From the reviews I've read, nobody seems to have a good view of
Batsie Linoge. Everybody's quite suspicious. Well, I think those people are
going to be a bit surprised later on in the story.
Also, this is the last "happy" chapter. Starting with chapter four, the flood gates are really going to open. And to prevent you all from jumping to any conclusions, I'm going to give you ONE hint of what's to come. Everybody is going to make it through this story alive.
Guaranteed.
*
"So," smiled Sawyer, digging into his clam chowder. "Mrs. Linoge, tell me some more about yourself."
"Well, what would you like to know about me?" asked Batsie Linoge curiously.
"Why are you going to New Zealand? That's awfully far away."
"Oh, I'm meeting my husband there. It's a business trip."
"A working woman?" giggled Skinner. "Interesting! What line of business are you in, my dear?"
Batsie froze, her spoon halfway to her mouth. Quietly, she put her spoon down and wiped her mouth with her napkin. "I heal people," she told Skinner simply.
"Oh, you're a nurse, then? Nursing is a fine line of business for women. Henry's a doctor, as a matter of fact. Have you ever met Henry before?" Sawyer asked.
"Who's Henry?" asked Batsie, turning to Nemo.
"Oh, Tom's referring to Dr. Henry Jekyll. He's aboard the Nautilus with us at this very moment," Nemo explained.
"Well, why isn't he eating with us? I'd love to meet him."
"He's taking care of Mina," Sawyer butt in. "Mina's very sick."
"Who's Mina?"
"Mina's ill?" asked McCane, putting down his soup spoon and turning to Nemo for an explanation. "Why wasn't I notified, Captain?"
"Mina Harker is our ship chemist," Nemo explained, trying to keep his cool as he spoke. He didn't like being bombarded with questions. "And yes, she's quite ill. She has some kind of flu, I think."
Batsie appeared to be in deep thought. "Harker? That name rings a bell. Is she related to Jonathan Harker?"
Sawyer's eyes practically popped out of his head. Skinner just stared at Batsie, unbelieving. Nemo was surprised out of his mind, but once again, he managed to keep his cool. "Yes, Jonathan Harker is her late husband. Mina's a widow; Jonathan's been dead for about ten years."
"I know that," Batsie said. "Jonathan Harker and I are acquainted."
"You mean, you WERE acquainted. He's dead now," Sawyer said, looking at her in a state of suspicion.
Batsie turned to look at her ex-husband. McCane gave her a nod. "I guess you're correct," Batsie stammered, turning back to look at Sawyer. "I guess he's gone now, isn't he?"
Skinner and Sawyer just looked at each other. The way she talked about dead people as if they were still alive seemed strange in itself, but there was something in her aura that made her not quite human. Her beauty and grace certainly seemed to be beyond human.
"Well," Batsie continued, "maybe I should take a look at this Mina Harker. I am a healer, you know. Maybe your Dr. Jekyll needs some assistance."
"That's a brilliant idea," Nemo said. "If you don't mind seeing a sick woman in bed while you are a visitor on my ship."
"Not at all. My work never stops."
Nemo smiled. "I like your attitude."
* * *
"How are you feeling, Mina?" Jekyll asked, taking a thermometer out of his medical bag.
"Miserable," Mina pouted.
"I know you are, Mina," Jekyll said calmly, slipping the thermometer under her tongue, "but you must remain in high spirits. If you tell yourself you'll be okay, you'll certainly get through this fine." Mina nodded, still pouting.
"McCane's here, with his wife," Jekyll remarked casually as he timed how long the thermometer sat under Mina's tongue with his silver pocket watch. "Ex-wife, rather. I haven't met her yet. Maybe, if we're lucky, she's acquainted with some vampires who have suffered this same sickness."
Mina nodded. Jekyll removed the thermometer from her tongue. "A hundred and four," he said sadly. "I'm sorry, Mina. It hasn't gone down a bit. It's higher than ever."
"I'm dying," Mina croaked.
