The Golden Owl (Clockwork Calico Book 1)

by Lana Axe

  “That’s terrible!” Nellie exclaimed. “Is Lionel all right? He’s a kind man. I’d hate to see him come to harm.”

  “Yes, he’s all right,” the cat said. “But I fear he’s still in more danger. I’m not sure what Morcroft is planning, but if you see or hear anything unusual, would you tell me about it?”

  “Of course I will,” Nellie said. “We start working just after dawn, and we’re frequently parked two blocks south of your apartment. You can meet me there, and if I’ve seen anything, you’ll be the first to know.”

  “Wonderful,” Cali said. “You have my thanks.”

  “I’m happy to help,” the horse replied. Neighing, she bobbed her head at the calico cat.

  Cali purred and nodded. It was good to have someone so familiar with the streets keeping a lookout. She’d be able to give perfect directions to wherever Cali needed to investigate. At least it might spare her from navigating the sewers with Emmit.

  As the two said their goodbyes, the passenger returned to the carriage, and Nellie trotted away. Cali waved with her tail and hurried back to the apartment. Letting herself in through the window, she scanned the interior for any sign someone had been there in her absence. Everything was as it should be. Curling herself into a ball, she napped away the afternoon.

  * * * * *

  Emmit padded along the alley, keeping his tiny body near the wall. It was the best way to remain unseen, especially when it came to humans. They had a tendency to shriek or stomp when they saw him.

  In an effort to keep his promise to Cali, Emmit had spoken with every mouse, rat, and squirrel he’d come across since morning. None of them had witnessed anything strange. He would ask again in a day or two.

  Ducking inside a sewer grate, the little mouse navigated the subterranean like an expert. He avoided every hazard: water, debris, and especially the alligator who hid under Second Street. By now he was quite comfortable with the route to Morcroft’s workshop. He’d been traveling there for weeks without knowing what sort of man he was. Now that he knew him to be dangerous, he would take extra precautions. A mouse could never be too careful. An easy meal near Morcroft’s place was likely to conceal a trap.

  Streetwise Emmit knew the look of most mouse-killing devices. Snap traps were all the same, and he recognized them easily. Sticky traps were a bit trickier. They tended to blend in. He avoided those by keeping his feet clear of all paper, instead skirting around the edge until he was sure it was safe. Tossing a pebble to see if it stuck was also a good idea.

  Once, Emmit had seen a small cage trap attached to a spring. It was bated with a juicy piece of sausage. His mouth had watered, and his eyes had gleamed, but he couldn’t find a way around the trap. Eventually a fox came along and grabbed the sausage. Being far too big for the tiny cage, it had simply landed on its wide back and bounced off to the side.

  Slits of daylight revealed the exit just ahead, and the mouse poked his head out to see if the coast was clear. A few people stood nearby, but they were facing the other direction and far more interested in their own affairs. Staying low to the ground, he continued on his way to the workshop.

  Arriving at the door, he stood on his hind legs and looked it over. It was boarded up with several wide planks reaching across it. It would take a lot of work to force it open unless, of course, someone had the use of gunpowder. Emmit smiled to himself. The door was far beyond repair. Morcroft would have to purchase a new one. Maybe he’ll think twice before kidnaping anyone else, Emmit thought.

  For a moment he considered letting himself in through a slit in the planks where the window had been. There could be valuable information inside. Unfortunately, the dog would still be in there too, and Emmit didn’t have another trick up his sleeve. If the dog was loose, Emmit might not make it very far before he was attacked. For now, at least, he decided not to take the risk. If there had been anything useful, Lionel probably would have spotted it. I’ll wait until I see something suspicious, he decided.

  Emmit went about his day and spent the evening close to the workshop. He awoke only a block away, and decided to check on Morcroft before grabbing breakfast. To his surprise, there were three men working on the door. Two were holding the heavy door in place, the third positioning a set of gears. Using a noisy tool, he fashioned the gears to a fixture against the metal, securing them in place. Another large section went on top, forming what Emmit supposed was a security device. It looked impenetrable.

