Title: An Odd Acquaintance Part 3
Disclaimer: LXG © 20th Century Fox, based on the graphic novel by Alan Moore & Kevin O'Niell. All literary characters © the respective authors, Bram Stoker, R. L. Stevenson and others. I own nothing.
Author's Note: So sorry that I haven't updated in a while, bloody homework and stuff. I already updated part 2 of Black Summons. With exam week, I do have to focus on the subjects because I'd flunk high school if I didn't. Okay, now that it is last chapter of An Odd Acquaintance, Professor Van Helsing discusses matters about Jekyll in England and what will become of Jekyll and Hyde. Now for some words to the reviewers.
Dr.LoganaJekyll: I'm glad that you are enjoying this, Jekyll angst fiction is so much fun to read and write. Have you been doing any new LXG fan art lately?
JacksRealWife: Yes, my story is kind of freaky, but I am a freaky writer. Fear me, MWAHAHAHAHAHA! Just kidding.
LONDON, ENGLAND 1887
Professor Van Helsing walked away from the docks on the Thames and onto the streets of London, England. It was a cloudy, rainy day in London; Van Helsing closed his duster tightly around himself to keep his clothes from becoming soaked. People around him were rushing home to the warm indoors from the cold, dank outside.
The professor was in London to find out more information on Edward Hyde. The first place to look was the police station, where Van Helsing could look at police reports of Hyde's crime and any more information on Henry Jekyll. Van Helsing boarded a coach and asked the driver to the station.
When Van Helsing arrived to the station, he entered the front office and removed his duster. He looked around, some uniformed officers were writing reports at their desks, and others were preparing to leave for patrol.
"Can I help you, sir?" asked an officer with a stack of reports under one arm.
"Yes," replied Van Helsing, "I'm looking for information to complete my investigation of these killings in the Rue Morgue. I learned that the fiend came from England, goes by the name of Edward Hyde, surely there are reports of the crimes he committed in London nearly a year ago."
"There are some old documents of that case, but I thought the fiend committed suicide when he had no chance of escaping. How could he be in Paris causing trouble?"
"It's possible that he faked his death and escaped when everyone thought him to be dead. While I was going after him in the Rue Morgue, he attacked a man named Henry Jekyll, who also used to live in London. I was told by Henry of Hyde's identity, that they had some contact together."
"Henry Jekyll? That's the doctor who disappeared when his lab became Hyde's refuge. Many assumed Hyde murdered him and his body was hidden. Only Hyde was found dead."
"Yes," said Van Helsing, "but what had become of Hyde's body after he committed suicide?"
The police officer looked around the station; none of the other officers seemed to notice the conversation with the professor as they concentrated on their own work. "Come with me, I was about to place these documents in the room where we keep documents of unsolved or old cases. We can continue the discussion where no one will eavesdrop."
Van Helsing followed the officer to where the documents were kept. The room was dark; the professor could only make out several filing cabinets containing documents. The officer lit up the room with a lantern, allowing the two some light to see.
The officer placed the documents he was carrying in one of the filing cabinets and faced Van Helsing. "What were you asking again?" asked the officer.
"About what was done with Hyde's body after he was found dead," replied Van Helsing.
"It's a long story," said the officer, "I wasn't working on Hyde's case, but I do remember some details that were passed around the station. After Hyde was discovered dead, only a letter from the missing doctor was taken from the scene before it was secured off, leaving Hyde's body. Several men from the station returned to the scene to retrieve the corpse for disposal. Covered in a cloth, the body was brought to the autopsy room at the station, where it could be kept until the disposal. The corpse was left in there for hours until a decision was made on how to dispose of it. When the men returned to the autopsy room to dispose of the body, it was gone, as if it got up and walked away. No one know how it was possible for a corpse to disappear."
"Perhaps Hyde used a drug to put himself in a state of comatose, when the effect of the drug wore off, he must have fled."
"That could have been possible." The officer went to one of the cabinets and took out some documents different from the ones he stored away. "Here are some documents, old newsletters of Hyde's crimes and his suicide."
Van Helsing accepted the documents from the officer and looked through them. They were mostly newsletters he had read before, which provided the information for his report. Most of the information was about Hyde's crime and suicide, and Jekyll's disappearance.
