The Quarter ,
Paris. June 28th,1898.
Dear Bond ,
Mina and Dupin gasped in horror at the creature before them. It roared like an animal.
We believe we have located the gentleman that we were sent to find. He had a flat in the Rue Richelieu, not far from the notorious Rue Morgue.
In it's left hand the creature held a cane. In it's right it held the unconscious Quatermain.
during our visit, (to my mind highly overrated as a legendary hero) was overcome almost immediately. Fortunately my contact the chevalier Dupin though elderly proved to be made of sterner stuff...
and shot the creature in the face.
Dupin withdrew his pistol and the shot went off with a bright light like an eruption of fire as the creature roared. the weapon in question was a pepper box revolver, obsolete even mores then Quatermain's own which he had used to dispense of the men in Egypt. Once a man went as far as to pul the trigger all bets were might dispense one chamber, or two or all, either way there was no safer place to be than behind it, And unfortunately behind it the creature was not.
The shot at point blank made the beast pause and he inspected his right ear to find it mostly shot off, smoking and blood trickling down to stain his red scarf. He roared in rage, once more exposing his sharp teeth.
Hyde:You little shit!
He cowered over them and they stood in fear as the beast dropped Quatermain and walked forward, leaving him behind.
Blowing half his ear off served only to further irritate the monster. He stepped forward with his cane raised like a club.
Luckily, by this time had to some small degree regained his composure.
Allan leaped forward and grabbed the creature by the head with his left hand and attempted to grab the neck with the other. The creature let out a roar,desperately trying to shake him but the great white hunter had wrestled game far stronger than a human before, he knew it was in technique and not in true strength where he aging body had the advantage.
Hyde:URRROORGH!Let go of me! Let go I say!I'll eat your head! I'll tear your stomach out you little maggot! I'll...
He was silenced as Quatermain shoved the tip of the bottle into his mouth. He let out now only gurgles which in their delivery seemed confused and then panicked yet where also mixed with the swallowing of liquid.
"Glugugh?"
The bottle went further into its mouth almost, entirely vanishing creature's eyes bulged out of his head. An unknown substance poured from its mouth be it either the liquid within or the beast's saliva no one could say. It now belowed out moans.
"Nnk" "Nnk" "Gnnk"
Dupin had his revolved out again.
Dupin:One side Mademoiselle! I have a shot at him!
Mina:No! You'll hit Quatermain!
The creature finally reached Allan and grabbed him, hurling him tumbling upside down across the room where he head smashed into the top of a mirror which flash the beast's own reflection back at him,meancing and reaching forward. He still could not speak, only letting out noises.
"HRRUARRGH!"
It then began to cough and spit out the contents of the bottle which appeared to be white foam. In such pain did he appear to be that no mind was paid to the two other intruders until the beast almost lazily raised his head to look at them while in a coughing fit.
"PFAHH!" "PFUGGH!"
Mina:Now Dupin! Shoot him now!
The beast regained its more manlike composure and stood upright and walked forward with a glare at practically slapped the gun out of Dupin's hand, which fired but missed. Dupin let out a yell.
Hyde:Bastards...Little Bastards.
the giant frame still wavered and almost tumbled backwards.
Hyde:Posioned me...You've poisoned me, you little bastards...
Dupin:Mademoiselle! the Gun!
Mina saw it and made a break for it while the effects of the liquid effected the beast. It steadied itself by grabbing the curtains nearest growled its white sharp canines as it foamed, blood trickling down it's large nostrils.
Hyde:Wh-Whore! B-Bloody stinking whore...I'-I'll shove that...sh-shove it..
It's eyes rolled back into it's head and the body fell backwards.
"URRRGhuhhhhhhhhh"
And the beast crashed through the window, holding in it's hand the curtain while shards of glass reigned down upon it and Paris was bathed in a beautiful purple night illuminated by yellow lights. It crashed onto the stone road and fell motionless.
Chapter Two:Ghosts & Miracles
"Mon Dieu. What a we killed it?"
"I-I don't know. We'd best go down and find out for ourselves."
Mina walked down the stairs, then Dupin and then Quatermain,who was grabbing his head
Quatermain:What happened? did we get it?
