Boneshaker (The Clockwork Century 1)

“Got inside, did he? And how’d he do that? We’ve seen no boy come out this way. ”

“He went under, through the old sewage runoff. ”

“Then he can find his way back out the same direction!”

Briar was losing his attention. He was backing away. She tried not to sound too frantic when she said, “But he can’t! The earthquake last night—you must’ve felt. it. It collapsed the old tunnel, and there’s no way underneath anymore. I have to get inside and get him out. I have to, don’t you understand?”

He threw his hands up and almost walked back to his fellows, who were whispering between themselves. Then he faced her again and said, “No, I don’t understand. There’s no breathing the air in there, you know that, don’t you? There’s nothing in there but death. ”

“And people,” she interjected. “There are people in there too, living and working. ”

“The scrappers and Doornails? Sure, but they’ve been there years, most of them, and they’ve learned how to keep from getting eaten or poisoned. How old’s your son?”

“Fifteen. But he’s smart, and stubborn. ”

“Every mother swears it of every son,” he argued. “But even if you get inside, how you going to get him out? You going to climb? You going to dig?”

She confessed, “I haven’t gotten that far in my planning yet, but I’ll think of something. ”

The mulatto man behind the captain put aside his pipe and said, “Next gas run’s going in less than a week. If she can live that long, she can catch a rope out. ”

The capt

ain whirled around. “Now don’t you go encouraging her!”

“Why not? If she can pay, and if she wants to dip into the city, why won’t you take her?”

The captain answered Briar, although she wasn’t the one who’d asked the question. “Because we aren’t equipped to do a gas run right now. Our two best nets got snagged on the tip of the tower last trip, and we’re still patching them up. And so far, I haven’t heard any mention of paying anything, so I’d hate to assume that our surprise guest is a wealthy widow. ”

“I’m not,” she admitted. “But I have a little money—”

“To talk us into a gas run that doesn’t net us any gas, you’ll need a lot more than a little money. I’d love to help a lady, but business is business. ”

“But…” she asked, “is there anyone else who might fly?”

“Anyone dumb enough to fly up to the walls? I don’t know. ” He shoved his hands in the pockets of that Union-blue coat. “I couldn’t say. ”

Again the mulatto spoke. He said, “There’s Cly. He’s dumb for a pretty woman, and he respects the Maynard peace. ”

Briar wasn’t sure whether to be flattered or offended, so she chose instead to be hopeful. “Cly? Who’s he? Can I talk to him?”

“You can talk to him. ” The captain nodded. “And ma’am, I do wish you well in your search for your mad little son. But I ought to warn you, it’s a devilish place inside. It’s no place for a woman, or a boy. ”

“Point me at this Cly,” she said coldly. “I don’t care if it’s no place for a dog or a rat, it’s going to have a woman in it before sundown, so help me God. Or Maynard,” she added, remembering what Rector had said.

“As you like. ” He offered her his arm, and Briar wasn’t sure if she should take it, but she did so anyway. As long as everyone else was playing nice, she’d play nice, too. She didn’t know how much help she needed from these people, so it was worth her time to be pleasant even when it frightened her.

The captain’s forearm felt every bit as dense as it looked, straining at the seam of the coat. Briar tried to keep her fingers from fluttering out of nervousness, but it wasn’t like a handshake where she could squeeze and make her position known a little more firmly.

The captain patted her nervous hand, and said, “Lady, so long as you wear Maynard’s mark and respect our peace, we’re bound to respect yours. There’s no need to fret. ”

“I believe you,” she said, and it might or might not have been true. “But I have more things to fret about than your proximity, I promise you. ”

“Your son. ”

“My son, yes. I’m sorry, you didn’t mention your name, Captain… ?”

“Hainey. Croggon Hainey,” he told her. “Captain for short. Captain Hainey for long. Crog, in passing. ”