"I already knew the information in these newsletters," Van Helsing said to the officer. "Is there someone who knew Henry Jekyll, a friend or family member?"
"You could speak with Jekyll's lawyer," answered the officer, "he was also working on the case." The officer provided the name and address of the lawyer.
"Thank you sir," said Van Helsing to the officer. Van Helsing placed on his duster, which he had; hung over his arm, and left the station. He boarded a coach and headed for the lawyer's address.
Sitting by the fireplace in his house, safe from the rain, clad in casual shirt, vest and trousers, the lawyer Mr. Utterson was reading the newspapers and drinking a glass of whiskey. It was always relaxing for him to read the paper in front of the fireplace whenever the weather is miserable. The lawyer was interrupted when there was a knock on the door. He folded up his newspaper and got up off his seat.
'Who would be visiting on a day like this?' Utterson thought, noticing the rain and clouds through the window. The lawyer opened the door and saw man standing in the rain; the man's coat and hat were becoming soaked.
"Is there a Mr. Utterson here?" the man asked.
"Yes," Utterson replied, "that would be me. Who are you?"
"Professor Abraham Van Helsing," the man replied. "I'm trying to close this investigation I was working on in the Rue Morgue."
"The Rue Morgue, but that's in France. Whatever goes on in France doesn't concern us in England. Why do you come here to close an investigation?"
"Does the name Edward Hyde sound familiar to you?"
Utterson's eyes darkened and narrowed. "Yes, but he's dead, nothing to consider of him in your investigation."
"I was sent to catch a fiend attacking prostitutes," said Van Helsing. "I was told that the fiend's name was Hyde by Henry Jekyll."
"Henry Jekyll, you've seen him?" asked Utterson, slightly surprised by the mention of Henry's name.
"Yes," answered Van Helsing.
"Come in sir." Utterson invited Van Helsing inside and out of the rain. Van Helsing removed his hat and coat, and then he followed Utterson to the fireplace where they both seated down.
"Tell me," said Utterson, pouring a glass of whiskey for Van Helsing, "did Henry tell you anything else?"
"He told me a few facts," said Van Helsing, accepting the glass of whiskey. "Explained that he was from England and he knew Hyde. What I know of Henry is that he disappeared almost a year ago, which was reported in several newsletters. I'm guessing he just left to take residence in France without telling anyone."
Utterson stared at the flames in the fireplace for several seconds until he spoke. "It's reasonable that he could have taken off without informing anyone. He did leave a confession when he disappeared, allow me to find it." The lawyer quickly walked upstairs, he returned a few minutes later with an envelope.
"Here is the confession," said the lawyer. "I didn't bother showing it to the police because they wouldn't believe what was written in it." Utterson handed the confession to Van Helsing.
Van Helsing took a gulp of whiskey and took the envelope. The professor read the letter Henry Jekyll had written. When he was done reading the entire confession, Van Helsing took another gulp of whiskey and was silent for a moment.
"It's strange," Van Helsing finally said, "but it makes sense of what happened in the Rue Morgue. I shot Hyde in the arm with a rifle while he was attacking a prostitute. After I chased him to Henry's house, I found Henry with a wound in the same place, and Hyde disappeared so quickly when I discovered Henry."
"Did he explain that he was Hyde?" asked Utterson.
Van Helsing shook his head. "He didn't explain, he covered up the truth. I can understand why he wouldn't explain it; he was frightened of what authorities could do to him. I wouldn't do any harm to Henry, perhaps learn more about his strange case and try to help him."
"There wasn't much that I could have done for him," said Utterson. "Henry was a kindly but naïve man when he was living in London, I found it hard to believe that he and Hyde were of the same being. Henry written in the confession that he would commit suicide to get rid of Hyde, but he probably didn't have the courage to do so."
"Jekyll's case is very odd, but I have before tracked down terrible beings that were men turned demon," explained Van Helsing. "Have you ever heard of werewolves?"
"Only from stories."
