He steered the Aerotrope downwards into a sweeping circle.
‘Oh!’ Griffin shut his eyes again and felt his stomach heave.
The Aerotrope approached the roof, the wings tilted and the tail pitched down. It lurched back and forth, listing like a foundering ship, until it hit with a hard bounce. Griffin’s glasses flung forward and his head collided with Isabella’s back. Xavier squeezed the brakes as the machine ricocheted back into the air, swaying momentarily before thudding to an abrupt stop.
Xavier pulled his goggles down around his neck. ‘Welcome to the Haggle.’
‘You couldn’t manage a more graceful landing?’ Griffin straightened his glasses and rubbed his forehead.
‘It was a little bumpy.’ Xavier dragged a chain through the wheels and around a flagpole before padlocking it. ‘But we’re here, aren’t we?’
‘Just.’ Griffin stumbled off the machine. ‘Why are you locking it up?’
‘Don’t get me wrong,’ Xavier said. ‘I like these guys, but I wouldn’t trust them.’
‘Great.’ Griffin tried to unclip his bike helmet, but his fingers were stiff from gripping the cargo box so hard. ‘He’s brought us to meet people he doesn’t trust.’
‘The Haggle is in Parliament House?’ Isabella asked.
‘The old Parliament House. I’m assuming there’s a new one somewhere a little drier.’
Xavier led them to a door where a crudely painted knife dripping red blotches sat, alongside the words:
ENTRY=DEATH
Griffin gulped.
‘They’re just kidding.’ Xavier waved his hand dismissively and opened the door onto a dim stairwell.
‘Do you think they’ll let us in?’ Griffin’s voice echoed.
‘If you’ve brought something useful.’
‘We have.’ Griffin gripped the handrail. ‘Who do we give it to?’
‘Raven. He runs the place.’ Xavier ruffled Griffin’s hair. ‘Don’t worry so much.’
‘I’m not worried.’ Griffin tried not to look worried until something scuttled over his shoe. ‘What was that?’
At the bottom of the stairs, Xavier opened a door onto an antechamber. ‘Welcome to Parliament House.’
The walls, painted in sombre browns and greens, were jammed with stuffy portraits of men in collars and ruffs, wearing strained smiles that looked as if they were sitting on chairs lined with pins.
A set of doors opened onto a bigger room, its walls muddled with even more gloomy portraits, these ones graffitied with glasses, moustaches and wild hair. They stood on a floor painted with scenes of great battles: guns waved victoriously; cannons firing on enemy ships, sinking them in a blaze of fire and billows of smoke. Great and mighty scenes now scratched and dusty and obscured by crumpled blankets, mattresses and mismatched furniture.
‘Some of the country’s greatest artists created this, thinking it’d be here forever. But it’s rubbish now, isn’t it?’ Xavier scuffed his boot across the hull of a sinking ship.
‘Where is everyone?’ Isabella asked.
‘I’ll show you.’ Xavier approached a towering door and tapped out what seemed to be a special code. A rattle of locks and bolts echoed from inside and two small boys dragged the door open slightly. They nodded at Xavier but shot glares at Griffin and Isabella.
‘They’re friends of mine.’
The boys swapped cautious looks before opening the door wider and stepping aside.
Xavier led the way into an enormous hall crammed with tables heaving with old appliances, tins of food, tools and toys.
And there were kids everywhere. Talking, laughing, riding skateboards and kicking footballs. Some were breaking up furniture and throwing the pieces into fire drums dotted around the room.
‘Where did they all come from?’ Griffin asked.
‘Same place we did. Some were left behind, others abandoned, some chose to be here.’
A group of boys playing cards waved at Xavier. He waved back.
‘And their parents?’ Isabella asked.
‘Some kids still have them somewhere, others don’t, and the rest figure they’re better off without them.’
There were brief interested glances as they walked through the hall.
‘I’ll trade this axe for your scooter.’ A boy held out a hatchet.
A smaller boy scratched his chin. ‘Throw in that crowbar and you’ve got a deal.’
They spat on their hands, shook and did the swap.
