Smoke had just finned relaying.

  “I wouldn’t worry though,” Smoke said as if picking up on her fear. “People have been in that man’s place screaming and preaching almost the exact same words since before I was born. You don’t see many people from the underground on the surface and you don’t see any of them taking up housing in the towers. It’s because the whole lot of them are all talk. They’re big bags of wind that need to get their emotions off their chests. Makes living here more bearable. When you feel you’re working toward a task everything seems easier, even if the goal is nearly impossible.”

  Constance looked back to the crowd and saw the fear and anger in their eyes. She didn’t know if this was a common thing in the underground but the looks on all their faces made her uneasy. She almost believed they would start marching at any moment towards the lift to the first floor and then finally to the surface.

  She didn’t know how many people it would take to fill the small town of Tower’s Shadow and she didn’t want to know. She didn’t know how many it would take before they invaded the small family farm not far from the small town she once called home. Again, something she really didn’t want to know.

  Smoke looked at his pocket watch and over to the lift in the distance. “Shit,” he said in a voice so low she almost didn’t hear him. “We’re still early. How the fuck does that keep happening?”

  “Maybe we’re just walking fast,” Constance said, trying to give answers.

  “Maybe,” Smoke said as he removed his hat and ran his fingers through his hair. “I guess it doesn’t really matter now, we may as well go there and wait. We can’t go back into town, we’d risk missing it.”

  Constance took in a deep breath as she resisted the urge to slap Smoke and yell at him to cheer the fuck up. To give her the smile she enjoyed. A lot of it may have been the lack of sleep he’d been getting since leaving the surface. She knew he didn’t sleep much the day before on the first below. He was too busy making sure he had everything he needed.

  He didn’t sleep like she had during the ride down the lift and he hadn’t slept during the entire time on the second below. He was going to collapse soon if he didn’t. Fulcrum also didn’t help with his mood. The moment Smoke saw the small man she could see Smoke get tense and seemingly wishing he’d go away. Fulcrum had helped with the investigation, but that’s about all.

  She watched as Smoke stepped lightly and languidly towards the lift and the huge lift driver. He didn’t get far before Constance began to follow. She didn’t know what was ahead; all she knew was the moment they knew when the next lift was leaving she would make sure Smoke went to sleep and she wasn’t hearing another word about it.

  6

  The desire to continue descending the floors had begun to wane for Constance. The spirit of adventure and the joys of traveling alongside Smoke had been short lived, especially since the man seemed to get more irritable and quiet as they went along. Instead of paying attention to the man slowly becoming more and more exhausted on his feet, she decided to watch the large muscle-bound man turn the crank to the lift that allowed them to go to the third below.

  She didn’t expect it to happen but watching the muscular man was oddly arousing for her. She didn’t know why; she had never been attracted to guys so heavily set. Once she realized what had been going on she turned her head away and chose to sit on the floor of the lift and think.

  She thought about her parents, long dead and burned. The image of their funeral pyre brought tears to her eyes as she remembered watching their ashes float away into the distance as she tried to distinguish their ashes from the wood they had been burned with. The pyre had been illegal; the burning of a precious commodity such as wood could have landed her in jail for a long time. When the officers had come to investigate a large number of the town’s people had come to her rescue. They told them they would rather die than let her go to prison for honoring her parents. The officers quickly relinquished the case and allowed her to go on with a warning. She wouldn’t require a second warning.

  Her parents were good people, even when they had lived on the first above they did what they could to help those on the surface and even some in the underground. It wasn’t until some family from a higher level wanted them out of the tower and did what they had to in order to force them to leave. It succeeded pretty easily; her parents could no longer afford to live on the first above and promptly took up housing on the surface. The majority of the town’s folk remembered them and aided them as best they could. Her parents had been thankful and soon became productive members to the town of Tower’s Shadow.

  Her father took the job as the town’s physician while her mother became a teacher for the children. They were well loved within the community and Constance loved them for it. They had her change her name to Constance before they moved; a name like Constantinople Ibot would have sounded nothing short of pretentious. She liked her new name more. A tear fell from her eye as she thought about her parents and their tragically bloody deaths.

  As the platform safely came to rest on the third below she picked herself up and dried her eyes. It was time to put on her game face. She didn’t know what to expect from the third below, but she would be waiting for danger.

  The third below was better lit than the first two floors. The red and white lights were almost blinding after the dimness of the lift shaft. She held her hand in front of her face to protect her eyes until they adjusted. Once she had been able to look upon the third floor she was surprised to see a bustling market of fresh darkplants along with several buildings advertising sex and pleasures beyond any wild fantasy. People were everywhere as they picked up the street women and food in their down times.

  Smoke snorted in disgust, “I’ve never liked this floor. The faster we’re out of here the better.”

  Constance looked at Smoke. She could see his discomfort and agitation. “Aren’t you going to ask any questions while you’re here?” she asked, trying to slow the man down.