"Werewolves are men who become wolf like beasts in the full moon, the curse can be passed from a werewolf to a human being. With Jekyll, it's similar but different. Jekyll becomes a demon created by the inner evil of his nature, and he can transform into the demon by this elixir he created, which separated the evil and good within him. An interesting discovery he made, but dangerous. It's just like that story written by Mary Shelley, a man uses his scientific skills to manipulate nature and creates a monster."
"Just that the monster Jekyll created is a part of him," added Utterson, "if one dies, then the other will die." The lawyer glanced at the fireplace again; the flames were dying down to glowing embers. "Is there anything you can do to help Henry?"
"Not right now," answered Van Helsing. "Maybe when I meet Henry again, I can discuss it with him and help cure him. Right now I cannot be sure if there is any way to cure him of his curse, he'd have to deal with it himself I'm afraid." Van Helsing gulped down the rest of his glass of whiskey. "Another thing, Henry's odd curse should remain a secret, any word that slips out could draw too much attention."
"I understand," said Utterson. "That's another reason why I didn't bring the confession letter to the police, too many questions would have been asked."
Van Helsing stood up from his seat. "I must be going, thank you for sparing your time." The professor held out his hand for a handshake.
Utterson stood up and gently shook hands with Van Helsing. "You're welcome," said the lawyer. Van Helsing grabbed his coat and hat, then he exited through the door. Utterson went back to reading the newspapers by the fireplace.
One day, Van Helsing will meet Henry Jekyll again and find a way to be rid of Hyde.
PARIS, FRANCE
JULY, 1899
It was in the evening; one man sat in the parlor of his house, deep in his thoughts. A lantern provided very little light to the darkness. He appeared to be alone, but Dr. Henry Jekyll was never alone, even when he was the only one in the room. Edward Hyde, Henry's evil alter ego, was always in the back of Henry's mind; Hyde would never leave the poor man alone.
Henry groaned as he bent over, dropping his head between his black covered knees. Images of Edward's victims ran through Henry's memory, one after the other. The terrified faces of the prostitutes as Edward felt his way up their skirts, clutching at their breasts and sliding his tongue against their scrawny necks. Henry could still hear the shrill screams and the crunching of bones.
"What have I done? What have I done? What have I done?" Henry whispered to himself. All the horrible things Hyde had done were somewhat his responsibility; he was the one who created Edward Hyde in the first place. Jekyll could not stop Hyde but watch through Hyde's eyes as every horrible deed was done.
The wicked voice of Hyde chuckled. "You only created me, and it was your desire to unleash me. That is what you have done, Henry! You can't do a fucking thing to change what deeds I committed!"
Henry sat upright to face the hideous image of Edward in the mirror on the wall across from him. "If I could go back in time, I would not have drank the damn elixir in the first place!"
"Just remember, you made that choice to drink it back then, you have to live with it now!" A grin revealing yellow, crooked teeth spread across Edward's ape like features. Nostrils flared, bloodshot eyes stared back at Henry.
As Henry began to feel lost in his thoughts and emotions, there was a knock at the door. Henry jumped up, heart pounding from being startled.
"Henry Jekyll, are you there?" boomed a heavily accented voice from the other side of the door. "We're looking for the whereabouts of Edward Hyde."
"Oh no," Henry muttered to himself. Thoughts of being locked up and executed plagued his mind. "This cannot be happening!"
"Use me," suggested Edward, "whoever is out there has come for me! Let me out, I can lead them away!"
"Your plan better work," said Henry as he ran to his lab to find his case of elixir. He found the black medical case; he opened it up and took out a phial. Jekyll popped the stopper off the phial and drank down the liquid. Then there was pain.
Outside, Allan Quatermain and his American companion Tom Sawyer were waiting for an answer. Quatermain was becoming rather impatient.
"What is taking the man so long?" he grunted.
"Maybe he's not home," suggested Tom. "We might have to wait for him."
"I'm going in," said Quatermain, "no point in standing out here." The Great White Hunter opened the door just a crack, as he peered in the dimly lit room, he heard some movement in the shadows.
Quatermain opened the door all the way and took a step inside. "Henry Jekyll?" he asked. Then there was a quick blow to the hunter's head.
Tom took a leap backwards as a hulking form charged through the open door. In the behemoth's one hand was a cane, the other hand held a winded Quatermain by the back of the coat.
