The rotund body of the machine rivaled their wagon in size. Inside a bulbous eye of convex glass could be seen intricate gears that moved and whirred like a massive brain. Tubes jutted from various spots on the body, but all gathered up behind the eye where they vented clouds of hot vapor.
Penny gasped at the alien nature of the contraption. Where Penny’s creations resembled actual life, this did not. She climbed out and stood atop the wagon. Imogen clamored up beside her.
The mecha creature drew close with a uniform clicking and huffing sound. It waded against the torrent of water pouring through the arches. One single long jointed arm extended from the body and grabbed hold of a stone pier with three tendril-like fingers that were colored bright red, as if they had been dipped in blood. The machine began to climb out of the river. The pointed diamond legs impaled the stone, adjusting again for the new terrain. It moved like a centipede, legs rolling forward in a sequential motion as each one grabbed or pushed itself over the uneven surface until it landed atop the bridge. The machine squatted slightly as pistons relaxed and stilled. The great pipes vented a torrent of steam. The machine waited.
Kate snapped her crossbow open and slid from the saddle. Malcolm swung off his mount too and they slapped their horses’ hindquarters to urge them out of harm’s way. He quickly unhitched the team from the wagon and sent them clattering off.
“At least they waited until we got here, as I hoped,” Simon said. “I didn’t want to risk innocent lives in this mad gamble.”
“What about our lives?” muttered Malcolm.
“You have never been innocent,” Simon pointed out.
With a grunt Malcolm drew his weapon. “The Irishman is here.”
The outline of a figure could be seen in the darkness walking toward them from Fish Street Hill on the north end of the bridge. The two horses trotted past him, wandering through the demolished gate into the city. The steeple of St. Magnus the Martyr rose into the night sky behind the approaching man. There was no mistaking the glowing aura of fire surrounding Ferghus O’Malley. They were trapped between the elemental and the strange machine.
“Good evening, Mr. O’Malley,” Simon greeted the Irishman pleasantly.
Ferghus leveled a hard stare through blazing red eyes. “We weren’t expecting resistance at Westminster. That’s not the case tonight.”
“What? No pleasant chitchat before fisticuffs?” Simon sighed.
“I’m here for one thing only and since you’ve been so obliging as to deliver it, I’ll take it and go.”
Simon shook his head. “That won’t be happening.”
“Bloody hell,” cursed an agitated Malcolm. “Let’s just fight.”
“I agree with Scotty,” snarled Ferghus. The flame coating on his hands flared.
“With pleasure then.” Simon shouted orders, “Nick! Go with Kate and Malcolm! Penny, with me on the machine.”
In a billow of white vapor, the weird mechanical thing lifted a leg and slammed forward, impaling the bridge with a seismic shudder. One leg after another lifted like daggers and the behemoth came at them.
Penny raced after Simon, pulling the stovepipe cannon from her back and shouldering the long tube. “What’s the plan?”
“I need you to determine that thing’s weakness.”
Penny gave a faint laugh. “Oh is that all?”
“You’re our best shot at bringing it down.”
The machine clattered nearer, towering over them. Simon suddenly felt like David against Goliath. He had to remind himself that the young giant-killer had needed nothing but a stone.
Simon slipped a canister into Penny’s blunderbuss as she dropped to one knee and took aim. She let the shell fly. It struck the glass eye true and the explosion rocked the creature back on its rear legs, pistons whining madly. When the smoke cleared, it stood upright again with nary a crack in the glass.
“Well, that ain’t good.” Penny bit her lip in frustration as she scrutinized the thing, seeking a chink in its complex armor.
Simon asked, “You think the glass eye is the way to go?”
“It’s all I have at the moment,” she admitted.
“Then we need to get you inside of it.”
Penny brightened at the prospect of getting up close to such an incredible machine. “Sure, but how?”
Simon pushed the blunderbuss’s muzzle down. Penny gaped at him, but then just as suddenly relished the idea. Simon loaded another shell and she fired at the spot where the monstrosity stood. Stones flew and the machine tottered, then tumbled into a cavernous crater. Penny let out a whoop of triumph until long red fingers curled around the parapet, and it hauled itself back onto the bridge.
“That thing is more agile than I gave it credit for.” Simon scowled.
“Now what?” Penny looked at him expectantly.
“Keep firing until something breaks.”