by Marty Chan
“What if they don’t?”
The Serbian stroked his moustache. “We might be able to fly up there.”
“Can you manufacture something?” Amina asked, opening one eye.
“I once played around with the idea of spinning rotors that could lift a machine into the air. Unfortunately, all of it is up here.” He tapped the side of his head.
“Then why bother telling us?” Ehrich said.
“Ehrich, he’s trying to help,” Amina scolded.
“Trying doesn’t get us to Kifo. Unless someone thinks of a real plan, I suggest we keep our thoughts to ourselves.”
Tesla placed his hand on Ehrich’s shoulder. “I understand your urgency, but we are doing the best we can.”
Ehrich glared at his mentor. “Not good enough. We’ve wasted all this time on a stupid wild-goose chase, and now we’re stranded down here while Kifo is up there.”
Amina pointed out, “So are our friends.”
“If Kifo succeeds, Demon Gate is wide open for Ba Tian’s forces.”
“You gave him the idea in the first place,” Amina accused.
“If I didn’t do something, we’d all be prisoners on the airship and Mr. Tesla would be stuck in that torture room Edison set up.”
“You put everyone at risk just so you could get what you want.”
“Amina, I could have left you all and hunted for Kifo on my own, but I didn’t. I know what’s at stake. For all of us. How could you doubt me?”
“Tell me one thing, Ehrich. Would you have even returned to the airship if you caught Kifo?”
“Of course I would have,” he answered.
She glared at Ehrich, then walked away.
“Amina,” Ehrich called out and started after her, but Tesla stepped in front of him.
“She isn’t ready to listen,” Tesla said. “Let her be.”
“You believe me, don’t you?” Ehrich asked.
Tesla smiled then turned his attention to a pigeon walking along the street.
Alone, Ehrich wrestled with Amina’s question. He would have done the right thing when the time came, he thought. He was sure of it, but the more he tried to convince himself the less he believed.
They returned to the pier at nightfall. Ehrich searched the sky for any sign of an errant cloud, but he spotted only the stars. The twinkling lights dotted the sky—a thousand possible worlds. Right now, he wished he stood on any one of them. He let his quest for Kifo consume him. His friends had warned him when he set the fire at Edison’s laboratory and risked innocent lives. Bess had chastised him for using Charlie, his best friend, as bait to lure Kifo. But he ignored them all because he believed he was acting selflessly. What could be nobler than to rescue the soul of his brother?
Everything he had done was far from honourable. He risked lives and friendships in the name of saving his brother. He used people. Ehrich was essentially the same as Kifo—a ruthless manipulator with no thought or care toward others.
He stewed for the rest of the night. The thought gnawed at him, robbing him of his sleep. A few hours later, he confronted the truth, and his face burned with shame. He stood up and walked along the cobblestone street until he found Amina. She feigned sleep.
“Can we talk, Amina?”
“What do you want, Ehrich? I’m tired.”
“What you said hurt.”
“The truth often does.”
“You’re right. I’m sorry, Amina. I’ve been deluding myself into thinking that I’m doing the right thing. I didn’t realize it until now.”
“We want the same thing, Ehrich.”
“I know, and I appreciate everything you’ve done. I won’t leave you in the lurch. We’re not going to leave our friends to suffer up there.”
“What about Kifo?”
“He’s not going anywhere. Our first priority is our friends.”
She nodded.
“Can you forgive me, Amina?”
She opened both eyes. “I look forward to storming the airship with you at my side.”
“At your side? I thought I would lead the charge.”
She elbowed him. “If you fight as well as you pick locks, we’re in trouble.”
He laughed.
She glanced at the sky. “I hope we’re not too late.”
v
Ning Shu reeled from the recent events. In the aftermath of the assassination of General Xian, the Council of Arch Generals had been dissolved, and Ling Po had been locked up in the brig. Though Ehrich’s signal had been spotted, the generals were more concerned with why Xian possessed a seal of the House of Qi. No one knew what to make of the jade tael she had been wearing. By the customs of their people, Ba Tian was to have been in a seven-year period of mourning. He was not allowed to take another wife during this period. By the protocol of the Council of Arch Generals, no general could fraternize with another for fear of consolidating power. Yet, the jade tael was proof Ba Tian had contravened the laws of the people, and it was proof that he had put his love and trust in General Xian.