  “Fulcrum said he saw Blue going to the seventh below. There’s no reason for him to lie, I made sure of that. We’ll go see when the next lift is leaving and go from there.”

  She could see the exhaustion behind his eyes. “When we get there I command you to sleep. I don’t care if it’s by the lift or in an inn,” Constance said sternly. “You’re not going to be any good to anyone if you can’t focus.” She hoped the lift would take some time before the next departure. The two of them desperately needed some rest - Smoke more than she.

  Smoke nodded at her demand, “You’re right,” he said almost vacantly. “I just have a lot on my mind and sleep has not been easy. I tried on the lift, but it just wasn’t happening.”

  Constance nodded, “So long as you get some sleep, that’s what’s important.”

  As they walked through the red lights, Smoke kept quiet about everything. He didn’t even seem to know where he was or where he was going. His eyes were glazed over and his attention seemed to be on whatever he was thinking of. Constance felt she could have said almost anything and he wouldn’t have heard it.

  The lift had been exceptionally easy to find. It was placed right in the center of the town. The woman at the lift held a wrench in her hand. A bag of tools lay strewn around the ground as the lift driver twisted a bolt free from the contraption, allowing a noticeably cracked cog to fall free to the dirt. “Hello there,” Smoke said, lacking any emotion.

  The woman looked up at Smoke. “Hi,” she said as she wiped several beads of sweat from her forehead. “I’m sorry but the lift is broken. I’m doing what I can to fix it but it may be a little while.”

  “What happened to it?” Constance asked trying to sound as if she weren’t thankful for her luck.

  “Same thing that happens to any contraption when it gets used a lot. After a while it just breaks down. Parts wear away and things break. It shouldn’t tak
e more than a couple days to get everything replaced though.”

  Smoke swore louder than he should have. Just more proof he needed sleep. “Don’t mind him.” Constance said trying to maintain the damage Smoke’s little outburst may have caused. She didn’t think it’d be much, but from what she understood it was wise to stay on the lift driver’s good side. “He’s just in a hurry. The cursing was uncalled for.”

  “It’s better than him trying to kiss my ass like everyone else does. Let me know where you two are staying and I’ll come collect you personally before I go down. Deal?”

  She saw Smoke try to hide a look of surprise. “Yeah, Thank you,” Smoke said with wide eyes.

  “Anyway, I have to get back to work,” the lift driver said with a smile.

  Constance and Smoke waved to the woman and walked away. The shops and brothels shined in her eyes as they walked past. She couldn’t help but look towards each building. Topless women danced behind windows showing what prospective men and women could potentially get. Constance shook her head and continued forward as Smoke continued. “We should get a room for the next couple days,” she said with a straight face.

  Smoke looked down to her, “Yeah, you’re right. I haven’t really slept since the surface. I’m feeling it.”

  “It’s really showing,” Constance said trying her best to not seem callous.

  Smoke gave her an amused huff as they began to look around. “One of the biggest problems about this floor is that the majority of the inns here are also brothels. You can’t really get a room without buying a girl for a night.”

  “That’s not really good for us,” Constance said with concern. She wasn’t against sleeping with another woman, but it wasn’t her first choice and she didn’t want to have to buy a human’s company just for the use of a bed. “I just want to get some sleep.”

  “Smoke? Is that you?” a woman’s voice chimed from behind them.

  Both Smoke and Constance turned to see a woman looking to be in her early forties, a little younger than Smoke. She wore her age well with a sort of calm and wise dignity. She was a slender woman with shoulder length vibrant red hair. Her green eyes grew soft as she saw Smoke’s face. Constance looked to her companion and saw a look of desire and terror. She didn’t know this woman but there was a history there.

  “Glass?” he whispered. “How did you find me?”

  “A friend in the second below saw you on the second floor and said you were coming down here. I knew you’d be looking for a room.”

  “I’ve been down to this floor a number of times and you’ve never sought me out before,” Smoke said, the surprised expression never leaving his face.

  “Nor did you,” she said with a shrewd grin. “We’re a part of each other’s past. We’re busy people. There’s any number of reasons we wouldn’t have looked for each other. Besides, I know you live on the first below. I could have come to you if I so desired.”

  Constance watched the back and forth as Smoke and Glass tried to get a one-up on the other. “It’s nice to meet you,” Constance said trying to cut off the pointless dialogue that had been taking place.

  Glass took her eyes from Smoke and looked Constance over. “Your women keep getting younger,” she said with a slight laugh.

  Constance had failed at hiding her flushed cheeks but managed to hide her disdain for the comment and decided to play nice. “I’m Constance, a friend of Smoke’s, just a friend though; I’m travelling through the floors with him.”

  “You’re giving tours now?” Glass asked.

  “I’m on a case,” Smoke said as his eyes softened and became the inquisitive and scanning eyes Constance knew. “She’s tagging along to help and so she can see the underground. I don’t know why she wants to be here, but I’m happy for the company.”

  Glass gave Smoke a look of interest before breaking into a fit of laughter. “Oh shit, I thought you two were fucking. Here I was about to get jealous.”

