Persi and Boots rose. “Perhaps we can assist you if your trip is long. We have a velocitor, parked just outside of town,” Boots offered.
“Do you?” Tesla’s eyes widened. “Thank you but no, we have transportation which is a bit faster for ascending the mountains.”
Tesla lifted each escort’s hand and kissed it, then turned with a flourish and followed the older man out.
“My, my,” Persi said, looking slightly flushed, “he does possess an air for the dramatic.”
“Yes, and perhaps we should follow him outside where you can cool off.”
Persi looked at Boots and blushed. “Yes, well, perhaps.”
Exiting the Silver Vein, they saw Tesla round the corner of the building into an alley. Rushing to the edge of the building, they watched the two men fade into darkness as they walked outside the range of the bright streetlights. They were about to follow when they heard the high whine of machinery starting up, then a glow came from the large windows of what must be a two story building sitting there in the dark. They saw Tesla and Masters seat themselves then suddenly, the windows heaved into the air, to twice its height and lunged forward. The ground vibrated with each lunge until the glow of the tower was out of sight.
Persi and Boots ran into the darkness and watched the glow of the tower fade into the distance. Boots pulled a match from his coat and lit the paper receipt he was given at the teahouse. In the dim light they saw the snow and ground beneath was compressed in two spots, then singly every fifteen feet.
Boots had to drop the paper, the flames creeping close to his fingers, and the light was extinguished.
“Boots,” Persi asked, “what did we just see? Those marks made no sense to me.”
“I have seen them before, as have you, just not in this scale,” Boots said, taking Persi’s arm and leading her back into the alley and the streetlights.
“Oh?” she asked.
“Yes, dear, they are tracks, foot prints, the difference being that these are made by a large mechanical walking machine.”
Chapter 27 – Gathering Information in Aspen
Persi and Boots walked back to the velocitor, after only an hour. They released Nicholas from duty and allowed him to take a quick look at Aspen, first warning him that he only had a half an hour before they needed to leave, and to steer clear of any tea rooms.
“Boots, dear?”
“Yes, love?” Boots said, as he checked the gauges of the Icarus.
“That man, Mister Masters, he said the Duke was having problems with another project, that ‘they’ were being uncooperative. Do you think he could mean the missing Nosferatu?”
“Heavens, my dear, that is quite a stretch given the miniscule amount of information we have been given. It could mean that very thing, or it could mean a box of rats. We just don’t know.”
“Yes, you are right, of course. Well then, to change the topic, how do you propose to get us invited to this Falcon’s Keep?”
“Hmm, an excellent question.” He said, pausing. “Remember Hartford, Connecticut?
“And that nice Mr. Clemons? Of course. He was sure one of his house staff was a voodoo priestess and was trying to curse him. As it turned out, she was a voodoo priestess and she ‘was’ trying to curse Clemons but her son who was sabotaging her attempts because he wanted Clemons to use his connections to get him a position on a steamboat.”
“That’s the one,” Boots said, “You remember, you played the role of a visiting writer for The Saturday Evening Post, there to get a story on what it was really like in the Clemons household.”
“So, you would like me to reprise my role as Hazel Cunningham and seek to interview the Duke?”
“Mmm, if possible but you may make more headway by interviewing Mister Tesla. I think his ego is a weakness, especially for beautiful women.”
“Why Mister Beacon, I believe you are flirting,” she said moving to stand next to him.
He looked down into her eyes and smiled. “Does one ‘flirt’ with one’s wife?”
“One does if one wants to stay in her good graces,” Persi said moving up on her toes.
Boots bent his head to meet her lips and wrapped his arms around her.
Afterwards, Persi leaned her head against his chest, his arms still encompassing her. “Boots my love?”
“Yes dear? Uhm, I have been thinking about our arrangement, the both of us constantly in peril of being caught by the agency.”
“Yes, well, I suppose we can make it work. If the staff will keep quiet, then ...”
Persi cut him off, “No, it is too stressful, when I could just ...” then she herself was cut off when the sound of boots hitting the ground approached rapidly.
Into the clearing ran John and Jane and stopped in front of her with no shortness of breath, as though they had stepped across the clearing.
“Aiyana has jumped aboard the metal giant,” John said. “We told her it was ill advised but she is ...”
“Impetuous,” Jane finished.
He nodded. “She said she would find out where it lived, then come back and take us there.”
“Well, perhaps we should get back to the ship and ensure we are prepared to lift when she returns,” Boots said. “Quick, everyone, get aboard the Icarus.”
“Dear heart,” Persi said, holding her hand up while letting Boots push her into the front seat. “What about our Captain, or Cook, and young Master Nicholas?” Just then, Nicholas ran into the clearing, panting. He bent over, hands on his knees.
“We shall pick up the last two on the way,” Boots said, with a nod to their young sooty. Nicholas could only hold up a hand in acknowledgement.
As soon as Nicholas grabbed hold of back bar, Boots placed the machine in drive and gave it full power and within three minutes, they were barreling into the town’s center at which point, Boots yelled, “Hold on,” and cranked the steering wheel hard to the left putting the velocitor in a spin. The spin of the car and the tires caused mud and snow to spray onto the tethered horses and the pedestrians strolling along the wooden walkways. At 180 degrees he straightened out and pushed a knob on the front console causing steam to pass through a horn so loud it vibrated Persi’s teeth.
