The 7th of London (24 page)

“Lead the way,” Sev said as he fell into step beside Kettlebent. Rat watched the pair for a moment before dashing to catch up.

T
HE
trio sat watching Kildeggan. The man with the mechanical limbs rested silently behind his desk. They’d made their introductions, and to Rat’s credit, he refrained from asking a hundred questions about his host’s clockwork appendages. Now they regarded each other nervously. Sev was worried that he shouldn’t have shared their secret with Rat. Judging by Kettlebent’s expression, he worried that his mentor might be reconsidering their alliance with Sev. Rat seemed worried that the old man with the metal hands might have died, and they were sitting in the room with a corpse. Heph sighed, alleviating Rat’s worries, at least.

“What now, Heph?” Kettlebent asked.

“That’s the question, isn’t it?” Heph laced his metal fingers together in front of his lips. “We need to complete the project.”

Sev noted an unusual weight and emphasis on “the project.” “What’s the project?” Sev asked.

“That’s not for you to know yet, Seven. Soon,” Heph offered. “But not yet.”

“So how do we complete this project I’m not allowed to know about?”

“We need a power source.” Heph rose, pacing.

“To power what?” Sev asked.

“Seven,” Heph said, like a parent admonishing a child.

“See.” Sev held up a finger. “This is exactly the reason I don’t trust adults. Ye’re actin’ as though I’m a little kid. Ye’re obviously hidin’ somethin’. Ye told me yer story, but the real stuff, the important stuff—ye hold back.”

“Sev’s right, old man. This en’t flush,” Rat agreed.

“This man is the driving force behind the resistance!” Kettlebent barked. “How can you question him? How?”

Sev spun on Kettlebent. “Do you know what this big secret is?”

“Of course.”

“So
you
don’t trust me either!”

“No, Seven. It’s not that I don’t trust you! This project is huge. We can’t afford any setbacks,” Kettlebent explained.

“That’s it!” Sev barked, flushing. “I’m done. I’m out o’here. Rat.” Sev turned, determined to stalk from the room. Rat moved to follow, but Kettlebent held up a hand to stop him and dashed to Sev. Rat scowled before he rose.

“Rat,” Heph’s voice stopped him. “Let them work this out.”

Rat shook his head. “Sev’s right. This stinks.”

“This plan is literally years in the planning. We can’t take any chances, Rat.” Heph scrubbed at his face with his clockwork limbs. “We’re only trying to do what’s best for Britain.” Rat crossed his arms and sniffed. Sev knew Rat was still not completely convinced, but he seemed willing to wait five minutes before he stabbed the old man and joined Sev to leave.

Sev stalked to the entrance of Heph’s office and wanted to go to the lift. Just before he left, Kettlebent caught his arm and spun him. “What?” Sev spat.

“Don’t do this, Sev,” Kettlebent barked.

“Why? He’s been lyin’ t’me. You been lyin’ t’me. Why should I believe anythin’ any of ye say?”

“We haven’t lied to you. I admit we haven’t told you everything, but this isn’t some game we’re playing. The fate of our entire empire hangs on our actions. This is life and death.”

“I thought we were friends. I thought there was somethin’ here!” Sev directed his finger between Kettlebent’s chest and his own. “Or was that a lie too?”

“Seven,” Kettlebent pleaded in a wounded tone. “How can you even suggest that?”

“Well, what’s goin’ on here?”

“We can’t show our cards until we’re sure we have a winning hand,” Kettlebent answered, gripping Sev’s biceps. “It’s no reflection on you. It’s just what Heph has decided was necessary.” Kettlebent gazed into Sev’s eyes. “You are a treasure, Sev. I admire the hell out of you and your refusal to bow to anyone. You’re the best friend I’ve ever had.” Kettlebent dipped his head. “I’ve wanted to tell you everything. I have. But we’ve come too far, risked too much. This can’t be compromised.” Tears rose to Kettlebent’s eyes and despite everything, Sev sensed they were tears of truth.

“I want t’believe ye, Silas. I do.” Sev took a breath, looking away from those tears. “But if there’s one thing I’ve learned in this life, it’s t’trust myself. I’m the only one I can count on.”

