Author's Note: Big hugs to my reviewers again! Thanks for reviewing! I'm really sorry but I may not be able to post another chapter in the coming few weeks as my exams are coming. All the same, please don't forget to leave me your comments for this chapter!

Chapter 4

A horrified silence greeted her words.

"What? But that's murder!" Tom gasped.

"The price of one for the greater good," Mina said simply.

"Greater good? Good Lord, Mina, I c-can't believe this. You're going to sacrifice Miss Joan for such a reason? Is that what you call a 'greater good'?" Jekyll spluttered out, shocked. "It's not her fault that she is in this! She is going to help us, and you are going to repay her by killing her?"

Mina surveyed him coolly. "Calm yourself doctor. I wish this no more than you do."

It was his honour that prompted Jekyll to speak up. "No, Mina. We should not even contemplate this kind of thoughts. If we kill her, what makes us different from our enemies? Like you said, we do not belong here. If she is killed by our hands, hands that are not even supposed to be here, her entire line of descendants will be terminated! We will be upsetting the balance of time itself!"

Mina's eyes glowed yellow again. Jekyll quickly took a stumbling step back.

"I did not say that we are definitely going to kill her. Please get your facts right, Doctor. I said we will only kill her if the need arises. If we find that she is untrustworthy and incapable of keeping secrets. In the meantime, refrain from mentioning that part of the plan to her. We do not want any unnecessary trouble, do we, Mr Jekyll?" She turned away from him. "So," she said matter-of-factly, as though the matter had been all cleared up. "It's agreed that we will accept her help?"

There was a murmur of consent. Jekyll however, did not answer. He did not trust himself to speak, fearing that he might vomit.

"One question though," said Skinner suddenly.

"Yes?"

"Do we tell her about our abilities?"

Mina thought for a moment. "Well… I suppose so. After all, if she is going to be with us, she is sooner or later going to find out about all our strengths and powers. However, I think we should keep at least one member's ability a secret. It really would not do for her to know EVERYTHING about us, right?" She smiled, although it was more of a leer. "I will go and get her now."

As Mina passed the doctor, she gave him a warning look.

So, Jekyll, seems like your little crush is as cruel and insensitive as I am. 

She is NOT my 'little crush', Hyde. It was just a passing fantasy, that's all.

Fantasy? Hyde sneered. It was more like lust. You never could get any of the pretty girls, right?

Damn it Hyde! Just be quiet!

"Jekyll? Are you okay?" Tom asked worriedly, gripping his shoulder. Jekyll was as pale as sheet and sweat was pouring down his face.

"Y-yes. Yes, I'm fine. It's all right." He mopped his sweaty brow with a handkerchief.

Putting a hand in his pocket, he started fiddling with his pocket watch nervously. Mina soon came back with Joan in tow. "All right, we have agreed to accept your proposal. We will tell you all we know…" (Jekyll winced slightly here) "…in return, you help us with the…the machine. Do we have a deal?"   

Joan beamed. "Sure, no problem."

"Thank you. Now, do you perhaps know of some accommodation for us? I am afraid we need to rest, to recharge ourselves."

Joan did not reply to her question. Looking around at the League again, she spoke up. "Since we have agreed to work together, I think we all ought to introduce ourselves first. It just wouldn't do to dispose of the formalities, would it?" She glanced at Mina, smiling perhaps slightly too wide. She seemed to take great pleasure in irritating the older woman. "I mean, I can't very well go around pointing fingers at each of you and saying stuff like, 'Hey you, the one with the funny gun. I need you to do this.'"

Jekyll suppressed a smile. He could hear Skinner sniggering behind him.

"Very well, very well," snapped Mina. "I am Mina Harker, a chemist."

"Cool. Nice scarf," Joan said appreciatively. Mina's eyes narrowed and she tightened the scarf around her neck slightly.

"Mina Harker…I don't know...somehow your name rings a bell somewhere… Oh yeah, I remember now. What a coincidence! Your name is the name of the heroine in the book Dracula! I was just reading it the other day! Cool book. Of course, I don't suppose you have any connections to her right?"

There was a silence, in which Mina pursed her lips and glared at the younger girl.

"Erm… was it something I said?" Joan asked, confused, cocking her head to one side. "It was meant to be a joke. There's no need for you to get so uptight about it! I mean, everybody knows that vampires don't exist in real life, and that character got bitten by one in the story."

Jekyll was looking from Mina to Joan and back again fearfully. Hyde smirked in satisfaction. This is fun to watch. That girl is so going to get into trouble.

Everyone in the League knew that Mina did not like to talk about her past, and hated to be confronted by it.

Mina's eyes were now glowing an intense yellow, much more intense than when they first met Joan. Joan stared at her in shock, and stumbled backwards quickly. Jekyll noticed with some alarm that Mina's hair was growing curlier. Oh god, her vampire instinct is coming out… When Mina spoke, her voice took on a strange raspy sound. "Are you sure that vampires do not exist in real life? They look like humans, talk like humans and act like humans. How can you detect one?"

