Read Online The Clockwork Three by Matthew J. Kirby - Free Book Online

than Giuseppe by a year or two, but Giuseppe figured even he could take him.
    Then Giuseppe caught an idea, and he set his violin safely aside where no one would see it. He stepped around the corner, picked up a smallrock, and chucked it. It caught the bigger of the two attackers on the side of the head and bounced hard. They both turned toward him.
    “He’s mine,” Giuseppe said. He leaned up against the alley wall, arms across his chest. “And we’re with Stephano.”
    The one boy rubbed his temple. The other stepped up to Giuseppe. “But he didn’t have no instrument.”
    “He made more than me, so I broke it,” Giuseppe said. “I was gonna throttle him, too.”
    “What about his clothes?”
    “That’s what he was wearing when we nabbed him a couple weeks ago.”
    The gang boy made a gesture of stepping aside. “Well, pardon me. Kid didn’t have no money, so we was just havin’ some fun with him.” He held out his hand like an usher. “He’s all yours.”
    Giuseppe hesitated. He stepped around them and walked up to the boy on the ground. The kid looked dazed, like he was lost in a blizzard. Giuseppe balled his fist.
    The one with the goose egg on his head called out, “What’cha waiting for?”
    He shook his head. “I better not.”
    “Why?”
    “’Cause Ezio wants him.”
    The two gang runners looked at each other.
    “Yeah, Ezio’s coming.” Giuseppe turned away from them. “He’ll be mad enough as it is when he sees what you two did. He wants some for himself.” When he turned back, the two were gone, torn off, running down the street.
    Giuseppe laughed and held out his hand to the boy on the ground. “Inever thought Ezio would save my skin. I wonder what’ll happen when this gets back to him. Come on, chap. I’ll help you up.”
    The boy said nothing. He did not move. He just stared at Giuseppe’s hand.
    “Relax. I wasn’t really going to hit you. You all right?”
    The boy stiffened. He struggled to his feet like his back was sore. “I’m fine, and I don’t need your help up. I didn’t need your help at all.”
    Giuseppe withdrew his hand and lifted both eyebrows. “That’s a fine thank-you-kindly. From where I stood, you were getting thumped pretty bad.”
    The other boy ignored him and brushed off his jacket.
    “I’m Giuseppe, by the way. What’s your name? What’re you doing down here?”
    The boy looked at him like it was a riddle. “Frederick,” he said. “My name is Frederick.” He started gathering up scraps of metal from the ground and said nothing more.
    Giuseppe shook his head. “All right, then. I guess you’re fine now.” He started back down the alley. Over his shoulder he said, “See you around, Frederick.”
    “Wait.”
    Giuseppe turned.
    The boy hesitated. “That was really something the way you … Well, what I mean is … thank you.”
    “You’re welcome, Freddy. You should probably clear out of here. Rich chap like you —”
    “I’m not rich.”
    “No?”
    “No. I’m only an apprentice clockmaker. What made you think I was rich?”
    “You just look taken care of, that’s all.”
    “I take care of myself.” He said it as if he was keeping something inside, like a pot simmering with the lid on. “I will be rich one day, though. Soon.”
    “Is that so?”
    “Yes, it is. When I make journeyman, I’ll open up my own shop, and make my own clocks.”
    “You make clocks, huh? I guess that’s what this stuff is for.” Giuseppe pointed at the pieces of metal in Frederick’s hands. “You’re pretty smart, aren’t you, Frederick? And from what you’re wearing, seems your master buys you clothes, so you look respectable.”
    “I suppose.”
    “I’m figuring the way I saved you just now, you maybe owe me something.”
    Frederick clutched the metal tighter. “I suppose that’s true as well,” he said. “And what would a busker like you be interested in? Do you want food? Money?”
    Giuseppe snorted. “Nah. Money’s not a