“You can count on me,” Kettlebent whispered. “This project will turn the tide in this struggle, but knowing what it is won’t change our ultimate goal.” Kettlebent caught Sev’s chin in his hand and turned his face. Sev could feel Kettlebent’s breath washing over his cheeks. “Your….” Kettlebent paused, searching for the words to convey his sentiment. “…friendship. It means the world to me.” As Kettlebent spoke, he leaned closer to Sev. Even with his eyes closed, Sev could tell Kettlebent’s lips hovered above his own. “I can’t lose that.”

Before Sev knew what was happening, Kettlebent’s mouth was pressed to his, engaging his lips in a desperate kiss. Sev resisted out of shock for only a moment before he returned Kettlebent’s affection. He wondered what Heph and Rat were thinking. Sev and Kettlebent broke apart, gasping for air. “If you must know,” Kettlebent whispered. “I’ll tell you. I don’t care what Heph says.”

Sev felt Kettlebent’s forehead pressed against his own as he contemplated what had just happened between them. “Ye gave that man yer word ye wouldn’t share the secret of his project?” Sev asked, his hand on the back of Kettlebent’s neck, aware that Heph could hear everything.

“I did.” He nodded. “But to hell with that. If it’s going to stand between whatever it is we have….” Kettlebent paused, squeezing Sev’s shoulder.

“No.” Sev stood up straight, breaking the embrace and ending the moment. “If ye gave yer word, I’ll honor that. But if there’s t’be anythin’ more between us, it has t’be built on trust.”

Kettlebent straightened, smoothing out his shirt and coat. “Agreed.” He studied Sev for a moment. “Do you think there could be something more?” Sev only smiled in answer, turning slightly to return to Heph’s office. Kettlebent shook his head with a smirk and followed.

“Well?” Heph asked when they’d returned.

“Keep yer secrets fer now.” Sev looked to Rat, who opened his mouth to protest but shut it when Sev shook his head severely once. “What d’ye need us t’do?”

“We need to contact Faraday and Tesla.” Heph studied Sev’s and Kettlebent’s flushed cheeks.

“But how?” Sev wondered, trying to ignore the new development in his relationship with Kettlebent. “We can’t exactly walk up to them and say, ‘Excuse me, but can we pick yer brains so we can rebel against the queen and her wizard lover?’, can we?”

“Why not?” Rat interjected.

“Because we can’t,” Kettlebent returned. “They’d likely call the authorities and have us carted off.”

“Then we need t’kidnap ’em,” Rat stated.

“Don’t be ridiculous,” Kettlebent dismissed, turning away.

“No,” Heph replied. “He’s right. That’s exactly what we have to do.”

“What?” All three young men asked in unison, unable to believe Heph’s willing agreement.

“Rat’s right. We need to grab first and explain ourselves after.” Heph finally sat down. “Faraday is a loyalist with no idea that anything is amiss in the Royal House, and Tesla is a child prodigy studying with Munsen in Austria. Faraday won’t be easily persuaded, and Munsen won’t just give Tesla up.”

“This just keeps gettin’ better and better,” Sev said.

“Seven, Silas,” Heph said, standing. “You’ll go to Austria and get Tesla. Rat and I will gather Faraday.”

“Who’s doin’ what now?” Rat blurted.

“How are we supposed t’get Tesla out of Austria?” Sev asked.

“The same way you’ll get in,” Heph responded.

“And how’s that?”

“Airship.”

“Airship?” Sev repeated.

“We have an airship?” Kettlebent asked.

“Not yet,” Heph answered as he sorted through some papers on his desk. “Here.” He handed over blueprints to a flying machine. “Level three. It’s almost finished. The propulsion system is there. The navigation needs a bit of work, and the cabin needs to be built. Between you and Seven, I’m sure you’ll have it figured out by the end of the week.”

“Dear lord,” Kettlebent gasped as he looked at the plans. “We can do this.” Sev drifted over to study the paper as well.

“Rat, I need you to follow Faraday. See what his routine is,” Heph told the urchin.

“I’ll need t’get into Fairside,” Rat stated.

“We’ll figure it out. Come along,” Heph instructed as he exited his office. Rat trotted along behind.

