by Marty Chan
Amina shook her head. “We have something more serious to deal with first.”
“What’s wrong?” Ehrich asked.
“Hakeem’s been poisoned.”
Ning Shu shook her head. “No. You’re lying. He looks… he looks…” she trailed off.
Hakeem placed his hand to the bandaged wound. “Is the poison fatal?”
Amina sat beside Hakeem and took his pulse. “The dart is a common design from my world. The preferred weapons of assassins. A chlorotoxin. The poison courses through the system faster when the victim is active. Prevents wounded targets from escaping.”
“Is there an antidote?” Ning Shu asked.
“Yes, there is a herb that creates a powerful antitoxin, but it doesn’t grow here. I know of another dimension where we can find it, but we have to go now.”
“Without a portal, we’re not going anywhere,” Hakeem said.
Ehrich suggested, “There’s Demon Gate.”
Ning Shu shook her head. “You said if he exerts himself, the poison will work faster.”
“I’ll walk slowly,” Hakeem said.
“Bring the antidote here. We’ll wait,” Ning Shu said.
“The only way he has a chance is if we bring him with us. The poison is working its way through his system. Even if he rests, he has a day at most.” Amina insisted.
The red-skinned girl refused to budge. “I can’t risk moving him.”
“You have no choice.”
“This is your fault,” Ning Shu spat at Ehrich. “Why did you follow us? If you had left us alone, Hakeem would be all right.”
“Not true. You were already being stalked. Lucky for you, I was there to see who the shooter was. And now I’m your only way out.”
“Can you lead us there?” Amina asked him.
“The only problem is that Commander Farrier has every hunter looking for us both. We can’t just waltz in there—but I think I know someone who can sneak us in.”
Ning Shu glared at him, then at the pale Hakeem. Her hard expression faltered as she looked into his eyes, and the pair seemed to come to a silent agreement. Finally, Ning Shu nodded at Ehrich. “Your plan had better work, because if you fail, your head is the first one I’ll take.”
Hunted
When Ehrich’s group emerged from the pocket dimension, the sun was starting to drop below the horizon. He led the trio along the train tracks. Scanning the road below, he spied a patrolling Demon Watch hunter searching low, not high. As long as Ehrich kept everyone to the middle of the railroad line, the hunter wouldn’t notice his group. He jogged ahead, scouting for any more patrols. There were none, but he couldn’t shake the feeling that they were being watched.
When they were far enough north, Ehrich led them down the stairs of a station and cut across the city toward the pier. Near encounters with hunter patrols slowed their progress. They hid against walls and ducked into yards to avoid detection.
Ehrich pressed forward, moving past an intersection. The scent of the river caught his nostrils. Hakeem seemed to be having trouble catching his breath in the chilly night air.
“Are you all right?” Ning Shu asked.
“Slow and steady and I’ll be fine,” Hakeem said. He caressed her cheek, but she pulled away when she saw Ehrich watching.
Ehrich pulled Amina aside and whispered, “Are you sure we should have brought him with us? He doesn’t look good.”
“We might be lucky enough to sneak into Demon Gate, but I doubt very much we’ll be lucky enough to come back unnoticed, too.”
“Okay, but let’s take a rest now,” he suggested.
Before she could answer, a voice called out, “I heard something. Over here.”
Hunters approached from either direction as Ehrich scanned the narrow street for a place to hide. To the right were a set of stairs leading below street level. Amina ushered Hakeem and Ning Shu down the steps while Ehrich kept an eye on the street.
“They’re doing a sweep,” he said. “They’ll find us soon enough unless I can lead them away.”
“We can’t risk losing you,” Amina said. “You know how to get to Demon Gate.”
“They’re searching for a lone fugitive. This way I can create a diversion while you get on the boat.”
“They’re also after me,” Amina pointed out.
“You don’t know the city. I can lose them in the streets. Wait until the hunters start chasing me, then head to the pier and find a boat. If I’m not back in a few minutes, set off for the smaller island.”
