The Guild Chronicles Books 1-3

by J M Bannon

  Dolly grabbed the decanter of whisky and his glass, then made his way to the laboratory. There he found Rose, Lorelei and Tommy all hunched over the small clock with magnifying lenses and eye loops; he poured himself a drink and set the decanter down. No one noticed him, so intent were they on the clock. He sauntered back to his stateroom and reached for the Henry rifle on the shelf above his bed. Dolly lifted it down, grabbed a box of ammunition from his bag and walked back to the Lab.

  "Doctor Traube!" barked Dolly.

  "Yes, Detective, how can I help you?" she said, not looking up.

  "Did Rosie here tell you what happened down in that cave?" asked Williamson as he set down the rifle and refilled his glass.

  "She did indeed, I would love to get a sample of the substance Miss Du Moya manipulated." the Scientist was giddy with the thought.

  "Ah, yes that would be so exciting to analyze, but you see I have had enough excitement. No, I was more taken by the flesh golems who took a forty-caliber bullet and didn't drop. You see before, I had a gun that just shot regular bullets and that used to be enough for the job. Now with you lot, I need magic bullets, however, the Sister there is stingy and only gave me eighteen, made for my Colt. I'm wondering if you would be a dear and whip me up some forty caliber shells using Rose's recipe, but make them out of these?” said, Dolly, as he slid the box of shells across the counter. "If we are to have the undead Voodoo Priestess sleeping on board, I'd like to have more firepower."

  "When we wrap this up, I'll see what I can do but I doubt I can do it unless those bullets were a straight alchemical mixture," Lorelei replied looking at Rose.

  "There is more to it, but the bulk is the suspension gas that holds the incantation. If you could figure a way to produce a bigger batch, then that would be a huge help," responded Rose.

  Dolly took off his jacket and threw it on a stool, "What does the brain trust make of this thing?" he said as he rolled up his shirt sleeves nodding his head toward the mysterious time-piece.

  “Well, sir, it's a clock ..." Tommy began.

  "I got that far," snapped Dolly.

  "Give the boy a chance," chided Rose.

  "As I was saying, it's a clock, actually two clocks interconnected through the complication…”

  I know this is complicated, said Dolly.

  No sir a complication is the term used by horologists, watch makers to describe the features of a mechanical Chronograph. While I am generally familiar with the workings of the larger portion, the smaller unit befuddles me. It reminds me of a telescope or a microscope with its strange lens array. I believe I have put all the bits back in place," said Tommy.

  "So what we have here is a pair of clocks that open doors we can't see. One theory would be that they are connected, possibly to another pair of clocks elsewhere, so that our suspect stepped through the door this device created to that other place, like sending a wire type when activated they connect and transmit. Do you think he could have transported to the other clock?" asked Dolly.

  "You think he went to Denver City?" asked Rose. "I don't know. Before the portal closed, I caught a glimpse, he was in an interior space, a small lobby or a verticulator. It wasn't Elmore's office where we left the other clock.” replied Dolly.

  "Unless the clock moved," Rose said. "Or there are many of them," added Tommy.

  "What are we going to do about that thing?" Dolly asked pointing at the black velvet shroud covering Hume's soul magnet.

  Rose looked over at the device under its cover, then snapped her fingers, "There really is a reason and a season."

  "What?" said Lorelei.

  "Destiny, fortune, the reason Angelica is here. I thought only of something selfish, but there is no one better than her to figure out what to do with those souls. You heard the Necronists, they based this technology on what they learned from the Voodooists. I bet she can help," Dolly could see that light go on in Rose when she was on to something. She exuded positivity and brightened all those around with her energy.

  "When we get back to London, we need to move all of this over to Hawkin's House and we can see what Angelica can do about getting those people out. I also need to ask a Mechanist Savant we know to look at this clock," said Rose.

