The yell the man made as the poison hit his skin was very satisfying, but Nellie didn’t have time to think about it. She rolled and picked up the gun on her way, rising to a standing position and aiming it at the men, who had gathered before her in a truly menacing fashion. She noticed Cora running at her from where the Fog stood screaming in pain and trying to contend with the dagger that had pierced her hand.
“Nellie, cover me!” instructed Cora, and Nellie, following behind her, discovered that they were now standing by the flying pack thing.
“Listen carefully,” said Cora as she strapped the contraption onto herself. She handed Nellie a small box, which, upon closer examination, she realized was the device that controlled the bomb. “You keep that away from them. Don’t let anyone get it.”
“How did you—”
“When the dagger went through her hand, I took my chance. Just like you did. Fought my way free, then swiped it off her while she was still reacting to the pain. Great minds and all that.” Cora grinned as she attached the last strap across her waist. “Look, you can’t let anyone push that button, okay?” She indicated a big brass button in the center of the device.
“Can’t you just deactivate the device? You’re the one who made it!”
“I don’t have the tool to open it up, and even if I did, it’s such a sensitive task there’s a very strong chance I’d set the bomb off.”
Nellie nodded. “Okay . . . I’ll protect it. What’re you doin’?”
“I’m going to defuse the bomb.”
“Cora!”
“Don’t let anyone touch that damn button. Cover me till we reach that tunnel, and then . . . it’s all you.”
“What about the Fog?”
Cora glanced over her shoulder. “I think Michiko’s got that covered.”
Nellie ran with Cora to the tunnel, aiming the gun right at the Fog, who was yelling instructions to her men.
“Cora, I don’t think I can kill anyone.”
“Then don’t.”
Cora pushed a button on the pack and activated the cavorite. She floated a few feet in the air and aimed herself in front of the tunnel.
She looked at Nellie and gave her a reassuring smile. “You can do it,” she said, and then switched on the rockets. It came to life with a loud rumble.
She was gone into the darkness, and Nellie found herself surrounded by evil-scientist-henchmen types.
“Hiya,” she said.
* * *
CORA WAS FLYING faster than she’d anticipated, and following the curves of the tunnel at this speed was treacherous, to say the least. She learned quickly how to use the two levers at the base of the pack to control her direction. The tunnel bent and twisted and snaked its way underground until it started to head upward. Cora could see the sky approaching. Just a little more, she thought to herself, just a little more . . .
And then all I have to do is defuse a type of bomb I’ve never heard of in my life.
Piece of cake.
She burst into the night sky and was already high above Hampstead Heath before she realized where she was. My God, the tunnels crossed the entire city; it was quite a piece of work really.
Focus, Cora . . .
It was a typical London evening, the sky filled with low-hanging clouds. She flew into their cold wetness and turned off the rockets. She slowed to a stop, the cavorite keeping her levitated.
It was hard to see, and it was so dark.
The goggles.
She risked letting go of one of the steering levers, and pushed the goggles back onto her face, flipping the green glass down. With her renewed ability to see, she stared through the fog, twisting and turning her head in every direction, up, left, right, down . . .
There it was. Floating a little below her. She wondered for a brief moment if anything would have happened had she flown right into it.
She decided that that thought gave her the willies, and so she wasn’t going to think it anymore.
Cora steered herself toward the bomb.
* * *
THE GUN WAS heavy, and Nellie could understand why Cora had used her hip to support it. She couldn’t play keep away with this thing weighing her down, but she could hardly drop it either.
Wait . . . what was that button Cora had pushed to make it all come together?
Nellie tried to look threatening as she felt around the gun . . . she felt something on the side but remembered that was the button Cora had pushed to evaporate the creatures and quickly took her finger off . . . that would not be a good one to push. She felt around some more . . . wait.
There was a small button on the bottom, she could feel it. Did she dare?
She looked around and noticed Michiko standing with her sword raised and the Fog taking hold of her sword as well. Everyone was doing their part. She had to do hers.
Nellie pushed the button and the gun fell to pieces at her feet. All that remained was the small cylinder in her hand. That she could handle. She hung the remote device around her neck and took a deep breath. Then she reached into her pouch.
Time for some magic.
She threw the flashcube on the ground and it exploded in a burst of light and then smoke. The moment it hit, she launched herself toward the crowd of scientists and flipped over them as they bent over coughing and sputtering. She was running across the room before they even registered that she’d gone. But they’d be on her tail soon enough. The hall . . . she could take them on one at a time from there.
She changed direction and made her way toward the stairs. There was a very large man waiting for her by the door. She whipped off her cape and wrapped it around his head, pulling on it as she did. He stumbled and fell down the stairs, and she ran up his body and out of the giant cavern. She was flying down the hall in no time, the rest of the scientists coming up fast behind her. Okay. Time to try it out.
Nellie stopped and turned and whipped off her glove, aiming what seemed to be an empty hand at the men. They stopped running and backed up a few paces. Then, it seemed, it dawned on them that she wasn’t actually holding anything. They relaxed a little.
