The Traitor and the Thief

by Gareth Ward

  Frankenline walked to a wrought-iron spiral staircase. “I’m not sure we’ve got the formula quite right yet. They’re dandy for a week then suffer complete organ failure and die in agony.” His expression glazed over, momentarily lost in thought, then his eyes fixed on Sin. “Thanks to Nimrod’s notes we’ve modified the formula and are nearly ready to test it. You can talk or be Patient Thirteen. The choice is yours.”

  * * *

  Sin wasn’t sure how much time had passed when he awoke. He didn’t even remember falling asleep. He’d made a number of futile attempts to escape from his bonds and had tried to stay alert but had obviously succumbed to fatigue at some point. His mouth was dry and his stomach ached from hunger. Above him he heard a door scrape open and then footsteps. A flash of purple silk appeared at the stop of the staircase and Velvet descended. His body filled with relief then mild embarrassment as he realised he was practically unclothed.

  Velvet fixed her eyes on his as she crossed the room. Fiddling with the buckled strap at the side of his jaw, she removed his gag.

  Sin sucked in the cellar’s tainted air. “You’ve got to get me out of here. They’re going to poison me, or give me Rat Pox, or both.”

  Her hands tracing the route of the pipes, Velvet examined the machine connected to Sin.

  “Whenever you’re ready. No rush, I’m not going anywhere,” said Sin.

  “Stop complaining. I need to make sure I can remove these without you bleeding to death.”

  “I can get them out; just undo me,” urged Sin.

  “Relax, will you? These are tight,” said Velvet, struggling with the buckled strap securing Sin’s arm.

  “It’s hard to relax when you’re expecting some special visitor who’s going to pump you full of blue goo if you don’t answer his questions.”

  Velvet’s hand paused on the buckle. “What special visitor?”

  “I don’t know. Someone more important who can decide what to do with me.”

  “Someone like the spy?”

  “Maybe, they didn’t say.”

  Velvet stared at the emaciated bodies strapped to the other machines. “Whatever it takes. Whatever it takes,” she murmured to herself and tightened the buckle back up.

  Sin pulled at the restraint. “What are you doing?”

  “This might be the break we’ve been waiting for.”

  “No. You’re not leaving me here. Don’t even think about it.”

  “They’re not going to send this important visitor if you’ve escaped, so I’m afraid you’ll have to stay a little longer.”

  Sin’s eyes widened. “Velvet. Unstrap me now.”

  Velvet reached for the gag, her hand trembling. “We all have to make sacrifices for COG. I’m sorry, Sin, but what I’m sacrificing is you.”

  Sin turned his head away. “Don’t you dare. No. Don’t … mmph.”

  Sin strained at his bonds.

  “Conserve your strength,” said Velvet. She looked across at Patient Twelve, his body racked in agony as the machine pumped blue blood through his veins. “We should have killed him. At least it would have been quick,” she said and walked back towards the stairs.

  CHAPTER 38

  STRUGGLE IN VEIN

  It was hard to judge the passage of time in the gloom of the cellar. Sin tried counting the strokes of the pistons rhythmically pumping blue blood around the other patients, but the monotony made his mind wander. A sudden nearby clicking brought him back to full alertness. A dial on the machine attached to him began to rotate. Each click brought an arrow on the dial a fraction closer to a green chemlight. Click, click, click. Sin had an ominous premonition that when the arrow reached the light something terrible was going to happen. Click. The arrow pointed upwards and the chemlight changed to red. The piston protruding from the machine’s domed top shuddered then began pumping up and down. The needles puncturing Sin’s veins twisted, sending a spasm of pain through his body. The piston pumped faster and he watched in horror as his blood was sucked into the transparent tubes. A light-headed euphoria overcame him as with each stroke, more blood was drawn from his body.

  The dial continued to click around. Blackness encroached on Sin’s vision, the world distorting. Click. The dial completed another revolution and the chemlight turned blue. The piston stopped and the machine vented steam. Gears clunked, then the pumping resumed, but now it was pumping blood back into Sin’s body. Up and down went the piston and blue blood flowed into the tube. Up and down, blue blood pushing red blood along. Up and down, blue blood getting closer to the needles, closer to Sin’s veins.

