by Mikea Howard
Chapter 29
Per their planning discussion in his office, they would enter Eureka from its eastern border. This put them on the same path he’d used while storming after her, to bring her obstinate ass back from checking on her father. They ended up passing right by the small clearing where he had his fight with Eridon, and that mechanical arm of his. Conversations had been casual up to this point, but remembering that fight brought up a topic that she might not like talking about.
“Sadie, before we cross into the city, we need to talk about that arm you machined for Eridon. I need to know what it’s made of, how it works, and what weaknesses it has.”
What had been a content smile on her face just moments ago turned into a frown.
Sadie sighed, concentrating on organizing her thoughts through her coffee buzzed mind. “Okay, I know you need more details.” She took a deep breath. “I’m just figuring out where to start, so I can share what will help you best. I realize that you just need the basics, but think you’d be better served knowing as much as possible without overwhelming you.” Stupid caffeine, either my werewolfism isn’t agreeing with it, or I haven’t had enough. It keeps messing with my train of thought here.
“As much as you think I need to know, and remember I’m clever, but put it in non-diesel terms.” He smiled. “As cute as I find the slang when I understand what you’re saying, I need a complete picture of what I will be up against.”
“Right. Wait, you think it’s cute?” At his glare, she scrunched up her nose and got back on track. “Okay, fine. Do you know each bone of the arm and hands?”
“Not the names . . . but I have seen enough of them,” he responded seriously.
“Umm, okay,” she continued, stepping over a set of branches with a grace that never existed before her first shift.
While describing the mechanism to Domek, their conversation echoed in her memory, eerie in its similarity to the day Eridon visited Pop’s Shop and she gave him the exact same speech.
“The structure follows your arm’s bones. What would be the ulna, the smaller forearm bone, along the pinky side.” Sadie glanced at Eridon and wiggled her own digit, making sure he followed. At his curt nod she continued, “I’ll design it with hydraulics.”
He wrinkled his brow and scoffed. “With what?”
“Uh . . . liquid mechanics. It’s pressurized fluid that gives it . . . something like a spring. Does that make sense?”
“It does. Sounds quiet though. Not what I’d expect from mechanics,” he said as he rubbed at his chin, looking pleased.
“Well, it’s pretty old hat mecha, but my father and I find it effective with some limb replacement.” At his stare, she explained. “You came here for better functionality, right? Else you’d go to a doctor for basics. We do any number of styles for building mecha, which is what we call enhanced performance machines on the body. I’ve done anything from diesel powered to simple metals shaped for optimal performance.
“They aren’t all for amputations either, we do gloves or boots to suit people’s needs. We don’t do guns though.” She continued without waiting for comments from Eridon. “We built a motorized gun for rapid firing once, but as soon as we saw how much damage it did, we dismantled it. We planned to melt the pieces down and . . .” At his cough Sadie glanced up catching herself again. “Oh, sorry, I went off on a tangent,” she said, smiling, but at his annoyed look she studied the countertop. “Anyhow, this would give you more power when you run as a wolf or do anything as a human.”
“Okay, and the other forearm bone?” Eridon prodded.
“The radius, which rotates with the thumb.” Showing him her arm, she rotated it over, palm up then down with her fingers from her other hand resting on the bone, displaying its movement. “That’s made in a lightweight but strong metal, titanium. It has some give for hydraulic movement, but is strong so won’t snap.”
“And the hand?” he asked, tilting his head.
She nodded. “That part of the mecha follows the bones of the hand. I would wire it from any muscle remaining in your stump to give it movement, but I can’t give each finger individual movement. You can move all of your fingers at once to grab something or make a fist, but you can’t just pinch something between your thumb and forefinger.” Making those motions with her hand, she shook her head, frustrated. “I’ve tried, many times, but just can’t get it to work.”
Eridon gave her a nod and a smile. “That’s fine for now. How do you manipulate this mecha for shifts? I would need it for both human and wolf forms, so I assume something happens that would accommodate both.”
“Oh yes, it’s made to shift.” Sadie reached for his arm to demonstrate. “So bones in a human hand and a wolf’s paw are pretty much identical, just, I guess, hinged different? Right?”
“Yes, I suppose,” Eridon said glancing at the one hand he had, the one she held.
“I’ll give ya a button here.” She pushed on a spot below his ring finger. “So when you tap that and twist your thumb toward”-turning his hand over, she pointed-”the palm, and the joints relock in a paw’s bone formation. Spring loaded joints go back to human when you hit the button again.”
Nervously trying to let go of his hand, his convulsively tightened on hers, rotating and pulling it to his lips. He stared intently as he kissed her knuckles. She knew she glowed a bright red color, but he just smiled as he said, “Thank you, Sadie. That sounds perfect. When can you start?”
Shaking herself out of the memory, of how handsome she found him at that moment . . . how easily that grifter had fooled her. She returned musings to someone more pleasant, the wolf walking beside her.
