The Night Of The Grecian Urn
The stranger sipped his whiskey as he considered the cards he held before him. Brushing a hand across his mouth he looked at each man around the table as he considered his next move.
"I see your ten and raise you twenty," the newcomer to town tossed his money onto the growing pile and waited for his opponent's reaction.
"Mister either you're one hell of a card player or you're bluffing." Sam replied calmly.
"Now there's only one way ta find out ain't there?" He smiled as Sam studied him before shaking his head. "You take this one, stranger." The man pulled the money toward him and he was stopped by a hand on his arm. "Curiosity has me, friend…I want to see your cards." The man looked first at the hand on his arm then toward its owner.
"That'll cost you ten more."
"Come now, around here we're more neighborly than that." Sam regarded him sternly as the man tossed his cards into the pile of discards at the edge of the table.
"I'm not from around here." The man smiled as he stacked his winnings. Finishing his whiskey he scooped up his poke and began to put it in his pocket.
"You aren't leaving with all our money are you, friend?" One of the men at the table asked.
"Sorry gentlemen, but I have to get back to my hotel. I'm leaving on an early train in the morning. It's been a pleasure, gentlemen." The men around the table looked crestfallen at the lost chance to get their money back and no one noticed as one of the men at the table nodded toward the bar. Two men departed.
They followed the card player out of the saloon and toward his hotel. As they passed a gap between two buildings and they were joined by two more rather burly looking men. The ruffians kept following the man as they had been instructed, acting as if they were merely on their way to the next drink.
The stranger, also known as Artemus Gordon, was well used to being followed. He paid them no mind as he made his way down the street toward his hotel. Glancing in an occasional store window he could see their reflections. [i]The Colonel will be happy to get a report of the information I gathered at that game. Hopefully he'll be glad enough to overlook how I had to get the information. [/i]Shaking his head at his shadow's behavior he stepped off the boardwalk and began to cross the alleyway.
Suddenly he was jumped from behind and dragged into the alley. As he pulled free from the grasp of the would-be mugger, he turned to face him and found that his drunken followers were not so drunk after all. He swung at the man closest to him, knocking the thug back against the building.
Another attacker surged forward and struck Artie on the jaw, sending him sprawling backward into two waiting men. They each grabbed an arm and held him fast while the one that had been knocked back pushed off the building and wiped blood from the corner of his mouth. Glaring, he advanced on Artie as his cohorts held him tight.
His attacker's balled fist connected solidly with Artie's midsection, knocking the wind out of him. As his opponent pulled his arm back for another punch, Artie brought his legs up and used the men holding him to gain leverage as he kicked the advancing tough, sending him sprawling.
The two men tightened their grasps on him and roughly pushed him against the side of the building and began to pummel him with their fists. The agent fought back, striking the thug closest to him. In the struggle one of the thugs reached out to grab him and missed, pulling away part of their prey's beard. The man stared in shock at the whiskers he held in his hand.
Artie took advantage of their momentary shock to seek his escape. He pushed past them and was headed out of the alley when a man stepped out of the shadows…Artie stopped dead in his tracks. He was looking at a mirror image of himself! One of the men picked up a nearby crate and slammed it into Artie's back. They watched as he fell to his knees and then dropped the rest of the way to the ground. The faux Artemus smiled and laughed evilly as they loaded the unconscious Gordon into a wagon.
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Jim glanced at the clock and wondered where his partner was. Artie knew they had to be on their way by noon and it was nearly that now. [i]If we're late this time the Colonel will have our hides for sure, [/i]Jim thought as he went back to work cleaning their weapons. Outside a light rain began to fall unnoticed by the train's occupant.
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Artie tried to open his eyes but only the left one would fully cooperate. He attempted to reach up and investigate his injuries but found he was strapped to a table. Lifting his head he looked around the room and discovered he was in a laboratory. There was a table full of beakers, rubber hose lines and test tubes against one wall. Another wall housed large cupboards. Turning his head the other direction, Artie's eyes bulged. Hanging in one corner was an old and rusty Iron Maiden, and along that wall hung some rather archaic looking instruments. He was certain he didn't want to know what those were used for.
"Artemus, it's high time you were a bad guest and left unannounced." Artie wriggled his wrists trying to free himself.
"That would not be a wise thing to try, Mr. Gordon." A rotund figure walked into his line of sight.
"As pleasant as I'm sure your hospitality is I really must be going." Artie tried to lift his body against the confining straps.