“How are you going to get across?” Ning Shu asked.
“I’ll get back in time.” Ehrich stepped back into the street and walked down the middle of the lane. He approached one of the patrolling hunters and groaned inwardly as he recognized the burly form of Gino, his former squad mate.
Here we go again, Ehrich thought as he charged toward him.
Gino’s eyes widened in surprise, and he raised his weapon, but too late. Ehrich jumped through the air and knocked the teslatron rifle out of Gino’s hand, sending the hunter to the ground where he slammed the back of his head against the road. He was out cold.
Ehrich grabbed the volt pistol from Gino and shoved it into the back of his pants. Then he took aim with the rifle and fired it at the sky. Shouts of alarm rang out from everywhere, followed by the thump of approaching footsteps. Ehrich fired again to help the hunters locate the source of the teslatron fire.
When the footsteps were close enough, he headed away from the East River, hoping to draw as many of the hunters as he could. Three of them came around the corner. He fired the teslatron at the street near one of them to make sure he had their attention. They returned fire. Yes, indeed, he had their attention. He rounded another corner and headed between rows of brick apartments. Ahead, a fourth hunter appeared: Wilhelm.
Ehrich fired several shots over his head, forcing the teen to take cover. The rifle ran out of energy after the sixth shot. Ehrich tossed the gun aside and sprinted down a side road. He stopped at the door to an apartment building and tried to force his way in but it would not give. He was trapped.
j
A trio of hunters caught up to Wilhelm as he dragged himself out from behind the thorny hedge. He dusted himself off gingerly and motioned the hunters to follow him.
Crack!
They picked up the pace when they heard the sound of breaking wood. Wilhelm slowed when he reached the side-street. Caution was key. He peeked around the corner. Empty. They raised their weapons and scanned the area. Wilhelm spotted a building to the left and pointed at a door that had been kicked open. He signalled his squad mates to advance.
“Dead or alive, I don’t care,” he whispered to his squad mates.
He charged through the door. One after the other, the hunters slipped inside the building.
Ehrich peeked up from the bushes across the street and breathed a sigh of relief. Diversion accomplished. He rushed back to the dock to find the others.
A Desperate Request
Nikola Tesla hunched over the worktable covered with confiscated items from Dimensionals. Part of his job was to assess them as potential weapons to be incorporated into Commander Farrier’s arsenal. Tesla looked forward to this task with grim dread. Most times, the items taken were innocuous trinkets with more sentimental value than military, but an odd item or two sometimes perplexed the scientist. A rare one humbled him. When he discovered these items, he realized how inadequate his knowledge was. Certainly he excelled among the scientists of this world, but compared to some worlds’ advanced technologies, he was a child among professionals. He didn’t often experience this insecurity, but this evening was one of those times.
He had finally gotten around to looking at the items confiscated from the illegal Dimensional known as Ole Lukoje. The metal glove with sharp talons was of no consequence, but the dust in the man’s jacket pockets was astounding. According to Ehrich, the man had used the particles for a variety of purposes, including reanimating the dead.
Yet on inspection, even with his magnifying lenses, Tesla could only discern specks. Though baffled by the technology, he refused to call it magic. He never believed in sorcery. To him, the things that science had not explained yet were often passed off as miracles. He had no room in his lab for magic; only for evidence and science.
The only fact he had been able to ascertain was that the dust did not respond well to electricity. He ran a few volts through some of the specks and witnessed a series of mini-explosions. He had to be careful not to set his lab on fire. He swept the remaining dust into a glass jar, hoping someday to solve the mystery.
A noise caught his attention. People were coming up the stairs. He reached for his prototype volt pistol and took aim at the doorway. Ehrich raised his hands.
“Careful, Mr. Tesla.”
“Ehrich,” Tesla said, lowering his pistol. “I’m most pleased to see you are still alive.”
“So far. Why would you think otherwise?”
“Commander Farrier has made some serious accusations. The hunters have been looking for you everywhere. They blame you for injuring a squad leader. They want blood.”