  This finding was significant, he decided. If he and Cali needed to get back in, this lock wouldn’t easily be picked. He was used to simple locks with tumblers. This one was unlike anything he’d seen. Not wanting to leave before he had all the information, he waited and watched. The men went inside, a whirring noise echoing from within the shop. It was an hour or more before they came back outside. Attaching a thin set of wires to the apparatus, they ran the lines back inside.

  That’s trouble, Emmit thought. He’d seen a similar device installed at the museum after Morcroft’s heist. Basically it let off a charge if the proper key was not inserted into the lock. Anyone who tried to enter uninvited would be blown to bits. The next time they needed inside the shop, they’d have to find another way. Emmit decided to visit with Cali and let her know about the new door.

  A few steps toward Cali’s, and Emmit’s stomach begged for food. A short detour wouldn’t waste too much of his time. Stopping near a bakery, he searched the perimeter for a crust of bread. Jackpot, he thought as his eyes landed on a half-eaten honey roll. Leaping for it, he covered it with his body and looked all around to make sure there were no competitors watching. Darting around a corner he found a nice opening in the brick to hide in. Nibbling at the bread, he savored its sweet flavor.

  With his hunger satisfied, he carried the remaining roll away for safekeeping. Halfway to the factory, he spotted movement. A round metal automaton, barely larger than himself, clinked along on seven legs. The eighth leg held a shiny round object. This was certainly something worth noting. Securing his honey roll in his teeth, he tiptoed toward it.

  Oblivious to his presence, it moved along, its steps uneven and clumsy. Closer now, he could see it with more detail. It was all metal, likely brass, and it was scratched and dented on its dome-shaped top. Scrap metal had probably been used in its construction given its shabby state. As it clinked along, Emmit thought it reminded him of a spider. That’s exactly it, he realized. Someone had built a mechanical spider and set it loose in the streets. But why?

  Emmit kept the spider in his vision until it disappeared around the corner of a building. A door opened in front of him, forcing him to a halt, lest he be squished by two humans coming out of the building. Impatiently, he waited for them to step aside before racing after the spider. When he rounded the corner, it was gone. His shoulders drooped as he realized he’d lost it.

  With a sigh, he turned around, ready to head back to the factory. A soft plinking echoed in the grate nearby, and he realized the spider must have dropped down. He approached the grate cautiously. This was not the type he would normally enter. The drop was too far for a mouse to fall, but the metal creature was sturdier than a mouse of flesh and bone. He saw a glint of metal as the spider righted itself and disappeared in the darkness. Drat, he thought. There was no way to follow it.

  Back at the lamp factory, he ducked inside his nest. It was a cozy place, situated inside the factory wall. He’d found enough scrap fabric from the lady workers to build a nice soft bed. The line that supplied heat to the main factory room ran right through this section of wall, so winter was easy on the little mouse. It was a perfect home, safe and warm. As he licked the sticky sweetness from his paws, he wished his stomach were bigger so he could eat some more. It would just have to wait. Crossing the factory floor, he made his way to the little flap on the door to Cali’s apartment.

  Pausing outside of it, he realized that he’d always avoided this opening. What mouse would want to get close to a cat? Especially an enhanced cat. Emmit let out
a soft laugh, amused by his situation. Instead of mortal enemies, the two had come together in what he now considered friendship. A strange friendship indeed, he mused before letting himself in.

  Cali’s ears perked up at the squeak of hinges. “Who’s there?” she called. Slinking low across the apartment, she searched for signs of heat. Her tensed muscles relaxed as she recognized the shape of a mouse. “Emmit,” she said. “What have you found?”

  “Greetings,” the mouse said cheerfully. “I wanted to tell you that Morcroft has repaired his door and placed a new lock on it. I don’t think we’ll be able to get in that way again. It’s rigged to explode.”

  “Did you look for another way in? We might very well need access to that workshop.”

  “I didn’t,” the mouse admitted. Why hadn’t he thought to look for one? The news did her little good without an alternate route inside. “I’ll check the area for a window or a path through the sewers.” He doubted he’d find one, but he still scolded himself for not looking. Morcroft’s office was secure, his privacy a serious concern. He wouldn’t want anyone to be able to get inside without his knowledge.

