Drowning Utopia

Chapter 12: The Drop

Tessa spun around to see a big man leaning on the doorway of the loading dock to the back of the theater. He wore plaid trousers that matched his waistcoat and coattails, a short vest over a white shirt with a high stiff popped collar, all topped off with a wide-brimmed hat. His face, aged with a deep scar running the length of his left cheek, turned upright with a half-smile as he watched them from the shadows.

"Is this yours?" Tessa asked hesitantly.

The man hooted, "No, she ain't mine, but I take care of her. the Name is Finch." He then hopped down and offered a gloved hand, "Sounds like you know your stuff there,e little missy. What's your name?"

"Copperfield," Tessa responded, noting the rough nature of the well-dressed man, like sandpaper and gravel held in a silk bag.

"A pleasure," He turned to the ringleader, "and you must be Marcus. Glad you could make it." He nodded to the trunk, "Is this the goods?"

"Yes." Marcus said, gripping the lapels of his jacket, "As requested."

"The Count will be most pleased," he said as he pulled a sweet from his coat pocket and popped the candy in his mouth, "If you would head on inside, Gerald here will take you in," he nodded to another man that had been watching them from the door. Gerald was severely short but built. He had a dark complexion that complimented his purple suit and eyepatch.

To Tessa, both men looked odd in such nice attire, as if miners or gangster's taken and dolled up for a dinner party that they had no business being in.

"Inside?" Marcus asked, "Why? Can't we just make the trade here?"

"Nope," Mr. Finch smiled, revealing a gold tooth that lined up with his scar, "the Count wishes to meet you all in person."

"He is here?" Marcus asked, alarmed.

"Indeed. This job you did for 'em is very important."

Donny blurted, "But the Count wants to meet us? In-person?"

Lonny hissed under her breath to Tessa, "Do you realize how big of a deal this is?"

"Couldn't say why meself. I am just a humble footman. Perhaps they just want to congratulate you all on a job well done?" the scared face man said with a noncommittal shrug, "So if I were you, I would put on your best face and go say hi before they grow impatient."

Everyone was led into the theater, where they found themselves ushered on stage. The lamps were lit, positioned in such a way that Tessa and the others couldn't see into the audience or the box seats. Feeling uncomfortable and exposed, Tessa gravitated close to Marcus as a booming male voice called out, "State your names."

"Marcus Barns, at your service," Marcus bowed. He put on some performance and showmanship as he introduced the others.

The twins and Tessa each bowed, following the ringleader's lead.

The same booming voice ordered, "Mr. Barns, If you would please step away from the case. Mr. Alfin."

In response, a tawny man dressed in a green silk gown stepped from the audience seating and up on stage. His distinct wide-angled eyes, panted face, and pail-bradded hair were a clear indecision of his Afrantha origins, most likely from one of the numerous duchys east of the Empire on the other side of the globe. He opened the case with a click, withdrawing one of the experiments and taking it down to the seats. Tessa squinted. She could see that a table had been set up there, along with what appeared to be a makeshift chemistry set.

The man took one of the vials and proceeded to empty its contents into a beaker before mixing it with another substance and sticking it on a burner for a few moments. Satisfied with whatever he saw, he called out in a thick accent, "'Tis good."

Gerald and another woman dressed in men's fine attire like the rest of the Count's men took the case from off-stage and away, depositing at Marcus's feet in its place, a bag.

"What is this?" he asked, picking up the bag.

The booming voice from the box seat called out, "A bonus. The Count is pleased with your work."

Tessa glanced past Marcus's shoulder as he looked inside. In it, were several bundles of bills, each of which was easily a year's worth of salary for the performers.

The booming voice called out again, "The previous group sent to carry out this assignment failed to retrieve the goods and nearly were caught. The Count wishes to know how you succeeded where the others failed?"

Marcus, hesitating, gave a broad smile, "Certainly. Donny, if you would."

"Most certainly," the young man said, "I can regale you with the finer points of our escapades..." and he did. Giving a detailed account of their maneuvers and how they bypassed both the security, and the numerous obstacles, thanks to the skill of the twins, the planning of Marcus himself, and the quick thinking and gadgets that Tessa had made.

After the story, there was a long moment of quiet. Tessa thought she could hear a woman's voice from above speaking for a moment, but it died away almost as soon as she heard it. Tessa wondered at that, but the booming voice returned as it declared, "The Count is intrigued by your work, particularly the inventions mentioned. Therefore, The Count wishes a demonstration of the devices used during the raid and any other inventions you might wish to share."

Again, Marcus hesitated. Tessa could since he was stiff and uncomfortable with the line of thought, but he conceded, "I suppose, but we do not have any of the equipment with us at present. Should we, perhaps, meet up at this venue at a future date?"

"No. The Count will make the arrangements. You are excused." And with that, Mr. Finch and the other well-dressed thugs saw them all out.

Ushered on their way back to the street, Tessa was left feeling altogether surprised by the exchange. After a moment, she asked, "Marcus, what just happened?"

"We got hired for a privet showing," he said weakly.

"And if I am not mistaken, it is chiefly because of you," Lonny put her hands on her hips as she bent at the waist, looking up at Donny's face.

"Me?" he asked, surprised.

"Yes, You. You played up our escapades too well." Lonny said.

"It is both a blessing and a curse, this silver tongue of mine," Donny shrugged, sounding cynical. "But this could be an opportunity," Donny said, a glint in his eye, "Who knows? Maybe this Count might be so impressed that he might buy a few of your inventions?"

"Maybe," Tessa was hopeful at the thought. Besides Marcus, very few looked favorably on her designs or her ideas, at least ever since what happened with Gray Merriweather. Perhaps Donny was right that this was an opportunity for something better.