The Inexplicables (The Clockwork Century 4)

“No, I’m just saying—there are big masks. I saw a fellow wearing one once. It was like a big glass bubble with a row of small filters and tubes instead of two big filters. I think it’d fit over the inexplicable’s head. ”

Rector tried to imagine this mask, and failed. “I have to see this thing. ”

When they left the fox it was resting. They shut the door to let it sleep off whatever it could, then went hunting for the big glass bubble Zeke swore existed someplace. It took them over an hour to find it, in the very back of the second largest storeroom on the bottommost floor. When they did, Zeke held it triumphantly aloft.

Rector could hardly believe his eyes. “That’s the damnedest thing I ever saw!” he exclaimed. “Who made it?”

“Doctor Minnericht. It’s a good idea—a mask that you can see out of all the way around. It reminds me of something I saw in a book once, a drawing about people who go underwater and swim around without coming up for air. ”

Rector had never seen such a book. “People can do that?”

“I don’t know. It might’ve just been a story. ”

“Let me see that thing. ”

Zeke handed it over. “Sure, but be careful with it. That’s the only one. But you saw the monster—I mean, the inexplicable. Do you think this would fit over his head?”

Rector weighed the thing in his hands. It was heavy indeed—heavier than it looked, and big enough to hold a few gallons of water. “I think so, yeah. ”

“Then we should try it. Let’s take it to Angeline, when she gets up and around. ”

“What time is it right now?”

“No idea. Maybe a smidge before dawn. ”

Rector yawned. “No wonder I’m so tired. ”

“Should’ve stayed in bed. ”

“So should you,” he shot back.

“Well, neither one of us did—so let’s go

to the kitchen and get some breakfast. Then we’ll see what Angeline has to say about the mask idea, and she can tell us if she thinks we’re crazy. ”

Twenty-six

Angeline did not think they were particularly crazy. In fact, when they caught up to her and Houjin in the Vault’s main parlor area, she rather liked the idea. “It’ll be easier to put a hat on ’im than haul him anyplace civilized for safekeeping, won’t it? Of course, this won’t make it any easier to catch him. ”

“No, that part will be up to us,” Houjin said. He was holding the mask and examining it, no doubt thinking of ways it could be improved. “If only we knew what he wanted, we could lure him out—maybe get him to chase us. ”

Rector shuddered. “I hate everything about that plan. ”

“Food,” Zeke proposed. “Water. That’s all the fox wants, as far as we can tell. It ain’t even trying to bite us or nothing. ”

“It’s a start,” the princess mused. “But running through the Blight carrying a bucket of water … that plan won’t end well. Food will be easier. ”

“What do they eat?” Rector asked.

Houjin smirked. “He tried to eat you. ”

“I bet I’m delicious. But I don’t want to be monster bait. ”

“Not a monster,” she reminded them. “Call him by his name, Sasquatch. Is that so hard?”

Rector said, “No, ma’am,” and Zeke shrugged.

Angeline shook her head. “I’m still thinking about food. Just about everything native to this place lives on the same diet, if it’ll eat plants and animals both. Let’s assume Sasquatch is that kind of creature. ”