"You're not dying. Stop that talk," Jekyll scolded her lightly.
But Mina just sat on her bed and wept. "If Jonathan were here, he'd make me feel better," she cried. "Just looking into his eyes cured anything I had."
Jekyll knelt on Mina's bed and hugged her. "I know this is no fun, Mina. But for the millionth time, please relax. I know Jonathan isn't here to take care of you, but I am. I'm your new doctor, Mina. If you just give me time, I can study up on this vampire flu you have and give you some remedies of my own, okay?"
Mina nodded, but she held her stomach. "Henry, I think I'm going to be sick to my stomach again."
"No problem, Mina, dear. I'm all ready," said Jekyll softly, picking up the washbasin from Mina's nightstand and holding it under her again.
* * *
After dinner, McCane and Batsie were in McCane's room holding a private conference.
"Okay, if anyone asks you anything," McCane whispered, "we divorced because I cheated on you with Que Moriarty. Understand?"
Batsie doubled over laughing. "But Andre, do you really expect they'll believe that?" she asked truthfully.
"Are you kidding me? They'll believe anything you say," McCane laughed. "Now, here's what we're going to do. I'm going to contact Simon and tell him to meet you in New Zealand in five days. You told them you were meeting your husband there, so that's what's going to happen."
"Right," Batsie nodded, sweat staining her beautiful pale face. She reached down her bosom, pulled out a clean white handkerchief, and began to dab her face with it. "And me?"
"You just go on being you. Pretend you've never met any of these people before. Oh, and two more things," McCane said sternly. "One, quit reading their minds! Two, quit hanging all over me! We're divorced, let's act that way!"
"Andre, I'm just scared!" Batsie hissed. "I don't think I can do this! This is a tough assignment!"
"Batsie, God puts His faith in you," McCane said. "And so do I. Trust me, you can do it!" There was a pause. "By the way, speaking of faith.there's a dying vampire down the hallway."
"Right," Batsie nodded. "Okay, off I go."
*
I've already written chapter four, but I'm going to wait a while before posting it. Just to keep you all in suspense for a while.
Happy reviewing. Heh.
Also, this is the last "happy" chapter. Starting with chapter four, the flood gates are really going to open. And to prevent you all from jumping to any conclusions, I'm going to give you ONE hint of what's to come. Everybody is going to make it through this story alive.
Guaranteed.
*
"So," smiled Sawyer, digging into his clam chowder. "Mrs. Linoge, tell me some more about yourself."
"Well, what would you like to know about me?" asked Batsie Linoge curiously.
"Why are you going to New Zealand? That's awfully far away."
"Oh, I'm meeting my husband there. It's a business trip."
"A working woman?" giggled Skinner. "Interesting! What line of business are you in, my dear?"
Batsie froze, her spoon halfway to her mouth. Quietly, she put her spoon down and wiped her mouth with her napkin. "I heal people," she told Skinner simply.
"Oh, you're a nurse, then? Nursing is a fine line of business for women. Henry's a doctor, as a matter of fact. Have you ever met Henry before?" Sawyer asked.
"Who's Henry?" asked Batsie, turning to Nemo.
"Oh, Tom's referring to Dr. Henry Jekyll. He's aboard the Nautilus with us at this very moment," Nemo explained.
"Well, why isn't he eating with us? I'd love to meet him."
"He's taking care of Mina," Sawyer butt in. "Mina's very sick."
"Who's Mina?"
"Mina's ill?" asked McCane, putting down his soup spoon and turning to Nemo for an explanation. "Why wasn't I notified, Captain?"
"Mina Harker is our ship chemist," Nemo explained, trying to keep his cool as he spoke. He didn't like being bombarded with questions. "And yes, she's quite ill. She has some kind of flu, I think."
Batsie appeared to be in deep thought. "Harker? That name rings a bell. Is she related to Jonathan Harker?"
Sawyer's eyes practically popped out of his head. Skinner just stared at Batsie, unbelieving. Nemo was surprised out of his mind, but once again, he managed to keep his cool. "Yes, Jonathan Harker is her late husband. Mina's a widow; Jonathan's been dead for about ten years."
