Chapter Nine (Written by Rei Nokato)
There was a loud and violent shuffle as Dorian collapsed when walking up the frozen underground steps.
"No... You... Don't!" Skinner hissed as he leaned against the icy rock wall at one side of him. Painfully straining his sore back, he caught hold of Dorian's arm with his free hand and heaved the limp body back to his side.
Rodney became stock-still when he heard a thump somewhere on the floor above them; loose gravel on the roof crumbled and shattered into smaller pieces when it hit the floor.
Dorian groaned and began to slump backwards again. Skinner noticed at the last second and brought Gray properly onto his feet.
"Could you at least keep your balance enough to walk up these stairs?" The Thief whispered, gently shaking Dorian to wake him up from the drowsy state he was in.
The Immortal glanced up at where he believed Skinner's face to be. A fat untainted tear ran down his dirt-covered cheek, a single streak of pale skin appearing.
"I'm... sorry." He muttered, hastily wiping his tired eyes.
"Hey, don't go weak on me now!" The Invisible Man squirmed a little at the thought of Dorian weeping desperately in his arms.
Mr. Gray stopped shaking suddenly. Rodney assumed the pitiable and humiliated man had grown calm.
"You OK now?" The Thief was about to give his ex-team-mate a pat on the back, when Dorian quickly turned around to face the bottom of the stairs. "Hey! What- Ugh!"
The harshly tortured man had feebly bent down and been sick all over the steps.
Rodney was just about to budge his hand away from Gray as a reflex, when he remembered that his arm was the only thing keeping Dorian balanced.
When the Immortal was finished, he gave a cough and befell soundless. He glanced at where Skinner was, guessing he was unmoving against the wall with a blatantly disgusted expression on his features.
There was a bit more silence before Dorian painfully let out a laugh. It was the first time he had done so in a long time.
It was then it really hit him; Skinner was actually rescuing him. It had been quite a while since he knew a person who truly cared about him. Well, I suppose Jin and I care but... I'll shut up now.
"Basil... Basil..." Dorian murmured blissfully; at the same time Rodney thought the traitor had misplaced his sanity.
"Basil?" Skinner moved away from the wall. "Who's that?"
Dorian looked at the Thief with gleaming eyes. His hand moved through the air. Before making contact with anything, however...
"Oi!" Skinner slapped Gray's hand away with firm aggression. "Don't you dare touch me there." He spun Dorian around so he was facing up the stairs. "C'mon! Move!" He drove the Immortal forward. To the Gentleman Thief's surprise, what used to be the muddy and drab prisoner of the perverted Artist was now running up the steps gallantly, even managing to skip a step before slipping and falling flat on his face, where he began to chuckle and bawl at once.
Rodney rolled his eyes, at the same time wishing he had declined going with Quack's strategy of escape. He moved promptly to where Dorian's body lay crumpled on the steps. He knelt down next to the Immortal and helped him back up.
Once on his feet again, Gray brushed some muck off his clothes and cleared his throat. "So, are we going, or not?" He stepped lightly up the stairs, his usual acidic style of arrogance suddenly re-emerging.
Skinner remained motionless for a moment, confused by what had just happened.
That was... weird.
He shook his head and started walking up the staircase once more.
"Mr. Skinner!!" Dorian mumbled urgently, beckoning the Invisible Man a few steps below him to come at once.
"Yes?" He stared at Dorian's face. His silver eyes, now particularly duller than before, were watching something else across the room. Skinner followed the Immortal's gaze.
A young man was arched in a corner opposite the two extraordinary gentlemen, trying valiantly to gasp as silent as possible for breath. He was shivering and whispering what seemed to be a prayer, but in an unfamiliar tongue.
"Excuse me?" Dorian addressed the foreigner quietly.
In response, the frightened man flinched and began yelling his prayer, his darkened eyes shutting firmly.
"SSSSHHHH!!!" Rodney glanced at Dorian when he found he couldn't hush the stranger's prayers. "Dorian-" The Immortal put a finger to his own lips, suggesting the Invisible Man shut his mouth.
"Something's wrong." Gray's eyes stayed fixed on the young man falling apart (in a non-literal sense) before them. "We have to hide."
"Hide? Why would we do that?" Rodney asked curiously.
"Come on." Dorian snatched Skinner's invisible wrist and led him towards the next set of stairs.
"No! No!" The man curled up in the corner unexpectedly shouted at them. The Immortal Man and the Invisible Chap stopped and spun on their feet to face him. "He's comingk!!!"
