A Bedtime Story

Visit the “A Bedtime Story” show website to submit your story ideas for a future episode!Welcome to A Bedtime Story. I'm Matthew Mitchell, and tonight's story is titled The Forge of Forgotten Fires, Part 2 of this week's series: The Junk-Yard of Infinite Inventions.The iron door did not open with a creak or a groan. Instead, it dissolved. The metal simply turned into a fine, grey powder that fell away like sand, revealing a tunnel that glowed with an soft, internal light. Leo and Maya exchanged a look before stepping inside. The air here was different; it was filtered and cool, lacking the salt and rust of the outside world."This place is still powered," Maya whispered, her eyes wide as she took in the rows of glowing conduits running along the ceiling. "How is that possible? The city cut the power to the flats decades ago.""Maybe the vault provides its own energy," Leo suggested. He followed the compass, which was now vibrating so hard it was difficult to hold. They reached a central chamber that looked like a cross between a library and a factory. Massive shelves stretched up into the darkness, filled with prototypes, blueprints, and small, intricate models of machines that Leo could not even begin to identify.In the center of the room stood a large, circular forge. It wasn't burning with coal or gas, but with a shimmering, blue flame that emitted no heat. Above the forge hung a series of translucent cables that pulsed with the same rhythm as Leo’s compass."This is it," Leo said, approaching the forge. "This is where they made the anomalies. Look at the designs on these tables." He picked up a sheet of metal that had been etched with fine, hair-thin lines. "It looks like a map of the city, but with layers. It shows the underground tunnels, the air currents, even the gravitational shifts.""Leo, look at this," Maya called out from the far side of the chamber. She was standing in front of a glass casing that held a pair of silver gauntlets. "The tag says Gravity Braid. It claims these can manipulate the weight of any object within a ten-foot radius.""Don't touch them yet," Leo warned, but it was too late. As Maya leaned in, a red light began to sweep across the room from a hidden lens in the ceiling. A mechanical voice, cold and devoid of emotion, filled the chamber."Unauthorized access detected. Security protocol initiated. Please remain stationary for incineration.""I think staying stationary is a bad idea," Maya said, grabbing the gauntlets and smashing the glass. She slid them onto her hands just as a panel in the floor slid open and a three-legged sentry bot emerged. The bot was sleek, made of polished chrome, and its single eye was glowing with a hostile light. It raised a mechanical arm, preparing to fire a bolt of concentrated energy."Maya, do something!" Leo shouted, ducking behind a heavy stone desk.Maya concentrated, thrusting her hands toward the sentry. The silver gauntlets hummed, and suddenly, the sentry bot was pinned to the floor as if it had been hit by a falling building. The metal of its legs groaned under the sudden increase in weight, and the bot sparked, its internal systems struggling to compensate for the crushing force."It works!" Maya laughed, though she looked strained. "But I can't hold it forever. We need to find the core of this place and shut down the security system before more of those things show up."Leo looked at his compass. The crystal needle was pointing straight down, through the floor of the forge. "The power source is underneath us. If we can reach the main generator, we can override the lockdown. But we have to move fast. I can hear more panels opening in the hallways."They scrambled toward a maintenance hatch near the base of the forge. As they descended a narrow ladder, the sound of more sentries echoed from the chamber above. The vault was waking up, and it was clear that the inventors who built this place did not want their secrets to be rediscovered.