Dupin:We shall see. Let us hope that your Laudanum did the trick.
Mina:Laudanum? We shall have words about this later, .
Quatermain:I...look, a chap's entitled to a few mistakes! besides...
Mina:I said we shall talk later sir. Let us first see what damage this brute has sustained.
she approached the eyes were open and a lifeless white while the carnivorous jaws hung open and yet smoked and bubbled with chemicals. Dupin leaned down and checked the beast's pulse.
dupin:hmmph. All too little, it would seem. It's breathing, and no bones are broken.
Quatermain used an umbrella to poke it and then wrapped the handle around its neck.
Quatermain:But Look at it! What on earth is it?
Mina:It...He...Didn't look like that when he approached me earlier.
Quatermain:What are you saying?
Mina:That he changed. I couldn't really take it in. Monsieur Dupin? We need to get this thing down to the waterfront...
Dupin: I know people here. I'll find us a cart.
Throughout the proceeding there was the fear the beast would awaken but it did not during the process of wrapping it in a tarp and placing it in a cart which was promptly pushed by Quatermain while Mina walked in front of it down the street and Dupin kept an eye from further down, shadows concealing his entire visage save for his nose, though his bowler hat was still visible. He rejoined the group as they approached before the visage of Nemo's submersible which triggered a reaction from Dupin as he and Mina turned a corner to see it.
Dupin:My is the Nautilus non? I never thought I might live to see it.
Mina:You recognized it quickly, sir. Your knowledge is indeed compendious.
Dupin:What I don't know I can deduce. that turbanned man for instance, that is Captain Nemo,yes? And you were the wife of Jonathan Harker were you not.
Mina:There were certain events...
Dupin:Last year in England, Yes I know. I read a lot.
He leaned forward and kissed her hand. Allan and Nemo waited onboard the Nautilus,standing in the doorway in shadow.
Dupin:Goodbye, Mademoiselle, You're very brave. I hope we meet again.
He watched and waited until the Nautilus was gone from sight.
Having secured the subdued beast aboard the Nautilus,we took our leave. I am convinced that this appalling creature is none other than the missing Doctor we were seeking despite all appearance to the contrary. You informed me, , that he'd vanished from London some 12 years ago after a scandal and was feared a suicide. You however, thought that he might be in Paris. You were right.
Nemo had the beast chained up to a table as he inspected it yet kept it alive. Mina and Allan watched nervously. Nemo was many things and a surgeon was among them.
Which brings me to my question. Just how much precisely did you previously know of Jekyll? Why was I not fully briefed?
Mina,Allan and Nemo entered the room, their visages reflected in a mirror placed behind a man in ripped clothes identical to that of the beast. He seemed almost skeletal and had his hand to his ear pulling what appeared to be nerves from the hole with a look of complete fear.
I only learned his full name when he woke complaining of his missing ear. I need only say the man who woke was not the man we put to sleep. I think you understand me.
Nemo and Allan were preoccupied with Jekyll. Allan held out with his hand, holding the elongated bloody nerve which extended a disturbing amount from the Doctor's former ear. Nemo was about to take a large pair of scissors and cut the nerve. At least it appeared to Mina to be a nerve. It may have been simply stretchy blood or a piece of the ear itself given knew malleable form. The doctor was screaming throughout the whole procedure, not only in pain but in fear.
So, A pirate, a drug addict, and a changeling. Clearly, you think much of me to place me in such company. Hopefully an explanation and apology will be forthcoming on our imminent return to London.
I remain, sir, yours,
Sincerely,
Wilhelmina, Harker.
the Nautilus undocked and out stepped Mina,Allan and Nemo. Campion Bond waited for them with a cane in hand.
Campion Bond: Miss Harker, Welcome back to dear old blighty, I see you succeeded in locating poor old Allan Quatermain and our alarming little doctor friend. My employee Mr.M is more than pleased. You really have done awfully well.
Mina: In six weeks, , I have been almost killed on two occasions. If this affords delight to your monogrammatic superior, Holmes then I am, you may be sure, immensely comforted.