  “Is that all?” Cali asked.

  “One more thing,” Emmit told her. “There was an automaton, a spider. It was carrying something shiny.”

  “A clockwork spider?” she asked. “What on earth?” The finding wasn’t suspicious. It was absurd. Who would want such a thing? Most people were terrified of spiders. Cali didn’t mind them. They had a nice crunch to them.

  “I couldn’t follow it,” Emmit said, disappointed. “It disappeared in the sewers where I couldn’t enter.”

  Cali scratched a claw against her chin. Could Morcroft have created the spider? “You don’t know what it was carrying?”

  “It was round and shiny,” the mouse replied. “Probably metal.”

  “A coin?” Cali offered.

  “That’s it!” Emmit said, excited. “I don’t know why I didn’t think of it. Yes, it must have been a coin.”

  “That still doesn’t make any sense,” she said. “What would a clockwork spider need with a coin? Did someone drop it, and the spider was returning it? Or was the spider sent to retrieve it?”

  “I didn’t see it pick up the coin,” Emmit replied.

  “It’s all right,” Cali said. She gave the mouse a reassuring pat on his back. “Keep your eyes peeled and let me know if you see any more of those spiders.” They were probably nothing. Some tinker was likely experimenting, and that’s all there was to it. “I appreciate your help, Emmit.”

  Leading the way to the kitchen, she hopped onto the table and unwrapped a small cloth bundle. Inside was a bit of cheese. Emmit’s eyes gleamed as he saw it. Deep orange in color, its rich scent called out to him.

  “For me?” the mouse asked.

  “Yes indeed,” Cali replied. “All yours.”

  It was far too large for Emmit to carry in one piece, and his stomach was too full of honey roll to eat much more. Making a little room, he nibbled at the edge of the cheese, savoring its freshness. Cheese was usually hard and possibly molded by the time it came to him. This was a treasure beyond all expectation.

  “I can help you carry it back to your home if you like,” Cali offered. She knew it was too large for the little mouse to carry alone.

  “That’d be lovely,” Emmit replied.

  Grasping the cheese in her mouth, Cali followed the mouse through the factory and tucked the cheese inside his nest. She found it odd that she hadn’t noticed the small, asymmetrical hole in this portion of wall. It was directly behind Florence’s desk. Being so well-fed had obviously lessened her mousing skills. As she returned to her apartment, Cali wondered if she was still capable of being an effective mouser. She would surely never look at a mouse quite the same way again.

  “Cali wake up! There’s another spider, and it’s not far from here!” Emmit’s little paws dug into the furry feline’s side.

  The calico awoke with a start, nearly jumping straight out of her skin. Blinking the sleep away, she repeated, “Spider? Spider!” Opening the window, she said, “Take me to it.”

  Emmit led the way, galloping along the street and dodging the feet of several passersby. Cali remained hot on his heels. Three blocks away, Emmit paused midstride.

  “Did you find it?” she asked, scanning the area with her enhanced eye. She saw no trace of anything mechanical or otherwise.

  “I-I…” he stammered. Spinning around, he looked down the alleyway. Defeated, he said, “I lost it.”

  Swallowing her disappointment, Cali said, “It’s all right, Emmit. There’s no telling where the thing was going. And I’m sure it’s faster than a mouse with all those legs.” Sniffing at the air, she decided to go for a prowl. She could spot one of the automatons from a farther distance than Emmit with his small eyes. “I’m going for a look around,” she said. “You want to come along?”

  “We’re not too far from Morcroft’s,” Emmit said. “I’ll check around over there first and meet up with you afterward.”

  “Good idea,” Cali replied. “I’ll head that direction.” She pointed off to the left. “If you can’t find me, just wait for me at the apartment.”

  Nodding, Emmit scampered off across the street. Cali kept her shoulders low as she headed down the alley. Wet newspapers littered the narrow path, but there was no sign of the spider. Her senses tingled, all setting themselves to high alert. These spiders were a sign of something bigger, and she’d bet anything that Morcroft was behind them. He had probably wanted Lionel to construct them for him. Whatever he was doing, she had to find out before it caused more danger for her friend.

