London Calling.
"(…) London calling to the underworld
Come out of the cupboard, you boys and girls (…)"– The Clash "London Calling".
Warnings: Crime and everything that comes with it.
Timing: 2016, a year after "The Cabbala"
Rating: M.
Disclaimer: Disclaimer: The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen original comic books © Allan Moore and Kevin O'Neill. Neverwhere © Neil Gaiman. Atomic Robo © Brian Clevinger and Scott Wegner. Stargate Atlantis © MGM Studios. Hellboy (in character of Karl Ruprecht Kroenen) © Michael Mignola. Slenderman © Eric Knudsen (as Victor Surge). The story © Archer Black.
Dracula (in character of Wilhelmina Murray) by Bram Stoker. Allan Quatermain by sir Henry Rider Haggard. Orlando (or his/hers alike) by Virgina Woolf.
Head hunt.
?
Pegasus Irregular Dwarf galaxy. Todd's Hiveship. New Lantea's orbit. A day before.
A Wraith known as Billy hurried to the bridge. This was highly irregular as it wasn't his bridge duty 'day' but he received an order and so he obeyed it without delay. Of course he would arrive there much faster if not for the fact that he was on the opposite side of the Hive when he was summoned. When he finally reached the bridge he was greeted with his Commander giving him a look that demanded explanation.
"Forgive me, Commander, my son managed to get stuck in ventilation shaft in far end of the Hive." He quickly explained.
The Commander, known as Todd, sighed but didn't say anything in the matter. Wraith children, not unlike human ones, were curious by nature and managed to get themselves into all sorts of strange situations. Getting stuck in some pipe wasn't even in the top ten of ridiculous places a small child could get stuck on a Hiveship.
"We have received a request from Atlanteans." Todd began. "They request one of our pilots." He continued. "The one from the mutinous crew." He specified.
"Ah yes, him." Billy nodded. "Of course, Commander. But he will have to be dragged from underneath a pile of naked worshippers." He noticed.
"I don't care if he has to be dragged from underneath a pile of naked Queens, get him." Todd hissed, though without aggression.
"At once, Commander." Billy bowed his head and left.
"Why do you even bother?" A Wraith known as Bullseye asked. He could allow himself a bit more with his Commander thanks to being related to him1). "You could always say that he's not available at the moment and be done with it."
"That much is true." Todd admitted, he didn't had to entertain all of his human 'brother's' whims after all. There were allied with humans but they didn't share chain of command. "But this is the consequence of his own actions."
"You mean the mutiny?" Bullseye asked.
"To a degree. It wasn't him who rebelled, but he followed the mutinous officer. Everything that followed was a natural consequence of that." Todd explained. "We all have to live with our mistakes, he is no exception." He added. This was certainly a lesson learned the hard way. Luckily for him some of his own mistakes led to rather fortunate conclusions.
"Not to mention that you do not wish him to become too confident and comfortable?" Bullseye smirked.
"I see you learn fast." Todd grinned.
Not a moment later Spike entered the bridge looking like he indeed had to be dragged from underneath a pile of worshippers. He certainly looked flushed and his hair was in state of disarray, his clothes bore signs of being put on in a hurry, his trousers' fly was open and he was carrying his coat in his hand instead of having it on his back. But the true sign of what his previous activity was lipstick marks all over his uncovered skin, and these looked like they belonged to more than just one set of lips.
All the bridge's crew glared at him but instantly returned to their duties, except for Todd and Bullseye.
"You wanted to see me urgently, Commander." Spike said and continued to get properly dressed by putting the coat on and buckling his trousers.
Todd observed the dart pilot in silence for a short second. It looked that Billy wasn't overstating when he spoke of Spike's activities. The Wraith indeed looked, and more importantly – smelled, as if he was just being busy with some female worshippers. And the insufferable scoundrel wasn't even ashamed of the state he was in.
"The Atlantis have just contacted us, they have put a request regarding you." Todd said carefully ignoring the pilot's dishevelled state. "It would seem that you are wanted on Earth."
"But why?" Spike stopped showing tunic into his trousers to give Todd a surprised glare.
"Apparently your former comrades have need of you." Todd revealed. "I was informed that the request for you is connected to the group that you were part of as a part of the deal that landed you back under my command."
