by Marty Chan
Ehrich shook his head. “Send me alone with Kifo? I need some backup in case he decides to betray me.”
Xian shook her head. “You know the island. Kifo can take control of Edison. Anyone else on the mission is redundant.”
Mr. Serenity volunteered, “I will stay behind.”
“You can take General Ning Shu,” Xian offered.
Ling Po cocked his head to the side. “Risk a member of the House of Qi? Your stewardship skills are slipping. Of all the people who cannot go on this mission, Ning Shu stands at the top of the list.”
Ning Shu said, “I’ll stay onboard to ensure you adhere to the deal, General Xian.”
Ehrich argued. “You put the two of us out there on our own, he’s going to slash my throat the first chance he has. I want Amina with me at the very least.”
“Fine,” General Xian said. “If you succeed in taking over Edison and returning with Ba Tian, Kifo will release your brother.”
“What if I choos-s-e not to give up my little friend?”
Ning Shu’s nostrils flared. “Whatever personal grievances you or anyone else may have, this is no time to act on them. I made a promise to Ehrich to help him and you are the only one who can fulfill that promise no matter what I think of you.”
“Then it would s-s-seem you are beholden to me, Ning S-S-Shu.”
Ling Po slammed his hand on the desk, a razor-sharp tael in the other. “Break your word and you will answer to me!”
Kifo stared at the floor. “I unders-s-stand, Ling Po.”
Ehrich turned to Xian. “We bring you Ba Tian, you make Kifo release my brother.”
“When I see Ba Tian on my airship, Kifo will do as you bid,” Xian said.
“In this sector, a handshake is a promise. A commitment of honour,” Ehrich said. He held out his hand to shake on the deal.
Her hand felt clammy and limp.
UNLIKELY REUNION
The airship hovered over the East River. Devil’s Island awaited. Ehrich and Amina climbed into a skiff hooked to cables. A squad of soldiers pushed the boat over the closed bay doors. Already onboard, Kifo tested his metal arm, flexing the metal talons of his new hand. He smirked at Ehrich as if he were sending a message with his menacing claws.
On the deck, Xian and Ling Po flanked Ning Shu and Mr. Serenity. Xian handed Ehrich a grey metal box about the size of Ehrich’s fist. On top of the box was a small tube and on the side was a gear wheel. Through the lattice panel, Ehrich could see the internal workings, which consisted of a system of gears, a nest of wires, and a bank of tiny diodes. She shouted over the wind blowing through the bay doors. “If you find Ba Tian, go to the pier farthest north along the Hudson River at night. Turn the gear on the side until the tube opens and releases an antenna. It will transmit a signal to my airship. When we pick up your signal, we will come to collect you.”
“How can you send a signal without wires?”
Xian ignored his question. “Only use the radiotelegraphometer when you’ve completed your mission. Do you understand?”
“Yes!” Ehrich took the small box and stowed it in his satchel.
The airship floated north of the island. Ehrich gripped the sides as the boat dropped slowly through the bay doors and to the river below. The moonless night offered the perfect cover for their descent. Ehrich suspected that the hunters would never think to look up for an attack. Usually, they were more concerned about people trying to leave the island and not the other way around.
The skiff splashed in the water and rocked back and forth with the rhythm of the river current. The scent of the salt air penetrated Ehrich’s nostrils. He slid to the aft and unclipped the cables while Amina worked on the lines at the prow and Kifo snapped off the cables on the side of the boat.
Once free, the craft began to drift along the current. Ehrich reached for the oars, but Kifo waved him off. He held up his metal hand. The fingers splayed out like blades. Kifo tapped a button on the forearm and the metal appendages extended, then began to whirl around like a fan. The assassin crept to the back of the boat and dipped his whirling hand into the water to propel the boat.
“S-s-show me the way,” Kifo said.
“Aim for the first island. There’s a blind spot on the shore where the patrols never go.”
The only sounds of the night were the waves lapping against the boat and occasional sputter of Kifo’s propeller hand in the water. Ehrich leaned to Amina and whispered, “Keep an eye on him.”
