Steemjammer: The Deeper Truth (20 page)

Instead, in her excitement, she pulled Velocitus from her pocket and placed it in her cousin’s hand.

“That’s not funny!” Angelica snarled.

“It wasn’t meant to be. Here.”

This time, she got out the journal, and the little girl thumbed furiously through the pages, trying to find the right one.

“Angelica,” Cobee asked worriedly, “do you think you can really do this?”

“Not if you don’t let me concentrate,” she snapped, but deep inside she felt very worried.

Could she really tune the crystals and make this work?

***

On the roof of Tante Klazee’s blazing house, Will clutched the edge of the hole and stared with horror. Clyve seemed to have no trouble on the slick roof tiles and swished his saber in the air threateningly. Glancing down, Will saw that the man was barefoot. Quickly pulling off his shoes and socks, he found he could stand on the slate tiles without slipping.

“Well now,” Clyve said, taking a step forward, “are you going to run?”

Will looked down and saw the Rasmussen Agents had stopped fleeing from the Shadovecht and surrounded the building.

“Or,” Clyve continued, “are you going to stay here and burn to a crisp? I don’t think I’ll allow that. My cousin wants to meet you, Will Steemjammer. And if my cousin wants something, he always gets it.”

Clyve lunged forward, stabbing at Will’s leg with the intention of wounding him. Will scrambled around to the other side of the hole in the roof, evading the attack. The man scowled, and his skeletal face became inhuman.

“You lied, Steemjammer,” he said. “How? How did you manage to deny your name under the influence of Glass Dragon?”

Will strained his ears, hoping that Gus would soon shout for him to drop and crawl for the verltgaat, but no such sound came.

“Did the power of Glass Dragon,” Clyve asked, “somehow allow you to turn facts into a double negative, lying to save some greater truth? It’s never failed before.”

As Will looked into the hole, flames grew, and there was no sign of Gus.

“I wouldn’t go back there,” Clyve grinned. “The smoke will knock you out in seconds, and we’ll have to drag you out. You might make it, or you might not. But as much as I’d like to see you die, I need you alive.”

Again, Clyve charged, stabbing at Will’s leg, but he managed to scramble away. This time, however, he was driven away from the hole. Clyve pursued, but Will saw in the gutter a sword that one of the fleeing Raz had dropped. Reaching, he grabbed it just in time and swished it up to parry Clyve’s next stab.

Springing to his feet, Will backed away as his father had taught him. Clyve pursued confidently.

“You don’t stand a chance,” he sneered.

“Don’t I?” Will challenged back. “You don’t have a steemsuit to hide in this time, and because there are no rules, you can’t cheat. I don’t think you can win without cheating, can you?”

Infuriated, Clyve lunged with a flurry of slices and jabs. Will just managed to parry or dodge them, and he felt a panic as he realized the man was no longer trying to wound him. He was swinging the saber to kill.

“Nice try,” Clyve said, pausing. “But death won’t free you from your fate.”

Again he attacked, this time going back to jabs aimed at Will’s legs. They were easier to block or dodge, but a terrible cracking sound came from below. Damaged by the fire, a major support beam had ruptured, and a large section of the roof collapsed.

Will almost fell in but managed to scramble away. Shifting his sword just in time, he parried Clyve’s next slash at his foot. Getting back to his feet, Will hustled around to the other side of this new gaping hole.

They had to open the verltgaat soon, he thought, or he wouldn’t make it. However, he was turned around, and now there were several holes in the roof. He had to remember where the bathroom was if he’d have any chance of reaching safety.

Drawing on the same spatial awareness that had allowed him to sense the secret room in Beverkenhaas, he imagined the layout below and thought he knew where the verltgaat would be. He almost let Clyve stab him but dodged at the last moment. Had Clyve not slipped on the treacherous slate, he might have caught Will with a follow-up.

“I don’t know about you,” he said, “but this roof’s getting too hot to stand on. It’s over, Steemjammer. No more running and hiding.”

Another loud cracking sound came from the house below. Again drawing on his spatial awareness, Will had a good sense of what was happening. The beams that held up the second floor were breaking, and the entire structure would soon collapse.

“It’s about to go,” Will told him. “Neither one of us are going to make it.”

Clyve laughed derisively, nodding at a rope ladder that dangled from
Skyshadow
. “Wrong, Steem-failure. After you, unless you really plan on letting yourself burn to death.”

Will heard a high pitched whinny from below. For a moment he found himself wondering how on B’verlt a horse had gotten inside, and then he remembered the whistle wasn’t a normal one. Closing his eyes, he dropped through a hole.

“
What
?” Clyve screamed.

