“I knew I should have anchored it nearer.” hissed Victoria, “Still. Should make things interesting.”
She held Rupert’s hand over the box on the plinth and slowly lowered it onto the box, sweat trickling down her back as she did so.
“Third circle guarding it?” she said nervously.
“Almost certainly.” said the demon.”
“Just move it off the top of the plinth?”
“Yes.”
“Okay.” said Victoria, steeling herself as with Rupert's hand she pushed the box slowly to the edge of the plinth and then with a last budge pushed it off it altogether, trying to catch it with her other hand, but it landed awkwardly and the chest fell to the floor, the lid opening as it hit the ground, a small brass coloured object falling out from it. Victoria kneeled down and picked it up,
“What is it?” asked Romney and Victoria shook her head.
It was a small brass device, consisting of several small thin strips of circular metal running around each other in concentric circles. In the centre of the small metal cage spun a small red circle, crimson coloured yet about the size of a ball bearing. It twinkled slightly, almost like an eye that was watching her closely. Victoria counted four circles of the brass like metal but then on an impulse placed it carefully back into the chest and closed it shut.
“I don’t think we were meant to see that.” said Victoria and she heard Romney grunt in affirmation. “What was it? A gyroscope of some sort?”
“No idea.” said the demon. “Didn’t like the look of it much though, I can tell you that for nothing.”
From her belt she produced a small net and wrapped it around the chest and then slung it over her shoulder and onto her back, where it seemed almost to adjust itself and lock into place, holding the small box securely there.
“Let’s go!” she shouted, jumping up to the window she had entered by with a great leap and then crawling out through the broken glass and up onto the round tiled turret of the tower.
The wind blew strongly now across the rooftops, and through the moonlight she saw a small zeppelin moving rapidly towards her, its turbo props spinning rapidly, a rope trailing from the device.
“Thank the seven for automated drones.” she smiled as the voices from below grew louder and louder, and as they burst into the room and noticed the smashed window Victoria leapt from the roof, catching the rope dangling from the zeppelin easily, drifting away from the manor and into the night.
“Operate the mist, Romney.” she said, slowly climbing the rope to the small empty cabin hanging below the drone.
“Certainly mistress.” said the demon as a head poked out from the smashed window in the tower, and then another, the zeppelin faded into nothing and disappeared into the dark London night.
***
“The State of Nations”
“With the race for technology having been won by Great Britain there was a certain national interest in keeping the technology secret from anyone perceived to be a foreigner. The kingdoms of Saxony and the Archduchy of Austria were particularly voracious in attempting to steal the new found technology for themselves, but so advanced were the British by now that this was easily avoided. There were certain authorities in place to do this of course; the police and the military in particular, but these were mere amateurs in comparison to the secrecy that the professional societies held about their methods and discoveries. Outbreaks of fighting between these societies were of course not uncommon, but they were hushed up; brushed over, and rumours that a new professional society of assassins was now in existence was thought of as nothing more than a rumour. This was a mistake for the society of assassins were
much sought after. The assassins were delighted to be paid for any sort of job that may prove embarrassing should anything go wrong and the real perpetrators were revealed. This problem did not exist with the society or association of assassins because officially they did not actually exist at all. It was however commented on by several prominent figures at the time that for a society that did not exist, they did appear to be very, very busy.”
(Taken from “Great Britain - A History”
by William Rothschild)
Victoria watched the city of London from the public cabin of the passenger zeppelin as it maneuvered slowly around the steeples of Whitehall, before docking with the exit tower for the city and heart of the city. Many would argue she thought that the financial quarter was the heart of the British empire, but she knew that this was not the case. It was the professional societies and politicians that ran the empire, and Whitehall was the heart of this.
The ether driven lift descended down the landing tower to ground level and Victoria and the other passengers dispersed, Victoria heading to a nondescript building and striding inside. She ignored the reception desk and ran her thumb over a small brass plate by the lift and the door pinged open. She pressed a button inside and the lift began to move, stopping at the sixth floor.
The doors slid open and she entered a plush office, a small desk to one side, behind which was sitting a small round faced woman with bouffant hair.
“Hello Victoria.” said the woman with an easy smile. “Mister Smith will see you straight away.”
“Aren’t I the lucky one?” smiled Victoria, and walking past the desk behind which the woman was sat she knocked on the large wooden door and waited.
“Come!” came a voice from inside and Victoria turned the handle on the door and went inside.
The office was furnished to a very high standard, the wooden walls and brass lights contrasting perfectly with the deep piled red rug underfoot. There was a large desk in front of a window that looked out over the city, a huge picture of Queen Victoria on the wall lit from an ether lamp from underneath, and the picture was draped on either side by the Union Jack. Behind the desk sat a large man, a monocle in one eye, a pipe in his mouth. As Victoria entered he stood and walked around the desk, shaking her hand.
“Good work on the Widdengham thing.” he said in an upper class voice, puffing smoke from his pipe across the room. “The society of steam workers are ruddy furious!” He laughed deeply and returned to sit behind his desk, gesturing for Victoria to take a seat in front of him. “The steel worker’s society however are singing your praises most highly for the return of the box.”