"Henry Jekyll isn't home," snorted the behemoth, "I'm Edward Hyde!"
Slightly shocked by the sight of such a bestial creature, Tom drew out his Colt pistols. The American agent waited for the beast to drop Allan and advance. Sawyer inhaled and fired at the advancing beast. The behemoth that claimed he to be Edward Hyde stopped in his track as the bullet brushed over one of his bulky shoulders.
"Stinking little shit!" he growled at the American.
Quatermain, recovering from the blow, tackled Hyde from behind. The hunter clung to the beast's back and bit the beast in the ear.
"Get off of me you bastard runt!" Hyde howled in rage. "I'll tear your limbs off!" He flung off Quatermain and climbed up a near by drainpipe on the house.
Tom fired again, but Hyde was already on the rooftop, leaping to the next house.
"He's getting away!" cried Tom.
"Come on, Sawyer," said Allan. "We can still chase him into the trap." The old hunter loaded the Winchester that was strapped across his back and ran down the street to follow the fleeing beast. Tom quickly followed behind Allan as the two hunted for the elusive Mr. Hyde throughout the night.
Henry Jekyll woke up in the morning, but he was not in his usual bedroom in his house. He recollected his memory of the night, he remembered that two men in the Rue Morgue were chasing Hyde and Hyde was captured in a net. It was real surprise to Henry that Hyde was finally captured.
More memories of last night came to him, Hyde was brought aboard a large vessel, were he was chained up and confronted by his pursuers. An elderly man, who was the legendary Great White Hunter Allan Quatermain, explained that Hyde could have a pardon if he worked for the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen. After Hyde agreed and nearly beheaded a younger man with a chain, the transformation took place. Henry bit his lower lip as he remembered the slight humiliation due to his clothes torn and outstretched when he stood before the League and offered his assistance.
He looked around, Henry suddenly remembered that he was escorted to a cabin and offered a nightshirt by a dark man in a blue uniform. Getting out of his bunk, Henry walked around his cabin for clothing to change into. The lanky gentleman found out that some of his clothes were brought from his house for him, neatly folded and placed on a dresser.
After he changed, he looked for any of his other possessions. On the night stand, he found his pocket watch, his medical case that contained the phials of serum, and his diary. The diary was a small, dark, leather- covered book that Henry could take with him on travels.
Henry decided to write the event of last night in his diary. He sat down at the desk in his cabin, writing everything he could remember. When he was done, he waited for the ink to dry.
At least the capture didn't result imprisonment or execution of me, he thought with a relief. He was relieved that Hyde was only captured to serve in the League. Curious, he turned back the pages of his diary to an older entry. He came across one he written years ago, when Professor Abraham Van Helsing came after Hyde and found Henry instead. Henry remembered the kindness from Van Helsing, but he lied to the professor. With the League, Henry was given hospitality and everyone did discover that he and Edward shared the same body.
"You still feel guilty about that?" grunted Hyde. "It happened so long ago!"
"I know that," whispered Jekyll. "Whether or not Van Helsing has found out about us, that's not important at the moment. The League is our priority now."
"Yes, and I would sure like to know more about her."
Henry quickly knew who Edward was talking about, that beautiful woman in the League. He had met beautiful women back in England, but there was something about the woman League member that made her more unique, more extraordinary. A memory of when he met her came back to him; she remained calm when Hyde lost control of his temper because she was not afraid of Hyde.
"Maybe I should try to introduce myself to her," Henry told his alter ego. He got up and left his cabin, looking for the other League members.
Fin.
End Note: Yeah, I did make Van Helsing come to the conclusion where he reads Dr. Jekyll's confession. Since Van Helsing was also a doctor in the Dracula story, he also tries to cure supernatural curses, because he tried to save Lucy and Mina from the vampire curse. It is kind of interesting for Van Helsing learn of Jekyll's curse with Hyde, so the two will discuss it in later chapters of Black Summons. For what has become of Jekyll and Hyde, I decided to set their conclusion in the movie verse, what happened before Hyde was chased into a trap plus the missing scene between Jekyll's topless scene and where everyone is on the conning tower. I also wanted to include a bit of Jekyll and Hyde's interest in Mina too.
