Author's Note: Gah! Took me so long to write this! Sorry! *begs for forgiveness* Now this, my freaky darlings (please don't take offence to that) is what I would like to introduce as the 'interval'. It probably isn't as long as the others, because I based it on quite a short interlude of serenity in the movie… if you see what I mean. The ones after this will be the same length as chapters 2-4, I should think. This one is just a bit of… the calm before the storm, shall we say? Yes, I think that will do…

Scene: From the revelation as to Venice's fate, up until they 'park' the Nautilus…

Shout outs:

Beck2: Poor Sawyer… no one ever cuts the poor kid any slack. Don't you just wanna give him a hug? I know I do… *sighs dreamily* Ahem…

RogueSparrow: I've only ever really shut my brain off and heard the white noise I think… once? It was a difficult task, but it was Religious Education, and my teacher was an idiot. No offence to religious people out there… I'm an atheist. Each to their own, eh?

drowchild: Yes indeedy, Shane West has a band. Quite a funky one at that :D They're called Johnny Was, and they have a song on the 'A Walk To Remember' soundtrack but under a different name (West, Gould & Fitzgerald), just to complicate things. Shane sings and plays lead guitar. Good voice, that one! Thank you for your reassurance for Chapter 3… I was a bit doubtful.

Silent Bob 546: Chilaou? Is that what the buoy things are called? *ashamed* Oops… should have researched that. Took me a while to figure out what you meant by that as well *cough* I can be a bit slow at times. Weird… is it a soft pronunciation then? Darn novelisation… skipping on including that word *growls and blames book*

Sethoz: *watches you cheerlead* Hehe, thank you as always, Sethoz, for your kind and generous words, and your unwavering loyalty to my work! *hugs and cookies* You know I love you for it! What would I do without you?

Soli: Wow… thanks… very much. That really is very, very kind of you. I'm glad you're enjoying the retelling from Tom's perspective. It is fun figuring out how he works, and after reading Mark Twain's book, it's a hell of a lot easier to work out what makes the boy tick :D

Graymoon74: Aw, thank you! Graymoon74, you are so generous with your lavishing of praise! But I do feel special when you put it that way. I do try to get into his mind. I hope it comes across as genuine; I would hate to take him out of character.

sugaricing: I appreciate that you reviewed, anyway! Don't worry about signing in :D *thinks about what you said about a 'sleepy Sawyer' and nearly collapses, or falls out of her chair* Dear god… you're absolutely right! He would look extremely adorable after he's just woken up! *plans to include that again at some point for the sheer hell of it, if not in this, in some other work* Bwahaha!

LotRseer3350: I'm so glad you like it! :D I'm starting to feel really reassured about this whole project now. For a little while, I kept thinking 'what am I doing?', but all of you have made me feel very confident, so continuation is only a matter of time, determination and patience! (and several replays of the LXG soundtrack) P.s. Thanks for your help with this one on the whole day/time thing! *hugs and cookies*

On with the show!


                The following day aboard the Nautilus had been quiet to say the least. Everyone mostly kept out of each other's way, and not much was said in the way of conversation. Tensions were high, and spirits were low. They were approaching Venice, and quite possibly -to sound melodramatic- their doom.

                Tom spent much of the day in preparation, going over what had brought him this far, and to the company of the League. Though he still felt out of place, he tried not to let it bother him as much as it had previously. He tried to tell himself that he was unique in his own ways.

                Yeah… I'm American. Tom cursed his ridiculous thoughts, but far from resolved to shut the damn thing off… his brain that is. He needed his senses alert for the search and possible battle ahead. He would need his wits about him, and his whole body and mind on prepared for anything. He didn't plan on letting anyone -least of all, Quatermain- down.

                Tom had cleaned and re-cleaned all three of his guns, and wondered if the adventurer was so particular about his weapons… then decided he shouldn't worry about it at all. It wasn't important.

                Why do I respect him so much? I'd never even really heard of him until I joined the League anyway… so he survived a few outrageous situations? Haven't I done that? I mean, I saved Becky from that cave. I did lots of exciting things… His mind trailed off when it failed to come up with anything more impressive than what Quatermain had accomplished, and he sighed quietly. Tom tried not to feel too bad about it, and shut it out of his thoughts. There was too much going on to think about trivial things such as adventure and thrill as a child when a whole conference of important world leaders was at stake!

