Disclaimer: Not mine. The concept goes to America's Best Comics and Alan Moore and Fox 20th cent., the characters come from their classics. I don't make any money off this, and as a starving student, neither will you if you sue me.

            "Come along, they say," he panted as he rounded another corner, "we could use Edward…" he paused in an alley and wondered when Sawyer was going to start shooting something. "Well, I can't use Edward. I won't. You can't make me-" he puffed out his chest stubbornly while gasping for breath, but jumped as Sawyer began firing. Jekyll looked over his shoulder, vainly checking for Skinner, but remembered the thief was actually doing his job.

            The Nautilus had paused outside of a Virginia port town, not too large, not too clean, watching its quarry patiently. Nemo didn't want to strike too soon as it became apparent they were not the only ones watching the dock. "They may have allies," Nemo stated. His face was blank At times, Jekyll could feel as though this was the same man who steadied him in that ice cave, but at these times, he was stiller than a corpse. Even Hyde had nothing to say.

            So they, being mostly Nemo and Sawyer, had planned some sort of ambush, consisting of a lot of foolhardy heroism as usual. They would drive the offenders into a closed area and Jekyll was content to study the china pattern on his teacup until his name was called. Or rather, not his. "What about Hyde?" he asked.

            "Once you are placed in the thick of these [and here the captain spat a foreign word with such vehemence] you will release Hyde to punish them."

            Jekyll opened to his mouth to yell to scream to reason even that Hyde is not a team player that he is a good man not a killer, his hand shook slightly, rattling the teacup against the saucer, "I'm afraid I must decline," he said quietly.

            "I'm afraid this isn't a choice, doctor," Nemo's eye glittered and Jekyll could feel a gulf widening between them – allies dropping like flies once more – where had that come from? His eyes darted to Skinner who seemed to think it was a grand plan. He made a shooing motion with his gloved hands.

            No where, no one

            You 'ave me, 'enry.

            Henry swallowed and squeezed his eyes shut. It won't be so bad –

            Yes it will, but he nodded slowly. Some momentous occasion, some sliver of his soul blackening and no one noticed. Skinner quirked an eyebrow as Jekyll patted his forehead with a limp handkerchief. Henry didn't see.

            Edward did.

            And this is how he found himself running as the others herded the unseen offenders toward him. He heard screams and cries of "Bruja! Monstruo!" He turned another corner.

            Skinner would be coming from the east, Harker from the north, Sawyer and Nemo from the west, which meant Jekyll had to be going south. He was never good with directions.

            Got that right. Turn left here, Henry, Hyde grumbled. Jekyll took a right.

            What are you doing?! Left!

            I will have no part in this!

            But I will! Jekyll felt his legs begin to still and his feet shift. Sometimes, when Hyde put his mind to it, he could force Jekyll to move in little ways, like reaching toward the elixir. Jekyll, however, had yet to be able to control Hyde. Ever.

            "No!" Jekyll ground his teeth and forced his knees to bend, until he was kneeling in the alley. Hyde roared his frustration and released Jekyll, who ran into a doorway. He slammed his back against it, panting, hearing a creaking and popping.

            The door splintered and he fell inward.

            Tiny shafts of light spilled in from the street, enough to tell Jekyll he was in an abandoned room, an abandoned building. The door wasn't unsalvageable, it just hung off its hinges though Jekyll could feel wood fragments under his hands. Wood, and something else. He shuddered slightly and winced while Hyde thundered at him Out get out get out there and rip and tear and –

            Jekyll got to his feet shakily and brushed his hands off delicately. He could hear the gunshots and yelling closer now and realized They must think this is my plan, so no one could get out!

            'S a bloody good plan, too. Now, LET ME OUT!

            Jekyll ignored him in favor of finding some place to hide. There was a door at the far wall, but it must have swelled shut in the humidity. Being an abandoned building meant it was lacking in a few crucial hiding places like furniture. The best he could hope for was backing into a corner and hoping none of them had good night vision.

            The first few ran in and Jekyll held his breath. They began gabbling at one another then quieted as more feet pounded the dirt outside. Apparently it was more of their people and one hissed "En aquí!"

            The room got fuller. Jekyll did his best to not breathe.

            "Alguièn está aquí!"

            "Como?"

            One of them lunged forward, a burly one, and Jekyll found it even harder to breathe. "Quièn es èste?"

            Jekyll kicked his feet in the air. Henry, let me out, I'll deal with this fodder.

            I-I can't.

            He tried to slide his fingers under the beefy sausages that were cutting off his air supply. Spots appeared in front of his eyes and he could see lights, patterned lights.

            Let me out, Henry, I can make them stop

            I can't reach the vial – it was true. He could feel a small weight in his pocket but he couldn't reach it as his jacket swung with him, shaking in the air. The man had a sour sweaty scent, he was tiring, but raised Jekyll an inch higher as if finding a second wind.

            Let me out

            I can't!

            Henry, let me out!

            The elixir he rolled one eye down in vain, but couldn't see anything, anything at all.

            Let me out let me out LET ME OUT –

            Sawyer was the first to find the building. "I think he's in here!" he called. He checked his guns and holstered them. He felt something shove him aside as Skinner strode in past him. The invisible man stopped abruptly and lifted his right foot. He checked the bottom. It was hard to tell in this light, but it felt like blood. Blood, and something else. Something soft – but he could see something moving in the corner, so it wasn't that bad. Until he got closer.

            Henry huddled in the corner, eyes unfocused, his clothing in rags. "Ducks?" Skinner asked.

            Henry looked at him, eyes wide. Now Skinner could see blood on his lips. Hyde could deal with, even enjoy this slaughter, but Jekyll…

            Rodney sighed, "Let's get you back to the ship."

            "Something's been bothering me," Harker said. Nemo set his cup on table in the small parlor.

            "About what?"

            Mina glanced down at a sheaf of papers before answering. "Every time Jekyll has used the elixir, he has retained the Hyde persona for up to hours later. However, this time, he was in human form only moments after."

            "What is your point?"

            "Could he be experimenting with his elixir?"

            "That may account for a third presence-"

            "Exactly!"

            Nemo contemplated in silence, a comfortable silence that spun between the two of them in their meeting. The captain was thinking of these two problems, Jekyll, and a complication of reacquiring his crew. Once they had herded the offenders to be destroyed by Hyde, Harker discovered they had already given the missing crew to a second group, intent on hustling them over land. Back aboard the Nautilus, they met a mysterious crew also hunting these thieves, likely for the same reason.

            Can they be trusted?

            Where are they taking my crew?

            Unlike their first actual mission, where everything was laid out so very neatly, he found this trial to be frustrating, an outrage against his personal mission, forcing him back to –

            "Is Skinner up to acquiring more information?"

            "Do you believe that would work again?" Nemo asked. The doctor had shut himself away after their meeting, not even reappearing for meals.

            "I hope so. How else do we get to the bottom of this? Demand Hyde tell us everything?" she smirked. Nemo allowed himself a small smile.