Copper Visions (13 page)
“Only if you do not have the means of taking care of yourself in a bad situation,” David said, his voice gone dangerously monotone. “Trust me, Captain Murphy, the people who have tried to interfere with us have come out the worse for it. I intend to keep that trend.”
The Captain nodded. “If you're who I've heard about, I wouldn't doubt it. There are a lot of crazy rumors going around about you metal men. And the ones about the metal women are even worse. I'll keep my crew to themselves and you'll find yourself unharmed wherever we land, provided you can pull your weight and work where you're needed.”
“We can do what's necessary,” David assured him.
“Even the lady?” the captain asked with the hint of a leer.
“The lady is not afraid of hard work,” Sophie said, pulling herself up. “But whatever rumors you've heard, they are nothing compared to the reality.”
With a slight blanch, the captain cleared his throat. “I'm glad to hear you're not afraid of the work,” he said. “Like I said, I'll make sure my men keep to themselves and you'll arrive unmolested.”
“I'm glad to hear that, captain,” David said, turning the captain's attention back to himself. “When are you planning on lifting?”
“Two hours,” he said. “You'll want to be on board before that.”
“Obviously,” David said.
“If you want the lift, we're in Airfield 9. I'd hurry if I were you.” The Captain stood.
“Will you not be escorting us there?” Sophie asked, not sure she liked where this was going.
“No, if I'm taking on two inexperienced flyers, I need to make some preparations. If you're not there by the time we lift, we'll be leaving without you.”
The captain left and Sophie listened to his retreating footsteps until they were lost in the din of the bar. “I don't like this,” she said. “I don't trust that he just offered jobs on his airship, which is leaving in 2 hours, to us. He didn't ask enough questions, he didn't have any qualms about being paid for passengers.”
“Yes, your concerns are valid,” David said. “But he was also the only person to approach us. We will wait a bit longer but if no other help is on offer, we will take Captain Murphy up on his offer.”
“It was too easy,” Bryan said. “He didn't even look twice at me and I know he saw me when we came in.”
“Like I said,” David replied.
They waited as long as they could and no other offers came to their booth. With a feeling of trepidation, they left out the back and made their way down the dark alley that would spill out near the main road to the airdocks.
Chapter 18 - Set Up
As they came out on the main road, a crowd had gathered around a black cab. The constables had been called but some of the men were already going through the contents of the cab.
“I can't believe she killed him,” one of the women near them said.
“Who killed him?” David asked.
Not turning to look, she leaned his way. “The arsonist. You know, the one who tried to kill her landlady because she couldn't pay the rent? Guess she couldn't pay for the cab, either, but didn't bother setting a fire.”
“What?” Sophie exclaimed.
“That's quite an accusation. Are you sure it was her?” David asked.
“Well, that's what the boys are saying. Says someone saw her do it and recognized her from the papers. Says he heard she'd set a hospital on fire, too. Ungrateful wench. But that's what you get for giving charity to those kinds of people. Nothing good ever comes of it.”
David held Sophie back from attacking the woman and pushed her further down the street until they could get a glimpse of what had happened.
George, their cab driver, was pinned to his perch by a dagger. Several other holes were oozing blood, his eyes still open.
“George,” Sophie breathed, tears welling out of her eyes.
“We have to get out of here, Sophie,” David said, pushing her down the street.
She nodded, aware of the danger of their situation, and turned to move. As she did, her eyes alighted on a familiar face. Jem, the boy who'd worked for that horrible club, was standing near the cab. He was talking to the men around him, and they were all listening with angry faces.
There would be a mob soon. She knew the look, had seen it often enough when she was working at the mines, and there were enough young men to see damage done.
They were almost away when a voice cried out “There she is!”
Before she could look behind her, David grabbed her arm and pulled her after him as he began to run. A sea of angry voices followed them. They ran faster.
Young and strong though she was, Sophie couldn't run as long or as fast as David could and her strength began to flag before they reached the airdocks, Bryan panting along beside her. It was only the fact that the mob took moments to form that saved them.
Dashing through the gates of the airdocks, they made for the field where they were supposed to meet their ship.
All the lights on the ship were lit, the captain waiting for them at the end of the gangplank.
He wasn't alone.
Mr. Rum, Mr. White and Mr. Sail were standing with him, along with a dozen burly, armed men.
“Miss Sophie,” Mr. Sail called out. “What a pleasure it is to see you again. So glad you could join us tonight.”
Sophie stopped, refusing to go another inch, and David stood in front of her. The shout of the mob at the gates threatened to deafen her.
“Why can't you leave me alone?” she shouted, terrified. “I haven't done anything!”
“I'd hardly call colluding with demons to bring about the fall of the empire nothing,” Mr. White said. “You are a dangerous criminal, Miss Sophie, and your reign of terror must be put to a stop.”
