Author's Note: Thanks for the responses to Chapter 8! Yes, Tom is being a little rash … but hey, I always got the impression that he could and would do many things 'off the cuff'. Apoligies for the length of time taken to update! RL, what can I say? And I lost my inspiration for the story at about the same time as my brother accidentally smashed my LXG DVD … but then Mum made him buy me a new one, so all was well :-)

Chapter 9: Into the twilight

Tom slipped quietly off the Nautilus and walked quickly away. He had only struck Huck hard enough to knock him out for a minute or two at most. He had to get away from the Nautilus before Huck raised the alarm, or the others would stop him. He couldn't afford that.

This is the right thing to do … he thought. Hell, it's the only thing I can do. Trying to force them to make a mistake is not going to work in time. They'll probably stay in hiding until the day that they are going to Change her. This will force their hand … His optimism failed briefly, as he thought despairingly, Please God let this work.

If it doesn't, I'm cactus.

Bizarrely, the thought amused him, and he let out a brief laugh, before continuing on his way into the deepening shadows of the city.

Huck groaned slightly as he dragged himself up onto his elbows. Tom … you idiot, he thoguht despairingly. No matter what, you did not have to do that.

He dragged himself to his feet, then stumbled out into the hallway. He had to find the rest of the League, had to warn them … before Tom got too far away. He stumbled towards Jekyll's room, that being closest.

Beating at the door, he waited for Jekyll to answer. "Dr Jekyll!" he called, but there was no repsonse.

"Hey, something wrong?" asked a voice – unmistakeably Skinner's – from behind him.

Huck turned to see Skinner, clad in his usual black coat with white face paint. "It's Tom. He's – he's gone after the Undead on his own."

Skinner groaned. "Oh hell."

"Yep, that's about where he's headed," Huck replied, without a shread of humour.

"So where …"

"We'd better get after him. You go find the rest of the League. Get them outside the Nautilus in five minutes." Skinner nodded, and walked off quickly. Huck headed to his own room. He had a few things to retrieve before they left …

He knew by the chest at the foot of his bed and ripped it open, pulling out his sword and four throwing knives. Standing up, he buckled the sword onto his belt and stuck two of the knives in pouches attached to his belt. The other two he placed beneath his long coat that he had pulled on. He then hurried out to the front of the Nautilus, where he was not surprised to find the rest of the League already assembled.

"Skinner has already told us what has happened," Jekyll stated. "We are ready to leave." Huck nodded.

"Then let's go."

Nemo put a hand on his arm. "Mrs Harker?" he asked.

Mina nodded. "He went along that way …"

Tom moved quickly through the night. He had arranged for a horse to be left for him nearby to the Nautilus, and he was taking full advantage of his speed in order to get as far away from the League as possible. He did not doubt that they would catch him – but he had to make it to the caves first.

The ground was rough, now, as he rode through the countryside, leaving the road behind. Huck had estimated that the trip had taken him about four hours, but, Tom believed that it would only take about one hour cross-country.

Time flew by, until Tom found himself at the entrance to a man-made ravine, cut into a mountain. Cautiously, he dismounted. "Good boy," he murmured absently, patting the head of the horse, before attaching the reins to a nearby tree. He approached the mouth of the ravine with some tredipation.

The hoot of an owl from off to his right startled Tom; he took a moment to get his heart back under control before moving further forward. The heavy night air weighed on his spirits, and for a second, Tom considered turning back. Becky's face appeared in his mind even as he considered it, however, and he immediately continued on. He would not let her down.

The ravine closed about him as entered, taking him into its impeneterable blackness …

TBC …

Author's Note: Pathetically short, I know. I'm sorry! But I do have a clear idea where this is going now, so hopefully the next update won't take two months … cringes sorry again! Please review!