Valves? I must have spoken aloud because de Torres smiled and waved proudly in their direction as the ornate cage of the elevator shuddered slightly, then began to smoothly rise.
“I see you are impressed-nor do I blame you. In the cities you see nothing but shoddy electronics and weak little motors. But in the country we know how to build things better. The forests supply our fuel, the steam plant produces the unleashed energy to pump the water. Hydraulic systems are indestructible. See how smoothly we mount on the piston that supports this cage!” “A wonder!” I said, and meant it. The cylinder must be buried deep in the foundation, the piston at least a hundred meters long. I hoped their metallurgy was up to it. I watched the water drip slowly from the row of valves and sighed with relief when the gate finally opened.
I had more mechanical joys in store. No simple radio or telephone room awaited us. Instead there was an exhausting climb up a circular staircase to a turret room that stood high above the rest of the castle. A half-dozen men labored here, amidst the hot smell of metal and the hiss of escaping steam. Thick pipes came up through the floor to feed a hulking black engine studded with wheels, levers and gauges. This machine was silent for the moment and all attention was upon the man who stood squinting through a powerful telescope, shouting out numbers.
“Seven... two... niner... four... unsure... end of line. Send a repeat for that last phrase.” The machine operator began industriously working his handles. The device groaned, hissed and clanked as tall pistons pushed shining steel rods up and down. I followed their movements upwards through the wrought-iron-framed glass roof, and farther up still to the top of the spire where great metal arms jerked and waved.
“I see you are impressed by our semaphore,” de Torres said proudly.
“Impressed is far too mild a word,” I said truthfully. “How far has this message come?” “All the way from the coast, relayed from station to station. It is a private enterprise of the larger landowners. We are in constant communication with one another in this manner. The code we use is secret, known to but a handful of us. This message began with a highly urgent signal in clear, which is why I brought you. I feel in my bones that it is concerned with our mutual affairs. Aha, here we are.” The faulty line had been retransmitted and transcribed, the completed message rushed to the marquez. He frowned down at the rows of numbers, then waved me after him to a chamber built into one wall. A high window threw light onto a carved desk, upon which he spread out the message. From his wallet he took a cipher wheel, set it to a number, then spun the actuator.
“It will go faster,” he said, “if you transcribe as I decode.” I wrote out the message as he eave it to me and the knot of tension in my midriff grew as letter followed letter. When it was finished he leaned over my shoulder and read in silence.
ELECTION LAWS SECRETLY CHANGED AND PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES MUST REGISTER BY SIX TONIGHT IN PRIMOROSO-JORGE “The trouble is already starting,” I said. “Zapilote must have got wind of our plans and is moving to stop us before we even get off the ground. What is Primoroso?” “Our capital city-and Zapilote’s stronghold. The man is impossible to beat! If we try to register we will be arrested, and if we don’t show up he wins the election by default.” “Never say die before the fight, de Torres. Can we reach Primoroso in time?” “Easily. My jet copter will take us there in less than three hours.” “How many will it hold?” “Five, including the pilot.” “The perfect number. You and me. Bolivar and James.” “But your sons are so young. I have armed men-” “Young in years but wise in experience. You will see for yourself what they can do. Now if you will roll out your craft, I’ll get the boys and make a few other arrangements.” I was rooting around in the depths of the storage compartments in the car when Angelina tapped me on the shoulder.
“You are not leaving me behind while you dash off all over the place.” “Indeed I’m not,” I said, dropping an armload of equipment and turning to embrace her. “Yours is the most important task since you must stay here and hold our flank. As soon as we are gone you must set up the defenses. As well as firing up the detection apparatus. If we have to come back in a hurry, I look forward to returning to a stoutly defended position. I know nothing of the castle’s defenses’-but I know a lot about ours, and know that I can rely upon them. And upon you.” She tilted her head most attractively to the side and looked at me quizzically. “You’re not inventing all of this on the spot to get me out of the action, are you, diGriz?” “Never!” I protested mightily, not daring to admit that she had seized instantly upon the truth. “This is going to be a hit-and-run raid, and we will need you in support here. There will be plenty of work for all of us before this rigged election runs to its crooked end. Now please help me find the makeup box. I need a large and black beard for instant use.” She thought hard, then nodded reluctantly. “All right. But you better not be lying to me. If you get burned in this operation I’ll kill you for it.” Which is a perfect example of female logic that I knew better than to draw to her attention.
Thirty minutes later I was kissing her goodby through the muffling shrouds of the fake beard, and working hard to conceal my pleasure. Good things were going to happen! Round one in the bie election camnaign was about to hem’n.
Chapter 13
We exited together. The twins were dressed in the drab castle livery which served to enhance the marquez’s and my Bnery. We were impressively eye-catching, a sartorial symphony of feathered hats, bullion waistcoats, sweeping cloaks, and thigh-high boots, everything the peasantry expected a grandee to be. This might give us a chance to score points with the bureaucrats-as well as helping to conceal a choice bit of weaponry.
The copter was shining new and well maintained—no leaking hydraulic pipes here! As proud as de Torres was of the old technology, he was not loath to use shoddy electronics and weak little motors when they suited his needs. In truth, the jet motors of the copter were anything but weak. We hurtled up to cruising altitude and barrelled off towards the eastern coast. The marquez had a grim look as he planned ahead.
“If we go to the heliport we will have immense difficulties getting past the city walls and on to the Presidio, where the registration must take place.” “What is this Presidio where we have to go?” “An ancient fort, traditional seat of government of the kings ofParaiso-Aqui. Alas, now occupied by the usurper.” “Can we land there?” “It is forbidden. But Zapilote goes there by copter all the time, landing in Freedom Square just outside.” “Good enough for him, good enough for us. The worst they can do is give us a parking ticket. “ “The worst they can do is shoot us,” de Torres said gloomily.
“Cheer up!” I pointed to the small case I was carrying. “In addition to all the documents, there are a few items in here to help us fight back. Nor are the twins completely unarmed.” “No indeed,” Bolivar said, swinging about in his seat and patting himself at armpit and hip.
70 “Plenty of heat here,” James said, patting as well, as he finished his brother’s sentence. “Do we eat before or after the ruckus?” “Now. “ I passed over a bag of sandwiches I had extracted from the castle kitchen. “I know your appetites. Don’t litter with the wrappings.” “Yes,” de Torres said, his mind still on more important things. “We land in the square. They won’t be expecting that.” “But will they be expecting us at all?” “Undoubtedly. They will have us on radar long before we arrive. “ “Then let us not make it easy for them. A little misdirection is in order. If we were to land at the heliport how would we get to the Presidio?” “I would radio ahead for a car and driver to meet us.” “Then do that-right now. The car goes to the heliport, so do the troops-and we land in the square. The pilot takes off as soon as he has set us down and goes on to the heliport where he is supposed to be. The pressure will be off at the heliport by that time. So he can land, then send the car to the Presidio to pick us up when we come out. “ He grabbed up the radio controls with alacrity. “An excellent plan, Jim, which I will put into effect this instant.” After that it was just waiting. I dozed in the chair, not so much to demonstrate my nonchalance before battle but rather to catch up on the sleep I had missed the night before. I didn’t need a prognostication machine to tell me that it was going to be a busy day.