Clez: I just realized something. You've reviewed, like, on almost every chapter. Which, of course, I am eternally grateful for. And you're not the only one, but I'll mention those later.

Graymoon74: Just to let you know, I don't intend to bring most of Jesse and co back. *dodges flames* But, if readers permit, something bigger might happen.

CHAPTER 9

INFIRMARY

NAUTILUS

VENICE

            "Ouch," Vicky hissed as Sloane helped her bandage up a nasty gash on her forehead. "Ouch, ouch, ouch, ouch!"

            "Oh, quit whining," Sloane told her. "Be thankful you didn't need stitches. You're terrified of needles."

            "Hey, it isn't my fault that needles are sharp and pointy and steel," Vicky shot back. "I mean, who wouldn't be scared of them?"          

            "Me," Sloane said simply. Vicky looked as if she had been insulted, but refrained from commenting further.

            Mina gave a small smile as she helped Skinner set his arm. It was broken again, and he wasn't too happy about it.

            "First I break it after falling out a window, then it heals, and then it has to be broken again," he was grumbling. Mina ignored him, as she usually did.

            They had reached Venice hours ago, had attacked the stronghold where the children were kept. Unfortunately, they were ambushed on the way there. Skinner had broken his arm when he fended off a crushing blow from one of the demon baddies. The demons who had attacked them were vicious, and the League, Vicky and Sloane gave them no mercy — because they knew they would receive none.

            "What were those, anyway?" Jekyll asked. "Those things that attacked us?" He was working on fixing himself up; Hyde had come out and done a lot of damage, but received a few cuts and scrapes along the way.

            "Orcs(#1)," Sloane answered as she taped the bandage firmly down to Vicky's head. "We were lucky we managed to get rid of them so quickly."

            "What do you mean?" Allan asked, as he, Nemo, Dorian and Tom walked into the room.

           "Orcs, like other demons," Vicky said, "Are very resilient, which is always good for prolonged battles. And ugly, too. Which, in my opinion, is useful for scaring potential threats away."

            "Vicky has a more...childish look on Orcs," Sloane told them, to a puff from Vicky. "But, true. They are remarkably resilient, but all things have weakness. In their case, it's sunlight."

            "A drawback on two fronts," Nemo nodded. Sloane agreed with him.

            "Let's say you're fighting in a building. The vampires are on your side. Pull down the roof, let the sunlight in, you kill maybe half your troops and most of the Orcs."

STATEROOM

NAUTILUS

VENICE         

            "We should be able to storm the building," Allan told the League and their two allies. Skinner was out spying for them; by now, he should be in the building where they believed the children were held. "But that depends on Skinner's information."

            "And so he arrives!"

            The doors were thrown open, at the end of the room. All of them spun around in their seat. There was no one there, but there was the loud footsteps of Skinner. His coat, gloves, prince-nez and compact of greasepaint were picked up and quickly put on as Vicky watched in wonder.

            "What news, Skinner?" Nemo asked. Skinner sat down and, for once, didn't take his time before answering.

            "The children aren't in there anymore," he told them.  "And, by the looks of it, I don't think they were ever there."

            "What do you mean?" Mine shot at him.

            "Well, I scouted the whole place, checked every room," Skinner continued. "And they're full of those ugly things that attacked us yesterday."

            "How many, roughly?" asked Dorian.   

            "Dozens; a hundred isn't too much of an overstatement," he nodded at the immortal. "Anyway, there aren't any signs of where the kids might've been kept. In fact, there isn't any evidence any humans were ever there. Only those orcs."

            "How can this be?" Nemo asked Sloane. She sighed and leaned back in her seat.

            "In every spell there is a margin of error," she said. "I'm afraid they managed to fool the Finder."

            "Damnation," Vicky muttered.

            "And there's more," Skinner said quickly. "In the basement, they're working on swords,  shields, spears, the like. They have a boiler down there. By the looks of it, they're planning an invasion."

            "Of Venice?" Tom asked no one in particular. "What does Venice have?"

