The Girl and the Clockwork Crossfire

by Nikki Mccormack

  She smiled. “It’s a bit beautiful in a way.”

  He grimaced again. “I’m not so enamored. I can see that you’re holding it, but I can’t feel the softness of your skin. That’s a hard thing to give up.”

  She scooted to the edge of her seat.

  “Maybe you can’t feel me here,” she said, squeezing the hand. Then she touched a hand to his chest, letting it come to rest over his heart. “But can you feel me here?”

  “I can,” he breathed.

  Macak hoped over to her side now as Chaff slid to the edge of the bench, leaning toward her in turn. “I love you, Maeko.”

  Her heart skipped and she moved across the remaining space between them, wrapping her arms around his neck and planting her lips on his in a rather graceless motion that pushed him back against the seat, but somehow it didn’t matter. They tasted of one another like two people drinking water after hours working in the blazing sun. A few moments later she shifted around into the seat next to him, one hand still on his shoulder as though afraid he might disappear if she let go and more of those blasted tears streamed down her cheeks.

  Chaff pulled off the glove on his right hand and wiped gently at a tear. Then she kissed him again, or he kissed her, she wasn’t sure which. She only knew it didn’t matter because, for this moment, they were exactly where they needed to be, wrapped up in each other… with Macak safely curled on the other bench pretending not to notice.

  CHAPTER TWENTY

  “I’m going in,” Chaff announced, and stood up to leave their quiet corner of the café.

  Maeko put a hand over his on the table to stop him, noting that she automatically went for the flesh hand, not out of the realization that he might not respond if she’d done the other, but more from a lingering sense of guilt.

  “Remember, get in and back out. Don’t get into a chinwag. You only need the attendant to tell you if he’s in the flat right now or expected back soon. You’re representing a client who was expecting to meet with him this evening but is running a behind schedule and you want to make sure he is going to be there when your client arrives.”

  “I’ve got this, May.” Chaff grinned his carefree scoundrel grin at her, his dapper grooming and distinguished togs somehow making him look both cuter and more cunning. The shirt was too loose, but careful tucking behind the vest and coat hid that.

  He danced away from her playful swat with a wicked sparkle in his eyes, very much acting like his old self with his mechanical arm hidden from sight beneath jacket and glove. At the café door, he paused and gave her a wink, then straightened his collar and cuffs, the motion a little awkward as he struggled with learning complete control of the new appendage, and started across the busy street.

  It was all she could do not to revert to the old habit of chewing her nails while she waited for him to return. She tried instead to focus on petting the warm ball of cat curled on the lap of her skirts under which she wore more practical trousers. It was maddening not to be in the midst of the action where she would know what was happening firsthand, but she couldn’t afford to be spotted near the Airship Tower. Not yet. She had to trust Chaff to do this alone.

  What if Thaddeus were there now and the guards insisted on escorting Chaff up? Or might they make him wait while they called Thaddeus or one of his thugs down to verify the disguised street rat’s claims?

  Chaff was clever though. His wily ways had kept him alive on the streets since he was a young boy. He wasn’t about to let them get the better of him that easily and Thaddeus wasn’t going to want his thugs killing random visitors in public. She had to settle down and wait. Besides, she’d never gotten this worked up over him going off to do a caper on his own before. Why the dread now? Was it because so much hinged on getting this right? Or might it have more to do with recent changes in their relationship?

  Bollocks! Things had been a fair sum simpler not so long ago. Although, the changes weren’t all bad. Some of their previous kisses slipped into her thoughts, and her cheeks warmed.

  It felt like he was gone an hour, though the clock on the café wall said it had only been seventeen minutes… not that she was counting. The instant she saw him strolling back across the street, it was all she could do not to leap up and rush out to him. He wove through coaches and foot traffic with snakelike fluidity, head high as if he had every right to be there in his waistcoat and gentleman’s gloves. He looked more than ever like the Chaff she’d always known. Somehow always belonging anywhere no matter how out of place he was. Strong, wily, and dashing. She smiled to herself and scratched Macak under the chin.

  He didn’t come back into the café. Instead, he turned and sauntered down the pavement, making sure she had ample opportunity to spot him, and continued toward their prearranged rendezvous spot in front of a hatter’s shop on the corner of the next block, out of sight of the front of the Tower. She tucked a somewhat reluctant Macak into the satchel she’d brought and waited with forced patience until another group got up and started toward the door. She followed close behind and slipped out the door with them, using them as a visual shield between her and the Tower. They turned the wrong direction, so she went along with them, keeping close enough to appear to be part of their group to the casual onlooker. At the next corner, she peeled off and went around the block, working her way back to where Chaff would be waiting.

  When she got close to the hatter’s, she spotted him standing beside a young couple that appeared to be asking him directions. His eyes met hers for a second, a flicker of welcome in them before he stepped in close to the man’s shoulder and pointed down the street. She couldn’t quite hear what he was saying, but the thought of what this wealthy couple would think if they knew a little more about who they were talking to made her swallow a giggle as she meandered closer. Before the couple moved on, the young man shook Chaff’s hand, thanked him with enthusiasm, and wished him a splendid day. Chaff wished them the same and watched them walk away for a few seconds before coming over to join her.

