So, here you go! Yet another chapter, fresh from my brain to your eyes. Now I'll just do what every other author do.

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Sethoz – Thanks. And the might be some romance and there might not, I'm not giving anything away… And the whole Adria-on-the-bed part was originally supposed to be Tom talking, but I shoved him into the bathroom when the chapter went out of control.

Not that way, though, you naughty mind.

And without further rants, I give you the next chapter.

- - -

Security got much tighter on and around the Nautilus the following days. No one was allowed to wear anything that covered their face, and everyone that did was checked. There was no one onboard that felt a stirring paranoia. They didn't know who they could trust or believe in, apart from their captain and the League. Nemo stood in the control room, beside the man trying to pick up messages.

"Anything yet?" he asked. The man shook his head, and continued to listen. Nemo left him alone and went down to the dining room. Mina was already there, dressed as usual in a black dress and her hair in a bun. She looked at Nemo when he came in.

"I suppose there has been no news yet?" she asked. Nemo sighed.

"Nothing. No attacks, no assassinations, no threats. Not even suspicions. Whoever planned the attack wishes nothing but the destruction of the League."

Mina nodded thoughtfully.

"Unless the assassin was nothing more than a madman looking for a way to make a name for himself. But that is hardly a believable thing. No, I guess that you are right, Nemo. Someone wants us all dead. Maybe someone who intends the same things as Moriarty?"

Nemo sat down at the head of the table as usual.

"A possibility."

As if the last words were his entering line, Skinner came in through the doors and looked at them. He wore his coat, sunglasses and white cream.

"I thought I was late again." He said cheerily and sat down. It was a long pause.

"So…" he continued. "Are you still worried about that thing?"

Mina gave him a cold look.

"Of course we are. No one knows if or when it could happen again. Are you not worried?"

Skinner shrugged.

"Everyone else seems to worry more than enough. Too much in fact. Lay it off a bit, would you?"

Mina kept her reply to herself and sat down on her seat. Out of the kitchen came a wonderful smell that made them so much hungrier. She looked at the door.

"Are they not coming soon?"

Within minutes, Jekyll came in. He greeted everyone before taking his seat. He took a quick look at Nemo and decided it was no use asking about news, there'd be none. Soon after him came Tom. His hair was as usual a mess and he seemed tired.

"Hey everyone." He said shortly and sat down on his seat. "Do you all feel as miserable as I do?"

Skinner shook his head and leaned back. His statement that everyone else was worrying for him seemed to be true. Mina shook her head and sighed.

"We cannot go on like this any further. One assassin should not be able to make us all like this. I say that if nothing happens within the next days, we should pass it like an attempt and nothing more."

There was a silent agreement as some men in the crew came with the food.

- - -

Tom made his way towards the Mirrored Sun. He had a suspicion that Adria would have nothing to say, but he felt a need to make sure and get the paranoia out of his mind. While he walked, he whistled merrily. The sun was on its way down and the streets bathed in its orange light. He looked at the clouds surrounding it and felt calm for first time in ages. He came to the Mirrored Sun with a smile on his lips. An old, sick looking man was leaning out of a window on the third floor, apparently enjoying the sunset as well.

"Hello mister!" Tom said when the man caught sight of him. The man nodded a greeting.

"And a good day to you! Came to rent a room?"

"No, I just came to talk to Adria. Do you know if she's not too busy?"

The man eyed him carefully.

"You sound American. Is your name Sawyer? Would you be that young American fellow?" the man asked. Tom was surprised, but replied.

"That I am, yes. Has Adria told you of me?"

The face of the man became dark red and he got an expression as if he had tried to eat something rotten. He shook at Tom with a cane.

"You know her name, you scoundrel! You're the one that's caused her so much trouble. Away with you! Leave my niece alone!" he shouted and grumbled something as he closed the window. Tom looked at it, surprised. Apparently, the news Adria could tell him wouldn't be that good.

"Agent Sawyer?"

He looked at the door. It was slightly opened. Adria stuck out her head.

"You should leave, Sawyer." She said. Tom noticed that her eye had a black ring around it, someone had hit her.

"This is a very bad time. I'm sorry; you'll have to come back another day."

"I will, I just want to know who hit you and why."

Adria opened the door, went out and closed it. She cast nervous looks around her while she did. She apparently didn't see what she was looking for, so she took a few steps closer to Tom.

"Please, Sawyer. Just go."

"Who hit you?"

Adria began looking around herself again. She seemed to be very nervous. He twisted a lock of hair around her index finger.

"I… I can't say…"

Tom felt like putting an arm around her shoulder and assure her that everything would be okay. Now, he could just stand there and hope that she wouldn't flee.

"You can, believe me. I won't let anything happen to anyone here."

Adria looked up on him.

"You can't be here all the time, and you know it. If I tell you now, he'll just come tomorrow or tonight…"

Tom had to admit that she was right. It was best not to make any promises he couldn't keep. He nodded slightly.

"You're right."

She gave him a look with some strange emotion he couldn't place and went back towards the door. He put a hand on her shoulder to stop her. She froze in a movement, apparently terrified, and Tom smacked his own mental forehead.

"Please, just tell me who hit you. Did you know him?"

It was obvious that she wanted to run away and barricade herself inside the hotel, but she thought about his question anyway.

"Yeah… maybe. I…" she began, but stopped and looked over her shoulder. "Did you hear something?"

Tom listened. A dog barked somewhere.

"I don't think so."

"Hm… maybe I was wrong. No! There it is again!"

Tom tried to hear whatever she heard. He thought he heard a faint growling, but he wasn't sure. Adria glanced at the door.

"Maybe I should go in. I still have some work to do…" she mumbled and only had time to take a step towards the door.

Tom noticed the creature that pounced out of the darkness before Adria did.

"Look out!" he cried and tore her out of the creature's way. She made a strange, muffled noise and staggered away from him. Tom quickly grabbed his guns and peered into the darkness. He tried to listen if there was anything there. He heard panting that died away. Dogs everywhere began to howl and bark. Adria whimpered behind him and Tom turned around, expecting to see her crying. She leant against a wall with her arms crossed over her chest and breathed heavily. Her face was pale and her eyes brimming with tears.

"It… I…" she stuttered. A shiver went through her body. Tom frowned. He felt that she wasn't just afraid.

"Are you okay?" he asked and put his guns back in their holsters.

She looked at him with strange, distant eyes. She slowly removed her arm from her chest and looked at it with a confused look on her face. Tom gasped when he saw her blood covered arm. His look slid down to her torn chest. Her blouse was shred and soaked with the blood that poured out of the four long wounds. He quickly put his arm around her to support her and tried to stop the flow of the blood with his hand. He then tried using his lower arm, pressing it against her. She gritted her teeth in pain, but didn't utter a word of pain. Tom was clueless about what to do.

"Is there a hospital nearby?" he asked her. She shook her head. One thought kept popping up in his head.

There's no hospital, I doubt taking her inside the hotel would do any good and she'll die without aid.

He looked around himself and then began to half carry; half lead her towards the Nautilus.