  "Rose, the clock, and the Necronist device are evidence of a mass murder, to add further complication to the matter, it belongs in both the American and British evidence system. I was thinking about this earlier as I wrote my reports in our rush to help those… those people in there; Elmore made a big mistake in letting us take it. If we catch this fellow and he goes to the Bailey in London or some court in America, some smart arse barrister will shoot the case apart just on the handling of this evidence."

  "What do you suggest? I know this will peeve you, but these two, Angelica and my laboratory are the only solution,” asked Rose.

  "You're right, Rose, that does peeve me. How about we go with your plan, but you agree to station officers in and around your house? We need at least someone from outside the Special Branch to have an unbiased eye and witness that there has been no tampering. The last thing we want is for us to nab this Allard and he gets away on a technicality."

  “Sir,” Rose said shaking her head. "Allard has more to worry about than us, you don't really think Saint Yves is consoling the acolytes, who lost their leader? My guess is that he is gathering his Wyrding together to hunt that traitor down and take his soul."

  * * *

  8:20 a.m. In the Mind of Preston Gilchrist, Gilchrist Manor

  Doctor Burckhardt's daily electrotherapy of Preston was outwardly showing results, none positive. Inwardly Preston and Azul were no longer trapped in his body fighting for space but were now cast adrift.

  There was a constant howl like a hurricane gale force, but with no wind. For as far as the eye could see there was nothing but a bare landscape, a barren desert; the two were now trapped in a deteriorating mindscape.

  Azul watched Preston sitting on the ground, he was worn out and tired looking.

  "Preston, we need to be strong and resolute to keep ourselves from falling apart."

  "Where are we?" Preston whispered.

  "Your body is on the mortal plane, in the Doctor's bath of electricity treatment. You and I are in a higher conscious state still attached to that body but losing the connection. This state is a cross between a dream and an astral projection, an altered state. I am afraid this attempt is our last hope to keep your body from passing into the beyond," said Azul.

  "I think I'm ready," replied Preston tiredly.

  "I too am prepared, having dwelled in a deathless prison for an eternity, I am unsure what will become of my oneness if this Doctor kills your body. Being ready does not mean it's time, and I say it’s not to be now," proposed Azul.

  "I'm tired of all this, I want what comes next," Preston argued.

  "Get up and walk with me. You and I will keep walking and figure a way out of this place," said Azul. He had to get Preston to his feet.

  "You must return to reality. This place is not your physical existence, it is your mindscape. We are in the English countryside in your body and we will return," urged Azul.

  Azul knew he had the spiritual and mental stamina to survive. He had been kept in spiritual solitary confinement for hundreds of years. Much longer than the incompetent Doctor had lived and far longer than he could keep up his foolish treatments. Azul feared the Doctor would go too far and destroy the flesh that his and Preston's souls used as an anchor. If and when that happened he and Preston would go their separate ways beyond the aether.

  30

  Saturday the 30th of March

  8:42 p.m Hawkin’s House, Paddington

  Rose and Angelica sat by the fireplace, relaxing in the parlor of Hawkin's House. Unwinding as much as one could with constables standing inside and outside the house on vigil. Even though she was a constable herself, being around uniformed police officers made Rose a little tense. She had arrived home earlier in the day, causing a stir in the quiet neighbo
rhood.

  Upon landing, Dolly had wired Scotland Yard for a complement of officers and several steam coaches to transport his assemblage of people and the evidence they had collected to Hawkin's House. The caravan of paddy wagons was enough to arouse neighbors interest, peeking out windows and loitering outside. The constables spread out securing the property; attracting reporters. Fortunately, Rose was able to get Angelica and the device into the house before the reporters arrived.

  Rose was torn. She wanted to be working downstairs alongside Tommy and Fletcher figuring out the clock's secrets, but she was wary of leaving Angelica alone and wasn't ready to let her see what she had stored in the basement laboratory.

  "I can see you have adopted some of the Wardings I had at my townhouse," said Angelica. Five hours earlier when they arrived, Angelica couldn't set foot in the house. It required Rose to enter first then incant a welcome for her to enter.