“Grimm, Morris,” Boots yelled into the air.
“Oh, Boots,” Persi said, patting him on the arm. “You’ve finally learned the proper definition of discretion. I am so proud.”
Boots was about to yell again when Captain Grimm appeared leading two small goats, with Morris behind him carrying a cage in each hand, each contained several chickens.
“Mon patron, I am here. There is a problem, yes?”
Boots nodded, “We need to go. Climb aboard and hold on, we will be moving fast.”
Grimm quickly passed one small goat to Persi. Persi accepted it with only a small flinch as its hooves smeared dirty snow across her coat. He climbed in beside her with the second goat, while Morris placed the two cages in the back seat and climbed onto the back running board just as Boots rammed the power lever to full power. The timing was perfect and as the Sherriff’s deputy approached their vehicle from behind he was sprayed from head to toe with cold mud.
The ride back to the ship was exciting in the worst way with screams erupting from every member other than Boots, who seemed to fluctuate between perfuse apologies and bouts of foul curses as he fought to keep the velocitor on the narrow snow covered road.
“Boots, language – ahh, for heaven’s sake,” Persi yelled several times before they were back at the ship and stopped a few feet from the ramp. Boots backed the velocitor away from the ramp, his head moving back and forth, surveying the ramp and speed he would need to place them in the cargo hold.
“Monsieur Boots,” Grimm said, slightly out of breath and in a tone that was more pleading than anything, “Please, I will put the vehicle into the ship.”
He glanced at Grimm, shifted into neutral and cut the power. “Oh, well, if you’re sure,” he said, then stepped from the velocitor and looked
at his passengers whose hair and clothing seemed to be in various states of disarray. “I will find Parry and have him prepare for lift so we will be ready when Aiyana returns.”
He turned and ran up the ramp and into the ship.
“Dieu merci,” Grimm said, making the sign of the cross.
“Captain Grimm,” Persi said, “I did not know you were Catholic.”
“I was not, mon cher, but perhaps I will make the decision, if Monsieur Boots will continue to drive.”
“Yes, I do believe he might get a job with Pope as an evangelist,” Persi agreed. She shifted her attention to the animal she was holding, then to Morris. “Mister Morris, may I give her to you?”
“Yes, ma’am.” Morris said, taking the leash from Persi, now standing next to her with two small goats. “I will ask Joseph to come for the chickens before the Captain loads the Icarus.”
“Good man,” she replied. “It appears that Mister Boots is anxious to lift so do not dawdle.”
Nicholas bobbed his head and mounted the cargo ramp, a young goat under each arm.
Persi followed him up the ramp but stopped at the top. Somehow, she knew Aiyana was well, it was a feeling more than a thought. She tried to leave, to go to her room, or to the dining area but she simply could not will herself away from the ramp.
Joseph appeared with a cup of coffee. “That Nightwalker lady told me I should bring this to you,” he said, handing it to her.
“Thank you, Joseph,” she said, taking a sip. “Very fortifying.”
“I’m to go get some chickens from the velocitor I guess.”
“You guess correctly. They are in cages in the rear seat. Please take them to Cook straight away.”
“Yes, ma’am,” he said, then before descending the ramp, pulled a small wooden crate nearer to the ramp.
“Oh, Master Joseph, you are very thoughtful,” she said, watching the young man blush.
The sooty retrieved the hens and disappeared up the stairs, their clucking fading quickly as he walked deeper into the ship. She sat there for sixty minutes and with each minute she wondered about the child she carried, and their future. How will this work? She thought, Must I give up all the adventure to live alone in Kansas City, or worse, Boston?
She heard a sound from below and stood to see a two deer, does, walking near the edge of the ramp, just out of the light.
Perhaps, I could make a life aboard the Daedalus. We could add a governess to the crew, she smiled, and what an adventurous life our child – children would have. Persi sighed, “But then there is the danger,” she said aloud, “and of course the agency will have none of that.”
“Perhaps they would,” Jane said from behind her, “or perhaps they will not find out.”
Persi jumped at her voice. “Oh, I did not hear you come in.”
Jane smiled. “No, you did not.”
Persi smoothed her dress and sat on the crate. Jane sat on the floor beside her, knees drawn up to her chest. “What is life without the possibility of losing it?”
Persi said nothing.
“It is but a cob, like that in an ear of corn,” Jane continued. “It is the same shape, it has a similar smell, and if you chew on it you will taste something near enough to corn, but it is not corn. It is not full-filling.” When Persi was silent, Jane smiled. “I have had a few years to reflect on life, as you might imagine, and it seems to me that humans spend much too much time fearing that which will never come, and that which they can never change. It cripples them. It will cripple you.”
“Perhaps,” Persi said, “but is also in our nature to protect our children so that they may grow to make these choices for themselves.”
Jane nodded her head but said nothing.
“Regardless, I must place that on the back burner until a later time. There are too many weightier considerations at the moment. I have a few months still, in which to consider the best course.”