  A set of heavy boots appeared on the top of the iron staircase. They clanked down the steps and a scarlet leather coat spiralled into view.

  Blue blood surged into Sin’s veins, burning like acid. Eldritch dashed across the room, eyes wild above his mask. Sin screamed through the gag, his pleas unintelligible. Eldritch yanked the leather strip from Sin’s mouth.

  “Turn it off! Turn it off!” yelled Sin.

  Eldritch lunged for a lever on the metal tower’s side and dragged it down. Steam dumped from the machine’s base, billowing across the floor. The piston wheezed and slowly sank downwards.

  “Got the blighter,” said Eldritch.

  Fire burned in Sin’s veins, the caustic pain spreading throughout his body. “The blue blood, it’s in me.”

  Eldritch teased the needles from Sin’s arms, sapphire droplets forming over the puncture wounds. Sin shuddered. Maybe it was his imagination but despite the burning the blue blood felt cold inside of him.

  “How long have you been on the machine?” said Eldritch.

  “It’s only just started but I’m infected for sure.”

  Eldritch unbuckled the straps that bound Sin to the table. “No, I don’t think so. I think you’re fine. Here, put these on.” He handed Sin a respirator and a pile of clothes that had been stacked behind the machine.

  His fingers shaking, Sin secured the mask over his face. His muscles ached from confinement but with Eldritch’s help he managed to dress.

  “Come on, we need to get you out of here,” said Eldritch, draping Sin’s arm over his shoulders.

  Half carried by Eldritch, Sin shuffled to the spiral staircase. “Can you manage the stairs on your own?” said Eldritch.

  “Too right I can,” said Sin. He gritted his teeth and clasping the metal railings hauled himself upwards. Each step was agony, the pain making it hard to think straight. How had Eldritch known he was here? Another step, his veins stinging. It didn’t matter, he was rescuing Sin. His muscles felt cold and leaden and his lungs struggled to pull air through the respirator. He’d saved Sin from certain torture, when the special visitor arrived. Not that he would have talked. Step by heavy step, Sin wound his way upwards. Eldritch eased past him and put a shoulder to the door at the top. “Let me get this,” he said.

  The door swung open, beyond it the horrors of the Rat Pox ward. Sin stumbled into the room, confusion gripping him. The ward only had one door, the one with the brassanium key, and it was right in front of him. He turned to see Eldritch pushing the bookcase back into place, concealing the hidden entrance.

  Pulling Sin’s arm back over his shoulders, Eldritch helped Sin across the ward. He heaved the copper-plated door open and guided Sin through before securing it closed behind them. Eldritch unbuckled his mask, letting it hang from his face. “What are you doing here?”

  Sin reached up to his own respirator and unclipped it. “We were hunting for a traitor. We thought it was you.”

  “Me? Don’t be ridiculous. Who thought that?”

  “Lilith and Noir.”

  “And they put you in that lab?” asked Eldritch as they shuffled across the infirmary.

  “No. That was Doctor Frankenline. We didn’t even know about the lab until I woke up there.”

  “Who’s we? Are Lilith and Noir here?”

  “No, it’s just–”

  “Me,” said Velvet, stepping into the infirmary, a steampis
tol aimed squarely at Eldritch.

  “What are you doing?” asked Sin.

  “I’m catching the spy.”

  Sin held his hand out to Velvet, his arm shaking. “It’s not him. He’s helping me escape.”

  “No. He’s pretending to, so you’ll tell him everything you know.”

  “COG Von Darque, lower your weapon. We need to get Sin medical assistance,” commanded Eldritch.

  Velvet cocked the pistol. “I don’t take orders from traitors.”

  Eldritch turned to Sin. “There may be a traitor in this room, but it’s not me.”

  Sin rubbed a puncture wound on his arm, thinking hard. “The machine in the lab. How did you know where to turn it off?”

  “What does it matter? I saved you.”

  “It matters because you didn’t hesitate. It was like you were familiar with the machine’s workings.”

  “I didn’t hesitate because I was concerned about you. I got you into this. I recruited you.”

