Cunningham stepped over and reached for the Weatherby. He stood dressed in his hunting clothes with the bush hat tilted back on his large pate. Looking Kevin over thoughtfully, he stepped closer. “Are you sure that you’re up to this, lad?”
“Ready as I’ll ever be,” Kevin replied.
“That’s not quite what I’m asking,” he whispered. “I mean, are you up to it?”
“He’s perfectly capable,” Sarah chimed in. “We both are, actually.”
Cunningham pulled a face, taken aback that she’d heard him. His eyebrows shot up, and he stumbled. They both looked Sarah over in amazement. She wore her Victorian dress pinned up so that the fabric didn’t catch on the ground. She had traded her laced-up high heels for a pair of rubber Wellington boots.
The change in footwear was understandable. But they seemed surprised to see that she’d donned a grey shooting jacket over her dress. A large pad covered the right shoulder. Sarah registered Kevin’s astonishment.
“Did you think only the boys would handle those rifles?” Sarah taunted him.
“Well, the truth of it…” Kevin stammered. “I didn’t really—”
“Be careful, lad,” Cunningham interjected.
“Didn’t really, what?” she demanded.
“I didn’t really think,” Kevin muttered, “you’d find a shooting jacket in your size.”
“Oh, this old thing,” said Sarah, smiling proudly. “Why I’ve had this for some time, and had occasion to use it, but infrequently.”
She stepped toward Cunningham with her hand out. He looked at her bewildered. As Sarah moved closer, he didn’t seem to realize that she had reached for the Weatherby. The Great Hunter eventually registered what she demanded. “Blazes!” he hooted. “You’ll not take my rifle.”
“But I’ll be in the thick of danger,” she reasoned. “And you’ll be positioned behind the barricade with the 10th Hussars.”
Cunningham’s eyes glimmered with disdain at the mention of him relying upon the soldiers. The hunter shook his head. He worked the bolt and checked over the weapon as though the discussion were over.
Sarah stood by, looking dismayed. Letting out a huff, Sarah turned her eyes upon Kevin and kicked at dirt. He obviously felt bad for her, and was likely concerned about her safety. Kevin faced the hunter. “She may have a point—”
“Absolutely not!” Cunningham bellowed. “Giving her a rifle could be dangerous. Why, she might shoot one of us by mistake.”
Sarah crossed her arms and pouted.
“But she shouldn’t be made to face the beasts defenseless.”
Cunningham rubbed his chin, considering.
“I’ve had training with firearms,” Sarah muttered.
“But in the event the Rhino-pards get through,” said Cunningham, “we’ll need a big bore rifle to take them down.”
“She can’t be left unarmed,” Kevin pled.
“Not saying that,” Cunningham replied. “Not saying that at all. I’m suggesting that we give her the Gibbs, and I’ll hold on to the Weatherby… in case they get through.”
Sarah smiled and reached for the Gibbs. Kevin handed it over without further discussion. Then, he scratched his head. “Now I’ll be unarmed.”
“You’ve got the Ray-gun,” Cunningham offered. “Use that if they get too close.”
“What if it doesn’t work?” Kevin complained.
“Worked in the tunnel, didn’t it?”
Kevin nodded.
“And besides, you could always fire the Very pistol at them.” Cunningham grinned. “Let’s get on with it, shall we?”
****
Darkness crept over the city like a thick blanket as they ventured into the common. Kevin had the knapsack slung over a shoulder with the lantern inside. They would need it when entering the tunnels, but he considered using it to cross the park.
Sarah lugged the Gibbs at port arms. She had rounds shoved into holders on her shooting jacket. Beside her, Cunningham resembled a bandito with bandoliers of rounds slung crisscrossed over his chest, and the Weatherby tucked into the nook of his left arm.
“You don’t seem burdened at all,” Kevin said to Sarah.
She glanced at him puzzled. “Why should I be burdened?”
“Just… you know,” Kevin replied sheepishly. “Carrying the rifle and all.”
