The Enchanted Obelisk (Clockwork Calico Book 2)

by Lana Axe

  “What if they don’t light a lamp near the apartment?” the mouse asked. “They could be lit a block from here without us noticing them.”

  “That’s where the carriages come in,” Cali said. “I’m going to give Nellie my homing-signal transmitter. That way if she sees a red lamp anywhere around town, she can alert me.”

  “How will you know where the transmitter is?” Emmit asked. He thought the device only called her back to Lionel’s apartment, or to wherever she knew the transmitter to be.

  “Lionel improved it,” she said. “He installed a tracking system. It isn’t too sophisticated, but it will draw me in the direction of the transmitter like a magnet.” It was the best explanation she could offer. In truth, she didn’t fully understand the design. But Lionel had tested it recently, and it seemed to work from a good distance.

  “All right then,” Emmit said. “I’ll distribute the powder to some friends of mine.”

  “Make sure at least one of them is near the museum,” she said. “Just in case.”

  With a nod, the little mouse let himself out the partially open window. Cali followed a moment later after retrieving one of her transmitters from the workshop.

  Out in the streets, all was as it should have been. Carriages hurried by, and couples strolled arm in arm. No one seemed fearful or upset. In the daylight, the citizens of Ticswyk had little to fear. Cali knew that things would be different once the sun went down. Inevitably, someone would spot the mummy, and bedlam would erupt.

  The feline made her way toward the museum, the most likely spot to meet with Nellie. Several carriages were parked nearby, passengers coming and going. The mare’s black-and-white pattern stood out among the other horses, which were various shades of brown.

  “Nellie,” Cali called as she quickened her steps.

  “Hello again, Cali,” the horse replied. “Come to see the obelisk?”

  “Actually, I’ve come to see you,” Cali said.

  “I do have some news for you,” Nellie said. “There’s been talk of mummies from one corner of the city to the other. Nearly every passenger I pick up has a story to tell. I even heard that the mummy tried to break into the museum.”

  “That was me,” Cali admitted.

  “You’re a mummy?” the horse asked, pulling her head back.

  Cali tilted her head to the side. She wondered if this horse was as smart as she’d thought. “No, I’m not a mummy,” she replied. “But I did get into the museum and cut the power. I was trying to figure out what’s going on.”

  “I see,” Nellie said. “Well, you certainly set people to talking.”

  “Did any of your passengers see a mummy near the museum last night?”

  Nellie shook her head. “Not near the museum. Two said they saw it in an alleyway near Fifth Street, and one saw it disappear into some hedges on Wisteria Lane.”

  It was difficult for Cali to wrap her mind around such information. How could so many people be seeing this mummy? She grunted in frustration. “I’ve sent my friend Emmit on a mission. He’s distributing a special powder to turn the gas lamps red in the event someone spots a mummy. I want to be there to see it.” Cali produced the transmitter for her homing signal and held it out to the mare. “Can you take this with you and press this button if you see a red lamp?”

  “I’d be happy to,” she said.

  Cali placed the transmitter in the horse’s bridle. “This will get my attention the minute you use it. I’ll do my best to find you.”

  The mare nodded her understanding.

  “Thanks for your help, Nellie.”

  “Any time. Good luck, Cali.”

  I’m going to need it, the cat thought.

  Cali didn’t have to wait long for Nellie to come through. The horse had had the transmitter for only one day, and shortly after sunset, the red indicator light on the feline’s tail glowed to life. Emmit stood nearby, a small piece of cheese held between his paws.

  “Your tail!” he shouted, dropping the cheese.

  “Nellie’s found a red lamp!” Cali replied. “Come on!”

  Together the pair exited the window and raced through the streets of Ticswyk. “This way!” Cali shouted behind her. With powerful enhanced legs, she was far faster than her mouse companion. She paused momentarily to allow him to climb onto her back.

  “Hang on tight!” she called to him as she shifted power to her haunches.

  Emmit kept a good grip on her metallic enhancements. Otherwise he would have found himself upside down in the middle of the street. Hunkering down low, he squinted at the wind created by the calico’s breakneck pace.

