AN: Okay, the thief later on is uneducated and the spelling is phonetic. Therefore if you can't figure out what he's saying, say it aloud. Dodger speaks in plain english because he's a bit more important to the story. Onwards!
"Do we have any idea where we're going Van Helsing?" Carl asked as they walked into the stables.
"No," Van Helsing said.
"Here you go sir," a stableboy said walking forward with two horses. "Fastest horses ever," he said grinning and the reins of one to Van Helsing and one to Carl.
"Are these Transylvanian?" Carl asked before he could stop himself.
"Half sir," the stableboy said. "Mixed breeds—Transylvanian and Arabian."
"Are they faster than werewolves?" Van Helsing asked smiling slightly as he swung himself into the saddle.
Carl laughed and climbed into the saddle as well. The two horses took off down the road leaving the stableboy staring after them in utter confusion.
The young man in the bar pushed his blond curls away from his face showing sharp blue eyes. From far away he would look like any other street kid sitting and drinking with his friends. On closer inspection one could see his blue eyes were sharper than most and seemed to pierce your soul when he looked at you and take in everything else when they looked around.
"Oy! Dodger!"
The man's name was unknown and unnecessary. For all practical purposes he went by Dodger—or The Artful Dodger if you prefer. He was a pickpocket and a very good one, but more importantly he was a source of information. Things rarely went on that he didn't know about and there were plenty of people who would pay for information.
Dodger turned his head to see a young boy running towards him. Dodger frowned and stood up. He narrowed his eyes and looked at the boy.
"Dodge! Dodge the men are comin!"
"Who?" Dodger questioned stooping down and drawing level with the boy. "Who's coming?"
"The bad men—they're gonna to bring monsters!"
Dodger signaled one of his friends. The older boy came over.
"Go check it out," Dodger said.
Van Helsing looked at the thief that approached them. Van Helsing inspected him. He smiled charmingly at them but Van Helsing could see the fire that burned in his eyes.
"'ello Gentlemen," He said bowing dramatically,"Can I 'elp you?"
"Who are you?" Carl asked curiously.
"A friend."
Van Helsing eyed the thief carefully, trying to decide if he could trust him. He disregarded the fire in his eyes—he got that anger a lot. Sometimes it resulted in a fight but sometimes it resulted in people helping him to get him out of their sight.
"We're looking for a ship," Van Helsing said finally.
"Well there are a lot o' ships 'ere," He lilted.
"The Hispaniola," Van Helsing said.
"Ah 'ell thas another story," He said. Van Helsing's hand tightened around the reins and his muscles tensed as he saw the boy was also tensing for a fight. The thief sprung into action and pulled Van Helsing off the steed. Van Helsing jumped up in time to get a dagger in the shoulder. He ripped it out and darted forward, grabbing Dodger and pressing the dagger to his throat.
"Uh Van Helsing?" Carl's slightly frightened voice questioned. Van Helsing turned around to see other
The Artful Dodger silently cursed himself for sending the hot-headed thief out to deal with the two men. Putting on his top hat he strode out into the light.
"I say Van Helsing, is that Top Hat?" Carl asked squinting at Dodger, "light hair, the hat—of course top hat's are fashionable—"
Van Helsing was having trouble maintaining his grip on the thief. Dodger strode up to them.
"What is going on?" he demanded, his voice taking on an authority that challenged everyone there and made the thief stop struggling. "Let him go."
Van Helsing looked at the blue eyed young man in front of him and back at the thief he was holding.
"How do I know he won't knife us?" he asked.
"You don't," Dodger said. With one hand he motioned and the rest of the thieves gathered stepped forward menacingly. Van Helsing let the thief go. He stumbled away, rubbing his neck.
"Dr. Van Helsing," Dodger said nodding in greeting, "you're wanted in this city. Lucky for you, so are most of us."
"I'd say for different reasons," Carl muttered.
"Who are you?" Van Helsing asked looking at Dodger.
"The Artful Dodger—or simply Dodger if you prefer," Dodger said tipping his hat. He looked at the thief who had stabbed Van Helsing. "You'll have to excuse him, he does not like your overlords."
