The Great Brain Robbery, page 23
“Let me go,” said the Brain Storm, “and I will be magnanimous in victory. You will be allowed to escape with your friends.”
“No,” said Suzy, gasping. “I don’t believe you. All you do is lie.”
The Brain Storm growled with frustration. “And if you walk us both over the edge?” he said. “What of your friends then? How many of them are still trapped inside me?”
Suzy’s mind recoiled in shock: She had been so intent on fighting the Brain Storm, she hadn’t spared a thought for Stonker and Reggie. Doubt spread like a stain across her thoughts, and she felt the last thread of control slip through her fingers.
“I see now why Lord Meridian underestimated you,” the Brain Storm said. “But I will not repeat his mistake.” Suzy felt herself beginning to fall, and the vision of the city at her feet began to dissolve into mist. She was being cast out. As she fell away into darkness, a last vestige of the Brain Storm’s voice echoed inside her mind: “This brain isn’t big enough for the both of us.”
* * *
Suzy opened her eyes and found herself still sitting in the driver’s chair. Stonker and Reggie were staring at her.
“What happened?” said Stonker. “We thought we were going to crash off the edge of the city!”
“Sorry,” said Suzy. “That was my fault.” She pulled the crown from her head and let the throbbing in her temples subside. “I uploaded my mind to the cortex crystals, but the Brain Storm kicked me out. He was too strong for me.”
“You mean you can control this walking junkyard?” said Reggie.
“Not properly. Just little bits at a time. I don’t think it will be enough.”
“Then what are we going to do?” said Stonker.
“You’re all going to get to safety,” she said. “There has to be an emergency exit on this thing somewhere.”
“And leave you behind?” said Stonker. “Out of the question!”
“I can keep trying,” she protested. “If I can break back into the Brain Storm’s mind, maybe I can slow him down a little.”
“Then let me do it,” said Reggie. “I’m the one who dug this thing up. It’s my job to stop it.”
Stonker looked at him in surprise.
“No,” said Suzy. “Chapter one of The Knowledge, page three, under the heading Duties of Care. It is the duty of every postal operative to protect the Service, its facilities, and their contents from sedition, vandalism, and all unwarranted forms of aggression.” She pointed out the window as the titan turned back toward Grinding Halt. “This is very aggressive and highly unwarranted, so it has to be me.”
“Very well, postal operative,” said Stonker with a warm smile. “Give it your best shot.”
“I will,” she said. She was about to place the crown back on her head when she paused. “I’ve just realized something!”
“What is it?” said Stonker.
“I’ve still got both my socks on.” She grinned at him and pulled the crown down over her head.
* * *
Wilmot didn’t complain when Ursel moved to shield him and Frederick from the titan, which turned away from the edge of the city and approached Grinding Halt once more. Crepuscula stood ready, her cane raised and its tip fizzing with magic. Rayleigh held his thermometer aloft. Only Aybek seemed untroubled as the titan finally stamped to a halt in front of them.
“My, haven’t you grown,” he said.
The titan leaned over them, as though scrutinizing him. “While you remain so very small,” it answered in a booming voice.
Aybek smiled, but it looked a little forced. Wilmot detected the slightest hint of worry in the old man’s eyes.
“Allow me to congratulate you on your transformation,” Aybek said. “And the successful execution of your plan. It really was most ingenious.”
“Thank you,” the titan replied. “Your archaeological knowledge proved most useful.”
“May I ask what you plan to do next?”
The titan had no expression, but Wilmot got the feeling that, had it been able to, it would have looked smug. “The Union needs taking in hand,” the titan thundered. “And I finally have the physical strength to match my intelligence. Who can possibly stand against me?”
“I’m willing to give it a try,” said Crepuscula. “And you do know that talking to yourself is the first sign of madness, don’t you?”
“So it’s good old-fashioned conquest,” said Aybek, nodding sagely. “I can understand the appeal, but it’s a little blunt for my tastes.”
“That’s because you’ve never had a magma cannon for a hand.” The titan raised the arm ending in a nozzle. A fiery red glow flickered into life inside it.