“This rifle here,” she said, holding it up with minimal effort.
Sarah truly seemed baffled by his comments. The insinuation that she hailed from a weaker sex was lost on her. The two rifles had taxed him quickly during the tracking party. Kevin expected that she would feel laden by the Gibbs, but she didn’t show any sign of slowing down.
He contemplated his experiences in this bizarre new world. Although women were formally clad in Victorian attire, they held equal positions to men, facing danger and physical toils the same as their male counterparts. Kevin’s world was only beginning to understand that women were as capable as men. Niles and Cunningham hadn’t really hesitated in adding her to the team.
“Carrying two of the rifles had proven to be burdensome,” Kevin tried to explain. “So, I figured the Gibbs might weigh you down a bit, is all.”
“Well, I certainly am not lugging two rifles around,” she quipped.
“Enough, now,” Cunningham snapped. “There’s no time for this petty bickering.”
“Yes, sir,” Kevin replied.
“And you toughen up,” Cunningham said, pointing at Kevin.
When they stepped onto the grassy plain, the park bustled with the activities being directed by the Royal Engineers. Gas lanterns illuminated the area. A large steam vault had been thrust open. The steel doors were removed by workers and taken away. The concrete vault had piping running throughout. It resembled a small basement filled with pipes, levers, and gauges.
An industrial mechanic worked at loosening a flange with a large wrench. Merely an iron plate, the flange connected two sections of steam pipe together. Large bolts fastened the pipe sections to the flange. The mechanic adjusted the bolts, loosening them enough to create a weak point in the line.
The mechanic climbed a ladder affixed to the concrete box and stepped topside. This vault spanned six meters in length and three meters wide; it looked about five meters deep. The vault appeared large enough to hold a Rhino-pard, but Kevin wondered if it could trap two beasts. Partially cat-like creatures, he pictured them springing from the hold.
Workers placed bamboo rods across the opening and then piled sticks on top of them. A cedar tree had been dropped on the edge of the wood line. More workers chopped branches off the tree with hatchets. They spread the evergreen limbs over the bamboo rods and sticks, effectively concealing the vault from view.
The hunting party stood at the edge of the vault, looking over the trap. All of the camouflage hid the opening very well. But standing there perusing the mound of evergreens, Kevin wondered if the Rhino-pards would steer clear of it.
Stepping back a few paces, he looked the park over and tried to discern whether or not the trap stood out from the grassy plain. He expected it appeared like a heap, but gladly found that it blended with the rest of the greenery.
“How does it look, lad?” Cunningham called to him.
“The brush on top of the bamboo doesn’t standout much. If they’re running fast, the Rhino-pards aren’t likely to see it.”
“They won’t have much of choice in going through here.”
He walked back to Cunningham. The Great Hunter slapped him on the shoulder. “Things are shaping up timely,” said Cunningham.
Kevin looked around. Various steam-propelled work trucks had been brought into the park. The vehicles were set in two rows. Each row started near the wood line about fifty meters apart, and then the lines of trucks got closer together as they neared the vault.
The trucks formed a passageway leading directly to the trap and continued on toward a fortified position. Sandbags were piled at the end of the rows of work trucks, running in-between
the vehicles closing off a gauntlet. Behind the sandbags, the 10th Hussars were busy preparing for a conflict.
Kevin noticed a primitive-looking Bazooka being positioned behind the barricade. He figured it was the weapon that Runge had talked about. The thought of so many weapons being pointed at the wood line, a direction Kevin and Sarah would be fleeing from, caused him to gasp for air. The soldiers hustled around jovially, itching to take part in the victory.
“Tell me what’s the issue, lad?” Cunningham whispered.
“These guys have me more concerned for Sarah’s safety…” Kevin explained, “than the Rhino-pards that we’re hunting.”
Cunningham nodded, affirmatively. “I’ll be behind the barricade with their captain. No shots will be fired downrange, unless I give the order.”