"But I do not want to go back." Spike backed few paces. He had nothing against the planet itself, but the League was something he never wanted to deal with again. "Commander, with all due respect, I would rather stay here."
"I am well aware that you would, especially with all those eager worshippers close and about." Todd gave Spike a knowing look. "But I have no intention of denying that request. It is settled, you are returning to Earth for the duration of time that this mission or task will take." He continued with carefully hidden satisfaction. "This is an order. Am I being understood?"
"Yes Commander." Spike visibly deflated. This was a lost case no point in arguing or hiding his personal feelings about the idea. "When am I to depart?"
"We are currently en route to the rendezvous point where you will be picked by the Atlanteans." Todd informed. "We will arrive there shortly. You have just enough time to render yourself into presentable state and bid farewell to that bevy of young women in your quarters. Dismissed."
"Yes Commander." Spike bowed and left allowing his sour mood to radiate.
When the doors slid close Bullseye allowed himself a smirk. He adored working with his uncle. Especially that he made a practice to always be on the older Wraith's good side.
?
Area 51. The next day.
Spike was sitting in a hangar bay surrounded by armed soldiers who eyed him wearily. He was wearing his iconic outfit. He had hard time deciding if it he preferred it over his usual leather set of clothing but despite it being very confortable he felt uneasy. He didn't want to be there, he didn't want to get involved in these Earthlings' dealings once again. He wanted to lead his life on board of his Hiveship, it was far from carefree but it was home, it was familiar life. Being among these humans wasn't difficult for him yet there were thing he did not comprehend. Not fully anyway.
His mind was snapped back to the reality he found himself in when he heard familiar voices. He looked into the direction of the doors when two familiar figures entered.
"And we didn't have even a slightest problem getting him here." Colonel Sheppard said in casual tone. "Todd won't do anything to jeopardise our cooperation, he gained too much from it to just throw it away."
"That's good for him." Atomic Robo agreed. "You know me, I'm no pacifist, but solving things peacefully saves everyone a lot of trouble."
"You don't have to tell me that twice." The Colonel laughed. "Anyway, can you tell me why MI6 suddenly wants him back? You know, I'm asking because I wouldn't want to return him in worse condition that I've got him?"
"Another mission. You remember Door?"
"Yeah." Sheppard nodded. He surely remembered, the memory was far from unpleasant.
"Well, we're returning a favour for the last year's mission." Robo explained. "Let's say that there have been some problems where she lives."
"What kind of problems?"
"The kind of problems where you have dead bodies starting to pile up and no one to blame them on." Robo shrugged. "And the 'M' decided that since the team from the last year managed to get the job done, she will simply re-assemble it instead of wasting time and resources on gathering new one."
"Is it that important?" Sheppard inquired further.
"Who knows? This can be some serial killer or some devilish plan spawned by someone like Von Helsingard." Atomic Robo admitted. "Either way, Door's a nice kid, she could use some helping hand right now and if it is something bigger, we'd have to face it sooner or later anyway."
"If you put it that way, then yeah." Colonel agreed. "And here's our esteemed guest." He focused on the Wraith waiting for them near the closed gate of the hangar. "Hiya Spike, you remember Atomic Robo?" The man spoke with fake amiability in his voice, so typical to his interactions with people he didn't like.
"How could I not remember him?" Spike hissed at the human and turned his attention to the AI.
"Yeah, I'm hard to forget. Come on, Spike, the jet is waiting." Robo beckoned the Wraith. "You'll have plenty of time to ask me any questions when we'll be on the way."
?
Europe. Sudety Mountains, somewhere near Czech-Polish border.
The flight to Europe was uneventful except for Spike's questions about their destination and more details about what was their mission this time. The answers weren't satisfactory but all that Robo could tell him that there has been series of murders in where Door lives and it appears to be some sort of neighbourhood that is a no-go zone or something alike. They have finally landed in Czechia2) and drove to some forested area that the 'M' directed them to over the phone.
To Robo's utter surprise no one made any problems for them despite that their arrival was announced by British agency via British embassy who also supplied them with appropriate car. Apparently even after the Brexit vote3) things stayed the same, or at least until UK was still formal member of UE.