“Touché,” said Aybek. His pretense of a smile died as he stared at the magma cannon. “And what will your first target be?”
“I think I shall put an end to Trollville,” said the titan. “Just for my own satisfaction.” It extended the arm and unleashed a stream of white-hot liquid in an arc across the nearby streets. It rained down in a line of bubbling slag, which ate through masonry and metal as though they were as soft as sponge. A hot, acrid stench billowed up on the superheated air, stinging the inside of Wilmot’s nostrils.
“I’m envious,” said Aybek, backing away. “Do have fun.”
“Oh, I shall,” said the titan. “But first, I think I had better deal with the only true threat to my power.”
“Which is?” Aybek quickened his pace until he reached Crepuscula’s side.
“Why, you, of course,” said the titan. “The only mind in the Union to match my own.” It brought the magma cannon round to point at him. A drop of molten liquid dripped from the tip, fell through one of the broken glass panels, and ate a hole through the station platform inside.
“Selena?” said Aybek. “I hate to ask this, but if you have anything up your sleeve, now would be the time to use it.”
“I wish I did,” she said tartly. “But I don’t have anything with me that could possibly counter something of this size. I’m afraid you’ve been too clever for your own good again.”
The glow from the magma cannon became a dazzling glare, and Wilmot felt a wave of heat roll over him. There was nowhere to run to, and nowhere to take shelter. He shut his eyes and waited for the inevitable.
“Run!” The titan spoke, but with a new voice. A voice he recognized.
“Suzy?” he said.
“Grrrunf!” said Ursel. So she had heard it, too!
“Suzy Smith, is that you in there?” said Crepuscula.
“Yes,” the titan replied. “I’ve taken control, but I can’t hold him for long.” The titan jerked its arm up a second before the magma cannon unleashed another jet of fiery hot death, which sailed over Grinding Halt and set fire to a small park several blocks away. “Sorry!”
“You heard the girl,” said Aybek. “Let’s make ourselves scarce.” He turned to run but found his way blocked by Crepuscula’s shadow.
“You’re coming with me,” she said.
The shadow lunged, but before it could take hold of him, a dark shape dropped out of the sky and snatched Aybek off his feet.
“Help!” Aybek cried. He struggled against his attacker, but strong talons gripped his wrists.
“I’m not leaving here empty-handed,” said Tenebrae, rising out of range of Crepuscula’s shadow as it boiled and snapped at Aybek’s heels. “You’re going to work for me now.”
“Let me go! Selena! I demand that you rescue me!”
“Unhand my brother this instant!” shouted Crepuscula. She leveled her cane at the dwindling figures, but it was already too late. Tenebrae had carried Aybek clear of Grinding Halt. “Blast!” she said, and struck the ground with her cane.
The titan unleashed another stream of magma, which blazed low over their heads.
“Quickly!” Suzy’s voice said. “You’d better run. Now!”
* * *
“You again!” the Brain Storm spat. “How very persistent of you.” The compliment did not sound heartfelt.
“Are you going to stop, or do we have to fight again?” she asked.
“You already know you can’t beat me,” he said. “You’re a little girl, facing a giant.”
“I stopped you crushing the Express,” she said. “And I just stopped you from killing my friends. Perhaps you’re not as strong as you think you are.”
She felt the bitter scrape of his anger across her thoughts. “A momentary lapse that I shall now correct,” he said.
Suzy gasped as a massive mental pressure clamped down on her. It was like being gripped in gigantic hands, but he didn’t try to cast her out this time. He wanted to keep her captive.
“You can stay here with me and watch as I grind your precious train to pieces,” he said, turning away from Grinding Halt and thundering back along the tracks. Each stride of his mighty legs covered a huge distance, and she looked down their length to the gigantic boots. She couldn’t do anything to stop them or change their course. They were too strong for her will. But there was one thing she hadn’t tried yet. She stopped struggling against the titan’s grip on her mind.
Ahead of them, the Express came back into view.
