Agatha H. and the Airship City by Phil Foglio, Kaja Foglio Page B

dere, hen don be fooled. You papa doz crazy schtupid stoff like dot hall de time . Hokay?”
    Gill nodded. “Hokay. Ah—I mean okay. Thanks.”
    At that moment the Baron yelled, “Everybody back!” as he leapt from the rear of the clank, which, with much hissing and squealing, was pulling itself back up onto its feet. Once there, it spun around several times, and whistle blowing, strode off down the street by which it had come. Klaus nodded in satisfaction. “Sergeant,” he roared, “prepare some ‘C’ bombs! First patrol— Follow that clank!”
    Six Jägers roared, “Jah! Herr Baron, ve hunt!” and pelted off down the street.
    Gil turned to his father who was shrugging off his greatcoat. Even beneath his shirt and vest, muscles could be discerned, shifting and moving. “What did you do, Father?”
    “The device was programmed to find someone and then bring them ‘home.’ I simply reversed the device’s task order.” He flung his coat at a startled Boris. “Now let’s run!”
    As one, the two men sped off down the road, to the astonishment of the observing townspeople. As they ran, Klaus called out, “Tell me what we’ll find!”
    A look of exasperation crossed Gil’s face. “Everything does not have to be a test!”
    Klaus laughed and effortlessly cleared a cartload of barrels that had been knocked down by the passing clank. “Life is a test! Now answer!”
    Gil concentrated for a moment as he ran, then spoke as they leapt down a set of stone steps. “It’s not one of Beetle’s—it’s too crude. Maybe a student, or a younger professor.”
    The streets were beginning to fill now, people were staring after the clank that had rumbled through the streets and the Jägermonsters that had pursued it, but the way was still clear enough that the two men were able to run unhindered.
    Klaus shook his head. “No. Anyone at the University would have had access to better materials. The construction screams inexperience, and since there have been no new Sparks in this area for several years, I believe this to be a breakthrough! A new Spark, and I want him!”
    “Maybe Beetle was hiding him?”
    “No. The preliminary stages of a breakthrough are extremely difficult to disguise. Remember?” Gil nodded. His own breakthrough had had to be explained as a venting explosion in the main labs, and everyone else had just assumed that the pools of raspberry jelly were a bizarre side effect. Klaus continued, “Beetle couldn’t even hide a Hive Engine . A new Spark would have been impossible.”
    Gil looked and saw that the street up ahead had completely filled with curious bystanders. Without a word the two men swerved, and leapt atop a wall that ran along the street, upon which they dashed past the astonished crowd. “Unless, Father, he’d known that this particular person would break through, and had isolated them beforehand.”
    Klaus frowned. “Unlikely. We keep records on the families of all established Sparks, and there are none unaccounted for. As for detecting a potential breakthrough amongst the general populace, even I have yet to develop a sure test for that . What else can you tell me?”
    Gil thought for a moment while leaping from the wall. “It wasn’t constructed at the University. So a foundry or a machine shop off-campus. Only they’d have the necessary tools. But if he’s a newcomer to town—”
    Klaus interrupted: “Shops can be rented. What about the man himself?”
    A series of overturned carts, shouting peddlers, and items strewn about the streets indicated they were entering a market district. Gil vaulted over a load of spring onions. “He’s been wronged by someone. Someone he can’t touch through normal channels.” He grimaced. “Most likely us.”
    Klaus nodded grimly. “Yes, the timing is perfect . Beetle is dead at our hands—”
    “He threw a bomb at me.”
    “Someone here is very upset.” They raced through Beetle Fountain Square, with its spitting statues. Pigeons