Above them large cranes lifted great objects. Among them a train with the number 5 upon its side and a large mechanical elephant. Nemo eyed the object, a device used by the British during their Sojourns into India.
Campion Bond: A waspish tongue,Miss Harker is to my mind but one of the many unattractive features of the modern suffragette.
Bond turned and walked towards a new man standing in front of two police officers. A man in a brown suit with a black mustache.
Campion Bond:Inspector Donovan? If you and your men will attend to her companions, Miss Harker and I have matters to discuss.
Donovan saluted.
Donovan:Right you are,sir.
Bond and Mina separated from the group.
Campion Bond: Don't be concerned. Your friends will be in safe hands with Inspector Donovan. Splendid chap. Solved the Hetty Duncan murder single-handedly, don't you know? Oh by the way, let's not have anymore loose speculation as to Mr.M's identity. It isn't your concern.
Mina:Even when I'm risking my life for him?
They were now walking through a construction yard. Filled with busy hands and heavy machinery.
Campion Bond: These are dangerous times for everyone, Miss Harker. Since the great detective's death seven years ago, the empire's enemies have seized the opportunity. Don't you read the papers? Robur, the terrorist has issued vague threats from his hidden stronghold. Prime Minister Plantaganet Palliser is responding in the house today.
They now walked through the busy streets of and homeless people, though one would have difficulty in separating the two huddled in the streets, leaned in doorways, crawled out of windows, and in one instance lay motionless with their upper body submerged in a stream of water.
Campion Bond: Then, of course the astronomer Lavell has noticed bursts of incandescent gas coming from Mars...Oh and you may have read the Reverend Septimus Harding's attack upon the so called Miracles at Miss Coote's school in Edmonton.
Mina:Having been confined within a submarine, I've read very "miracles" would these be?
Campion Bond:That of the immaculate conception; of impregnation by the holy spirit...and on this occasion it would seem the holy spirit has outdone itself.
They entered a less open area where men nearby smoked and drank from metal mugs.
Campion Bond: These are three school girls at Miss Coote's somewhat disreputable academy who, though virgins, find themselves in, shall we say, a somewhat delicate condition.
Mina:How does this concern me?
Campion Bond: I suspect that it concerns the next man that we need to recruit for our parade of curiosities. I have his dossier for you here: A former student at the university of London, supposedly diseased last year. His name is Hawley ...Miss Harker? Are you listening?
Mina: uh...Forgive me sir. I was distracted for a moment by my memories. The name of that establishment across the street...
Campion Bond: I've heard it's an outstanding inn. What is it that disturbs you about...?
He paused for a moment to come to a realization.
Campion Bond:Ah. of course. Nasty associations,eh? No matter. Let's rejoin your crewmates.
He guided her away towards a doorway and away from the sign for the Prospect of Whitby pub.
Campion Bond:...And be assured that whatever your comrades find in Edmonton could not compare with what was found in...in that other place. Not really. Come. Our way is back down here...
The Nautilus
The night sky was dark. The "eye" of the Squid fashioned on the exterior of the Nautilus glowed. She was being loaded like a warship with torpedoes and mines being lifted by cranes. Nemo himself watched on an elevated platform. All his original crewman has perished and he hated to have Englishman touching his marvelous craft, unless of course he permitted it. In his old age he had loosened on his hatred for the empire, so much so that he had non indian crewmen, who he had permitted to join him following his supposed death,because like him they had been victims of circumstance.
Nemo returned to the Nautilus, finding Mina looking through papers he deduced to be files on their next target. Quatermain leaned on an armchair with a glass of wine in his right hand and a cigar in his left. Impatient, but being too dignified to show it, he crossed his arms and addressed Mina.
Nemo:Well? Do we have any idea what sort of horror this Bond Chap is setting us to capture this time?
Mina:Scarecely, a man was murdered by a mob in Hintondean,west Sussex, just last year after he allegedly became invisible through the use of a serum of his own invention. It's assumed he was one Hawley Griffin. The man is described as being "almost an albino" with "pink and white face and red eyes", except that judging from his university records, Griffin was no 's terribly bizarre.