"Is that what you've told these men?" David asked, gesturing to the men moving to surround them. "Is that what you've told them to get them to help you capture and take apart an innocent young woman?"
"Ah, Mr. Alexander, the silver tongued robot," Mr. Rum said. "You would defend her, wouldn't you. Were her actions part of some experiment you were running on our city? Did she break out of your control? Or were you directing her to do it?"
"Don't you know?" David asked. "I would have thought you would have the whole story figured out."
"We don't understand the workings of a robot," Mr. White said. "Or the mad genius who created him then let him loose on the world to wreak what destruction he could. Unlike your creator, we do not wish to destroy the people who have supported us and we don't understand why anybody would."
"Then why do you presume to pass judgment on the likes of Miss Sophie," David demanded. "If her actions are at my behest, understanding them must be out of your experience."
"We do not judge the girl," Mr. White said, his lips twisting into a menacing grimace. "We judge her actions and the destruction it has wreaked on the innocents of our fair city."
"David," Sophie said, pressing herself against his back. "They're getting too close. We're not going to be able to run."
"We've always had an interest in controlling the things that threaten our people," Mr. Rum said. "And Miss Sophie threatens them in ways nobody can predict. Why, look at the destruction she has wrought over the course of the last three days. Can you say her motivations were entirely innocent?"
"I seriously doubt you would credit any protestations of innocence," David said, standing completely still. "You've come here to declare her guilty whatever she's had to do with any of it. I hesitate to ask what story you've told them men you've brought with you to apprehend such a dangerous criminal."
"Many of these men lost homes and businesses in the fire she set to kill her landlady. They care very little about what reasons she could have had."
"I see," David said, his head rotating slowly to take in all the men surrounding them. "So we are to be judged without benefit of a trial."
"Only humans are put on trial," Mr. White said. "There's no humanity in either of you."
"Just so," David's voice had lost all inflection. "Is there any humanity int he bodies you are about to throw at us?"
"Pardon?" Mr. White's voice sounded less certain.
"These men. They're just bodies, simply large hunks of meat that stand between my companion and I and our destination. Burdened as I am, I will not be able to be overly careful about what kinds of damage I do to the meat that is in my way. Miss Sophie is not familiar with the way her limbs work, either, and may cause unintentional harm."
"Or intentional harm," she said loudly. "Especially if somebody tries to grab hold of me."
"I'm sure we'll be willing to take that chance," Mr. Rum said and the men moved as a group to them. Most of them were carrying weapons of some sort, clubs and hammers, tools used in their professions or carried for protection.
When they closed on the trio, they first tried to grab Sophie, multiple men pulling at the back of her skirt to pull her away from David. With one hand, she grabbed hold of his coat and started slapping at the grabbing hands. Her metal ones broke bones. A quick strike across the back of an open hand had the owner pulling away with a cry of pain. The next were smarter, coming at her with their weapons first and the first ring of a hammer against her arms made her teeth vibrate.
Behind her, David was fighting with one hand, absorbing the blows instead of ducking and letting them hit Sophie behind him. Bryan jumped and nipped at the legs of the men surrounding them, dodging what kicks he could and getting up after each successful one.
However, as the blows rained down on them, each hit did damage. No matter which way they turned, there was another hand, another weapon, another snarling face coming at them with only one intention.
The fabric in David's coat finally gave way and Sophie was pulled away from him, her clothes in tatters around her. The man who'd gotten his hand on her grabbed her arm, an evil grin of triumph all she could see when she turned to fight him off.
As she raised her hand to hit him, a bolt of lighting burst from the darkness and connected with him first. His grin changed to shock then panic as the electrical bolt traveled through him and into the metal arm he was clutching. The skin on his hands began to smoke, the flesh cooking to her arms as he tried to let go. With her free hand, she shoved against his chest, forcing the lighting back into him and blasting him backwards.
The fighting came to a stop, Bryan bleeding and breathing heavily, David turning to see what had caused the lightning to hit.
Everybody else was watching Sophie. Her skin began to glow green and pulse with the beating of her heart, streaks of electricity arcing off her fingertips.
“Over here,” a woman's voice shouted. “Over here, I have a ship!”
Unsure of what would happen, David grabbed Sophie, the shock widening his eyes momentarily, then ran towards the voice.
A dark figure with a glowing rod waved for them then took off running. The ship it ran to was unlike any they'd ever seen. With no visible bladder and a very pointed body, there shouldn't have been any way for it to move.
Charging up the gangplank, the voice yelled to get moving. The crowd they'd left behind could be heard moving behind them. Sophie was still glowing, though the arcing had stopped, as she moved into the ship.
“Get her on deck!” One of the men yelled.
“Or throw her in the engine,” another answered.
Laughter answered the suggestions and the door to the ship slammed shut behind them
.
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Elizabeth Bruner is a romantic and a lover of fantasy. She can usually be found chasing plot bunnies in Colorado. She tweets occasionally at @BrunerAuthor