Disclaimer: LXG © 20th Century Fox, based on the graphic novel by Alan Moore & Kevin O'Niell. All literary characters © the respective authors, Bram Stoker, R. L. Stevenson and others. I own nothing.
Author's Note: So sorry that I haven't updated in a while, bloody homework and stuff. I already updated part 2 of Black Summons. With exam week, I do have to focus on the subjects because I'd flunk high school if I didn't. Okay, now that it is last chapter of An Odd Acquaintance, Professor Van Helsing discusses matters about Jekyll in England and what will become of Jekyll and Hyde. Now for some words to the reviewers.
Dr.LoganaJekyll: I'm glad that you are enjoying this, Jekyll angst fiction is so much fun to read and write. Have you been doing any new LXG fan art lately?
JacksRealWife: Yes, my story is kind of freaky, but I am a freaky writer. Fear me, MWAHAHAHAHAHA! Just kidding.
LONDON, ENGLAND 1887
Professor Van Helsing walked away from the docks on the Thames and onto the streets of London, England. It was a cloudy, rainy day in London; Van Helsing closed his duster tightly around himself to keep his clothes from becoming soaked. People around him were rushing home to the warm indoors from the cold, dank outside.
The professor was in London to find out more information on Edward Hyde. The first place to look was the police station, where Van Helsing could look at police reports of Hyde's crime and any more information on Henry Jekyll. Van Helsing boarded a coach and asked the driver to the station.
When Van Helsing arrived to the station, he entered the front office and removed his duster. He looked around, some uniformed officers were writing reports at their desks, and others were preparing to leave for patrol.
"Can I help you, sir?" asked an officer with a stack of reports under one arm.
"Yes," replied Van Helsing, "I'm looking for information to complete my investigation of these killings in the Rue Morgue. I learned that the fiend came from England, goes by the name of Edward Hyde, surely there are reports of the crimes he committed in London nearly a year ago."
"There are some old documents of that case, but I thought the fiend committed suicide when he had no chance of escaping. How could he be in Paris causing trouble?"
"It's possible that he faked his death and escaped when everyone thought him to be dead. While I was going after him in the Rue Morgue, he attacked a man named Henry Jekyll, who also used to live in London. I was told by Henry of Hyde's identity, that they had some contact together."
"Henry Jekyll? That's the doctor who disappeared when his lab became Hyde's refuge. Many assumed Hyde murdered him and his body was hidden. Only Hyde was found dead."
"Yes," said Van Helsing, "but what had become of Hyde's body after he committed suicide?"
The police officer looked around the station; none of the other officers seemed to notice the conversation with the professor as they concentrated on their own work. "Come with me, I was about to place these documents in the room where we keep documents of unsolved or old cases. We can continue the discussion where no one will eavesdrop."
Van Helsing followed the officer to where the documents were kept. The room was dark; the professor could only make out several filing cabinets containing documents. The officer lit up the room with a lantern, allowing the two some light to see.
The officer placed the documents he was carrying in one of the filing cabinets and faced Van Helsing. "What were you asking again?" asked the officer.
"About what was done with Hyde's body after he was found dead," replied Van Helsing.
"It's a long story," said the officer, "I wasn't working on Hyde's case, but I do remember some details that were passed around the station. After Hyde was discovered dead, only a letter from the missing doctor was taken from the scene before it was secured off, leaving Hyde's body. Several men from the station returned to the scene to retrieve the corpse for disposal. Covered in a cloth, the body was brought to the autopsy room at the station, where it could be kept until the disposal. The corpse was left in there for hours until a decision was made on how to dispose of it. When the men returned to the autopsy room to dispose of the body, it was gone, as if it got up and walked away. No one know how it was possible for a corpse to disappear."
"Perhaps Hyde used a drug to put himself in a state of comatose, when the effect of the drug wore off, he must have fled."
"That could have been possible." The officer went to one of the cabinets and took out some documents different from the ones he stored away. "Here are some documents, old newsletters of Hyde's crimes and his suicide."
Van Helsing accepted the documents from the officer and looked through them. They were mostly newsletters he had read before, which provided the information for his report. Most of the information was about Hyde's crime and suicide, and Jekyll's disappearance.