Van Helsing nodded, ignoring his throbbing shoulder and the warm blood that was slipping down his sleeve. Dodger turned to go back into the bar. Carl and Van Helsing traded a look.
"Tie your horses up there and come inside," Dodger instructed. The rest of the thieves walked inside the bar.
"Van Helsing I don't think this is a good idea," Carl hissed as they tied up their horses.
"Carl we're going inside," Van Helsing said grabbing the mace and pocketing it.
"But I don't want to go inside damnit!" Carl put as much force behind the words as he could while keeping his voice down.
"Fine, stay out here," Van Helsing said turning to go inside, "but there's probably a barmaid in there."
Carl stared after him, weighing the outcomes. Finally he turned and walked inside, quickly sitting by Van Helsing. Dodger surveyed them both.
"So you're looking for which ship?" Dodger asked.
"The Hispaniola," Van Helsing said.
"And what would two upstanding gentlemen such as yourselves want with a pirate?" Dodger asked. "Let me guess, another monster? Or perhaps a mad scientist."
"The latter," Van Helsing said. Dodger nodded and cocked his head to the side thinking carefully.
"Here's how I see it: I owe you on account of a thief in my control knifing you and probably insulting you as well," Dodger said. "So I'll show you to The Hispaniola and Jim Hawkins, then we're square—agreed?"
"Why don't you just let us go?" Van Helsing questioned.
"Because Helsing, I am a man of honor—even if my sense of honor's a bit different from yours," Dodger said holding out a hand, "agreed?"
Van Helsing gripped it in response and nodded his head. Dodger stood up and whispered to the bartender who happened to be an old man—much to Carl's disappointment—before turned back to them. The bartender emerged with a piece of paper.
"Lets go gents," Dodger said and walked outside. He walked behind the bar and returned a moment later with a tall chestnut mare. Dodger swung himself into the saddle and waited for Van Helsing to mount. Van Helsing swung himself into the saddle, biting back a hiss of pain as his arm protested the movement.
Soon the group was heading down the city streets. Dodger rode in the lead.
"Do you think you'll be caught?" Carl said suddenly.
"What do you think the horses are for?" Dodger asked pulling something out of his pocket. It was the paper from before. He leaned down and passed it to a boy who was running by. The boy grabbed the note and turned to look at Van Helsing with wide eyes. Van Helsing's eyes widened as well as he recognized the boy who turned the projector back at the Knights headquarters.
"Carl," Van Helsing began, "do you recognize that boy?"
"Which one?" Carl asked blankly looking around.
Van Helsing looked around for the boy but he was gone.
"Looking for something Helsing?" Dodger called back. Van Helsing looked over at him and urged his horse forward. The horse pulled level with Dodger's mare.
"Who was that boy you were talking to?" he asked.
"Him?" Dodger asked, "he works for me—why?"
"I'm sure I've—"
"Murderer!"
Dodger's head whipped around to see an old crone come marching at them. Dodger grinned and tipped his hat.
"Begging your pardon miss but—"
"Van Helsing you murderer!"
People turned to look at them.
"Are you always this popular?!" Dodger demanded.
"I was shocked too at first," Carl said looking around.
"Now we need the horses," Van Helsing said kicking his to life. Dodger and Carl followed the suit. Soon they were galloping after the thief with a group of angry men on their tail. Dodger turned to look at them, grimaced and leaned forward. Van Helsing's world was beginning to slide in and out of focus from blood loss.
Gritting he teeth he turned and grabbed the explosive device Carl had given him and threw it over his shoulder. It let out a loud bang and exploded. Van Helsing turned in the saddle to see the horses spooked and the men on the ground but no-one was dead.
From their front, Dodger stood up in the saddle and let out a loud whoop, waving his hat in the air. Carl and Van Helsing looked up to see a pier with a ship slowly pulling away. On the deck someone was waving furiously.
"We're going to have to jump!" Dodger yelled back.
Van Helsing nodded and looked at Carl. The friar had gone considerably paler but looked resolute. He began to pray furiously and then reached into his bag and pulled out a grappling hook.
"In case!" he shouted to Van Helsing. They galloped towards the ships with cries of monster and murderer echoing in their ears and all Van Helsing could think was:
'They're right'