The Cog Chronicles Box Set

by P M Cole

  I looked up into the falling flakes. The first-floor window wasn’t too far above my head, but still more than I could jump, and there was nothing to hold onto to climb with. As I stepped back, I struck the metal fence, and an idea came to me. Not having any clue if the crazy idea would work, I gripped the fence then calmed my thoughts, trying to push out the man’s voice about to enter the narrow space. The fence stretched upwards, taking me with it and I stepped off, onto the window ledge, and let the fence spring back. Auto fluttered then landed in my hand. I placed him back inside my coat.

  Two men entered the alleyway, single file. I turned to open the window then realised that wasn’t possible. There were no hinges or latches. I watched the men who were grumbling something to each other, pass below just a few feet from my boots. I dared not move in case I slipped.

  When they walked free at the other end, I let out a breath.

  “Now what…” I said as the words formed white mist.

  I needed to see what was happening inside. If there was no opening, I was going to have to make one. I peered through the small panes of frost covered glass into an empty storage room, then placed my hands on the ice-cold metal frame. The ice melted away, and I pushed my weight forward. The frame shook then fell inwards before I could grab the edge, and it collapsed onto a wooden barrel and then onto the wooden floorboards. I leaned forward to see if there was any reaction from beyond the room's only door, but there wasn’t any.

  I climbed inside and shivered. I never designed the suit to protect me from the cold, and my coat wasn’t helping as much as I hoped. Another alteration that was needed. I walked across the dusty floor and leaned up against the door to listen. Muffled noises of construction came through the planks. Now I was really curious.

  I made sure my scarf covered the lower half of my face, and as slowly as possible turned the iron handle, pulling the door towards me. Outside was a balcony that ran to my left and right, and beyond a large hall. I couldn’t see much of the ground floor from the height I was, but I could hear clangs and thumps. I instantly recognised the sound of metal being moved, bent, and drilled and the air was filled with the smell of oil and grease.

  I crouched, then leaned forward and looked both ways.

  Clear.

  I just needed a glimpse of what Hades had his men building. I stepped forward onto the balcony, keeping low, then cautiously peered over the wall. The ground floor was alive with people. Most were in workmen’s overalls but some were in beige suits, and even fewer were in white long blazers.

  What did Hades have these scientists and engineers building?

  The lower floor contained a network of pipes and a series of cylinders, all connected together with gauges on the outside. There was also electrical cabling, which connected to a generator… A tingling rose through my body and suddenly I could also feel the electricity moving through the wires and machines below me. The whole construction, even though incomplete was coming together in my mind as I looked down, and words came to me that I had only the vaguest notion of…’fissionable material’, ‘centrifuges.’ I had no idea what this contraption was, but I knew I could build it.

  A crane kicked into gear, making a loud noise, and shook me from my daze. It grabbed another of the large metal cylinders and started to slide it into place. I blinked to remove the strange vision from my eyes, then saw someone I recognised, standing at the end of the busy space.

  Cassandra stood near one of the white-suited men, wearing the same clothing, but holding a clipboard. Despite the distance to where they were standing, I could see the man had a strange demeanour, not looking directly at her, instead staring golem-like straight ahead. It was almost as if he was under some kind of…

  Voices came from outside the room behind me. Instinctively I ducked beneath the balcony wall. It was another worker who, it sounded like, just happened to look up and see the window missing. He was now shouting to others near the tracks.

  Hell.

  I went to lift my head, when I remembered the mirror on the inside of my hand and held that up instead. Cassandra had gone, but most downstairs were looking upwards. I needed to leave.

  Auto chirped.

  “Yes, trouble,” I whispered.

  At the end of the walkway was another door, marked stairs. I took off, running, but keeping low. Men shouted from the ground floor, that someone was ‘up there.’

  I burst through the door into a dimly lit stairwell and went to move down, but I heard voices coming up. Without a thought, I ascended. I passed the door on the next floor up, seeing people outside, so kept on going, higher and higher. Each landing not a possible route to escape until I reached the final door, marked. ‘Roof.’