It was some time later when they arrived to the place that the GPS coordinates insisted to be spot they were looking for. As it turned out, it was a forest which was not a surprise, at least not for Robo. They left the car and went between the trees on foot but stayed close as the further they walked into the forest, the foggier it was. Half an hour later they had to stay shoulder to shoulder because the fog became so thick that they could not see past two meters, the air became colder than merely fifteen minutes before and droplets of water were hanging from low branches and twigs close to them. The place turned to be ghastly quiet, the fog muting all sounds except for distant croaking of some crow.
"I don't like it in here." Spike announced in quiet voice. "This place feels wrong." He added looking around.
"We're in mountains, weather changes quickly here." Robo stated and looked around too. "Nothing unusual so far, the weather itself is not a threat."
"Don't forget who we are hunting." Spike reminded.
Robo didn't reply. He knew that Slenderman was dangerous, deadly dangerous even, but not for him. Or at least Robo didn't think the strange creature would be dangerous to him, for humans sure, perhaps even for Spike, but not for a robot that was sturdy enough to survive fall from the orbit… even if he had to be almost completely rebuilt afterwards4).
"Don't worry, that's why I'm here for." Finally the AI replied. "And we're not hunting him. We're to meet him. That's entirely different thing."
"Yes. But what if he decides that he doesn't like to meet us and he doesn't like us to be here?" The Wraith asked looking around again.
"Then that's why I am made of metal, lots and lots of metal."
"It didn't help you last year, did it?" Spike gave the Atomic Robo unimpressed glare.
"Shut up." Robo growled. He didn't need to be reminded.
The ventured a little bit further and stopped again. This was not yielding any effects, they could just as well walk around these woods 'till tomorrow and walk out empty handed. Or not walk out at all. Robo had a feeling that they were walking in circles but it was damn hard to tell in that fog. Not to mention he had no idea if they were in the right place to begin with. He only had a set of coordinates supplied by the 'M' and that was it. It was also true that the previous year Door knew exactly where to find the Slenderman. This made Robo wonder if the information came from the same source. He also wondered why they weren't equipped with anything to summon the entity.
"Okay, that's it." Robo finally stopped. "I've had enough of it."
"What is it?" Spike asked surprised.
"Either he's here or not. And if he's here then he knows we're here too." Atomic Robo looked around but the fog obscured his vision. "And if he knows we're here, then he knows we're looking for him. And if we're looking for him then he knows it's something serious otherwise we wouldn't be wasting our time here. So he's playing with us. And I've had enough of it!"
"Well, if you put it that way." Spike shrugged.
"And you!" Robo pointed one digit at the Wraith. "You're a telepath, last time you and him were having telepathic connection. If you can sense him but decided to play along with his little game…" There was clear warning in Robo's voice.
"No I do not. I only can converse with him if he makes the connection. And I believe he can stay hidden from me if he chose so." Spike didn't back away. He wouldn't be bullied. Especially not about this little venture that he wasn't enjoying in the slightest.
Robo was about to reply something when he felt something hitting his head. He looked at the object that bounced off his head and landed at his feet. It was a pine cone. A perfectly normal pine cone in a pine forest. He kicked the cone when another one hit him in the head. Followed by what could only be described as a rain of pine cones.
Spike observed the scene in bewilderment and then sensed amusement radiating from somewhere. He recognised the person instantly, he was sure he'd never forget how that someone's mind felt as long as he would live. And Wraith were never ending. He looked around intently, searching for the source of the sensation he was receiving but it was for naught – the fog was as thick as ever.
"Rassafrackin'…" Robo muttered trying to remove some stray pine cones from his jacket's hood.
It was then that Slenderman decided to descend from his hiding place among the tree branches. He was lowering himself with his tentacles. Spike noticed that his shoulders were trembling slightly as if the creature was laughing silently.
"You had your laugh?" Robo growled at the pale figure.
Slenderman only nodded 'yes' but made no other gestures.
"I would like to say that this was not amusing." Spike said in serious voice.
"We've been walking around like two fools for almost an hour now." Robo added.
Slenderman cocked his head and then turned to Spike who visibly winced as the creature initiated telepathic contact.
"Uh… He says that he watched us from the very moment we entered this forest." Spike huffed. The initial contact with Slenderman was just as unpleasant as he remembered it. He knew that the sensation would change in but a few moments, but it was still far from being something he enjoyed.
"Well, couldn't you just show yourself then and spare us all this?" Robo gestured around to indicate their forced stroll.