“You’re mad, Ehrich. This is a farce. Kifo knows Ba Tian isn’t in the prison.”
Kifo snickered. “Of cours-s-se, I know.”
Amina spun on him. “Then what’s your game?”
“Thomas Edis-s-son. We control him, we control Demon Gate. We can bring back Ba Tian.”
“You could have given us away on the airship,” Ehrich said.
“Then I wouldn’t have a guide to lead me to my quarry. If you two are finish-sh-sh-ed bickering, we have matters-s-s to attend to.”
Ehrich gritted his teeth.
They sat in silence as the boat puttered toward Randall’s Island, the smaller of the two land masses. The island was once home to Nikola Tesla and his laboratories, but after the attack on Devil’s Island, Ehrich didn’t know what had become of his mentor and his facilities. He intended to learn the truth.
The skiff ran up against the rocky shore. A few hundred yards over, a watchtower lit up the night, but the light was directed on the island pathways, not on the sea. They had arrived undetected.
No hunters patrolled the shore. When Ehrich worked for Tesla, at least one patrol roved the island. Now, the shore was deserted.
The trio hauled the skiff up the island and hid the craft behind some foliage. Then they trekked toward Tesla’s tower, the tallest structure on the island.
Ehrich whispered, “We can try to sneak onto Devil’s Island across the bridge between the two islands, but we may have to subdue the hunters.”
Kifo flexed his steel talons. “I can’t wait.”
“Subdue,” Ehrich reiterated.
Amina crouched low and followed Ehrich as he headed toward the tower. He slowed as he neared the building.
“What is-s this-s-s s-s-tructure?” Kifo asked.
“Tesla’s laboratory. He constructed the weapons the hunters use here.”
“Ah, yes-s-s. Your companion. Do you think he might be there?”
“I doubt it,” Ehrich said.
“Then who left the lights-s-s on?” Kifo pointed at the top of the tower. Indeed, one of the lights was on.
“We need to take a detour,” Ehrich announced.
Amina turned and raised an eyebrow. “Are you sure about this?”
Ehrich pointed up at the lighted window on the sixth floor.
Kifo shrugged. “I mus-s-t admit; I, too, am curious-s-s.”
They crept to the entrance of the tower and spotted the first signs of any kind of security. Four armed hunters patrolled the base of the tower. Ehrich didn’t recognize any of them. Older than the regular hunters on Demon Watch, these ruffians were at least thirty. They looked as if every one of their years had been spent in a boxing ring or street fight. Ehrich crawled on his hands and knees until he was within earshot. Their conversation might offer a clue as to who was in the tower.
One of the hunters, a menacing fellow with a scar across his face, spit on the ground. “You hear the latest about the demons on the waterfront?”
The others shook their heads.
“They’re turning into a mob. Heard there was a riot at the Tunnel Project.”
A scrawny man with a hooked nose laughed. “Eliot, we’re on the wrong detail. Would have loved to been down at the Tunnel Project to break some heads.”
The others agreed.
“The week’s young,” Eliot said. “Edison called for more troops to be deployed to break up the mob. The situation is a powder keg ready to go off. Only a matter of time before…boom.”
“What’s Edison think of a
ll this?” another hunter asked.
“Happier than a pig in mud. The more the demons squawk, the more the mayor listens to him. Edison can get anything he wants. Troops. Money. Anything.”
“I’d like some of that to trickle down,” the hook-nosed man said.
“Don’t worry. The gravy will seep down.”
The men laughed at what seemed like an inside joke. After a few more minutes spent listening to a debate on the relative merits of various professional athletes, Ehrich crawled back. The hunters weren’t about to give any useful information. The once-hidden door in the smooth white stone wall had been replaced by a heavy iron door with a large metal lock. Whoever was inside the tower was a prisoner. Ehrich thought back to Wilhelm’s comment about Tesla, and he worried his friend may be in trouble.
He crawled back to Amina and Kifo. “I have no idea what’s up there, but it must be important enough to need four guards in front of a locked door. We need to distract the hunters and lure them away from the tower.”
