Read Online Lazarus Machine, The (A Tweed & Nightingale Adventure): 1 by Paul Crilley - Free Book Online
Book: Lazarus Machine, The (A Tweed & Nightingale Adventure): 1 by Paul Crilley
Read Free Book Online
Authors: Paul Crilley
Ads: Link
The platform looked about thirty yards long, and it hung from a system of pulleys that allowed it to move the entire length of the factory.
“You're crazy,” said the girl.
“Why? If they come up here the first place they'll look is in the control room. But you can barely see that platform.”
It was true. The platform was painted black, blending in with the shadows around the roof. Tweed had only seen it because he wasthinking of hiding on one of the scaffoldings that had been erected inside the airship's skeleton.
“You first, then,” said the girl. “And if you fall, don't grab for me on your way down. This is your idea. You don't have to take me with you.”
Tweed climbed up the ladder and ducked beneath the curved metal of the zeppelin's frame. There was a paint-spattered plank of wood at his feet. Another was laid across it. The planks made up a temporary floor, crisscrossing each other so that the builders could easily move to any section of the zeppelin they wanted to. About ten feet above his head was a second level, identical to the first.
He moved carefully along the wood until he arrived at a ladder, then climbed to the next level. There was another floor of criss-crossed planks above him. He checked over his shoulder to make sure the girl was managing. She stood directly behind him, impatiently gesturing for him to move ahead. He supposed he shouldn't be surprised. From what little he'd seen of her she didn't seem the type to linger at the back of the line.
Tweed climbed another five levels before they arrived at the very top of the airship. A short distance away he could just make out a rope ladder dangling from the edge of the platform.
He was about to move toward it when he felt the girl's fingers curl around his wrist. He turned and saw her staring down at the floor.
Tweed leaned to the side and grabbed hold of the metal frame, peering back to the factory door. Far below him he could see the tiny worms of electricity dancing around the Gibbering Man's top hat.
The tall figure of Professor Moriarty walked into view. He looked around for a moment then pointed. The Gibbering Man lifted his gun, and a burst of lightning shot from the tube and wrapped itself around the set of stairs, arcing and spitting as it crawled and leaped along the metal grating.
The lightning died away. Smoke drifted sluggishly into the air. A second later the same thing happened on the next level, then the next and the next, all the way to the top. Tweed could see the control room through a gap in the scaffolding, and the blue-white light crawled and spat across the floor and walls inside. If they had hidden in there they'd be dead.
Tweed felt a breath of air on his ear.
“Excuse me,” the girl whispered. Then she leaned past him and gently pried his hand away from the metal strut he still held onto. She gestured for him to follow, guiding him along the wooden walkway until they stood in the center of the zeppelin.
A moment later the lightning burst and exploded all around them, arcing up the metallic skeleton of the airship, crawling, spitting, sparks flying, the smell of burning tin heavy in Tweed's nostrils. Their eyes reflected flashing white light as they stared in awe at the electricity arcing up to either side and meeting above them, a cage of deadly energy.
The only thing that saved them was the wooden plank on which they stood.
Tweed couldn't tear his eyes away. The noise was intense, unsettling: staccato barks and cracks of energy. Lightning arced straight down from the top of the airship, grounding itself in anything conductive. Tweed shuddered, realizing how extremely dead he would be right now if the girl hadn't removed his hand.
A few moments later the lighting flickered and died away. Smoke filled the air, and occasional tiny crawling worms of light flashed and disappeared.
Tweed swallowed nervously, then pointed at the wooden platform above them. The girl nodded and they moved toward it, using the
“You're crazy,” said the girl.
“Why? If they come up here the first place they'll look is in the control room. But you can barely see that platform.”
It was true. The platform was painted black, blending in with the shadows around the roof. Tweed had only seen it because he wasthinking of hiding on one of the scaffoldings that had been erected inside the airship's skeleton.
“You first, then,” said the girl. “And if you fall, don't grab for me on your way down. This is your idea. You don't have to take me with you.”
Tweed climbed up the ladder and ducked beneath the curved metal of the zeppelin's frame. There was a paint-spattered plank of wood at his feet. Another was laid across it. The planks made up a temporary floor, crisscrossing each other so that the builders could easily move to any section of the zeppelin they wanted to. About ten feet above his head was a second level, identical to the first.
He moved carefully along the wood until he arrived at a ladder, then climbed to the next level. There was another floor of criss-crossed planks above him. He checked over his shoulder to make sure the girl was managing. She stood directly behind him, impatiently gesturing for him to move ahead. He supposed he shouldn't be surprised. From what little he'd seen of her she didn't seem the type to linger at the back of the line.
Tweed climbed another five levels before they arrived at the very top of the airship. A short distance away he could just make out a rope ladder dangling from the edge of the platform.
He was about to move toward it when he felt the girl's fingers curl around his wrist. He turned and saw her staring down at the floor.
Tweed leaned to the side and grabbed hold of the metal frame, peering back to the factory door. Far below him he could see the tiny worms of electricity dancing around the Gibbering Man's top hat.
The tall figure of Professor Moriarty walked into view. He looked around for a moment then pointed. The Gibbering Man lifted his gun, and a burst of lightning shot from the tube and wrapped itself around the set of stairs, arcing and spitting as it crawled and leaped along the metal grating.
The lightning died away. Smoke drifted sluggishly into the air. A second later the same thing happened on the next level, then the next and the next, all the way to the top. Tweed could see the control room through a gap in the scaffolding, and the blue-white light crawled and spat across the floor and walls inside. If they had hidden in there they'd be dead.
Tweed felt a breath of air on his ear.
“Excuse me,” the girl whispered. Then she leaned past him and gently pried his hand away from the metal strut he still held onto. She gestured for him to follow, guiding him along the wooden walkway until they stood in the center of the zeppelin.
A moment later the lightning burst and exploded all around them, arcing up the metallic skeleton of the airship, crawling, spitting, sparks flying, the smell of burning tin heavy in Tweed's nostrils. Their eyes reflected flashing white light as they stared in awe at the electricity arcing up to either side and meeting above them, a cage of deadly energy.
The only thing that saved them was the wooden plank on which they stood.
Tweed couldn't tear his eyes away. The noise was intense, unsettling: staccato barks and cracks of energy. Lightning arced straight down from the top of the airship, grounding itself in anything conductive. Tweed shuddered, realizing how extremely dead he would be right now if the girl hadn't removed his hand.
A few moments later the lighting flickered and died away. Smoke filled the air, and occasional tiny crawling worms of light flashed and disappeared.
Tweed swallowed nervously, then pointed at the wooden platform above them. The girl nodded and they moved toward it, using the
Similar Books