                Tom didn't want to let his mind wander. He wanted to keep it focused.

                Of course, he was thoroughly surprised when the old adventurer himself called on Tom to join him in his cabin. He didn't say what for, he just motioned for Tom to follow.

                Tom stared out of the door after the man, raising a brow and pondering the reasons behind it. He slipped his Colt pistols into his holsters, and walked from the room, finding Quatermain waiting for him halfway down the hall.

                Tom walked up beside him, concerned about the situation from the day before up on the tower of the submersible. He cleared his throat quietly, his hands finding the depths of his pockets, and he said, "Look, about what I said-"

                Quatermain waved a hand abruptly, but not in a harsh manner. He gave Tom a sidelong glance, and a hint of a smile touched his aged face. Tom felt some of the weight of the tension lifting already, and his spirits went with it. He felt a little more at ease now, able to relax somewhat… as much as the dilemma permitted anyway. It seemed Quatermain was willing to forgive and forget when it came to Tom's previous lack of tact, and for that, the young man was relieved and grateful.

                They continued walking in silence, so Tom allowed his thoughts to come into precedence, and he listened to his own mind's ramblings.

                I wonder what all this is about, anyway. Everyone ate at noon… Nemo had said it would be best if we didn't wait until late to eat... so it can't be about a dinner invitation… that's stupid anyway. We should almost be at Venice now, I imagine. He paused, furrowing his brow. What exactly is the plan of action when we get there; I wonder… no one's said anything about that yet.

                Before he had realised, they were at Quatermain's cabin, and the two entered. The older of the two found a space at the desk, and seated himself, perusing plans and documents that Tom recognised to be the blueprints of Venice, and the Phantom's profile. A scowl came to Tom's face, and he tried to hide it, without much success.

                I can't wait to get my hands on that man… no, he's not a man. Tom glared down at the black and white photograph discreetly over Quatermain's shoulder. In no way is he a man… he's a monster, that's all.

                There was a light knock at the door. Adventurer and spy glanced up together, eyes meeting the stoic form of Captain Nemo in the doorway, standing rigidly and purposefully in waiting.

                "Oh, come in, Captain," Quatermain addressed the man, "thank you for coming."

                Okay… so what does Quatermain plan on doing now? Why did he ask me here? It's not as if I have anything constructive to add. All I know about the Phantom is that I can't wait for him to recognise me as the man whose partner he killed in cold blood…

                Nemo acknowledged Quatermain's request with a simple bow of the head, and stepped into the room further. He walked up in front of Quatermain's desk, and stood there, face as if set in stone, a mask to hide all emotion. Nemo linked his hands loosely behind his back in a regulation stance, and eyed the adventurer as he perused the plans and blueprints and documents. Tom crossed his arms, and turned his attention on the decoration -or lack thereof- in the room. He never had liked awkward silences.  

                "The business with this conference doesn't sit right with me, Captain," Quatermain said at long last, his eyes not leaving the papers strewn before him on the desk. "What do you think of it all?"

                "Well, sir," Nemo began, though his 'sir' was far from an acknowledgement of rank or superiority, "I far from trust the British Empire as it is, and this only serves to unsettle me more as to their motives. I believe there is more to this matter than a simple conference."

                "Sawyer?"

                What? Tom thought instead of saying out loud as he had intended. He looked to the upturned face of Quatermain, and finally managed to say, "The whole thing seems a little confusing."

                Oh, very observant, he chided himself, closing his eyes for a brief moment. What an input!

                "So, what then, could be the reason for the whole trip to Venice?"

                Quatermain looked to Nemo in pensive consideration as to this question, and his eyes darkened with thought and deep musings. "Perhaps he means to do something other than disrupt this mystery conference."

                "But what? What else can he do?" Tom asked, looking between the two men, both far older and much more experienced than he was. It did nothing to stem his confidence in that moment though. He was determined to try and show his fervour to learn answers and get his opinions heard.

                Quatermain's gaze fell back slowly upon the plans, and he and Nemo shared a long stare of deep meaning that Tom missed out on… only for a moment. It seemed, oddly enough, to dawn on all three men at one time, though they didn't all burst into revelation at once.