Allan:Where does this Edmonton girl's school fit in?
Mina: I'm not sure. Bond seems to believe there's some connection. It could be a dead end. The three of us will go to Edmonton tomorrow and investigate.
Nemo:What about Jekyll?
Mina:Jeky'lls being taken from us for some tests. it's hoped that sedatives might ease his strange condition...
Nemo: Or control it. is no philanthropist I fear.
Nemo stood below his large painting of the Dreaded black one, Kali. Motherhood in its destructive aspect, killing and devouring the life it produces. The blue entity had piercing black eyes. The motto hung open, showing a top row of sharp teeth and a large curling tongue. There was a row of two necklaces made of skulls. She had four arms each held a scimitar. Large sagging breasts were on its chest and going from the neck to the stomach was a row of human head and a skirt composed of severed arms. The goddesses feet stood on a pile of skulls.
Nemo: I fear he collects monsters.
Edmonton, North London, July 3rd, 1898.
The League's carriage passed a sign marking Miss Rosa Coote's correctional Academy for Wayward Gentlewomen. the building itself was a grotesque example of modern art. the building was peached colored and the roofs were a deeper pink. The center of the building was sculpted into the shape of a buttocks while the entrance was in the shape of a hand. At the entrance was the german word Shadenfreude. Mina's inner teacher kicked in.
Mina:Shadenfreude is german. It means "to take pleasure in one's suffering".
Quatermain:Handy word that.
Mina was the first to step out of the carriage and she was greeted by the headmistress. She was pale, as if she wore white makeup and black hair curled in a bun. She had a purple dress and a corset with the straps going down her back. She had an immense outward cleavage of a large enough size that Mina was taken aback.
"Ah! You will be Ms. Harker, and what a firm, womanly figure you present."
She grabbed Mina's chin a sir inspecting a specimen and Mina felt uncomfortable.
"I am Rosa Belinda Coote"
Mina: Charmed. this is my, uh, Husband, ...and this is our manservant.
Nemo rolled his eyes and climbed up on the stagecoach to grab the luggage, hating his assigned role but being professional enough to not outwardly complain about it. Quatermain thought he was too old for her but he tipped his hat to .
:How adorable! I understand you plan to lodge your daughter here, and so wish to inspect the place. Quite understandable, though I assure you I've maintained the same exacting standards as my predecessor, Miss Flaybum.
The carriage driver from the company of Barkis and sons, took off.
Mina: I-I'm sure you have...Although there has, of course, been mention lately of the school...
:ah! You mean our three immaculate conceptions! Isn't it thrilling? It attracts so much attention here, we're obliged to decorate!
The interior had tarps and painting supplies everywhere. There was a statue of a female centaur, with exposed breast and a knife in one hand. As showed Mina the statue. Nemo and Allan spoke to one another.
Nemo:This is insufferable! to play the manservant, like some low-caste punkah-Wallah...
Allan:You think I like playing that Harpy's husband any better? We must suffer it as best we can and think of England.
Mina followed , seeing several students pass through.
Mina: It must disrupt your routine, having decorators here?
:Oh, we don't let it! You see here at Coote's we rather pride ourselves upon our discipline. Strictness and Discipline Miss Harker...that's the key to everything!
They passed a room which Mina had to stop and lean in to make sure what she saw was real. One of the teachers was whipping the exposed Buttocks of one of the students while another held her arms down.
"Take that, Olive Chancellor, you willful girl! and that! we'll soon thrash your independent American ways out of you!
Olive Chancellor: Ahhh! Mercy! Miss Carr! I am dying! Aah!
They passed.
Mina:...um...Wasn't that teacher being awfully harsh?
: oh that's Katy...Our Miss Carr. She's a great believer in "The School of pain." Frankly, sometimes we don't know what she's going to do next!
Mina:I see. and these supposed visitations from the Holy Spirit, are they equally unpredictable?
: Well, you'd have to ask one of our little mothers...Like Miss Randall of Riverboro, Maine, over there.
There was a young woman there visibly pregnant, wearing the school uniform with a straw school hat over her long blonde hair.
:Miss Randall, meet . Your experience has aroused her interest.