“I’m going to grind it to powder,” the Brain Storm said, taking another great stride forward. “And then I’m going to smelt the powder into steam.” Another stride. Just two more, and the Express would be finished. “And then I’m going to do the same thing to every inch of this wretched city.” Another step.
Suzy barely heard him. She was concentrating. Not on the titan’s legs, but on its boots.
“I might even keep you locked up in here with me forever,” the titan said. “As my pet.” His laugh rang around her mind, distracting her for a second. She blocked the sound out and sent every thought she could muster in the same direction.
The titan’s foot came down with a mighty crash.
“You see?” said the Brain Storm. “You expended all that effort, and yet you couldn’t stop a single step.”
“I didn’t need to,” Suzy panted.
There was a slow tearing noise, like a million sheets of paper being shredded simultaneously. The titan convulsed. “What’s happening?” the Brain Storm demanded.
“My mind isn’t strong enough to beat yours,” said Suzy. “But it is strong enough to switch on one of your seven-league boots. I’m told the results are messy.”
The tearing noise sharpened. It became a splintering.
“No!” the Brain Storm exclaimed. A bright pink line appeared down the middle of the titan, bisecting it from the top of its domed head to the bottom of its torso. Jagged fingers of lightning wormed their way out from inside the head, discharging into the air. “This is outrageous!” the Brain Storm cried. “This is—”
Its voice cut off as the left half of the titan vanished. Suzy was blinded by a flash behind her eyelids, and then she was back in the chair, in the control room.
Or rather, half the control room. It came to an abrupt end just an inch to her left, the severed innards of the titan spewing oil and gas and sparks out over the city. The wind plucked at her clothes and made the chair spin until she was facing out over the thousand-foot drop to the rooftops below. She clung to the armrests and tried to push herself back into the leather.
“We’ve got you!” Stonker’s voice came from behind her, and he and Reggie reached over the chair and caught her arms.
The remaining half of the titan’s body teetered on its one leg, swaying like a tree in a storm. Suzy heard the old metal groan as it fought a losing battle against gravity.
And then a rush of color filled the empty space in front of them as Bertha rose into view. Suzy saw Rayleigh with his thermometer held aloft, and then Wilmot and Frederick were leaning out of the balloon toward her, arms outstretched.
She didn’t wait for them to say it, but jumped, flinging her arms. Their hands found hers and held her fast.
She was hauled into the basket and reached back for Stonker, who made the jump easily. Reggie came next, and then, with a whistle of air, the titan’s remains fell away, crashing to the ground in a cloud of debris. Looking down from the basket, Suzy saw the cross-section of the crystal brain give one last flicker, before its red glow faded away and died. The Brain Storm was no more. She sank in an exhausted heap at her friends’ feet.
“Thanks,” she said. “That was a close one.”
“I was sure we’d lost you!” said Wilmot.
“So was I,” she said. She checked her watch. Back home, it was midday. “Wow,” she said. “I’ve been awake for more than twenty-four hours.” And I’m going to have a lot of explaining to do once Mom and Dad wake up, she thought.
“You can come and get some rest in one of the spare rooms at the rest home if you like,” said Wilmot. “I’m sure Mom won’t mind.” Then he saw the pained expression on Suzy’s face. “What’s wrong?”
“I’m really sorry, Wilmot,” she said. “But the rest home’s gone. There’s nothing left.”
He sat down and blinked in astonishment. “The whole thing?”
She nodded.
“Was anyone hurt?”
“No. Everyone got out.”
He looked very intently at his feet while he took the news in. “Then we’ll rebuild,” he said at last. “It’s what we trolls do.” He jumped to his feet and looked down on the ruined streets sliding past beneath them. “We can rebuild all of it, better than ever. And until then, I’ve got a hammock in the sorting carriage.”
“Listen,” said Frederick. “If you and your mom and the Old Guard need somewhere to stay until the rest home is rebuilt, you’re more than welcome at the Ivory Tower.”
Wilmot goggled at him. “Do you really mean that?”
