Automatic Woman Part 8

"And you claim as your defense that the automaton slew Dr. Saxon?"

"Yes." I didn't like how Darwin was smiling through this line of questions.

"Tell me what happened to James, every detail. Leave nothing out."

I gave Darwin the full version of events, just like I'd given the Metros after my initial apprehension. The old man's smile broadened in the telling.

"That old scallywag! He did it!"

"Did what?"

"Years back we had a debate. The subject was whether the functions of the organic mind could be replicated through inorganic means. The invention of the difference engine sparked our debate and Saxon was convinced that he could create a self-reliant, independently powered brain. I was fascinated, but countered that true self-reliance was no different from perpetual motion, and thus unlikely due to the second law of thermodynamics, or natural entropy. Really we were interested in immortality. How old are you?"

"Thirty."

"If you survive to your twilight years you will find that mortality dominates your thoughts. It is why middle-aged men pursue young girls, or grand adventure, and why the elderly seek the bosom of the church. We need an avenue to avoid the inevitable conclusion of our lives."

"So Dr. Saxon built his brain?"

"If what you say is true, yes. The next piece of the puzzle is to determine how smart she is."

"No," I countered. "The next piece of the puzzle is finding her."

"I already have her."

I had no response to this. Darwin continued.

"You were right to confide in Nouveau. As far as engineers are concerned, no living man is his equal. His talents are wasted in the art community."

I took my hands off my tea cup and let them rest in my lap, closer to my guns. What next? Ambush? Darwin observed my gesture and shook his head.

"There is no cause for fear, I am not your enemy. I have Nouveau cloistered in a safe location. Also, I've moved his closest a.s.sociates and a poor unfortunate s.l.u.t-house porter who inadvertently stumbled upon Nouveau's exit."

"So you paid my bail? You put down ten thousand pounds?"

"I have more money than time to spend it. Anyway, what I require transcends money. Dr. Saxon's secret could be the answer to immortal life. To creating the animate from the inanimate. Dr. Saxon's secret is G.o.d's secret and right or wrong, finding it is more important than the petty money concerns of mankind."

"Why did you release me?"

Darwin smiled again. Lord G.o.d how I hated that smug grin.

"Call it a joke. A spirited ruse. I'm not the only one after Saxon's secret. My, let's say 'compet.i.tion,' plays a fierce game and I needed him distracted from my moves."

"So I'm your p.a.w.n?"

"Don't underestimate yourself, Mr. Fellows. You're not a p.a.w.n. p.a.w.ns move forward in predictable steps. They are sacrificial, defensive, of little value except in numbers. No, you are a bishop. Firing off at strange angles, appearing behind the enemy formation, charging, retreating, charging again. You're definitely my bishop."

Rage filled me. I'm no man's toy and no man's patsy. "This is my life, Darwin!"

The door behind me clicked open. I did not have to turn to know Stevens was looming behind me.

"Yes, it is your life, and if I win this game, your life will be your reward. If I lose your life will be forfeited by an a.s.sa.s.sin's bullet or a hangman's noose, though you seem much harder to kill then anyone a.s.sumed. Do you understand your part in this?"

"No."

"You are here to make my compet.i.tor fail, nothing more. Turn away from Saxon's machine, and focus on undermining my opponent."

"And who is your opponent? Who am I up against?"

Darwin laughed and slapped his knee.

"You should know, Mr. Fellows. You shot his nephew."

Oh s.h.i.te! Pieces of the puzzle fell into place. Everyone knew Owens was connected, a family hire though no one knew whose family. If Darwin's opponent was matched in resources, was bright enough to cross wits with the genius naturalist that could only mean...

"My opponent, your opponent, is Lord Barnes, Mr. Fellows. Happy hunting!"

Seven.

Jolly Fellows is declared Persona Non Grata I sat in the evening train willing it to go faster. Go, go, go, get me to Mary's place. The walls of my little world were closing in and the more I saw, the more I knew about the danger posed to myself and anyone in my proximity.

Lord Barnes was, is, the greatest thief catcher to ever live. London bears no secrets to this man. His tracking me was more a question of when than if.

The train arrived and I sprinted past ushers and porters and commuters. I sprinted past the regular folk on their way to regular spouses and children and sit-down dinners.

