Clockwork Twist : Trick (11 page)

“Right!  Cairo!” Twist said as he stood on the raised landing platform set at the edge of the city, and stared at the three massive stone pyramids rising from the desert in the hazy morning light.  “I knew I'd heard of this city for a reason.  The pyramids are here.”

“Why are you even here?” Niko asked, standing beside him.  The flying restaurant that they were waiting to board glided into place at the end of the platform.

“Well, the Cyphers might have found us if we stayed in Suez...” Twist answered uncertainly.  Beyond Niko, Twist could see the huge, flat, single-level air-barge settle at the dock under its enormous cloud of balloons.  The restaurant was obviously not built for speed, but to simply glide at a constant height as the diners enjoyed the view of the desert and pyramids.

“No, I mean, why are you out here in the world when you obviously have no idea where or what anything is?”

“Oh,” Twist said stiffly, looking back to one of the great wonders of the world that sat just across the sand. “I'm just...  Well, this is my first time around the world.  I'm new at this.”

Niko shook his head and turned away to follow after the others.  Twist turned back with him and found Jonas, Myra, and Tasha stepping aboard.  They all wound their way through the densely crowded restaurant towards a private balcony on the far side.  Groups of people clustered around every table, sitting on cushions or wide wicker chairs among the hanging lanterns of bright-colored glass.  A forest of potted ferns filled the cool air under the rotating fans that hung from the ceiling.  Even though the night had been chilly, the moment the sun rose the temperature of the dry desert air rose with it.  Twist was relieved by the pockets of cool air that he and his companions walked through inside.

Twist pulled back the low-hanging curtain and followed the others out onto the private balcony.  He was met by a spectacular view of the rust colored city at the edge of the desert and the glittering gleam of the Nile snaking its way along, farther off.  Another rotating fan hung above the balcony, connected to the rest along the same pulley system that the others employed.  A tall man who was broad enough for two, rose from his seat at the table with a wide smile on his rosy face.  He was dressed in a spotless white jacket and trousers, with sturdy-looking brown boots, a white silk cravat at his throat, and a pith helmet on his head.

“My dearest Ms. Samara!” he said in a round, delighted sounding voice that was deeply colored in an accent that Twist had not heard in a long time: a crisp and colorful English accent unaffected by any outside influence. “It's always a pleasure to see you,” he added, beaming as she took his offered hands.

“Hector, how are you?” she replied, perfectly pleasant.

He bent to kiss her hand.  As they spoke genteelly together, the horizon slipped downward.  The ship glided up into the sky more smoothly than Twist had ever felt an airship move.  The city wandered out of view as the ship began its route through and around the pyramids, hanging below the highest peaks to allow the ancient wonders to still appear massive and towering.

“I've been wonderful!” Hector said to Tasha. “Simply wonderful.  I've just had a very exciting expedition.  I shall tell you all about it.  Please, sit,” he said, already moving to hold a chair out for her.  When she complied, he looked to Niko as well. “Ah, nice to see you too, lad,” he said with a smile.  Niko nodded with a placid expression and took a seat beside Tasha.

“And who are these two fine young fellows?” Hector asked, looking to Twist and Jonas.

“We met in Suez,” Tasha said. “They were good enough to accompany me here, as we are all headed in the same direction.”  She then introduced them both.  Jonas accepted the offered handshake and Twist gave a shallow bow instead.  “And this is their lovely friend, Myra,” Tasha finished with a gesture to Myra as she stood silently beside Twist.

“How do you do?” Myra said to him with a curtsy.

“My word, it talks!” Hector said, staring at her in shock.  Myra's face flashed with instant offense, though Hector didn't seem to recognize it as he peered at her curiously. “Is it some kind of wind-up doll, or a puppet?”

“She isn't a thing at all,” Twist answered for her. “She's a person, and her name is Myra.”

“Ah, this is one of your new tricks, surely,” Hector asked Tasha with a knowing grin.

Tasha's smile grew thin. “Yes,” she answered, shooting Twist a meaningful glance. “Now, tell me about your expedition!” she added. “I want to hear all about it.”

Myra pouted at Twist, but he could only pat her hand and give her a sorrowful look, as they and Jonas took their seats.  The moment the expedition was mentioned, Hector's attention was completely diverted to relating the tale.  Hector spoke excitedly about his journey into the African deserts in search of elephants, lions, and other game.  But as he related his tale—and Tasha listened with astonished gasps and deep concern at all the right places—Twist began to realize that this man had never actually left the comforts or conveniences that he was used to.

He'd brought his own man servant, hired local guides, camped in a well-stocked city of tents, brought his own tea and food along with him, and hadn't had cause to speak to even one of the native inhabitants his expedition had met in their own language, thanks to his amazing number of translators.  He also casually mentioned that his army of assistants had managed to lure or capture each and every animal that he claimed to have killed himself, before he'd even aimed his gun.  Nevertheless, he seemed to be quite proud of his adaptability and survival skills.  Twist silently wondered what would happen to this man if he were thrown unexpectedly into a pirate controlled submersible in the Caspian Sea.

“Oh, but enough about me and my adventures,” he said finally. “Let’s order something for breakfast, shall we?” he asked, already leaning back to look through the curtains and into the caf
é.  He snapped his fingers and made a beckoning gesture.  When the waiter arrived, Hector ordered for everyone in English and then sent the man away with a wave.  “Now, tell me, my dear, what are you doing here in Egypt?” he asked Tasha. “I know I invited you to join me if you wanted to, but I hardly expected your telegram halfway through my expedition.”

