JESSE AND JENNY were forced down a long hall with heavy metal doors lining both sides. It was dark and would have been entirely black if not for a single circular window at the end, positioned high as to let a shaft of light in to see, but afford no view of what lied outside.
The lead ranger stopped outside one of the doors about two-thirds of the way down, unlocking three massive padlocks then sliding three substantial deadbolts to the side. Each made a ringing clang as it opened.
“Get in,” the trailing ranger ordered and when neither Jesse or Jenny moved, he shoved them both hard.
They stumbled into a room nearly as dank as the hall, with its own slender window that was too high to look out of. Before they could thank their escorts’ hospitality, the solid door shut with an echoing boom.
“What is going on?” Jenny asked now that they were alone, shading her eyes as the light from the window gleamed right into them.
Jesse turned around and leaned on the wall; it was wet and he didn’t want to think long on why. Moving away, he dropped to the floor and sat there with both of his hands on his head, fingers drumming.
“You tell me,” he muttered while his shackles rattled.
“What? You think I had something to do with this thing and Frost?” Jenny asked, heart cracking from stress and sadness, breaking her from the inside out.
“Not this, Jenny, what Luc… what Frost said. About a raider helping you. That’s the last thing I expected, if what you said about your escape was true.”
Jenny’s lips bowed and she sighed, trying to smooth the ends of her hair with her fingertips.
“Is it true? About the raider?”
“Yes,” Jenny replied and Jesse’s face went flat and empty. “But it’s not what you think!”
“What else could it be, Jenny?” he bellowed, writhing as if an itch had taken over every part of his body and he couldn’t ease it. “Did you conspire with them? Plan all this to use against me?”
“I’m in here, too!” she cried. “In case you haven’t noticed.”
Although it hurt to be accused of such a thing after losing her life out there in the wastes, she dove into a detailed, if not jumpy, explanation of what happened that night after the attack. She described how Aftershock helped her escape, provided shelter, and even escorted her of his own accord to Pitchfork.
“So, you see Jesse, he isn’t like other raiders,” she emphasized, leaving out the personal details he’d told. “I thought he was at first – like you and everyone else does – but spending time with him made me realize I was wrong. Frost can say what he wants to try and use it against you, but if not for Aftershock, I wouldn’t be alive. I owe it to him to stay true to that.”
Jesse seemed swayed, but then insisted with a last-ditch effort that, “He had to have an ulterior motive. Wanting things from you.”
“I can safely say the answer to that is an indisputable no,” she answered, a bit coyly and in different circumstances would probably have giggled. “Besides, you should be the first one embracing someone that doesn’t fit into society’s mold, since you manage to avoid getting lumped into a shiny, elite box so well.”
Unable to deny that, and sensing the passion in Jenny’s words, the tingle in Jesse’s nerves started to fade away. He could breathe a little easier, although the musty room presented its own challenges.
“Thank you for that,” he said softly, rubbing his head one more time before looking up at her. “When you first told me the story in the garden you stopped right after the attack. Now I understand why you had your reasons for not mentioning Aftershock before. But, since you’ve confided that information to me, that trust goes a long way.”
Jenny smiled, and that drove away Jesse’s torment, at least for a little while.
“What happens now?” she asked, getting closer to him but remaining standing.
“Being in the core boroughs we’re lucky; even you not being an elite.”
“Thank goodness for being in the right place at the right time,” Jenny said.
“With the right person,” Jesse clarified as he looked ruefully up to her. “I know that sounds egotistical, but it’s not meant to be; they literally have to go through the process since you’ve been accused alongside me. That clearly assumes whatever is happening here is legitimate. If it is, there will be a hearing first, to see if there is enough evidence for a trial before one of the city’s magistrates. With Frost trying to involve Duncan in this, and limiting his travels, I know that it’s a blatant move to keep his legal prowess at bay.”
“That’s not good for us…”
“No, not at all…” Jesse said, trailing off worriedly.
“Something more?”
“Yes,” Jesse answered a moment later, troubled. His eyes had been shifting quickly, as if he was reading through a set of documents in his mind. “The more I think on it, the more I think there isn’t going to be a hearing.”
“Even with your resources and influence they’d be so quick to put the noose around our necks?”
“We’d see the gallows by the end of this day if they could. All it takes is someone willing to pay more Gears than the other party to tip the balance in their favor.”
