The Osiris Curse Read Online Free Page A

would hold much longer.
    But he couldn't just fire. The electricity would hit Octavia as well.
    He moved to the side, trying to see if he could get a clear shot. But there was nothing. The robber and Octavia were constantly touching. Hitting one would hit the other.
    Octavia saw him standing watching. She raised her hands in a “what the hell are you doing?” gesture. Tweed responded by waving at the automaton, then holding the gun up in the air and then repeating her own gesture back at her: “What do you expect me to do?”
    She set her mouth in a thin line, waiting for the tiniest gap between blows. When it came she flung all her levers forward.
    The feet of her automaton flew out in front of her and it slid down the wall like a drunkard finally giving up for the night. It carried on falling and ended up on its back.
    Tweed saw the driver grin in anticipation. He thought he had her trapped. He moved forward and Octavia's construct kicked out, smashing into the robot's groin. The red automaton staggered back a few steps. Not much, in the grand scheme of things, but enough for Tweed to fire his Tesla gun.
    The electricity arced and crawled across the metal casing. Sparks exploded outward, flashes of white and orange light blossoming inside the cage as the instrument panels exploded. The robber frantically slapped at his harness, somehow insulated from the electricity. Thebelts released and he shoved the cage open. Smoke billowed out and the man tumbled to the ground as his automaton gave a screeching groan and fell flat on its face.
    The robber looked around and saw Tweed. His face crumpled with rage. He pushed himself to his feet and ran straight at him.
    Tweed yawned and fired again.
    Nothing happened.
    He looked at his gun, shook it, and pulled the trigger again. Still nothing. The man was only ten paces away.
    â€œI'm gonna kill you, boy!” he shouted. “Kill you dead!”
    Tweed thought about berating the man for this careless grammar and needless repetition of words, but he didn't get a chance because at that moment writhing blue fire struck the man from behind and he went leaping into the air like a child's jack-in-the-box.
    Octavia joined Tweed as the man crashed back to the snow. He was smoking ever so gently.
    â€œDamn,” she said. “Still had the setting on high. Think he's all right?”
    â€œMummy,” sobbed the man in a pain-filled voice.
    â€œHe'll live,” said Tweed.
    A cheer burst out behind them. They turned to see that the crowd had grown rather large by now. They were cheering and applauding wildly. Tweed grinned. He spread his arms wide and performed an extravagant bow.
    Octavia punched him in the arm.
    â€œOw! What was that for? Are we not allowed some adulation? That was good work we did tonight.”
    â€œMaybe,” said Octavia in a fierce whisper. “But how happy is the Queen going to be if we're linked to this? More importantly, how happy is Barrington Chase going to be?”
    Tweed's mood darkened instantly. Barrington Chase. The namealone brought him out in shudders of annoyance and irritation. The man had become the bane of his life lately. A member of the secret services and appointed by the Queen herself to train them in…“helpful skills,” as she called it.
    Octavia was right. Chase wasn't going to like this. Not one little bit.
    Which made Tweed a bit happier. Any opportunity to wind up the self-absorbed spy was time well spent in Tweed's book.
    And on top of that, they finally got their revenge on Harry Banks for betraying them. He'd go to jail for this, no doubt about it.
    â€œI think it's probably best if I explain all this to Chase,” said Tweed, gleefully rubbing his hands together.
    â€œGood idea. I'll stand in the background. Not drawing attention to myself.”
    Tweed raised an eyebrow at her. “Trying not to draw attention to yourself is going to be pretty difficult when we march these things up