"He says that he wanted to know how determined we were to find him." Spike grimaced. "And that we could see him if we would look up. He was above our heads all the time."
"Now you know that we're determined, so let's go." Robo shook his jacket one more time just to be sure he was free from the damned cones.
The Slenderman only cocked his head again in what could only be inquiry.
"What now?" Robo glared at the being and then at the Wraith.
"He wants to know why we're bothering him." Spike sighed. He knew it would be just like the last time, he would be a middle-man between Slenderman and the rest of the team. Sometimes he thought that it was his main if not sole purpose in the League.
"Door needs help." Robo said but the Slenderman didn't even twitch. "There's been a series of some unusual murders in London Below and she needs our help to catch the serial killer."
That caught Slendemran's attention, the creature turned his head to Robo and 'looked' straight at the AI.
"He asks that people die in London Below all the time and no one is fazed by it, so what makes these so unusual." Spike passed Slenderman words.
"Mina said that it's the way they were killed." Robo answered. "I don't know any grim details, just that people go missing and then they're being found in a state that people of London Below find unsettling."
"Slenderman says that this indeed must be grim if denizens of Below find it disagreeable." Spike passed Slenderman's words.
"So, are you coming or not?" Robo asked and shoved his hand into his pockets, his optics opened fully and he pulled out yet another cone. He threw it away quickly.
"He says that he will come. Apparently it is interesting case for him." Spike replied. "And I would like to know what exactly this 'London Below' place is?"
There was a moment of silence as Robo glared at the Wraith. "Ask Slenderman, he probably knows more about the place than I do… which is not much." He finally replied. "Now, let's go."
They walked back to the car. Robo refused Slenderman's offer to teleport them to the car or simply lead them to the car. The robot insisted on conducting them using his GPS, it was a matter of pride for him.
They wandered in the fog in silence except for Spike's one-sided conversation with Slenderman.
"What do you mean I have to see 'Below' to understand what it is?" The Wraith asked. "And what is this 'Enchantment' that you're talking about? Why would we be immune to it?"
Finally after what seemed the longest thirty minutes they finally reached the road and it was then that the fog started to slowly vanish. Robo looked around surprised.
"How is it that the moment we leave this goddamned forest the fog is vanishing?" He asked when they were inside of the car.
Slenderman only shrugged and smiled, or at least his 'face' wrinkled in the places that made him look as if he was smiling, but he made no comment that's Spike could pass. Instead he turned to the Wraith is silent question.
"He asks where to now?"
"After Kroenen." Robo said and started the engine. "And that's what he has to tell us."
Slenderman sat motionlessly for a moment as they turned back and drove in the direction Robo and Spike arrived from.
"He says 'Siberia' whatever that means. And asks how do you plan to get there." Spike turned to look at the robot behind the steering wheel.
"Well, fly of course."
"He says he won't be flying with us. Something about his influence on the radio transmissions." Spike looked back at the Slenderman and nodded. "He says that he'll meet us on the spot, when we'll land in Moscow, and that he'll lead us from there."
"Okay, how can I be sure you will be there?" Robo asked, his optics focused on the road. The fig was completely gone now.
"I don't know. He's gone." Spike looked back at the road and yelped when Robo abruptly broke.
Atomic Robo looked at the back of the car and saw that there was no sign of Slenderman. He murmured some words that Spike could not understand but that had some melodious quality to them5).
"I would greatly appreciate if you would warn me the next time you decide to stop like this." Spike sighed while loosening the seatbelt.
"No promises. Let's just hope he'll be there." Robo gently drove away.
?
East of Kolyma River. Siberia. The next day.
During the flight to Moscow Robo wondered why Slenderman wanted them to go there instead of flying somewhere east of Ural mountains, after all Kroenen was supposed to be somewhere in Siberia not in the European part of Russia. On top of that he doubted if the slim being would actually keep his word and really meet them in Moscow.
His doubts were quickly dispersed when Slenderman appeared on board of their plane just after they landed. His curiosity about why he wanted to meet them in Moscow was also quickly fulfilled. And it wasn't to his liking – the Slenderman grabbed them both with his tentacles and teleported them away before Robo could complain.