Jesse’s eyes started moving again as thoughts consumed him, the silence lasting a few minutes.
“Anything else?” Jenny asked with baited breath.
“Frost. I don’t have any proof, I have a feeling he has something, if not everything, to do with this.”
“I’ve been thinking the same thing in the back of my mind.”
Jesse let out a frustrated grunt and Jenny jumped, startled by the suddenness of it. Standing back up, Jesse grasped Jenny by the shoulders and hugged her. He could feel her stirring restlessly in his embrace, so he kissed her softly on the forehead to take some of the worry away.
“We need more time,” he told her, “a delay, anything to help us get the evidence we need to –”
Jesse stopped mid-sentence; he could hear someone scuttling around outside the door.
Did they hear us? he thought, wondering if they had been overheard. Looking around for a holorecorder or microphones, none were immediately visible.
Regardless there was jostling…
Followed by three ringing clangs…
Whoever it was coming in and doing it fast.
“Jenny, get behind me!”
Before Jesse had finished getting into position, the door flew open and hit the wall of the cell with a deafening bang. The duo slammed their hands against their ears for all the ringing that continued.
In front of them was a man, draped in a hooded cloak that covered his head and a dark, loosely buttoned shirt.
“Mr. Winthrope, Miss Boone, you must come with me!”
Jesse didn’t recognize the voice, frantic but also boyish in tone. He thought, for a silly moment, that he might have even seen flickers of blue light coming from beneath the hood.
“Why would we go anywhere with you?” he asked firmly, keeping an arm positioned to guard Jenny.
The man immediately pointed to the open door.
“Well… um… okay…. then who are you?” Jesse pressed.
“Mr. Winthrope, please, there isn’t much time. My name is Aero and I promise to answer your questions, but along the way! We must leave before…”
The alarm klaxons started sounding and the area was filled with a shrill whine that came and went in a repeating pattern.
Aero flung his cloak aside and tossed each of them a pistol; they were bulkier than normal with large barrels and rectangular ends.
“These are non-lethal,” he told them. “But do pack a punch.”
“Are theirs non-lethal?” Jesse asked cynically, eyeing his gun as if it were a toy.
“No, of course not. They’re Rangers,” Aero replied, “which means they would not have additional and legitimate charges filed against them should they kill any of you. Now come!”
Without another word, Aero tore down the hall.
“Self-defense is always a good go to,” Jesse added, giving a quick look to Jenny. “Right?”
“I don’t think that applies when you are escaping from a jail.”
Giving each other a swift kiss, the pair bounded out of the cell, nearly stumbling on a body just as they came around to the left. They ran past several more Rangers lying on the ground as they ran, unconscious if Aero had used either of the pistols he off-loaded.
“Seems like our savior has been busy,” Jenny said with quickened breath.
“Yeah, he has, though I’m not sure he’s one of us, if you know what I mean.”
Jenny’s expression told that she wasn’t sure, and when she answered “No” with great puffs of air, Jesse chuckled.
“You’ll see.”
Aero had stopped up ahead at an intersecting row of cells, three more Rangers coming through the door in front of him. As they raced down the hall, they fired their deadly rounds and he managed to nimbly evade them, leaving pockmarks in sections of floor that had been occupied just seconds before.
Jesse snatched Jenny and heaved them both to the side, striking the wall just in time for stray bullets to whizz by.
Aero continued to dodge his attackers gracefully, almost acrobatic in his skill. At one point he saw an opportunity, leaping up and off a wall, flinging his cloak off in mid-air. The heavy garment draped itself over nearby ranger, which gave Aero just enough time to land, spin, and kick him into the opposite wall.
Jenny could now see what Jesse meant as Aero continued his ballet. His shirt sleeves were rolled up to his elbows and along his forearms was a peculiar material that looked very much like skin, but carved lines separating it into plates broke the illusion.
Step by bullet-dodging step the two of them managed to get closer, at last retuning fire on the remaining two Rangers. They hit their targets after a brief exchange, the big ammo knocking them unconscious. Reaching Aero, they saw that he was not tired nor sweating like they were.
“Where to now?” Jesse asked, resting with a hand on his hip, taking in the strangeness of a bot helping them.
“We will be outnumbered and out of ammo if we go through the main entrance,” Aero stated. The sound of more footsteps was in the distance; a lot of them. “Yet, we will also be pursued if we are seen going down either of these side pathways.”