Now Ning Shu understood why the woman refused to relinquish her power because—as another member of the House of Qi—she had equal say in matters.
The generals fell back on protocol. With a member of the House of Qi back, there was no need for a steward. No one even considered a vote on the issue; although, Xian’s cohorts had raised the idea of voting for a new steward. Gu Shan reminded them the House of Qi appointed the steward and was entirely up to Ning Shu. This seemed to silence the haughty generals.
In the meantime, Ning Shu had ordered the airship back to the Hudson River rendezvous point to collect Ehrich’s group. In Ling Po’s quarters, she sat behind the desk as Mr. Serenity gathered the scrolls and placed them to one side.
“The Council of Arch Generals is in upheaval. No one knows what to make of Xian’s position. They are arguing about whether Ba Tian gave her the jade tael as a promise or if they were secretly married.”
“How does this matter?” Mr. Serenity asked. “Either way she is dead.”
“If she is my father’s wife, then Ling Po is guilty of assassinating a member of the House of Qi and should be executed immediately without trial.”
“And if she is not?”
“Then he is entitled to plead his case before the Council of Arch Generals.”
“Do you think he believed Xian was pulling a weapon on you? Or do you think he wished she was? I mean her death did clear the path for you to be restored as the sole authority in your father’s absence.”
“I don’t know.”
“Either way, you have the reins, Ning Shu, and for that I’m grateful. We can finally put an end to the invasions.”
She agreed, but Mr. Serenity’s words nagged at the back of her mind. A knock at the door distracted her. She answered it. Gu Shan flanked with his escorts stood in the hallway. He bowed to her.
“General Ning Shu, I have a message. Ling Po would like to speak with you. In private.”
“How is he?”
“As well as can be expected, given the circumstances. He is aware that he may be facing execution.”
“I owe him an audience. Tell him I will see him shortly.”
Gu Shan bowed. She closed the door. “Mr. Serenity, will you be all right here?”
“Yes, but be careful. Xian may still have allies.”
“I suspect that, without the hand of Xian guiding them, they won’t be causing anymore trouble.”
She left Mr. Serenity in the quarters and took a personal guard to the brig. She instructed everyone to wait outside the entrance, which was the only way to Ling Po’s cell.
“But we need to protect you against Ling Po,” the lead escort claimed.
“He’s a dear friend, and he’s in the brig. I will be safe as long as you make sure no one gets past you. I’m assuming you are capable of defending this door.”
The escort snapped to attention. “Yes.”
She then stepped into the hallway and closed the door. A
t the far end of the corridor, two red hands peeked out through the bars of the bamboo cell. She pieced together what to say to her friend and mentor as she slipped toward the cell. The man had sacrificed his career to save her from what he believed was Xian’s attack. His actions resulted in her regaining power over the army. A twinge of guilt fluttered in her chest as she realized she was going to use her newly restored authority to tear down the very army Ling Po had helped to build up. Still, she owed it to her mentor to at least express gratitude for saving her life.
She stopped in front of the cell. Ling Po looked bruised from the battle that erupted after he shot Xian. Some of the younger generals had been overzealous in tackling him. He beamed when he saw Ning Shu.
“Thank you for agreeing to meet me,” he said. “I wasn’t sure if you would come.”
“It’s the least I could do, Ling Po. I’m sorry for your treatment.”
He shook his head. “This is for the best. I could have sworn Xian was drawing a weapon on you. Curse my old eyes and my overly cautious nature. If I had known otherwise, I would not have shot her.”
“Although you did give a solution to our problem.”
The old man rubbed his red hands together. “Yes, I suppose there is some small comfort that we achieved our end, even if the means were not ideal.”
“And with Xian out of the way, I’m sure the young generals are scrambling to find a foothold in the council. They must be quaking at the thought that they may be accused of colluding against me.”