Visit the “A Bedtime Story” show website to submit your story ideas for a future episode!Welcome to A Bedtime Story. I'm Matthew Mitchell, and tonight's story is titled The Compass of Cragged Coasts, Part 1 of this week's series: The Junk-Yard of Infinite Inventions.Leo lived in a world where nothing was ever truly thrown away. He resided in the Salt-Flats, a vast expanse of rust and discarded machinery that stretched as far as the eye could see. To most, it was a graveyard of failed ideas, but to Leo, it was a playground of potential. He spent his mornings scanning the horizon for the silhouettes of salvage ships and his afternoons digging through heaps of copper wiring and brass plating. He was looking for the heart of something great, though he did not quite know what that was yet.The air in the flats usually smelled of scorched iron and salt spray, a heavy, metallic scent that stuck to the back of his throat. One afternoon, while prying open a crate that had fallen off a high-altitude freighter, Leo found something that did not belong. It was a compass, but not one meant for navigation. The casing was made of a dark, heavy glass that felt like ice, and the needle was a sliver of translucent crystal that vibrated with a faint, low-frequency hum."Well, you are a strange little thing," Leo muttered, wiping the grime from the glass surface. He held it up to the waning sunlight, and the crystal needle immediately snapped to a point on the horizon where the scrap heaps grew into jagged mountains."I wouldn't touch that if I were you," a voice said from behind him. Leo jumped, nearly dropping the device. Standing on top of a pile of rusted girders was Maya, a scavenger known for finding things that most people stayed away from. She was draped in a cloak made of woven optic fibers that shimmered with a dull, recycled light."It is just a compass, Maya. I have seen dozens of these in the lower pits," Leo replied, trying to regain his composure. He tucked the device into his vest pocket, but he could still feel the vibration against his ribs.Maya jumped down, landing silently on the packed salt. "That is not a compass for north or south, Leo. That is a locator for the Resonance Vault. My grandmother used to tell stories about a place where the inventions that were too strange for the city were buried. They say the vault contains machines that can rewrite the laws of physics, or at least make them into suggestions."Leo looked back at the mountains of scrap. "If this thing is pointing there, then that is where I am going. I am tired of pulling apart old radios and fixing broken heaters. I want to see something that actually works.""It is a long walk, and the sentries in the crags don't like visitors," Maya warned, but she began to check the straps on her boots anyway. "Besides, you will never make it past the first ridge without someone who knows the terrain. I will come with you, but only if we split whatever we find fifty-fifty."Leo grinned, extending his hand. "Deal. But if we find a machine that turns salt into gold, I am keeping the first bar."They set off as the sun dipped below the horizon, casting long, spindly shadows across the rust. The compass grew warmer as they approached the crags, the crystal needle glowing with a soft, amber light. As they walked, the silence of the flats was replaced by a strange, melodic whistling. The wind was blowing through the hollow pipes and empty shells of the mountains, creating a symphony of accidental music."Do you hear that?" Leo asked, stopping near a pile of discarded turbine blades."It is just the wind, Leo. Keep moving," Maya said, though she gripped her salvage pick a little tighter.The further they climbed, the more the landscape changed. The scrap was no longer just junk; it was organized. They saw rows of perfectly preserved mechanical arms pointing toward the summit, and clusters of glass orbs that flickered with static as they passed. The compass began to pulse in time with Leo’s heartbeat, a steady thrum that seemed to be drawing them toward a massive, iron door embedded in the side of a cliff. There was no handle, no keyhole, and no sign of how to open it."We are here," Leo whispered, holding the compass out toward the door. The crystal needle began to spin wildly, and the ground beneath their feet began to tremble. "Now we just have to figure out how to get inside without bringing the whole mountain down on our heads."

Visit the “A Bedtime Story” show website to submit your story ideas for a future episode!Welcome to A Bedtime Story. I'm Matthew Mitchell, and tonight's story is titled The Spark of the Copper Citadel, Part 3 of this week's series: The Static Sands.The Copper Citadel loomed out of the swirling dust like a giant, metallic mountain. Its walls were covered in intricate circuits and massive lightning rods that reached for the heavens. But as Jasper and Sadie approached on their limping skiff, they could see that the city was in trouble. The usual golden glow of the protective shields was flickering, and the main gates were already beginning to hiss shut."We have to get their attention!" Sadie shouted. She was frantically rewiring the remaining fan to give them one last burst of speed. The purple sky above them had turned almost black, and the air was thick with the scent of hot metal. The great static storm was no longer a threat; it was a reality. Massive bolts of violet energy were striking the sand all around them, turning the glass beads into jagged sculptures."Give me the rod!" Sadie commanded. Jasper handed it over, and she connected it to a small transmitter she had built during the ride. "I am going to broadcast the luck signature. If the Citadel’s sensors are working, they will recognize this as a high-density fuel source."She flipped a switch, and the amber rod let out