The comment made Kevin feel a little better. Still, the thought of all the excitement had him concerned that something could go wrong. A shot could get squeezed off in haste, causing a volley of rounds to follow, directed right at them.
****
Later, after workers maneuvered the steam trucks into place, Sarah watched Cunningham, as he slung the Weatherby over his shoulder. He nodded to Sarah and gave Kevin a pat on the arm.
“These fellows are very well disciplined,” he commented, heading toward the barricade. “If nothing else, they are very well disciplined, indeed.”
Sarah nodded in agreement.
“I certainly hope so,” Kevin replied. “But this is an unusual situation.”
“Toughen up!” Cunningham jibed.
Sarah giggled at the comment directed toward her young companion. But Kevin didn’t seem to find it funny, and tensed up as the Great Hunter demanded.
Cunningham’s bush hat jutted up and down, bobbing as he sauntered off. “Most unusual is an understatement,” he muttered, walking away. “You know what to do, lad! So, go ahead and do it well!”
Before Cunningham had gotten ten paces away from them, the soldiers were in position and the workers had cleared the field. Most everyone had already left, except for a few stragglers who were picking up tools.
Gas lanterns were cut out and the park fell into darkness. Sarah could hardly see Kevin standing beside her. Then, her eyes adjusted. Kevin reached into the knapsack for the lantern.
Patting the holsters for the Very pistol and his Ray-gun, Kevin sought reassurance from being equipped with weapons. Sarah shook her head and laughed.
He lit the lantern and held it up.
“What’s so funny?” he asked.
“You, silly,” she replied.
Kevin glanced at Sarah. “Are you ready?”
“Ready as I’ll ever be,” she answered, smiling. “Are you?”
He nodded sternly. “Let’s get going then.”
They turned and started walking toward the wood line. She had the Gibbs slung over her shoulder and he wore the knapsack.
A host of soldiers watching, Sarah could feel many eyes upon them. Kevin appeared self-conscious of his movements. She wondered if he was up for the task. Sarah stepped lightly upon the grass, making their departure look graceful, and her presence apparently brought him some comfort.
Chapter Eighteen
Crossing the grassy field to the wood line only took a few minutes. Kevin paused, swinging the lantern, while searching for a path to the access tunnel. It had been easy to spot in the daylight, so he hadn’t expected it to be difficult to find. Everything appeared obscured in the darkness, with tree branches and shrubs jutting all over.
“Where is the stinking path?” Kevin griped.
“How should I know?” Sarah replied. “You’ve been over it before. Not me.”
“It was right around here,” he said, motioning with the lantern. “Let’s just bend down and get a better angle to spot the broken branches.”
“Well, it seems to be far more difficult to locate at night.”
“Tell me about it,” he complained, kneeling to view the brush.
“You don’t have to snap. This is merely a momentary delay.”
“This little delay is not the problem,” said Kevin. “We’ll find the path in due time. What worries me is trying to make our way back, over such an obscure path, with the beasts chasing us.”
Sarah let out a sigh. “That really wasn’t much of an apology.”
“Sorry, I’m just trying to focus on the task at hand.” He looked at her dutifully. “My apologies for letting my manners slip.”
She smiled, happily. And he was pleasantly taken by her demand for respect.
“I promise not to let it happen again,” he said, wondering if he should explain his feelings. “Unless we’re getting pursued by the Rhino-pards.”
“That’s much better.” Sarah turned, pointing. “And look over there.”
Kevin followed the trace of her fingertip. The Rhino-pards were far more agile than he’d realized. They left scant trace of their route.
When the lantern finally shone upon the path, it was only about half a meter wide. The brush had bent back into place whenever the beasts thundered over the pathway. Each time the beasts trod from the access pipe to the park, they carefully kept to a tight path, concealing the trail to their bedding grounds.
Sarah started toward the path. He reached out and grabbed her shoulder tightly, halting her progress. Turning, she scowled at Kevin until registering that he was merely being cautious.
“They come out at night to feed,” he whispered. “We have to avoid walking into them.”