  Drawn by the transmitter’s magnetism, Cali found herself heading toward the museum. As she neared the courtyard, she caught sight of a gas lamp, its flame glowing bright red. The animals had come through for her.

  Dozens of carriages stood in a line near the entrance to the obelisk. The hieroglyphs once again shining, the light of the moon hidden behind dense, gray clouds. Bringing herself to a halt, Cali stopped next to Nellie’s carriage. The sudden jolt unbalanced Emmit, who struggled to keep his position on the feline’s back.

  “Cali!” Nellie called. “Do you see the lamps?” She indicated a lamp half a block away that was also glowing red.

  “I do,” Cali said. “I’ve got to follow them.” Sprinting away, she called back over her shoulder, “Thanks, Nellie!”

  The horse whinnied as the feline disappeared down the sidewalk. The calico ran faster and faster, following the series of red lamps as they dotted their way along the city streets. Emmit hung on for dear life. Nearly six blocks from the museum, they found what they’d been looking for.

  Two women held their skirt tails in their hands, running with all haste toward the feline. Cali stopped cold, and Emmit hopped down on his own paws.

  Shrieks erupted from the ladies, who did not slow their pace. Soon they were followed by three more ladies and a man who clutched his hat to his head to avoid losing it.

  “I never knew humans could run so fast,” Cali mused. The mummy had to be near. “Come on, Emmit,” she said.

  The mouse didn’t hesitate, dashing alongside the feline who was now moving with far more caution. A deep groaning followed by the clang of metal gave away the presence of the mummy. Cali’s breath was stolen away as she finally laid eyes on the creature. There it was, wrapped tight in yellowed linen, stumbling its way through the alley. It had already knocked over two trash cans and was heading for a third.

  “It’s real!” Emmit squeaked.

  “Shhh,” Cali said. She didn’t want it to know they were watching, nor did she wish to frighten it away.

  Switching to her enhanced eye, she scanned the mummy for a heat signature. Strange, she thought. It had no heat, not even in its chest where its heart must surely be beating. A thought occurred to her that if the mummy had truly been dead for centuries, it would certainly be cold. She shook her head. Impossible.

  Without warning, the mummy picked up speed as it stumbled along the alley. When it disappeared around a corner, Cali did her best to follow.

  “Where did it go?” she shouted as she turned the corner. How could it have outrun her? Scanning the nearby building for a door, she spotted one. With a leap, she grabbed the door handle and pulled with all her might. It wouldn’t budge. Bracing her legs against the wall, she tried again. It was stuck.

  “The hinges are rusted,” Emmit pointed out. “It probably hasn’t been opened for ages.”

  “It’s the only way that mummy could have got away from me,” she said, sliding back to the ground. For several minutes, Cali stood in silence, hoping another lamp would illuminate with red. It didn’t.

  “What now?” Emmit asked.

  “I don’t know,” she said, shaking her head. “I don’t understand this at all.”

  “Me either,” the mouse said. “The obelisk lights were a fake, but it seems the mummy is real.” It could no longer be denied. Somehow a mummy had managed to reanimate itse
lf. “The Egyptians must have put some sort of magic spell on it,” he said, “a spell that worked.”

  “It’s not possible,” Cali said, her mind reeling.

  “You saw it,” he replied. “How can you explain that?”

  Cali paused a moment before replying, “I can’t explain it at all.” Burying her head in her hands, she felt too heavy to move. How could she doubt what she’d witnessed herself? Could Egyptian magic really be at work here? It was too much to comprehend at once. Time, she decided. I need time.

  Seeing his friend’s troubled expression, Emmit patted her paw. “It’ll be all right, Cali. Let’s go home and get some rest.”

  Nodding, Cali turned and padded toward home. Emmit was right. What she needed was a good night’s sleep to let all this sink in. Maybe she could sort it out in her dreams.

  Unfortunately, when she curled up on her cushion and tried to sleep, she couldn’t. Her thoughts wouldn’t stop churning. Making her way into the kitchen, she let out a pitiful mrroww. Upon hearing her cry, Lionel looked up from his newspaper.

