Disclaimer:- I don't own Tom Sawyer, Mina Hawker, Skinner, Captain Nemo, Dr. Jekyll, Mr. Hyde or anything else used in the fic, except Smith and Mr. Big. Thank you all so much, you amazing reviewers, thanks for the reviews. This chapter and the next one should (In theory) explain must of the plot.


Clez:- Colonel Moran??? NO!!!!!! You... you wouldn't dare! Glad you liked the last part, hope you like this one.


Angharad:- Oh yeah, I've seen them... and the movies... and read all the stories... Ahem- glad you are enjoying this so far, you're most likely right about where this is going...


freedomfighter82:- We all love Tom. Wow, you really like this story don't you... *blushes* Hope you like this part as well.


Roz:- I've up-dated!! Now how's it going?


Rayne:- It was a bit longer than normal. Here is the up-date.


Silent Bob 546:- Of course its confusing. Hopefully this part will help to explain what is going on.


LotRseer3350:- You're quite close. Are you going to be up-dating your LXG story soon?? Pleaseeeeeeeee *puppy dog eyes*


Niani:- Couldn't really have Mina do too much damage... other wise she would kill them all and there would be no more story.


Graymoon74:- Kill Tom? *nervous giggle* I would never do anything like that.


Capt.Cow:- Might get round to saving him... sometime. Okay, I've up-date, you can't hate me :P


Now, that's done, on with the story.


The Bodyguard


~~~


Part Fourteen:- Ritual


~~~


"Everlasting life?" Skinner said in disbelief, staring at the bits of paper. Mina nodded, the queer look still in her eyes. Dr. Jekyll and Captain Nemo exchanged glances, Jekyll looked nervous as always.


"Yes Mr. Skinner. The quest for the holy grail, the fountain of youth, a Vampire's kiss, Immortality of a painting, the search of the divine and the gift of living forever... or in this case something called the 'Well of Souls'. That is what Mr. Big wants and to a degree, that is what he already has." Mina said, her fingers resting on the papers, as if she enjoyed the feel of the paper under the tips of her fingers.


"So the bloke wants everlasting life, what has this got to do with Sawyer?" Skinner interrupted, loosing interest in the Colonel's motive. Mina raised and eyebrow gave a slight cough.


"If you were to let me finish, Mr. Skinner, perhaps we will be able to determine what he wants with Agent Sawyer. Some of the Greek pages are diary entries, made by Mr. Big... or Colonel Moritay, what ever his name is." Mina said, picking up on of the pages. She pressed her palm over it to try and make it less crumpled and began to read out loud.


'This is my last hope.


The old crone I met by the bank of the river told me of a place where I could be cured. A place called the Well of Souls. I have already wasted two of my three months. If this does not work then I have no time to search out anything else. I will not wall myself into my Scottish castle and wait to die. I will not let Death win...


The city is coming into sight now, the dust blowing over it. It truly is a Necropolis, where nothing living moves. The buildings seem intact, as if any second now people would walk out of them. Of course, if that did happen I would have to kill them, like I killed the crone. I can't leave any witness behind to tell anyone else what they know... plus that old woman smelt bad...


... It has happened. I cannot truly believe it. I found it. I must write everything down while it is still fresh in my mind.


In the center of the Necropolis was the temple. The place where the 'Well of Souls' is supposed to be. With Cranks - my bodyguard - I entered. Directly inside was a maze. At least, at first it seemed like a maze, but on the way out - no, that is getting ahead of myself.


Cranks and I wandered though the maze for what seemed like hours. At last though, we found ourselves in the center chamber. It was massive, starching as far as the eye can see. There was a narrow path leading to the very center of the room. All around it was a deep abyss, an inky blackness which seemed to have no end. I walked the narrow path, my eyes fixed on the platform at then end - my prize.


The platform was much wider than the path. It was square in shape, the only thing on it, some stone steps leading up to a stone well. I turned to Cranks, only to find that he wasn't there. Instead there stood an imposing Egyptian.


"You wish to use the Well?" He asked. I answered that I did.


"I am the guardian of the Well. You understand I cannot just let you use it. You must defeat me in combat first." He said, pulling a large sword from nowhere.


"Very well." I said cooly, before pulling out my revolver and shooting him. The Egyptian looked confused as he fell to the ground, as if he did not understand what I had done. I turned back to the well, intent on learning its secrets.


"You have defeated me." A voice said. The Egyptian was standing up, his skin unblemished, no mark to show I had shoot him. He smiled at my reaction.


"I can not be killed." He said. "You have defeated me, therefor, the power of the well is yours, as am I."


"How does it work?" I asked.


"The Well is given a soul. You then get the life force of that person. However the person must answer the dead and tell them that he or she wishes to give up their life." The Egyptian said. I frowned, this was not to my liking.


"Cranks!" I yelled. My loyal bodyguard came running up. He had been with me for over fifteen years and I had known him since we were both children.


"Cranks... would you die for me?" I asked. He looked slightly puzzled by my question.


"Of course I would Boss. You know that." He answered.


"Good. You can save my life Cranks. Jump into the well, and tell the people down there the same thing you just told me."


The fool did as I asked. The Egyptian stood without a word as Cranks jumped in, unaware that he would really be dying. A minute or two later Cranks came flying back out.


"His soul belongs to the well now. His life is yours. Just touch his body." The Egyptian told me. As I did so, a tingling sensation shot through my arm and along my entire body. The sensation was not completely unpleasant. It slowly faded, leaving me feeling more alive than I have for two months.


"It did not work." The Egyptian suddenly said. I glared at him.