a pulse of light so bright it could be seen through the thickest dust. A moment later, the heavy copper gates of the city stopped their closing sequence and began to grind open just enough for the skiff to slide through.They crashed into the arrival bay, the skiff finally giving up the ghost and falling apart into a pile of scrap as it stopped. A dozen city engineers in lead-lined suits rushed toward them, led by a woman with a face etched with worry."Is that what I think it is?" the lead engineer asked, staring at the glowing rod. "We have been trying to harvest luck-energy for years, but we could never find a stable medium.""Jasper found it," Sadie said, gesturing to him. "But you need to use it now. The shields are down to their last five percent."The engineers didn't waste time. they hurried the rod to the central generator room, a massive chamber filled with humming coils and spinning magnets. Jasper and Sadie followed, watching as the rod was placed into a central housing unit. The lead engineer looked at Jasper."It needs a final trigger," she said. "The rod is full of potential, but it needs a moment of absolute, genuine risk to release the charge. If we fail to bridge the connection, the shield will collapse entirely."Jasper looked at the massive generator and then at the amber rod. He realized that his entire life as a spark-chaser had prepared him for this. He understood the rhythm of the air and the way energy wanted to move. He stepped forward and grabbed two copper handles that were dangling from the main circuit."What are you doing?" Sadie asked, her voice full of concern."I am the bridge," Jasper said. "I am the clumsiest person in this desert. If anyone can make a risk work, it is me."As the first wave of the static storm hit the city walls, the ground shook with a deafening roar. Jasper closed his eyes and waited for the feeling. He waited for that moment of perfect, accidental timing. Just as a bolt of violet lightning struck the city's main spire, Jasper leaned forward, intentionally tripping over a loose cable on the floor.As he fell, his hands slammed the copper handles into the rod's housing. The connection was made. The amber rod didn't just glow; it shattered, releasing all the stored misfortune of their journey in a single, magnificent burst of golden light. The energy surged through Jasper, into the generator, and out to the city walls.The shields didn't just flicker back to life; they expanded, glowing with a brilliance that pushed back the storm and lit up the desert for miles. The violet lightning bounced off the golden dome like pebbles off a roof. The city was safe.Jasper woke up on a soft cot in the city infirmary a few hours later. Sadie was sitting beside him, eating a piece of fruit and looking through a new set of blueprints. "You did it, Jasper," she said, smiling. "You literally tripped your way into saving the city. The engineers are already talking about building you a statue, though they are worried it might fall over if they don't anchor it properly."Jasper laughed, feeling a bit sore but incredibly happy. "I think I have had enough excitement for one lifetime. I might just stay here and help you build things. Somewhere with fewer glass beads and more solid floors.""I think the Citadel could use a bridge like you," Sadie said. Jasper looked out the window at the golden shield protecting the city. He didn't have his rod anymore, and his jars were lost in the desert, but he knew he had found something much better. He was no longer chasing sparks; he had become the spark that kept the world bright.

Visit the “A Bedtime Story” show website to submit your story ideas for a future episode!Welcome to A Bedtime Story. I'm Matthew Mitchell, and tonight's story is titled The Current of the Crimson Dunes, Part 2 of this week's series: The Static Sands.The sand-skiff was a marvel of questionable engineering. It looked like a flat-bottomed boat with two large, rotating fans at the back and a sail made of woven copper mesh. As Sadie steered them toward the Crimson Dunes, the skiff hummed with a nervous energy. The amber rod sat in a special cradle Jasper had fashioned out of some old rags, and it seemed to be enjoying the trip. Every time a fan sputtered or a sail line snapped, the rod glowed a little brighter."Do you think we have enough bad luck stored up?" Jasper asked, clutching the side of the skiff as they crested a massive dune. The glass beads below them sang as the skiff slid over them, a sound like a thousand tiny bells ringing at once."Not even close," Sadie shouted over the roar of the fans. "The Citadel needs a massive surge. We need something big to go wrong. Something spectacular.""I am not sure I like the sound of that," Jasper muttered. He looked out over the horizon and saw the Crimson Dunes approaching. Unlike the rest of the desert, these dunes were a deep, blood-red color, and they were the hunting grounds of the static-shredders. These were large, bird-like creatures made of jagged metal and discarded wire that fed on the electrical fields of anything that moved."Hold on tight," Sadie warned. "The shredders love the sound of fans. They think it is a dinner bell."Sure enough, a shadow fell over the skiff. A static-shredder, its wingspan wider than the skiff itself, descended from the purple sky. Its body crackled with red electricity, and its beak was a pair of sharpened shears. It let out a metallic screech and dived toward the copper sail."Sadie, the sail!" Jasper cried out. The shredder’s beak snapped through the copper mesh, tearing a massive hole in their primary source of propulsion. The skiff groaned and began to lose speed, sliding sideways down a steep dune."This is it!" Sadie yelled, her eyes wide with excitement. "Jasper, get the rod ready! The engine is going to fail in