  "Yes, somewhat different, but you were the inspiration," Rose said looking up from her book.

  Angelica was watching the flames of the coal fire, "and downstairs?"

  "Eventually you can go down there, but not yet. Let's you and I get re-acquainted and spend time with Enzo first," added Rose.

  "That old man doesn't like me,” snapped Angelica

  "He is peculiar, but I don't think he forms opinions like that. He has helped me with understanding my purpose and from that, I have increased my capacity to grasp the metaphysical," said Rose.

  "I don't plan to stay around that long. I will be off soon to find my son."

  "And I said I would help. You mentioned the name Caiaphas on the airship, I have had a run in with him, that … well I am uncertain I can properly explain it," offered Rose.

  "Try," said Angelica.

  "You remember how when we met at your townhouse, you transported me back to when you killed your brother?"

  "Half brother and I didn't transport you; I flooded you with the memories of that incident. You relived it through a vivid recollection," corrected Angelica.

  "I see, well it happened again, but this time I traveled back to an incident in ancient Persia. A priest called Caiaphas had a hand in imprisoning an ancient being. In the process, I glimpsed his true nature and origin; he is not of this plane of existence," Rose gave as much detail as she could remember.

  "I sensed something unusual about him, but assumed it was his arcane abilities," confirmed Angelica.

  "So, your boy is with him?"

  "No, he is with an American and I plan to go there and retrieve my son,"

  "Apologies for interrupting Miss Rose, I have something to show you." Mechanist Fletcher poked his head around the corner looking into the parlor, Tommy hovered behind him holding a gizmo mounted to a wooden board.

  Rose stood up. "Come in Alfie, may I present Angelica Du Moya,"

  Angelica held out her hand, "Pleased to meet you." "Alfred Fletcher, Mechanist, but all my friends call me Alfie," he said shaking her right hand awkwardly with his left hand.

  "What happened to your hand?" asked Angelica.

  "Shell blast in the Crimean," he replied.

  "And this is Tom Edison," Alfie turned, motioning to his co-worker.

  "Call me Tommy," said the teenager shyly.

  "Ah, an American I see,".

  "Yes, and returning home soon, sad to say, but that's not why we're here. Alfie and I wanted to show you something we cooked up," said Tommy as he set the board with a variety of components in the center of the coffee table. There were three compass dials affixed to the structure, one was pointing towards the front of the house, the second pointed north the third slowly turned between the two. Connecting the dials was an array of tubes, valves, and a tiny engine powered by an alcohol burner.

  "So what's this, boys," asked Rose.

  "Let me say this is a hypothesis, and I was inspired by the work we have been doing with the electromechanical connections to the ethereal. That clock isn't just a clock, well part of it is, and that clockwork is needed to synchronize activity between two distant points, akin to navigation. It is required to help set the bearing or connection between it and another device.

  "Like another one of these clocks?" asked Rose.

  "Oh no, I expect that its partner is much much bigger and more sophisticated, by my estimation of the energy requirements for connection. said Alfie.

  “Connection, how?" Rose queried.

  "Yes, you see here on this indicator, we have tuned it to the harmonics of the device; inside the clock is an object similar to your gemulet." offered Alfie.

  "Far more sophisticated, the inventor of this device is a genius," injected Tommy admiringly. Rose gave him a cross look.

  "As I was saying, there are theories which describe invisible waves that can be propagated, then received. Imagine instead of needing a wire to send a wire -type message, it could be sent through the air. I believe what you saw was this device connected to the source device, and it propagated a signal which your man walked right down to the other end.” Alfie finished smugly.

  "I have a different theory," said Tommy, “My conjecture is that the involved principles are different; this machine is slaved to a master device and when actuated, opens a point coordinated with the master. The Master unit folds the aether and punches a hole through space to create a shortcut in physical space. The slave unit just aligns with the hole made by the master,"

  "That is preposterous, the energy needed to do something like..." said Alfie raising his voice.

