Chapter: Chapter 11: Breaking the Code of Honor

Chapter Author: Beck2

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"Clunky! Where have you been, you rascal?"

Gilly patted the big dog. In truth, he was so happy to see that dog he could probably burst into tears, but there was no need for that. He didn't want people to see him cry, especially not on this blasted stupid ship. He stepped over the large dog in the doorway and padded down the hall a ways, fingering the book in his jacket pocket. Clunky got up and followed at a short distance.

He supposed it would be time to find Skinner. He felt more comfortable handing over his shame and honor to someone who knew how it felt, and wouldn't look down on him for it.

As luck would have it, Skinner was haunting the corridor adjacent to the corridor in which his room was situated. Gilly could have laughed. No doubt the thief was waiting for this thief to make up his mind. It had to have been one of the first time's he ever saw a thief wait on something. Most of the one's he knew were too impatient, himself included.

"'Ey."

Skinner looked up, surprised, then a grin broke across his face.

"Eh, I was takin' a break otherwise I'd met you at the door."

"No you wasn', I see it in your face, lookin' like some lost tourist you are."

"Don' make fun, I know this place like the back of my hand!"

"Oh really?"

"Really! I'll prove it, the kitchens are three decks below this one."

"Proof that thieves only think with their stomachs."

"Touché."  Skinner joked back.

Then all laughing and joking was discarded in a silence that followed. Gilly found an interesting spot in the floor to gaze at while he mused his next words.

"An' wot's your decision then?" Skinner broke the silence.

"Are you willin' to take a few risks?"

"Within reason."

"Right. You get me off this bloody ship with me dog, I will give you this damned book."

"Not pleased with our company?"

"No. You're all right, but in the circumstances, I'd rather not see you, if you don't mind me saying."

Skinner almost looked hurt, but then grinned. "Yeah, I suppose if I went through all of this I'd be none too pleased as well, I can' blame you for wantin' to leave."

"Then don', and I'll give you the book when I am safely in the slums."

"Safely in the slums? Is that not a contradiction in terms?"

"Better than here."

"Roight. Let's go then. Nemo will be wantin' his information soon."

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It was dilapidated. It was the worst place imaginable, full of cracks in the ground, trash in the streets, and bums on every corner.

Reminded him a bit of a time before he joined the League.

They had snuck off the ship with ease. For thieves and Gentlemen of Fortune, sneaking in and out of tight places was a snap. Now they were somewhere in the rough patches of Rome.

He could have just called for Nemo's men, they could have held down the dog and taken away the book, but he felt some sort of obligation to the kid. Maybe it was the fact that both of them had lived in the same life, with the same problems, heaven knows he had his own problems with debt collectors and people trying to beat him up when he was still visible. He seemed to have that problem still.

Or maybe it was that he pitied the kid. Obviously, though he cussed Lexington's existence often as a 'Bloody American', he was close to the man. It may have been the only human friend he had. And now he was handing over the secrets of that man to people he barely knew to save his own skin. Even thieves had a special code of honor, and not ratting on dead friends was a big one. Even though that 'code of honor' was highly romanticized. Rarely did thieves adhere to it. But it was still considered shameful to break the code.

Of course, he did like the kid. Reminded him a bit of himself. Another reason, he supposed.

"This'll be good." The boy said suddenly, stopping. Skinner almost ran into him. He managed to stop in time however, and waited expectantly.

Gilly stared around at the scenery for a moment. Then he put his hand in his jacket and pulled out the book.

"This is Lex's book. He kept these in case people tried to mess 'im over. 'E probably gave it to me so I can 'elp 'im spite whoever it was killed him. I suppose the best way to do that is to give it to you people. I hope you do better with it than 'E did." He handed Skinner the book.

"Thanks. 'Ey, no regrets. You're doin' the right thing."

"You can say it all you want. But you know Skinner, it don' make it true. Until we meet agin', I suppose." He gave a wave as he headed out across the street.

There was a whining noise. Skinner looked down at Clunky, who wagged his tail. Skinner gave him a quick pat on the head, and then the dog loped off after his young friend.

"I wonder how I'm going to explain this to Nemo? Ah well, with this, he'll be happy." Skinner opened the book. All across the pages were scraggly writing, presumably in the hand of the deceased.  "If he can read the bloody writing."

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"Our trip was unsuccessful." Mina stated primly. "The fire left nothing, though there were some signs that something had been removed from a secret panel in a drawer."

"Such as what, Ms. Harker?" Nemo pressed.

"It was an object that bore resemblance to a book, though whether or not it was one I cannot say."

Sawyer leaned casually against the wall in the meeting room. Dr. Jekyll was in his room, presumably in some funk. Such moods seemed to overtake him at odd times. But then he was better.

"Skinner said the boy returned with something from the fire, and said he would get it."

"An' got it!"

Sawyer and Mina both jumped when Skinner burst into the meeting room with a book in his hand raised as if in greeting.

"I believe you want this, Nemo."

"The boy gave it to you willingly?" Nemo took the book carefully from the thief's hand.

"With little problems." Skinner said haltingly.

"What sort of little problems?" Mina questioned.

"Well…we got the book, but we lost the kid."

"You let him leave?!" Nemo thundered. Skinner jumped.

"Hold on. You need the book, and you don' need him. He said he felt better there than here, so I let him go. We don' need him anymore."

"That may be so, but to let a witness run off, it was a foolish thing to do!"

"What's done is done, we can' change that now, can we?"

Nemo just glared at him. Sawyer could feel the anger energy in the air. It had to be one of those rare times that Skinner didn't shut-up and take the words coming to him.

But he could see the point. With the book, there was no need of the kid, if the book panned out.

Which he hoped. Between the kid, dog, and Skinner and Nemo's confrontations, he would be glad when this mission was over.

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A/N

My most sincere apologies for the very long wait. I've been busy all last week, and then over the weekend I caught a bit of a bug that made me really tired. So, my updates were really few and far between. I hope you guys like this chapter, and sorry about the wait!

Yvonne Clark: Hee, thanks a bunch! And I hope we do get a sequel, I'd watch it in a heartbeat.

Silent Bob 546: Thanks a bunch!

Clez: Thanks a bunch! Thanks for the compliments (I'm really glad you like the characterizations.)

Steffi-333: I like all the characters, I may be one of the only people that rank Nemo amongst the favorites. Yeah, Sawyer and Mina, they're a cute couple. Thanks a lot!

Rogue77: Thanks a bunch!

Niani: Heh, that's okay. I hope I satisfied your Skinner cravings a bit!

Rayne: Thanks a lot! I was hoping people would like it!

Chaotic Dreamer: Thank you, but I don't think I can put Allan in this story though, sorry. Maybe the next LXG I write will bring him back.

Silversnow: There are all sort of readers, and I welcome them all! I'm glad you liked my style of writing, and I'm glad I helped inspire you! And when you do get your story up, tell me. I like to make a habit of reading reviewer's fanfiction.

Please leave your comments, critiques, and/or compliments on the way out!