  I hesitated to open it and looked down over the stair railings. Men were coming up. Lots of them, their angry grunts echoing off the walls.

  Roof it is then.

  I grabbed the door handle and pushed but it refused to move. I pushed again.

  Snow!

  The voices were now loud enough to discern what they were saying. ‘There ain’t no escape lad!’ shouted one of the men.

  I held the handle once again this time concentrating and turning it hot. It glowed orange, but I needed it to be even hotter. My hands glowed with a purple glow while the metal within them was now yellow, just how I needed it.

  ‘Give up now, and we won’t call the coppers!’ shouted someone from below.

  I pushed the molten mass through to the outside and with my mind pushed it to drop left and right on the other side of the door. I then took a step back and charged forward pushing all my weight into the wood and it flew open. I fell forward into the dark and a flurry of swirling ice flakes. I spun around and pushed the door closed, just as I saw faces turning the corner of the final steps and waved my hand at the now cooling metal of the former handle. It stretched across the wood like a web, holding it fast. The door shuddered as those on the other side tried to open it.

  I turned back to the rooftop. Muffled chirps came from inside my coat. I pulled Auto out and let him fly free.

  Lights which overlooked the train tracks and lamps in nearby homes were just visible, a hundred feet below me, receding into the storm.

  “Now what, Auto,” I said.

  ‘D…a…n…g…e…r.’

  “I know!”

  Something or someone heavy slammed against the door. A piece of now dried metal fell into the snow. Auto started circling around above.

  I ran forward, trying not to slip, and stopped at the small wall that ran around the edge. “OK, umm…”

  People far below we’re pointing up. Another slam came against the door. More of my feeble barrier broke.

  I rubbed my hands together as the cold bit into my fingertips.

  “Metal, I need metal.”

  I spun around, trying to make out any through the ice that was filling the air but there was none. Only brick. I looked back down to the tracks.

  “Lots of iron down there.”

  I had a thought, but it was so insane that I almost dismissed it out of hand. The door pushed open a few inches. I looked back at an angry face and a hand trying to reach out through the gap. Auto instantly dived and started clawing at the man’s fingers, who quickly pulled them back inside.

  “OK, no choice.”

  I ran to the far corner, skidding to a halt. It overlooked the tracks and I immediately focused on the iron beams forming the rails far below.

  “We’ve got you now boy!” came from behind.

  Shouts also came from below but were soon eclipsed by the sound of metal warping. The weight was almost too much, but I refused to be caught by those about to emerge from the stairwell.

  I held my hands out in front. A part of the railway track had detached and was rising up to the top the building, like a snake.

  I looked back at the door. It burst open. I quickly pulled my scarf from my face and held it between both hands, then leapt off the roof catching hold of the metal beam which had now ceas
ed moving, and I instantly started to slide down. Behind me I could hear shouts and gasps, but I ignored them all, instead concentrating on making sure my descent would not be too fast. A few seconds later a few yards from the ground, I let go of one side of my scarf and landed heavily. Pain shot through my ankle, but not so much that I couldn’t keep moving. Police whistles rang out from the building behind me as I ran forward and clambered over a wall and back into the street.

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  I awoke in my basement, with a vision of endless flame still echoing in my mind.

  “I keep telling the others—” A figure was sitting at my work table, but my eyes were still too blurry to see who. “— Corine is not a concern. She will come around. She just—” I recognised the voice. I pulled my blanket from me and raised my arm vaguely in their direction. “— needs to see things from our point of view.”

  Daniel, clothed in a long dark winter coat, was looking at me.

  “What are you doing here!” I demanded, my hand wavering slightly.

  He leaned forward but remained seated. “Corine, you cannot keep up this fight against us. We know it was you who was at the acid works earlier. What were you doing there?”

  “I… I was curious.” I wondered where Auto was.