“What about the lock?” Amina asked.
Ehrich lifted his foot and pulled open the heel of his shoe to pull out his lock pick set. “You two need to lead the men away. Okay, Kifo? Kifo?”
But the assassin had slipped away. Amina and Ehrich searched the area. The sounds of battle caught their attention. They rushed back to the tower base just as the last of the four hunters clutched his bloodied throat and collapsed. Standing over him, Kifo brandished his metal claw and admired his handiwork. He had dispatched the men in a matter of seconds.
“What do you think you’re doing?” Ehrich said. “They’ll notice four bodies down here.”
“All the better to bring them here while we s-s-sneak on to the main island don’t you agree?”
“We could have distracted them and come up with the same results.”
“Dead men make a better impact.”
Amina shook her head. “No more corpses, or you can get on the island by yourself.”
“S-s-suit yours-s-self. S-s-step ins-s-side or I will have to be forc-c-ced to create another dis-s-stract-t-t-ion.”
Kifo operated on a level of twisted logic where bodies were a means to an end. Ehrich shuddered. He stepped over the bloodied corpses and examined the door. He slipped the tension wrench into the lock and drew it down while he inserted the hook pick into the mechanism to feel around for the pins. After a few nudges, he found the first one and gently lifted the pick, pushing the pin up. The work was intricate and required patience.
“Are you in yet?” Kifo asked.
“Shut up,” Ehrich hissed. He could pick the lock when no one was looking, but under the eyes of an audience, his hands always seemed to tremble just a little more than they should.
Amina said, “Stand over there, Kifo. Let’s give him some space.”
Ehrich grinned. His partner read his mind. He focussed on the task at hand and poked around for the second pin.
“Or we could do this-s-s,” Kifo said. The assassin kicked over the nearest corpse and searched his pockets. He crept to the second body and found what he needed: the key to the iron door. He tossed the metal key to Ehrich. “Makes-s-s for sh-sh-shorter work.”
A pang of envy shot through Ehrich’s cheeks. He wished he had thought of searching the fallen hunter, but he was so intent on showing off his skills as a lockpick that he forgot the obvious. Of course, simplicity was always the best solution. He inserted the key in the lock and opened the door. Then he beckoned the others to join him as he entered the tower.
Layers of dust covered the white marble tiles of the lobby, except for where footsteps headed toward the winding staircase. Ehrich followed the trail and led the group up the stairs. At each level, they checked for hunters, but the only security detail seemed to be lying dead outside the tower. As Ehrich looked around the familiar surroundings, he noted that much of the equipment had been removed from the labs. Other than the lab stations and worktables, the areas were bare as if the traces of Tesla’s work had been systematically erased.
Kifo seemed particularly interested in the content, or lack of content, in each of the rooms. “What happened? I thought this-s-s was-s-s a great man of s-s-scienc-ce. What of his-s-s work?”
Ehrich shrugged. “Your guess is as good as mine.”
Amina hushed them both. The faint clatter of chains echoed from above. They slipped up the steps and approached a closed door. A sliver of light emitted from the crack under the door. The sound of the chains rattling grew louder.
“Perhaps-s-s it is-s-s the ghos-s-t of Tes-s-sla,” Kifo quipped.
Ehrich ignored the comment and pressed his ear against the wooden door. A metal rattle and a low groan sounded in the room.
Ehrich cracked the door open and peered inside. He was rewarded with the sight of the tall Serbian who had been his mentor and friend. The man’s limbs were outstretched and chained to metal supports.
Ehrich stepped into the room. “Mr. Tesla?”
The man lifted his weary head. “Ehrich?” His eyes narrowed when he caught sight of Kifo. “Behind you!” he gasped.
Amina entered the room and raised her hands. “No. Calm down. He’s with us.”
Tesla’s hardened gaze turned to bewilderment. “What? I don’t understand.”
Ehrich loosened the straps around his friend’s wrists and ankles, and considered how he might strap Kifo into the restraints. He explained everything to his mentor, noting that Kifo now possessed the body of Ole Lukoje.
