The Airship Race (Clockwork Calico Book 3)

by Lana Axe

  “Yes he is,” Lionel replied. “And he’s going to have egg on his face when I go sailing past him.” Laughing, he added, “He should’ve spent more time on his airship than on this bucket of gears.” He kicked at the automaton’s severed leg.

  “You be careful,” she said. “I have only one brother, and I’m not prepared to lose him.”

  Lionel leaned over to hug her. “There’s no need to be afraid,” he said. “Let’s get out of this mess and have some tea.” Stepping over the scattered components, they made their way toward the kitchen.

  When they were out of sight, Gadget asked, “Did you really disable this thing?” His brown eyes were wide with amazement.

  “I did,” she replied.

  “Cali?” a voice squeaked. Emmit skirted around the edge of the open door. “What is all this?”

  “You missed the fun,” she said.

  “Cali took down a robot!” Gadget shouted.

  “What?” the mouse asked. He looked at Cali, then to Gadget, then back to Cali.

  “This is one of Morcroft’s sentries, or what’s left of it,” the feline explained. “It broke in last night and tried to smash Lionel’s engine.”

  “It must have been enormous,” the mouse said. “There are parts everywhere.”

  “It was,” she replied. “I’d say it was seven feet tall and weighed five hundred pounds.” She wasn’t sure about her estimate, but it sounded right. Besides, no one was checking her math.

  “How’d you disable it?” the mouse asked.

  “I disconnected its wires,” she said, showing her mechanical claws.

  Emmit nodded. He’d had some experience of his own disabling electrical systems. “Did it damage the engine at all?”

  “It never had the chance,” she replied.

  “It must have been scary,” Gadget commented.

  Cali shrugged as if it were no big deal. “It went down without too much fuss,” she said dismissively. She didn’t bother to mention that she’d been rendered unconscious.

  “So what’s next?” Emmit asked. He knew his feline friend too well to think she’d simply let the matter go. She probably already had a plan, and it likely involved him. All she had to do was share it.

  Taking a deep breath, Cali pushed down the feelings of anger and fear that had lingered since the robot’s arrival. She did indeed have a plan, but it was dangerous. And if her friends insisted on coming along, she’d be putting them in danger. Their lives were as important to her as Lionel’s, but what could she do? She would most likely need their help, so she’d have to allow them to join her.

  I’ll be there to protect them, she told herself. Letting out a slow exhale, she said, “Morcroft paid us a visit. It’s time we paid him one.”

  Gadget let out a pitiful whine.

  Cali placed her paw on his shoulder to reassure him. “You can stay here if you’d like,” she told him. “There’s no shame in being frightened.”

  The little dog’s eyes became wet. “No, I’ll help,” he said. “But I hope we don’t run into Morcroft. I don’t want to see him again.”

  Cali nodded. “We’ll make every effort to avoid him,” she said.

  “You didn’t say where we’re going,” Emmit pointed out. “Are we searching his workshop?”

  “I need to find his final schematics,” Cali said. “The race is only a couple of days away, so he’s probably drawn out his final plans by now.”

  “But you don’t know where the plans are,” the mouse replied.

  “True,” she said, “but I’ll bet you anything they’re in the most secure place he could possibly put them.”

  “The bank vault?” Emmit guessed.

  Cali chuckled. “No, not the bank vault. We’re going to his home.”

  “His house!” The mouse couldn’t believe it. “That’s crazy! It’s probably better fortified than a castle!”

  “It might be,” she said, “but there’s no other choice. Morcroft would want to keep the final plans to himself, ensuring that only he would know the true design. Showing it to anyone else risks exposure. If word gets out that he plans to cheat, he’ll be scrutinized by the judges and possibly not allowed to race.”

  “And by keeping the plans in his house, he avoids all prying eyes,” the mouse said.

  “Except ours,” Cali added, grinning with her fangs.

  Emmit shook his head. “I don’t know about this, Cali. We don’t even know where he lives.”

  “We don’t, but Gadget does.”

  The little dog swallowed hard. “I do,” he replied. “I remember the ride to his house the very first time. I watched out the carriage window and sniffed at the air.”