  “Then ask us! All this sneaking around in places you are not invited to just makes the others more suspicious of your true intentions! As I have to say Corine, it does to me too. I’m trying so hard to trust you.”

  I slowly lowered my arm. “Then tell me. What is H... Lord Cannington doing there?”

  “If you must know. There is a scientist. For many years he wrote papers on a new form of energy. One that has not been discovered before. And with it, a great machine can be constructed which provides power! Enough to light all the street lamps in London, or even the whole country for years!” He leaned forward even more. “And that is just the start! He has told us about his plans to miniaturise his invention, so these power generators can exist in every home Corine. Just imagine, how that would help people? Can’t you see Hades is trying to help people, not hurt them!”

  The design my brain conjured while on the balcony, looking down at all the pipes and metal cylinders came back to me. “It… was a device for making a substance—” In my mind I could see it functioning. “—which would be used as fuel, for…”

  Daniel grinned. “Yes, to power this new kind of generator!”

  A chill ran through me which wasn’t weather-related, and my dream started to come back to me. A barren landscape or scorched earth and bodies by the thousands, rotting in the heat.

  “No, Daniel… this is to construct a weapon… a bomb…”

  He pulled back, his face one of disgust. “Why would you say that?”

  I stood. “He is trying to build an explosive device! One that would not merely clear a mine shaft, or propel a cannonball, this is something unimaginable! I have seen its destruction, Daniel. An explosion that could destroy all of London!”

  He slowly stood. “No… You are insane. Why would he want that? He wants to help humanity!” He stepped back and towards the stairs. “This is you… you have the power of the god of the forge! Where we see an invention to help people, you only see death…” His eyes grew wide. “They were right about you…”

  “What? No… It is Hades!” I took a step forward.

  “Keep back!” His eyes became as bright as the gas flames, and I felt as if a weight had fallen upon me. I staggered backwards bumping up against the bed.

  His face was one of anguish. He turned and stormed up the stairs, through the door and from the sound, across the boards above me, and left the house.

  “It’s Hades…” I repeated, my words becoming slurred.

  I sat heavily on the bed. I wanted him to believe me. Tears came to my eyes, as I leaned back and fell into a stupor.

  *****

  “No!” I screamed into the basement.

  I looked around from my awkward position on the bed. No Daniel.

  I felt as if I had been dosed with one of the magical potions on sale at the Shadow Factory. I looked at the clock on my wall. My second bout of rest had only been for twenty minutes.

  I slid my hand over my face and then my hair, and then realised I had not heard from Auto from the moment I first got back, hours earlier. I had set him free from my coat and turned on the hastily designed heating system, before quickly succumbing to exhaustion.

  The recent argument was coming back to me, but I ignored that and looked around the room. There was no sign of the mechanical bird. I looked at the door at the top of the stairs which was half-open. I walked up the steps, using both hands to steady myself and pushed the door open, emerging into the back room. Still no Auto. I then heard some movement in the shop. Pushing the curtain to the side, I tracked where the noise was coming from.

  An upturned wooden box was shuffling left and right behind the counter. I quickly pulled it up. Auto spun around, bumping into the back of the counter as only one wing fluttered.

  “What did he do to you?” I picked the small automaton up but couldn’t see any obvious sign of damage.

  ‘E…g…m…a…’

  “You’re not making any sense, I’m going to have to—”

  The shop filled with a brilliant light so intense I had to cover my eyes. When it died down, a glowing goddess stood just a few feet from me.

  “Give him to me,” said Athena, holding out her hand.

  Slightly dumbstruck, I did as asked.

  “Apollo used his ability on him; he damaged some of the birds life force. I will try to restore it…” As she held the small metal bird, her hand glowed and Auto started to flap both wings. She smiled, handing him back to me. “He should now function as before.”

  “I… you knew of him?”

  “I was there when you created him. I helped breathe life into the machine you built.”