“What has Farrier been saying?”
“He claims you helped release Dimensionals from Ninth Circle. He says you are connected to the one who broke into my lab. I had trouble believing the stories.”
Amina stepped into the room.
“But when I see this, it makes it harder to deny what I have heard.”
Ning Shu carried Hakeem on her back into the lab.
“And harder with every entrance.”
“I can explain, Mr. Tesla,” Ehrich said. “These are my friends and they are in need of help. They need to use Demon Gate. War is about to break out in New York. A war we can’t win without them.”
“War? What are you talking about?”
Ehrich brought the scientist up to speed, describing the army he saw amassing in the Hudson River Tunnel Project. He decided to omit the business with Dash and the Infinity Coil for now. Instead, he explained how Hakeem had been poisoned, and how he was the only one who could stop the exoskeleton machines. Tesla observed the younger scientist with keen interest.
“A fellow inventor. I am honoured to have you in my lab.”
“I see you are working with polyphase motors,” Hakeem said, lowering himself from Ning Shu’s back. “Interesting work. The trick is in generating the electromagnetic fields. The brass core can’t be magnetized. I would suggest you try something like steel and be mindful of how you position it. Once you can create a harmony between the stator coil and core, you’ll reach maximum efficiency.”
“I’m impressed. Would you like to see some of my other works in progress?” Tesla asked, thrilled to have another scientist in his presence.
“Thank you, sir, but if you don’t mind, I think I need to sit a minute.”
Ning Shu helped him to a stool. “Are you all right, Hakeem?”
“Catching my breath. That’s all.” He smiled at her.
“We can’t waste any more time,” Ning Shu declared. “We have to get to Demon Gate now.”
“She’s right,” Amina said. “Will your friend help us?”
Ehrich turned to Tesla, “Sir, I wish there was another way to do this without involving you, but you’re our only hope.”
“There’s no way I can sneak all of you in. Every hunter is looking for the two of you,” Tesla said, pointing at Ehrich and Amina. “And a Dimensional with red skin? I know people think I’m eccentric, but I doubt they’ll believe that I would have her as a lab assistant. No offense,” he added with a bow.
Ehrich picked up Ole Lukoje’s jacket from the table and draped it over Ning Shu’s shoulders. He pulled up the collar, then placed his bowler over her head. The disguise wasn’t great, but in dimly lit corridors, the guards might not look twice.
“After all, they’re looking for Amina and me,” Ehrich said.
Amina tugged at the choker around her neck and said, “Don’t worry. I can take care of myself.”
“And what about him?” Ning Shu said, pointing at Ehrich.
“I’m not going with you. Mr. Tesla will have an easier time without me, and I can distract the guards. Maybe I’ll lead them on a chase around the graveyard.”
“Decoy. Clever idea, Ehrich,” Tesla said.
“Yes, clever indeed.”
Everyone turned to see the Commander Farrier standing behind them, flanked by a half-dozen guards with their weapons raised.
“What did I tell you? Foxes always return to their dens,” Farrier drawled.
Imprisoned
Instead of a trip to Demon Gate, Ehrich’s ragtag group found themselves taking a one-way trip to Ninth Circle courtesy of Commander Farrier. The guards snapped to attention when they saw the Devil’s Island leader limp off the lift. They eyed the new arrivals with glee. Brian, the redheaded Ninth Circle guard, beamed when he saw Ehrich. He ushered everyone onto the funicular platform and personally escorted the group to their cells.
Farrier lingered by Ning Shu’s cell as the others were secured in their new lodgings. He whispered to the crimson girl, “I daresay a certain someone will be pleased to know you’re safe and in my custody. You’ll see him soon enough.”
She stiffened. Farrier closed the door in her face, then returned to oversee Ehrich’s incarceration. Brian took great delight in frisking Ehrich. He shoved the athletic teen against the wall and was none too gentle about turning out his pockets. He yanked the boy’s dark curly hair to check for any hidden weapons. He even checked inside Ehrich’s shoes, before tossing them into the cell. Farrier shoved Ehrich after the shoes, and Brian slammed the door shut.