"I already knew the information in these newsletters," Van Helsing said to the officer. "Is there someone who knew Henry Jekyll, a friend or family member?"
"You could speak with Jekyll's lawyer," answered the officer, "he was also working on the case." The officer provided the name and address of the lawyer.
"Thank you sir," said Van Helsing to the officer. Van Helsing placed on his duster, which he had; hung over his arm, and left the station. He boarded a coach and headed for the lawyer's address.
Sitting by the fireplace in his house, safe from the rain, clad in casual shirt, vest and trousers, the lawyer Mr. Utterson was reading the newspapers and drinking a glass of whiskey. It was always relaxing for him to read the paper in front of the fireplace whenever the weather is miserable. The lawyer was interrupted when there was a knock on the door. He folded up his newspaper and got up off his seat.
'Who would be visiting on a day like this?' Utterson thought, noticing the rain and clouds through the window. The lawyer opened the door and saw man standing in the rain; the man's coat and hat were becoming soaked.
"Is there a Mr. Utterson here?" the man asked.
"Yes," Utterson replied, "that would be me. Who are you?"
"Professor Abraham Van Helsing," the man replied. "I'm trying to close this investigation I was working on in the Rue Morgue."
"The Rue Morgue, but that's in France. Whatever goes on in France doesn't concern us in England. Why do you come here to close an investigation?"
"Does the name Edward Hyde sound familiar to you?"
Utterson's eyes darkened and narrowed. "Yes, but he's dead, nothing to consider of him in your investigation."
"I was sent to catch a fiend attacking prostitutes," said Van Helsing. "I was told that the fiend's name was Hyde by Henry Jekyll."
"Henry Jekyll, you've seen him?" asked Utterson, slightly surprised by the mention of Henry's name.
"Yes," answered Van Helsing.
"Come in sir." Utterson invited Van Helsing inside and out of the rain. Van Helsing removed his hat and coat, and then he followed Utterson to the fireplace where they both seated down.
"Tell me," said Utterson, pouring a glass of whiskey for Van Helsing, "did Henry tell you anything else?"
"He told me a few facts," said Van Helsing, accepting the glass of whiskey. "Explained that he was from England and he knew Hyde. What I know of Henry is that he disappeared almost a year ago, which was reported in several newsletters. I'm guessing he just left to take residence in France without telling anyone."
Utterson stared at the flames in the fireplace for several seconds until he spoke. "It's reasonable that he could have taken off without informing anyone. He did leave a confession when he disappeared, allow me to find it." The lawyer quickly walked upstairs, he returned a few minutes later with an envelope.
"Here is the confession," said the lawyer. "I didn't bother showing it to the police because they wouldn't believe what was written in it." Utterson handed the confession to Van Helsing.
Van Helsing took a gulp of whiskey and took the envelope. The professor read the letter Henry Jekyll had written. When he was done reading the entire confession, Van Helsing took another gulp of whiskey and was silent for a moment.
"It's strange," Van Helsing finally said, "but it makes sense of what happened in the Rue Morgue. I shot Hyde in the arm with a rifle while he was attacking a prostitute. After I chased him to Henry's house, I found Henry with a wound in the same place, and Hyde disappeared so quickly when I discovered Henry."
"Did he explain that he was Hyde?" asked Utterson.
Van Helsing shook his head. "He didn't explain, he covered up the truth. I can understand why he wouldn't explain it; he was frightened of what authorities could do to him. I wouldn't do any harm to Henry, perhaps learn more about his strange case and try to help him."
"There wasn't much that I could have done for him," said Utterson. "Henry was a kindly but naïve man when he was living in London, I found it hard to believe that he and Hyde were of the same being. Henry written in the confession that he would commit suicide to get rid of Hyde, but he probably didn't have the courage to do so."
"Jekyll's case is very odd, but I have before tracked down terrible beings that were men turned demon," explained Van Helsing. "Have you ever heard of werewolves?"
"Only from stories."
