Free Ironheart by Allan Boroughs Page B

give them the fruit?’
    Stone’s eyebrow creased even further and silence descended on the group. He leaned towards India until she could see the dense crop of blackheads on his nose. From the corner of her eye
India saw Verity reach for her gun before remembering it wasn’t there.
    ‘Because, Miss Bentley,’ he growled, ‘where would be the sport in that?’ He turned and tossed his gun to an assistant. ‘Don’t feel too sorry for them, they
are just primitives. They’ve been drifting into Angel Town for months now although heaven only knows why.’ He went to the edge of the roof and glared down at the crowd who were now
gazing up expectantly, waiting for the next melon. ‘Vermin!’ he roared. ‘If I had my way I would exterminate the lot of you.’ He turned away and pulled on his overcoat.
‘Come, Mrs Brown, walk with me and we can talk business. Dr Cirenkov, please join us!’
    A severe-looking woman in a black suit stepped forward. India noticed, uneasily, that Sid followed too, walking a few paces behind.
    ‘Dr Cirenkov is my chief scientist here,’ said Stone. ‘It’s her job to make sense of what you tech-hunters bring me. She has a genius for taking things apart to find out
how they work.’
    The doctor stretched her mouth into a thin-lipped smile that didn’t reach her eyes and bowed low. Her sinuous movements and cold-blooded expression reminded India of a reptile. ‘I saw
your bodyguard in reception, Mrs Brown,’ she said in a clipped accent. ‘He is a very impressive machine, would you consider selling him to us? You could name your price.’
    Verity raised her eyebrows. ‘Really, Doctor? I’m surprised you’d be interested in such a relic. He’s highly unreliable and well past his best. In any case, surely the
great Lucifer Stone has no need of a bodyguard?’
    ‘My need is not for a bodyguard, it is for an army,’ said Stone. ‘The doctor wants to take apart the metal man so we can learn to build others just like him. With an army like
that, Trans-Siberian would be unstoppable.’
    Verity looked perturbed. ‘Take him apart? I don’t think I could allow that, Director. I am sorry but Calculus is not for sale.’
    Stone and the doctor exchanged glances.
    Stone led them to the other side of the roof overlooking the harbour front and the railway sidings. ‘When I came here twenty years ago I built my first factory with my own hands,’ he
said. ‘Then came the roads, the refineries and the ports. Now my railways extend for five hundred miles into the wilderness and I have an Emperor-class engine, the
Tolstoy,
that can
make the Obdoria run in ten hours straight!’ He shook his head grimly. ‘But it’s not enough. At our present rate of progress it will take a hundred years or more to put the world
back the way it was before the rains. If we find Ironheart we can do it in a fraction of that time.’ He turned to Verity. ‘So you understand, Mrs Brown, how disappointed I was to
discover you had been so careless with John Bentley’s journals.’ He held up the two slim volumes.
    ‘I think we all know perfectly well how they got here,’ said Verity, glaring at Sid.
    ‘And I think we all know perfectly well that they are worthless,’ said Stone, tossing them back to Verity. ‘So tell me why you’re here. And don’t give me any
nonsense about expecting to get paid.’
    ‘We know there’s nothing in the journals,’ said Verity. ‘But we have something much better: a message from John Bentley that will take you straight to
Ironheart.’
    Stone’s eye twitched. ‘Really? So where are you keeping that information? Somewhere safe this time, I hope?’ He shifted his glance to India and her heart beat faster. The metal
pendant felt cool against her skin. ‘No doubt you’re about to tell me that this is worthy of an increase to your fee,’ he continued. ‘So what do you want?’
    ‘A joint venture, Mr Director,’ said Verity with a smile. ‘First thing