Dorian and Rodney exchanged looks, before bringing their eyes back to the foreign bloke. "Who's coming?" Gray inquired coolly.
"El Muerte Rojo!He's comingk! He's comingk to kill uss dead!" He pointed at himself insanely, his shady brown eyes widening.
"Erm... OK then." Skinner said nervously. "...Who's killing us again?"
"El Muerte Rojo!!! He's comingk, man!"
"Excuse us, kind sir, but we must leave." Dorian started walking up the other staircase, but was pulled back by the Professional Thief. "Mr.-"
"Don't you 'Mr. Skinner' me! Didn't you listen to him?" Rodney nodded slightly to the shivering youngster in the corner.
"Yes. I did. Now let's-"
"Doesn't that imply anything?" Skinner muttered uneasily. Dorian stood unmoving and silent. "It means that El... Whatever is coming after us!"
Gray sneered. "El Whatever means nothing to us. It's probably a name that another mindless fool-hardy villain is known by."
"Look," Rodney whispered uncertainly, "I'm sorry if the Artist... hurt you," his whisper became softer, "but I for one do not want to meet up with another person to push us around. Underestimating someone may give you some kind of sick determination, but-"
"But nothing, Skinner." Dorian's smirk widened. "You're a coward."
Rodney gritted his teeth, a reminiscence beginning to rise faintly in the back of his mind.
Am no'! Am no'! I'm no' afraid of anything! ... SHUT UP! No! Leave me alone! Stop it!!! Shut- No I won' shut up! You can' talk to- OK!! Just let go of me!!!
The Invisible Man didn't answer Gray for a moment or two. Beginning to realise his eyes were unfocused, he shook his head of the distinct recollection of his insufferable, long-passed years.
When Dorian observed Skinner's abrupt hush and stillness, he waved a hand in front of him.
Skinner flinched at this, and then dodged eye contact with Gray by looking at the shivering man in the curve of the room.
"Ah... Would you like to join us in getting out of here?" Rodney asked courteously, yet there was a strange drowsiness affecting his expression.
"El Muerte-"
"We don't give a damn about your pathetic fascinations!" Dorian exclaimed, taking a step forward. "Are you coming or not?"
Boy, listen to me!! You have to run!! Run as fast as you can!!!
Skinner shut his eyes, wishing the haunting memories would go away... He could still see, though, since his eyelids were transparent as was the rest of him.
NO!! I stole it!!! I have it!! It's ME you want!!!
Rodney quietly growled incoherently. Dorian started and slowly turned around.
Have mercy!! He has nothing to do with this!!!
"No... No..." The Invisible Man began to mouth consistently.
"Where are you going?" Gray asked sternly as he heeded Skinner moving awkwardly towards the staircase.
"Don't... No..." The Thief bumped blindly into the wall.
NO!!! Leave him alone!! I stole it!!! I stole it!!!! The boy didn't take it!!! I did!!
There was a light. An incredible light floating ahead of him... Colours glowed roughly about the vivid beacon.
A muffled cry of distress sounded from somewhere. His vision was blurred so heavily it made him feel faint to squint ahead at a shadow approaching him. His sense of hearing had become imprecise and subdued, like he was underwater.
Dorian shrank away as a tall figure walked leisurely down the stairs in front of Skinner. The stranger held a small black chain, which he lazily twirled along his right hand. Blue slits glowed dimly in the wristlet.
"No... NO!" The alarmed man sitting in the curve of the store room stood up and started edging along the wall at the back of him.
The shadowed arrival stayed put as he watched the craven figure moving towards the basement stairs.
"Dorian..." Rodney managed to whisper. He extended his arms and walked carefully towards an outline he guessed to be the Immortal's.
There was an odd pause as he knocked against the tall shadow standing before him. "Dorian? Is that-" His knees buckled as his vision swiftly faded to black.
Terrified, Gray observed from a distance as the threatening form of a man keeled backwards a bit. The Immortal noticed a human-like dent crease the front of the stranger's trench coat-
"Skinner!" Dorian's hand travelled straight to the sheath at the left side of his waist. He expected to feel the cool handle of his blade, but instead felt thin air. He clenched his fists as the tall figure wrapped his arms around the lifeless Invisible Man.
"Let him GO!" Gray aimed a ruthless roundhouse kick at the silent shadow.
