Chemistry, Chaos & Steam: A Magistery of Dunces

Epilogue

It took the Magistery of Dunces a little over two weeks relocate. It wasn't for lack of locations, but rather because there had been too many of them. Ultimately, they'd decided to settle on quarters near the sewers, directly beneath the Magistery of Chemistry and Steam. Another perk: once everyone had been fitted and trained in underwater gear, the Dunces would have not one but two escape routes off the island.

"This is the first time we've all been able to gather together," began Ediwin, looking at Victoria and Mai Mai, now dressed in their formal Magistery of Chemistry and Steam lower level uniforms. The Dunces, of course, lost not a minute razzing them about it.

As planned, the girls had been "found" by a miracle. For two weeks after their "miraculous rescue," they'd been surrounded, questioned and pampered—not always in that order. The Dunces weren't exactly sure if their ruse would fly or not, but so many strange and terrible things had occurred at the Magistery that no one looked too closely to see how miraculous the miracle actually was. It was understandable that the girls who had inadvertently witnessed the murder of the Tenure had panicked and run, that by the time they'd stopped running they'd been lost, swallowed up by the Magistery's famously ravenous tunnels.

"As far as the world is concerned," continued Ediwin, "the Magistery of Dunces is dead. They found just enough evidence in the ruins of the Palace of Fine Arts to let them know that it was our hideout and while they didn't find any bodies in the rubble, we've not done a job since. It's assumed our bones were incinerated in the heat. The authorities are blaming what they're now referring to as the "Palace Fire" of 08 on a rival gang whose name has yet to be determined."

"How can anyone believe that?" asked one of the Dunces.

Ediwin smirked. "Oh, it's really not that hard, Yoni. To believe anything else would force them to ask questions they don't want to ask...questions, come to think of it, we don't want them to ask, either."

"So," added William, "we're just supposed to sit here and enjoy being dead?"

"I've only been dead for two weeks now," said Miniscule MIke, "and I've got to say, this is the most relaxed I've ever been!"

That brought a big round of laughs.

"I'm glad you're all enjoying being dead," puffed Victoria, "but Mai Mai and I do not have that luxury. Too many have died already and too many more are going to before this is over."

"Finish the job!" shouted one of the Dunces, soon joined by a chorus of others.

"Which is why," added Ediwin, "we must remain as vigilant as ever, keeping our eyes on both Victoria and Mai Mai. Luckily, the areas Windward is most likely to try to kill them are the ones we're active in now. But," he said looking directly at the two girls, "we can't cover you everywhere. There are too many places we just can't go—your classes for a start."

"We'll cover each other," assured Victoria. "Now that we know the nature of the enemy we can anticipate them better."

"And that brings us up to the second part of our plan," said Ediwin. "Up until now, the Magistery of Chemistry and Steam has not been living up to its ideals. It was supposed to be a center of research and innovation leading the Bay Area Confederation to new heights of science and engineering. We now know that instead, it has become a glorified trade school, teaching the skills of the past without creating new ones for the future. But all that changed this year. The Magistery of Chemistry and Steam started to invent again, thanks to all of you."

Minuscule Mike hopped off his chair and took a bow to general applause.

"The initial inventions we created to rob the likes of Eryn Pell," continued Ediwin, "forced the police to demand that their Magistery of Chemistry and Stream create even better weapons in order to combat ours. At first, I was annoyed by the competition, but now I realize this is what Windward fears the most. Once you start the engine of knowledge it is very difficult to stop. Windward had to work very hard to suppress invention and innovation. What are they going to do once it starts again?"

"Whatever they can to stop it," offered Mai Mai with an unsettling smile. "The snakes will expose themselves."

"And," promised Ediwin, "we're going to chop off every single one of their heads as they do. Until the world knows what we know. And then," he added with a cruel smile, "Windward will truly be finished. Which is why I have some good news to report. Now that we're all settled in, we're going to start committing crimes again, with even newer inventions. Also, almost all our stolen loot went up in flames so we're going to need more of it...and soon."

"And here's the best part," cooed Victoria. "Our Magistery is going to help their Magistery make new inventions to counter our inventions!" 

"If the other Magistery starts getting smarter," asked one of the younger Dunces, "aren't a lot of its students going to catch a dose of the deads?"

"Yes," agreed Ediwin, "which is why the smartest ones will have to be protected and maybe even invited in."

"Do we have to, Boss?" asked Minuscule Mike. "I understand we got to protect them, but we don't need them chem kings and steam queens down here with us."

"Hey," protested Victoria. "I'm a steam queen and so are a lot of my friends. Are we good enough?"

"Well, you are," admitted Mike, "but you already proved yourself. You saved the Boss's life." 

Everyone nodded, even Ediwin. 

"Anyone who joins us will also prove themselves," agreed Ediwin.

Mike gave the group a half-hearted grin. "Well, I suppose if you and Mai Mai vouch for 'em, we can think about it." 

Victoria tilted her head in thanks.

___

William, now sitting alone with Ediwin, held a card in his hand and kept staring at it. Ediwin got up to take a look. It was a photograph of the postal Zeppelin they'd planned on stealing. The one that was going to take them to Galveston.

William sighed. "I could have flown us there, you know."

Ediwin nodded.

William let out another deep breath and, turning the photograph over, got up from his seat.

Ediwin met his eyes with encouragement. "You don't have to give up on your dream, William. When this is all over maybe we'll steal that Zeppelin and fly to Galveston and disappear."

"Easy for you to say, your dream already happened."

Ediwin's face scrunched up. "What do you mean my dream?"

William laughed. "By every Webster dead and gone, for a guy so smart, you can be really dumb. Ediwin.  Look up."

Ediwin stared at the bare ceiling.

"Congratulations," said William, giving Ediwin a playful slug on the shoulder that nearly knocked him to his feet. "You finally made it into the Magistery of Chemistry and Steam."

To be continued...