Miss Randall: It was the durnedest thing, Ma'am. the holy spirit just sorta entered into me. If it's a girl, I'm namin it Becky, like me.
: You see? Perfectly serene about the whole affair...Even if she was a little hysterical at the time.
She turned away.
: Come. since you asked to stop over at the school, I'll show you the guest rooms. They're just past the senior girl's dormitory. As you see. We've decorators working here as well.
Indeed there was. Wallpaper was peeling off and the stench of white paint filled the air.
:Strangely enough, it's this wing that all of our little miracles have hailed from. The holy spirit seems to favor it. Your rooms are through here.
The door was opened.
: There. A double room for you and , with an adjoining single for your dusky, strapping manservant. If you should need anything during the night, my room is on the first floor, next to the floggery. Don't bother knocking. Otherwise, I'll see you all at breakfast. Cheerio for now.
She departed, closing the door behind her. Now with the three of them alone. Mina felt free to express her thought.
Mina:What a dreadful woman...and she runs her school like a bordello! No doubt the decorators are to blame for her student's "miraculous" condition!
The words "Peine forte et dure" were carved on the wood of the bed, a form of getting someone to plea guilty or not guilty by placing heavy stones on the body to force out a plea, going back to Salem, where one Giles Corey was crushed to death, when accused of being a witch. His only utterance was simply "More Weight".
Some people are just stubborn that way.
Nemo: It's a ridiculous charade! the sooner we have a good night's sleep and can be gone from here, the better. You, of course, will take the single room.
Later...
Nemo sat on the bed with his arms crossed. Quatermain sat on a wooden chair in the small land otherwise empty room.
Quatermain:women.
Nemo:Women are hardly my strong point, . No doubt you're more familiar with them.
Quatermain: I...I had a wife once and a son. I buried both of them. Nemo what are we doing here?
Nemo:Ha! Yes, it's curious, isn't it? the great colonialist and the great colonial rebel. For my part, if I'm honest, I'm here because I wanted another adventure.
Quatermain: Yes. It's hard to stop, isn't it? When we stop we start to fall apart we...
AAAA!
OHHHH!
The scream made the men jump. they entered the room to see Mina.
Quatermain:Miss Harker...? What was that awful moaning?
Mina: I don't know. It sounded as if it came from the room down the hall.
Quatermain:But that's the senior girls' dormitory! They're probably just doing something beastly like thrashing each other, or...
A girl ran by screaming and yelling.
"oh, Mercy! do come quickly! It's here again! It's got Polly!"
Mina grabbed the girl and put supporting hands on her shoulders.
Mina:What? What are you saying? Who's Polly and what's got her?
"Pollyanna! The Holy Spirit! She's being seized by it!
She rose a finger in front of her.
Several girls had gathered around a girl floating in the air, all clad in nightgowns. She was screaming.
Pollyanna:Ohh! AHHHH! oh GODDD...
the League was taken aback and all gazed with wide eyes.
Mina:good Heavens.
"AAOOHH!"
Mina:She's being attacked! It must be some kind of Supernatural creature...
Quatermain:Miss Harker, be careful...
Mina grabbed Pollyanna from the shoulders and began top all her down.
Mina:AAH! Quatermain, there's something here! something's got hold of her!
Pollyanna:Oh! Oh!
Quatermain: I'll help you...
Mina pulled Pollyanna down and the two fell backwards to the ground.
Quatermain:Good god, you're right! I can feel something! It's like naked skin!
Quatemrain appeared to be holding nothing.
Quatermain: I've got it, but it's struggling! It's hard to hold on when I can't see what it's...
! look out!
a lamp was lifted off a table and slammed into Quatermain's forehead. He let out a yell of pain.
Nemo:Here! Let me grab it!
Nemo grabbed something.
Nemo:there! I've got it! I've got my hands around its throat!
He looked almost like he was looking a this own hands.
Nemo:By divine Shiva, what is it? I can feel it writhing, but...
Nemo was hit by something, his nose was pressed against his face and blood splattered out of his nose. Nemo let out a groan of pain. the Indian let go and grabbed his nose, with his other hand he pointed down the hallway.