  That night in the market seemed so long ago. Memories surfaced like bubbles from the deep. His hand in Eldritch’s pocket, brushing over an odd shield-shaped coin, the embossed emblem only now having meaning. Two crossed swords below a crown.

  “It is you,” said Sin. “You and the Major.”

  Eldritch grabbed Sin, hauling him in front of his body. “Alas, just me. I tried to turn the Major but he was having none of it.” A blade shot from the sleeve of the leather cloak into Eldritch’s hand. He pressed the point to Sin’s throat. “Out of the way, Von Darque, or I’ll slit him ear to ear.”

  Velvet’s hand wavered. “Go ahead. It’ll give me a clear shot.”

  Eldritch pressed the tip of the knife into Sin’s flesh and Sin felt a trickle of warm blood on his neck. “You may think you have a chance because your mother trained you. She could never beat me and even with that pistol you won’t.”

  Sin needed time to slow, only his body felt too exhausted. He sensed the new blood circulating through his veins, reviving his muscles, but not quickly enough. He had to stall Eldritch. “If the Major’s not one of the King’s Knights, why did he have their shield in his room?”

  Eldritch dragged Sin towards the doorway. “The King’s Knights were formed by disgruntled members of the King’s Steam Cavalry. The crests are similar but the swords cross differently. Major C has a regimental plaque awarded for bravery.”

  Sin flexed his fingers as pins and needles spread through his hands. “Why does he keep it hidden?”

  “War’s complicated. He’s proud of the battles he won but ashamed of leading friends to their deaths. We toast them on the battle’s anniversaries.”

  “If you fought with him, why turn traitor now?”

  “I’m not the traitor. I’m still loyal to my regiment and our cause.” Eldritch pressed the blade harder against Sin’s throat. “Enough with the questions. Time to see how this plays out.”

  Energy surged through Sin’s veins, as if his body was accepting the new blood, and another memory surfaced. Eldritch flying across the canal. He kicked back hard against the heel of Eldritch’s boot and flames shot from the sole. Unbalanced, Eldritch’s grip loosened. With new-found strength Sin pulled the knife from his throat and ducked away as the pistol in Velvet’s hands screamed.

  The nail punched through Eldritch’s coat, impaling his leg, yet he still lunged at Velvet, slicing down with the blade. The pistol took the full force of the blow and in an explosion of steam it flew from her hand. Eldritch barrelled into Velvet, knocking her to the ground. She rolled and pulled a knife from her boot but Eldritch had already limped through the infirmary door.

  Sin hauled Velvet to her feet. “Come on. We need to stop Eldritch,” he said.

  CHAPTER 39

  TRAITOR’S GATE

  Outside, the street was deserted. Fortunately, there was only a light smog this evening and Sin caught sight of a figure limping away.

  They sprinted after Eldritch, hurtling down back alleys and side streets.

  “He’s heading for Doctor Frankenline’s,” panted Sin.

  “How far?” asked Velvet.

  “Couple more streets.” Sin pushed harder, his new blood flooding his muscles with energy.

  “He’s messed up,” shouted Sin eagerly as they turned into Crosses Court. To their left an archway led to Patriot’s Gate but Eldritch had taken the right-hand arch, Traitor’s Gate.

  “City council welded the gate shut. We’ve got him.”

  They ran through the arch and their pace slowed, pulling to a halt halfway down the street. It was deserted.

  “Where’s he gone?” said Velvet.

  A cruel laugh behind them answered the question. Eldritch stood, blocking their exit. He had a curved blade in one hand and a rapier in the other. “Did you really think I was running scared from you two?”

  “More limping scared,” said Sin. His gaze darted around the street, looking for anything he could use as a weapon, but there was nothing.

  Eldritch advanced. “Please. I had to slow down so you could keep up.”

  Velvet stepped to one side and drew a second long dagger from the folds of her dress. “So why lead us here?” she said, tossing the dagger to Sin.

  “I could hardly kill you in front of all those patients in the infirmary. Far better to have you meet your demise away from the lab. That way the experiments can continue.”

  Sin circled right. “What are the experiments? What am I infected with?”

  “It’s not an infection. It’s an enhancement. This new blood will make our soldiers quicker, stronger and immune to disease and poison gases. We will decimate the enemy in their trenches while our forces advance unscathed.”

