As luck would have it, there was one of those two-wheeled things used to cart about heavy objects in the office. Most warehouses had at least one. That no one had stolen this one was a testament to just how unsettling the place was.
The crate stood on its end lengthwise, so it was easy enough to get the lip of the transport cart underneath it. Then Toby did the pushing and Jack steered them down the path of least resistance to the exit.
Theyd gotten to the dooralmost outwhen Jack heard it. It was the sound of metal in need of oiling, of mechanical parts grinding together and squealing in protest.
The flesh between his shoulder blades tingled, and he turned his head.
Climbing out of one of the holes in the floor was an automaton. It appeared incredibly human, dragging its ragged torso across the floor. Its lower half had been ripped away by something strong. Its gaze was menacing as it settled on Jack. You cannot take that, it said in a tinny voice. Please do not.
There was such sincerity in its voice that Jack had second thoughtsagainabout this job.
Jaysus, is that thing talkin? Tobys voice was shrill, his eyes wide.
It is, Jack murmured. Then, louder, Sorry...mate. Im being paid to deliver this to St. Pancras.
The metal looked up, pivoting its torso to meet his gaze. God, but it was unnerving! St. Pancras?
Something in its tone pinged Jacks intuition. Telling it about the drop had been the right thing to do. Saying more was the right thing, as well, because as hed been talking to the thing, more had joined italong the walls in the shadows, on the ceiling. Not manymaybe threebut enough to kill both him and Toby with ease.
Yeah. That okay with you?
Its smooth metal head nodded. Take it and go. More are coming.
The words echoed with Jacks intuition. Something was coming. Something worse than the things in this room.
Go, Jack commanded, giving Toby a shove. Go now!
They burst through the door of the building with their prize, Toby pushing and Jack steering. As they raced toward the carriage, Jack saw Philippe raising an Aether pistol. Hurry, mes frères, we have company!
Jack didnt glance behind, or to either side. He could feel them closing in, every nerve screaming with it. He ran faster, and so did Toby.
Jack didnt glance behind, or to either side. He could feel them closing in, every nerve screaming with it. He ran faster, and so did Toby.
They reached the carriage. The cargo brace had already been lowered. They dumped their cargo onto it and pulled the lever. Automatically adjusting clamps closed and tightened around the box as it lifted and drew back toward the carriage.
Get in, Jack commanded, finally glancing over his shoulder. Good God. Philippe, get us out of here.
Oui! The fabric covering his horses was sucked back into their backs, and the Frenchman turned a key in a panel near his leg. Allons-y!
Jack jumped into the carriage just as it started moving. They tore away from the warehouse as if the hounds of hell were at their heels.
He glanced out the back window. There had to be at least a dozen automatons chasing them, and several humans on velocycles.
Faster, Philippe! He shouted just before the first shot rang out.
Apparently they werent the only ones who wanted the crate, but their pursuers were willing to kill for it.
Chapter 3
Philippe! Jack yelled. Had his friend been shot?
Oui! came the reply, followed by a grinding sound that meant he was raising the armored backdrops behind himself and the rear of the carriage that would protect them from further shots.
What the devils in that crate? Toby asked, loading a strange-looking rifle with even stranger-looking ammunition.
Not a bloody clue, Jack replied. Toby, are those marbles?
Specially designed Aetheric spheres. The rifle snapped shut. Theyll put a hole in a man and stop anything with an engine dead in its tracks.
Good to know. Avoid killing anyone. Were going to attract enough attention as is.
Aye, Jackey-boy. With that, he pulled down the window, leaned out of the carriage and fired.
Jack took the other side, carefully aiming his Aether pistol at the automaton that looked like a rubbish bin with limbs about to jump onto the back of the carriage. Thankfully his aim was trueit was difficult to maintain a steady hand in a vehicle picking up speed on a rough stretch of dock.
Bloody hell. This was going to cause a bit of a ruckus. So much for discretion.
Get us out of here, Philippe! Jack yelled, firing at another rapidly moving piece of metalthis one a strange dog/human hybrid with glowing red eyes. It was the sort of thing nightmares were made of. His first shot sheared off its right front leg at the joint, but it continued to run on three. He fired again, and it fell to the street, sparks flying.
Toby had taken out several, as well. They continued shooting, until all that was left were their human pursuers. They were in a carriage, as well, and quickly gaining on them. One of them hung out the passenger side, a rifle raised to his shoulder.