  “Can you tell us how to get there?” Cali asked.

  “Yes,” he replied, confidence returning to his voice. “I’ll take you there myself.”

  “Are you sure?” she asked. “It’s going to be dangerous. You can draw us a map if you prefer. That way you don’t have to see the house where you were kept prisoner.”

  “I can’t give you directions,” Gadget said. “I remember it by smell, not by street. I’ll have to use my nose to be sure we’re going the right way.”

  Cali nodded. “You’re indeed brave, my friend.” Turning to Emmit, she asked, “Are you coming?”

  “Of course I am,” the mouse replied. He’d never doubted he’d accompany her to Morcroft’s house, even if it was the most dangerous mission to date. He would never let her walk into such peril alone.

  Cali smiled. “It’s settled then. Let’s get going.”

  “Now?” Emmit asked. “How do you know he isn’t home?”

  “It’s early morning,” Cali replied. “He should be out all day on Guild business.” She had no doubt that as head of the Engineers Guild, Morcroft was a busy man. That’s why he had a team of workers building his airship. He didn’t want to get his own hands dirty when he could let someone else perform the bulk of the work. He was probably sitting in his office sipping tea at this very moment.

  “I hope you’re right about that,” the mouse said.

  “Wait,” Gadget said. “Won’t Lionel notice you’re gone?”

  “He’s too busy adding those fancy components to the engine,” she said. “As long as we’re back before nightfall, I doubt he’ll worry.”

  “Florence will miss me,” the dog said.

  “That’s true.” Cali hadn’t considered that. Florence might actually come looking for him. “We’ll have to make her think you’re staying here. Hop on the windowsill and curl into a ball.”

  The dog obeyed. Cali swallowed all her pride and jumped up next to him, snuggling up against his back.

  Emmit was about to ask what she was doing when footsteps sounded from the kitchen. He darted out of the way, avoiding the feet headed toward him.

  “Will you look at that?” Lionel said, pointing to the window.

  “Aww,” Florence said. “They’re so sweet.” She walked to the window and gently stroked Gadget’s fur. The dog didn’t budge, convincing her he was fast asleep. “Do you mind if he naps here awhile?”

  “Fine with me,” Lionel said.

  Florence leaned down to kiss Gadget’s nose and Cali’s as well. “I’ll come and collect him at shift’s end.” Glancing back only once, she let herself out through the rear door.

  When Lionel disappeared inside his workshop, Cali sat up. “That worked out well.”

  Emmit climbed up to the windowsill. “You’re a genius, Cali.”

  The feline smiled and shrugged. “Let’s get going.”

  Gadget was first out the window, sniffing at the air. “It’s this way,” he said, his nose pointing across the street. As Cali had shown him, he looked for traffic before crossing. Safely on the other side, he sniffed again. “Down here,” he said, leading them westward.

  “I’ve never heard of scent memory before,” Emmit commented.

  “All dogs have it,” Gadget said, continuing to sniff the air. “It’s how we know where we a
re.”

  “So you could navigate blindfolded?” the mouse asked.

  “Maybe,” Gadget said.

  They continued on, crossing streets and turning corners until they came near the bakery.

  “This is definitely the way,” Gadget said, inhaling deep. “It sure smells good over here.”

  “Yes, it does,” Emmit said. “Do we have time for a bite to eat?”

  “As long as it doesn’t involve scaring anyone to make them drop their food,” Cali said. She was aware of the average mouse’s tactics.

  “I would never,” Emmit said. “I usually check the bins behind the place for burned or day-old pastries.”

  Cali’s fur bristled. She didn’t want Gadget going anywhere near the trash bins. “You go ahead, Emmit, and bring some for Gadget.”

  “What about you?” the mouse asked.

  “I don’t have much appetite today,” she replied. The idea of walking into Morcroft’s house had tied her stomach in a knot. Apparently it hadn’t done the same to her companions.

  Emmit disappeared behind the bakery while the others waited. Spotting a lady with a box full of treats, Gadget pranced over to her and stood on his hind legs.

