who built it chose it as the place to store their greatest achievements. I’m talking about weapons, Mrs Brown, old-world weapons of horrific purity. Missiles that
can lay waste to entire cities, chemicals that will shroud the land in poison gas and diseases for which the cure would only be available to the highest bidder. All of these toys lie hidden at
Ironheart – can you imagine what fun I will have with them?’
Verity swallowed. Looking into the crazed features of Lucifer Stone, she could imagine it very well. ‘I’d love to help, Mr Director, really I would,’ she said as her hand
slipped suddenly free of the cuff. ‘But I make it a policy not to do business with anyone who is madder than a box of frogs.’
She lunged across the bed at Stone. Ordinarily she would have overpowered him in seconds but, weakened by the drugs, she stumbled. Stone swiftly recovered his wits and struck her hard on the
temple with his stick. Pain and lights exploded behind her eyes as she crashed to the floor.
The guard was in the room in an instant, hauling her to her feet and applying a second pair of handcuffs tightly behind her back. Her injured hand screamed in protest.
‘Now, tell me!’ yelled Stone, his face only inches from hers. ‘What was in John Bentley’s message?’
‘I don’t know,’ said Verity between gritted teeth.
Stone made a noise like a wild animal in pain. ‘Clearly you don’t appreciate how serious I am, Mrs Brown, so let me make you my final offer. Tell me the location of Ironheart and I
promise not to feed you into my furnaces, feet first.’
‘You can yell all you want,’ said Verity defiantly, ‘but that information is encrypted and I don’t know what it says.’
Stone narrowed his eyes and stroked his beard thoughtfully. ‘Well, if you don’t have it then it must be with the girl and your metal man. Yes, that’s it, isn’t it? The
girl has the message and now she and that metal man have gone to try and find Ironheart themselves.’
There was silence for a moment, then Verity began to laugh. Stone looked appalled. ‘What? Why are you laughing?’
‘You mean they’ve escaped?’ said Verity, still grinning. ‘I’d say that was pretty careless of you. Calculus is a military droid with full stealth capabilities. Once
they get out of the city you’ll never track them down.’
Stone glowered at her. The veins stood out on his forehead and there were flecks of spittle on his lips. ‘Don’t underestimate me, Mrs Brown. I have spies everywhere. Miss Bentley and
that rusty machine won’t stop my plans. Things will just take a little longer, that’s all.’ He turned to the guard. ‘Mrs Brown is unable to assist us further. Please take
her up to the roof and use the catapult to fling her body into the city streets. If she survives the fall, then drag her back to the roof and keep doing it until the job is done!’
The guard yanked brutally on the cuffs, causing Verity to cry out.
‘Wait!’ she said as they reached the door. She took a deep breath. ‘There may be something I can help you with after all.’
CHAPTER 11
THE FREE-RIGGER’S CONTRACT
The
Tolstoy
picked up a gallop and plunged into the night, leaving the lights of Angel Town behind. There was a small wood stove in the compartment that didn’t
quite take the dry chill from the air and Bulldog stoked it hopefully, sending sparks and resin smells into the carriage.
‘Well,’ he said when India had finished her story. ‘Sid’s friends are a dangerous bunch and now they’re very interested in you. So what are you going to do
now?’
India hesitated. Her plans had not extended much further than getting on the train, but now she thought about it, she was clear on the first priority. ‘We have to find Ironheart,’
she said. ‘If we can get to it before Stone we can find my dad and maybe even use the treasure to bargain for Verity’s life.’
‘Whoa, whoa!’ Bulldog raised his hands. ‘What do you
can lay waste to entire cities, chemicals that will shroud the land in poison gas and diseases for which the cure would only be available to the highest bidder. All of these toys lie hidden at
Ironheart – can you imagine what fun I will have with them?’
Verity swallowed. Looking into the crazed features of Lucifer Stone, she could imagine it very well. ‘I’d love to help, Mr Director, really I would,’ she said as her hand
slipped suddenly free of the cuff. ‘But I make it a policy not to do business with anyone who is madder than a box of frogs.’
She lunged across the bed at Stone. Ordinarily she would have overpowered him in seconds but, weakened by the drugs, she stumbled. Stone swiftly recovered his wits and struck her hard on the
temple with his stick. Pain and lights exploded behind her eyes as she crashed to the floor.
The guard was in the room in an instant, hauling her to her feet and applying a second pair of handcuffs tightly behind her back. Her injured hand screamed in protest.
‘Now, tell me!’ yelled Stone, his face only inches from hers. ‘What was in John Bentley’s message?’
‘I don’t know,’ said Verity between gritted teeth.
Stone made a noise like a wild animal in pain. ‘Clearly you don’t appreciate how serious I am, Mrs Brown, so let me make you my final offer. Tell me the location of Ironheart and I
promise not to feed you into my furnaces, feet first.’
‘You can yell all you want,’ said Verity defiantly, ‘but that information is encrypted and I don’t know what it says.’
Stone narrowed his eyes and stroked his beard thoughtfully. ‘Well, if you don’t have it then it must be with the girl and your metal man. Yes, that’s it, isn’t it? The
girl has the message and now she and that metal man have gone to try and find Ironheart themselves.’
There was silence for a moment, then Verity began to laugh. Stone looked appalled. ‘What? Why are you laughing?’
‘You mean they’ve escaped?’ said Verity, still grinning. ‘I’d say that was pretty careless of you. Calculus is a military droid with full stealth capabilities. Once
they get out of the city you’ll never track them down.’
Stone glowered at her. The veins stood out on his forehead and there were flecks of spittle on his lips. ‘Don’t underestimate me, Mrs Brown. I have spies everywhere. Miss Bentley and
that rusty machine won’t stop my plans. Things will just take a little longer, that’s all.’ He turned to the guard. ‘Mrs Brown is unable to assist us further. Please take
her up to the roof and use the catapult to fling her body into the city streets. If she survives the fall, then drag her back to the roof and keep doing it until the job is done!’
The guard yanked brutally on the cuffs, causing Verity to cry out.
‘Wait!’ she said as they reached the door. She took a deep breath. ‘There may be something I can help you with after all.’
CHAPTER 11
THE FREE-RIGGER’S CONTRACT
The
Tolstoy
picked up a gallop and plunged into the night, leaving the lights of Angel Town behind. There was a small wood stove in the compartment that didn’t
quite take the dry chill from the air and Bulldog stoked it hopefully, sending sparks and resin smells into the carriage.
‘Well,’ he said when India had finished her story. ‘Sid’s friends are a dangerous bunch and now they’re very interested in you. So what are you going to do
now?’
India hesitated. Her plans had not extended much further than getting on the train, but now she thought about it, she was clear on the first priority. ‘We have to find Ironheart,’
she said. ‘If we can get to it before Stone we can find my dad and maybe even use the treasure to bargain for Verity’s life.’
‘Whoa, whoa!’ Bulldog raised his hands. ‘What do you
Similar Books
