A/N: Ta-da! Chapter six is here! No we get to learn a little bit more about Mortie and Otto. This is a relatively long chapter for me! Wow! Ok… onward!
Cecily - ::snatches the handbag and bops Davis with it:: Sorry, I just really wanted to do that! Oh, joy… work. [Note the sarcasm.] Huzzah for you for realizing Dorian spying on Mina and Jekyll was like Jekyll spying on Mina and Dorian! You win the grand prize! [Now, if only I knew what the grand prize was…]
schizomaniax – You were the only one to remark about the trashcan line! Just for that, you get your very own killer trashcan! Watch out, it bites! How did you ever manage to submit the same review to chapter 5 twice?
C-3POandStickFigureBarbie – Here, you can have an Otto plushie!
Hiril Moon – My what a dirty mouth you have! Eep! Ah, Elvish. Aníron Legolas! [That would be Elvish for "I desire Legolas!"] And now, aníron a plate of nachos!
Lady Lilrin – How do you know that this Mortie the Magician of yours is a girl?
morph – You know, I just recently saw the X-Men episode where the guy named Morph dies, but I digress… Yeah, Dorian's always been a little cracked. I think living all those years, and then just dying might have something to do with it.
elven-emma – Aw… ::blushes:: That's so nice of you! Emma, watch out for that BANG! OOH! Tree… [A little George of the Jungle there… Brendan Fraser was so HOT in that movie!]
Weeks passed. Dorian was nowhere to be seen. He'd disappeared, to where, no one knew, but the reason why he had gone was obvious. No one was sure when he'd come back, or what he'd do when he did. Everyone, Jekyll and Davis especially, were on their guard.
In the meantime, Otto had made Mina and Jekyll swear not to reveal his secret to the others. He wasn't sure how Tom would react since the young American had been so bent on werewolf killing. All would be revealed in due time.
Through all of this, there had been no word from Mortie. Skinner was beginning to think that something had happened to her. It never took her this long to locate anyone before… Then, it had been well over a year since he'd last seen her. Things possibly could have changed.
Unable to sleep, Tom had positioned himself in Dorian's attic, at the very window from which the Fantom had leapt all those months ago. He stared out towards the water. The moonlight glinted off of the chrome that so lavishly decorated the Nautilus. The moon would be full tomorrow night, and he would be better equipped to hunt the werewolf than he was the last time. His gaze was drawn to the street by the sound of soft footsteps. They continued for a short while longer, ten stopped abruptly. Tom scanned the street, but saw nothing. Nevertheless, his suspicions had been aroused and he decided to go investigate.
He made his was silently down to the front door, and just as silently slid open the small door to take a peek outside. Again, he saw nothing. Tightening the grip on his rifle, he carefully opened the door and peered out. The street was vacant. Tom stepped out and glanced down the street, just to make sure. He sighed. Sleepiness was probably getting the better of him. Heaving another sigh, he turned and retreated inside.
Mortie watched from her hiding place just inside the house as Tom closed the door and headed up the stairs. She presumed that was where the rooms were, and that was where she could find Skinner. She was glad for Tom coming down and opening the door – it saved her the trouble of picking the lock. As soon as she heard Tom's door shut, she stealthily headed up the stairs to find Skinner.
He was passing down the hall, trying to find his way out when the sound of gunfire reached him. It was rapid, but not rapid enough to be the product of one of those automatic rifles of M's. Then there was silence for a short while. He paused and listened. Soon, the gunfire resumed, only these bullets were ricocheting off of steel… Something told him it had to be one of the League, and he went with all haste to investigate.
The smell of smoke soon reached him, and he quickened his pace. Fire was spewing from a nearby door. Carefully he peeked in. There was Sawyer, being pursued by one of M's flame throwers – there was no possible way he'd make it out of there. He had to help him… Snatching up a knife he'd found lying on the floor he rushed in. "Sawyer! Run for it!" He yelled, plunging the knife into the flame-thrower's tank. Then, he felt only searing hot pain…
Skinner snapped into wakefulness, only to find that there was a hand on his shoulder… someone was in bed with him. He whipped around and came face to face with none other than Mortie. "What the…? Mortie!" At the sound of her name, Mortie's eyes snapped open. She barely muttered one syllable before Skinner rudely ushered her out of bed. "What are you doing?" He demanded in a harsh whisper.
Mortie stood and quickly snatched up the sheet and wrapped it around her unclothed body. "That's a fine how do you do." She grumbled.
"Oh yes, and is your way any better?" Skinner said, seeking out his coat and sliding it on. "What's running through your head, woman?" This was a fine way to come out of a nightmare – it was made all the more worse by the fact the Cabrilyn's room was just across the hall.
"I came to deliver my findings," Mortie said moodily, seeking out her own clothes. "And I saw you were having a nightmare. You looked like you could use some… comforting." A sly smile crossed her face.
Skinner sighed. His nightmares came and went. They often fluctuated between the flame-thrower and Dr. Owen. Sometimes it was a horrid mixture of both. He looked at Mortie – he really hoped he wouldn't have to go through this. "Mortie… look… you and me… what we had…" he struggled for words – he was never any good at this sort of thing.
Mortie seemed to grasp what he was trying to say. Her face became expressionless. "Ah, I see," she said flatly. She found her clothes and hastily pulled them on. "Is there someone else?" She asked suddenly, still without expression. Skinner couldn't tell whether she was hurt, or angry, or both.
"Yes," he said at length. He was a little relieved she'd asked – he'd expected her to dance around that question for another half hour. "Yes, there's someone else."