Ling Po clapped his hands. “They will fall in line. They are followers. In the absence of Ba Tian, they were only too happy to fall in march step behind Xian. Now that she is dead, and the rightful heir has been restored, they will obey your every command.”
“I’m curious about one thing, Ling Po. Was this your plan all along?”
“You are the House of Qi, Ning Shu. You are our leader. I would give my life to protect you. This was my single driving thought in the chamber.” He reached out and took her hand, patting it.
“I wish I could open this cell door, Ling Po.”
The old man smiled. “All I need is your hand.”
“I need you at my side. Governing without your guidance will be difficult.”
Ling Po shook his head. “The only one who can challenge you is your father.”
“Yes…I suppose.”
“And he will not be returning to this dimension any time soon,” he said.
Ning Shu stiffened. “My father is in prison.”
“Please, your friends stranded him in the other dimension.”
Ning Shu shook her head. “You’re mistaken, sir.”
Ling Po tightened his grip on her hand, refusing to let go. “I saw the whole thing with my own eyes.”
“Let go.”
He refused, drawing her closer to the cell. The scent of sulphur filled the air and Ning Shu felt herself separating from her body. The last thing she saw was the medallion around the neck of her mentor. The gears of the Infinity Coil stared back at her. The gears within the loops began to whir. The stench of sulphur choked out all the air in her lungs. Then blackness.
BETRAYAL
Wu Bei and Zhengfu Zhe rowed the craft to the Hudson River pier. Like many of the other soldiers, Wu Bei hated the airship and yearned for the chance to step on solid ground again. He had heard rumours of some kind of upheaval among the generals. No one had seen General Xian in some time, and now Ning Shu was giving the orders, including the one to retrieve her friends. As a soldier, Wu Bei knew to keep his head down and keep questions to himself.
He glanced at the approaching shore and spotted Ehrich and Amina pacing around the pier. Behind the pair stood a tall man he did not recognize.
“I don’t see Ba Tian,” Zhengfu Zhe declared. “They must have failed.”
When they neared the pier, Wu Bei tossed out a line. Ehrich snatched the rope and tied it off around the mooring post.
“You promised to free Ba Tian,” Zhengfu Zhe accused. “Where is he?”
Tesla pushed past the two and announced, “It’s about time you picked up the radiotelegraphometer’s signal. We have narrowed his location, but we’ll need the airship to sneak into the premises.”
Zhengfu Zhe tilted his head. “Who are you?”
Tesla smiled without missing a beat. “I had to assume a new body. It’s me. Kifo.”
Wu Bei sighed. “Orders are orders, Zhengfu Zhe. Get them into the skiff.”
An hour later, the group rowed along the Hudson River. Ehrich and Amina sat together in the middle of the boat. Tesla perched on a bench at the stern, his hand resting on the codex.
As Zhengfu Zhe rowed, he glanced at the device, raising an eyebrow and trying to get his partner’s attention. Wu Bei was too busy rowing to notice Zhengfu Zhe pretending to clear his throat. Tesla noticed. He picked up the codex and clutched it protectively. Ehrich joined his mentor at the back of the boat. He flashed a disarming smile at Zhengfu Zhe.
“Not yet,” Ehrich whispered to Tesla.
His plan had been fashioned after his act at the Bijou. When they neared the bay doors, Tesla was to transmit an image of Edison walking away on the deck of the airship. If the plan succeeded, the soldiers would scramble after the apparition while Ehrich and the others slipped out of the skiff. They would leave the deck and search the ship for Ning Shu and Mr. Serenity. The only kink in the plan was the two scouts in the boat, who were the key to getting on to the airship.
Zhengfu Zhe asked, “What’s that book for?”
“It’s something we took from Edison,” Ehrich lied. “It’s what we need to get into the prison where they are holding Ba Tian.”
The red scout nodded, but his gaze lingered on the codex.
When the cables lowered from the airship to the skiff, Wu Bei and Zhengfu Zhe grabbed them and attached them to the craft’s mooring rings. Now all they had to do was wait for the airship crew to reel them up. Ehrich had no more need of the scouts.