"Werewolves are men who become wolf like beasts in the full moon, the curse can be passed from a werewolf to a human being. With Jekyll, it's similar but different. Jekyll becomes a demon created by the inner evil of his nature, and he can transform into the demon by this elixir he created, which separated the evil and good within him. An interesting discovery he made, but dangerous. It's just like that story written by Mary Shelley, a man uses his scientific skills to manipulate nature and creates a monster."
"Just that the monster Jekyll created is a part of him," added Utterson, "if one dies, then the other will die." The lawyer glanced at the fireplace again; the flames were dying down to glowing embers. "Is there anything you can do to help Henry?"
"Not right now," answered Van Helsing. "Maybe when I meet Henry again, I can discuss it with him and help cure him. Right now I cannot be sure if there is any way to cure him of his curse, he'd have to deal with it himself I'm afraid." Van Helsing gulped down the rest of his glass of whiskey. "Another thing, Henry's odd curse should remain a secret, any word that slips out could draw too much attention."
"I understand," said Utterson. "That's another reason why I didn't bring the confession letter to the police, too many questions would have been asked."
Van Helsing stood up from his seat. "I must be going, thank you for sparing your time." The professor held out his hand for a handshake.
Utterson stood up and gently shook hands with Van Helsing. "You're welcome," said the lawyer. Van Helsing grabbed his coat and hat, then he exited through the door. Utterson went back to reading the newspapers by the fireplace.
One day, Van Helsing will meet Henry Jekyll again and find a way to be rid of Hyde.
PARIS, FRANCE
JULY, 1899
It was in the evening; one man sat in the parlor of his house, deep in his thoughts. A lantern provided very little light to the darkness. He appeared to be alone, but Dr. Henry Jekyll was never alone, even when he was the only one in the room. Edward Hyde, Henry's evil alter ego, was always in the back of Henry's mind; Hyde would never leave the poor man alone.
Henry groaned as he bent over, dropping his head between his black covered knees. Images of Edward's victims ran through Henry's memory, one after the other. The terrified faces of the prostitutes as Edward felt his way up their skirts, clutching at their breasts and sliding his tongue against their scrawny necks. Henry could still hear the shrill screams and the crunching of bones.
"What have I done? What have I done? What have I done?" Henry whispered to himself. All the horrible things Hyde had done were somewhat his responsibility; he was the one who created Edward Hyde in the first place. Jekyll could not stop Hyde but watch through Hyde's eyes as every horrible deed was done.
The wicked voice of Hyde chuckled. "You only created me, and it was your desire to unleash me. That is what you have done, Henry! You can't do a fucking thing to change what deeds I committed!"
Henry sat upright to face the hideous image of Edward in the mirror on the wall across from him. "If I could go back in time, I would not have drank the damn elixir in the first place!"
"Just remember, you made that choice to drink it back then, you have to live with it now!" A grin revealing yellow, crooked teeth spread across Edward's ape like features. Nostrils flared, bloodshot eyes stared back at Henry.
As Henry began to feel lost in his thoughts and emotions, there was a knock at the door. Henry jumped up, heart pounding from being startled.
"Henry Jekyll, are you there?" boomed a heavily accented voice from the other side of the door. "We're looking for the whereabouts of Edward Hyde."
"Oh no," Henry muttered to himself. Thoughts of being locked up and executed plagued his mind. "This cannot be happening!"
"Use me," suggested Edward, "whoever is out there has come for me! Let me out, I can lead them away!"
"Your plan better work," said Henry as he ran to his lab to find his case of elixir. He found the black medical case; he opened it up and took out a phial. Jekyll popped the stopper off the phial and drank down the liquid. Then there was pain.
Outside, Allan Quatermain and his American companion Tom Sawyer were waiting for an answer. Quatermain was becoming rather impatient.
"What is taking the man so long?" he grunted.
"Maybe he's not home," suggested Tom. "We might have to wait for him."
"I'm going in," said Quatermain, "no point in standing out here." The Great White Hunter opened the door just a crack, as he peered in the dimly lit room, he heard some movement in the shadows.
Quatermain opened the door all the way and took a step inside. "Henry Jekyll?" he asked. Then there was a quick blow to the hunter's head.
Tom took a leap backwards as a hulking form charged through the open door. In the behemoth's one hand was a cane, the other hand held a winded Quatermain by the back of the coat.