“Oh, we were just returning from a tour of shows in Hong Kong,” she answered with a glance to Niko.

Twist smiled to see that in the meantime Niko had been employing himself with the delicate task of stacking the silver tableware that was set before himself and Tasha, so that the forks and knives stood upright on their ends in an elaborate display, apparently paying no attention to Hector whatsoever.  Niko glanced up at Hector and nodded before returning to his toy.

“Ah, China,” Hector said thoughtfully. “A fascinating country, that one.  I went there once myself, hunting for a rather darling bear that they have there.  It has big black and white spots all over it, you see.  Curious looking creature, but not very fast.”

“Yes, I'm sure,” Tasha said politely.

Hector nodded thoughtfully before he began to speak again, this time about his expedition to China.  Twist's attention wandered somewhat, part way through.  He glanced to Myra sitting beside him.  She had managed to braid a few of the wire strands of her hair all the way to its end.  Beside her, Jonas was staring off into the warm air, watching the massive stone pyramids pass by, one by one.  His eyes shifted slowly between purples and blues as they seemed to follow something invisible in the air.

Thankfully, breakfast arrived in the middle of Hector's second speech, in the form of fried eggs, crispy bacon, many platefuls of toast, roasted tomatoes and mushrooms, and a small bowl of baked beans for each person.  A few pots of tea arrived as well, with milk and sugar.  Twist could hardly believe the display, and wondered how difficult it must be for the cooks to find so many foods that Twist hadn't seen since he'd left London.  It seemed inconceivable to him that these things were normal here in Egypt.  Having received nothing herself, Myra instantly reached for a piece of toast and began to butter it, carefully copying Jonas's motions, before offering it to Twist with a smile.

Twist took it gratefully and his tongue delighted in the familiar taste of the creamy butter and warm, nutty toast.  His first few tastes of the rest of the meal swallowed up all of his attention in a heady haze of unexpected comfort.  Though England was still a world away, this meal was like an oasis to his palate.

“Well, but I'm sure you know a great deal about China too, now,” Hector said to Tasha, regaining Twist's attention for a moment.  Tasha gave a bashful smile as sunlight fell over her pale features, making her seem to sparkle against the gliding backdrop of sand and sky.

“Well, only about Hong Kong,” she said. “I never left the city.”

“And now you're headed back home?” Hector asked.

“Yes,” she said with a nod. “I need to meet my publicists before I can plan my next tour.  Most of them are in Russia at the moment.”

“Ah, so you plan to go out again, then?” Hector asked, sounding somewhat disappointed.

“Of course,” Tasha said brightly, though Twist thought he heard something tight in her voice. “I can't very well be a good magician if I don't perform.”

“You know that you don't have to work, if you don't want to,” Hector said gently. “A lady should never have to work.”

“I love my work,” she said, her tone firm but kind. “I have no desire to stop doing it.”

“Of course,” Hector said. “As you so often tell me.  But should you ever grow tired of it, I hope you will call on me.  I'm forever at your service.”

“Thank you so much,” Tasha said, sounding earnest. “And thank you also for taking me home from here.  It's much more pleasant to travel with friends.”

“Think nothing of it,” he said with a smile. “I'm delighted you asked.”

“Actually,” Tasha said, as if the thought had just occurred to her, “my new friends here are on their way to Paris,” she said with a gesture to Twist, Jonas, and Myra. “They were planning to take that wonderful new train from Constantinople.”

“Oh yes, I heard about that,” Hector said nodding.  He seemed ready to begin speaking about it, but Tasha spoke first.

“Well, aren't you planning to fly right over Turkey?” she asked. “Do you think we might be able to give them a lift that far?  I mean, if it doesn't trouble you...”

“Oh, that would be no trouble at all!” Hector said. “I'd be honored to welcome you aboard,” he said to Twist and Jonas, while obviously not even looking at Myra. “Any friend of my darling Natasha's is a friend of mine.”

“That's very good of you,” Jonas said, looking squarely at the other man's chin with his uncovered eyes, and sounding more polite than Twist had ever heard him. “But we really don't mean to put you out...”

“Nonsense,” Hector said, waving Jonas's fears away.  Twist caught a smile on Tasha's face as she looked to Jonas, but she hid it before Hector saw it. “I wouldn't hear of you going by any other means,” Hector declared.

“If you insist,” Jonas said with a bow and a smile. “Thank you very much.”

“Certainly,” Hector said, looking pleased.  “And tell me, what brings you two gentlemen here to Egypt?”

“Just a holiday in the sun,” Jonas said as if it were the truest thing in the world. “We just graduated from university and thought we'd take advantage of our gap year before getting down to work.”  Niko glanced up at Jonas curiously.  Twist tried to keep his features clear of surprise at hearing this new lie so suddenly, or the ease with which Jonas said it.

“Oh, you're fresh out of school, are you?” Hector asked, smiling. “Ah, I remember my old university days...” he said, beginning to muse.  This time, no one moved to stop him as he began to relate tales from his years at Oxford.  Apparently, an uncle of his had been a dean and had made sure that he progressed and graduated quickly.  Twist busied himself with breakfast while Hector's words washed over him.  He wondered aimlessly what sort of things he might have done if he'd ever attended college.  Clockwork and mechanics would certainly have been his focus of study, while literature might have been an entertaining minor...

Myra made sure that all of Twist's toast was perfectly buttered, and that his tea cup was forever full.  Twist thanked her with smiles and nods, which she returned with her own bright smiles.  He silently began to wonder why she had decided to tend to him so consistently, when she had never been asked to.  But as she seemed to enjoy it, he let his questions go and tried to enjoy it as well.