"Oh I wouldn't think of it, Mr. Gordon. You are an honored guest, it wouldn't be proper if I let you leave before you got the full benefits of my hospitality." The man, small in stature, smiled evilly.
"I'm sure your special brand of hospitality is something to behold but my partner is expecting me, I really must leave." Artie smiled.
"Nonsense, I won't hear of it! You'll be staying with me for a very long time."
"Don't you think my partner will have something to say about that?" Artie glared.
"Oh, Mr. West won't be looking for you…I've seen to that." The portly man smiled, baring his yellowed and rather crooked teeth.
"What do you mean?' Artie asked, "I was supposed to return to the train soon, if I'm not back on time Jim will come looking for me." Artie informed him.
"Why would Mr. West look for his partner when he will be by his side as always?" The man replied cryptically.
"Huh? That man I thought I saw?" Artie was puzzled by the comment. The man laughed heartily.
"I will let my minion explain it to you." The man motioned with his hand, palm up, toward the side of the room.
A shadow fell over him and Artie turned his head to see who had made the silhouette and found himself staring…into his OWN face again! Artie looked from this replica that would have fooled his own mother to the man standing on the other side of him.
"Just what are you trying to pull? Jim would never fall for a ruse like that." Artie said with more conviction than he was feeling.
"Oh I have been studying you, Mr. Gordon. I am confident that I know you better than you know yourself. My Gordon has learned everything I could find out about you. And he has even been fitted with all the proper scars." The man bounced on his heels, pleased with himself.
"Jim will know…Jim will know." Artemus whispered, trying to make himself believe his words.
Artie looked at his 'host' with disdain. [i]This guy is a new one, Artie thought. I have been wracking my brain and I can't think of where I might have seen him before. [/i] He watched as the man checked his tubes and lines, his odd mannerisms made him seem so out of place not to mention his style of dress. As his host turned around Artie noted the strange, far away look in his eye as he approached the table.
"You know, I've tried to place you but I don't think we've met. You don't even look familiar." Artie tried to strike up a conversation.
"You do know me, Mr. Gordon. I know that I am mortal and the creature of a day; but when I search out the massed wheeling circles of the stars, my feet no longer touch the earth, but, side by side with Zeus himself, I take my fill of ambrosia, the food of the gods." The man smirked and waited for Artemus to respond.
"You can not be the man that quote is attributed to." Artie stared at him.
"I assure you I am indeed he." The man look at him offended.
"Impossible. Ptolemy lived and died over 1,400 years ago. You, sir, are NOT he."
"Oh but I am, Mr. Gordon. I have studied every known aspect of Ptolemy's life and work until I have become he." The man puffed his chest out proudly.
"Well, I hardly think the real Ptolemy would approve of your methods." Artie wriggled his hands in emphasis. "From what I recall Ptolemy was a mild tempered man…treating an honored guest in this manner was beneath him." Artie spat.
"One must adjust certain aspects of one's nature to fit his current adversary, Mr. Gordon. And my research has told me you are a force to be reckoned with so I took no chances nor spared any expense in obtaining and containing you."
"Why? What do you hope to gain by putting an imposter in my place?" Artie hoped to keep Ptolemy's attention trained on his face as his hands continued to work on his bonds as he wondered how his partner was faring with his doppelganger.
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Jim glanced up as the door from the platform opened and his partner stumbled through. Jim jumped up and helped Artemus over to the settee. He helped him out of his jacket and left the parlor. Grabbing a wash basin and a cloth Jim hurried back into the parlor to find Artemus looking around somewhat confused. Jim knelt beside his partner and proceeded to clean the cuts and wash the dirt off his face. Artemus looked like he had definitely seen better days.
"Who did this, Artie?" Jim asked concerned.
"I…I don't know." Artemus winced when Jim wiped a cut near his eye. "I was walking along the boardwalk heading for my hotel and I was jumped. The next thing I remember is waking up in a back alley and then I came here." Artemus reached up with his left hand and took the towel from Jim.
"How many were there?" Jim asked as he poured more water into the basin.
"I'm not sure three…maybe four. They pulled me into the alley and just started hitting me."
Jim moved to the hidden panel and popped it open and grabbed the communication tube. With his back to his partner Jim didn't see the astonished look that crossed Artemus' face. He listened intently as Jim appeared to be speaking to the engineer telling them to head toward their destination.
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