Knowing they’d arrive at Eureka’s border soon, she asked, “Does that make sense? I don’t know what else would help.” With focus progressively deteriorating, Sadie wanted to make sure she explained everything. Maintaining coherent thought would get worse in the city.
He nodded. “It makes sense.” A serious look hardened his face as he asked, “How would you break it?”
“Well, you could pull the blue tubes. That would drain the hydraulic fluid.” Grabbing his hand Sadie pulled Domek along again at a leisurely pace onto the train tracks. “Or pull the wires, preventing all hand control.” Pausing to consider a possibility. “If he didn’t shift his hand prior to shifting, running would be impaired. Same thing if you hit the button while he’s in wolf form.”
“Are there any other weaknesses you know of?”
“No, I don’t think so,” she said slowing him again. “We’re moving into Eureka now and not in the best part of town. Move at a human pace, just in case. Being a wereanimal isn’t illegal, but some small groups of zealot humans still believe the Diesel War didn’t end right, so it’s just easier if we don’t draw any attention.” She smiled. “Just blend.”
Chapter 30
Blend, like he could ever blend in with the people of Eureka. Sadie snuck a glance at him. The male loomed over all humans she knew . . . in more than just stature. Smiling at herself, she swung the arm holding his hand, hoping their firm grasp centered him in the chaos of her hometown. She pointed out machinery of the road and sky, explaining each one as they passed, attempting to ignore the noise and smell. The thick layer of city grime coating her skin distracted her enough already.
Domek glanced down, asking, “I get your ability as a mechanic, you’re brilliant, but how did you become such a good smith? Smitty has been singing your praises.”
“My father started as a mechanic, just building and repairing engines, but after my mom died he buried himself in work. When he ran out of work he took up smithing to fill the time, actually taught himself. Pop wanted to help people but needed pieces that didn’t exist, so he decided to make them.” She stayed quiet a moment. “Are you having a hard time concentrating?”
“Not while you’re talking to
me.” He smiled. “Continue, please.”
“I, having lost my mom, wanted to spend more time with my dad. After school every day, instead of playing like other kids, I’d help him in the shop. Since he was learning the skill, it seemed natural to learn it with him.”
“How old were you?”
“Eight when she died, but nine when I started smithing. I added the mechanics around twelve, I think.”
“Full moon, what the fuck was he thinking? You were just a baby! Our pups don’t apprentice skills like that until their teens! Working with fire and heavy tools is too much for one so young.”
Smiling at his concern, she said, “Clearly he wasn’t. He was mourning, continues to mourn I think.” Lost in thought, she hesitated. “Anyway, I’m not sad about learning so young or spending time with Pop. When we worked we communicated better, we functioned in sync, and have been successful. We set ourselves apart by doing what other mechanics do, and also creating custom work and pieces.”
“Well, I have no doubt you are talented,” he said as she blushed. “Your father taught you well.”
Shaking with the track’s vibration, she pulled him off to the side. “I am not sure how often this line runs, but it’s the easiest route.”
They walked a bit further from the tracks, closer to the hustle of the city, but after the train passed on the tracks, Domek made it clear he didn’t want to walk directly on them again. Her brain still rattled and an ache bloomed at the center of her forehead, either from the engine’s noise or the gasoline smog it injected up her nose. Sadie used to love trains, but just like that, she no longer had any interest in them. Apparently the steam ones didn’t have that strong of an effect, so tracks running them still existed closer to wereanimal villages. The shiny chrome diesel train line called Silver Comet, the fastest and, as far as she could tell, loudest lines running, definitely affected Weres and Shifters.
As they neared the center of Eureka, she viewed it with new perspective, trying to imagine how it looked to Domek. Roads, packed with motorcars, motorbikes, and dimboxes, caused the air around them to tremble as the ground vibrated. People hustled and bustled everywhere, crowding sidewalks, nearly running each other over, but hardly acknowledging one another. The ones who did, ended up being billboards, flour lovers, and flappers delighting in attention of goofs catcalling them. An atmosphere she always loved somehow had become dingy. Sooty, grime covered the skyscrapers and architecture she once found amazing.
She glanced at Domek, finding him standing still, neck craning up at one of the skyscrapers. “Why did they build that so tall?”
Grinning, she answered, “Well the treaties don’t allow any growth outward to make the city larger, so they build up instead.”
Domek snorted. Or they could stop creating such a large population.
Werewolves, practical about their populations, did not have large families. The larger family increased resources required to care for them, burdening the pack. Once a girl starts her first cycle, she receives a tincture of Daucus Carota on a regular basis. At times women just chewed the seeds after sex to prevent pregnancy. Judging by how many towering buildings brushed the sky, dieselheads bred like rodents. To control non-born numbers, a wolf had to petition the alpha for permission to bite a human.