“Where are your gadgets-s-s?”
“Edison took them,” Tesla said, rubbing his sore wrist.
“What happened to you?” Ehrich asked.
“A long story, my friend. After you escaped from the prison, I returned to my cell while the hunters ran frantically through the hallways searching for what they thought was a stray dog. By the way, Amina, I am most impressed with your device. What clever disguises the cameo can create and all by a simple means of projection.”
“Thank you, sir. Do you still have it?”
“Sadly, Mr. Edison took the device away along with most of my laboratory equipment.”
“Why did he put you in the laboratory?” Ehrich asked.
“My tower has become an interrogation centre. The cad had the gall to use my own AC generators to shoot electricity through my body to extract information.”
“Did you tell him anything?” Amina asked.
“What was there to tell? I knew nothing of what happened to either of you.”
Kifo cocked his head to the side. “He has-s-s taken everything? What of the items-s-s taken from the Dimens-s-sionals-s-s?”
“Everything has been transferred to his private laboratories. He has been amassing all the technology he can find. I think he means to study the devices for any commercial applications.”
“Where is-s-s his-s-s fac-c-cility?”
“He has two. West Orange and Menlo Park.”
Ehrich stood up. “You’re free.”
“Ah, good work.” Tesla clapped his hand on Ehrich’s shoulder.
“Do you know where Edis-s-son is-s-s now?” Kifo asked.
He shrugged. “Not a clue. I only see him when he needs to ask a question about one of my inventions.”
“Then this-s-s has-s-s been a was-s-te of time.”
“Nothing is a waste of time when we gain another ally,” Amina said.
“All I need is-s-s Edis-s-son,” Kifo said.
A voice sounded from behind them. “Don’t worry, you’ll see him soon enough.”
The trio turned to face Wilhelm, flanked by Margaret, Gino and half a dozen other hunters.
PARTING OF THE WAYS
Ehrich raised his hands and backed up between Amina and Tesla. Kifo crouched low, tensing for battle. The hunters outnumbered them. They couldn’t fight their way out. The best thing to do was bide their time and wait for an opportunity to escape.
Wilhelm aimed his dynatron pistol at Kifo’s head. “At this range, demon, I’m not going to mis
s. Hands up.”
Kifo refused.
“You were right, Wilhelm. Ehrich is a traitor,” Margaret spat at Ehrich. “I didn’t really believe you until now. Demon lover.”
Ehrich straightened up. “They’re not demons. They’re travellers, Margaret. You weren’t always like this. What happened to you?”
Her gaze hardened but she said nothing. Gino answered for her. “What happened to Charlie—it’s on your head, Ehrich.”
He flinched, feeling the hard sting of the truth. Their former squad leader, Charlie, had been seriously injured at the hands of travellers, and it was all in the pursuit of a lead Ehrich had convinced him to follow. He searched Gino and Margaret’s faces for any sign of the comradery they once shared as fellow squad members but whatever trace had existed now had been replaced with the bitter hate fuelled by their belief that he had betrayed the hunters. He returned their hateful glares, forging a thick skin of indifference against their hatred.
Wilhelm said, “I told Commissioner Edison about our run-in, and I said you would come to see what happened to Tesla.”
“You didn’t need to torture him,” Ehrich said.
“No, we didn’t,” a new voice declared. “Although, I do tend to be thorough.”
Thomas Edison entered the lab, appearing as frumpy as he did the first time Ehrich had seen him at the tenements. The man had never seen the clean side of a brush. A bit of silver in his hair gave him a distinguished air, but he was unkempt. Still, he carried the weight of authority as the hunters cleared space around him.
“Your assumptions were correct, Wilhelm,” he said, clapping the German teen on the shoulder. “I owe you a hundred dollars.”
“You will never receive the wager, unless you have a promise in writing,” Tesla shot back.
“Still nursing the old grudge, Mr. Tesla. I told you before, you don’t understand American humour. Now, is this the culprit who turned Demon Watch upside down?”
Wilhelm nodded to Ehrich.