“Thank you sir.” she said, watching him as he turned from her and looked out across the city.
“You seem to be on a bit of a good wicket at the moment Victoria” he said without looking at her. “I have someone I would like you to meet. It was he who put us onto the retrieval of the box in the first place.”
“I see.” she said.
Smith turned a brass dial on his desk. “Send in Mister Prentice please...” he said and switched the dial again.
The door opened almost immediately and a short man entered the room confidently, crossing to the desk and shaking Smith’s hand furiously.
“Glad you could find the time to meet with me.” said the man, turning to shake Victoria’s hand too. She found his grasp weak and clammy, and was glad when he released her hand and sat down beside her.
“Not a problem at all.” said Smith. “Victoria, this is Mister Alberney Prentice. He is a representative of Her Majesty’s Government.”
“Charmed I am sure.” said Victoria, re-appraising the man sitting beside her. He wore a tightly striped blue pinstripe suit and small round glasses. He was almost bald and looked thin and distracted almost. His fingernails however were carefully trimmed, his small grey moustache neat and tidy.
“Civil servant.” thought Victoria, and so was quite surprised with what he said next.
“Are you familiar with current international politics Miss Neaves?” he said, a frown crossing his face.
“Any particular sphere?” she asked, smiling. Prentice smiled back, but it did not reach his eyes.
“I am thinking in particular the state of Saxony and the Archduchy of Austria.”
“In relation to th
e German Empire I suspect?”
“Indeed.” smiled Prentice, taking off his glasses, peering through the lenses and then replacing them. “I think I can ascertain that you are familiar with the desire for unification between these three countries. Such a unification is of course against the wishes of her majesty’s government.”
“Of course.”
“It would appear that the German Empire have been quite voracious in the their...shall we say… search for some of our most secret research. In fact, but a week ago one of our most highly thought of scientists quite simply disappeared from a locked laboratory within one of our most highly guarded compounds. To say the least this caused us quite a significant amount of inconvenience.”
“But what has this got to do with the Germanic states?” asked Victoria.
“Indeed. I was coming to that. One of our people placed in Germany has information that but a few days ago this scientists name was mentioned at a briefing at the highest level.”
“Yet he has not been seen there?”
“Not at all. Our man in Germany seemed to indicate that the Germans are just as baffled as we are.”
“Yet where do I come into all this?” asked Victoria, and Prentice smiled, a smile almost like a slit cut across his face.
“The box you retrieved from the society of artificers last night contained a mockup of some of the work that this scientist was working on. It was imperative that it was returned to the right society, that is the society that our missing scientist belonged to. I think you will understand that these societies can be… shall we say… competitive?”
Smith snorted behind the desk and Prentice gave him a weak smile before continuing.
“Her majesty’s government simply wondered now that this device has been returned to its rightful owner if you could cast an eye over the said laboratory. Any outside input would be more than welcome.”
“Sir?” asked Victoria, getting Smith’s attention.
“We would be delighted to accept.” said Smith.
“Excellent.” said Prentice, “The offices he was working from are at Greenwich.” He handed Victoria a slim folder. “This is the precise address. Please report to the front desk and I shall meet you there. Nine am sharp tomorrow morning if you could.”
“Of course. I will do all that I can to assist.” smiled Victoria, taking the folder from him.
“Just one question.” asked Victoria as Prentice stood to leave.
“Of course.” he smiled, straightening his what Victoria considered to be somewhat plain tie.
“What was this scientist working on?” she asked, smiling.
Prentice looked as if he had been struck. He pulled at his collar as if it was suddenly too tight and looked around him nervously.
“I am afraid I am not at leave to tell you that.” he said, stammering over his words slightly. “Suffice to say it was work at the very highest level.”
“Of course.” smiled Smith, “Of course. We understand.” He stood and guided Prentice from his office almost, arm lightly on the man's back before returning and sitting behind his desk once again.
“Be careful Victoria.” he whispered, as if afraid of being overheard. “be very, very careful. Slippery bastard is Prentice, mark my words. Just keep your eyes open and trust nobody.”
“Of course sir.” said Victoria. “Of course.”
***
The zeppelin to Greenwich ran precisely on time, gliding over the Thames, carrying a full cabin of business people to work on the south bank of the river. Upon docking with the platform Victoria took the lift down to street level and after asking a policeman for directions made her way to the rather austere looking building that she had in Prentice’s note. Upon reporting to the anonymous looking reception desk the woman behind the desk made a quick phone call and then asked her to sit which she did.
“Romney.” said Victoria in her mind, “Switch to non-vocal mode. I don’t want Mister Prentice to hear us talking.”
“No problem boss.” said her third circle demon in her mind.
“Thanks.” thought Victoria, smiling at the receptionist sweetly.
Prentice appeared a few minutes later through a set of double doors behind the reception desk and shook Victoria’s hand vigorously.
“Thank you so much for coming.” he smiled. “Please follow me.” and holding the door open for her he guided her into the corridor that lay beyond.