“Yes,” said Frederick. “We’ve got tons of room, and most of it’s sitting empty. We can always put some camp beds in among the stacks. And maybe the Old Guard could help me sort out the cataloging system. I could do with a few extra hands around the place.”
Suzy smiled. “Sign me up for a tour the next time I’m around.”
Bertha touched down onto the broken roof of Grinding Halt, where Ursel and Lady Crepuscula were waiting for them. Ursel rushed forward, plucked Suzy from the basket, and set her on one of her shoulders while everybody else climbed out.
“Roooowlf!”
“Yes, quite,” said Crepuscula. “Not a bad showing, all told.”
“Thank you,” said Suzy, giving Ursel a hug. Then she realized who was missing. “Where’s Aybek?”
Crepuscula scowled. “A very good question.”
“Tenebrae took him,” said Rayleigh. “And I don’t think he was planning to make friends.”
“That’s scant comfort,” said Crepuscula. “My brother is at large in the Union once again. I shudder to think what sort of trouble he’ll cause.”
“With respect, ma’am,” said Reggie, shuffling awkwardly forward, “I’d be worried about Tenebrae as well. He might not be especially bright, but he’s ruthless. There’s no telling what he’ll do now he’s got Lord Meridian in his clutches.”
Crepuscula scowled down her nose at Reggie. “And just who are you?”
Reggie looked pointedly at the floor.
“I’m partly responsible for all of this,” he said. “I suppose you’ll want to take me back to that tower of yours. I just want you to know, I’ll come quietly.”
“No, Reg!” Stonker exclaimed. “I won’t have that!” He glared defiantly at Crepuscula, who simply raised an eyebrow.
“I expect the Trollville authorities will be here soon,” she said. “As far as I’m concerned, you’re their responsibility.”
Both Reggie and Stonker looked very relieved to hear it.
“And what about you, Cloudwright?” asked Suzy. “What are you going to do now?”
Rayleigh pursed his lips. “Who knows? There are always new frontiers of art that need exploring.” He looked around at the wreckage surrounding them. “Although upon reflection I’m tempted to offer Trollville my services as artist in residence for a while. It’s the least I could do.”
“Yes, it is,” said Crepuscula. “But it’s not a bad start.”
A high-pitched whistle cut across Suzy’s thoughts. It sounded like a firework, but it was getting closer. They all turned and saw a spiraling trail of smoke weaving through the sky toward them.
“Oh no,” said Stonker. “Not him again.”
King Amylum touched down in a halo of smoke, which made everyone double over coughing. He switched off his jet pack and gave everyone two thumbs up. “Stay calm, citizens!” he declared. “Your king is here to save you!” He swaggered around the circle of blankly staring faces, smiling and winking. “Who wants to be rescued first? Hands up.”
Before anyone could give him an honest answer, they heard the familiar scream of the Swoop’s engines overhead. The black craft circled Grinding Halt and settled into a stationary hover a short way off the summit.
“Wilmot!” Gertrude’s voice reached them through the craft’s PA system, and they saw her waving from the cockpit alongside Mr. Trellis. “Wilmot, darling, are you hurt?”
“I’m fine, Mom!” He waved back. “We all are. We stopped the drill!”
“Brrrooowlf!” roared Ursel.
“Yes,” said Wilmot. “And the giant killer robot. We stopped that, too.”
“Huzzah!” declared the king. Suzy couldn’t tell if he was congratulating the group or himself.
“You can tell the citizens of Trollville that the danger is past now, Mrs. Grunt,” shouted Stonker. “They’ll probably want to start rebuilding straightaway.”
“I will,” she replied. “I’m just dropping off a passenger first.”
The cargo door in the Swoop’s belly slid open, and a small wrinkled figure descended on the end of a rope.
“Fletch!” said Suzy. “You’re all right!”
“I’ve lived through fires, floods, and asteroid strikes, my girl,” said Fletch, unhooking himself from the rope. “I’m not about to let a couple of earthquakes do me in.” He looked down at the wreckage spread out below them and gave a low whistle. “That’s goin’ to take a bit of work to sort out.”
