"Do I have the pleasure of addressing Mr. Charles Fitzgerald?"
I looked up to see a young man, obviously a Londoner, wearing a brown suit. I finished washing the blood from my hands and pulled the cap off my head, a cascade of chestnut brown hair falling past my shoulders. "Actually yes…but it is Catharina Fitzgerald."
"You're a woman." He said surprised.
"Oh, you were expecting a man?" I asked pulling my hair back from my face into a bun. "Well, what is it this time? Don't tell me we are being sent to kill the leader of the German forces, what is he now, a Chancellor? Dictator? Or we are being sent to recover the crown jewels. I can tell you right now I am not interested. All England has ever brought me is death."
"Mrs. Fitzgerald. The crown is in peril, the Empire about to fall…"
"What are you talking about? The sun never sets on the English empire…well that ended with the Americans. Long live the—what is he? Oh, yes, long live the President until next election."
"Mrs. Fitzgerald!" He said as I walked away from him looking over patients.
"What?" I asked turning to face him.
"I am talking a world war that will come to Europe, to England and the world. You may not care for England, but you do care about people."
I sighed. "I am a doctor, Mr.…?"
"Langdon."
"Yes, Mr. Langdon, I am a doctor, my first and foremost responsibility is to my patients. The men and women that are injured."
"Your skills, Mrs. Fitzgerald are needed to stop men and women like these ones from being killed. You have the experience we need in this mission."
I sighed. "Mr. Langdon, have you ever watched the people you love die?"
"No…" He said.
"Well, then you don't know what it is like to go on a mission for crown and country and see the people that you trust and people that you have sworn to protect die in your arms. I could do nothing to save them, all because crown and country ask it of me. This isn't the first time I have refused, but it will be one time I will not change my mind. Good day, Mr. Langdon."
"If you change your mind I will be at the Veyette Hotel."
I cried out as his lips traveled down my body. My hands ran through his long silky brown hair. The sweat poured from my body, the bedclothes were strewn everywhere. He let out a groan and grabbed my shoulders, I arched my back up, our bodies meeting and then parting.
I felt his body shudder and then a moan. "You did it again, Daniel." I sighed.
He wasn't moving as he lay on top of me. He let out a sigh. "I'm sorry, I just get so caught up that I forget about you."
"I know. Just try to remember next time." I said as he rolled off of me. "I need to use the convenience."
"Hurry back." He said lying on his back. For a moment I saw another man lying there. The same long silky brown hair…but Daniel was clean-shaven, the man in my memory had a mustache and goatee. I shook my head; I definitely did not want him back in my life. I went into the other room and saw to my needs. I was looking in the mirror and washing my hands when I heard voices in the bedroom. What the—? I opened the door and saw a man wearing armor and a strange rifle in his hands. The man had it pointed straight at Daniel as he sat there yelling at him not to shoot. The sound filled my ears and then the gun was aimed at me. I dove out of the way and grabbed my pistol that was lying on the dresser by the door. I fired at the man. I could tell he wasn't expecting this. They had only sent one…obviously they were idiots if they thought one man could kill me.
A bullet glanced off his armor. Bulletproof…definitely need to get my hands on one of those. The bullets were firing over my head. Automatic…need to see that too. I fired again, the man was firing too high, he evidently wasn't used to the weapon. Never fire a weapon at a live target unless you know how to use it and are intimately familiar. I rose up from behind the bed and shot. This time the bullet met its mark…the man's head. He dropped to the floor, the rifle dropping out of his hands. I walked over and stared down at the glazed eyes of the man and then I turned. I sighed agitatedly. Daniel sat there with his eyes open and a single shot to his chest. He had died before he even knew the gun had fired.
That was the final straw. They came into my home, they killed my lover, and they tried to kill me.
The night clerk looked at me as I came into the hotel. "May I help you, Miss?"
"Yes, kindly awaken Mr. Langdon and tell him Mrs. Fitzgerald is here to see him."
"Are you sure, Miss? It is very late." He said and his accent grew more pronounced as he spoke.
"Perhaps you didn't hear me." I said. "Awaken Mr. Langdon and tell him Mrs. Fitzgerald is here to see him." I leaned forward. "Or you will force me to be frustrated. You do not want me to be frustrated."
"Right away, Miss."
It was only 5 minutes before the clerk came back. "He says you may come up to his room. Room 24."
"Thank you." I said and I made my way up the stairs. When I came to the room I opened the door and went right in. Mr. Langdon was dressed and packing his suitcase. "Are we leaving immediately?"
He looked up. "It would be better, I have a feeling that you wouldn't be here if something weren't amiss."
"You might say that." I said sitting on the bed and dropping the armor and rifle beside me. "It seems you have some explaining to do."
He sighed. "I don't know much, but you have read the papers I am sure."
"Yes, it seems that everyone is blaming Germany for the recent events of death and chaos." I looked at him calculatingly. "For some reason it doesn't settle right, Germany may be a lot of things, but I do not believe they are behind this."
"You are correct, they are not. The man behind this is known as The Phantom. He designed the machines that you have seen and also those rifles and armor. A month ago he took scientists captive. For what reason we do not know, but the doctor in charge was working on Balloons with Hydrogen Gas in them."
"Yes, I have heard of this transportation."
"Mrs. Fitzgerald, from your discourses and essays, I know we aren't the only ones that are interested in your genius. You are the great-niece of Dr. Victor Frankenstein, are you not?"
"I am." I confirmed.
"You know the secrets of his work." He prompted.
"I do, but those secrets will not be made public. And why would he want me killed if I know these secrets?" I asked.
"Maybe he knows another way to get the information and with you dead no one will stand in his way." He mused.
"The secrets are in another place, but no one would find them if I was dead. He killed my lover and he tried to kill me. The man he sent is dead. The rifle and the armor were his. Don't worry the bodies were taken care of. No one will question two bullet wounds of an apparent duel. Now are we leaving?"
"Yes." He said shutting his suitcase. "You have packed?" He asked noting that I didn't have anything with me besides the rifle and armor.
"Of course." I said. "It is in my carriage and waiting outside."
"Then let us leave at once."