Nemo:someone stop it! don't let it get out of the room! Miss Harker where are you?
Mina:I'm here?
Mina was holding a bucket and standing at the end of the hallway in a purple and black striped robe and her red scarf still on. She through herself and the bucket of paint forward, pouring its contents of white paint outwards where it splashed against the air and took a masculine silhouette.
Allan and Nemo ran to a place behind Mina. All stared in surprise. the silhouette looked a itself, covered in white painted yet still floating.
"Blast! Damn you to hell you...!
Quatermain:There it is! It can talk! somebody do...
Mina threw the empty paint can at the part of the entity's head that was visible. It clanged and then fell to the floor.
Quatermain:something?
Mina:there.
An awkward silence filled the air before finally being broken by the League rushing to restrain the invisible fiend.
Mina:Well, whatever it is we have it. Somebody fetch me a blanket to cover it with, and send out for a coach back to wapping.
Quatermain:I'll handle that.
;Why goodness me! Whatever's going on? I...I was just entertaining Lord and Lady Pokingham when we heard the most fearful uproar. Wh-What is that beneath the blanket?
Quatermain was putting the blanket over the unconscious figure.
Mina:Nothing that need trouble you,Miss Coote. We've bagged your "holy spirit."
:Wh-what do you mean?
Mina: I mean regretfully that I've deceived you. I am no prospective parent but an agent of the crown sent here to trap your spectral visitor.
Allan and Nemo carried the "Holy Spirit".Nemo in particular looked like he was holding nothing while Allan had the advantage of the sheet covering his hands.
Mina:Now, you have an injured girl...
Pollyanna: Oh I'm fine, ma'am. Although I've been mishandled by a demon. I'm determined to remain optimistic, no matter what.
;Dear Pollyanna! such a plucky child!
Mina:uh, yes. well, in that case, I'll join my colleagues.
the carriage arrived and Allan and Nemo moved the body on board.
:Leaving us already? but your stern manner fits in so perfectly as Coote's. You must visit again.
Mina, happy to be believing, no longer held back her disgust.
Mina:Frankly madam, I rather doubt it. A good evening to you.
the carriage Coote stood in the entrance, illuminated in light while all around her was stood close and hugged her waist. Mina lifted her head up in disgust as the stage coach drove away into the night.
the British Museum, Bloomsbury, London. July 5th, 1898.
The greek inspired building stood tall with marble columns.
"Well? How do you like your new headquarters here in the secret Annexe, Miss Harker?"
Quatermain leaned in to expect the stone wall and hieroglyphs. There was a statue of what appeared to be a zombielike Pharaoh, with a thin figure and exposed teeth and ribcage with a scarab. The aged explorer believed the statue was of corrupt Pharaoh Nephren-Ka,a ruler so horribly and supernaturally demonic that the Egyptians tried to erase him from history. Allan recognized some of the sculptures and labels pointing to "Ayesha" an immortal ruler of the African city of Kor. She and Allan had met in an adventure that saw not only Quatermain meeting his close friend, the Zulu warrior Umslopogaas,who saved him from a lion. Ayesha allowed her to at least see his wife and child again. Despite this, Allan remained skeptical of the existence of the supernatural, but that had since changed.
Mina:It seems comfortable enough.
Mina and Nemo stood a distance away. Nemo was admiring the objects from a distance.
,when is Henry Jekyll to be returned to us? And what of the fiend we caught in Edmonton?
Campion Bond:Why, they're both here already. We have them safe in observation chambers, fitted with a two-way looking glass. You can see them if you wish...
Campion Bond approached a steel door with a see through glass window. Inside was a floating pair of robes and pants the made up the shape of a figure with the legs crossed, holding a floating cigarette and a cup of tea while resting on an chair.
Campion Bond:Here, for example, is you Edmonton discovery, His name is Hawley made himself invisible last year. He'd also secretly made a halfwit albino man invisible first, as a guinea pig. It was the albino man who was subsequently kicked to death by an enraged west Sussex mob, mistaken for Griffin.
The group entered a new part of the closed a steel door with a wheel on it, as if closing the group within a safe.
