A/N: Thanks for the lovely reviews again. You know I appreciate them :D Well, from this chapter on, things are gonna heat up, so remember to keep checking back to find out what happens to the League... you want angst? Well... I hope I won't disappoint... there's some in the next chapter or so...
The next day dawned with uncertainty hanging in the air, and almost at once, one of Nemo's men came into his cabin bearing a newspaper under his arm, with a curt, "Captain." He offered the regal man the paper, which he took at once with a nod, dismissing the sailor.
Nemo unfolded the sheets from their tight bundle, and his dark eyes perused the headlines.
He was out of his cabin at once, marching along the corridors, banging on certain doors as he went. He even poked his head in certain ones.
"Mr Skinner, it is time to wake up," Nemo told the invisible man upon seeing the lump under the blankets, "there is a most disturbing matter in the newspaper we must discuss at the breakfast table. You must dress at once."
Skinner grumbled something that didn't sound very pleasant, but the Captain was already on his way. At the next door, he did not barge in, he simply called through, "Mrs Harker, we have an urgent matter to deal with. Your presence is required at once."
But she was already stepping out of her door, adjusting the collar on her blouse to hide the scars on her neck. Her blue eyes met his at once, and she nodded. "Of course, Captain. Shall we proceed?"
Mina Harker escorted Nemo on his travels, and the next door they came across was Henry Jekyll's. When they stopped outside to knock, they thought they heard noises from inside, like a conversation set deep in motion, but Nemo decided to knock and interrupt, saying, "Doctor, you are needed at the breakfast table. We have much to do this day."
"Yes, Captain, I will be there at once."
They were on their way again, and to their surprise, Anise Delacroix met them around the corner. She had an almost unkempt look to her that was most curious, but Nemo shrugged it off as none of his business, and nodded to her. "We would like to discuss something with you in attendance, Miss Delacroix."
"Yes, of course," Anise replied as if she knew what Nemo was referring to. How could she though? She had not left the ship all morning... no one had. Shrugging this off too, Nemo made his way to the last door, and rapped on it loudly.
There was no response. Mina Harker sighed loudly, and pushed open the door without hesitation, saying, "Sawyer, out of bed, now, please."
The thin shaft of light that pressed its way into the room uninvited shone right in Tom Sawyer's face, and he groaned and thrust his spare pillow over his head.
"Now," Mina said in a low voice.
"I'm coming," was what came as a muffled grumble from beneath the pillow, and Anise was heard to giggle.
Mina shot a glare in the girl's direction, and she was silent.
Tom Sawyer did not move.
"Oh for goodness' sake," Mina muttered under her breath in irritation, and she strode purposefully into the room, and switched on every lamp in the vicinity of her wake. She marched right over to the bed, and tore the pillow from Sawyer's hand, revealing a very dishevelled head beneath it. There was a loud aggravated sigh, and then his head rose from his mattress, and he stared with intent at the vampire.
"Are you happy now?" he mumbled, clearing his blonde hair from his vision, when he realised he could not see at all. He seemed to know very well however who it was who had disturbed him so rudely.
"There is an urgent topic to discuss," Nemo called to him coolly inside the room, and then carried on his way, Mina Harker and Anise Delacroix travelling in his shadow.
Still very annoyed at being awoken so rudely and so early, Rodney Skinner arrived in the dining area precisely five minutes after being summoned. Nemo, Mina and Anise were already present. They watched him enter, moments before Dr Jekyll marched in primly behind him.
As usual, Sawyer was the last to arrive, and he did, in a tangle, roughly three minutes after everyone else had settled themselves around the table, somewhat on edge.
Still trying to free himself from the mess that was his reluctant waistcoat, Sawyer landed roughly in his seat, and cursed under his breath at the piece of clothing that seemed determined to remain free of him today.
Anise reached around his back, tugged on a snagged piece of the waistcoat, and smiled at him, as he was able to don it properly. He thanked her quietly, and then ran his fingers through his mop of hair, and rested his elbows on the table.
Skinner always prided himself on being able to make his appearance quickly. Of course, this was mainly due to the fact that he rarely bothered with clothes, other than his coat, glasses, his trilby and his cream. It wasn't exactly what one would call an outfit. It needed very little time to prepare and dress in.
So they sat, the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, around Nemo's vast table, and waited for the dark-skinned man to reveal his news to them, even as hot tea was served.
Jekyll sipped at his at once, apparently a little unnerved. What had him so troubled?
Nemo unfolded a newspaper, and slid the sheets into the middle of the table for all to see, saying as he did so, "This transpired in the night, whilst we dined and slept, ladies and gentlemen. This is not acceptable."
All eyes fell on the paper, and Skinner swallowed at the headline; 'Brutal animal attack leaves six dead on streets of New York last night'.
It wasn't very pretty. There was a black and white photograph, taken with the kind of camera Dorian Gray had secreted aboard not long ago. It showed some of one of the bodies, or what was left of it. Unusually gruesome for the front page of a newspaper anyway, or so went Skinner's understanding.
Anise swallowed, apparently dryly, and the hand around her cup shook so that it chattered against the table.
Sawyer's eyes fell upon her with concern, and he reached over and took her hand. The cup stopped shaking. He looked back to the paper, and said, "Did they say how..."
"They were torn to pieces... apparently," divulged Nemo.
Suddenly, Skinner didn't feel so hungry, even as breakfast was laid around them. No one reached for food now, not after this news.
"Do you think it could have been Evans' men?" asked Jekyll with a quiver to his voice that made all attention turn on him. He noticed their curiousity, and cleared his throat, saying, "My apologies. I am suddenly... having trouble... Edward is being most generous with his thoughts. Some of them are none too pleasant."
When it was clear the good doctor no longer wished to share his discomfort, they turned back on the matter at hand.