Griffin stopped at a large sheet of material pinned to the wall and covered in writing. ‘What’s this?’
‘The Code – rules you have to obey if you want to stay.’
Griffin read out loud: ‘A deal made is a deal in stone. A fight won fairly is a fight won. No theft among traders. All unresolved disputes will be settled by Raven.’
‘Which it looks like he’s doing now.’ Xavier nodded towards a tall, thin boy in a long, oversized coat. He had vampirish white skin and black hair that fell across his eyes. Two young boys stood before him in an area cluttered with lounges. One had a cut lip, the other had scratch marks across his face.
Raven spoke. The boys nodded. One wiped his nose with his sleeve. They shook hands and slunk away.
Raven stretched his feet out on an old table and began polishing a sword.
‘Don’t say anything that’s going to upset him,’ Xavier said.
‘Like what?’ Griffin asked.
‘You know. Upsetting things. Wait here until I call you over.’
Raven slid the sword into its scabbard. He and Xavier exchanged an elaborate handshake where they clicked fingers, linked arms and bumped chests. They sat opposite each other. Raven’s eyes trained on the newcomers. Griffin shifted under his gaze.
‘How well do you know them?’
‘Pretty well. They’re good kids.’
A few boys looked up from nearby tables before losing interest.
‘Why should I let them in?’
‘Because they’re friends of mine.’ He turned his back on Isabella and slipped a small engraved knife with a curved golden handle from his pocket. ‘And because I’ll give you this.’
Raven turned it in his hands. ‘What else have you got?’
Xavier patted his coat pockets. ‘Nothing on me right now, but–’
Raven held up the knife. ‘Last new kid we let in left Fergus with a broken arm.’ He nodded towards a boy with his crudely bandaged arm in a sling. ‘How do I know they won’t cause trouble too?’
Xavier snapped into a broad smile. ‘They won’t, I promise, in fact I–’
‘What’s the hold-up?’ Isabella marched over, arms crossed. Griffin was a few steps behind her.
Raven’s eyes zeroed in on Isabella’s. ‘I was deciding whether to let you in.’
‘And I was explaining why he should,’ Xavier said. ‘And that–’
Isabella cut through. ‘Xavier said we could enter the Haggle by bringing something useful.’
Raven sank back into his lounge. ‘And you think you have something I want?’
Isabella offered the smallest of smiles. ‘I know I do. Griffin?’
Griffin reached into his coat pocket and held out a cube, covered on each side with a reflective surface.
‘What is it?’ Xavier asked.
‘It’s an energy pack,’ Griffin explained. ‘It stores energy created by wind, water and the sun that can be used to create light or heat. All you have to do is–’
‘Where did you get this?’ Raven turned the device in his grubby fingers.
‘I made it.’
‘And you use this to power things where you live?’
Griffin nodded. ‘We got sick of cold canned soup and baths.’
‘Not only that,’ Xavier boasted, ‘they’ve made a heating system for a greenhouse where they grow fruit and vegies.’
‘Can you show us how to do the same here?’ Raven asked.
‘Sure,’ Griffin said eagerly.
‘Give us a list of wh
at we’ll need and we’ll get it.’ Raven got to his feet, pocketed the device and walked away. ‘You’ll hear if we’re going to let you in.’
‘We’ll hear?’ Isabella asked. Raven didn’t answer. ‘We’ve given you a device for storing power, and all you’re going to give us is “you’ll hear”?’
Raven stopped momentarily. ‘I could have said no.’ He resumed walking.
Others now gathered, tittering into their sleeves and whispering over each other’s shoulders.
Griffin pushed his glasses up his nose. ‘He can’t do that, can he?’
‘Not to us he can’t.’ Isabella stood firm. ‘And that’s supposed to be good enough?’ she called. More kids looked up. ‘We can give you the technology to have a warm bath for the first time in years, which won’t be a minute too soon, and we’re supposed to wait around for your say so?’
Raven stopped and half-turned towards her. ‘I’m sure you reign in your little kingdom, but here you play by my rules or you don’t play at all.’
There were slapped backs and laughter from the other kids.