“Where do they lead?” Jenny asked, quickly looking at her shoulder, which had a dull and burning pain. A bullet must have grazed her, Jesse flying over to tend to it.
“Pardon me,” he said, ripping off a large portion of her sleeve before wrapping it firmly around the wound to stop the bleeding.
“Could you get that any tighter?”
“Nope,” he said while admiring his handiwork and her lopsided outfit. “There you are, all mended and setting new end-of-century fashion trends.”
A quick series of beeps emanated from Aero and then he said, “To the left is a cafeteria and the right the garage; both have access to the city. I recommend that we head to the left; there will likely be fewer encounters.”
“But won’t that keep us on foot? There are vehicles to the right, correct?” Jesse asked, hearing those footsteps get closer with every word.
“Yes. That is often what you place in a garage.”
Jesse sputtered and tried not to look annoyed.
“Well, do you think we can commandeer one and get out of the building? Possibly out of the city?”
“Accessing…” Aero said amongst more beeps. “Yes, there are a couple of motor carriages in there; one is an experimental convertible unit that may be our best chance.”
“Well experimental is my middle name!” said Jesse excitedly.
“Your middle name is Elliot, Mr. Winthrope.”
“It’s a… never mind… Aero, right?”
Aero nodded as Jenny looked distraught, the thought of leaving so soon after she arrived was exhausting.
“There will be nowhere safe for us to hide within Diablo,” Jesse said, noticing her appearance. “The tower has likely broadcast our names and likenesses across the entire area by now. Plus, it’s not like I can go many places and not be noticed. We must do this. I can stay in touch with –”
A gunshot rang out, the bullet striking Aero in the shoulder. It sparked upon impact, but the damage was minimal. Aero looked in the direction the shot was fired and saw a ranger preparing to fire again. Launching a few non-lethal strikes his way, the ranger was taken out of commission.
“We have lingered too long,” said Aero, “neither of you can stay, nor can I now. But, where do we go from here?”
“Let’s go,” Jesse suggested. “We can mull on that once we are out of here.”
“Jesse, we can drive it east!” Jenny said excitably. “Aftershock’s out there. I know where to go.”
The Rangers were arriving, the first starting to trickle in though the entrances.
“We are out of time,” Aero said, and a compartment unfolded in his forearm. He reached inside and removed a pair of goggles with some extremely dull lenses. Ripping them in half, he held them out. “Take these and use them to follow.”
“Follow what?” Jenny asked.
“Me.”
Suddenly, from within Aero, there was a tremendous burst of smoke and steam. Jenny shrieked as it flew forward, filling the room with a haze that was so thick it was impossible to see anything more than a half-meter ahead.
Disoriented, Jesse raised the goggle half in his hand to his eye and surprisingly, he could see! Not like he normally would, nor very clearly, but the faint lines around Aero’s body that had appeared black were now glowing with a faint blue light through the glass.
“Jenny!” called Jesse.
“I got it!” she replied.
“Excellent!” said Aero as he charged toward the garage, unseen by the Rangers now mired in the haze. “Follow me!”
A LARGE FOUR-WHEELED motor carriage ripped around the corner, sending people screaming and diving in all directions to avoid getting run over while its wheels skidded harshly on the bumpy cobblestone. The eccentric thing flew down the streets like a bullet, its wide passenger cab and sleek, silver lines tapering to two large lamps at the front.
“I seem to have lost our pursuers,” Aero said, maintaining the high speed.
“Is it broken?” Jenny asked over a horrendous noise.
Aero made another daring swerve, missing a monger but crashing through his market stall, sending a rain of cheese splattering around the area.
“I’ll pay you back for those!” Jesse shouted over the unique chittering noise from under the hood. Turning attention back to Jenny he told her, “It’s nothing to worry about… just the sound of this particular steam engine. The old dirigible-styled airships make a noise just like it.”
“I’m not so sure that reassures me,” she responded, tossed around as the carriage rushed across several potholes. “You’d think the core boroughs wouldn’t have any missing pavers!”
“You’re correct in that statement, Miss Boone; we aren’t in the core anymore,” Aero replied calmly, his chest bearing slight electrical burns from their garage escape (courtesy of a ranger trying to short circuit him with a bo prod). “The holding cells are actually in Carcel, close to the western edge of the city.”
“So, when we get out of here,” Jesse took over, “we’re going to have to loop around the city – taking a wide berth – to head toward your contact out east.”