  Constance gave Smoke a look before turning back to the laughing woman. “I don’t know what the fuck you think is so funny but what Smoke and I do is none of your business.”

  Glass calmed her laughing as she noticeably ignored Constance and spoke again. “You two have a room yet?”

  Smoke shook his head, “We don’t; we just left the lift.”

  “Come stay at my place. I can give you both separate rooms so you can have your own space. Rooms all come with private baths and a wash basin for clothes.”

  Constance wasn’t sure what to make of this woman. She could see Smoke wanted to go. She really was just there for the experience and to get what she came for. Smoke looked at Constance as if he needed her consent to accept. She knew he was gauging for her comfortability but it was all a show. She gave Smoke a slight nod before looking forward at Glass.

  “Yeah, we’ll take the rooms. How much for a couple nights?”

  Glass pressed her lips together into a tight smile. “For you and your companion, it’s on the house. All I’ll ask is for a chance to catch up over a drink.”

  Smoke smiled, “I think that can be arranged. Though I think a chance to sleep is paramount.”

  Glass walked in to close the distance. Her and Smoke both placed both hands over each other’s ears and smiled as they brought their foreheads together. Constance didn’t know that gesture though she had a pretty good idea that it was a sign of affection. Constance’s eyes grew wide when she saw Smoke and Glass close in for a long kiss.

  “Of course,” Glass said once the kiss had ended. “Just follow me,” Glass said as she separated from Smoke and walked past him and Constance, she walked down the street without looking back. Smoke followed the woman almost instantly while Constance waited a few moments before taking up the rear.

  Smoke breathed in the scent of incense as he walked into the brothel run by Glass. The place had a sweet floral smell to it that he found pleasant. The women within tried to grab his attention with every step he took. Once they noticed he was with Glass they backed off and went about their duties of cleaning the place or looking at any of the other men who had walked in.

  Glass walked to the front desk and grabbed two keys from the wall behind. He watched her smile gently as she paused to look at the keys. He didn’t know what had gone through her head, but he knew it was something nice. She handed both him and Constance a key. “Your rooms are side by side. That way you can find each other when need be.”

  Smoke thanked Glass and proceeded towards his room. He couldn’t tell if Constance had been behind him at all the whole way to his room on the upper floor. The place was an oddity of sorts to have a second floor to it. He unlocked the door and stepped inside. The place was better furnished than his home on the first below.

  The bed had a double mattress covered in a large loom woven duvet. The typical wooden desk and chair sat in a corner. It was nicer than the ones on the first floor or on the surface. The desk and chair had been carved to depict naked women in the legs and back of the chair. He wasn’t surprised by any of this; the place was a brothel after all. The rooms were designed to get both men and women into the mood.

  The room split off to another room complete with a wash basin with a washboard and a small mangle for his clothes. A clothes line hung above the wash tub. Smoke grinned as he removed his clothes and placed them neatly folded on the chair beside the desk. Once he woke he’d have a bath and dress himself again. He’d clean his clothes before going back to sleep. It was a possibility they could be here longer than anticipated and some clean clothes would be a good idea.

  He removed the duvet and crawled under the smaller blanket and was asleep before his head hit the pillow.

  The tavern within the brothel was filled with men and half naked women. Smoke ignored them all for the woman sitting alone in the back wearing a scarlet dress and black corset, attire suited for the owner of such a place. She smiled as she saw him emerge through the crowd. A small glass of wine awaited him as he sat down. “Hello Glass,” he said with
a soft voice.

  “It’s good to see you Smoke,” she said before taking a sip of her wine.

  Wine in the underground was a rarity. Finding the proper fruits to make a wine drinkable was almost impossible. People at one point had tried to make wine from darkplant but failed horribly. There had been a small distillery that made wine from surface fruits on the first floor at one time, but had burned down when they couldn’t meet the demand.

  Smoke brought the wine to his lips and absorbed the fruity taste. He let out a breath of pleasure and placed the glass back on the table. It was easy to let his guard down around Glass. In the entire world in all the levels the only place he felt any sort of safety to let down his guard in any way was when he was with her.

  “So you’re a private investigator now,” Glass said, breaking the comfortable silence.

  Smoke smiled, “Yeah, I didn’t think it’d be a good idea to go be a full officer with my past.”

  “You’d likely be arrested on the spot,” she said with a giggle. Smoke joined her in the laughter.

  “Look at you though; you’ve got your own place. I’m happy for you,” Smoke said happily.

  “I was good at what I did, this really was an inevitability,” Glass said as she shifted her eyes to the side.

  Glass supposedly had always been ashamed of being a prostitute. She had always believed she had been made to do bigger and better things. Things she never got to do. She believed she had been trapped here on the third below perpetually stuck in an endless loop of selling her body to men and the need to survive. In all reality she could have left the third floor at any time and been free of the lifestyle. Smoke believed deep down she secretly loved it and that was why she never left. She made a lot of money at it, enough to own her own place.