            "It may not be Venice, Tom," Vicky said. "They may move out to somewhere else once they're ready." She turned to Skinner. "Did you see horses, ships or anything that vaguely resembled a mode of transport?"

            Skinner nodded. "Boats. Lots of them."

            "That means they're moving out," Sloane told Allan. "We have a few....contacts in the city. We can try to get the information from them. They move at night, and me and Vicky can go see them once the sun sets."

            "Most contacts need money to persuade them," Nemo noted. "Something which we have not much of."

            Vicky grinned. "Leave that to me."

DILUVIARE CASA PUB

VENICE, ITALY

DEEP IN THE CITY

            The night was clear, the stars little diamonds dotting the dark velvet sky. The city of Venice was not asleep yet, but the lights in some houses were already out. In one of the many streets that crisscrossed the great city, there was a row of pubs, facing the water. All of them had a sign, but, only one, at the end of the long row, had it's battered sign swinging slightly in the breeze.

            The Venetian pub was full, and the sounds of clinking glasses, unsure footsteps and what passed off as singing were almost inaudible in the back room that the bartender had offered them. Vicky had a man, held up by this neck, pinned to the wall.

            "Now, now, Edin," Sloane said from her seat at the large table, used mostly for illegal gambling by a few powerful men of the city. "You know better than to say you don't know anything. We both know that you have eyes and ears everywhere. Even the smallest bit of information wouldn't slip past you."

            Tom sat opposite her at the round table, playing with one of his dueling pistols. Vicky had done a little dress-up for him, and he was wearing a hood and cloak, above his normal clothes. The hood was down, covering his face in shadow, making him look every dangerous. Dorian was there as well, but Vicky had conceded that he didn't need any props to make him look scary. Just a glint of his cane-sword would make one nervous. The two men were there because Sloane had drafted them as "bodyguards" to fool whoever might want to question them. In reality, Sloane and Vicky were better equipped to defend themselves in a fight.

            The man that Vicky held up — Edin was his name — struggled and tried to free himself. Unfortunately for him, Vicky was stronger than most humans, and he stood no chance. They had asked around, found out that Edin liked to hang out at the Diluviare Casa, a well-known pub in the middle of the city.

            "Well, Ed?" she asked. "Any news for your old pals Vicky and Sloane?"

            "You're not friends," he managed, and gasped when she tightened her grip around his windpipe.

            "Did you hear that, Sloane?" she asked. "He says we're not friends!"

            Dorian looked mildly interested. Tom hide a smile under the hood. Sloane just shook her head and sighed.

            "Now, Edin," she said. "You're going to tell us what you know of the house along Fondamenta Bonlini (#2). Or we're going to make you."

            At that, Tom cocked his pistol and Dorian drew his sword, enough to let Edin see the blade. Edin gulped as best he could, with Vicky's hand at his throat.

            "Okay, okay," he said. "I have heard something on the street, but I can't recall...." Dorian drew his weapon out a little more, the soft whisper of steel against wood a subtle reminder of the deadly weapon it was. Edin was sweating, by now. "Then again," Edin added quickly, "I do remember something."

            "Spit it out, Edin," Vicky said. "Or I'll make making sure you'll be spitting out your insides next."

            "Alright, alright!" he gasped. "I know lots about it!" Vicky glanced over her shoulder at Sloane. The vampire nodded and Vicky pulled her hand away, and he slumped to the ground, massaging his throat where a bruise was already forming. Vicky stepped back until she stood next to Sloane as Edin started his story.

            By the end of it, they were all very grave.

(#1) LOTR fans rejoice. The Orcs are our baddie's minions, so expect to see more of the big and ugly creatures in the future.

(#2) Fondamenta Bonlini is a street at the edge of Venice.

A/N: Hmmm....what is it that makes them feel very grave? Anyhows, this chapter was completed a few days ago, but my broadband and Internet Explorer ganged up on me. Which, I think, is a sign of the end of the world.