“That is if we get there,” Jenny said. “We have company!”
Two monocycles and their riders had rejoined the chase, their colossal tires churning up the debris left Winthrope’s wake while plumes of chugging steam were left in their own.
One of the drivers leaned to the side, wasting no time now that they were back in his sights. Firing his gun, the bullets struck the back window, right in front of Jenny’s face. She screamed, yet the glass held and did not shatter.
“Who’s vehicle is this?” she asked, swiping a finger across the jagged but intact areas where the bullets impacted.
“I’ve no idea,” Jesse answered, “but I certainly want to get my hands on one after all this is straightened out!”
Another hail bullets struck and Aero flung the car down a narrow side street to evade, then again onto a main thoroughfare. Trash was thrown everywhere and more people leapt for their lives as the riders followed relentlessly through the zigzag of streets.
“They’re still coming!” Jenny said, watching them weave past a smattering of grape crates Aero had just plowed through.
She was half-listening to Jesse – shouting at Aero about driving through a saloon next to complete his bill for the most expensive wine, fruit and cheese plate ever – while also observing their pursuers.
The closest rider pressed a large green button on one of his levers and his cycle suddenly sprang forward, closing the gap quickly. Pulling a different lever, a couple of armatures popped out from the front of the unit and began to drop, folding out like the arms of a praying mantis. They latched onto a space between the bumper and chassis and the car shuddered greatly.
Applying his brakes, the rider forced Winthrope’s vehicle to slow down, allowing the second monocycle catch up and do the same.
“We’re slowing down too much,” Jesse muttered, hoping Aero had a plan formulating in that bot brain of his.
“Brace yourselves,” Aero replied.
“Wait… what?” Jesse wasn’t expecting anything so soon.
A split second later, Aero turned the wheel hard left and the whole grouping of carriage and cycles spun.
The first cycle hit the corner of a clockwork parts store, splintering into a shower of gears, metal, and wood. The second was hanging on tightly, its rider firing nonstop at the reinforced glass.
Aero spun the wheel in the other direction, takin the carriage precariously close to the building walls. Luckily for them, as they turned the cycle struck hard against an iron barricade, sending parts scattering all up and down the street. The largest fragment – the steam engine – cartwheeled overhead and took out the doors of a saloon.
Jesse tried not to think about the damage inside, instead opting to stare intently at Aero.
“You didn’t hear a word I said about that, did you?”
Jenny would have laughed, but a bracing thought overwhelmed her.
“Gentlemen, not to put a damper on our escape, but given all this commotion won’t the officials have the gates blocked?”
Jesse’s expression went from sour to pale in the blink of an eye and as if in answer, when they rounded Sunset Boulevard the large doors of the western gatehouse were barred and a line of Rangers were ready to stop their advance.
Aero made another harsh turn down a side street, the carriage jostling harshly as the road was not meant for vehicles. The good news was there were no Rangers down this way. The bad news was the city wall was coming right at them.
“Aero, didn’t you say this thing was a convertible?” Jenny asked with frantic haste. “What does it convert to?”
“I didn’t get a chance to look,” Aero said calmly. “I used the technical manual to beat the ranger that shocked me. Then it caught fire and burned to a cinder.”
“Which is what will happen to us if we don’t do something!” Jesse bellowed as he looked around for anything that would help.
Aero found a button marked with an ornate C and pressed it, the vehicle starting to hum promisingly before…
The roof flew off and crashed behind them.
With the wall approaching fast, Jenny and Jesse reached for each other and embraced while Aero continued to look for a solution.
“Ah, here we are,” he said, flipping a switch that was engraved with three small letters: FLT.
Then, from the back, a large propeller-like engine emerged and wings sprouted from beneath and the sides like some graceful mechanical butterfly. Moments later, the motor carriage took flight and rose, higher and higher, until they barely crested the walls.
Jesse looked behind as they soared away.
Winthrope Limited, his family’s crowning achievement, seemed to weep as sunlight danced across the windows of the building. He then looked to Diablo itself as Aero banked starboard for the long loop back east. From that height, the city looked like a segmented clock, the intricate swirls formed by streets entangled with patterns formed by the rooftops, all set within more complex shapes made by interior walls, decorative features like the sundial of Grayson Market, and more.
Now, it was his turn to weep, and wiping tears from his eyes he apologized for leaving the steam powered city in the clutches of a cold man named Frost.