Author's Note: Sorry for the wait… I hope you can forgive me. Here's a new chapter for you… I hope you can all forgive me for that as well o.O
Marcus Lazarus: Thanks very much for the review.
Drakena: Have no fear – a) all is not lost regarding Skinner, and b) Mina isn't with Tom because of his 'handsome, youthful face'. Hope you like this chapter… as you inquired a lot as to a situation within it, if you know what I mean.
Delas: Cliff hanger of Doom! XD My trademark ender to chapters, mwahahahah! Fans are indeed sadistic… there's a reason Sethoz, Sawyer Fan and myself belong to the Angst Addicts Anonymous club XD Glad you like Bond… someone has to.
Niani: Cruel? Yes. Fun? Of course XD
Thysia: Thank you kindly! You really are too generous with your words, but I appreciate them all the same. Gah… very generous indeed, you're making my face all red because of the blushing! O.O
And now for the new part of LXG2: Above & Beyond…
Skinner had guessed Tom would react this way… but that didn't mean he wasn't terrified by that gun pointing right at his face. He swallowed dryly, and looked into the spy's gaze. It was unwavering, and harsh. Tom was furious, and it was more than evident in the way his posture screamed of the tension throughout his entire body, no doubt. Jekyll and Nemo were stiff on either side of the thief, almost as if they were taken aback by the spy's behaviour… something that Skinner had warned them about, and apparently to no avail.
Glancing to Quatermain and Mina only proved to deepen his discomfort. Quatermain's resolve and irritation was shown in the hard lines of his jaw, the furrow of his brow and the cold edge to his eyes. Mina's own gaze was reddening, and the very tips of her hair had curled against her shoulders and chest. They were far from pleased.
Perhaps against his better judgement, Skinner moved to open his mouth and speak, but Tom cocked the rifle loudly, and growled, "I don't wanna hear it… whatever you have to say."
"Sawyer," Skinner began, regardless of the warning, which quite possibly wasn't the best idea, considering how Mina growled quietly. "Listen, please… I never touched you."
"Liar," Tom snarled furiously, and his grip on the barrel of the rifle was so tight and tense that the knuckles on his left hand were going white. Skinner didn't fancy his chances, unless Jekyll or Nemo stepped in; perhaps they felt it was better if he tried on his own though, which could have explained their silence. But he hoped they would step in if things got out of hand, which didn't seem too unlikely with how things were progressing.
"Think about it… why would I do that to you, kid?"
"Don't call me that." The tone of voice that Sawyer used left little room for argument so the thief nodded.
"Sorry. But why would I do it? You're my friend; I saved your life in Mongolia! Why would I try to hurt you like that?"
Tom's eyes narrowed. He looked to the silent figures of the Indian and the doctor, seeing their agreement to Skinner's claims. The thief was trembling slightly… this wasn't going to plan.
I knew this was a bad idea…
Tom was furious. His entire body was shaking subtly at the situation he found himself in, and Mina was resolute and primal at his side. Her hair wasn't as wild as it could have been, but he knew she was angry. No doubt her fangs were showing, but he didn't dare turn his gaze to confirm his suspicions. Why were they trusting him? Maybe he was telling the truth – which would explain his arm in a sling somewhat, he supposed – and he had never laid a hand on the spy, but… then who had? It just didn't make any sense.
"If it wasn't you…" Tom began slowly and quietly, staring straight at the thief, "… then who was it, and why?"
Skinner shook his head. "Marvel, his name is. He worked for Hawley Griffin, the one who made the formula in the first place. He must have copied it before giving it to the bastard." Looking a little lost as to how he should continue, Skinner – Tom assumed – locked eyes with the young American. "You have to believe me."
"I don't have to believe anything," Tom warned simply, before he looked to the doctor and the 'pirate'. "What about you two?"
Nemo was the first to speak, saying simply, "It is for you to decide whom you should believe, Agent Sawyer… but know one thing; I would never betray your trust, and as such, I hope this helps you to reach a decision in this time."
Why does he always have to be so cryptic? Tom looked next to Jekyll, who shrugged one shoulder.
"Tom… Hyde and I both know there's a second invisible man. Edward found Skinner in the museum, and attacked him, before… he was attacked from behind. When he turned, he saw them retreating."
"Saw them?" Quatermain inquired sceptically with a sarcastic chuckle.
Jekyll closed his eyes for a moment, pinched the bridge of his nose with one finger and his thumb, and revealed, "Edward has always been able to see Skinner. And as such, could see Marvel also, by the same method."