"It is quite clear what is transpiring here," Mina offered coldly, and she scowled at the paper as if it were to blame. "Six people in one night is most unacceptable, and with our presence... we must rectify the problem. These animals must be stopped at once. We must put an end to their slaughter."
Sawyer and Mina locked gazes for a moment, but then looked away at once, as if something had occurred between them that was most private, but very interesting. At least, that was what Skinner thought. He was suddenly curious to know what had happened.
"Well, what are we to do about it?" Anise inquired quietly, her hand still in Sawyer's. She appeared somewhat comforted by the contact, and no one challenged this. None of them were bothered by the relationship the two obviously shared... other than Mina of course. She looked positively disgusted by their closeness, but hid it well behind a glance to the paper. It made it seem as though the expression were in relevance to their dilemma.
"We must disperse men throughout the city in search of Evans and his associates," Nemo responded confidently, "and we must end this madness. All of them need to be... dealt with accordingly."
"You mean they are to be killed." It wasn't a question, and Anise looked Nemo in the eye unwaveringly.
Skinner observed her curiously.
"If they provide resistance, then yes," Nemo told her without foreboding. He sipped his tea. "We are to take as many of them into custody as possible, and take them for trial."
"They're not all English," Sawyer interrupted. "I've seen one French at least. One of them looked oriental too. Are we going to take them all to their own countries for justice?" He seemed unconvinced by this course of action.
"They must be apprehended," Mina repeated, eyeing the paper again. "I will not rest until they are removed from this city."
"How do you think I feel? This is my country," Sawyer said clearly, and he stared right at Mina, who did not look back at him. She did not respond either. It seemed as though she was avoiding a conflict, and Skinner appreciated this. He had divulged in perhaps a little too much Scotch the night before, and suddenly felt a little nauseous as a result.
"Very well then," Jekyll voiced, "it is decided?"
"It is," Nemo acknowledged. "We are to venture out into New York at once. These creatures cannot be harmed by daylight, and may kill again."
"But I thought they relied on the moon for change." Anise furrowed her brow delicately, confused.
"In some cases, yes," Mina uttered. "We do not have time to discuss this now. They are still at large, and I for one am determined to see them all hunted down like the beasts they are before the night is over."
Charming, Skinner thought. She spoke of beasts and animals, when her conduct at time was most unbecoming of a lady, or even a human being.
With nods of affirmation, the League members departed from the room respectively, leaving the food untouched and their tea unfinished.
Skinner was the last left in the room, and he watched them all go, sighing quietly, unheard even by vampire ears. He frowned. Something didn't sit right within him. Maybe it was the Scotch... maybe it was these werewolves. He wasn't sure, and it made his skull ache to ponder on it.
"Oh," he mumbled after standing to leave, "maybe one bit of toast."
Tom scoured his room for his holsters and their harness, and he tossed a pair of pants over his shoulder in his search, revealing them lying on the floor beneath the clothing. He picked it up, and looked over his shoulder at the small sound.
It was Anise.
"Everything okay?" he asked, even as he donned the holsters, fastening them about his back and shoulders so they would not slip. When they were settled comfortably in their usual place, he took the Colt pistols from the desk drawer, checked they were loaded, and slotted them into place. He removed a handful of spare bullets, and pocketed them.
"No," Anise mumbled with a frown. "I do not want you to go."
Tom smiled at her concern. This really wasn't the time for her to be worrying though. "I'll be fine. I've been in worse situations than this, and I've always come out on top... well, at least alive anyway."
This did not console Anise. It did quite the opposite. "But, Tom, these creatures are dangerous, very dangerous. Mrs Harker said so herself."
"Well I don't care what she says, okay? I've got a job to do here," Tom assured her with a smile. He removed his overcoat from the rack at the side of the room. "I'm going to be fine. You'll be right there with me anyway. If I get into danger, I know I can trust you to get me right back out of it."
She nodded, but something still bothered her. There was still a shadow to her features that concerned him.
He slipped his arms through the sleeves of his coat with a sigh, and tucked her hair from her face. "Look... there's nothing for you to worry about. We've got the flares if we get in trouble. Someone will see, and come to help. No one's going out there alone."
Anise smiled then, albeit wanly, a little forced. They kissed lightly.
Tom's hand gripped the stock and trigger guard of his Winchester as he picked it up from near the door. "You ready? We'll be late... again." He laughed.
So did she. It was quiet, but he detected it nevertheless. "I am ready."
Tom realised then that if he'd taken a moment to look, he would have been able to see this for himself without asking. She was dressed exactly as he had first met her. The dark coat travelled like a cloak down to her calves, and her guns were at her hips.
"Let's go then," Tom mumbled, sticking one hand in his other pants pocket to ensure he carried spare rounds for his rifle, which he had already known. Something about the situation just called for double-checking all of a sudden, but he shrugged off the feeling, and was walking out of the Nautilus with Anise before he knew how far his feet had carried him.
"Very well, gentlemen." Nemo's voice carried authoratively on the air as he spoke, "We are to break into two-man teams. Each pair has a flare gun, and is to signal if the situation becomes desperate. Do not stray too far into danger."
All nodded and mumbled their agreement, and then separated slowly like a crowd that had lost interest in something all at once. The pairs took their chosen paths, and walked with purpose and caution. They were not sure if these werewolves, or whatever they were, would dare to venture out and create havoc in the daylight.
Mina had always seemed most restrained in the daylight hours, but she was no werewolf. This, Tom knew. He wished he knew more about these strange creatures, ones he had only until now heard of in stories around a campfire.
With a glance to his left, he saw Anise pacing quietly and pensively. He was curious about her thoughts, but gave her the privacy she deserved, not wishing to pry.