Dawn's Early Light by Pip Ballantine

Author:Pip Ballantine
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: Penguin Group US
Published: 2014-03-24T16:00:00+00:00

FOURTEEN

In Which Mr. Edison Proves to Indeed Have Friends

At first Eliza thought it luck—good or bad depending on how the situation was exploited—when the moonlight towers outside started to dim and brighten at odd intervals. It was the most exciting thing she and Bill had seen all afternoon. They were just about to break into their third building of the evening when the explosion four blocks away ripped through the night. This could have been just the diversion she and Bill needed to continue through Edison Illuminating Company’s headquarters undeterred, as attention would be directed to greater priorities.

“Goddammit, Johnny Shakespeare,” Bill swore. “We should have known better than to leave him alone with Felicity.”

“Wellington?” Eliza said with a fierce frown. “You think Wellington is behind this happenstance?”

“Lizzie, in our profession, there’s no such thing as happenstance. ’Bout as possible as an honest politician on Capitol Hill.”

Eliza removed her picks from the door and jabbed Bill in the side before slipping them back in her belt compartment. “Could just have easily been Felicity, considering that girl’s penchant for stumbling into trouble.”

“The good news is we should blend in,” Bill said, his eyes looking out the window to the open campus below. “Looks like those workin’ the late shift are runnin’ like cats hit in the ass with a boot jack.”

She had to think about that odd turn of phrase for a moment, then took it as a good sign. “Little blessings. Come on.”

Both secured their sidearms before joining a stream of line workers and what appeared to be scientists, if the lab coats were any judge of occupation. The rush of Edison employees were all headed for the main gate of the campus where security guards—Pinkertons, on a glance at their badges—were motioning everyone to run. She had just reached the large wooden gates when a Pink paused and locked eyes with her.

He had only taken two steps before Bill’s meaty fist clocked the man hard, sending him to the ground.

“Our chariot awaits,” Bill said amidst the chaos, motioning to the open doors.

“And they say Americans lack a sense of chivalry.” Eliza chuckled, grabbing his arm and pulling him to the exit.

They were out in the open only for a moment before their world began to wink in and out of existence. “It’s going to get very dark soon,” she commented to Bill, looking back at the glow of the fire, blocks away.

“All the better,” he replied. “All this light ain’t good for the likes of us.”

Rounding the Illuminating Company to where Bill had arranged for Wellington to meet them, the moonlight tower in front of them flared into a blinding white light and then blew out, the sparks falling around creating the illusion of a strange, ethereal beauty against the dark of night, but the explosion had partially blinded Eliza’s eyes as if she’d stared at the sun a moment too long.

“He had—one—job!” she heard Bill shout.

The odd grey, purple, and black splotches appearing in front of her eyes finally dissipated, and she finally saw what Bill was railing against.

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