"I know that," Batsie said. "Jonathan Harker and I are acquainted."
"You mean, you WERE acquainted. He's dead now," Sawyer said, looking at her in a state of suspicion.
Batsie turned to look at her ex-husband. McCane gave her a nod. "I guess you're correct," Batsie stammered, turning back to look at Sawyer. "I guess he's gone now, isn't he?"
Skinner and Sawyer just looked at each other. The way she talked about dead people as if they were still alive seemed strange in itself, but there was something in her aura that made her not quite human. Her beauty and grace certainly seemed to be beyond human.
"Well," Batsie continued, "maybe I should take a look at this Mina Harker. I am a healer, you know. Maybe your Dr. Jekyll needs some assistance."
"That's a brilliant idea," Nemo said. "If you don't mind seeing a sick woman in bed while you are a visitor on my ship."
"Not at all. My work never stops."
Nemo smiled. "I like your attitude."
* * *
"How are you feeling, Mina?" Jekyll asked, taking a thermometer out of his medical bag.
"Miserable," Mina pouted.
"I know you are, Mina," Jekyll said calmly, slipping the thermometer under her tongue, "but you must remain in high spirits. If you tell yourself you'll be okay, you'll certainly get through this fine." Mina nodded, still pouting.
"McCane's here, with his wife," Jekyll remarked casually as he timed how long the thermometer sat under Mina's tongue with his silver pocket watch. "Ex-wife, rather. I haven't met her yet. Maybe, if we're lucky, she's acquainted with some vampires who have suffered this same sickness."
Mina nodded. Jekyll removed the thermometer from her tongue. "A hundred and four," he said sadly. "I'm sorry, Mina. It hasn't gone down a bit. It's higher than ever."
"I'm dying," Mina croaked.
"You're not dying. Stop that talk," Jekyll scolded her lightly.
But Mina just sat on her bed and wept. "If Jonathan were here, he'd make me feel better," she cried. "Just looking into his eyes cured anything I had."
Jekyll knelt on Mina's bed and hugged her. "I know this is no fun, Mina. But for the millionth time, please relax. I know Jonathan isn't here to take care of you, but I am. I'm your new doctor, Mina. If you just give me time, I can study up on this vampire flu you have and give you some remedies of my own, okay?"
Mina nodded, but she held her stomach. "Henry, I think I'm going to be sick to my stomach again."
"No problem, Mina, dear. I'm all ready," said Jekyll softly, picking up the washbasin from Mina's nightstand and holding it under her again.
* * *
After dinner, McCane and Batsie were in McCane's room holding a private conference.
"Okay, if anyone asks you anything," McCane whispered, "we divorced because I cheated on you with Que Moriarty. Understand?"
Batsie doubled over laughing. "But Andre, do you really expect they'll believe that?" she asked truthfully.
"Are you kidding me? They'll believe anything you say," McCane laughed. "Now, here's what we're going to do. I'm going to contact Simon and tell him to meet you in New Zealand in five days. You told them you were meeting your husband there, so that's what's going to happen."
"Right," Batsie nodded, sweat staining her beautiful pale face. She reached down her bosom, pulled out a clean white handkerchief, and began to dab her face with it. "And me?"
"You just go on being you. Pretend you've never met any of these people before. Oh, and two more things," McCane said sternly. "One, quit reading their minds! Two, quit hanging all over me! We're divorced, let's act that way!"
"Andre, I'm just scared!" Batsie hissed. "I don't think I can do this! This is a tough assignment!"
"Batsie, God puts His faith in you," McCane said. "And so do I. Trust me, you can do it!" There was a pause. "By the way, speaking of faith.there's a dying vampire down the hallway."
"Right," Batsie nodded. "Okay, off I go."
*
I've already written chapter four, but I'm going to wait a while before posting it. Just to keep you all in suspense for a while.
Happy reviewing. Heh.
