Chapter Twelve (by Reeeei Nokato! Viva la revolucion! ... oO)
Rodney Skinner, the tired-eyed invisible rogue, folded his arms after awakening uneasily from his night-time slumber. It seemed his team-mates had failed to rescue him during the night.
A chill from a wisp of cold air in the room made the Thief shiver furiously. He recognised Thrax was approaching, for the villain's footsteps sounded from the corridor outside of the prison. The reverberations quickly grew louder and soon enough, the darkened figure of the nemesis stood against the minimal light spilling through the doorway.
The willowy shadow that was Thrax calmly picked up the chair which Rodney had kicked over in anger the night before. The evocative criminal seated himself, pulling his chair closer to his captive.
The two sat in silence for at least ten minutes. Skinner, eventually becoming bored with the dullness in the dungeon, shut his eyes and accidentally slipped into a power-nap.
The predator, who noticed this, shifted his chair slightly to awaken his prisoner. Rodney awoke loudly with a snort.
"Huh, what?" He gazed at the shadow sitting before him. Another moment passed in hush. "...So-"
"I see you slept in discomfort, Mr. Skinner."
The Thief blinked. "Uhm… well-"
"I'm surprised you actually slept through the ruckus that occurred in the small hours of-"
"Ruckus? I didn't hear anything… What-"
"Your so-called League arrived, apparently on a rescue mission; however they were easily shooed away before they reached you…" A smirk came about Thrax's expression.
"Shooed away? May I ask that you be… a tad more specific?" Rodney was slowly becoming more nervous and aware of the danger he was in.
The villain gave one of his creepy oblique smiles. "The Frenchman is now a prisoner of mine. I shooed them away by mere threats and bluff."
"…Threats?"
"I stated that if they were not to leave, the Frenchman would be eradicated by nine this evening." Thrax sneered. "You should have seen the looks on their faces." He laughed softly. "Pathetic."
"Oi, now! You can insult me all you want, but there's no reason to bring them into this! You imprisoned me here because you wanted to kill me, right?"
"Oh, it isn't as simple as that, Mr. Skinner." The adversary uncurled a radiant claw from his palm. The Thief gulped quietly. "I'm trying to rid of the others who possess abnormal powers… For they, I fear, have the chance of destroying me."
Rodney opened his eyes abruptly. "Destroying you? You mean… Someone like me could destroy you?"
"Oh yes, Mr. Skinner; that is, anyone whom I possess a memory of, concealed in this bracelet." Thrax rolled up his sleeve to reveal a black wristlet, several blue beads gleaming within it. "The bracelet is weak to them alone-"
"You realise that you're disclosing facts which I can use to plan your downfall?"
"Yes I do, Mr. Skinner. But… you see, there isn't too much time for that, since you don't have all that much time to live. A certain procedure is what I'm following; collect memories, kill those who own them. I have disposed of most owners; all except you… and that blasted Frenchman."
"So that's why you're keeping me here?" The Invisible Man chuckled. "Why not kill me now?"
It seemed Skinner's growing ease was infuriating the other. "I wish I could, but that is not my full plan." He leered at his prisoner, whose perky smile was, at that instant, quickly fading. "Every moment that passes, a memory is created… more moments means more memories, and more memories means more energy, and more energy means…" Thrax stopped pacing and turned slowly about to meet the horrified features of his captive. A wicked smile extended crookedly on the criminal's lips. He took a presumptuous step forward and kneeled so his face was straight before his prisoner's. "You're in for a rough time, Mr. Skinner." (Geeez, that is so gross... I apologise if you didn't consider it dirty at all. )
Meanwhile, outside the League's Headquarters…
"Remain calm, Mr. Gray." Nemo spoke in a harsh voice. "I'm sure the others will accept you."
"If they don't, I'll handle them." A strong American-accented voice sounded at Dorian's other side.
"I refuse to admit your help!" The Immortal stopped quite suddenly, a tantrum finally coming on after the early morning's events.
The three extraordinary gentlemen stood silently in the dew-drenched morning grass. Gray found himself rubbing his eyes, attempting to hide his expression.
"You two just don't understand! It was I who selfishly dismissed Skinner off into the streets alone in the late hours. I knew he would turn up missing, for both his colleagues and I abandoned his friendship!"
"Well, doesn't that make us responsible as well as you?" Agent Sawyer muttered. "I mean, if we hadn't turned our backs on him, he would have come back here after he left your mansion. It isn't entirely your fault."
