Free Sigmund Shaw: A Steampunk Adventure by Mark C. King

money and took on the theatre crowd, but today he had another stop. A stop that could literally mean the life or death of his sister.
     
    Charlotte Street was like so many other London streets, lined with multi-storied brick buildings, sidewalks, and street lamps. There was a decent amount of traffic, giving to the typical mixture of the clip-clop of horse drawn cabs, the chugging and smoke of their steam brethren, and plenty of people on foot .
     
    Although Sigmund fretted for most of the day, he did spend some time developing an approach to the situation. First and foremost, he needed to gather information about the meeting site and formulate a detailed plan. For the first time that day he felt a little comfortable – doing reconnaissance was a familiar pastime. With so much out of his hands, it felt good to be doing something about the situation that was in his control.
     
    The Charlotte Street Hotel itself was not unknown to Sigmund. In the course of taxiing people around he had visited nearly all of the London hotels, the nice ones and the not so much – at least it felt that way. This hotel was one of the nicer ones. A beautiful arch framed the entrance with its double doors and many paneled windows – a proud British flag watching over all. Stretching away from the entrance in both directions were street level paneled windows that ran the length of the building. The awnings over these windows, combined with the metal tables and chairs, gave the atmosphere of a Parisian café. The first floor ended with a ledge which lead to the rest of the stories, tan bricks with red accent bricks around the windows broke up the monotony of the building and gave it a distinguished look.
     
    Sigmund had seen this building many times but one looks at a building differently when sizing up its strengths and weaknesses. The actual location of the meeting in this building would go a long way to determine the final outcome. Being that his sister’s wellbeing was involved, he had to be absolutely sure of success, which meant he needed much more information than he currently had.
     
    Directing Ham to the side of the road, Sigmund stopped his carriage and gazed at the structure. Different ideas of approach swam through his mind, but without knowing the specific room, all these ideas were for nothing. ‘Scientists from Germany’ Sigmund thought to himself. Perhaps they needed a visit from a fellow countryman. Walking down the sidewalk past the tables and their occupants, drinking their tea and eating their scones, he entered the hotel. Walking up to the front desk, Sigmund, in his best German accent, said, “Herr desk clerk. I am Doctor Alfred Montross from Germany. I am here to meet my colleagues, Herr professors.”
     
    The clerk, a middle aged man with a tightly trimmed mustache, said in a monotone voice, “As you wish doctor. You may head to your colleagues rooms.”
     
    “Danke! I am afraid, Herr manage r,” a little buttering up never hurt to grease the wheels, “my colleagues have not had a chance to forward me their room location. Perhaps you may provide this information?”
     
    “Doctor Montross, I am sorry to say that is impossible, we have many guests and I am not aware of any professors or their current whereabouts.” inwardly, Sigmund felt panic. What if the scientists haven’t arrived yet? What if they had arrived but the clerk wasn’t the one who greeted them?
     
    Calming himself down, Sigmund decided to increase the pressure a little. Putting a look of intense concern on his face he said in a downcast voice, “This is most unfortunate. One of the professors, you see, is very sick. He needs a special medicine,” Sigmund patted his empty breast pocket, “else he may, given his the extreme acuteness of his present condition, expire.”
     
    Fighting to control his own amazement, and not wanting to draw the attention of any guests, the clerk leaned forward and said in an excited whisper,