Hiss of the Steam

Hiss of the Steam Chapter 4 - The Raid

I woke up and saw Amber sitting on her couch and slipping on her shoes. "How is it you are always up earlier than me?" I asked, rubbing my eyes.

 

"I guess I’m used to waking up early," she said, grabbing her cap off of the coat hanger next to the door. "We should probably get going; we need to meet Elliot at the tavern. Remember?"

 

"Yes, I remember," I said, throwing aside the blankets and walking over to my shoes. I put them on and walked over to the door where Amber was waiting.

 

"Alrighty, let's get going." She opened the door and let me out, then closed it and locked it.

 

We were almost at tavern when two guys suddenly stepped out in front of us.

 

"You must be the damn blokes who killed two guards a couple days ago. Jim was me friend, and you shot him. Get ‘em!" he shouted. Three other thugs stepped out from behind. The three in back pulled out swords and the two in front pulled out daggers. This looked really bad. I attempted to put my hand in front of Amber to protect her but, then the ground began to shake very slightly. The thugs stopped and looked around. Then what looked like a tall bulky man made of brass with wooden joints came crashing out of an alleyway and slammed into the two marauders up front, sending them flying.

 

"The hell!?" one of the thugs in back yelled, right before a second brass man came running up from behind them and swatted them away; the left man first, then the one in the middle and the one on the far right.  Four of the five thugs were rendered unconscious. The one that didn’t get knocked out got up and started to run, but someone stepped in front of him. He turned him around and clamped the thug’s hands together.

 

"Woah, there laddy; you are coming with me." It was Elliot. "Ah, Amber, Mark. Fancy meeting you here. These are the golems I promised," he said, motioning to the two men made of brass. They looked like tall mannequins.

 

"Pretty effective aye? Anyways, let’s bring this guy here to the bar so we can have a little chat." He had the thug’s arms behind his back. We all walked to the tavern and sat down at a table. Elliot told his golems to sit down at a table next to him and they did as he told. Elliot pulled some rope out of a bag that was slung over his shoulder and tied the thug’s hands to the chair.

 

"Who the hell randomly carries rope around with them?" Amber asked.

"I dunno. Why, you the rope police or somethin’?"

 

"No, just wondering." She turned to the thug. "Okay, so what's your name and who do you work for?" she asked.

 

"Like I would tell you," he said trying to free his hands.

 

Amber pulled out her revolver and put it to his head. "I don't think you heard me. Who are you and who do you work for?"

 

"W-wait! Don’t! M-m-my name is Taylor! I work for the Hazy Skies gang!" he blubbered.