The Gadgeteer

Chapter 34

ARABETH FOLLOWED TANNER Stein to a small, well-lit office, observing everything about the environment that was possible in the dim cave light. Glancing at one of the lanterns, she frowned. There was no flame, just a hard, white stone in the middle, radiating light.

"Miss Barnes, no doubt you've heard that people are increasingly calling on the government to regulate your industry. There is a rumour that they'll require Gadgeteers to be licensed through them and only work on government sanctions projects. My government is planning no such limitations." He slammed his fist down on his desk to get her attention. "The man I work for, Sebastian, would offer any defecting gadgeteer immunity from the crimes of their predecessors, and a generous work allowance if they were to come into his employ."

Arabeth said nothing, still trying to decide if he was playing a twisted game, or believed the things he was saying.

"I understand you are the one who disarmed the automaton. It was sent in by someone with too much time on their hands and no sense of propriety. Well, and a weakness for cash. That aside, we believe that modernization is the only way to support the growing population. You've been taught my country is the enemy, but I ask you, when is the last time you heard of an invading force on your soil? Your people have been exiled, forbidden to walk even the other areas of your own country."

"We're in exile?"

"Shocking as it may be, yes. Honestly, I would have thought someone would leak that little secret a long time ago. There was a war, and your progenitors committed crimes worthy of their deaths, and resulting in your progenitor's exile. To keep it interesting, there was a complete re-write of the history books for the people on your side of the mountain."

"That seems more than a little far-fetched," Arabeth glowered at him. "How can I assess the veracity of your claims when I know nothing of you or your country, except to know that you are sending out automatons that drive people mad, using my city as your testing ground."

And he was selling her the same lie she'd been told by everyone except her grandfather. She wasn't buying it this time either.

"Sadly, we were led to believe-"

"Don't bother," Arabeth cut him off. "There is no rationale that will bring me to forgive what you've done to my city, to my friends, my family, regardless of what any great-grandparent of mine may have done." She stepped back, closer to the door. If the explosives went off while she was in here, she'd be trapped. She was a long way from the exit.

"It's a good thing I'm not looking for your forgiveness. Given your stance, I must assume you intend to subvert any work I put you to."

"This is an employment offer?"

"Of a kind." He put a hand to his chin, as though thinking. "How might I motivate you to refrain from sabotage?"

She felt her jaw clench. This was starting to feel like a conversation with her mother.

Arabeth looked at Tanner, contemplating how much information she could get in the short time she had before Graham's explosives started going off. She may be the diversion while he set things up, but her nerves were stretched at the thought of maybe getting trapped in a cave-in.

"I'm not sure how we can reach an agreement. Your work got my cousin murdered in broad daylight, in a busy store. How can you justify the loss of life?" she asked.

"Honestly, your people are expendable. The world will go on just fine without you. All of you. That's how I chose this area for testing. To put it in business terms, you've already been written off as a loss."

Hearing that made Arabeth's blood start to boil. She started hoping for a rumble, a bang, anything to signal she could leave. She was going to lose her composure soon. She was certain, based on the slightly agitated tremble in her right hand. She stepped to the side, backing up just slightly, hoping to get closer to the door out.