  “You want a bowl of cream, Cali?” he asked. He always knew what she wanted, and at this hour of the evening, it was usually cream. Pouring a small amount into a dish, he patted her head as she lapped it up.

  With her belly full of cream, she cleaned her face and nuzzled up to Lionel in his chair. Sleep finally found her. Her dreams were invaded by mummies, a parade of them. Up and down the streets of Ticswyk, they stumbled and plodded. Where are they coming from? she wondered.

  She decided to follow the trail of mummies to their source. She found them at the obelisk, spewing out of the tiny gas pipes at its base. As they emerged, they grew to full size and began staggering through the courtyard. Frustrated, Cali attacked one, shredding its wrappings until there was nothing left but dust.

  A tap on her nose woke her from her sleep. She squinted up at Lionel with one half-open eye.

  Stroking her fur, he said, “Time for bed.” He hadn’t wanted to wake her, but he wouldn’t be able to leave his chair with her on his lap. He stood and stretched before heading into the bedroom.

  Cali hopped from the chair and entered Lionel’s bedroom. Seating herself near the window at the foot of the bed, she stared out into the night. A million stars now shone, and the clouds from earlier were nowhere in sight. Even the sky was thinking clearer than her.

  There has to be a logical solution, she decided. Think, Cali, think. Mentally, she ran down the list of what she’d observed. There was no sound coming from the mummy, other than the strange groaning. That meant it probably wasn’t clockwork like the amulet, but it didn’t entirely rule it out. Cali’s own enhanced body systems barely made any sound.

  Second, if the thing were a creation, it had to be powered by something. She saw no visible exhaust nor evidence of steam as she would see in creations like automatons and mechanical sentries. Those devices had clumsy movements, similar to the mummy’s.

  Here was the best question of all: If it was a modern creation, and not an Egyptian one as Emmit believed, who would have crafted it? And why? What purpose could it serve other than to frighten people and earn its creator a few laughs? It didn’t make sense.

  Of course she had to consider Emmit’s opinion. If it really was an ancient Egyptian, what would make it want to leave its tomb and wander the streets? Perhaps it was angry about being on display in the museum. Perhaps it had no idea where it was and had escaped by accident. Perhaps its wrappings were too tight. She grinned at that thought. The whole situation was just plain silly. Having now examined it from every angle, she still couldn’t make sense of it. How does one apply logic to such an absurd occurrence?

  With a sigh, Cali put her thoughts aside and curled herself into a ball. Tomorrow, she decided. I’ll think about it tomorrow.

  * * * * *

  The calico’s body trembled as she stretched the sleep from her muscles. Beams of sunlight glistened on her brass enhancements, and all thoughts of mummies had been pushed aside. Today would be a good day. She sniffed at the air, the various scents of Ticswyk wafting through the window.

  The sound of Lionel’s tin opener alerted the feline to her breakfast. Leaping from the bed, she trotted toward the kitchen. Tuna! What a treat on a fine morning. She lapped it up greedily, savoring every flake. After the bowl was empty, she licked at her paws for several minutes. Then it was time to perch on her windowsill to see what was happening outside.

  Everything appeared normal to her eyes. Carriages rolled through the streets, probably heading for the museum. It was still bustling with visitors each day, despite all the strange goings-on. The heart of Ticswyk hadn’t changed. The citizens were essentially the same, moving about the city running errands.

  Casually counting carriages, Cali began to notice that the same dozen were coming and going with regularity. She decided they were probably heading to the hotels, most of which were in the vicinity of Exhibition Center. Curious, Cali left her perch in search of Lionel’s newspaper.

  As she suspected, there were numerous ads for hotels and tours about town. The largest was one for the museum, which read, “Experience the Curse of the Mummy from a Safe Distance.” Cali rolled her eyes. Not far from that ad was another. “The Mummy of Ticswyk Tours.” The smaller print below went on to describe a walking tour through the city’s street in search of an escaped mummy. With a sigh, Cali resigned herself to the truth. Mummies were now in fashion, and it would take some time before they went away. Everyone wanted to cash in on the fad before it was over.

