by J M Bannon
"Guild Master I am sorry for your loss, I will stay here and wait for your men to collect her remains,"
19
Thursday the 28th of March
9:30 PM The Peregrine
Rose and Dolly were relaxing in the Peregrine’s sky lounge at one of the small tables. He puffed on his pipe and she sat across from him enjoying a whisky on ice. There were a couple of the Peregrine crew relaxing off shift.
"What are the next steps?" asked Rose.
"Well, first light tomorrow we fly back to London and transport the mysterious contraption to your underground laboratory to test," answered Dolly.
"I think we should do as Lorelei suggested and proceed to Gilchrist Manor for her to examine it in her lab. Maybe Preston will be in the right frame of mind to give his opinion and we go from there?"
"And you don't think we can... I can't think of another term, bring those people back to life?" queried Dolly.
"No, and it is abhorrent to fool with this type of energy. What if we did and everyone ended up in a different body, or insane? Then you’d have a bigger mess. We need to send them on their way to embark on the journey we all eventually will have to take.”
"Detective, there is a Necronist Seer requesting to speak with you and Miss. Caldwell," the steward reported, interrupting their debate.
"What did he say his name was?" Dolly questioned, weary of the irritating Necronists.
"Saint Yves, sir,"
"I expected Hume, given his demeanor during our meeting. All right then, have him brought here please."
"Right away, sir."
Rose laughed.
"What is so funny?"
"Just the world we live in. What was it, four years ago, you were afraid to come to my apartment; last year I had never been out of the country and now I'm part owner of an airship with a service staff," said Rose, admiring their accomplishments.
Dolly stood up, removed his jacket and set it on the chair next to him. He drew his Colt revolver and checked the chamber, rotating the cylinder to the first of the three arcane shots he had loaded before putting it back into his shoulder holster.
"What are you doing?" asked Rose.
“That fucker tries anything, I will put one of your magic bullets right into his skull. Seeing my pistol here,” Dolly said as he patted his holster, “might remind him he won't be the first Necronist I have taken down." Dolly resumed his seat, feeling confident. "Why are you worried about him now, but not at the Guild House?"
The steward brought the Seer into the lounge. Two crew members leaving the lounge stared at the Necronist as he entered and then made their way out.
"What can we help you with, Guild Master?”said Dolly.
Saint Yves took in the surroundings, surprised by the luxurious interiors, "I have come to inspect the device."
"We were expecting your Chief Technologist," said Rose, standing up. "Follow me, it is in my workshop. Dolly, would you ask Doctor Traube to join us," Rose guided Saint Yves to the hall and then to the door of her workshop; she took out a keyring and unlocked the door.
"I have to say, this ship spectacular and a laboratory this nice in a building would be impressive but, in an airship, it is… "
"One of a kind, Guild Master Saint Yves," finished Lorelei.
Rose watched the Seer turn towards Lorelei and Dolly as they entered the workroom.
"Have we met?"
"Briefly, when you toured the Königsberg Gas Werks. I was in the receiving line at the formal dinner held by Baron von Traube," Lorelei reminded the Guild Master.
"Ah yes, the jolly red-haired fellow,” said the Seer.
"That fellow is my Father.” said Lorelei tartly, “As for this ship, it is truly a singular feat of engineering and alchemy. I worked on the gas distribution system; Rose and I designed this space to do our work where ever our hearts and adventures take us,” said Lorelei.
Rose wondered if Lorelei had been indulging in too much French press coffee, she appeared on edge. "Lorelei, we asked the Guild Master to join us and provide his professional opinion on the device." Rose moved over to the Soul Crystal, removing the shroud that covered the contraption.
She took special attention to watch him as the device was unveiled. His eyes went wide then he quickly regained his composure.
Saint Yves walked closer, peering into the glass dome through the swirling gas to see the red crystal inside. "What is in the chamber?" "The substance is called, Thanatalic Mystaficatos," injected Lorelei.
"And human souls," added Rose.
The Guild Master posed the question, "Where exactly did you find this?"
"In the Colorado Territory near the border with the Dakota Territory, in a town called Harpsichord," answered Dolly.
Saint Yves stepped back from the machine resting his hands on the edge of the table as if to steady himself. "I came here to see it for myself. I can't explain why this device is still functioning, I was told it had been dismantled. The answer to these questions rest with Hume; I attempted to speak with him about this subject earlier, but he had left the Temple.”
Dolly and Rose looked at each other, then Dolly demanded, "Are you saying this is a Necronist machine?"
Saint Yves seemed lost, uncharacteristically confused and distant.
"Guild Master, is the Order using this device to collect the lives of humans to augment yours and others?” demanded Rose, as she leaned into him making eye contact.
Saint Yves stepped back shaking his head as if to clear it. He opened his cloak and drew out a dagger and dropped it on the lab counter. The blade made an eerie clanging sound, like no other metal. Dolly almost drew on Saint Yves, but Rose waved him back.
"No, Miss. Caldwell, that blade is how we take the life of another.We call these blades Scorpionis Aculeo,“ Saint Yves reassured them.
Rose interrupted, "and then use it to extend life, playing with immortality."