A skeletal hand automatically came out of nowhere and blocked it. The Immortal almost lost his balance as his leg was pushed back, but regained himself just in time.
I lost you, Basil, because of my own weaknesses and infected choices... So many years have passed since I heard your last words...
"I shall willingly kill you if you do not release him." Dorian claimed rebelliously. A strand of hair fell lightly on his pale cheek, which he heatedly brushed away.
He saw the nameless guest shake his head, as if he were amused by Gray's efforts of bravery. This made Dorian even angrier, though he didn't show it.
"You underestimate me." The Immortal tried his best not to fidget with fretfulness and anxiety. "I don't think you realise who you're up against."
"Sure I do, baby." A relaxed masculine voice resounded, belonging to the svelte silhouette. Dorian was immediately taken aback. "You're Dorian Gray, the infamously-known Immortal. Is that right?"
"You may be able to identify me, but I'm sure you do not know of what I'm capable of."
"Well, actually... I do." Dorian couldn't believe this. How could anyone talk so slickly to him? He supposed it was because he was used to being the bad guy in these situations and he was surprised at being the victim. He was the one supposed to be talking streetwise."Your business with the League recently... It didn't... go as planned, did it?"
Gray felt eyes watching him. As he became aware of this strange feeling, something in the darkness caught his attention; the glitter of two golden eyes.
There was a pause, and Dorian sensed that his unfamiliar acquaintance was daring him to speak.
What seemed like an eternity of stillness was disrupted by a faint moan; Rodney had awoken from his minor slumber.
Dorian watched the creased trench coat make small movement. The Immortal's eyes suddenly brimmed with tears, which he boldly blinked back.
I lost you, Basil... I'm not losing anyone else...
The assertive thought brought Gray into action. This time his motions were so rapid that he caught the villain by slight surprise.
"Huh?" The only sound Skinner could make.
He could feel someone pull him out of another's arms.
"C'mon, Skinner!" A familiar whisper sounded softly in his ear. "Walk! Step up these stairs! Please!"
Rodney's good perception returned to him. His eyelids flickered until he remembered what had occurred.
Dorian gasped and was still by the Invisible Man's side. When Skinner turned his head a bit, he noticed a dark figure gliding in his direction.
The Thief lifted Dorian's arm off his shoulders and crept to the side of the room.
"Skinner?!! Where are you?! Come back!" Gray shouted, obviously distressed for Skinner's safety.
Dorian cringed as the contour of the unknown nemesis' hand reached towards him, a glowing claw uncurling to touch his chest.
There was an indistinct grunt from Rodney as he charged and pushed the stranger violently into a wall. The Invisible Man issued a few punches at the enemy's face then kneed him in the groin with all the strength he could muster. Convinced he had hurt the man enough, he dashed back to Dorian's side and grabbed his hand.
"Skinner?!" Gray, very bewildered indeed, smiled tenderly when he felt the warmth of an invisible hand slip into his palm.
Rodney led the ill-enthused Immortal up the stairs. He stopped abruptly when they were on the next floor; Dorian ran into him.
"My stuff!" Skinner exclaimed. He let go of Dorian's hand, slid into the cell which he had escaped and threw his jacket and hat back on. He then ran back to the dumbstruck Immortal and took his hand once more.
When the two of them had clambered up three stairwells, they realised they had finally reached the very corridor they had first entered the Artist's lair by. They released hands and ran speedily down the hallway, outside, down the stone steps and out the mansion gates. They didn't halt to catch their breath until they were nearly a block away.
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Mr. Dorian Gray's library doors banged open.
"I'm not familiar with escapes like that." The Immortal said, still panting slightly. He opened his alcohol cabinet and hurriedly poured himself a glass of sherry.
The suspended jacket which had also entered the room headed straight for a bottle of scotch on a side table.
Dorian lit a fire under the mantelpiece. The two bedraggled gentleman sat themselves in an armchair each. They sat wordlessly for a few minutes as they're breathing reduced to normal pace.
"We have to go back for them." Said the Invisible Man, sitting up in his chair.
"We must rest ourselves, Mr. Skinner." Dorian reasoned promptly.
"... OK. We'll have a bi' of R 'n' R." Rodney lay back in his chair again. "But as soon as it reaches morning, I'm leavin'." He took a gulp of alcohol.
Dorian slowly sat up and stared at the fire, remaining deep in thought for roughly ten minutes. He glanced at Rodney, who was peacefully quiet and still.