Mary's flat was cleaned out and turned over, just like my flat, just like Saxon's. China cups were smashed, the easel and chairs were rendered into sticks and stacked in the room's center. All like before. I went to the bedroom and found another torn mattress, shredded clothing and a note pinned to the wall by a gold pen knife.

The cards don't belong to you.

Neither does the girl. Stop by the office tonight. -B The front door creaked in the next room. I unholstered my Colt, thought better of it, and unholstered the Engholm too.

Saucy Jack was creeping into the living room with a giant butcher's knife clenched in his fist. I nudged the bedroom door open to greet him.

"Oy!" I yelled.

Jack took a step towards me with blade raised and murder in his eyes. That's when he noticed the guns I had pointed at his face and Tom Johnson.

"You see any of this take place?" I motioned my head to the destroyed furniture.

"I didn't do that," he said.

"Not my question, mate. Did you see who did this?"

He shook his head. The room suddenly stunk of p.i.s.s and not my own I a.s.sure you. I motioned to the knife.

"That for me?"

Saucy Jack shook his head again.

"Are you sure?" I drew back the hammers of both my guns. "I specifically remember asking you to bring a gun or a knife. That looks like a knife so I'll ask again, is that for me?"

"Sure, m-m-mate." His voice took on a cowards' stammer. This whole situation was giving me an ill feeling. I wanted to hurt this man, but really I wanted to hurt Lord Barnes and this man was standing between me and him.

"Here's the story, Jack. You leave that cutter on the floor. You brought it for me, so it's mine now. Turn around, exit this room, go to the nearest restaurant and order a big supper. Know that the only reason you're enjoying a meal or a pint or the sweet air around you is because I let you enjoy these things. And like G.o.d almighty I can take these things from you at my own displeasure. Mary is my girl now. If your air mingles with hers, I'll stomp it from your lungs. If your eyes behold her, I'll be there to pluck them out. If you hear her voice, just know that I'll be standing behind you with that very knife, and I will make a necklace out of the ears I peel off your skull. Savvy?"

Jack dropped his blade and nodded his head.

"Good, now get the f.u.c.k out of my sight!"

Jack slowly backed out of the living room, still unsure of whether I would shoot him. In all fairness, I should have shot him. I should have laid him out on Mary's living room floor, but that's a story for another time and my mind was too occupied with Lord Barnes. So I let Jack walk away, somewhat intact.

There was no question about going back to Bow Street. If Barnes wanted me dead, why would he take Mary and leave a note? Why not just send back Safari and his ilk?

The firm looked exactly as I'd left it seven days ago, a lifetime ago. The machines still clicked and clattered. The tubes still whooshed their all-important doc.u.ments and cards. Miss Penny Walker still ran the first division with her wrinkled iron fist. Upon my entry, she seized a porter and had him stand next to me, as though I were there to burn the place down. He was an older bloke, one of Orel's contemporaries. Name of Standish.

"Evening, Standish. Bit of weather we're having."

"I've got nothing to say to you," said Standish.

The primary lift opened and three thief catchers walked out. Myron Bells, Edgar Smithly, and Abraham Silver. One of Abraham's arms was in a sling, the other held up a nickel-plated Colt Army, the brother of the pistol in my hip holster. Silver had burns down his arms as well.

"You ought to be more careful," I told Silver and gave him a firm pat on the sling. Silver grunted in pain. Smithly locked my elbows behind me while Bells seized my firearms. Silver pocketed his Colt and gave me a stiff jab in the gut. Not bad for a little a guy. The three catchers duck walked me into the elevator and set the lever to floor three.

I can count the number of times I've been to the third floor on one hand. It was posh, that's for certain. The building was originally four stories, but they demolished the fourth to give a vaulted ceiling to floor three. Everything was wrapped and framed in polished red wood. The lobby was centered with a stone fountain depicting Perseus on Pegasus. Water bubbled from Pegasus' feet and coated a slick hill into a pool lined with mica-infused marble. Just over Perseus' raised spear, a crystal chandelier cast dim electric light throughout the room. The floor plan was a perfect circle. Every three meters a door broke the circle's continuity, marking the office of one of our seven managers. Lord Barnes' office stood opposite of the lift door.My entourage led me around the fountain.

"Anyone throw coins in that?" I asked. No one answered.