Campion Bond:Griffin, meanwhile, fled to Edmonton and made himself very comfortable in Miss Coote's school. Inspector Donovan questioned him earlier. He thinks Griffin will cooperate with us in return for a pardon and a possible cure for his condition.
Nemo observed the skull of a giant in the museum. He read the plaque on the platform that it was on. It stated the tit belonged to a creature called a Brobdigngnagian, along with a lengthy description of an adventure involving it and then its features. This included a sketch of a living model and a photograph of a group of people Nemo did not recognize posing in front of the giant's corpse like hunters in front of a captured Big Game. To the right of it was what Nemo could make out as several small figures such as a man, a child and a wagon. the figure was dressed in precolonial attire. To the right was a human looking skull that looked angry with narrowed eyes and clenched looking teeth. the plaque was readable and stated it as a Male Yahoo with the scientific name below it as Homo Gulliverus.
Nemo:What of Jekyll? He did not seem an evil man...
Campion Bond led them to another area much like the one before. this one had the creature Hyde locked up in a straight jacket with chains binding him. He sat in front of a desk with Donovan and a bunch of papers.
Campion Bond: Oh Jekyll is a highly moral individual, you may be sure. Mr. Edward Hyde, on the other hand, is very different.
Donovan: Sir. I'm going to ask you again. If we were able to affect a cure for your condition...
The creature roared, spraying saliva on Donovan's forehead to his annoyance.
Hyde:A cure? You'll cure me, will you, like a wart on Jeky'll's arse? Why you self important little turd! Unfasten these confounded straps. I'll snap your neck in two!
Donovan was completely unfazed by this and resumed speaking a sir he was not interrupted.
Donovan:That would hardly be very wise of me, would it sir? Now with regard to a possible royal pardon...
Campion Bond:hmmph. Donovan's doing his best, but this fellow's a tough nut to crack. An Extraordinary case altogether...
Campion Bond began walking down a hallway.
Campion Bond:Jekyll first devised a potion that would release his darker self...Edward Hyde...Back in 1886. when Hyde's crimes necessitated Jekyll's disappearance he faked a suicide and fled to Paris. In the decade since then, Jeky'll's Metabolism's altered. He no longer needs the potion to become Hyde. Any stress will do it.
Mina turned to look at objects at the corner they passed. There was a stone with what seemed to be an "A" and an S" written upon it. She attempted to read the plaque but succeeded only in making out the name: Arne Saknussemm. The next object was a wooden imitation of a prehistoric fish called an Ichthyosaur. The Plaque mentioned something about the Lindenbrock Sea, and the year 1864.
Nemo:Then how can he be of use to us? , you haven't told us why it was decided to bring such Ill-suited individuals together in the first place, what is our purpose?
Campion Bond: An excellent question, Captain, and one which I was about to address. Please follow me through here.
Campion Bond turned and entered through a doorway.'
He opened the door.
Campion Bond:...Where I would like to introduce you to Sewlyn Cavor.
Inside the room was a large table with a man sitting at one of the farthest seat. He wore a yellow and black striped cap with black hair going down to his sides as had a black mustache, Under his brown coat was a white sweater and a tie matching the black and yellow of his hat. He had apparently, broken a pencil in half while fidgeting with it in his right hand.
The Professor is in charge of England's proposed Lunar Expedition
He now addressed the man.
Campion Bond:Professor these are the operatives I spoke of.
The Professor seemed very nervous and spoke quickly.
Sewlyn Cavor:Will they get my Cavorite back? If they don't we'll have to delay the project!
Allan's eyes widened?
Allan:Wait a moment. Did you just say "Lunar Expedition"?
Campion Bond:Absolutely, all hush-hush, of course. It is planned for 1900, to mark the dawn of the twentieth Century.
Sewlyn Cavor tugged at his sweater collar.
Sewlyn Cavor: We'll never make that launch date now! My Cavorite-the Anti Gravity material that I'd invented...Has been stolen!
He turned to Campion Bond. Mina began to walk forward with the men continuing to speak around her.
Sewlyn Cavor:I could make more, but not by the proposed End-of-the-Century Celebrations.