  The exception seemed to be Carter Porchester, whose photo appeared on the paper’s second page. He looked tired and drawn, his eyes downturned and shoulders slumped. The headline read: “Egyptologist Claims Mummy Rumors Exaggerated.” Cali couldn’t agree more. Though she’d seen it with her own eyes, things were clearly getting out of hand. People were coming to town not only to see the exhibit, but also to catch a glimpse of whatever that thing was that was stumbling through the streets. The problem was, the larger the crowds, the more the panic. People might injure each other in their hurry to escape their own fear.

  “This has to stop,” she said out loud.

  “What?” Emmit’s voice replied.

  Cali hadn’t noticed the little mouse as he entered the sitting room. “Good morning, Emmit,” she said. “I was just reading all the mummy ads in today’s newspaper. They’re actually trying to attract more tourists to come and search for the wandering mummy.”

  “That’s not good,” he said, wrinkling his nose. “I’ve seen enough panicked humans to last a lifetime.”

  “Agreed,” she said.

  “So what are we going to do?” he asked.

  “Wait,” she said. “We wait until the beacons light up again, and we find that mummy. This time we won’t lose it.”

  “What are you going to do if you catch it?” Emmit wondered.

  “Figure out what it really is,” she answered.

  “What if it turns out to be an honest and true ancient Egyptian?” Emmit asked.

  Cali sighed. “I doubt that will be the case.”

  “But what if it is the case?” the little mouse pressed.

  “Then I suppose we’ll have to ask it what it wants in order to make it go away,” she said. What else could she do? “And if it isn’t a real Egyptian, then maybe we can figure out who made it and why.”

  “How do you plan to do that?” Emmit asked.

  “Maybe it’s intelligent,” she suggested. “We might be able to talk to it.”

  “I doubt it could understand us,” he said.

  “True, but it’s worth a try,” she replied. “But if we can overpower it and drag it back here, Lionel might be able to figure out how it works.”

  “We?” Emmit said. “I don’t think I can be much help overpowering it.”

  Cali grinned at her little friend. “Leave that to me,” she said.

  Emmit departed for his daily rounds about the city and wasn’t ready to retur
n until dusk. The gas lamps were burning as he made his way toward home. Only two blocks away, he saw a familiar face at the base of one of the lamps.

  “Jilly?” he said to the pale gray mouse. “Is that you?” The dim light left him uncertain.

  “It’s me,” she squeaked. “I was about to use that powder you gave me.” Her eyes were wide with fright, and she was breathing heavily.

  “Have you seen the mummy?” Emmit asked. “Where is it?”

  “Outside the sweet shop,” she said, pointing down the street.

  “No need to light it,” Emmit said. “I’ll fetch Cali.” He sprinted away into the darkness.

  Leaping from her window with Emmit in tow, Cali raced toward the sweet shop. “You’re sure she saw a mummy?” she shouted to her companion.

  “That’s what she said,” he replied. “She seemed awfully shaken.” He knew Jilly, and she wasn’t a mouse prone to exaggeration. She also didn’t scare easily. He had no doubt she’d seen the mummy.

  Cali didn’t waste time asking more questions. With the sidewalks empty and the carriages busy elsewhere, she had no trouble reaching the sweet shop. Nothing was amiss at the front of it, so she skirted around the building toward the back. There, wrapped in its linens, was the same mummy she’d seen the night before.

  “I’ve got you now,” she muttered under her breath. Shifting power to her haunches, she pounced. Instead of landing on top of the mummy, she found herself flat on the ground. Emmit lost his grip and tumbled to the dirt below. Unharmed, the mouse rolled to his feet.

  “What on earth?” Cali said, spinning around. The mummy had kicked open the shop’s rear entrance and proceeded inside, oblivious to her attempt to apprehend it.

  Determination flashed in Cali’s green eye. She bounded after the mummy, determined not to lose it again. Emmit followed a step behind.

  The mummy crashed around the shop, stumbling and tripping on its clumsy legs. It didn’t appear to have any interest in the items inside, more like it was just passing through. Cali didn’t care what it wanted. She leapt for the mummy, knocking it to the ground.