To Victoria it seemed quite a busy place, a contrast to the solemn reception area. Some of the men working there were in suits, as was Prentice, but some wore long white coats as well. There certainly seemed to be quite a mix. She followed Prentice along the corridor at a brisk pace until they reached a lift, the doors of which swished open as they arrived and the man ushered her inside pressing the very bottom button, and the lift began to descend.
They stood in silence as the lift descended, which it seems to do for quite some time. After a minute Victoria could not hold her curiosity in check any longer.
“Quite a descent.” she smiled and Prentice nodded.
“The work Mister Randolph was working on was very hush hush. The further down we go the more secret the research I think you will find.”
“And you pressed the bottom button.” smiled Victoria. To her amusement Prentice actually looked embarrassed.
“I did indeed.” he managed eventually.
“Excellent.” said Victoria. “I really do enjoy intrigue and a mystery.”
“Quite so.” smiled Prentice, obviously not agreeing with her. “Quite so.”
Eventually the lift stopped and the doors opened onto a brightly lit metal lined corridor which ended no more than twenty feet ahead of them, frosted glass double doors barring whatever lay beyond. Two armed soldiers stood in front of the doors looking at them suspiciously as they left the lift. Prentice produced a small card and showed it to the two men however and they moved aside, holding the door open for them. Victoria was quite surprised as she entered a large chamber, the centre of which was a huge round wall of glass that ran in a circular fashion inside the cavern in which they found themselves.
“Looks like a bloody big goldfish bowl.” Chuckled Romney in her mind and she bit down sharply on her lip to stifle a giggle, for that was precisely what it resembled.
Inside the glass bowl was an office of some sort, and as they approached it Victoria saw that there was a small metallic walkway that ran around the circular glass room. There appeared to be no other exits from the cavernous room at all.
“All very impressive.” smiled Victoria and Prentice returned a tight lipped smile. “Is it a quarantine?”
“I beg your pardon?” said Prentice as Victoria looked inside the office. It also has one single door that seemed to be hermetically sealed, the only evidence of it actually being a door at all being a small round door handle.
“A sealed chamber.” said Victoria. “I have seen the like before, though nothing on this scale, in experiments regarding gases and the like.”
“Nothing like that at all.” sniffed Prentice. “You must understand Miss Neaves that I cannot tell you what Mister Randolph was working on. Not at all. But I will say that it was not gas or the like. The globe is triple sealed. It may look especially transparent, but the vessel’s walls are two feet thick. It is glass because we wanted to be able to contain but also observe everything that happened in the sphere during the conduct of the experiment.”
“I see.” smiled Victoria. “So it is a quarantine of kinds.”
“Of information only.” smiled Prentice, and Victoria nodded, beginning to walk around the sphere, Prentice in tow. “Tell me what happened.” she said and they came to a stop as Victoria stooped to observe one of the long flat benches inside the sphere before standing and continuing her circuit.
“Very well.” said Prentice, but remember that I am just a very highly placed civil servant; not a scientist.
“Well I am neither.” smiled Victoria. “Proceed.”
�
�Three days ago Randolph's was alone in the sphere commencing an experiment that he had informed his superiors was the final stage in testing a new discovery that he was, according to them, rather excited about. When these experiments take place we ensure total security inside the sphere and outside by placing six armed guards around the office, equi-distantly placed. Just a precaution really. Three of these men face outwards and three face inwards, observing the laboratory inside the sphere.”
“A good precaution.” said Victoria.
“Quite. The experiment proceeded as per usual, and Randolph was working on a piece of equipment more or less in the centre of the room.”
“Besides the large glass tank on the bench there?” pointed Victoria.
“Just so. The six guards say that they saw nothing at all, and nothing is out of place within the sphere, but one moment Randolph's was standing there, the next he was not.”
“Any traces of ash or dust, remnants of a burst of energy.” Prentice looked confused. “Smoke?” she said, raising an eyebrow.
“Nothing whatsoever. The experiment continued even though Randolph was by now… absent, but as the controls were not being manipulated a security system closed them down automatically after thirty seconds.”
“In case of death.”
“Yes.” said Prentice. “A dead man’s handle if you will.”
“A wise precaution.” Victoria looked inside the sphere as if thinking, standing there for a good minute or so before continuing. “Well the security systems seem to agree that Randolph is dead for a start.”
“Yes.”
“Is there anything missing? Any part of his research or lab equipment?”
“We have had one of Randolph’s close colleagues give the place a once over and he says nothing is missing.”
“Very well.” said Victoria having completed her circle of the sphere and now standing by the small handle that looked as if it was in need of a door. “Well we need to have a look inside then.”
“I will send for a detail of guards.” said Prentice, stepping away and speaking into a small device that he wore at his wrist. Victoria saw small cogs turning on it as he did so and it made a low humming sound, but she did not hear what the civil servant actually said. Shortly after though six heavily armed guards arrived and paced themselves out around the sphere, rifles drawn. Prentice moved forward and placed his palm just above the handle and the glass gave a dull red glow and the door swung open. He gestured for her to enter and as she did so he followed her in. Victoria noticed however that he stayed near to the door and it did not close.
Scrapbook Page 24