“Stay back,” she said as she felt for the small silver hoop at her left hip. “I’m warnin’ you. I don’t want to be hurtin’ any of you.”
Dr. Mantis moved to the front of the queue.
“Now, now, pretty girl,” he said in that soft way of his. He took a step toward her.
“Stay back!”
I really really don’t want to hurt you.
He didn’t stay back.
She pulled the chain. A tongue of fire came bursting out of the funnel at her wrist and shot toward the evil-scientist-henchmen guys. It flooded the tunnel, and they ran screaming back the other way. Nellie released the chain, and the fire vanished. She saw then that Dr. Mantis’s jacket had caught fire.
“Shoot,” she said. “Why didn’t you run?!”
He was screaming in pain, and she approached him as near as she could.
“Roll around on the ground. It’ll put the fire out. Do it now, damn it!” She was very familiar with fire safety procedures, having had to leap through blazing hoops and even swallow some flames on occasion.
Dr. Mantis did what she said, and finally the fire was out.
He stared at her.
“Why would you help me?”
“Well . . . I don’t know really.”
“Run,” he said. Nellie was so taken aback that she just stood there. “Run away and out of here. Go, now!”
Nellie finally realized what he was doing and nodded. She turned and ran. She ran down the hall and through the blue-green room. She stopped short when she came to the trip wires in which Mr. Staunch lay tangled. It’s safe, she told herself. He had already activated all the darts. Just go. She took a deep breath and was about to run when she remembered.
“Michiko.”
* * *
“OKAY, LET’S GET this over with,” said the Fog. “I understand the whole honor thing, but really, I don’t
have the time for this. I’ll defeat you, with only one good hand even.”
Michiko wasn’t listening; she was watching. Where had the Fog learned to fight? In school, maybe. Who knew? But she wasn’t the great warrior that Michiko had thought she was. Now that she saw her in person, Michiko realized the truth. It was the element of surprise that had worked in her favor. That was all. Face-to-face like this, the Fog didn’t stand a chance. Not with only one hand that worked. She was clearly in pain. It seemed almost cruel.
But she did, after all, kill Hayao.
Wait for the first move. The first move reveals all.
But she killed Hayao.
Patience, little monkey, patience.
“Oh, come on, do something already!” The Fog attacked. It was a more precise movement than Michiko had anticipated, but she defended and deflected, and moved out of the way.
They were still again. Facing each other again.
She examined the expression on the Fog’s face. Frustration.
Interesting.
The Fog attacked again, and again Michiko deflected and moved out of the way.
“What is this, some kind of game to you?”
Another attack, another deflection. This time the next attack followed immediately and Michiko fought back, parrying every attack and then spinning out to the side so that she could be on the offensive. Now she attacked, one two, slice, cut, then stop. She pulled back, took several steps backward, and stood at the ready.
“Why do you keep stopping? Why can’t you just fight!” cried the Fog as she launched herself at Michiko again.
Because you want me to.
* * *
THE BOMB WAS huge. Bigger than any Cora had ever seen; bigger than she was by a long shot. Cora flew around it and examined it from all angles. It looked like she’d have to take it apart from the bottom, which meant she’d have to take it down to the ground. This would have to happen delicately.
* * *
NELLIE RAN DOWN the hall, knowing that soon enough . . .
There they were to greet her, all the evil-scientist-henchmen guys.
Nellie wondered why they were acting as the Fog’s henchmen in the first place.
Good question.
* * *
THE SOUND OF metal on metal. And then stopping.
The Fog screamed in frustration and drew her pistol. She aimed and fired.
Michiko deflected the bullet with her sword.
“No,” she said.
“Yes.”
Another shot, another deflection.
Again.
And again.
Until there were no more bullets.
“No,” said Michiko again.
The Fog tossed the pistol to the ground.
“Fine.”
* * *
“WHAT I DON’T understand,” Nellie was saying, her finger in the hoop at her hip and ready just in case, “is why any of you are doin’ this. Do you lot really want to blow up London? You know she’s not takin’ you with her, right? That’s not possible. So if anyone survives, you’ll all be blamed for this. And anyway, won’t you miss London? It’s a nice city.”
The men all stared at her, mouths slightly agape.
“Yes, okay, I don’t want you to kill me, and you’re definitely not gettin’ this wee device here around my neck, but at the same time, when you think about it . . . you’re all bein’ a little rash, don’t you think?”
A murmur rose up in the group as the men started to talk with one another.
“Aren’t you supposed to be some of the brightest minds in the city? I think you’re takin’ your loyalty to your secret society a bit too serious. And. I’ll tell you somethin’ else. If you all just stop this nonsense and head on up topside right now, I’ll get you all free tickets to one of the Great Raheem’s magic shows. Now, what do you say to that?”
* * *
ON THE HEATH, sitting where one usually picnics: a bomb.
Beside it, a girl. With her tools. Like she was fixing the chain on her bike.
* * *
STILLNESS.
Now Michiko. Now.
It’s time to attack now.
* * *
“AND ANOTHER THING, don’t any of you have families, and a life outside of inventin’ dangerous weapons? I think you do. I think you were just enjoyin’ the ride so much, you didn’t notice when you went over the edge of a cliff.”