  “Oh…”

  “You gift does not allow you to create life, only an imitation of it. If you want to do that, as a woman, you have other methods.”

  I nodded awkwardly.

  “But your little owl there is more than just a machine.”

  “I know.”

  I set Auto down on the counter.

  “B…e…t…t…e…r.”

  Athena looked away, her glow lighting the empty walls. “But that is not why I am here. I had hoped your intention of getting close to Hades would work, or at least you could talk some sense into his proteges. That they would awaken from the spell he has them under… but after the events of earlier, I fear they are too far gone.”

  “What… I don’t understand.”

  She looked at me. “You have to kill them, Cog.”

  “I… can’t you stop them? You’re a goddess!”

  “I can only visit this realm for short periods. Hades may be stuck here, but he has made it so most of my kind cannot come here too. Only those he has chosen are now allowed to reside, and his power increases daily. Soon there will be no stopping him, especially with the human weapons he is acquiring.”

  “The bomb…”

  “Such power was not meant for humans for many more years. He is distorting fate.”

  “But… Daniel… he is not evil like Hades…”

  “He wanted to kill you earlier, Cog. I had to intervene.”

  “Intervene? You were here?”

  She nodded. “He was not aware, but I was able to cast doubt into his mind, and from that he de—” Her light dimmed and for a moment I could see through her to the wall behind. She then returned to her previous level of luminescence. “I have to go. I will do what I can, but it is limited. You must grow stronger, Cog, train harder. You still do not know the extent of your powers. Find others. Those that you already have by your side will not be enough to defeat what you are up against. As you—”

  She was gone, and I was standing alone.

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN

  I looked through the only remaining clear area of the front gla
ss window of the shop, the rest being covered in frost, to a street transformed into a winter landscape I had never seen before in the capital.

  It was 7 a.m. and I had already been awake for two hours, making plans.

  The snow had to have been two-feet-thick in most places, and the only sharp edges were icicles hanging from any available ledge. The street lamps were still doing their best to illuminate the scene, no doubt because the lamplighters had not yet been able to get to them.

  After Athena returned to whatever realm she had come from, I made myself some soup from the remaining vegetables that resided amongst the cobwebs in the larder. As the warm sludge quelled the hunger within me, I thought about what would come next.

  The pretence of being friendly with the six young people of the same age as myself had failed, and that was my fault. Maybe it was never going to succeed, but a part of me began to believe what my mother was telling me about Hades. And if I had never traveled to Battersea and saw what they were building in the Acid Works building, perhaps that seed of hope would have grown, and gotten all the people I cared about murdered again. My mother was either lying or completely deluded, but either way, I wasn’t going to allow her to infect my mind with doubt again. The battle lines were now clear, and we needed to prepare.

  I had spent the morning thinking about how the shop and the Ratters domain could be fortified. The Shadow Factory I’m sure was sufficiently secure and the same for Wraith Manor, but Colin’s and the shop, not so.

  A few lone figures braved the scene outside, their faces buried in their coats. The horses from an omnibus slipped trying to pull the large-wheeled construction behind them. The city was trying to wake up but was being held back by the arctic conditions. I wondered if this was also Hades' doing. The windows were a weak point and needed to be boarded up. With the snow I presumed it wouldn’t look too strange, so I ascended the stairs to the first of three more floors, the topmost being an attic room and looked for suitable wooden boards. Three doors looked back at me in the dim light of a gas lamp. These I knew to be a study, a bedroom, and a bathroom for Mr Gladwell. I resisted the feeling of intrusion and opened the bedroom door, looking for what I hoped was in there and smiling on seeing it. A large wardrobe was in the corner. Mr Gladwell’s bed was neatly made, and that continued across the entire room with everything being where it should be. A chest of drawers sat at the end of the bed, along with a small chest, and opposite the window was a bookshelf. I walked to it and looked at the vellum covered volumes. I’m sure, knowing who my employer really was, Lucas and Bernard would give a great deal to look at them.