"Which is…?" Tom narrowed his eyes; this puzzle was becoming more and more complicated with every passing moment, and with those tripods looming just on the other side of the river, it was doing nothing to improve his temper.
"Heat… plain and simple. Edward, being rather bestial and instinctual in nature relies on such senses and methods to detect…"
"Prey." Mina's use of the word was somewhat bland, as her hair straightened once again, and she cast her now-blue eyes to the thief.
Jekyll nodded. "Yes. It was how he found Skinner. Of course, he didn't realise Marvel was hiding until… he'd broken Skinner's arm. Which explains the sling." Looking back to the armed spy, he continued sincerely, "But I can assure you, in confidence, that he did not harm you. It was not Mr. Skinner… it was this Marvel character who attacked you." Shrugging once more, he removed his watch from his pocket, but did not open it at all, simply held it as if for comfort. "He had no motive."
"And this Marvel guy did?" Tom asked shortly, still having not lowered his gun.
"Precisely." Jekyll nodded. "Skinner explained it to us."
"Well," Skinner interrupted cautiously, "as best I could understand anyway. The way I see it… he wants to be the invisible man." When no one remarked on this, as if perplexed, he persisted, "He wants me out of the way. He probably thinks I don't deserve the formula, seein' as I stole it an' all."
"He wished to be the sole user of the formula, to reap the benefits for himself," Mina said quietly, and looked to Tom slowly. "He sees Skinner as an opponent… he was trying to frame him all along."
Tom, for the first time since arriving, removed his eyes from Skinner's face, and looked to the vampire at his side. He asked the question with his gaze; 'should we trust him?'
Mina barely moved for a while, before she sighed lightly, and laid a hand on his shoulder and frowned, looking back to the thief. "He is telling the truth… and I should have realised when it happened that Skinner was not responsible." Before Tom could even ask for clarification, she offered it; "The scents I detected… they had mingled. The more prominent one was suppressed by my concern for you at the time, but it was not Skinner's. It belonged to another. He did not touch you." Cocking her head slightly, almost as if curious, she added, "He may have been present, but he did not do the attacking."
Tom was starting to lower the gun, perhaps without even realising, but when Mina added that last comment, he looked disbelievingly to Skinner, pain in his eyes. "You… you were there?"
Skinner stumbled here, and a look of overwhelming shame and terror swarmed his features as he stammered to apologise with apparently all the sincerity he could muster, "Sawyer, I–"
"You were there!" Tom yelled, his anger and hurt at the revelation unbridled now, and he felt Quatermain reach to take his rifle, which he practically threw in the hunter's direction anyway, before pacing dangerously towards the thief, who mimicked the motion in the reverse.
"I… I would have…"
"You saw him attack me… and you didn't do anything to stop it!" Shaking somewhat now, Tom felt his fists clench, an action that the thief no doubt saw. Inside, a voice was screaming at him to calm down and leave Skinner alone; appreciate that it hadn't been him to attack Tom in the first place. He ignored that voice, and paced closer, even as Skinner's back collided with the river wall.
"Sawyer… listen…"
"You watched… and… why didn't you stop him?" Tom was practically growling now as he stopped inches from the invisible man, seething and disturbed by what had been revealed. Skinner had been there all along, and had had the chance to truly clear his name and save Tom the pain of the full attack… but he hadn't done anything. He had just stood there and let it happen. That was perhaps worse than the aches and pains of the attack itself. Before Skinner could reply, and before he could be stopped, Tom had slammed his fist into the thief's jaw, enough to almost throw him off balance. Jekyll was quick to catch the unbalanced man, and looked to the spy in surprise. Mina came up beside Tom, who was breathing heavily, body tense as if ready to strike another blow, but she simply touched her hand to his own balled fist, and held it there, looking him firmly in the face.
Jekyll watched them, glancing to Skinner and asking if he was all right. The thief nodded, and stood up straight again, saying, "I am sorry, Sawyer… I never meant to let it go that far… at all. Believe what you want, but I'm sorry he hurt you." With that, he fell silent, standing near to Nemo, who had not spoken for some time. Tom looked to all three of the men he had not seen for some time, and then turned away as Campion Bond approached once again, albeit somewhat hesitantly. Mina touched a hand to Tom's face for a brief moment and asked if he was all right with her eyes. He nodded simply and sighed wearily, glancing to Skinner plainly… his anger was fading. Though he knew Skinner hadn't exactly deserved that much of a punch, it had relieved enough tension to make it bearable.
