On the next floor down, they found more people, and Rector finally met Miss Lucy. Lucy O’Gunning was old enough to be Rector’s mother and then some, and she only had one arm, which was made of metal and the fingers of which clicked like a typewriter’s keys when they opened and closed. She had a big smile upon meeting him, which was something that didn’t happen every day. He liked it. He smiled back and shook the mechanical hand when she offered it to him, and did his best not to flinch or act as though it was odd.

She said, “It’s good to meet you, Rector. I’d be happy to stand here and get acquainted, but I have to get back to the bar. It’s all closed up since I’ve been down in the store levels stocking up, but if the princess wants everyone to come together, I’d better get moving and open it.”

After she was gone, Rector asked Zeke, “What’s wrong with her … arm?”

“She’s only got one.”

“I can see that, but it’s a machine. That means she ain’t got no arms, don’t it?”

Zeke nodded. “Sort of. One she lost in an accident, and one she lost to a rotter bite.” Then he continued down the hall to the sickroom, where Mercy Lynch was writing at the medical counter. She was concentrating hard and writing slowly, but there were stacks of paper beside her, in testament to her determination.

“Miss Mercy.” Zeke announced their presence.

She looked up and took note of both boys, then said, “Hello Zeke … and Rector. Still haven’t died on us?”

Rector said. “Not yet, ma’am. Not planning on it anytime soon.”

“You and your plans.”

Zeke repeated his edict, then added, “We’ve got intruders inside the city,” to give it some extra spice. “They’ve got bad ideas for the lot of us, and I think Miss Angeline has a plan.”

“Intruders? Who would want to intrude…” she stopped herself. “Ah. Men who want to make money on the sap trade.”

Tired of remaining silent, Rector fleshed out the story with a flourish. “We saw them. They’re here to raise hell, Miss Mercy—but we ain’t gonna let ’em.”

“I’m sure I’ll sleep better at night for knowing that. All right, I’ll be there soon. Go up to the main floor, and I’ll swing down to the other end of this one and get my daddy—unless you saw him already.”

Rector said, “Nope. Haven’t seen him.”

“All right. Then you two keep spreading the word, and we’ll be up at Maynard’s as soon as we can.”