"What?" I asked, my grip tightening on my gun.


"You are too ill. The Well has stopped your illness from spreading and stopped you from aging. However you must give the Well a Soul every two years to keep alive. I do not Bellevue everyone will fall for the same trick that man did." He said. I nodded.


Two years... two years would be enough to form some kind of plan... maybe if I managed destroy someone's will, to have them know nothing but I... it might work. And I have two years to find someone. The Egyptian also told me that from now on there will be a ritual before a soul is given... something about keeping the dead happy.


On yes, the Egyptian is coming with me. He will probably be useful. I will have to find him a name though, one that does not stand out. Smith or Brown perhaps.'


Mina stopped reading and put the paper back down. There was a short silence as the League looked at each other.


"He... he's going to use Sawyer in that ritual thing?" Skinner finally asked.


"It would seem so." Captain Nemo said. "A monstrous plan, Colonel Moritay is a fiend in human form."


"S-speaking of someone in human form..." Dr. Jekyll said, his hands opening and closing. "Is there anything there that tells us about Smith?"


~~~


The boat which had been created from the plans of the Nautilus plowed though the waves, the moon lighting it's way. Smith stood on the prow, staring into the dark blue waters. Tom moved along and stood next to him without a word. Smith continued to stare into the water and Tom continued to stare at Smith. The American didn't blink or turn away.


"What is it?" Smith asked.


"The Master wants to see you." Tom said. Smith nodded to show he understood and Tom bowed before walking away. For a few more seconds, Smith carried on staring down at the water before turning and walking towards where his Boss was. He would be glad when this was all over and they had got ridden of the boy. He was dangerous to keep around, this one had friends - friends who might still come after them, even after everything Sawyer had done.


Smith entered the Colonel's cabin and bowed to his Boss. Mr. Big was sitting in a soft chair, Tom Sawyer kneeing by his side, his head bowed. The bowed head was level with the Colonel's hand, meaning he could place his palm on the boys hair to show who was in control. Smith couldn't help but think back to only a few days ago when Sawyer was acting in a completely different way.


Flashback...


Smith faced Tom Sawyer, the arrogant look present on Smith's face as always, a look of hate in Tom's green eyes. Behind Tom, a large sailor was holding the American by the side of his arms, pinning him so he couldn't move. On the table between them was a bowl containing cold water. Smith slapped Tom, hard, across the cheek.


"Who is your master?" The Egyptian asked. Tom growled and glared at his tormentor, the fury written all to clearly on his face.


"Go to hell." Tom spat out. Unexpectedly Smith smiled and stood up, moving round and placing his hands on the back of Tom's head. With a violent push he pressed down on Tom's hair, forcing the American's head under the water. Tom struggled, unable to life his head. After about six seconds Smith pulled Tom's head back into the air. Tom gasped, trying to get the much needed oxygen into his body.


"Who is your master?" Smith asked again. Tom shook his head, too weak to form words. The meaning in the defiant head gesture was all to clear to Smith and the Egyptian pushed Tom's head back under the water. Each time, Smith held Tom under the water for a little longer and held him above the water for shorter periods of time.


Yet still Tom refused to submit.


Finally with a growl of rage, Smith backed away and nodded at the sailor. The large man released Tom Sawyer and the American Agent dropped to the ground, still gasping for breath. Smith raised a booted foot and slammed his boot into Tom's stomach. The Agent groaned and rolled away, trying to curl up around his injured flesh, unable to do anything else.


Smith gave a dramatic sigh and reached into his coat, pulling out a small bottle. Tom's eyes widened in horror and despair as he saw the bottle and realized what was in it. Smith bent down uncorking the bottle and pouring the contents into Tom's mouth, the American still to weak after the water incident to fight against the liquid running down his throat.


Tom struggled weakly for a few seconds before lapsing into an unconsciousness state. Smith waited, watching the prone body for any signs of movement. After nearly five minutes, Tom began to stir, moving his head slightly. Smith bent down and grabbed Tom's collar, pulling him to his feet.


The American stared at Smith, his eyes big and blank. There was no trace of the sparkle that normally resided in Tom's eyes, no trace of the warmth. Smith smiled.


"Who is your master?" He asked again. Tom bowed his head in submission.


"Mr. Big is my master." Tom said, gazing at the floor, his hands clasped behind his back, looking ever inch the obedient servant. Water dripped from hair, a reminder to Smith that the boy still had a will.


"That's right." Smith purred, placing two fingers under Tom's chin and bringing his head up until it was level with Smith's face. "Mr. Big is your master and soon, you will always believe that." He said. Tom didn't react to Smith's words and continued to stare blankly ahead.


Inside though, he was screaming.


End Flashback...


Smith blinked a few times as he focused his mind back onto Mr. Big.


"It won't be long now." The Colonel said. The two men's eyes lowed and they gazed at Tom Sawyer. Smith's lips curled up into a smile.


"That's right Boss... won't be long now." He said.


~~~


Mina sorted though the papers, looking for a certain one. The paper she was looking for was different to the others. For a start it was a lot newer and written in English. Mina made a small sound as she found it.


"I translated some parts into English." She said. "The diary entry after the one I read to you talks all about Smith... starting with that line." She added, pointing at a certain sentence on the paper. It had been underlined and circled a few times by Mina. They looked over her shoulder at the single sentence.


"How can you kill someone who is already dead?"


TBC...


Part 14 is done! I can't believe it, this is by far the longest story I've written. Part 15 will be up as soon as I can write it.


Please leave a review!


~Sethoz