three, two, one!"Right on cue, the left fan exploded in a shower of sparks and loose bolts. The skiff spun out of control, heading straight for a cluster of jagged obsidian rocks. The amber rod was now vibrating so violently that it was humming a low, angry tune. The white spark inside had turned into a swirling miniature sun of pure misfortune.Jasper grabbed the rod and held it up toward the shredder as the creature prepared for another pass. "I hope this works!" he yelled. He didn't know how to trigger it, but he felt the rod reach out toward the creature. The shredder, sensing the massive energy, tried to bank away, but it was too late. The rod didn't fire a bolt of lightning. Instead, it released a wave of pure coincidence. The shredder’s left wing suddenly seized up, its own internal wires getting tangled in its tail. At the same moment, the obsidian rocks below them shifted, creating a perfect, sandy ramp that caught the skiff just before it would have crashed. The shredder tumbled out of the sky, landing harmlessly in a soft dune, while the skiff sailed through the air and landed with a heavy thud on the other side of the ridge.The amber rod was now glowing with an intense, steady light. It had absorbed the bad luck of the engine failure, the torn sail, and the shredder attack, and converted it into a massive reservoir of potential energy. "We are still alive," Jasper said, checking his limbs to make sure everything was still attached."And we have a full charge," Sadie said, pointing at the rod. "But look at the horizon. The great static storm is already starting. We have to reach the Citadel before the main gate locks down for the season."

Visit the “A Bedtime Story” show website to submit your story ideas for a future episode!Welcome to A Bedtime Story. I'm Matthew Mitchell, and tonight's story is titled The Lightning Rod of Lost Luck, Part 1 of this week's series: The Static Sands.Jasper lived in a place where the ground was not made of dirt, but of millions of tiny glass beads. They called it the Shimmering Desert, a vast expanse where the wind whispered in a language made of friction and static. In the Shimmering Desert, weather was not about rain or temperature; it was about the intensity of the electrical charge in the air. Jasper was a spark-chaser by trade. He spent his days wandering the dunes with a collection of copper jars, hoping to catch the stray bolts of blue energy that danced between the glass peaks. His home was a small hut reinforced with lead shielding, tucked behind a ridge of obsidian. It was a modest life, but Jasper was content. He had his jars, his collection of odd-shaped stones, and his favorite tool, a long pole made of magnetized iron. He used the pole to test the air, watching for the way his hair would stand on end just before a surge of power arrived. One afternoon, while exploring a canyon that had been uncovered by a particularly violent windstorm, Jasper found something that made his iron pole vibrate so hard it nearly jumped out of his hand. Buried deep within the glass beads was a rod of solid amber, but it was unlike any amber he had ever seen. It was clear as water, and at its center, a single, jagged spark of white light was frozen in place. "Well, you are certainly a peculiar find," Jasper said, kneeling down to brush away the glass beads. As his fingers touched the amber, he felt a strange sensation. It was not a shock, but a feeling of profound clumsiness. He immediately tripped over his own feet, knocking his copper jars into the sand and sending his hat flying into the wind. "I see how it is," a voice called out from the top of the canyon wall. Jasper looked up to see Sadie, a fellow spark-chaser known for her ability to build machines out of nothing but wire and stubbornness. She was wearing her usual goggles and a coat covered in dozens of tiny metallic charms. "You found the Luck-Eater," Sadie said, sliding down the canyon wall with practiced ease. "My grandmother used to tell stories about those. They don't store electricity; they store the energy of accidents. The more things go wrong around that rod, the brighter it glows."Jasper looked at the amber rod, which was now pulsing with a faint, mischievous light. "That explains why I just fell for no reason. Is it dangerous?"Sadie shrugged, her charms clinking together. "Only if you value your dignity. But the legends say that if you can fill that rod with enough bad luck, you can release it all at once to power something truly massive. Like the Copper Citadel. I heard the city is running low on energy, and if the shields fail, the great static storm will tear the place apart."Jasper looked at the rod and then at Sadie. He was a simple spark-chaser, used to catching tiny jolts in jars, not handling the concentrated energy of misfortune. But the idea of helping the Citadel was hard to ignore. The city was the only thing protecting people from the raw power of the Shimmering Desert. "If we take this to the Citadel, will you help me get there?" Jasper asked, picking up the rod and immediately dropping it on his toe. He hissed in pain, but he noticed the white spark inside the amber grew a fraction larger.Sadie grinned, adjusting her goggles. "I have a sand-skiff parked over the next ridge. It is held together by three different types of wire and a lot of hope, which makes it the perfect vessel for a rod that feeds on things breaking. Let's get moving, Jasper. The sky is starting to look a bit too purple for my liking."Jasper tucked the amber rod under his arm, trying his best not to trip again as they climbed out of the canyon. He knew the journey across the sands would be difficult, especially with an object that actively encouraged his shoelaces to come untied, but for the first time in his life, he felt like he was part of a story that mattered.

