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In English or not, Klopp could tell what they were talking about - he was also staring down the steps He looked at Alek, who nodded The old ain

"Hold on, everyone!" Alek shouted, planting one boot on the satchel at his feet

Thelike a rock drill as they skidded down the steps Stone dust flew as the taxi bounced back and forth, battering the ancient walls Klopp so over, and at last it reached the botto onto level pave positions in the plaza above, their rifle ed walker strode into view

Alek blinked - it had Otton, not like an ani, Klopp!"

The taxi ground back intowith every step As it rounded the next corner, Alek dared to glance back up Soldiers were strea down the stairs, but the walker had co to dare the stairway on two legs

Alek checked the ain "We’re al now, one of itsitself onto Zaven’s street, staggering sideways like a drunken crab

Lilit and her father had heard the co with the warehouse door wide open

"Go fast, Klopp!" Dylan shouted in crude Geryrothopter!"

Alek looked up He couldn’t see the gyrothopter, but its buzzing sound was building in the air They had to disappear now

The taxi took another step toward the open warehouse door, then sputtered and died Klopp whirled the starting crank, but the engine only hissed and spat like a fresh log tossed onto a fire

"Barking stupid contraptions!" Dylan cried

"Lilit, if you please?" Zaven said calmly, and she leapt to the controls of thedock It ruh the warehouse door

The door rolled closed behind them, and Zaven stepped inside just as the last view of the street disappeared, plunging them all into darkness

Alek reached down and checked the satchel at his feet - it was still there

A ht switched on

"A

"But won’t soht beneath the door

"Fah! Not to worry," Zaven said "Our neighbors are all friends They have ignored greater disturbances than this" He offered a deep bow "Greetings, Masters Klopp, Bauer, and Sharp I welcoress!"

The Coe misshapen statues

"What an odd collection," Bauer said "Never seen any of these before"

"A few of those fought in the First Balkan War," Klopp said, pointing at the Minotaur "They were a bit old-fashioned even then"

"War," said Bovril, staring up from Alek’s shoulder

Alek frowned The first time he’d seen the walkers, he’d assu battles But with the noon sun flooding the vast courtyard, there was no denying it - these machines were ancient

"You can fix them up, can’t you?" he asked

"Perhaps," Klopp said

"Fah! We shall fix the Klopp like a long-lost brother "You e, sir, but our mechaniks have those skills that can only be passed frohter, of course!"

"These machines are like family to us," Lilit said

Klopp set down his toolbox "Hhed at this joke except Bovril, who cliiant steel hooves of the Minotaur

Dylan had been standing silently since they’d arrived, his ar Gered to the revolution?" Zaven rubbed his hands together happily "We have a half dozen in every ghetto in this city Alh to sweep away the sultan’s o, but ere not united then"

"And now, sir?" Bauer asked

"Like a fist!" Zaven said, de Turks have rejoined us, thanks to all the Ger about"

"And thanks to the Spider, too, of course," Lilit said

Alek looked at her "The Spider?"

"Shall we show them?" Lilit asked, but didn’t wait for her father to answer She ran to a large rab a chain hanging beside it As she clian to slide grudgingly upward

A huge machine stood in the shadows

Alek had no idea what it was for, but could see why Lilit had called it the Spider A darkjointed arms thrust out A snarl of conveyor belts led into the core, like on a harvesting co contraption?" Dylan asked in English

"They called it ’the Spider,’" Alek translated, then shook his head "But it doesn’t look as though it can walk"