He rushed after the boy, hoping to reach into the hole and grab him. Another deafening crack sounded, and he felt himself dropping. The roof had disintegrated under his feet, and as he fell, he looked down. The last thing his terrified eyes saw was a puddle of molten bronze ringed by a blazing inferno.

***

In Beverkenhaas, Angelica and the others stared in mute shock at the roaring flames on the other side of the open verltgaat. She’d finally gotten the right numbers and the crystals tuned, and now she felt on the verge of tears, seeing how it seemed too late.

Then, as a muffled cracking sound came through, a shadow appeared against the flames, and she saw Will running for them. But he stopped and looked back, kneeling. Reaching, he picked up something and hurled it.

A small, humanoid object came flying through the world hole and skidded across the sub-basement floor. Gus! But as Will resumed racing for safety, the floor began buckling under him. He staggered but managed to guess where the support beams were. As parts of the floor fell away to either side, he sprinted along a strip that held up.

The entire ceiling and roof, however, were coming down. He flexed his knees and drove himself forward, flying through the air but coming dangerously close to the lower lip of the verltgaat. Clearing it by a mere inch, he sailed into the cool safety of Beverkenhaas and rolled across the floor.

Everyone cried with joy. Angelica tugged the lever off and ran over to him. Will looked around with astonishment and realized, as his sister and the others hugged and squeezed him, that he’d made it.

“My feet,” he groaned.

“Quick, get cool water,” Tante Klazee ordered, kneeling to examine the soles of his feet. “What happened to your shoes?”

“Long story.”

“You’re lucky I know how to treat burns.”

“Will?” Giselle said, still holding Velocitus in her left hand. “Did you get it? Or will the Raz find it?”

He put his hand in his pocket to make sure and felt the strangely slick lump of Tracium. He left it there, not wanting it to go flying around the room, and buttoned it.

“I got it,” he said, smiling with relief.

“Groes Vevardinker, we thank you,” Tante Klazee said and then tousled Will’s hair. “And you thought you’d lost your goot steem! Well, young man, that wasn’t goot steem. That was groes steem! Miracooleus steem!”
Great steam! Miraculous steam!

“Hoyzaa!” Cobee shouted, joined by the others.

Will saw his little sister kneeling by him, unable to cheer because she was so choked up with emotion.

“I think,” he said, putting his hand on her shoulder, “that Angelica deserves all the hoyzaas! Without her, we wouldn’t be here. It must have taken some truly incredible steem to have gotten that verltgaat open!”

“Hoyzaa!” the others shouted, even louder, Will being the loudest.

Tears streamed down Angelica’s face, but she didn’t try to stop or wipe them away. They were tears of joy and relief, and they felt marvelous.

Then, Will noticed that Giselle was crying, too, but it wasn’t out of happiness. She stared at Marteenus’ unconscious form on the floor, clearly worrying about her father.

“Is that him?” Cobee exclaimed, grabbing a hammer. “Is that the dirty traitor?”

“Wait,” Will commanded. “We need him. We’re back on Old Earth, but we still have work to do.”

Chapter 16

A PROMISE IS A PROMISE

“Is Mrs. Norman here?” Jane Gables asked.

At the front door of his mother-in-law’s house, Ron took a moment to process the fact that a county health inspector and school police officer had just knocked. Only minutes earlier, he’d returned from an errand to discover the aliens carrying his wife across the street on a stretcher.

“Yes,” he said, “she’s resting. Poor dear isn’t feeling well.”

This time, he recalled, there’d been some new aliens: a very short but strong one with a full beard and two new children. They’d been understanding about his wife’s interference with their business, and Waverly herself was still alive, though she seemed in a deep state of shock. They’d put her on the couch, handed him another diamond, and left in a hurry.

“She filed a number of complaints,” Jane explained, “against the people across the street, and I have to see them through.”

Ron smiled. “Oh, that won’t be necessary.”

“It won’t?”

“She’s dropping them all.” He turned his head. “Isn’t that right, dear?”

From the couch game a garbled utterance that sounded more like Mongolian than English.

“Was that a yes?” Jane pressed.

Ron offered to take the papers and have his wife sign that she was formally dropping her complaints. He went into the living room and returned moments later.

Jane studied the strange squiggles skeptically. “Is that her actual signature?”

“Her hand’s been hurting lately,” Ron assured.

“Very well. Speaking of that, they have a problem with their water well. I assume it’s quite old, perhaps made by farmers who lived her in the 1800s, because who would hand-dig a well in this day and age?”

Ron suppressed a grin. “Who, indeed?”

“Anyway, old wells get exceptions and don’t require licensing. The owners should, however, pour a concrete apron around the base to prevent dirty surface water from seeping down the sides. Would you tell them?”

“Sure. I’ll even help them do it. Thank you.”

“We don’t want to bother those people,” School Policeman Wateeb added, shuddering as he remembered the bizarre gong and face, “but they have no phone and don’t seem to come to the door.”