  “You didn’t—”

  “Nick his wallet? Nah. Though it would have been easy as robbing a babe. It’s a bit rum being taken for an upstanding gent like that,” he stated with a bemused grin. “A bloke could almost get used to these flash togs.”

  “Go around talking like that and no one else is bound to make the mistake.” She offered a teasing grin then gave a nod toward the least busy stretch of pavement leading away from the tower.

  They fell into step together, heading off as though enjoying a pleasant stroll on a rare dry day. Shimmers of sunlight even broke through the cloud cover on occasion, like rays of hope, about as feeble as her chances of pulling this off. As they walked, Chaff leaned in close and spoke in a low voice, still managing a pleasant carefree smile and nod for anyone who met his eyes. Nothing to see here. Just an upstanding gent entertaining his lady friend.

  “The bloke at the front desk told me, with many apologies to my esteemed client,” he added, imitating the young front desk attendant with remarkable accuracy, “that Mr. Folesworth has been away for the better part of a week and isn’t expected back for at least three more days.”

  That was as she had hoped and it was gratifying to be right, though they had no guarantee that he was at the prison. It was at least a reasonable gamble. Thaddeus had a lot invested in the research and production going on at the new facility, mostly in the form of innocent lives taken, so he had good reason to spend a lot of time out there overseeing things.

  “Brilliant. Now I just need to get up there and convince whoever is watching the place to take me to Thaddeus.”

  “If they don’t put your lights out before you can open your bone box,” he countered.

  “They won’t.” I hope.

  “Pigeon, I know from experience that I can’t stop you doing a thing once your mind’s set, but this is barmy on a whole new level. And please tell me you’re not taking the cat.”

  “Macak,” she corrected. “He makes his own decisions. Every time
I try to leave him behind he finds a way to come searching for me. He’s as likely to get hurt doing that as he is if I just let him come along.” She watched a Lit officer scanning the crowd from where he’d stopped in front of the patisserie. His gaze didn’t even pause on them. These flash togs were useful. “I have to try. Once Drake launches the attack with his battleship the chances of Garrett getting killed in the bombardment are too high.”

  “Are you doing this because you love Ash?”

  She stopped and he stopped with her. When she turned to him, his blue eyes were full of trepidation, but the set of his jaw told her he was ready to hear the worst. She smiled and brought a hand up to touch his cheek. The time he’d spent in the prison with infection raging in his hand and arm had left his cheekbones more pronounced and put new shadows under his eyes. He would recover though. He already looked much better than he had when they brought him to Drake’s manor.

  “Not in the way your tone suggests. I do love him, but more like a brother. Certainly not the way I love you,” her throat tightened as she added the last.

  Relief took some of the tension from his jaw. He took her hand and kissed her palm, then he reached into a pocket and pulled out a strange little brass contraption that reminded her of the one Drake had been fiddling with the night he let her fly his airship. It was odd looking with so many tiny parts that she couldn’t begin to make sense of it. She could feel her brow furrowing as she stared at it, waiting for it to declare its purpose. Nothing happened.

  “What is that?”

  He turned it over in his hand, his voice thick with unmistakable reverence when he spoke. “It’s called the Allkey. It’s a dandy little device Drake invented. It can open any lock.”

  “I never heard anything about this.”

  “I found out about it a while back when I crossed Drake’s path at one of the competing lurks in Cheapside. He was out looking for some boys to test the device for him at the time. I recognized it sitting on a shelf in his office yesterday and I thought it might come in handy for your little adventure, so I borrowed it.”

  She gave him a suspicious look. “Borrowed meaning you nicked it.”

  He shrugged and held it out to her. “I doubt he’ll notice it. He’s got bigger things on his mind right now and he had three others laying around the room. Besides, if he were a decent bloke, he’d have sent one with you just in case. You are heading to a prison after all.”

  “Fair enough.” She plucked it gingerly from his palm, afraid it might break if she were too rough with it. “How does it work?”

  Chaff stepped in closer, helping to shield the object she held from prying eyes. His nearness also made her very aware of how he smelled like the soap from the manor and yet still with that hint of leather and dust that she associated with life on the streets. She wanted to step into his arms and stay there until the world simply went away. This was probably the craziest thing she had done in a while, which was saying a lot considering some of the things she done. Nothing she did to prepare was going to make it safe, but this might help her chances, if only a scant bit.

  “You put this little metal rod into the lock and then flick this open to free the mechanism. It’ll do the rest.”

  She nodded. The parts of the device looked so delicate she was almost afraid to breathe on it.

  “Tuck it away somewhere safe. You don’t want them taking it from you.”

  She stood considering for a moment, then realized that, while she didn’t have much in the way of a chest, she was wearing women’s clothes and there was enough there for her to hide something this small. She drew out a thin lady’s kerchief from a pocket and wrapped the device then moved up against him, using him as a decency screen, and discreetly tucked it in under her bosom.

  Chaff raised his brows and gave her a scoundrel smirk. “Need me to check and make sure it’s secure?”