Domek glanced at Sadie. Well, in most cases they do. He had to admit that in this case, he didn’t object to the choice already made. Turning to his little rabbit he simply said, “Controlled populations would take care of that,” shrugging nonchalantly.
The chaotic movement of this place left him a little uneasy. Motorbikes diving between motorcars and people. People diving around people. He wanted to get through this city to his destination in the least amount of time possible. How Sadie survived here for so many years without going crazy remained beyond him. Dom would be interested in knowing more about her life here in Eureka. Did she miss it? He knew better than to ask though, having no right to dig into her past. His place only concerned life after being bit. At least that’s what he told himself.
A desire to know more won out, he always wanted more of her, so he found himself asking, “Did you live close to here?”
She shook her head. “No, not this area of the city. Our flat is above the shop in the industrial area.” He must have given a blank stare, because she clarified, “It’s farther south from here. It’s not as nice as this part of town. Not as rough as when we first crossed those tracks, mind you, but not as . . . well . . . moneyed.”
Wrapping an arm around her shoulders he pulled her tighter as they navigated this part. People on the streets dressed more finely, and paid more attention to him and Sadie than those in the ‘rough’ area. To his annoyance, the attention they paid came off negative. Like a bug in a jar, they studied him, scowling as though they had eaten something bad.
“Money gives false senses of superiority, Sadie. It can buy false personas. Never feel bad for not having it. We live simple, happy lives at Blue Wolf enclave within our pack, just being ourselves. No one has more than another, because we all share what there is.
She beamed up at him.
Small grass covered squares the size of one large building lot occasionally appeared in this nicer area. They had benches in front of trees almost too manicured to be real. Fountains sprayed into large pools at their base where some people stood, tossing money. By the goddess, these people had so much money they would just throw it away into watering holes.
Why not take that spare money to areas people needed it most. Like Sadie’s old neighborhood. The fact that dieselheads threw money away, rather than keep children like Sadie from growing up without everything needed, made him want to get away from them even more. So he picked up his pace to help decrease time spent getting to Oldrich’s location.
Chapter 31
Domek had to ask, “Do you miss it?”
“Miss what?”
“This, Eureka. Do you miss living in the city?”
Hoping for a quick, decisive answer of ‘No’, instead she paused, answering, “Well . . . yes and no. Yes, the human side of me misses time with my father in our shop. But I didn’t hear or smell this city as I do now. So no, thanks to my wolf I do not miss this uncomfortable push against my senses.”
His pride considered following it up by asking if she regretted being changed, but didn’t know if he wanted that answer. Instead Domek chose to go with a more practical question for now.
“How much further do we have? I would pull out the map, but you said not to bring attention to ourselves. I believe that would scream ‘I’m not from here’.”
“Not far. We still have to cross over Cestmir River.” She pointed at a distant bridge without stopping her momentum. “It’s just a couple blocks from there.”
He continued inquiring about growing up in the city while they moved closer to their destination, unable to keep himself from raising the types of questions you might ask someone you courted as a potential mate. Regardless of his desire to have it work out, Domek knew in all reality that depending on what the owl said, ending up mates remained unlikely. The thought left an ache in his chest, but it didn’t mean he didn’t still want to know everything about her. Mainly giving short answers, Sadie sometimes would reply with childhood stories that would have them both in stitches.
They had just crossed the river when he smelled it. Not fresh, just a faint trace, but there nonetheless. Eridon had been in the area. Sadie had said that this region held things called ‘gin joints’ that most people like the rogue frequented. So that could be why his scent still lingered here. However with every sense disrupted by Eureka it could have been more recent than suggested.
“I don’t believe we need to worry, but be alert in this area.”
Sadie stopped in front of some seedy businesses. “We’re here.”
“What do you mean here? Does
the owl reside inside one of these businesses? I could have sworn his location seemed further out when Matus showed me.”
Sure, he might be avoiding going into the building. With so many people out in the open, claustrophobia pressed heavy enough on his mind and something told him it’d be worse inside.
Sadie glanced at Domek. “There are apartments over this speakeasy. Did you see on the map how six-A was written? That’s an apartment number . . . unit A on the sixth floor.”
Walking over, she pulled open its door, working her way up the first few steps she realized no other footsteps followed. She stopped and spun back at him. “Well, are you coming?”
When they got to the sixth floor Sadie could still climb another ten without being the slightest bit winded. Werewolf stamina at its finest.
Finding apartment A, she waited, making sure they stood together before knocking. This owl could be a creep for all they knew. Raising a fist to knock, Domek grabbed her arm.
“Sadie, stop and smell.”
She screwed up her face at him.
Tapping the side of his nose he said, “I don’t smell owl, I don’t think he lives here anymore.”
“Okay. What does owl smell like anyway?” She laughed. “I know, not now. Anyway maybe whoever lives here knows where he is.” Sadie knocked.