At the rear of the craft, he shifted closer to Tesla as Zhengfu Zhe settled onto a bench in the middle. Ehrich nodded to Amina. She slid behind Wu Bei at the bow of the boat. He scrunched his face, suspicious.
“What’s going on?” he asked.
Amina drew her pistol from behind her back and aimed it at Wu Bei. Ehrich trained his weapon on Zhengfu Zhe’s back.
“Take off your weapons and drop them overboard,” Ehrich instructed.
The pair reluctantly obeyed. Ehrich pulled out his Darby handcuffs and Irish 8s as the boat rose in the air.
“Hands behind your back,” Ehrich ordered.
Zhengfu Zhe hesitated until Ehrich jabbed the barrel of the pistol in his back. He complied. His thick wrists were too wide for the Irish 8s. Ehrich slapped the Darby cuffs on the man’s arms and screwed the key to engage the lock. The scout wasn’t going anywhere.
Now the skiff was high over the water and about halfway up to the cloud. He reached into his satchel for a pair of leg irons to snap around Wu Bei’s huge wrists. He waved at Amina sitting behind the behemoth and held up the cuffs.
“I have you covered, Wu Bei,” she said. “Try anything, and I’ll fry you in the back. Understood?”
He nodded as Ehrich moved around Zhengfu Zhe. The boat started to rock from the movement. Wu Bei grabbed the sides of the boat and shifted his weight to one side, throwing Ehrich off balance. The skiff listed. The cuffs slipped out of his hands and plummeted to the river below. Zhengfu Zhe lashed out with a kick into Ehrich’s back, sending him reeling toward the side of the boat.
Amina fired an electro-dart at Zhengfu Zhe, but Wu Bei shifted in front of her. The dart grazed the back of his arm discharging energy into his flesh. Howling in pain, he swung backwards and clipped Amina’s gun, sending it to the floor.
She wrapped her arms around the man’s neck and tried to hold him down. He lashed out with his legs and connected with the off-balanced Ehrich, sending him overboard. He grabbed the side just in time, but the wet side
s didn’t give him enough traction and his forearm was still weakened from his fight with Ole Lukoje. He began to slip.
Tesla shouted, “Hold on.” He started to stand. Zhengfu Zhe slammed the back of his head into the scientist’s midriff and the codex.
Ehrich’s hand began to slip. Zhengfu Zhe raised a foot to step on his fingers. Amina snagged the pistol with her foot, pulling it closer to herself. She tried to reach down with one hand while she clung to Wu Bei with her other arm. He thrashed in the boat, causing it to rock wildly.
Finally, Amina grabbed the pistol and aimed it at Zhengfu Zhe. The electro-dart struck him square in the back and ignited into a shower of sparks. He slumped down in the boat unconscious.
Wu Bei elbowed her in the ribs with his good hand, knocking the wind out of her. Then he grabbed her arm, slamming it against the side of the boat. She gritted her teeth to shut out the pain.
Ehrich hauled himself halfway into the boat, just enough to reach the pistol on the floor. He picked it up and fired. A dart struck Wu Bei in the midsection and lit up his body. The charge even shocked Amina, who now lay flattened under the big man. Ehrich hauled himself into the boat and helped pull the unconscious scout off her.
“You okay?”
“I’ll be all right.” Her wrist started to swell.
He glanced up at the cloud. “Hold on. We’re almost there. Mr. Tesla, hit the projection. Mr. Tesla?”
He whirled around. Tesla knelt on the boat floor, trying to piece together the shattered codex.
Too late. The cables reeled the boat through the bay doors and into the deck, where a dozen armed crimson soldiers waited for them. The bay doors closed underneath them. They were trapped.
v
“No,” Ning Shu said, stepping out from behind the retinue of crimson soldiers. “They are not to be harmed.”
The soldiers lowered their throwing discs. Ehrich glanced at his companions, bewildered. Mr. Serenity stepped forward to help the group climb out of the boat. They left the unconscious scouts behind.
“What’s going on?” Amina asked.
“Ning Shu is in charge,” Mr. Serenity whispered.