Nemo nodded at this. "Yes, yes. Agent Sawyer is correct in that-"
Dorian suddenly hissed, so as to shush the Captain. The three gentlemen continued onwards until they reached the Meeting Quarter.
The Immortal seemed to have lost most colours in his cheeks. He seated himself in a chair at one end of the table, and then buried his face in his hands.
Back at Thrax's Lair...
The Invisible Man collapsed, his cheek meeting the cold brick floor.
"Stop it! Let me go!" He cried as the villain approached to issue him yet another dose of pain. "Leave me a-" He stopped in mid-sentence as Thrax halted next to him, his claw coming downwards, ever so closer to the Thief's face.
As Skinner clenched his teeth, bracing himself for another nasty searing pain, a clatter arose in the passage outside. He breathed a sigh of relief as his captor gave a groan of impatience and the vile claw escaped his vision.
The enemy banged the door open. "What's going-!" There was a small silence, and then a loud roar of frustration. Rodney was not sure whether it had been Thrax, but whoever it was sounded utterly infuriated.
A loud clang and the sound of a body hitting the ground followed. The Invisible Man moved himself around in his restraints so he could perceive what the noise was all about.
With a small laugh of glee, Rodney sat up to face a recognizable shadow standing triumphantly in the doorway; it was none other than Ferdinand Pierre.
Back at the League's HQ...
Dorian held his head in his hands, his cheeks brightening from the extreme warmth in the Meeting Quarter.
It hadn't taken long for anyone to realise the Immortal's presence; Mina had arrived to momentarily enjoy a cup of tea by the fire, when she had noticed the sight of Gray and called for immediate assistance.
It also hadn't taken excessive time for Nemo and Tom to come to Dorian's aid. They explained their situation, and of their missing Invisible Man.
"But... where is he then?" The vampire said blankly to the Immortal sitting submissively in a cosy armchair. His response was a mere, thoughtless shrug.
"In which direction did he flee?" Jekyll spoke up. Again, the same useless motion.
"There's no point in questioning him." The Captain muttered, loud enough for the others to hear. "His thoughts are severely crowded in other matters. Even if he had information, his position in this problem would alter it."
"What are you talking about?" Dorian snapped suddenly, obviously in need of a good night's rest. "Look, if I knew where Skinner was I would have..." The Immortal suddenly levelled, a look of horrid realisation sweeping his face.
"What?" Mina murmured, timidly approaching her ex-lover.
"El Muerte Rojo." Dorian said. This earned him numerous questionable glances.
"Excuse me?" Harker was unsure whether she had just been insulted or what not.
"El Muerte Rojo!" The Immortal smacked a hand to his forehand. "Of course! How could I have been so dense?!" He hurriedly got to his feet.
"What is this? What are you saying?!" The young American asked eagerly.
"Ferdinand Pierre let himself be captured! He knew where Skinner was all along!" He brushed his clothes of excess ash floated on to him from the fireplace. "He mentioned this morning on our search that we go to his former lair. I remember we were exceptionally suspicious of his plans; we seriously considered that Ferdinand was attempting to lure us into some sort of trap." He hit his fist into his other palm. "But that wasn't it at all! I've just pieced it together now; Pierre was somehow in on Thrax's business-"
"Thrax?" Quack interrupted. "Who in God's name is Thrax?"
Dorian paid no heed whatsoever to the Doctor, but continued his discussion with his ex-colleagues. "To us, Thrax hasn't the slightest strategic plan. But, indeed, he is somehow linked in Ferdinand's affairs of villainy. Pierre has known of this, but..." The Immortal rubbed his chin. "Where was his part in the whole thing? But, wait! Maybe..." Gray clapped his hands together excitedly. "That's it! That's why Ferdinand set up his attention-seeking lair in the first place! That's why he captured me! Finally, it all makes sense!"
"What does?!" Mina growled angrily, frustrated by her lack of briefing.
Dorian puffed out his chest; he had at long last worked it all out. "Ferdinand Pierre is no villain! He is a spy; a detective, secretly tracking down one of Europe's biggest criminals!"
Wow, what a twist that was! D Anyway, back to Skinner and Ferdi...
"Who'd have thunk it?" Skinner chuckled as the Artist's knife effortlessly slit through the tight rope confining his wrists.
"Didn't think I'd come to rescue you of all people, did you, Mr. Skinner?" The Frenchman was gleaming with immense pride at his success.
"And for some bloody reason, you yearned to be a villain." The Thief grinned.