The thief catchers put me through the door and into my destination. If a man's surroundings speak of a man, then Lord Barnes was the very ant.i.thesis of Charles Darwin. Whereas Darwin's sanctuary was cramped and filled with books and academic kits, Lord Barnes' was a study of open s.p.a.ces and gold gilding. The red wood of his walls were carved to look like men and women intertwined. Not s.e.xually mind you, but rather like they were spirits drifting off to heaven or h.e.l.l. Persian rugs alternated red and gold threads. His family coat of arms, a helm and leopard, dominated the wall behind a lavish gla.s.s and crystal desk. Not for the first time, I noted Lord Barnes had an office without windows. Security-minded, that.

"Jolly, how long has it been?" The gregarious man stood and grasped my hand like nothing in the world was wrong. Like I hadn't been escorted in by damaged goons under orders from a note regarding a kidnapped prost.i.tute.

"Too long, your Lordship. Business been alright?" I gave him that horrible smile of mine.

The Right Honorable Lord Barnes was a beast of a man. He had a good seven centimeters on me in addition to five kilos. He was a big man, but his fat and muscle were in equal balance. His hair and beard had gone shock white, but he still had enough vitality to beat a man senseless, or so I had heard. He looked every bit as aristocratic as his lineage would dictate.

"Hit and miss. Please, have a seat."

He directed me to a King Louis chair, cleaner and prettier than Darwin's. His goons kept their position at the back of the room. Silver held a hand over his shooter. I gave him a smile too.

"So," his Lordship said, "we can beat around the bush and fence words, but I think we're past that point, don't you?"

He sat behind that unbelievable desk. The crystal had been cut to look like a product of nature. Crystalline formations sprung from the top and were carved into liquor decanters. Two were whiskey brown, one vodka clear, and one purple. Couldn'ttell you what was in the purple one.

"We've pa.s.sed a few points."

"Where would you like to begin?"

I ran through the rhetorical methods in my head and decided on diplomacy.

"I'm sorry about Owens."

A gun c.o.c.ked behind me. Lord Barnes raised his hand to the would be shooter.

"Don't be. He was my wife's sister's son and a pain in the a.r.s.e. Never really cut out for the work, that one. We've moved beyond that being an issue, at least for now. I'm more mad about you copying my cards than shooting poor slow Owens."

"Do I need to apologize for the cards?"

"Don't bother. Seems as though I've greatly underestimated your abilities. I hired you for this outfit to act as a ruffian. A fist swinger, if you will. You've turned out a bit more than that. I've tried to kill you twice, and no living man can boast that."

"Maybe you should have used better a.s.sa.s.sins."

Lord Barnes laughed at this. His laughed matched his size for throaty robustness.

"You are a p.i.s.ser! Sure, I can find better men to lay you dead. In all fairness, I should shoot you right now so that my record stays clean. But given the circ.u.mstances, I can find a better use for you."

"What makes you think I'm keen for using?"

"Your lack of options. As it stands, you've got me, Darwin, or the grave. a.s.suming you're not keen for the grave I'm sure I can field a better offer than Darwin."

"I'm listening."

"I'll give you your life, your freedom, your job, the wh.o.r.e you've shacked up with. I'll even throw in Orel and his wife."

"Orel?"

"I had him kidnapped days ago, when I figured out the bit about you breaking into the building. Not that you've checked in on them or anything. They're sitting in non-storage right now, blindfolded and stewing in their own p.i.s.s. Miserable bit, that."

"That's not right."

"Cost of doing business. Anyway, you were supposed take refuge with them after I destroyed your place, that way you'd find them gone and understand the futility of your situation. But rather than going to your friend and compatriot's house, you took up with wh.o.r.es."

"Happens."

"Indeed, I had to track down the wh.o.r.ehouse, then the wh.o.r.e's actual house, then get someone to nick her. That's three kidnaps on your behalf. The expense has been entirely unreasonable."

"You were saying something about a deal?"

"I'll release all of my hostages, including your lady friend. That's step one. Step two, I'll twist over whoever the judge of your murder trial is. Let's face facts Jolly, even if you survive my wrath, no magistrate in England will let you live for the murder of Dr. Saxon. You're persona non grata. What was your solution, flee England?"

"The thought crossed my mind."

"Uncross it. We have extradition treaties with all civil nations and you are not the blending type. The only option for freedom is a bent trial and I can provide that."