Visit the “A Bedtime Story” show website to submit your story ideas for a future episode! Welcome to A Bedtime Story. I'm Matthew Mitchell, and tonight's story is titled The Heavy Lifting, Part 3 of this week's series: The Case of the Vanishing Gravity.The Sky-Piercer Tower was the tallest structure in Orbit City, a needle of glass and steel that pierced the very edge of the atmosphere. At the very top was a revolving ballroom where the elite gathered to look down on everyone else. Tonight, the ballroom was decorated with glowing lanterns and silk ribbons that drifted in the air, a preview of the weightless evening Sterling had promised. The view was breathtaking, but Cletus couldn't appreciate it while he was worried about the literal weight of the world.Cletus, Beatrice, and a very nervous Sterling stood in the service elevator. Beatrice was now holding onto a heavy metal toolbox she had found in the fountain room, as Cletus's paperweights were starting to lose the battle against the increasing pull of the tower's receiver. She looked like she was ready to punch the first person who made a joke about her being light on her feet."When we get out there," Cletus instructed, checking his watch, "Sterling, you need to find the receiver. It will be a large, metallic dish or perhaps a decorative centerpiece. We need to reroute the signal back into the city's power grid instead of the people. We need to turn that gravity into electricity for the streetlights.""But the guests!" Sterling cried. "They want to float! They paid thousands of credits for the experience! They'll demand their money back!""They can buy a trampoline," Cletus snapped. "Beatrice, try not to hit anyone with that toolbox. You are currently a blunt force object if you lose your grip. We need to move fast."The elevator doors opened to the sound of soft music and the clinking of expensive glasses. The ballroom was packed with people in sparkling outfits, all waiting for the big moment when they would drift into the air. In the center of the room was a massive chandelier made of blue crystals. Cletus realized that the crystals weren't glass; they were the same material as the gravity-guzzlers, just on a much larger scale. It was a giant magnet for the city's weight."There it is," Cletus pointed. "The chandelier is the antenna. Sterling, get to work on that tablet."They moved through the crowd. Cletus did his best to look like he belonged, which was difficult considering he was accompanied by a floating woman with a toolbox and a boy in oversized goggles who was shivering. He intercepted a waiter and took a glass of sparkling water, purely for the sake of the disguise.As they reached the base of the chandelier, a tall man in a velvet suit stepped into their path. This was Marcus Vane, the owner of the tower and the man who had hired Sterling to "innovate" the party. He did not look happy to see a private investigator at his exclusive event."Is there a problem, Mr. Vance?" Marcus asked, his voice smooth and cold. "I don't recall inviting a man who smells like a basement and a woman who is currently defying the laws of physics. This is a private party for those who appreciate the finer things in life, not a refuge for the vertically challenged.""Your party favor is a public safety hazard, Marcus," Cletus said, not backing down. "You are stealing the physical weight of the citizens to entertain your friends. That is a felony in at least three jurisdictions, including this one. You're not just hosting a party; you're committing a massive energy heist."Marcus laughed, a sound that was as sharp as the glass around them. "It is progress. It is innovation. People have always wanted to fly. I am simply giving them what they desire. Besides, who is going to stop me? The police are currently stuck on the ground because their patrol cars are too heavy to fly. I've diverted the weight of the city into their engines."At that moment, the chandelier began to glow with an intense, blinding blue light. The transfer had begun. Beatrice felt a sudden, violent tug from the ceiling. The toolbox slipped from her hands and crashed into a dessert table. She shot upward like a cork from a bottle, heading straight for the crystal chandelier."Beatrice!" Cletus shouted. He lunged forward, grabbing her ankle just as she passed him. The force of her ascent nearly pulled him off his feet. He was now dangling from her leg as she drifted toward the ceiling, both of them rising above the heads of the shocked guests."Sterling, do it now!" Cletus yelled, his face turning red from the strain. "Reverse the flow or we're both going to be part of the lighting fixtures!"Sterling fumbled with his tablet, his fingers dancing across the screen. "I am trying! I have to bypass the security encryption! Marcus changed the settings! It is asking for a password!""Try 'Gravity'!" Beatrice screamed from above, clutching a crystal branch of the chandelier to stop her upward momentum.Sterling typed frantically. "No! That's