38

His time ruling the Ziggurat has prepared Stralchus for assassins; despite all your subtlety, he sees you coming, grabs your elbow, and shoves you toward the Crowned Serpent.

You collide with the huge man, and you both stumble toward the edge of the roof. Then he hits the parapet, picks you up, and throws you off the roof like you weigh less than a cat.

A deafening clang indicates that you've hit the tin roof just below. You see Stralchus running for the warehouse and stumble after him. The Crowned Serpent jumps down after the both of you.

"Get through the rift now!" Dr. Sabbatine says, her voice barely audible over the static. "I'll put everyone back where they came from and hope we can unmake this future."

The warehouse is cluttered with supplies and dust. You spot heavy locks and chains on the doors and boxes of what appear to be ammunition. Someone could start a revolution in here. Maybe someone did, and "Queen Victoria" executed them in a grim reversal of the events from your own world.

A side door suddenly bursts inward, and the police pour in, blowing their horrible whistles and flinging scraps of paper into the air. Most just have truncheons, but a few draw clunky-looking pistols.

It doesn't look like Stralchus will give them time to capture you: He grabs a crowbar from the ground and seems eager to dash your brains out with it.

The Crowned Serpent stalks toward you both, unafraid of firearms or the tiny, swarming men of London.