* * *
THE INSIDE GLOWED, and clockwork pieces turned slowly, each influencing the other, every movement leading to the next. Where is it? The solution. The off switch. It had to be somewhere. Think, Cora, think.
* * *
FIGHT, MICHIKO, FIGHT.
Not for your life, not for your honor, but for justice.
It was time.
* * *
CORA SAW. SHE knew. It was time.
* * *
“IT’S TIME,” SAID a short squat scientist. “It’s over. The Magician’s assistant is right. Let’s get the hell out of here.”
* * *
“DO IT.” THE Fog lay on the ground, her sword far to one side. She’d been so easy to disarm. It had been so simple.
The blade was at her throat, and Michiko stood over her.
“You are bad.”
“No,” replied the Fog. “Just underappreciated.”
That. That I can understand, both the word and meaning, thought Michiko. But I don’t care.
“Don’t,” said Nellie from the entrance up the stairs. Michiko looked up at her. “She’s not worth it. Let’s go.”
For the first time since she’d started the fight, Michiko was aware of the bigger picture. The room was empty except for that creepy, bald doctor who stood in the corner. He was staring at Nellie in confusion. He called out, “Why are you still here?”
“I came for my friend,” she replied.
Friend. Michiko knew that word. Friend.
She nodded. It wasn’t right to kill this woman. It hadn’t been a fair fight. And revenge, however sweet it might feel in the moment, soured over time.
She sheathed her sword, turned to Nellie, and nodded.
“Where everybody go?” she asked.
“Home,” said Nellie. “Like us.”
Home.
Too complicated a word for her. Too many meanings, and not one truth.
“Michiko!” cried Nellie.
Cold steel at her throat, a blade digging into her skin, sharp pain.
“Give me the device.”
* * *
“GIVE ME THE device,” the Fog called out to Nellie, holding a dagger to Michiko’s throat.
Nellie’s stomach fell. Her warning had come a moment too late. What should she do? She couldn’t just hand this woman the device. What if Cora hadn’t finished deactivating the bomb yet?
“If I give you the device, will you let her go?”
“Yes.”
“I don’t trust you.”
“I don’t blame you.”
Okay okay okay. You can do this, Nellie. You can do it. Think . . . “On the count of three,” said Nellie, “you let her go and I’ll toss it in the air. You’ll have to catch it.”
The Fog nodded. “One.”
“Two.”
“Three.”
The device flew up into the air, and Michiko was pushed aside.
The Fog caught it. She looked at it. “What the hell is this? This isn’t the device. You little monster.” And she tossed the silver cylinder to the ground. It rolled for several feet then stopped, landing on its stomach, as it were, depressing the tiny button.
Michiko picked up her sword and walked carefully backward up the steps to join Nellie.
“Give me the device!” screamed the Fog.
Little bits and pieces of metal started to slide across the floor and collect themselves at the silver cylinder behind where Dr. Mantis was standing, staring in confusion at the Fog.
“No,” replied Nellie. “It’s over. You lose.”
&nbs
p; The Fog let out a scream of pure, white-hot rage. She turned and grabbed Dr. Mantis, who kicked his feet from under him, struggling for his freedom. By doing so, he nudged the now fully reconstructed Chekhov, which slowly started to roll over . . .
. . . onto the large button on its side.
The Fog placed her knife to Dr. Mantis’s throat this time.
“I’ll kill him.”
“And I have mixed feelings about that.” After all, thought Nellie, he did try to have both me and Cora killed. Then again, he did let me go this time . . . This hero business was complicated.
“Gun,” whispered Michiko.
Nellie saw the glow.
“Move!” she yelled at the Fog. “Run!”
“No more distractions, little Magician’s assistant. The device or death!”
Cora, I hope you were successful. “Fine, just take it, but run!” She tossed the device at the Fog. Who caught it deftly.
And . . .
Poof.
Like that.
The Chekhov fired.
Dr. Mantis was gone.
And all that remained of the Fog . . . was mist.
51
After
WHEN LONDON DIDN’T explode, Nellie felt quite confident that Cora had done her duty. But it wasn’t until the girl dragged herself to the entrance of the Tower Subway that she knew that Cora herself was truly okay.
“You’re alive!” exclaimed Nellie, squeezing her so tightly she could hear Cora gasp for air.
“Well, I was, but not for long if you keep squishing the life out of me,” she replied.
Nellie released her. And Michiko gave Cora a little bow, which Cora returned.
“What took you so long?” asked Nellie.
“Well, first I had to hide the flying pack, couldn’t very well lug it around with me. I’ll go get it tomorrow, take it home and give it a once over. It’s rather magnificent. Then, of course, I had to get rid of the defused bomb. So I took it apart, which took some time. Then I hired a cabdriver to take me here to the river, where I disposed of its remains. All except for these.” She’d removed one of the pockets from the tool belt. It was wrapped around something. “It’s the uranium. I think we should give it back to Raheem and see what he wants to do with it.”
“Good idea,” said Nellie.
The Friday Society Page 30