"I can not talk about that. I only share this with you because you have seen the act," replied Saint Yves, lost in contemplation. His eyes locked on the green-tinted metal dagger on the black tabletop.
"You are referring to when you got away with murder?" pushed Dolly.
"That's not what happened! I never wanted her to die. My subordinate overreacted, I tried to subdue her, but she was so powerful. When one of my Wyrding takes a life with the Scorpionis Aculeo, he becomes the steward of that life force and brings it back to the Order, to be inventoried and used for a higher purpose. The life energy is collected in the ampule in the handle. We are required to turn them over to the Ex quo Collector, one of our Wyrdings who holds and controls the release of the sacred vials; there are sacrosanct rules for the use of life force to prevent us falling prey to our own power over death. The Covenant between the Wyrdings forbids the White Wyrding from collecting life force."
"Spare me your rhetoric, it all sounds like a lot of gobbledygook to me," challenged Dolly.
Everyone was surprised when Lorelei picked up the blade and looked at it through a magnifying glass. “It would seem that the workings in the handle and the fluid in the ampule are the same as those in the Soul Crystal device, but miniaturized," said Lorelei, first pointing at the Soul crystal with the blade then handing it back to Saint Yves handle first.
"I will not betray my Order; the reason I have come here today is to protect the Brotherhood, maybe from one of its own. This device you have here is like another that we developed but abandoned once we saw its savage results. Guild Master Hume based the workings on what we both learned from our apprenticeship in Haiti. Angelica, Arno and I trained under the Voodoo King and our most sacred processes are rooted in that primal magic. We have a monastery in eastern France; used primarily for research, it is where Hume's White Wyrding does the bulk of its work. I believe it would be beneficial if your airship could fly us there."
Dolly looked at Rose.
"What do you want me to say?" Rose asked him, she was struck speechless by the revelations and the willingness of
Saint Yves to help.
Dolly walked out of the room without a word.
"How many of these things did you build?" asked Rose.
"Just the one and I was told it was dismantled," said Saint Yves.
Dolly came back in and placed his Henry repeating rifle on the counter, “You know what that is Guild Master?
"A rifle.”
"Superb, that is the newest technology from the New Haven Arms Company. I picked that up in the United States. It is said that if you load this gun on Sunday it will shoot all week. We will go to your Monastery and talk to your Guild Master to hear his side of the story. I want to get to the truth and he may have the answers, but if you or any of your fart catchers so much as sneeze at the wrong time, I’ll shoot the lot of you and the devil take you all."
"Detective, you may not believe me to be a man of my word, but I know you are; I hope we can get beyond this distrust. Let me also speak plainly, I am taking a risk to hold true to the beliefs of my Order."
20
Friday the 29th of March
7:40 a.m. The Guest Cottage at Gilchrist Manor
Dr. Gotlieb Burckhardt sat comfortably in the garden writing in his notebook. Preston watched him through the parlor window. Sitting next to Preston was one of the three burly orderlies who attended to him with the Doctor, one of them was with him at all times. A prisoner in his own home, Preston stared silently at the Doctor not saying a word to anyone but Azul. The dialogue in his head was raging, given the Doctor had weened him off of the Laudanum. The withdrawal had taken a toll on Preston's body.
The problem with having two consciousnesses in the same body was the maelstrom of thoughts and the circular thinking. Preston would think about something, his own internal voice would chime in, then Azul heard both and he along with his internal dialogue would cause a digression by commenting on Preston’s internal dialogue, feelings, and judgments. Twenty minutes later Preston was lost down a rabbit hole of spinning thoughts, losing track of the subject or worse digressing into full-blown arguments with Azul.
Maybe if we could get access to the garden for a walk, we can make a run for the woods, thought Preston.
< Do you think they will leave us for a moment? Then there is the fact they only let us wear pajamas? You plan to walk to London in your night clothes? That will prove his point, that you are crazy, nuts!> replied Azul.
"I really resent that stuffy prick out there sitting in our garden, living off us and having no clue as to our predicament," moaned Preston.
"Doctor Burckhardt will be happy to know you are speaking again," said the orderly.
< I can't believe you said that out loud. >
The orderly got up and walked outside to the grounds surrounding the cottage. The second he left, Preston arose to leave only to see another orderly sitting by the front door. The only other exit of the cottage was in the back, which would take him past where the Doctor sat. He looked at the back door to see it open as Burckhardt and an orderly walked in.
"Mr. Gilchrist, It is good to see you up; Niles here tells me you are vocalizing again," said Burckhardt.
"I would rather speak with Rose or Lorelei. Can I see them?"
The Doctor sat down in an overstuffed chair and gestured to Preston, "Please, sit down."
Preston returned to where he had sat previously, ignoring the chair the Doctor suggested for him.
"Preston, I can't have you interacting with anyone who validates your delusions. Indulging your hallucinations results in reinforced pathways in the damaged parts of your brain. The success of the treatments with Doctor Maxwell is encouraging, yah? He has had a full recovery."
"I have explained already that I am different, my situation I mean," Preston tried to reason with the Doctor again.