Jack fired and missed as his carriage hit a rut. The man fired back, the shot imbedding itself in the carriage exterior just above Jacks head. These bounders were playing a deadly game, shooting to kill. Jack pulled the triggerhis gun failed.
He should have asked for three thousand. If he lived through this, he was going back to Abernathys house and stealing the silver again. All of it.
Another shot hit just in front of him, sending splinters flying into his face. He raised his arm to protect his eyes and pounded his pistol on the door frame. Maybe a little violence would induce the bloody thing to work properly.
Over the top of the carriage, he saw the flash of Tobys riflethe pellet struck the front of the vehicle behind them and flared. The pursuing carriage sputtered to a stop in the middle of the street. Toby cheered in victory and raised his first two fingers in a rude salute to the swearing men trying to get their vehicle working again.
Ive got to ave one of those, mate, Jack enthused as they both dropped back into their seats. Good going, Philippe!
Très bon, mes frères! Très bon came the reply on a wave of maniacal laughter.
Jack and Toby chuckled, as wella release of nervous energy. That had been close. Theyd had closer, Jack especially. Once, hed stared down the barrel of a pistol just inches from his face while trying to pull his trousers on. Luckily for him, the wife of the man holding said pistol chose that moment to throw a pillow at her husband, and Jack took the opportunity to jump out the window. Hed landed in a rosebush, and despite being scratched senseless by the thorns, hed run to his carriage barefoot, laughing like the idiot he was to have been diddling with a magistrates wife in the first place. Obviously the man hadnt thought his wifes honor to be worth hunting Jack down, but just to be safe hed never returned to Exeter.
His smile at the memory faded as the carriage sped on toward St. Pancras and he brushed slivers of wood from the front of his coat. He hadnt anticipated tonights attack, but hed felt it in the warehouse. Hed known something was wrong and he hadnt gotten him and his men out of there fast enough to heed the warning bells clanging in his head. That was badly done of him. Philippe and Toby knew there could be consequences to working with him, but if one of them had been killed tonight...
Well, Abernathy would owe him more than money. As it was, the viscount owed him an explanation, or at least an apology.
What the hell was in that crate?
It wasnt easy getting the crate into St. Pancras. Fortunately, the train stop wasnt terribly busy, and Jack and his friends had disguised themselves as laborers to make their activities less interesting to anyone who might see them.
The tricky part was going to be getting the crate to the correct spot, as it required them dropping onto the tracks and down a bit, unless Toby could get them into the maintenance rooms.
As luck would have it, the train pulled out of the station just as they arrived on the platform, so for the time being they had the place all to themselves.
Dont dawdle, Jack said to Toby as his lanky friend crouched in front of a service door, lock-picking tools in hand.
At one time it had been easy to pick a lockthey were practically all the same, and a master key was as good as gold. Then people starting taking their home security more seriouslya ring of body snatchers who werent too picky about whether or not their victims were already dead when they set upon them would do thatand locks became more intricate. Now there were punch cards and clockwork mazes, secret codes and what have you.
Fortunately, the one on this door was a simple clockwork piece. Jack could have picked it himself, but the benefit of being the one running the show meant not getting the knees of your trousers dirty.
There was a noise beside hima muffled sliding sound. Frowning, Jack turned his head. Had it come from inside the crate? He listened again, but all he heard was the gentle clicks of Tobys tools, and Philippe singing a French song under his breath.
Were in, Toby crowed as he pushed the door open.
Jack clapped him on the back. Well done, mate. Lets go. He could hear footsteps approaching, some of which did not sound human but more like the clang of metal on stone. Had their pursuers caught up to them?
Philippe pushed the trolley over the threshold with Toby holding the door. Jack followed, catching the door before it closed all the way. Through a slit no wider than his index finger, he watched as two men and an automaton appeared on the platform. He didnt recognize them, but they certainly looked like men on a mission.
Where do you think they went? one asked.
The shorter one glanced toward the track. Probably caught the train.
And leave that remarkable carriage? I wouldnt.
Well, theyre not here. I dont see them on the trackthey wouldnt have gotten far. Theyre limited to the public areas. They must have taken the train.
Jack stifled a chuckle. These two werent dressed well enough to be aristocracy, but they were gently bred all the same. Upper class, perhaps. They were the sort who naturally assumed everyone played by the same set of rules as they.
Well, theyll be coming back for that carriage, so I say we watch that. We can always follow them. We have to get that crate. If it falls into the wrong hands...