“I guess we’d better get t’work,” Sev told Kettlebent, plucking the blueprint from his hands. “Hold the lift!” he called to Heph and Rat. Kettlebent only smiled as he followed Sev to the conveyance.

S
EV
and Kettlebent threw themselves into the work of fabricating an airship. They needed to make a cabin that was lightweight but functional, while devising a way to keep the vessel in the air. What they came up with was a skeleton of pine resembling a hansom cab covered in canvas. They fashioned propellers and a set of flaps to control their direction.

“We need a balloon ten times the size o’the vessel t’get us into the air,” Sev observed, scratching his cheek. “And we need t’get hot air into it without weighin’ it down by carryin’ coal.”

“Kildeggan’s secret might help us there,” Kettlebent offered.

“How so?” Sev asked.

“I’ll be back in a tic,” Kettlebent answered, beaming.

When he returned, he had a round metal tank with a valve on top. “What’s that?” Sev wondered, examining the contraption.

“It’s a concentrated version of lamp oil,” Kettlebent replied. “It should provide the fuel we need to inflate the hot-air bladder above the vessel.”

“That might work,” Sev agreed thoughtfully. “What if we change the shape o’the balloon?”

“How so?” Kettlebent asked.

“This design has a traditional balloon. What if we elongated it?” He drew right on the blueprints to illustrate his suggestion. What he drew looked more like a cigar than a traditional sphere. “It’d distribute the weight more evenly, makin’ it more efficient and easier t’maneuver.”

“Sev,” Kettlebent exclaimed. “That’s brilliant!” He planted a kiss on Sev’s forehead. “We need to fabricate the new balloon, though.”

“My dad taught me a bit about sewing,” Sev offered. “We should go talk to Annie and some o’the other women, see who can help us.”

“Good thinking. I’ll see if I can get the canvas we need.”

“Is there a lighter fabric we might use? Silk, maybe?”

“I don’t know. Silk is very expensive. We might be able to find some cotton,” Kettlebent said.

“The lighter the fabric the better. See what ye can find.”

“You won’t come with me?” Kettlebent asked.

“I will if ye want.”

“I do.”

“I guess we should be on our way, then,” Sev stated. Kettlebent agreed, and they entered the lift, descending into the underground city. On the trip down, Sev suggested they see Midnight. The villain had the uncanny ability to get his hands on the most decadent of items. He might be able to provide them with the silk they needed.

J
ACK
M
IDNIGHT
listened as they explained what they needed, tapping a finger to his lips as he considered their predicament. “I know someone you can talk to.” Midnight jotted a name and address on a slip of paper. “Tell him I sent you. He’ll get you whatever you need.”

“Thanks, Jack.” Sev accepted the paper.

“Have you seen Rat?” the villain asked, uncharacteristically concerned. “He hasn’t been ’round for a few days.”

“He’s helpin’ the resistance,” Sev explained.

“So now I’m lending all my people to the cause, am I?”

“We can send him back if you need him,” Kettlebent, dressed in full costume, offered.

“No. It’s fine. As long as we get rid of Fairgate.” That said, Midnight flopped into his chair and picked up the paper. Sev and Kettlebent took the hint and slipped away.

The man at the address was indeed able to help them with the silk, although most of it was remnants and scraps left over from larger sales. It was still more than enough for what they needed. They paid the man and headed to the underground with their prize.

As soon as they returned, they prepared the cloth, soaking it in resin to make it airtight. When it had fully dried, they summoned a large group of seamstresses and tailor’s apprentices to sew the scraps together. Sev and Muriel joined them and oversaw the construction of the balloon.

It took them a full day to complete the balloon, and they laid it out next to the cabin. Sev wanted to test it, so they inflated the silk bladder. The elongated balloon rose to bump the black rock of the ceiling. Satisfied, Sev released the air. “And everything’s totally collapsible?”

“Totally, the cabin, everything,” Kettlebent confirmed.

“We need t’get it up top and go,” Sev stated.

“We need a safe place to launch from,” Kettlebent suggested.

“A rooftop would be best,” Muriel offered.

“That’s a good idea,” Sev agreed. “But we also have t’make sure no Steamcoats see us.”