  "Gentlemen, please, I need you two geniuses to work together. What does this do and do you agree with how it works?" asked Rose pointing to the panel laid in front of her.

  "The dial in the middle is just your standard compass, it shows you direction based on magnetic north. The dial to the right shows the direction the clock face is pointing. The third dial will show a direction based on where the connection signal emanates from," said Tommy.

  "This is a prototype Rose, but if we build three or more of these devices and spread them out, say on three airships, you could triangulate the position of the signal source." Alfie finished.

  Rose was impressed. "Brilliant! Make a list of what you need; first thing tomorrow, go and get the parts to build them. I'll be heading into Scotland Yard in the morning, I can speak to Detective Williamson about arranging placement of the devices onto Her Majesty’s airships and fly in a search pattern. Dolly will be so pleased with your work, this gives him a method to find Allard." Rose said, giving both of the men a big hug. She then turned to Angelica, "You see Angelica, this is the aptitude we can bring to bear with which to find young Gerrard."

  31

  Saturday the 30th of March

  2:42 p.m. Continental Cattle Company, Omaha Nebraska

  As Allard walked the production line, he considered the unsavory task Caiaphas had demanded he perform. Did he have any options? He genuinely disliked the thought of taking another life.

  He had heard how the manufacture of goods by mechanical systems was changing the trades. Steam driven intricate automation was making it possible for American cotton to be woven on British looms into cheap cloth, then shipped to the Continent. These were truly awe-inspiring times. Dr. Bernard and Caiaphas had taken the principles of mechanist fabrication and applied it to the manufacture of the Homunculus. This Homunculus fabricator took up the entire slaughterhouse floor and could make more of the beasts than he ever could in his laboratory, in far less time. The front end of the machine received the bison carcass and broke it down. The next section fabricated Bernard's latest design, a much larger creature than ever produced in the chambers downstairs. Next, the machine took a strange turn, not in shape but in what it did, using rolls of copper sheet and bins of rivets, the material was cut and stamped onto the beasts roughly sheathing them in plate metal.

  He was curious how it would work but walked on. Here the equipment looked familiar it was where the Homunculus were animated. Instead of a chamber like they had used in the laboratory a lar
ge vat filled with ichor would bathe the Homunculus. The beast would be dipped in the bath charged with life then dropped out on the floor alive within a cage. Animation was now a continuous process rather than batch. He was proud to see how his adaptations translated from his imagination to the drawing board and now a reality.

  On the wall behind him, were the controls for the machine. He stared at the panel of pipes and valves that pumped ichor from the laboratory below into the vat and transmitted life energy from the two soul corrals below. Now all this equipment would be moved to a new location and if he were to ever see it work, he would have to kill a man.

  "This is interesting," He said out loud.

  After the ichor vats, the machine ended in an enclosed cage. Essentially a cattle chute where the assembly released the Homunculus into a caged run. Instead of being loaded onto a train or corralled in a pen, the creatures were released by the machine and funneled towards a Nexus door. "Caiaphas plans to send them through the Nexus,” Allard said aloud with a smile.

  From here he looked to the far end of the factory up to the second-floor office where he was to go and kill a man. He covered the distance to the wooden stairs considering his options, concluding there were none.

  At the top of the stairs on the landing was a big man in a wolfskin coat, who looked like he had come straight out of the woods. Their eyes met, but they said nothing to each other. Allard just opened the door and entered the office.

  "You the voice of reason here?" asked Marshall Quentin through swollen and bloody lips; his face badly beaten . Suspended in the middle of the room by his hands and his toes barely touching the ground.

  "Pardon me?"

  "I'm looking for the fellow, who has the sense to know if you weren't guilty of killing all those people in Harpsichord, then beating the shit out of a Federal Marshal would leave a Judge and jury highly suspect of your guilt in the other matter."