  “Thanks. You’re a real gentleman, but I think I’ve got it.” She gave him a teasing glower.

  He held his hands up in surrender. “I’m only trying to help.”

  Dressed as they were—and with Drake bankrolling the endeavor—they were able to find a restaurant to seat them for a nice early dinner. They’d gotten a suspicious eye from the waiter until Chaff explained that she was his parent’s ward and he was merely looking after her while her parents were at a society party. They enjoyed a splendid meal, but Maeko couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling that it might be her last. At least it was a good one with someone she loved.

  Dark fell while they chatted and dined and she snuck nibbles of food to Macak to keep him appeased in his satchel. Once or twice, when intervals between bites went longer than he felt they should, a soft meow would emerge from the satchel and she would laugh quickly as though Chaff had said or done something humorous to throw off anyone who noticed the odd sound coming from their table.

  All too soon, dinner was over, the restaurant was behind them, and Maeko found herself tucked into the shadows of a street corner with a view of the back entrance of the Tower, Macak draped over her shoulders, purring contentedly. Chaff squeezed her hand.

  “You sure about this, May?”

  She poked him hard in the ribs, knowing he was mispronouncing her nickname to distract her from the weight of the moment and willing to play along.

  “Ouch.” He rubbed at the spot, smiling good-naturedly. “I deserved that.”

  “Yes, you did… and no, I’m not, but this is the best idea I’ve got.”

  “Want me to keep Macak?”

  She gave him an appreciative smile for at least calling the cat by his proper name.

  “No. Like I said, if he wants to come, he’ll find a way. Might as well just take him with me and save him the trouble.” She scanned the nearby rooftops and the windows of the top suite, looking for anyone who might be watching. “Keep an eye out until you see me leave with them, then get word back to Drake.”

  “What if I don’t see you leave with them?”

  She ignored the question. “It should take you about as long to get back to the manor as it will for us to get to the prison. If I can’t get to Captain Garrett within 12 hours, I probably won’t be able to get to him at all.”

  “Be careful, Mae. We’ll meet you at the rendezvous point in the prison. If you can’t get Garrett at least make sure you make it there. You can’t save everyone.”

  She turned to him and kissed him once then put a hand to his cheek and smiled.

  “I can try.” It was time to go now before she lost her nerve. “Ganbatte, my love.”

  He caught her hand. The dim light of a gas lamp highlighted the lingering gauntness in his face from the ravages of infection, making him appear almost skeletal. It reminded her how close she had come to losing him completely. “I love you, Pigeon. I expect you to come back to me.”

  She nodded, afraid to say anything.

  He let her hand slip out of his. “Ganbatte.”

  CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

  The Airship Tower was visually no different than it had been when she lived there briefly with Lucian except that, where it had been a place of haven then, it now felt hostile, as though the walls themselves were eager to expose her to her enemies.

  Last time she had been captured. Nearly drowned by Joel and Bennett. The memories did nothing to soothe her nerves. Then, as so many other times before, Chaff had saved her. It was a wonder he could stand to watch her walk into this place again. That he trusted her to try this at all made her chest ache.

  He really did love her. She could see it in his eyes and feel it in his touch, recognized it in the trust he gave her. How had she missed it before? More mysteriously, how had she missed those feelings in herself?

  Macak nudged her cheek and she nodded. Now wasn’t the time to be wasting ticks of the clock pondering over such things.

  Her gaze moved up to the windows of the top floor. Lucian’s flat. There was a single light on, shinning dim through one window. Lucian’s study, if she had her bearings correct. She
hadn’t seen anyone looking out that window, but someone was up there. Bennett or Joel, perhaps. As much as Bennett scared her, she almost felt like he would be more inclined to hear her out than Joel would. Thaddeus would listen to her, which made a powerful argument for waiting until he was here, but he was more apt to give in to her demand to see Captain Garrett if they were already at the prison when she made it.

  She could picture him in her mind, Lucian’s twin, sitting in Lucian’s chair, sleeping in Lucian’s bed, his vile fingers digging through Lucian’s things. Her gut filled with black sticky gobs of hate. Lucian might have done awful things to Macak, things she wouldn’t have been able to forgive had she known about them when he was alive, but he was still a better man than his brother.

  She made her way to the door in the back of the tower that she had used a couple times before. So far, she hadn’t been caught coming in and out that way and she knew the lock mechanism well. When there was no one around, she hurried to the door and placed an ear to the crack, already putting her lock picks to work while she listened. She wanted to try the Allkey, but it was well hidden and there was a good chance they would search her for lock picks. When they found these, they would take them away from her, but they would be less likely to continue searching once they had that set. Better to let them take the picks.

  Macak pushed his head in, tucking it under her chin and cocking it to the side as though he were listening too. She smiled and finished with the lock, scratching the cat’s head as she inched the door open and crept inside. As soon as the door was shut, Macak leapt down, slinking low along the wall a few feet ahead of her, his ears twitching to and fro to catch any warning sounds. They were a third of the way across the big room when the cat froze so still that she almost lost sight of him. Something moved in the darkest shadows of the corner near the door into the lobby. Her heartbeat jumped to a gallop.