Slenderman's teleportation was different from Door's, as Robo noticed, but it still wasn't pleasant for the AI. His hearing was instantly filled with white noise and his vision glitched, and no longer than a second later, when he could hear and see properly again they were all someplace else, and it was in a different time zone too. It was easy to tell because when they have landed in Moscow it was still dark and the in the place they have found themselves in was already light.
"Should've expected something like this happening." Robo murmured. "Don't teleport me without warning!" He spat at the Slenderman who had the audacity to look amused.
"Where are we?" Spike looked around.
The place was empty and looked hostile. The wind was strong and the air felt sharp and frosty. They were surrounded by yellow, dry grass covered in a thin layer of snow, the skies were clear and the sun hung low but was far from nearing the west horizon. They were standing on what passed as a road but lacked any kind of asphalt or anything similar.
"I'm guessing we're in Siberia." Robo scanned the perimeter. There were no people around but that didn't necessarily mean anything. In fact he spotted a tiny, dark spot on the road, the spot was far away but it seemed to grow.
"He said that this is the place we're to meet with Kroenen." Spike said aloud for Robo's benefit.
"I think he's on the way here." Robo pointed at the growing spot. "Is that him?"
Slenderman nodded focusing on the distant spot.
"So, you've arranged a meeting with Kroenen? In here?" Robo asked in disbelief. "Why haven't you just taken us to him?"
Slenderman cast Robo a glance that spoke 'don't be stupid' clearer than words while Spike only sighed.
"He says that he has his reasons and he wants Kroenen to have a free choice." The Wraith spoke calmly. "I actually agree with him." He added, he himself had nothing to say in the matter of his own involvement and could solidary with the German.
"May I remind you that he escaped?" Robo pointed out with irritation.
"I can hardly blame him." Spike replied. "Should I have not been presented with the deal, I would have made an attempt at escaping myself." He admitted. "No one likes to be locked away in some dungeon. Would you enjoy such a fate?"
Robo blinked and didn't reply, he only mumbled few curses silently.
The next couple of minutes passed in silence. Neither Robo nor Spike felt like starting a conversation and Slenderman was silent by nature. If he communicated with the Wraith telepathically, it didn't show and Spike gave no indication that they were having a private chat. And not much later Kroenen arrived.
Robo was a bit stunned to see Kroenen riding a motorbike and wearing a proper 'bike gear including helmet. But then he looked at the motorbike itself and it was the most obvious view: the motorbike was an old, old Zundapp6), at least by the model because 'bike itself was in impeccable state.
Robo almost instantly caught up with the situation, breaking the stunned silence.
"Now, Mister, I don't know how you managed to escape the last time, but that was one time trick." Robo pointed one digit at the German. "You won't pull that stunt again, you can bet on it."
Kroenen glared, or at least it looked as if he was glaring, at the robot then at the Wraith and finally at the Slenderman assuming that the tall man failed to inform his companions of details of his disappearance the year before, so he decided not to enlighten them as well. Instead he slowly got off his motorbike and took off his helmet.
"Doctor Tesla, I came here as a free man and as such I intend to remain." Kroenen started. "And as a free man, I have no obligation to join you in whatever adventure you found yourself participating in."
"And how do you plan to leave?" Robo asked narrowing his optics.
"And how do you plan to detain me?" Kroenen glared back but the mask prevented Robo from seeing if he pulled any kind of face.
"That's enough." Spike hissed at the two. "Slenderman says, and I agree with him, that it doesn't matter how Kroenen escaped last year, right now he is a free man again and he has to be treated as such."
"He is a Nazi." Robo pointed out.
"An ex-Nazi." Kroenen corrected.
"My point stands!" Robo insisted. "You're a war criminal."
"I was never sentenced as a war criminal." Kroenen reminded him not very kindly. "And you don't really have any proof that I have committed any war crime aside from being a Waffen-SS officer."
"That doesn't make you innocent." Robo wouldn't quit.
"Not guilty until proven otherwise." Kroenen kept his cool which only made Robo angrier.
It would probably escalate further if not for the Slenderman who had stepped between the two. This wasn't going well.
"This is going nowhere." Spike voiced what Slenderman demonstrated. The Wraith turned to Robo. "You will not solve this impasse with your attitude." Then he turned to Kroenen. "And you are not making this any easier."
"It is you who came to me with what I can safely assume is a cri de Coeur7). Thus it is you who have to convince me to join you." Kroenen shrugged. He was right, naturally, and he knew it. "This is your chance, convince me, or let me be."