"Henry Jekyll isn't home," snorted the behemoth, "I'm Edward Hyde!"
Slightly shocked by the sight of such a bestial creature, Tom drew out his Colt pistols. The American agent waited for the beast to drop Allan and advance. Sawyer inhaled and fired at the advancing beast. The behemoth that claimed he to be Edward Hyde stopped in his track as the bullet brushed over one of his bulky shoulders.
"Stinking little shit!" he growled at the American.
Quatermain, recovering from the blow, tackled Hyde from behind. The hunter clung to the beast's back and bit the beast in the ear.
"Get off of me you bastard runt!" Hyde howled in rage. "I'll tear your limbs off!" He flung off Quatermain and climbed up a near by drainpipe on the house.
Tom fired again, but Hyde was already on the rooftop, leaping to the next house.
"He's getting away!" cried Tom.
"Come on, Sawyer," said Allan. "We can still chase him into the trap." The old hunter loaded the Winchester that was strapped across his back and ran down the street to follow the fleeing beast. Tom quickly followed behind Allan as the two hunted for the elusive Mr. Hyde throughout the night.
Henry Jekyll woke up in the morning, but he was not in his usual bedroom in his house. He recollected his memory of the night, he remembered that two men in the Rue Morgue were chasing Hyde and Hyde was captured in a net. It was real surprise to Henry that Hyde was finally captured.
More memories of last night came to him, Hyde was brought aboard a large vessel, were he was chained up and confronted by his pursuers. An elderly man, who was the legendary Great White Hunter Allan Quatermain, explained that Hyde could have a pardon if he worked for the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen. After Hyde agreed and nearly beheaded a younger man with a chain, the transformation took place. Henry bit his lower lip as he remembered the slight humiliation due to his clothes torn and outstretched when he stood before the League and offered his assistance.
He looked around, Henry suddenly remembered that he was escorted to a cabin and offered a nightshirt by a dark man in a blue uniform. Getting out of his bunk, Henry walked around his cabin for clothing to change into. The lanky gentleman found out that some of his clothes were brought from his house for him, neatly folded and placed on a dresser.
After he changed, he looked for any of his other possessions. On the night stand, he found his pocket watch, his medical case that contained the phials of serum, and his diary. The diary was a small, dark, leather- covered book that Henry could take with him on travels.
Henry decided to write the event of last night in his diary. He sat down at the desk in his cabin, writing everything he could remember. When he was done, he waited for the ink to dry.
At least the capture didn't result imprisonment or execution of me, he thought with a relief. He was relieved that Hyde was only captured to serve in the League. Curious, he turned back the pages of his diary to an older entry. He came across one he written years ago, when Professor Abraham Van Helsing came after Hyde and found Henry instead. Henry remembered the kindness from Van Helsing, but he lied to the professor. With the League, Henry was given hospitality and everyone did discover that he and Edward shared the same body.
"You still feel guilty about that?" grunted Hyde. "It happened so long ago!"
"I know that," whispered Jekyll. "Whether or not Van Helsing has found out about us, that's not important at the moment. The League is our priority now."
"Yes, and I would sure like to know more about her."
Henry quickly knew who Edward was talking about, that beautiful woman in the League. He had met beautiful women back in England, but there was something about the woman League member that made her more unique, more extraordinary. A memory of when he met her came back to him; she remained calm when Hyde lost control of his temper because she was not afraid of Hyde.
"Maybe I should try to introduce myself to her," Henry told his alter ego. He got up and left his cabin, looking for the other League members.
Fin.
End Note: Yeah, I did make Van Helsing come to the conclusion where he reads Dr. Jekyll's confession. Since Van Helsing was also a doctor in the Dracula story, he also tries to cure supernatural curses, because he tried to save Lucy and Mina from the vampire curse. It is kind of interesting for Van Helsing learn of Jekyll's curse with Hyde, so the two will discuss it in later chapters of Black Summons. For what has become of Jekyll and Hyde, I decided to set their conclusion in the movie verse, what happened before Hyde was chased into a trap plus the missing scene between Jekyll's topless scene and where everyone is on the conning tower. I also wanted to include a bit of Jekyll and Hyde's interest in Mina too.