Campion Bond stroked his beard while rolling his eyes.
Campion Bond:That's true. However, what troubles my employer Mr.M is the fact that parties unknown now possess the Cavorite.
Allan:Y-You mean that England's enemies might now be able to create...I don't know...Flying Machines of some sort?
Campion Bond:Precisely what I mean.
Campion Bond turned away and handed Quatermain a paper. Nemo smoked a cigar, Allan looked at the paper while holding a cigarette between his fingers. Mina however had walked out of the room and into another one nearby.
Campion Bond:The idea that some rival nation...say, for instance, Germany...might soon be capable of subjecting England to an aerial bombardment with explosives is unthinkable. Imagine, then, our great distress when a notorious German air-pirate named Captain More was first suggested as a suspect.
From the room she was in, Mina could hear the conversation, despite her focus being elsewhere.
Nemo: I have heard of More. He is a Dangerous Man.
Campion Bond:He is, indeed. However, it transpires that he is not our culprit. The man who is now in possession of the favorite and thus the key to gravity itself, is someone far, far worse.
Mina looked passed a headless statue which bore the name of Ayesha. Nearby there was an open tomb containing a mummy. The tomb read in english the name: Count Allamistakeo. This also did not fully catch Mina's attention.
She was instead attracted to a drawing. It appeared to be a group sketch of six individuals. The first was an elderly man with a cane. small animals and even people appeared to be moving about his thin almost skeletal legs. The name under him was L. Gulliver. The next man was a man in a top hat and a suit, raising a monocle to his head, next to him was a woman with a fancy dress, a hat, and a fan. The name under the two was given as Sir Percival and Lady Blackney. the next figure wore a large back coat and was drawn as a silhouette with menacing eyes and a scarecrow like hat. He had pistols in his hands and he posed by crossing them. The name nuder him read "The Reverend ". Mina could not imagine how someone as terrifying like that could be a Reverend. She imagined the figure in the coat with his face concealed giving menacing sermons in a dark gravely voice. The next was a large breasted woman that stepped forward, pulling back her dress and exposing a leg. The name under her marked " Mistress Hill". the final figure was dressed like Davy Crockett complete with a fur hat, a tomahawk at his hip and a musket as tall as he was by his side. The name under him was " ". The final written word was "Est.1787".
Nemo:Worse than Mors? Is that conceivable?
Campion Bond's attention was directed towards Mina and he approached her, appeared in the glass of the framed turned around to face him.
Campion Bond: That picture is a bit in error. The League within it was founded in 1787 but the sketch was done much later, the group was different then, so were the ages, and Sir Percy and Lady Blackeney were not married then.
Mina turned to face him.
Mina:We're not the first League?
Campion Bond: You are the Fourth. You're successors are around you.
She stood back and gazed upon the paintings around her. A Steel mechanical elephant in India, a grotesque man dressed in robes with the name of Sapathwa. A young boy named Jack Harkaway, a man with distinct facial hair named Phileas Fogg. A mustached man with long hair named Sir Francis Varney, a portrait of the mummy on the tomb except his eyes were open and he appeared to be smiling, causing Mina to turn to look at the corpse in horror and then back to the painting. Nemo spotted a painting of the Nautilus destroying a ship.
Nemo: The Nautilus did not look as it did now in that battle.
Campion Bond: That's a Hallward, his paintings have a habit of changing somehow. One morning we found the painting had changed to depict this new Nautilus.
Mina looked over to the painting next to it.
Mina: Dorian...I knew him before his disappearance.
She turned to face Bond again.
Mina: What the Hell are we up against?
Campion Bond: The Man I speak of is a warlord from the Orient who recently arrived in England. Little is known of him. It's rumored he grew up during the Opium wars in China, and therefore abhors the British with a Vengeance.
He turned and walked away from the group while speaking to them.
Campion Bond:We know that with Brutal efficiency, he has established himself as absolute Crime King of London's east end. Known only as the "Devil Doctor" he's regarded as Satan himself by such few as have survived encountering him. He has the Cavorite. Your group's job is to track him to his lair, retrieve the Cavorite...and Destroy him.