Griffin’s jaw clenched and he ran after Raven. ‘Give me the energy pack. It’s ours.’
Raven turned and pushed him away like an annoying fly. Griffin fell to the ground, his glasses sliding across the floor.
Isabella pulled her knife from her belt, stepped forward and hurled it with all her strength. It cut through the air and struck a wooden support beam only centimetres from Raven’s ear. The room snapped into silence.
Raven stood deathly still.
Griffin felt around for his glasses, the figure of Raven a towering blur above him.
CHAPTER SEVEN
The Deal
The jokes, the card games, the soccer – everything stopped. There was the expectant hum of good sport about to happen. Those who hadn’t before, moved into position for a better view. They nudged elbows and huddled into groups, crouching to see between arms, standing on tiptoes to see over heads. Some whispered bets about who would win.
The entire Haggle was suspended in delicious anticipation of what Raven would do to the girl who threw the knife at him.
And they wouldn’t have long to wait.
With a small grunt, Raven spun round and leapt at Isabella. He flew for her throat, coat flapping behind him, hands outstretched.
‘Izzy!’ Xavier moved to help her but his arms were gripped by two large boys. ‘Hey!’
Griffin found his glasses in time to see Raven about to pounce. ‘Run, Isabella!’
But Isabella didn’t move – until the very last moment.
Timed perfectly, she turned her body sideways, grabbing one of Raven’s arms and jutting her leg into his path so that it caught his ankle. She pulled him around, twisting his unbalanced body and flipping him into the air. He landed with an oopph! on his back.
Isabella stood ready. Raven lay still for a moment, catching his breath before leaping to his feet. He snatched his sword from the table. As he ran towards her, he withdrew the blade, tossing the scabbard aside.
Griffin’s breath caught in his throat. He took one step but no more. His legs felt like iron and his skin prickled.
Raven stomped closer, the sword held out beside him, ready to swipe.
Xavier managed to drag himself forward, when two more boys joined in to hold him back.
Raven swung the sword towards Isabella’s legs. She leapt, hoisting her knees to her chest, clearing the blade and turning midair so that when she landed she encountered his beetroot face and heaving chest, a snarl dripping from his lips.
Griffin felt the last of his energy drain away and he fainted.
Isabella seized Raven’s discarded scabbard and held it before her. Raven lunged and swung again. She met the sword blows as they rained down, denting the scabbard with each clash.
For a split second, Isabella’s eyes met Raven’s. She winked. Raven sneered.
With both hands Isabella drove the scabbard upwards, dislodging the sword from Raven’s grasp and sending it toppling to the ground. She sprang into the air and, with one perfectly timed kick to the chest, sent him sprawling once again onto his back.
Isabella dropped a knee onto Raven’s chest. With one arm pressed across his throat, the other snatched a knife from her ankle strap and held it up to his face.
Xavier finally pulled away from his captors when their grips loosened and their eyes widened in shock.
Raven stared at Isabella, her fringe falling across her eyes so that he could just make out her unflinching stare.
‘We’ve offered you a great treasure. What’s it worth?’
Raven’s eyes flicked to Xavier. ‘Is this how she always does business?’
‘Mostly.’ He shrugged.
‘Griffin’s intelligence doesn’t come cheap. Harnessing power from the currents will allow you to have electricity, hot food – and that hot bath you so desperately need.’
There was a titter of voices.
Raven’s body relaxed and he laughed. ‘You’re in.’
Excited murmurs rippled through the room – instant deal-making for who would be among the first to have a warm bath.
‘And?’
‘Your first trade’s on the house. Whoever you deal with can come to me; I’ll sort them out from my stuff.’
Isabella leant forward. ‘Why should I trust that when I let you up you’re not going to want revenge?’
‘Because,’ he laughed again, ‘I may be a thief – and even a liar – but I’m not an idiot.’
Isabella wasn’t convinced.
‘We have the Code.’ Raven flicked his eyes to the sheet on the wall. ‘Anyone who breaks that is out.’
Isabella threw a look at Xavier. He gave her a nod. She withdrew the knife slowly and replaced it in her ankle strap.
