The Curious Adventure

Chapter Ten: The Kraken

"You invented something that could be used for evil?" I leaned in toward Tris, not expecting her to be so forthcoming. 

"Of course," there was so much light in Lady Tris's eyes when she spoke, I was almost worried, "Anything can be evil if it's used incorrectly. I find it's a very relative term. The Kraken had an engine based on a self-winding watch. So long as the winds favored, you'd never have to land. I let O'Hara carve whatever he wanted on the front, and so it became the Kraken. It was my intention that it be used for long vacations, we could make it to far off places without a need for cities. Somehow the military got wind of it. Why use it to see mountains when you could use it to raze them? I destroyed it."

There was a flicker of something dangerous behind her eyes but in a flash, it was gone, "While Edward is gone I want you to know if you ever feel in danger you can call me. Hell, you can call me when he is here, too."

I wanted to laugh, in danger what could she mean? Then it struck me that this conversation was as much about her learning about me as it was about me learning about her. I smiled with mutual admiration. "I will."

"In the meantime, I need to rest. The ferry leaves early tomorrow and I should like to catch it."

"Good night, Tris."

After sleeping all day I was in no place for rest. Instead, I pulled out an old journal and started the task of piecing everything together. In the center, I drew the university with spokes for S.E.B. Under 'B' and 'E', I wrote Edward and Beatrice. I didn't have concrete evidence but they were the best candidates. All three were connected by the university. The doctor and the mystery friend were connected by the lab and possibly the military. That was where Beatrice stopped being involved and the other two became more suspect for causing the Great Collapse. I was just a little girl when the Great Collapse happened there was no way the doctor couldn't have been involved. 

So the three of them meet at the university, I pieced together, think up some life-changing invention. It's prototyped by the military, maybe mystery friend can't make it work without the other two, he goes rogue and tries to figure it out on his own, and causes the Great Collapse. The last piece I need for our mystery friend is a motive.

I stopped writing, satisfied by my conclusion. Part of me was worried that I was painting the doctor and Lady Tris in a favorable light because they were family and a friend but 'S' was a mystery still. Maybe his actions were why the doctor wanted to find him so desperately.

I couldn't allow anyone to see my far from masterful composition so I slid it under the mattress for safekeeping and found the will to doze off.

*

The next morning I woke long after Tris had gone. She left a mess of blankets and note on the counter in her wake.

Ellowyn,

I thoroughly enjoyed our visit, perhaps we can do it again sometime. I was serious when I mentioned taking our one of the airships out to see the mountains. 

I fed your tiny beast. If he claims that he has not been fed do not believe his lies.

I said you could come to me if you needed me and I meant it.  I can be reached at my house, or on the airship.  In case of an emergency, you can contact Liz at the shop. 

If Liz can't find me, I don't want to be found. 

Yours,

Lady Beatrice Lane

I displayed the note on the icebox complete with all three of Lady Tris's phone numbers. I was grateful that she was just a ferry ride away for the extent of my time alone. So Everett was at the greenhouse but it wasn't the same as having the doctor home.