“They don’t even have a front door, anymore,” Jane observed.

“My wife,” Ron said, guessing what the officer needed to hear, “is a retired teacher and will gladly help them with the home schooling forms. It may take a few weeks, but we’ll get them to you as soon as we can.” He turned his head. “Isn’t that right, dear?”

“Mmmfarkle,” she moaned from the couch, and then she sat up, wild-eyed, and screamed. “RUN FOR THE HILLS! EVERYONE’S GOING TO DIE!”

Jane and Ahmed reacted with concern.

“Her new medicine takes a while to kick in,” Ron explained calmly. “Poor dear. It’s not her fault that she imagines things. They made her teach sixth grade too long, and it got to her - quite badly, actually.”

“My aunt,” Jane agreed sympathetically, “taught middle school, too. I know exactly what you’re talking about.”

“There’s always hope. Well, anything else?”

No, the officials told him, everything had been covered. They thanked him, they wished his wife a speedy recovery, and to Ron’s relief, they drove away.

“I warned you, Waverly,” he said gently.

“Purple monsters!” she rambled. “Bright lights! Creatures appearing from thin air!”

“There, there. I’ll have your mother make some lemon balm tea. They say it has a marvelous calming effect.”

***

“You don’t seem to understand,” Marteenus said disdainfully, “but I hold all the cards. If you want Deetricus back, you must give me what I want.”

He’d returned to consciousness later that morning and found himself firmly tied to a pillar in the sub-basement. To his horror, the young Steemjammers glared at him, joined by a short man he recognized as Donell Ogilvy. Knowing, however, that he had a strong bargaining chip, he found his courage and felt certain he could snatch victory from the jaws of apparent disaster.

“I don’t want to go on living,” he continued, “in this hideous place, so threaten me all you like. If you want Deet, you have to return me, unharmed, to a safe spot in Beverkenverlt.”

Will squinted skeptically. “If we do, you’ll of course tell us where Onkel Deet is?”

“Of course. My mother was a Steemjammer, and like you I must honor my promises.”

“You’re not like me, Marteenus. Not at all. I don’t know how such a treacherous, self-centered creature like you could be related to me, much less open a verltgaat. You must have some sort of mental illness.”

Marteenus winced. “That, young man, was a low blow.”

“Enough!” Donell interrupted, hoisting a heavy hammer in his strong hands. “Do what we say or else!”

“You thick oaf,” Marteenus cackled. “Didn’t you hear a word I said? Go on. Put me out of my misery, or restore me to B’verlt. There’s no other choice.”

“Really? Ye’re badly bruised. The lass over there tells me you had a wee run-in with their family mascots.”

“If by ‘mascots’ you mean psychotic, deranged waterfowl, yes. I would have killed them, too, if only I were better a better shot.”

A nasty grin spread across Donell’s face. “Well, why don’t we give ye another chance tah get acquainted with ‘em. The igloo’s iced back up?”

“Yeah,” Will said, guessing what Donell was thinking. “Enough to hold them.”

“Marteenus. Take us tah Deet Steemjammer now, or I’m locking you up with those penguins!”

A shocked gasp escaped from Marteenus’ lips. “You wouldn’t!”

“I’d relish it! That’s it, then. Cut those ropes there, but leave his wrists and ankles bound. Oh, and let’s get a nice strong gag for his mouth. Wouldn’t want anyone tah hear his screams, would we?”

“No! You can’t!”

“Then take us to Onkel Deet,” Will demanded. “Hurry. I don’t know if I’ll be able to stop Donell. You know how he is once he sets his mind on something.”

Marteenus squirmed in desperation against the ropes. “Wait! How do I know you won’t just kill me, anyway?”

“Because I solemnly promise,” Will said, “as a Steemjammer, that if you take us to Onkel Deet and if he’s still living, I’ll leave you there alive and unharmed.”

“Will, no!” Alfonz objected. “Too good for him, this is!”

“Too late. Onkel Deet’s life is worth more than revenge, and I want to make sure Marteenus is motivated to take us to the right place.” He turned to the traitor. “Well? It’s the best deal you’ll get.”

A nasty idea occurred to Marteenus, but he remained stone-faced so they wouldn’t suspect. “That, and promise you’ll give me a chance to survive and get away.”

“I promise that, too,” Will agreed.

***

They found the airship tied to a tall tree where Marteenus had left it the night before. Climbing the rope ladder, they got a sense of the weight it could support and decided that Will and Giselle would go. As much as Donell wanted to accompany them, it was Alfonz who knew this world and might be able to tell if Marteenus was leading them astray. So he’d go, along with the traitor.