She stood back warily while Raven got up. He rubbed his chest where Isabella’s knee had landed. ‘You’ve got a good amount of fight in you, and you’re strong. Where did you learn all that swordplay?’
‘She was the fencing champion at school,’ Xavier answered.
‘And no-one thought to tell me?’
‘You never asked.’
Raven held out his hand. ‘Welcome to the Haggle.’
Isabella shook, gripping tightly. ‘Oh, and if you ever touch my friend like that again,’ she whispered, ‘you’ll find out why I was the champion ... Ready, Griff?’
It was only then that Isabella noticed he was lying on the floor. She dropped to his side and patted his cheek. ‘Griff?’
He groaned and slowly came to. ‘What happened?’
‘We’re in.’ She and Xavier helped him up. ‘Thanks to you. And now we get to go shopping.’
They walked past a line of kids whispering excitedly. Isabella stopped at the wooden beam where her knife was embedded and snatched it out.
‘I thought you said we could trust him?’ Griffin fumed at Xavier.
‘I also said not to upset him.’
‘We had no choice,’ Isabella said. ‘I had to teach him that he can’t mess with us.’
Xavier smiled. ‘I think he got the message.’
‘I don’t like him.’ Griffin looked over his shoulder at Raven. ‘Who would attack a girl?’
Isabella frowned. ‘I can take care of myself.’
‘Sorry, I don’t mean you, but, well ... It just doesn’t seem right.’
‘They’ve had to defend themselves from intruders in the past.’ Xavier slung his arm around Griffin’s shoulder. ‘He was just mucking around.’
‘He pushed me to the ground and charged at Isabella with a sword.’
‘All right, he wasn’t mucking around, but it’s not like he was going to kill you or anything.’
‘But he–’
‘We need some of those.’ Xavier picked up two bike helmets and handed them to Griffin.
He looked further. ‘Walkie-talkies, anyone? King-sized hiking boots?’ He picked up a heavy knight’s helmet. ‘A little bit of medieval swordplay?�
�
He strained to lift the helmet onto his head and held out his arms. ‘How do I look?’ his voice echoed from inside.
‘It’s an improvement.’ Griffin nodded.
When Xavier tried to pull the helmet off, it wouldn’t budge. He tugged and panted. ‘Ahh ... Can I get a bit of help here?’
Isabella and Griffin swapped smiles.
Xavier jerked at the helmet again. ‘Hey. Help me out.’ He took a few clumsy steps forward. ‘You haven’t had the chance to thank me for getting you into the Haggle.’
He bumped into a table and sent a collection of shoes bouncing to the floor.
‘We’re just trying to find the right words.’ Griffin stifled a laugh.
‘We should help him,’ Isabella said through a smirk.
‘Do we have to?’
Xavier ran into another table. This time filled with knives and cleavers, which fell to the ground with a metallic clang. ‘You can’t leave me like this!’
‘If we don’t help him he’s going to kill someone, and he’s the only one who can fly the Aerotrope,’ Isabella reasoned.
‘O-kay,’ Griffin sighed. ‘But I bet he’ll be just as annoying when he comes out.’
CHAPTER EIGHT
A Disturbing Discovery
‘Excuse me, Captain, but ... I think you really need to see this.’
A voice snarled from deep within a lounge chair: ‘Is it just me, Tyran, or do I remember saying I wasn’t to be disturbed?’
‘Ah, yes, Captain Sneddon, I remember that, too.’ The snivelling man shifted from one foot to the other. His puny body swam in his soiled clothes, and his face was blotched with smudges. His hair was a permanent windblown tangle that hadn’t seen a brush in years. His beard was no better. ‘But you see, this is something quite startling that I think, even though you said you weren’t to be disturbed, is going to make you want to be disturbed after all.’ He turned a cowboy hat in his hands: one hand was missing a finger.
Despite the cabin being grand by ships’ proportions, this one was hemmed in by boxes brimming with jewellery and crates of antique vases and figurines. Famous paintings were stacked up against each other and, at the end of a four-poster bed overstuffed with furs and silken pillows, two chests sat side by side, filled with notes and coins that no-one other than the Captain had ever counted.
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