"If you're quite done accusing and beating one another," Bond began tentatively but with a level of sarcasm that did not go unnoticed, "we do have a bit of a situation that needs to be remedied."
Tom took his rifle back from Quatermain as the hunter offered it outwards to him, the League turned to regard the bridge in question, even as Nemo inquired, "You have brought the thing that will save London?"
There was something different about the captain, Tom noticed; he just couldn't be sure what it was.
"Yes, they have." Bond seemed irritable, and he was perspiring again as he looked to the Indian. "It's at Westminster, being prepared for delivery."
Why does this man emphasise so much as he speaks? Tom rolled his eyes discreetly, glancing to the large man briefly in a sidelong and somewhat sceptical manner. He didn't trust him for some reason; his secretiveness regarding that crate hadn't improved the American's impression of the man. He was hiding something.
"And until it's ready, we must keep the invaders on the other side of the Thames." Bond was brushing off the collar of his shirt, perhaps removing ash he had dropped from the tip of his cigarette a while ago.
"Hold on," Quatermain voiced with doubt in his eyes, coupled with suspicion. "Delivery? What do you mean?"
Either the bureaucrat ignored the hunter or was too busy watching Nemo turn to him, because he did not answer, and Tom narrowed his eyes in irritation.
"Bond, their machines will cross soon," Nemo voiced, for once expressing some of his own impatience in his tone. There was a fire in his eyes that made Tom remember why he had been known as a pirate, and a fearsome one at that; that was, if the tales were true. He had naturally never ventured to ask the Indian about them.
Mina had not looked away from the sight on the other side of the bridge, her long straight hair blowing around her face for a moment. Tom turned his head to look as well, and swallowed dryly. The other realised the spy and the vampire had lost concentration on their 'argument', and followed their line of sight.
The river was a swarming pit of red, thrashing tentacles, vicious and intent. It tore boats asunder, and overturned them violently; on one, however, perched a small, unharmed bird, nonchalant as to the danger that shifted all around it like snakes in a hole. On the other side of the river was their real threat… tripods… a line of them, all advancing and monstrous. Their three gigantic legs toppled them forward with an eerie grace belying dancers in practise, and the large heads were fixed on the bridge, glowing 'eyes' never wavering for a moment. Below them wriggled their own tentacles, with the heat lenses turning this way and that in guard of their position. They would incinerate anything that came close…
Henry Jekyll stared sadly across the river, a horrible twisting and turning in his gut that nearly made him want to double over with agony. Tears of pain swam in his grey-blue eyes, which were already clouded with something hidden from the rest of the League.
Hyde was winning… he was losing control.
It had started on that night when he had gone in to look at the salvaged wreckage. Edward had simply torn his way free, without explanation… unless…
With a mental flash, he remembered the common; the attack that had shown the true and fearsome power of their Martian foes. The burning… they had thrown themselves to the ground to avoid the fire. He had broken the vial against his chest in his jacket pocket, and it had cut him… the formula was in him. Not simply working its way through as it normally did when ingested conventionally.
No… now it was working through his blood stream for all he knew, and that would explain his turmoil, so much harder and violent than before. It was getting so painful; so hard to shut him out. He bowed his head for a moment as the tripods swayed at the mouth of the bridge.
Henry did not want to give in to Edward again… what little compassion and nobility had come from their first mission was gone from the monster now, and he raged inside like the beast he truly was. The doctor had made a terrible mistake in endeavouring to separate good from evil; while he had, in some bastardised form, separated them… it was only to make them individuals. Two beings in one body… and one was breaking; slowly but surely, pieces were falling away, lost to the battle and crushed underfoot as Hyde worked his way back up.
Henry had only been able to steal back control when he had hurt Skinner because his guilt had overthrown Edward's thirst for carnage. His emotions had won over the monster… but now the only one he felt was loss. And Hyde was winning over that as well… he could taste his victory. Henry could barely hear the words in the triumphant voice anymore; they were losing coherence to him, though a growl of some sort rumbled in his throat.
His eyes glinted with some suppressed malice, and he ensured to aim that at the tripods.
They wanted a fight; Hyde wanted carnage… it seemed only fair to comply to both.
In his mind, a small voice whispered to him in a melancholy fashion, and he could do nothing but sigh in agreement.
It will be the last thing you do…
"Nemo was right. They'll cross soon."
Mina looked to Bond, and frowned. She was no match for these creations; that had been proven on that field where Tom had been forced to risk his life to come help her. She regretted flying off as she had, but they had destroyed it at least. But now she was at a loss. She didn't understand how one hybrid created by Moreau, contained in such a small crate, could win them this war… even give them an upper hand. It was impossible.