"Vampires cannot exist in broad daylight and their reflections cannot be seen in a mirror!" said Joan stoutly, although Jekyll could tell that she was trembling slightly.

The tension was so thick that you could cut through it like butter.

"That is just human nonsense and superstition. None of that rubbish is true." Mina drew in closer. "You think this is just a game… a game where no one dies, no one really gets hurt. We have powers you do not know of, powers that are both blessing and curse." Her hair had come out of her neat bun in curls and her face looked more and more animalistic. As Joan looked into her eyes, she saw twin pools of shimmering gold. "You're not human!"

Mina bared her fangs. "No, I am not."

Joan screamed.

Jekyll's mind was reeling in turmoil. Do something…say something…Tell Mina to stop it. You were all so brave back there, why don't you stand up for Joan now? You're nothing but a coward!

Mina swiftly put her hand over Joan's mouth, muffling her scream. "Don't worry, Miss Joan. I won't hurt you. I've had my fill of blood already. That was just to warn you about who you are dealing with. Our enemy is powerful, and he is willing to sacrifice anything to get what he wants." Her eyes and hair had changed back to their original selves. She removed her hand from the younger girl's mouth. "Do you still feel you are up to it?"

Jekyll looked at Mina confused. What is she up too? We need Joan, why is she trying to scare her away?

Joan was staring at Mina in awe. "You're actually a vampire… Oh my god, this is so freaky!" She tossed her head. "But I still feel that I'm up to it. I know this is not a kid's game. Even though I have no special power, my intellect and knowledge of this place will be a boon to you. Let's go kick some bad guy's ass!" She tried to inject some confidence in her rather shaky voice.

 Mina nodded slowly. It was evident to the League that she still had her doubts.

Tom quickly stepped in with his introduction.

"I'm Tom Sawyer, a sharpshooter and special agent for-"

"Wait a second. Did you just say that your name is Tom Sawyer?" Joan interrupted, looking incredulously at him.

"Er…yes."

"Then I suppose you know of a Huckleberry Finn?" Joan smiled disbelievingly.

"Well of course. He's my best friend! We pretty much grew up together."

"This is so weird! Are all of you from story books? Gosh, I can't believe it!" She looked around at them all again, curiousity and wonderment etched in every line of her face. Just as Joan was about to turn and face Jekyll, she suddenly stopped. "Oh yeah, I just remembered. Who was that guy who spoke just now? The one who mentioned about all of you being in a different timeline?"

 "That was me, luv!" came Skinner's cheerful cockney accent.

"What? There's that voice again! Who are you?" Joan asked, looking around in confusion. Skinner chuckled. "I'm Rodney Skinner, gentleman thief and here only for comic relief."

Joan was stunned. "Where are you?"

"You can't see me. I'm invisible. Stole the potion's formula right from under Hawley Griffin's nose!"

 Joan gaped. "You stole the potion from Hawley Griffin? I've read about him in the 'Invisible Man'!" Skinner laughed again. "Pleased to meet you, Miss! But be warned, I'm quite a devilish tricky blighter myself!"

Joan grinned. "And what about you?" she inquired, looking at Jekyll.

"Oh, m-my name is Henry Jekyll. I am a scientist."

"A scientist. That's interesting. Did you ever invent anything?"

"Er… w-well, if I did, surely you would have heard of me, right?" Jekyll laughed shakily.

Joan laughed too. "I don't know. Your name sounds really familiar, I remember seeing it on a book along with another name… what was it…oh yeah, Edward Hyde. Do you know him?"

The doctor started visibly. "Edward Hyde?" he asked, very nervously. Don't tell me she knows…

"Yeah, but I didn't read the book though. It sounded quite boring. So do you know him?"

The atmosphere was very tense again although Joan appeared not to have noticed.

Jekyll caught Mina's expression. She shook her head silently.

"Y- no. No, I don't know who he is," Jekyll quickly said. Hyde laughed in his head. Why? Scared of her reaction to the hideous, monstrous alter ego of timid, shy Henry Jekyll?

"Oh I see," Joan said. She looked at him, puzzled. "Then what is your special skill? Mina mentioned that all of you have super powers, so what's yours?"

"I-"

Mina cut in quickly. "I did not mean him. Doctor Jekyll is just our scientist. He helps me with my work. I am a chemist, after all."

Jekyll felt that Mina was being unusually harsh with him. Then he remembered his outburst just now.

She's now making me out to be such a pathetic weakling…

Which you are, worm. Face it. Without me, you are nothing.

Shut up, Hyde…I can survive without you.

Don't delude yourself. You need me. You enjoy being me. You love the power.

Monster!

Don't forget, I AM you.

"SHUT UP!" His voice rang out, almost shrilly. Everyone stared at him, shocked.