  “Aren’t you adorable!” the woman said. Reaching inside the box, she pulled out half a croissant and gave it to the dog.

  Gladly accepting the prized treat, he returned to Cali’s side. Lying on his stomach, he placed the croissant between his paws and began to nibble at it.

  Emmit returned moments later with a honey roll stuffed in his mouth. “Werry it dat?” he asked.

  Cali gave him a blank stare.

  Spitting out the roll, he tried again. “Where’d he get that?”

  “Begging,” Cali replied.

  “Clever,” the mouse said. “Well, this is more than I can eat. You sure you don’t want any?”

  Cali helped herself to a few bites, but she barely tasted it. Her mind was miles ahead, waiting outside Morcroft’s door. What would it be like? Would she be able to keep her friends safe? The questions churned in her mind, her anxiety growing worse by the second. “Let’s get moving,” she said.

  Leaving their crumbs behind, the trio set off again with Gadget leading the way. A few streets over, he sniffed the air and said, “There’s a park nearby.”

  “You’re right,” Emmit said. “It’s two blocks that way.” He pointed to the left.

  “I can smell the squirrels,” the dog said.

  Cali expected him to bolt after one of the furry creatures, but the dog surprised her by staying focused on the mission. Leading them another two blocks, he stopped suddenly and stared across the street. Barking furiously, he held his ground.

  “What is it?” Cali asked, unsheathing her claws.

  “A dog!” Gadget shouted. “In the window!” He continued to bark as if he’d gone mad.

  Cali zoomed in with her enhanced eye. In the window of the apartment across the street was a large black-and-tan dog. It was barking as well, but she couldn’t hear it through the glass.

  Emmit laughed. “You tell him, Gadget.”

  “That’s enough,” Cali said. “He’s no threat to us.”

  Gadget groaned but obeyed. Sniffing at the air, he led on, passing several more businesses and homes. “There’s a strange smell here,” he said.

  “There’s a sewer entrance beneath that grate,” Emmit said.

  “I smell that, but it’s not only sewer,” the dog said. “There’s an animal, a strange one.”

  “A crocodile,” the mouse replied.

  “What?” Gadget asked. “A real crocodile?”

  “Yes indeed,” Emmit said.

  “That’s a myth.” Cali knew better than to believe such nonsense.

  “It’s true,” Emmit said. “I’ve seen it.”

  Narrowing her eyes, Cali tried to determine whether he was joking. “How would a crocodile have made it into the sewers of Ticswyk?”

  “I don’t know,” Emmit said. “It was probably a pet that got too big. And believe me, it’s big.”

  “Can we go and see?” Gadget asked.

  “There’s no time for that,” Cali replied. “Besides, it would probably try to eat you, and I don’t think my enhancements can pry open the jaws of a crocodile.” She certainly didn’t want to find out, at any rate.

  Gadget looked disappointed but pressed on, constantly sniffing at the air. Two more street crossings and five blocks down the road, they came to a row of houses. “It’s not far now,” he announced.

  A lump rose in Cali’s throat, her ears tingling. Every hair on her body stood up, fluffing her to twice her normal size. All of her senses went on alert as they drew ever nearer.

  Finally, Gadget stopped in front of a large manor. Its dark wooden exterior was cold and uninviting. Two trees stood out front, not a single leaf upon them. A black iron fence surrounded the overgrown lawn, its gate firmly shut.

  “Here it is,” Gadget said. “This is Morcroft’s house.”

  “I don’t suppose you know anything about Morcroft’s security system,” Cali said.

  Gadget thought for a moment. “No, I don’t,” he said.

  Naturally, Cali thought. Having been confined to a cage in a single room, Gadget would never have been able to explore. When he did manage an escape, Morcroft had been home, and the security systems would have been either disabled or turned down to the lowest level. Gadget never encountered them. Cali would have to use all her wits to avoid the numerous traps that were bound to be inside.

  Seeing that Cali was hesitant to approach the manor, Emmit said, “Maybe Morcroft will have forgotten to arm the system.” He gave a nervous giggle. “Or maybe he doesn’t have any type of security at all.”