“Commander, you’ve convinced the others I’m the enemy, but I know what you are,” Ehrich said fiercely. “If they knew what you were up to, they wouldn’t be so quick to follow.”
“Good soldiers obey orders. Right, Brian?”
“Yes, sir.”
“That is a lesson you have yet to learn, Ehrich,” Farrier said.
“All those deaths you mourned. The people you lost in the war and now you’re about to help start another one.”
“This time the right side will win.”
“The Dimensionals?” Ehrich asked, aghast.
“No, boy. The South.”
Ehrich was dumbfounded. All this time he had assumed when Farrier spoke of the Civil War, he had been fighting for the North. He had no inkling the old commander was a Confederate. What was worse, the peg-legged man had a grudge to settle, and he didn’t seem to care how he evened the score.
Tesla stepped into a cell across the corridor and beside the one for Ole Lukoje. The raggedy man waved the stub of his arm at Ehrich and grinned.
“Enjoy your stay,” Farrier said. “And stay out of trouble.”
The commander limped away with the guards following. Ehrich gripped the bars and gnashed his teeth. If the army of exoskeleton machines in the tunnel was any indication, Farrier and Ba Tian plotted not just a war, but the annihilation of New York and other northern states. He felt powerless to stop them.
He looked down at his shoe and smiled. No, not completely powerless. He unlatched the fake heel on his right shoe and retrieved the lock pick set. He reached around the bars and tried to manipulate the lock mechanism with his hook pick and tension wrench.
“How does-s-s it feel, fles-s-sh bag, to be one of us-s-s now?” Ole Lukoje taunted.
“Shut up,” Ehrich said.
“You have no power over me here. We are now brothers-s-s in mis-s-sery.”
Ehrich ignored the illegal and concentrated on picking the lock, but he could sense the raggedy man watching him.
“Excellent job, Ehrich,” Tesla called out from the cell next to Ole Lukoje’s.
“What’s going on?” Amina’s voice sounded from down the hall.
“Ehrich is trying to pick the lock of his cell. I’m sure that he will have us free soon enough.”
“Hurry,” Ning Shu urged. “Your com
mander told me that my father is on his way here. We shouldn’t be here when he arrives.”
“We’re counting on you, Ehrich,” Tesla said.
Ehrich wished the scientist hadn’t said that. His hands trembled and he tried to keep the focus on the lock, but he couldn’t help looking up at Tesla, who clutched the bars and encouraged him with a nod. He waved at his mentor and smiled, then returned his attention to the lock.
He couldn’t tell how much time had passed, but he certainly knew the number of times he failed. Sweat poured down his forehead while insults rained down on his back from Ole Lukoje. Finally, in frustration he smashed his hand against the bars and walked away from the door.
“Take a rest and try again,” Tesla advised.
“We don’t have much time to waste,” Ning Shu called out. “Hakeem needs the antidote.”
Ehrich stared at his trembling hands and willed them to stop shaking, but every time he thought about the task at hand, his hands shook even more. He heard footsteps coming toward his cell. He tried to hide his lock pick set, but his hands shook too much to even open the false heel on his shoe.
He turned his back on the door as the footsteps stopped in front of the cell. The sound of shallow rapid breathing came from the other side. Ehrich ran his hand through his dark hair and slowly looked around at Wilhelm.
“What are you doing down here?”
“I heard they brought you in, Houdini,” the German boy said. “And I know your tricks. Hand over your shoes.”
“Why?”
“Kick them off and hand them over. I know you have something in them. Read it in your magic books.”
“Wilhelm, listen to me. I’m not your enemy. The real enemy is amassing an army against New York as we speak.”
“Give it up. You’re spinning nothing but lies.”
“Listen to me, Wilhelm, you have to get off the island and warn someone. An invasion is coming.”
“The only enemy I see is the one who betrayed Demon Watch,” the husky boy accused.
“Talk to Charlie. He’ll tell you.”