not it! Incorrect password attempt one of three!""Try 'Vane'!" Cletus suggested, feeling his grip on her ankle slipping. "He's arrogant enough to use his own name!"Sterling typed again. "Yes! Access granted! I am reversing the polarity of the intake valves! I am sending the energy to the emergency batteries in the basement!"The blue light shifted to a deep, warm orange. The humming sound that had been vibrating in Cletus's teeth suddenly stopped, replaced by a low, melodic drone. For a heart-stopping second, everyone in the room felt a moment of total silence. Then, the weight returned.It didn't happen all at once. It was a slow, steady increase, like sinking into a soft mattress. Beatrice and Cletus descended gracefully, landing on their feet next to Sterling. All across the city, fifty people who had been floating in their kitchens or offices felt their feet touch the ground. The police cars regained their balance, and the water in the fountain fell back into its basin with a massive splash.The guests in the ballroom, who had been expecting to float, instead felt a little more solid than usual. They looked around, confused, as the blue crystals in the chandelier dimmed and went dark.Marcus Vane looked at his ruined party and then at Cletus. "You have no idea the enemies you have made tonight, Vance. This was supposed to be the event of the century."Cletus brushed the dust off his coat and straightened his tie. "I have a long list of enemies, Marcus. You can take a number and wait in line behind the guy who tried to turn the moon into a giant disco ball last year. But I would suggest you start looking for a good lawyer. I have a feeling the city is going to have a lot of questions about their missing gravity, and Sterling here is very chatty when he's nervous."Beatrice looked down at her feet, a wide smile spreading across her face. She stomped on the carpet just to hear the solid thud. "I'm heavy," she whispered. "I've never been so happy to be heavy in my entire life. I'm going to go home and eat a very large steak just to celebrate the existence of mass."Cletus walked her to the elevator, leaving Sterling to explain things to the authorities who were already arriving. As they descended, Cletus felt the familiar pull of the earth, a comforting, constant weight that reminded him he was exactly where he was supposed to be."I suppose I owe you a fee," Beatrice said as they reached the lobby. "And perhaps a new pair of shoes.""Buy me a coffee," Cletus replied. "A very large, very heavy coffee. And maybe a new clock for my office. The one I have is starting to tick sideways, and after today, I think I've had enough of things not working the way they should."They stepped out into the night, the lights of Orbit City twinkling above them, every single person firmly planted on the ground, exactly where they belonged.

Visit the “A Bedtime Story” show website to submit your story ideas for a future episode!Welcome to A Bedtime Story. I'm Matthew Mitchell, and tonight's story is titled The Floating Fountain, Part 2 of this week's series: The Case of the Vanishing Gravity.The Low-G Lounge was located so far underground that the patrons often forgot which way was north. It was a place where the walls were padded, mostly because the gravity was so inconsistent that a sneeze could send a person flying into a brick wall. The air was thick with the smell of old grease and ozone-free cleaning spray. Cletus and Beatrice arrived, the latter looking like a deep-sea diver with all the lead weights hanging from her waist. She walked with a heavy, clanking gait that drew several stares from the regulars.The bartender was a man named Gus Vex. He had arms the size of tree trunks and a face that looked like it had been carved out of an old tire. He was currently polishing a glass that didn't need polishing, watching a group of teenagers try to play pool while the balls drifted three inches above the felt. It was a frustrating game, but Gus didn't seem to mind as long as they paid for their sodas."Cletus," Gus grunted, his voice sounding like gravel in a blender. "I haven't seen you since the great magnetic reversal of twenty-four. Who is the anchor?""This is Beatrice," Cletus said, nodding toward his client, who was trying to sit on a stool without accidentally launching herself. "Someone put a guzzler on her shoe. I suspect there is a master collector somewhere in the district. Have you noticed any unusual spikes in the local grid? Or perhaps anyone coming in here with a suspiciously large amount of electrical equipment and a guilty conscience?"Gus stopped polishing and leaned over the bar. "The fountain in the plaza outside has been acting strange. It is a water fountain, but for the last three hours, the water has been forming perfect spheres and hovering in the air. The tourists think it is a new art installation, but I think the plumbing is confused. Also, my refrigerator started hummin' in a key that I'm pretty sure is