                "The plans give much more away than the potential site for a conference of leaders," Nemo said gravely, "it also shows the entire structure of the city. It shows its complete underwater system, and ground plan as well."

                "He's not heading for the conference at all," Tom mumbled, and uncrossed his arms. Uncertainty was replaced with anger again at the atrocity of the apparent plan the Phantom had concocted.

                "No… he stole these plans for another reason," Quatermain muttered, and tapped his finger on the pages. "And we already know he has the means to carry out this secret plan… if we are indeed correct."

                I'll kill this monster if it's the last thing I do… I swear.

                "So it is clear," Nemo said as he began to pace back and forth in a little pattern in front of Quatermain's desk, "with da Vinci's blueprints, and enough explosives… he could set a bomb that would blow Venice's foundations to rubble."

                Tom stopped the growl flowing into his voice as he agreed by saying, "He's gonna sink the whole city!"

                Quatermain nodded only once. Clearly, they had all been on the same track. "Yes, and spark off his world war."

                Tom had been so wrapped up in his thoughts of vengeance and disbelief as to the malice the Phantom held in him, that he only noticed Dr. Jekyll when the fragile-seeming man entered, saying, "I'm afraid that's not the sum of our problems."

                Oh great, what now? Out of curiousity, Tom took a couple of steps towards Jekyll, worry marring his face. Nemo mirrored his movements, and Quatermain half-rose from his seat at the desk.

                "Skinner…" Jekyll began, shaking his head a little as if in disbelief to whatever he was about to reveal, "he's taken a vial of my formula…" He hung his head then, as if ashamed.

                Oh this couldn't get any worse… Tom thought, remembering the explanation as to what Jekyll was referring to. The doctor relied on the formula to be able to transform into the alter ego of Hyde, the beast that had nearly torn off Tom's head with a detached chain. Tom pushed the memory aside in the urgency of the situation.

                Quatermain furrowed his brow. "Are you sure?"

                Jekyll's face when he looked back up made Tom reconsider the man for a moment. There was a hard look in his eyes, something not too dissimilar to anger there, perhaps even hatred. "Who else?" he practically growled. "You've seen the way the sneaky blackguard operates."

                Or not seen, as the case may be, Tom added in thought after the doctor considered them at great length. The three men regarded each other warily and curiously, and Tom cast his eyes about for signs that the invisible man might be in the very same room with them, listening to the revelations. What if he's in league with the Phantom? Oh god… I trusted him… as much as I can let myself trust these days, that is. What does he plan to do with that formula? A visible Hyde is bad enough… I don't even want to imagine an invisible one. Tom swallowed dryly, suddenly very unnerved by the whole prospect of being secretly watched.

                That was the moment when a crewman hovered outside the door, acknowledged by his captain almost instantly.

                "We have reached the city." The crewman bowed his head, and then departed.

                Tom glanced to Nemo, and then to Quatermain, finally at Jekyll, whose anger was subsiding and giving way for worry and regret perhaps. It was difficult to read his expression clearly. The man was an enigma if nothing else.

                "Very well, gentlemen," Nemo began. He paused when Jekyll glanced to him hopefully, perhaps even desperately. "I am afraid we will have to concern ourselves with this theft after we deal with the Phantom, and saving Venice. There is more at stake."

                Though Tom wasn't sure, he thought he saw a flash of disbelieving rage in Jekyll's eyes, but for only a moment. Then it was gone, in the time it took to blink. As Tom followed Quatermain out of the room, he watched Jekyll warily, as if the doctor would turn into Hyde completely of his own accord.

                They made their way up to the bridge, the control centre of the Nautilus, or as Tom liked to think of it… the brain. Nemo led the way, clearly in charge of the procession when it came to his vessel.

                I think this man is a little too obsessed with this thing, Tom thought as they walked, he needs to find another hobby, maybe. He suppressed a smile, trying not to think like that. It wasn't polite, and what Nemo did with his time was none of Tom's business. After all, if it weren't for him, they probably wouldn't have made it to Italy this fast, and all hope would have been lost. They had the captain to thank for that blessing, and Tom was far from nonchalant about it… at least on the inside.