  Emerging into the sunlight, Cali spotted Nellie’s carriage. Perfect timing, she thought.

  “Hello again,” the calico called to her.

  “Cali!” Nellie said with a neigh. “Just the cat I wanted to see. I have news to report.”

  “What is it?” Cali asked, planting herself on the sidewalk next to the horse.

  “I saw the oddest thing,” the black-and-white horse began. “It looked like a spider, except it was all metal and had a small winding mechanism on its back.”

  “You’re not the first to tell me about them,” Cali said. “Where was it?”

  “Less than a block from Morcroft’s workshop,” Nellie replied. “But its location wasn’t as strange as its actions.”

  I knew it, Cali thought. Morcroft is behind this. “Tell me,” the calico implored.

  “It climbed up a gentleman’s pant leg, snatched a small purse from his pocket, and fled.” The horse recounted the tale with a shudder. Clearly the incident had unnerved her. “I whinnied and tried to get my master’s attention, but he rubbed my nose and told me to calm down. He didn’t see a thing.”

  “Humans are like that,” Cali replied. “Did you happen to see where the spider went after it stole the purse?”

  “I did,” the horse replied proudly. “It tucked into a tiny flap in Morcroft’s door.”

  Wrinkling her brow, Cali wondered if Emmit had missed something when visiting Morcroft’s workshop. “I thought the new door was sealed tight and armed.”

  “New door?” Nellie wondered. “No this is the same door that’s always been there.”

  An idea came to Cali. “Wait a minute,” she said. “Where is Morcroft’s workshop?”

  Nellie gestured straight forward with her nose. “Three blocks ahead, make a right, then go two blocks and turn left. Third building on your right.”

  Cali’s mouth gaped open. He has a second workshop. “Thank you, Nellie. You’ve been most helpful.”

  “Happy to help,” the horse replied.

  Flicking her tail, Cali darted across the street, wondering if she should retrieve Emmit before heading to Morcroft’s alternate workshop. To her surprise, he found her first. His voice squeaked from the distance, her ears straining to make out the words.

  “Cali!” Emmit called. “Come quick!”

  Bounding forward on e
nhanced legs, Cali sped toward him. “What’s wrong?” she cried.

  Pointing with his tail, the little mouse directed her attention to a brass spider scurrying along the sidewalk. The clockwork creature moved with an odd gait. Three of its legs appeared to be slightly shorter than the others, throwing it off balance. If Morcroft built it, he did so in a hurry. Lionel would never have been satisfied with such shoddy workmanship.

  Emmit started forward, but Cali reached out a paw to stop him. “Wait,” she said, her voice no louder than a whisper.

  Stumbling along its way, the spider twisted its head side to side. It paused for a moment, then started moving again.

  What is it up to? Cali’s muscles tensed, aching to pounce. Patience, she reminded herself. She had to see what the spider was planning.

  A man and woman linked arm in arm appeared on the sidewalk. They strolled casually along, enjoying the fine air, completely unaware of the spider heading their way. Cali and Emmit sat perfectly still, waiting and watching.

  Folding its legs, the spider shortened its height by half. Low to the ground, it crept along. Zooming in with her mechanical eye, Cali saw what appeared to be pads on the bottom of its feet. The creature was now moving with silent steps. As it hopped onto the woman’s skirt, she realized the foot pads were also used for gripping.

  “Look!” Emmit squeaked. The spider was making its way up the woman’s back. With delicate arms, it reached out to unhook the necklace she wore, slipping it over its own head.

  That was all Cali needed to see. Bounding forward, she timed her pounce to catch the spider as it descended the woman’s dress. A powerful leap sent the calico flying through the air, a yowl of displeasure sounding from her throat. Thwack! She landed square on top of the spider, pinning it in place. The woman screeched in surprise, tumbling face first to the ground. Cali sat atop her back, wrestling with the clockwork spider. Metal legs thrashed as the spider tried to free itself. It was no use. Cali clamped her jaws tight, refusing to let go.