"I see," Mortie said again. Without another word, she fished into her pocket and extracted a well-folded piece of paper. She tossed it onto the bed. Skinner looked from the paper to Mortie. She gave him one last glance and strode from the room, leaving Skinner feeling horrible about the events that had just taken place.
Tom poked his head from his room, having heard something going on – he couldn't get to sleep with Skinner shouting "Sawyer! Run for it!" in the next room. Mortie was just exiting Skinner's room. She looked upset to say the least. "Mortie?" Sawyer said, not exactly sure what to make of her presence.
"Mr. Sawyer," she said shortly.
"Just call me Sawyer, please," he said, flashing a small smile. She paid him no mind. "Are you all right?" He asked as she breezed past him headed for the stairs.
Mortie whipped around, her face set in stone. "I'm fine, Mr. Sawyer," she said shortly. Tom was about to correct her again, then thought better of it.
"Well, I'll be seein' ya," he said, but again he was ignored as Mortie descended the stairs and let herself out. Tom threw a glance in the direction of Skinner's room, a million scenarios running through his head. He would definitely have to talk to Skinner in the morning…
As the sun rose the next morning, two people could be seen leaving the Gray manor. They trekked to the docs, careful to avoid the puddles that littered the road from the recent rains, and slipped onto the Nautilus.
"This would be it," Dr. Jekyll's voice echoed over the soft hiss of steam that filled the hallway. He pulled the steel door open and entered a room he had only been in once before – on the day he, and Hyde, had been introduced to the League.
Otto brushed past the doctor and picked up one of the thick chains that littered the floor. He tugged on it lightly. "Are you certain these will hold me?" He asked, tugging a bit harder.
"They held Hyde," Jekyll replied matter-of-factly as Otto examined the restraints.
"Yes, but Hyde isn't a full-grown werewolf, is he," Otto said.
Jekyll chuckled lightly. "He may as well be," he said, skillfully ignoring Hyde's snide remarks in his head.
Otto merely raised an eyebrow. Jekyll highly underestimated the strength of a full-grown werewolf. They were powerful and unpredictable creatures – not so easily restrained. Otto even retained some of his werewolf strength and abilities while human, but he'd been careful not to let them show – especially while around the League. While human, he had nowhere near the strength of an actual werewolf, but he definitely had the sense of smell, and he could see in the dark better than most. His werewolf abilities were probably why he was able to touch Dorian when no other could. Rousing all his strength, Otto gave the chain one final yank – the steel creaked a little but the chain held fast. "I suppose it'll do," he said at last.
"It'll have to do," Jekyll said. "It's all we've got. We can't just allow you to run rampant…"
"Oh, believe me, I don't want to run rampant… Not after what happened last time…" For a while, silence reigned. Otto stared at the floor, trying not to think of his sister, or anyone else he'd killed. Jekyll began fiddling with his pocket-watch, and tried to forget his own evils. Suddenly, the sound of numerous people seeped into the room – the crew was stirring.
Jekyll looked up. "I think we'd best leave."
"Right," Otto replied. "Meet back here after dinner?"
"Indeed… it's going to be a long night."
Tom tapped lightly on Skinner's door. It was nearly noon, and Skinner had not been out all day. "Skinner?" Tom inquired, trying to turn the doorknob – locked.
"What?" Came the reply. Skinner did not sound happy.
"Can I come in?"
"No."
"Fine…" Tom reached into his back pocket and extracted a screwdriver. He'd hoped he wouldn't have to resort to breaking and entering, but Skinner couldn't stay holed up in his room all day. Tom soon removed the entire doorknob, and with a little jimmying, the door swung open.
Skinner leapt up from the chair in which he'd been sitting, the paper Mortie had given him in his hand. "Sawyer! Do you mind?"
"Yes," Tom replied. "What are you doing locked in your room?" Skinner didn't reply, so Tom ventured a guess. "Did something happen with Mortie?"
After a moment, Skinner sighed wearily. "Yes… If you'd be so kind as to put my doorknob back on, I'll tell you."
Tom obliged. It took him a while to put everything back together properly, but he finally got it. While Tom was bust with the door, Skinner tried to organize his thoughts. Where to start? He and Mortie were a complicated duo – this would take a little explaining. When he was through, Tom flopped down at the end of the unmade bed. "So…?"
"So," Skinner echoed. "All right. Mortie and I met up about a year before I was… 'recruited' for the League. She'd been prowlin' the streets all her life, and she knew them better than anyone I'd ever met…" He paused, trying to figure out where to take the story from there.
"When did you start courtin' her?" Tom asked, and was surprised when Skinner burst out laughing.
"I never courted her Sawyer," he replied. "I never felt more than lust for her, and until last night, I would've swore she felt the same."
"Does Cabrilyn know?"
"No, and you must swear you won't tell her," Skinner said. "I can't stand to tell her… at least not now. I don't want to spring this on her in the middle of this parent episode – her emotions are running high as it is."
After a moment of thought, Tom agreed. It was not up to him to run Skinner and Cabrilyn's relationship. "Fine, but you'd better tell her before she finds out on her own." He stood and went to the door.
Skinner tucked the paper into his coat pocket and glanced at Tom. "Where are you off to?"
"I'm going to get ready. I've got a werewolf to hunt…'
And for the rest of that day, all was quiet. Then, the sun set and all hell broke loose…
A/N: Ok, yes, I know that was a cliffie, but the things that happen after sunset deserve their own chapter! Now, I'm off to chapter 7! Thank you all for your reviews!