  “What do you mean, ‘our soldiers’? I thought you worked for the King’s Knights, not the government,” said Sin.

  “The King’s Knights are the government, or as good as. We do their dirty work and they turn a blind eye. We will ensure that Britannia stays great and the sun will always shine on the Empire.”

  Sin scuffed his soles over the cobbles making sure his feet were firmly placed. He could sense Eldritch was about to attack. “You seem pretty confident considering you’re outnumbered and have a nail in your leg.”

  Eldritch lunged at Velvet, twirling the rapier. She jumped back but not before Eldritch had put a long gash in the sleeve of her dress.

  Sin glanced at Velvet and saw the fear in her eyes. For all the training and practise Lilith had given her, Velvet had never been in a real fight.

  Eldritch turned the blade towards Sin. “You couldn’t escape me when I recruited you. Nothing’s changed.”

  But something had changed. He had. COG had taught him that one person could make a difference. One person could be responsible for taking or saving hundreds of thousands of lives. He now had something bigger than himself to fight for and, if necessary, something bigger to die for.

  “Velvet, listen to me,” said Sin. “Don’t argue, and don’t hesitate. I’m going to delay this piece of crap traitor. You need to get clean away. Tell COG about the lab and tell Zonda I’m sorry.”

  Velvet nodded. Sin grasped the dagger tightly, his knuckles turning white. “On three. One, two …”

  Sin charged towards Eldritch. Time slowed. Eldritch’s rapier arced towards him. He parried with the dagger and the blade slid past his chest. He barrelled into Eldritch’s midriff and, in a huff of exhaled air, they clattered to the cobbles. Time snapped back. Sin rolled away but Eldritch speared forwards with the rapier, skewering his shoulder. Sin screamed as the metal cut deeper. Eldritch clambered to his feet, pinning Sin to the ground. Fighting the pain, Sin glanced down the street to see Velvet fleeing around the corner.

  Eldritch raised the second blade. “She’ll not get far. I’m going to enjoy killing her once I’ve finished with you.”

  “You’ll be leaving that boy alone,” said a gruff voice from along the street.

  Sin turned his head. The Fixer prowled through the arch into Traitor�
�s Gate, his long rag coat flapping in the breeze. Behind him slunk a rabble of urchins, their eyes burning with malicious intent.

  A warm sensation spread through Sin, taking away some of the pain in his shoulder. The Fixer had been like a father to him. Not a good father, but a father all the same. Sin knew the Fixer didn’t forget, and he certainly didn’t forgive, and Sin owed him. But if he was going to die here at Traitor’s Gate, it should be at the hands of the Fixer, not Eldritch.

  With a click of the Fixer’s fingers, the urchins flowed from behind him, spreading across the street. “That boy’s mine, and don’t let it be said that the Fixer don’t take care of his own.”

  “You think a bunch of kids are going to stop me?” sneered Eldritch.

  The Fixer flashed a gold-toothed smile. “You ever seen a fighting dog taken down by a pack of rats? Razor teeth ripping flesh from bone. Sure it don’t end well for some of the rats but it ends a lot more nasty for the dog.”

  “You come at me and more than one will die. I just want the boy. Do the maths.”

  “A pack’s not about science. It’s about heart, knowing you belong, knowing someone’s got your back. Knowing whether you fight or fall, you do it together.” The Fixer made the tiniest of gestures with his fingers and knives, clubs and all manner of weapons appeared in the urchins’ hands. “Something tells me you’re not part of a pack. I reckon you don’t have the heart to die over this boy.”

  Sin screamed, the blade in his shoulder twisting as Eldritch lowered his head and whispered, “You’re dead already, boy. Let Doctor Frankenline continue your legacy. He has your blood and with the formulas in your keeper he can create a legion of pangenetic warriors. Don’t let the secret die with you. What’s the keeper’s combination?”

  Sin raised his head. “One … two … damn you,” he said.

  Eldritch pulled the rapier free. “No lifesaving injections for you, boy.”

  Sin saw the yellow poison coating the blade and his head sunk back onto the cobbles.

  Eldritch kicked his heels together, flame billowed from his boots and he shot into the air as his coat transformed into wings.