"No two brains are the same, however structurally there are similarities. My work has proven that electrical reconditioning of the brain can realign the connections in the damaged portions of the brain. I no longer need to perform physical surgery except in severe cases. Now that we have taken you off the laudanum, we can assure that the results are untainted by chemicals."
"Results of what?"
"Tomorrow we begin your reconditioning. You will have daily electro therapy where I use electricity at different voltages and frequencies to clear out the faulty connections in your brain. Preston, there is no ancient magician possessing you. You are delusional, and I will cure you of this malady," Doctor Burckhardt stated confidently, marking in his notebook.
* * *
9:16 a.m. Nasson Textile Works, Bethnal Green
Jimmy's goons brought the two blindfolded men in front of the Number Loom. He delighted in the disorientating effect this had on the two men. They had been plucked up and blindfolded, run all over town then delivered into a basement saturated with the sound of millions of cogs and ratchets turning a cycle every second.
He nodded to his soldiers to dispose of the blindfolds on the tall lanky man with the cane and a shorter stockier man, who lacked style with his unkempt suit and scraggly beard.
"Mr. Strathmore, when Mr. De Morgan shared with me that it was you who had an interest in this machine, I was intrigued to learn what use you have for an engine like ours. I apologize for the covert measures taken for our meeting, however, now that you know the Number Loom exists, it is necessary its location remains a secret," explained Jimmy.
"Understood. This is Dimetri, an engineer who works for my client, he is here to observe. I would like you to note that Dimetri is mute. He is fluent in English so speak candidly, he can comprehend and write, but he does not speak," explained Strathmore.
"You recognize the sole reason you're here is that I have a relationship with your bank?" said Jimmy, he made the connection as a veiled threat.
"I didn't know, but I will not be sharing our encounter with my partners at the bank and would appreciate that you keep our meeting confidential. The interested party I represent is not a Chilton client."
The stocky man couldn't keep his eyes off the engine.
"So, what do you require the Loom for?" urged Jimmy.
The Russian glanced at Strathmore with a stern expression and scribbled on his slate showing it to Strathmore.
"My associate would prefer to concentrate on the machine and a tour of the facility," shared Strathmore.
"Mr. Strathmore, I must ask again, what interest do you have in this thing?" asked Lin.
"Only that my client be satisfied, and that we can come to some agreement. That means Dimetri here needs to understand how it operates."
"Augustus you like talking about this subject why don't you give him the tour. Stick to the basics of how the Loom works," directed Jimmy.
"I understand, Mr. Lin. Please follow me," said De Morgan gesturing the visitors toward the Loom.
"And you," Jimmy said to the scruffy man. "Don't touch a fucking thing. Stand back, I don't want that beard of yours to get sucked in or that big melon head of yours caught in the gears. I got a Derby we're calculating, and I can't have it fucked up."
Dimetri sneered as he shuffled away.
"I don't like that guy," said Jimmy to Strathmore. "He doesn't even need to talk for me to know he is a nosey Russian, that big block head and the stink," Jimmy made a sniffing sound.
"I agree. So, the Derby?" countered Strathmore.
"Yes,” Jimmy knew he had already revealed too much.
"My client requires the engine to complete complex calculations for navigation. He has a new method of transport that my melon-headed friend has developed," shared Strathmore.
"Now I'm supposed to reciprocate and chat about the Derby,"
"If you would like. I was going to invite you to join us in our private box," said Randal.
"Chilton has a box?" said Jimmy.
"Of course, Sport of Kings you know; most of our top clients run horses."
"Hm, I'll take you up on that just to see the faces of your clients, when a low class Oriental strolls into their midst and rubs elbows with
their women."
"There will be all types there, extreme wealth has a way of suppressing bigotry," said Randal.
I doubt that very much, thought Jimmy, “Do you gamble?"
"I'm here, aren't I. This was a big risk to put my life in the hands of Weng Lo's number two man." replied Strathmore with a smile.
"How did you get involved with this client?" asked Jimmy.
"Mr. Lin, you won't share your confidential information, why would I divulge mine? How did a street crime boss get involved with an academic?" was Strathmore’s comeback.
"Fair enough. I'll give, you more detail about the machine's use at the Derby. As to me and Augustus that was just good fortune; I heard him speak at an exhibition. There he was, a passionate inventor, presenting his clever machine, yet no one was listening; except for me. I heard him, and it sounded like a solution to my dilemma." said the well-dressed gangster.
"That's called serendipity, the chance developments that end beneficially," Strathmore grinned at his new friend.
"I think there is a big difference between a man's fortune and chance," concluded Jimmy.
* * *
6:25 p.m. Monastère de la Prairie vallonnée
Hume made his way quickly through the Monastery to his personal office; it was an effort to remain calm as he went through the hallways. His office was formerly the scribe's room, the room was remodeled back when he first took over operations. One unique quality of the space was a medieval strong room with a heavy iron rivet and strap reinforced door. The enclosure provided no real security as the simple lock could be defeated by a common thief, but four steps down was a modern steel door installed to safeguard the contents in the barrel vault. Hume's tomb of secrets.