                The bridge quickly filled when they were through its door, Mina Harker and Dorian Gray filing in last. Quatermain stood close to Nemo, who ordered for something called a 'periscope'.

                Tom watched with youthful fascination as a cylinder lowered, and Nemo put his eyes to a viewing hole. He turned it to the right using small handles on the sides, even as Tom glanced out of the window, not able to see much in the darkness of the night that had enveloped Venice.

                "The carnival," Nemo revealed after a silent moment where all that could be heard were the odd noises of the vessel itself. Then Nemo drew his gaze away from the device, and motioned for it to be raised once again into the roof above, much to Tom's surprise. "My god," Nemo began as he stared out the window, and then met Quatermain's determined gaze, "we must locate that bomb!"

                Quatermain nodded, and glanced to Tom. The young American inclined his head slightly to show he understood the severity of the situation. Beside him, Jekyll was on edge, looking frantically this way and that as if in search of the invisible man and his missing sample of formula.

                Nemo's first mate -a dedicated man named Ishmael- stood at the helm, but not controlling it. That job was left to an unnamed member of the crew, who followed every slight command that Ishmael gave him.

                "Helm, three feet to port," Ishmael commanded with ease, evidently knowing what he was doing. That much was clear in his posture, and the determined way he checked on the crew around him. "Steady," he continued in an easing fashion to the man at the helm.

                Tom took a moment to glance out of the glass panels, and saw that they were pushing further and further into the centre of Venice. Large archways prevailed as focal points this far in, but the closer they got to the centre, the tighter the squeeze, it seemed.

                "Decrease prop a half knot," Ishmael continued, in his own world of commands and functions. The crew worked with regulated rhythm around him, unperturbed by the presence of the League.

                The canal continued to narrow, the overhead archways closing in on them and seemingly becoming lower and lower, the squeeze tighter and tighter. The Nautilus began to scrape on the walls of the archways and bridges, and Tom caught sight of rubble tumbling free, though small in size and not enough to warrant concern about destroying any of the local architecture.

                Ishmael finally turned upon his captain, face somewhat grave, and he said in a clear, crisp voice, "We can go no further, Cap'n."

                Tom only then registered the accent, though it was difficult to place. The abbreviation of Nemo's title was -to Tom- unheard until now, and therefore not taken into account when it came to Ishmael's origins. Tom didn't let himself dwell on it. There would be plenty of time to fully acquaint himself with the man later on.

                As long as he doesn't mind upfront questioning, Tom thought with an inward smile. I can be a little blunt at times.

                Nemo clasped his hands regally behind his back, standing just a few feet in front of Tom, Mina, Jekyll and Gray. The latter was as placid as always, undisturbed by the situation, the annoying calm on his face making Tom set his jaw in resolve. He would not allow himself to be shown up by Gray… not if he could help it. For some reason, that struck Tom as part of whatever Gray was planning to do out in the city, perhaps prove to Mina Harker that the agent was not enough of a 'man' for her.

                You obviously lost her once, Gray, Tom thought angrily, leave her to make up her own mind.

                Nemo gave his next command in an authorative loud voice that all could hear; "All ahead, stop!"

                Ishmael worked a device that rang as he pulled back and forward on a handle, and Tom watched him curiously.

                Before he could think on it seriously at length, Quatermain had turned to his companions, saying, "We need to be quick." He gave a single nod, and Mina and Dorian left the room at once, no doubt to prepare.

                Hopefully not together. Oh, this is not the time!

                Quatermain looked to Tom with a hidden expression that the latter could not unravel. Before he could inquire, Quatermain had left the bridge, Jekyll not far behind. Tom, not wanting to be left on his own and far from ready when the others departed, dashed out of the room as well, heading straight for his cabin.

                Here we go…


A/N2: Voila! Chapter 5! *cheers* Maybe I shouldn't be so excited. For an interval, I fleshed it out a bit too much, hehe. Oh well, I doubt you care. From what I've heard, the longer the chapter, the better, right? Right? Well, I'll leave it to you to decide. Some of (perhaps even most of) the dialogue is from the novelisation, which has come in very handy as of late with these last couple of chapters! The thoughts and descriptions are original though, let me assure you. Well enough of my blabbering! Let me know what you think, and get ready for the carnage that is… Venice!