Pilo Traveling Show (Pilo Family Circus #2)

14. BELOW

Below was no safe or easy time for anyone perceived as part of the circus hierarchy. Shalice and the Matter Manipulator wisely stayed in their dens, watching from windows, and waiting for order. Gonko warned the other clowns to avoid Sideshow Alley, though he himself strolled through on occasion to gauge the mood. It was simmering. His promise of payment alone probably kept the general hostility to glares and whispers. Some time later the bolder carny rats would need to be reminded of their place in the grand scheme, and Gonko took note of certain names and faces. Every time he went out of sight of George's trailer for more than a few minutes, a small crowd of carny rats gathered there, only to scatter when he reappeared. He considered letting Kurt out of his cage, but held off—it would need to be clear to the big bosses below exactly who was running the failed circus, or else they may just grab Kurt along with George if he were running around giving orders.

Gonko also itched to return to the surface and make sure the show up there did its job. If the tricks came down here and started making good with the dust . . . but then, odds were decent the carny rats would just help themselves to whatever they saw, with no one but Gonko to stop them. And of course, he'd let them help themselves.

His pocket watch alarm shook and bounced in his pants. The show above was almost done. Fuck it, he thought. He was going to risk a quick trip up there. He armed Doopy and Rufshod with axes, and set them at George's trailer. He hid Goshy under a tarp, and then waited til the tricks began to arrive. It looked like about half the carny rats were up for the job today; fewer calls than the usual "Step right up!" and so on. Only a couple of the rides had their flashing lights on and their mechanical growl of starting engines.

Curls and two others at last came through, the exit gate pieces in their arms. "Set 'em up now," said Gonko. "I'm going up. Oh, and Curls? Don't let anyone whose up there come down just yet, not til I debrief them. Got it?"

•

Curls searched Gonko's face, trying to see what this order portended, but he could read nothing in the hard lines and creases, in the black smile-shaped curve painted over the background of white.

***