The Inexplicables (The Clockwork Century 4)

“All right, then. Earlier today, me and the three boys—Red, Huey, and Zeke over there—went looking around topside, up toward the north edges of the city. We did this because we knew there was a leak someplace. So we headed out, and we found the hole—and it’s a big hole, I’m afraid to tell you. The only reason nobody outside knows about it yet is that it doesn’t face anything but woods and wilderness. Now, Red, why don’t you tell ’em who you saw today—who you recognized. ”

Rector hemmed, hawed, and coughed, then said, slowly, “It’s like she says: me and her, and them”—he waved vaguely at Zeke and Houjin—“we went looking. And when we got up toward the park, we ran into a couple of men talking. All right, so one of ’em was pissing down the hill, but you know what I mean. ” He laughed awkwardly, and when no one joined him, he continued. “I didn’t know either of them, since they had masks on. But we followed them back to the tower—there’s a big tower up there; I guess you know the one I mean…”

But Angeline shook her head. “Not everybody knows. ” Then she said to the assembly, “It’s a water tower, built right before the Blight came. It’s brick, it’s big, and it was supposed to serve the rich folks on Millionaire’s Row. ” She nudged him. “Go on, then. ”

“Yes, ma’am. Um … we followed them, and it looked like the men were setting up shop inside the tower. They’re sealing it up—so they can work there without masks, I expect. ”

He paused and licked his lips. He didn’t much care for this speaking-in-public thing, but with Angeline beside him, urging him on, he figured he could finish up and sit down, and people would quit looking at him all the sooner. “While we was up there, a big machine came up the hill, through the hole in the wall. It was driven by a guy I know of, a man named Otis Caplan…”

Yaozu began to fashion a sneer, but suppressed it before it was fully formed. It lingered on his face as a slight hint of bitterness.

“Otis is a sap-slinger from California, and he’s talked real big for a while now about how he wants to make more money off his operation. He’s been working with chemists on the Outskirts, cooking up his own varieties. And he wasn’t the only sign of trouble out there—I also saw Isaac West, who’s a chemist I know from Tacoma. He’s been making the ambrosia strain of sap. You may…”—he surveyed the room, but didn’t see any recognition from anyone but Yaozu, who raised an eyebrow, then put it down again—“… or may not have heard of it. It’s a kind of sap that’s just a little different. Tastes different. Has a different…” He gave up trying to explain.

“What I mean is, he’s offering a different product, and he makes it by stealing gas and bullying chemists. He ain’t a nice fellow, and seeing him teamed up with Caplan makes me worry. ”

Angeline patted his shoulder again, approvingly this time. “You can sit down now, honey. I’ll take it from here. ”

Relieved, Rector did just that—slinking off the counter and skulking back to the piano lid.

When he got there, Zeke punched him gently on the arm. “Stop shaking. You did fine. ”

Angeline continued without him. “I believe that these men are bringing dynamite into the city, and they don’t just want it for the wall. They want to put all of you down like groundhogs, blowing up your tunnels and letting you choke on the gas. ” A hum of voices rose around her as the a

ssembled men grew worried and turned to one another. But Angeline talked over them until they quieted down. “But we have the advantage here. For one thing, they don’t know we’re on to them. ”

Uncertain nods went around the room.

“And for another thing, we know the place better than they do. At best, they might have old maps from when the place was whole—but those don’t amount to much. For yet another thing, they know about the men at the Station”—she slipped a glance at Yaozu, who didn’t acknowledge it—“but they don’t know about the rest of us. Likely as not, they know there are some Chinese here—that rumor’s gone around enough. But they don’t know how many, and they don’t know how many friends they’ve got. ”

More affirmative nods and murmurs rose and fell.

“Personally, I think we should rout the bastards before they’re able to dig in hard at the tower. But,” Angeline added with a raised finger, “it’s hard enough to get a handful of people—like me and the boys—out to the north end of the city. It’d be even harder to move enough men and arms for a fight. ”

“I have some thoughts on this matter. ”

It was Yaozu. All the chatter, and all the rising pretense of excitement, went as stone quiet as if it’d been shot dead.

For the first time Rector could recall, Angeline looked uncertain. She didn’t respond except to stare at him tensely from the edge of the bar.

Yaozu stepped forward as much as he was able. “I do not want these men inside this city any more than the rest of you do. I am here to be of assistance. ” He was vastly outnumbered by the Doornails, and was widely known as the man who’d stabbed the princess last year—so even people who hadn’t been sure about him before that hadn’t cared much for him since. But he said “Pardon me,” and he came forward. Rector thought there might be ill to be said of the man, but he wasn’t a coward.

The crowd parted, men leaning backwards to clear a path as if they were afraid to touch him. When he reached Angeline’s feet, he stared up and her and asked, “May I say a few words?”

The room held its breath, and Angeline took a deep one. Then she said, “If they’re helpful words, then you should probably share them. ” Then she hopped down off the bar to linger at its end with Lucy O’Gunning and Briar Wilkes, retreating to the little knot of femininity that accounted for every woman Rector knew of in the underground save for Mercy Lynch, over by her daddy.

“I’ll take that as a yes,” Yaozu murmured. He turned around and jumped backwards onto the bar with a quick little leap that left him sitting on its edge. He climbed to a standing position and assumed Angeline’s spot at the center of everyone’s gaze.

“All the way here from King Street Station, I considered this problem—and I considered what we know. We know the broad strokes of their plan, yes. But we need more information before we begin countermeasures. First we should spy on the newcomers and make sure we know their strength and their resources. ”

Someone complained aloud, “But they’re going to blow us up!” and immediately shrank in upon himself, as if he wished he hadn’t said anything.

“A valid concern, yes,” Yaozu conceded. “However, the strategic use of dynamite is more complicated than throwing the sticks down a hole and lighting a match. I know of this man, Otis Caplan. He isn’t an idiot, and he’ll want to use his explosives wisely. He’ll survey his intended targets and take his time selecting them. ”

Andan Cly asked, “How much time, do you think?”

“Houjin said they had no plans before tomorrow night, when their reinforcements arrive, so we can assume we have another day or two. Perhaps forty-eight hours. And when they do make their move, they’ll attack the Station, not the Vaults. It’s their primary goal, and the only firmly occupied place they’re aware of. ”

A reluctant but positive hum considered this, and accepted it.