After getting some gasoline from Ron, they marched Marteenus out the back of Beverkenhaas through the woods. Fearing he might overpower them and fly away, they refused to untie him so he could climb up. Instead, they used a rope to hoist him up like he was a sack of provisions. He protested loudly, but soon they were all in the gondola.

“You’ll need to untie me,” Marteenus suggested, “so I can pilot it.”

“Keep quiet,” Alfonz ordered. “Will promised safe-keeping, but that doesn’t mean I can’t dangle you over the edge by your ankle.”

“You wouldn’t dare!”

“Verraader!” Traitor!

“Fine. Fine. It’s not my fault if you crash.”

Giselle gave him a suspicious look as she boarded, and when Will came up, they started the boiler and soon cut free.

***

Alfonz had yet to find a vehicle he couldn’t drive, steer or pilot, and airships were no exception. Also, he’d flown them in Beverkenverlt in the old days, so even though the controls of Marteenus’ craft weren’t familiar to him, he soon figured them out.

“You’re running it too hot,” Marteenus complained.

“I want to get there before dark,” Alfonz said. “The boiler’s doing fine.”

“Get some altitude, then! You want to hit something?”

“Tell us the heading, verraader, and nothing else.”

Marteenus started to argue but realized how angry Alfonz was. He pointed south and bit his tongue.

***

The airship sped along surprisingly fast, cruising at just over 50 miles per hour. They had to skirt large towns and cities, and in just over three hours they reached the Ohio River. Kentucky and Deetricus, Marteenus told them, lay on the other side. Will guessed it was four in the afternoon, and it would get dark around six o’clock.

Sitting up now and taking more interest in things, Marteenus looked for landmarks and urged them to get higher. He had them turn east, and soon they saw why he’d been complaining about the low altitude. Ahead lay a high, wooded ridge that seemed uninhabited.

“They call it a ‘wilderness area,’” Marteenus scoffed. “They’ve gone to great lengths to protect it and exclude people, so no one seems to notice me flying in and out.”

“You’ve got a base hidden in there somewhere?” Will guessed.

“Correct. Aim for that high, central spot.”

“I see cliffs,” Alfonz noted. “You must not get bothered too much there.”

“No one,” Marteenus said, “ever comes up there. The cliffs are like high, unclimbable castle walls, and on top there’s a cave.”

“My father’d better be all right,” Giselle said.

Marteenus scoffed. “Or what? You’re just a girl.”

WHACK! Losing control of herself, Giselle balled up her fist and slugged the strange, short man in the face. He tumbled backwards and then looked up in shock. A trickle of blood ran down his nose.

“You said you’d keep me safe!” he cried fearfully at Will. “You promised.”

“He’d better be alive,” Will said.

Marteenus studied their faces and fully sensed his danger. Let the slob be alive, then, he told himself. If he is, then everything will fall into place. They have no idea, he mused, at the trap they’ve fallen into.

***

“I should go first,” Alfonz said after they’d approached the flattened mountaintop and looped a rope around a sturdy tree trunk.

Giselle, however, had already kicked over the rope ladder and was quickly descending.

“Well?” Marteenus said. “Aren’t you going to cut me free?”

“You’d better hope he’s safe,” Will said.

“I’ll guard this verraader,” Alfonz said. “Make sure she’s all right.”

“Would you stop calling me that?” Marteenus complained. “That was a long time ago, and I’ll have you know that a lot of people consider it tyranny that the Steem-failures never shared their secrets!”

Alfonz picked up a wrench, and Marteenus attempted to squiggle away.

“Fine, fine,” he said in a placating voice. “I’ll be quiet.”

***

“Dad!” Giselle called into the dark cave.

When he didn’t answer, she rushed into the cave. In the darkness she stumbled and almost hurt herself.

“Dad!” she cried, forcing herself to slow down.

A light appeared behind her. It was Will with a lantern. They found some empty crates, a dirty old cot, and some trash. At last, in the back, they saw an iron cage and a dark form lying on the cold, stone floor.

“Dad!” she screamed.

Rushing up, she reached through the bars and put her hand on his back.

“Please be alive,” she begged.

To her relief, he moved and seemed to be waking from a deep sleep. His weary eyes opened and took a moment to come into focus.

“Kint?” he said in a weak, hoarse croak. “Zeet welk oo?” Child? Is that you?

“Dad!” she said, trying to hold back tears. “Stay still. Don’t try to get up.”

Fishing through her dress pocket, she found the key that Marteenus had given them earlier. She got the door open, and they went inside. As Will held up the lantern to give them some light, she shuddered.

She’d never seen her father looking so thin. His lips were dry and parched, his cheeks drawn in, and his eyes sunken. Thinking he was still in a dream, Deet put his hand on Giselle’s. Relief flickered in his tired eyes as he realized his ordeal had finally ended.