The Artist seemed awkward for a few seconds. "Uh, there's something I have urgent need to tell you." He rubbed his hands together anxiously.
"Oh? And what may that be?" Rodney at last got to his feet. He recoiled when he straightened his arm; from all of the pain and stress Thrax had caused him, the Invisible Man had completely forgotten the fact that his arm was fractured.
"I'm n-not a villain. I'm an ex-agent of London's secret services." He ignored the other's sudden change in expression. "El Muerte Rojo, also known as Thrax, is one of the most wanted criminals of this time. He has murdered several people, most of them mere innocents that crossed his path." Pierre sighed. "I was never working against you or your team of extraordinary gentleman. I simply assumed that if you became aware of Thrax's existence and discovered what a horrid reputation he had that perhaps you would be willing to help me and my cause-" The man in front of him raised a hand to stop any more words travelling to him.
"You said you were an ex-agent; doesn't that mean… you're no longer one of London's spies?"
"Oh yes, that." Ferdinand waved a hand. "I was forced to resign. I have been after Thrax for years, which is why I found myself with no time to concentrate on the cases appointed to me. They felt no reason for me to leave but…" The Frenchman shook his head, smiling. "I realised after a fair time that I would never catch Thrax with my extra duties weighing me down. I think it was for the best. Uh… do you need a hand?" He asked the Thief unexpectedly, noticing the other seemed to be cradling his arm.
"No. No, I'm fine, really." Rodney brushed Ferdinand's offer away.
The Artist shrugged. "Oookay, have it your way then."
Skinner and his rescuer turned on their heels to exit through the door they had previously entered through. But just as they began to recognise feelings of hope and relief, they stopped dead in their tracks.
There stood their predator, leaning comfortably on one side of the door frame; once knocked out, El Muerte Rojo was presently wide awake, a smirk upon his face, his figure totally thwarting their way out.
"Hello, ladies."
Dorian and the Crew…
"Alright, so let me get this straight." Said Dorian running his fingers through his hair nervously. "We surround his lair, and then we wait for a whistle from Sawyer before we mindlessly barge in, guns ablaze." The Immortal chuckled, smoothing his locks down. "Preposterous. It will never work."
"I'd like to see you come up with something!" Mina snarled at her ex-lover, her vampiric fangs bearing slightly.
"Look, at this rate we won't get there in time to save Skinner." Tom interrupted, a hint of impatience in his voice.
"Or Ferdinand…" Jekyll added blandly.
"I highly doubt that any of you will escape with your lives, let alone Skinner, if you go along with your ridiculous plan-"
"What do you suggest then, Mr. Gray?" Nemo spoke from within the darker portion of the room.
Dorian laughed quietly, his eyes narrowing. "Oh, I have my own plans, Captain. You members of the League can go ahead and do as you please. Remember this, though…" His tone became strict and quite threatening. "Don't waste time in trying to defeat the enemy for he is unbeatable. It would be foolish to linger longer than needed be."
"And what will we do when the murderer comes by our headquarters asking for his prisoners' return?" The vampire growled.
"Well… I suppose you'll have to work that out for yourselves."
At these words, Harker leapt into the air with fury. She pushed Dorian to the ground with immaculate force. She swooped down and wrenched the Immortal's head to one side, vampiric fangs fully bared, exposing one side of his neck.
Gray listened as the sounds of swords, knives and guns were drawn from their scabbards and a rush of footsteps thundered the floor.
The vampire opened her mouth and was about to sink her teeth into her ex-lover to leech the first of his blood, when he gave a small grunt of amusement.
Mina gave a jerk of hesitation and reluctantly pulled herself and her vicious fangs away. She glared at the Immortal, her expression that of one who is amazingly peeved.
"What is so funny?!!" She yelled, losing her temper. As usual, Quack intervened.
"Come, m' lady. Let us go outside for some air, shall we?"
Afterwards, when the Doctor had steered Harker out of sight, the League's Meeting Quarter was hushed.
The man garbed in grey lay motionless on the carpet, stubbornly refusing to get up. The rug beneath was warm and rather comfy… for a rug, that is.
"Are you going to lie there until dawn, Gray?" An American-accented voice sounded. Dorian gave a slight gesture that resembled a nod. "Okay then. I'll just turn the lights out, shall I?"
He waited until Sawyer had extinguished every candle and departed the darkened room before he sat up.
Gray smiled pensively as he glanced idly at a chair, which had not been tucked in beneath the table by one of the extraordinary gentlemen.
Skinner... I'm coming.