Jane looked as though she would speak, but stopped and turned her head to the open cargo door. Persi stood and nodded understanding. “Aiyana comes.”
She turned, hitched up her dress and descended the ramp, Jane following. She had just stepped back onto the ground when Aiyana appeared, slipping silently from the dark forest.
“I have found the place where the lightning is kept,” she said without introduction.
“Well done,” Persi said, “though in the future, we would prefer if there was more of a plan. What if you needed help?”
“I would tell the others,” the vampire said matter-of-factly, “but there is another thing, the Nosferatu, the missing ones, they are there. I could feel them.”
Jane placed her hand on Aiyana and her eyes took on the glazed look they did when Aiyana was transferring information. A second later, Jane nodded.
“Well then,” Persi said, placing her hands on her hips, “we must go see this Duke and ask him to explain himself. Now come along, we are all interested in what you have seen and we will be lifting soon.”
Aiyana rolled her eyes as she walked up the ramp and into the ship. “I am not a child. It will not be that easy to return to the compound. No one who can catch and hold the Nosferatu will be that easy to convince to do otherwise.”
Persi smiled wryly. “I don’t know about that, Mister Boots and I can be quite persuasive.”
Chapter 28 – Aiyana Reports
They gathered in the dining area to hear Aiyana’s story. Morris, though he should have been overly taxed setting up housing for their new animals, still managed to carry out a pitcher of hot cider and cups.
“You are a marvel, Cook. Thank you,” Persi said.
“Aiyana, we are all interested to hear of your adventures. Please begin.” Boots said, blowing across the top of his steaming mug.
Aiyana looked around the table at those gathered. “At Mister Beacon’s request we broke away from the group and headed for the shadows. We are better in the dark, and to be honest the lights of the town were ... unpleasant.
“We worked our way to the end of town, stopping at every conversation to listen for something of importance. We had crossed the street and were coming down the backside of the buildings when we saw two men running from an alley and into what appeared to be a heap of metal scaffolding. They must have climbed a ladder, for a few minutes later a light glowed in a windowed compartment several feet from the ground.”
We would have thought little of it until we saw you approach the end of the same alley,” John said, nodding toward Persi and Boots, “then the metal machine’s motors began to whine and it stood.”
Jane spoke. “We saw you, as Aiyana told you, then Aiyana said, ‘You stay, I’ll go. I’ll be back as soon as I can.’”
Aiyana nodded. “So I ran toward the building, but the humming started and the scaffolding rose to stand on two legs like a huge metal scarecrow. I only hesitated long enough to decide the path I would take up the metal man. I leapt, found a handhold just as the thing took its first step.”
John grinned, “She rode by us, hanging by one hand and waving with the other.”
“As I said, I had a good hand hold,” Aiyana said.
“Did you take the main road? Where did you go?” Boots asked.
“Pff, no main road, the monster walked out to the edge of town, then climbed straight up the mountain side. It climbed many hundreds of feet using its huge steel hands, thrusting them several feet into the ground until we finally stood on road hundreds of feet above where we started. The metal thing followed the road, each step thumping on the frozen soil. About fifteen minutes later, we reached a gate, with guards, two I think. And the lights, those painfully bright lights -- fortunately there was a small dark area within the metal giant in which I was able to hide.
The gates opened and the metal beast strode into a large courtyard where several velocitors were parked, including a huge one the size of a train car.”
Boots glanced at Persi and mouthed, ‘Pinkertons’ and Persi nodded understanding.
&nb
sp; “There was also another metal climbing machine,” Aiyana finished.
“Were there guards in this courtyard?” Grimm asked.
“Yes, men in lines, maybe three groups of thirty men each.” Aiyana said.
Grimm looked at Boots. “This seems more like an army and less like a guard, yes?”
“Yes,” Boots agreed.
Aiyana continued. “I dropped from my spot as the metal man walked by several stacks of crates covered by canvas. Landing on the ground, I rolled under the canvas and listened for some time before I pulled the lid from one of the crates, flinching when the nails screeched. They were all too busy because no one came, and packed in straw I saw many rifles.”
“An army indeed,” Grimm said.
“I crawled from under the canvas, but stayed among the crates watching then men march back and forth. Then, suddenly, the whole surroundings were lit by the brightest flash of lightening I have ever seen. It blinded me for many seconds.” She looked at John and Jane. “In truth, it caused me fear, it was like I was caught in the daylight, in the open.”
Jane and John grimaced, and Jane reached out and patted her hand.
“I ducked back among the boxes until my vision cleared, then worked my way toward a door in the large building. It was not locked so I entered and found a huge room with glowing machines. Lightning crawled across and up and down some, and would fly away from the machine several feet before popping and disappearing. It was amazing and horrible.”
“Were there any guards?” Boots asked.
“I did not see any in the large room, just men in coats walking around writing things in books, but when a man dressed in a uniform appeared at the end of the hall, I stepped back into a small hallway and found it was a stair so I went down. As I descended I began to feel them.” She looked at the other two Nightwalkers. “The Nos, they are there and ...” her face wrinkled in began to change grotesquely, “there is pain and ...”
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