  “Oh, he definitely does,” Gadget said. “I heard alarms one night and the strangest smell of burnt food. I never saw what happened, but I heard one of Morcroft’s visitors say that the safety mechanisms had functioned properly.”

  “Electricity,” Cali said. “Naturally.” Gadget knew more than he’d given himself credit for. “Is that all you heard?”

  “Yes,” the dog replied.

  “Where was the smell coming from?” she asked.

  “Straight ahead,” the dog said.

  “And what was straight ahead from the room you were in?”

  “The front door,” he replied.

  Emmit gave Cali a knowing smile. “The door is rigged with electricity.”

  “Good thing I don’t plan to walk in the front door,” she said. Morcroft likely had a similar contraption to Lionel’s that would disable an intruder before he ever made it inside the door. The only difference was that Morcroft’s system was likely to do permanent damage, where Lionel’s would only make a thief think twice.

  “I don’t suppose you know a safe way inside?” Emmit asked, looking at Gadget.

  “Not for me or Cali,” the dog replied. “But I saw mice all the time. They get in and out somehow.”

  “Shall we scout the perimeter for a mouse hole?” Emmit asked. “If I can get inside, maybe I can turn off the power to those security devices.”

  Cali placed her paw on Emmit’s back. “Emmit, you’re the bravest mouse a cat ever knew.” Here he was offering to walk in first, taking the greatest risk of all of them.

  “I’m not all that brave,” he replied. He held out a paw that quivered slightly. “I’m scared, but if Gadget saw mice in there, then it’s unlikely I’ll trip the security devices. It’s the only way to be sure you can enter safely.”

  “You’re wise to be frightened,” Cali said. “It takes true courage to set aside one’s fear and walk into danger to help a friend.”

  Emmit looked down at the ground, hiding the redness that had appeared on his nose. Cali swept him up with her paw and hugged him. When Gadget cocked his head sideways, she grabbed him as well.

  “You’re the best friends a cat could ask for,” she said. After squeezing them for several seconds, she finally let them go. “Emmit and I will scout
the perimeter. Gadget, you’re the loudest among us, so I need you to keep an eye out for anyone approaching. If it looks like someone is coming to the house, bark.”

  Gadget nodded his understanding. “What if it’s Morcroft?” he asked.

  “Bark, and then run away,” she said. “Don’t let him catch you. We’ll meet you back at the apartment.” She paused a moment. “And one more thing. Don’t go chasing after squirrels or begging food from people who pass by. We need your full concentration on guarding the entrance.”

  “You can count on me,” the dog said. Settling into his role as a watch dog, Gadget stood at attention, his ears swiveling every direction. Continually sniffing the air, he stayed alert for the scent of humans on the wind. Luckily, there were none nearby.

  Cali and Emmit squeezed between the bars of the iron fence. The grass was strangely cold underfoot, and Cali flexed her paws to warm them. A few more steps and she realized it was her paws that had gone cold, not the grass. She paused, a tingling sensation slowly creeping along her spine.

  “What’s wrong?” Emmit asked, sensing her uneasiness.

  The hair inside her ears tickled. Keeping the rest of her body perfectly still, she mouthed the words don’t move.

  Emmit obeyed, remaining frozen to the spot while Cali activated her mechanical eye. A heat signature appeared, outlining the nearest window in red. As she looked down a row of windows, all of them appeared the same way. There was an active current running through them. A high frequency whine was barely perceptible, but Cali’s sensitive feline ears had detected it.

  “Don’t touch the windows,” she cautioned. Continuing to scan the area, she searched for any sign of a rodent trail. She smiled as she found what she needed. A slight depression in the tall grass led all the way to the back of the house. “Move slowly,” she said. “We need to go behind the house.”

  Staying only inches apart, the pair moved alongside the house, making sure to keep a good distance from the house itself. Unseen traps could be anywhere, but right next to the building was the most obvious place.

  Walking on needles, they arrived at the rear of the manor. Both breathed a sigh of relief at having made it this far. Cali traced the rodent trail to a tiny hole in the door of a root cellar.