Okay here is the next chapter. Sorry it took so long. I've been busy. Anyway, enjoy! (I hope)...



Chapter 3- Uninvited Guests

Sir Warren looked across his desk at the women tied to the chair. She was very pretty, he admitted. And as per usual, beautiful women meant trouble. Count Gregory is going to throw a fit when he hears Rebecca Fogg found the castle. He took another sip of his brandy and sighed.

Rebecca started to stir. Pulled from his revelry, Sir Warren looked at her.

***

Rebecca opened her eyes, but quickly blinked them shut again to block out the ludicrously bright lights in the room. God, but her head hurt. It was then that her memories returned to her. Dammit! Phileas wasn't going to be happy.

Rebecca slowly opened her eyes and waited for them to adjust to the light. She steadfastly ignored the man sitting in front of her and proceeded to take in her surroundings. She found herself to be tied to an uncomfortably straight-backed chair in a sufficiently large room. The room was decorated in a cozy subdued manner that somehow managed to put her at ease. Which was quite an achievement considering what had just happened.

Finally she allowed her eyes to rest on the figure seated at the desk. Rebecca arched an eyebrow and waited. After a few moments hesitation the man spoke.

"Miss Fogg? Would you mind telling me why you are here"?

"Yes actually I would, but I rather think you know that, along with my reason for my being here."

"Very well Miss Fogg. If you insist on being so unpleasant I shall be forced to follow your example."

"Being unpleasant am I? I think that if anyone needs to check their manners it would be you. Last I heard, kidnapping people and tying them to chairs is still considered awfully rude."

"That may well be Miss Fogg, but you did invade my property."

"And you have my friend locked away in this castle."

"You can't prove that."

"I won't have to."

"And why might that be?"

"I plan on rescuing him, and then it won't matter."

"There is a flaw in your *plan*."

"Really, and it would be...?"

"If I am terrible enough to have your friend locked up. Why couldn't I just do the same to you and throw away the key?"

"Simple. You seem to know exactly who I am. If you do then you must know about my cousin. If you know about Phileas then you must realize he'd come after me and kill you."

"Well, it seems we are at an impasse."

"Quite."

"If I keep you here, your cousin will try and come to your rescue. If I let you go; you come back with your cousin and attempt to rescue your friend. It appears there is only one option. Guards! Take her to his cell."

***

Claret and Jules slept hunched together in the corner, glad for the extra body heat on this cold night. The events and worries of the previous day had taken their toll, robbing them of some of their initial happiness at being reunited. All this might have kept them from sleeping, if they hadn't been so exhausted. But, they were, and so they slept.

***

Rebecca's heart jumped with joy upon hearing her captor's last statement. They were taking her to Jules. The secret agent part of her brain immediately assaulted that presumption. Why would anybody be stupid enough the take her right to the person she had been trying to free. It just wasn't logical. It made escape too great a possibility. Then again, she reminded herself, her captors were strange. Indeed, the man had seemed intent on playing some game with her, pretending not to know about Jules; while at the same time making it obvious that he knew that she knew better.

As her mind was turning over all this information, her body was being led down a dark corridor. The men leading her, she noticed, were obviously members of the League of Darkness. She barely managed to choke back a smirk. At least something had gone as planned.

They came to a stop at the last door on the left. One of the guards let go of her arm and fumbled in his pocket, presumably for the key. Rebecca couldn't help but roll her eyes at the door, this was taking entirely too long. Eventually the key was found, and it was slowly placed into the lock and turned. They guard put his massive paw in the middle of the door and pushed.

Rebecca's eyes automatically scanned the dark room in search of her young friend. There, in the corner. It had to be him, he had the same build, the same color hair. She squinted her eyes to get a better view in the darkness. Yes, it had to be Jules. Suddenly the other guard shoved her into the room. Rebecca hardly noticed as the door was slammed shut and re- locked behind her. She took a cautious step forward in an attempt not to startle Jules.

"Jules...", her statement was met with silence. Now thoroughly concerned for him, Rebecca quickened her pace till she was kneeling beside him. She placed a gentle hand on his shoulder.

"Jules...", she tried again. This time the response took her by surprise.

A slightly sarcastic, slightly morose voice answered. A voice that definatly did not belong to Jules Verne.

"I do so hate uninvited guests."

***

Sorry for the short chapter but, I figued something is better than nothing.

P.S. - Thaks for the reviews! You guys are soooooooooooo nice! ^..^