Nodding in understanding, she stood by quietly while he shined the lantern into the woods. Kevin looked for movement in the shadows. He listened for the sound of a Rhino-pard stepping on the forest floor, twigs snapping and leaves crunching.
The wooded track of land remained silent. He couldn’t see any sign of the beasts within the little forest. Kevin stepped down the path a short way.
He stopped and looked around. The only sound came from his own breathing. Puffy clouds of mist drifted under the lantern light. After listening a moment longer, Kevin waved for Sarah to join him.
“Now we get to serve as bait,” Sarah whispered, heading down the path.
“You’re the bait,” he muttered nervously. “They seem to prefer women. Remember?”
“Thank you, Kevin Barnes, for that gentle reminder. Let’s move along now.”
“You’re starting to sound like Cunningham.”
“Why thank you,” she replied, grinning. “He is a wonderful attribute to country and crown.”
They began moving down the path. Kevin and Sarah walked carefully to avoid making noise. She held the Gibbs at port arms, ready to fire if necessary. And Kevin paid careful attention to each way the path twisted and turned. He expected their egress would be made in extreme haste.
“Do you think we should put out the lantern?” he asked. “Maybe the light will attract their attention.”
“The beasts will smell us long before they hear our footsteps, or see the light.”
“You have a point there,” said Kevin. “But I’d prefer not to advertise our presence as much as possible.”
“Advertise?” she questioned. “What has any of this to do with advertisements?”
“I’ll tell you about it later. We need to focus on the Rhino-pards.”
She huffed and continued on behind him quietly.
Kevin stepped into the mud that he’d encountered previously. He glanced at the ground and saw his own boot print in the path, except there was an enormous paw print near it. Claw marks had scraped into the moist soil, measuring sixteen centimeters wide.
Another print lay in the path a meter ahead. The sight of large prints served as an ominous reminder of how deadly the creatures were. Kevin took a deep breath, feeling the cool air enter his lungs. It was a heavy, moist gulp of air that didn’t seem to deliver oxygen to his body. He felt unsettled about entering the tunnels again. Having been full of rage when he’d last charged into the tunnels, Kevin hadn’t taken the time to contemplate
the danger.
This time around, things felt much different. He was easing down the pathway with plenty of time to consider the foolhardy nature of this errand. Before the beasts had fled into the tunnel, and Kevin chased madly after them. He had expected to trail behind them. Somehow that felt safer. Now, Kevin knew the Rhino-pards were meandering through the catacombs, intent on emerging from the tunnels to feed. At some point, he chanced walking into them head-on.
Kevin caught a glimpse of Sarah’s face in the lamplight. Her eyes had grown wide at the sight of the large prints.
“Are you all right?” he asked, locking glances.
“Everything is perfectly suitable.” Sarah tightened her grip on the rifle. “Why on heavens would you ask?”
“Just making sure that you want to go through with this.”
“Nothing has caused me to change my mind,” Sarah replied, dismissively.
He began to wonder if this was a good idea. With all of the access points closed off, the beasts would likely head topside through the only tunnel that wasn’t shut up. The Rhino-pards would emerge near the trap anyway. Kevin wondered if it was worth risking their lives.
They continued down the path in silence. The plan was merely for the two of them to enter the tunnel and provide a scent for the beasts to follow. And the scent of a female was preferred.
Once the beasts picked up their presence, they would chase the bait and barge onto the field, and then fall into the trap unaware. Niles figured if the Rhino-pards exited the tunnels on happenstance without pursuing prey, they would be more cautious and likely avert the snare.
“We have a job to do,” Sarah continued. “There’s no sense dwelling on danger.”
“What makes you say that?” said Kevin, turning back to her.
“Why, it is written all over your face.” She giggled. “You look truly concerned about this expedition.”
“Really?” Kevin shook his head, then started back down the path.
“Certainly,” Sarah confirmed. “You obviously question the wisdom of this effort.”
“The Rhino-pards would head out of that tunnel anyway.”
Clockwork Universe Page 11