"Fine!" Robo growled. "It's about Door. She helped us last year and now she needs our help."
"Ah, lovely Herrin Door." Kroenen nodded. "What is the nature of her peril?"
"You don't get to ask questions about the mission unless you agree to join." Robo put his foot down. Enough was enough.
"And what is in it for me?" Kroenen tried another approach. "I assume that this mission is either dangerous, or requires effort, perhaps both. What will I gain from it?"
"You're testing my patience." Robo warned.
"And you are wasting my time." Kroenen replied.
It seemed that Slenderman decided that he have had enough of the banter because he shifted his weight while crossing his long arms over his chest. That caught everyone's attention. The tall being pointedly looked at Spike.
"He asks what would you like in return." Spike gestured at the Slenderman while turning to Kroenen. "A price? Something that you would want in exchange?"
"Don't get yourself carried away." Robo warned Slenderman. He himself was not authorised to strike any deals and that meant that he couldn't allow Slenderman to make deals either.
"Actually this is only fair." Spike supported the slim creature's idea. "Each of us has some sort of reason to be here. I do not know what compelled you but I was ordered to join. Whatever Slender's reason is, he clearly made up his mind and joined of his free will. But Kroenen has no reason to join; you need to give him one."
"I have heard that Herrin Murray have managed to arrest two manuscripts that I find interest in." Kroenen spoke calmly but without hesitation. "These manuscripts being the legendary eighth 'Book of Moses' and 'Book of Enoch'8)." He specified. "In exchange for my involvement I want a scanner and an hour with these documents. Before we start our task."
"Hold your horses. I do not have a clearance to agree for you to have access to any documents of the 'M'." Robo warned. He couldn't promise something he didn't have, even to Kroenen.
"You can call her and ask." Spike suggested.
Robo only gave him a dirty look, or rather tried to give him as dirty look as his robotic physiognomy would allow. Then he initiated a call to Mina Murray. He waited for a moment for the call to be answered.
The three other men were observing him in silence as he reported to the 'M'. He was explaining the situation for a moment, answering some questions, after a moment the conversation has ended. Atomic Robo didn't seem to be too happy about how it went though. It looked like he received an ear-full or adio-full in his case.
"She said that you can scan them. But you will not get to be left with them alone, and it won't be you who will be scanning them." The AI stated. "They will be scanned for you; you can be present during the scanning though."
"Acceptable." Kroenen nodded. To be honest he didn't think it would go that easy. "I need to drive my motorbike back though. I do not plan on taking it to England."
"Can you leave it somewhere close to the airfield?" Robo asked. He was sick and tired of the constant delay.
"Slenderman proposes that we can return to England by your aircraft. He and Kroenen will meet us in London." Spike said on Slenderman's behalf.
"Just great." Robo murmured. He wanted to question if they would be there, but his argument would be challenged by the fact that Slenderman did keep his promise and arrive. And then he remembered that they would have to be teleported back to their plane and groaned. He absolutely hated teleportation.
TBC.
1) This is somewhat related to my fan-comic SGA: RotQ, so I retained the relations that characters had in that narration. For the sake of being consequent.
2) That's the new official name of Czech Republic, because everyone is entitled to have a short name for their own country and so there it is: Czechia. It may sound a bit funny for those who only knew the English name of the country, but not if you happen to speak a Slavic language.
3) For those who managed to miss that little earth-quaking detail, United Kingdom chose to leave European Union last spring, the process will take years but the "divorce" is inevitable, still until that time, things must work as they did.
4) Atomic Robo: Ghost of Station X.
5) Robo is speaking Serbian which shouldn't be any true surprise since he's creation of Nicola Tesla who was Serbian himself, so it is only logical that he'd teach his 'son' the language. I like the idea that he wouldn't have problems using his creator's native language every now and then just because he can. Spike thinks it is melodious language because all Slavic languages are like that, each having its own distinct characteristics but still having this common characteristic.
6) For those who don't know much of WWII, Zundapps were the motorbikes that Nazi German Soldiers were riding. Kroenen apparently has a soft spot for the old design.
7) cri de Coeur – a strong plea in urgent or bad situation. You can trust Kroenen to say things like that.
8) Titles of actual grimoires.