illegal in this part of town. Everything is trying to move toward the center of the square."Cletus turned to Beatrice. "A gravity-vortex. If someone is collecting weight, they need a central hub to process the energy. A fountain is a perfect cover because it already has a constant flow of matter. They can hide the machinery in the pipes and use the water to mask the heat signature of the batteries."They left the bar and headed toward the Grand Plaza. The sight was indeed spectacular. Hundreds of gallons of water were suspended in the air, forming a shimmering, translucent forest of liquid globes. The sun caught the edges of the water, creating rainbows that danced across the faces of the onlookers. People were walking among them, poking the spheres and laughing as the water splashed onto their faces. It looked like a dream, but Cletus knew it was a nightmare for the city's structural integrity."Someone is very busy," Cletus muttered, pulling a small scanning device from his pocket. "Beatrice, stay close. If the vortex shifts, your paperweights might not be enough to keep you on the pavement. If you feel a sudden tug, grab onto that bronze statue of the mayor and don't let go."He followed the scan to the base of the fountain, where a series of thick, silver cables snaked into the maintenance hatch. He pried open the hatch and climbed down into the darkness. The space beneath the fountain was cramped and smelled of wet copper. In the center of the room was a machine that looked like a giant, glowing hourglass. Instead of sand, it was filled with swirling blue sparks. Every few seconds, the sparks would pulse, and Beatrice would let out a small yelp as she felt herself lift slightly off the ground.Working the controls was a young man with messy hair and goggles that were far too large for his face. He was wearing a lab coat that was covered in coffee stains and was humming a jaunty tune while tapping on a tablet. He looked more like a confused student than a master criminal."Excuse me," Cletus said, clearing his throat loudly. "I believe you have something that belongs to my friend. Specifically, her ability to stand on the floor without the assistance of lead fishing weights."The young man jumped, nearly dropping his tablet into a puddle. "Oh! I didn't think anyone would notice yet. I am Sterling, and I am conducting a very important experiment in social buoyancy. I'm a junior engineer at the academy, and I'm trying to prove that weight is just a mental construct enforced by the planet.""Social buoyancy?" Beatrice asked, leaning over Cletus's shoulder and glaring at the boy. "You turned me into a human kite for an experiment? I almost floated into a ceiling fan this morning! My cat thinks I'm a ghost!"Sterling nodded enthusiastically, seemingly oblivious to her anger. "It is for the upcoming Sky-Piercer Gala! The guests want to experience the thrill of weightlessness without the hassle of going into space. Space is so expensive, you know? I am just pre-loading the collectors. I have tagged about fifty people so far. It is all very scientific and mostly harmless. I chose people who looked like they needed a lift.""Mostly harmless?" Cletus asked, pointing to the glowing hourglass. "You are creating a localized gravitational vacuum. If that machine reaches critical mass, it won't just steal people's weight. It will start pulling the air out of the buildings. You are creating a miniature black hole in the middle of a shopping district. The 'lift' you are giving people is going to turn into a 'launch' very soon."Sterling blinked, his smile finally wavering as he looked at the readings on his tablet. "The manual didn't say anything about air. It just said it would create a festive atmosphere of lightness and joy. It said the energy would be recycled into the gala's disco ball.""The manual was likely written by someone who wanted to sell you a very expensive and very dangerous machine," Cletus said. "Now, tell me how to shut it down before we all become part of the ceiling decorations in the subway.""I can't," Sterling whispered, looking horrified as a red light began to blink on the hourglass. "I locked the sequence to prevent tampering. It is set to transfer all the collected gravity to the Sky-Piercer Tower in twenty minutes. If I stop it now, all that energy will snap back to the original owners at once. It would be like falling from a ten-story building while sitting in your living room."Cletus looked at Beatrice. If that happened, the sudden return of her weight would be catastrophic. They needed a more delicate solution. They needed to find a way to bleed off the energy slowly or find the tower and stop the reception from the other end."We have to go to the tower," Cletus decided, grabbing Sterling by the collar of his lab coat. "Sterling, you are coming with us. Bring your tablet and every manual you have. We have a gala to crash, and if we don't succeed, the guests are going to have a very heavy ending to their evening."