"Skinner?" Gray whispered, trying his best to keep his voice from quivering. He didn't receive a response. "... Rodney?" Never in his right mind did Dorian ever believe he would be on first-name terms with the Thief...
Still no reply. Gray heaved a sigh; by the way things were going, he would never get the chance to tell Skinner...
Dorian's weary grey eyes relaxed and closed. It was the first time for a week he slept well.
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"Uh... Huh?" The Immortal's eyes widened and he sat bolt upright. He was in his library. He glanced at the fireplace, where the fire he had ignited the night before had burned out. "But... How?" He stayed sitting up, remembering how Skinner had come to rescue him and they had both retreated to his manor to rest for the night.
He ran his fingers through his hair and froze; it felt different than usual.
His hands still on his head, he got to his feet and walked to the alcohol cupboard. With one hand he shut the open display glass. He quickly observed his reflection in it, before yelling, "SKINNER!!!!!"
The Invisible Man stood up from the table across the room. He had applied his greasepaint, which exposed his mischievous grin. "Hm?"
"What- what have you done- to- to my hair?!!!" Dorian faltered.
Rodney simply beamed at him. "That fringe of yours was just shocking." Dorian glared. There was a weighty pause. "I drew on your face too. Thought you needed a bi' of... animation about you."
Gray faced his mirrored self again to notice what he had overlooked; there were ink drawings on his face. Skinner had skilfully scribbled a sweatdrop on the side of his face, a veinpop on his forehead and a circle around each eye socket which made him appear to have huge glasses. "Grr-" Gray turned to face Rodney again.
"Now now, Dorian. No need to get feisty." Skinner keeled over laughing. Once he had regained rule of himself, he wiped his eyes and sat down to read more of the Karma Sutra Portfolio he had found under his armchair.
Gray stood for several minutes in front of a large mirror downstairs, making an effort to neaten his hair. When he had styled it to look similar to what it had before, he headed for the secret trapdoor to check on his most exquisite possession-
"Wait a minute." Dorian muttered. The Artist had his treasured painting. He had forgotten all about it in the rush of escaping with Skinner.
He hastened back to the library.
"So? Does that mean we're leaving?" Rodney said quietly after Gray had explained the crisis he had not counted on.
"Of course we're leaving! Do you really believe I would leave the Artist to get away with what he did to me?!!" Suddenly realising he had just hysterically blurted out what he had promised not to tell anyone, he cleared his throat loudly and looked nervously at the Thief for a reaction; Rodney's mouth was slightly opened.
"He did what, you say?" Skinner stood up, looking kind of suss. "Did he... molest you in any way?" At first he smiled a little, but he forced it away when the Immortal lowered his head timidly. "Please tell me." The Invisible Man, revealed by his coat, hat and shoes, approached Gray, his unhurried footsteps almost soundless on the carpet.
Dorian slowly looked up at the Gentleman Thief. He looked profoundly into the invisible eyes that seemed to be looking into his in the same soothing way. The most tranquil moment of their lives had to have been then.
"He did make you suffer, didn't he?" Rodney smirked and gently placed his hands on Dorian's shoulders.
This was the moment the Immortal had been waiting for...
Drum roll, please! Dudududududududududududududuuu...
Skinner violently shook him. "Dorian, can you make us some muffins? I'm maiiighty hungry."
"Huh?" Dorian raised his eyebrows.
Whaaaaaaaaaat??????? But I thought...
"Hee," Skinner beamed. "I mean ah... Can we save the day now?"
"Um, yeah. Sure. Why not?" Gray smiled weakly and left the room. He entered the room fifteen minutes later, wearing a classy tuxedo and shimmering sunglasses. Across his right arm he had another suit for Skinner to wear.
"Could you change into this, Mr. Skinner?" Dorian asked politely.
"Uh ha... No." Rodney answered, as he looked at the Immortal's clothing. "I'd prefer to retain my own attire, thanks."
"Fiiine." Gray sighed vehemently. "Could you do me a favour?"
"I don't know. Can I?"
"Would you mind buttoning up your jacket? It's rather chilly outside, you know."
"And you're suggesting...?"
"You could catch a cold."
"I prefer it open, thanks."
"Er... OK then. Just... please fasten it up when we get to-"
"NO! I never button it unless someone makes me." Like Harker. "Besides, as I'm sure you must have guessed by now, it makes me feel rather invigorated-"
"OK fiiine. Be that way."