Glancing around her, her companions seemed to be succumbing to the same realisations… save for Dr. Jekyll. There was a resolve in his eyes that made her tremble for a moment. She did not like that expression on his weary features all of a sudden; it was most unlike the man she had come to admire and respect. Something was wrong with him.
"Why haven't they already?" Tom inquired in confusion, looking left and right with his gun slung over his shoulder.
"Th-they must think we have artillery here, even though we haven't." Bond furrowed his brow, and shrugged his broad shoulders under his ugly jacket. "Theyburned it all. Soon they'll realise that."
"Yes," Nemo agreed darkly with his shadowed eyes never leaving their dilemma. "Then they will cross. We cannot stop them…"
"Speak for yourself."
All eyes turned to Henry Jekyll, who blinked slowly, and looked to Nemo in such a way that made Mina's blood run colder than it already was. She frowned… Hyde… she could hear him in the voice coming from the doctor's mouth.
Oh no…
It was what he said next that confirmed her fears; "I'll bet I could give them a surprise or two."
"Jekyll?"
Slowly but methodically, the man shook his head in Tom's direction. The younger man's misery at this apparent revelation was far from concealed. The League around Mina realised what was happening to their friend… he was being pulled under, and in his own body. He was losing… and so very fast.
"Hyde…?" Tom lowered his rifle, almost as if in respect of the fact that Jekyll was disappearing.
A slight nod shifted the head that belonged to the physician, and the spy sighed.
"You can't be serious…" Quatermain said sceptically. They all knew what the monster within planned to do; he wished to face the Martians himself.
"Why not? I mean… what are they?" A wry smirk turned up one side of the mouth as he continued lightly, "It's just a copper boiler on stilts."
Mina couldn't help a sad smile at that.
"And inside that, there's just a useless, wheezing blancmange."
"Edward…" Mina began, and noticed all eyes turned to her as she stepped just a fraction closer to him. "Anything setting foot in their sight-line will be incinerated."
"And that's supposed to put me off, is it?"
Now there was something so subtly different about that voice… it was more like the one she had come to know and enjoy hearing from day to day at the breakfast table and in idle conversation. Henry was fighting… Jekyll was battling Hyde for a few last words, perhaps.
"Look," Bond imparted, "thinking about it, what alternatives do we have? Anything to hold the bridge."
Mina growled very discreetly at the man's suggestive tone.
"That's right," Jekyll replied. "If they cross, all of us freaks will have outlived our usefulness… 'eh, Bond?" The two voices were blending now, and the terms used suggested that the two identities were fiercely at war within, pounding each other for supremacy.
"Look, we just need to buy time until H-142 is delivered."
"I can't allow this… you'll be killed." Mina shook her head. What stood around her now was a family… her family. Her lover, her friends… her dear, dear friends. It was too painful to even think of losing just one, and even to such a selfless cause as this. Tears stung her bright eyes for just a moment before she blinked them back fiercely. Henry was a close friend to her, and had a special place in her heart. He was an admirable man, with such warmth in his persona and compassion that it made her ache to think of him leaving.
"Yes… I suppose I shall," he agreed nevertheless. "And ending up looking rather noble, when all I really want is to slaughter something, 'eh?" First Jekyll, then Hyde… it was so hard to tell them apart if one didn't focus on the tones.
Mina's frown deepened… she couldn't change his mind.
Henry Jekyll was going to leave.
Henry was struggling… he could feel himself fading to the brute's consciousness, and the insult of having it happen in his own body was almost more than he could bear as he stepped closer to the woman who was so affectionately trying to dissuade him.
There had always been a yearning within him to ask something of Mina Harker… but he had never had the nerve. Now, he saw her standing near to Tom Sawyer, and knew that something had transpired between them to make them close… lovers, even. But that did not stop him; if he did not do this one small thing, he would never forgive himself.
"Mrs. Harker," he began quite timidly, before he looked into those clear blue eyes that had never once looked on him as an unworthy man, "before I go… would you allow me the honour of a kiss?"
Though she did not show it, he knew her to be taken aback… Agent Sawyer was admirably silent just behind her to her right, but he looked to the vampire sympathetically almost. Pain flashed in Mina's eyes, and for a moment, he thought he had offended her; he expected her to refuse.
"Oh… o-of course." It was so unlike Mina to falter in her words. "Of course I would."
Henry sighed, and removed his pocket watch from his jacket, holding it steadily in one hand as he stood before her. "Thank you," he whispered, before he leaned to her, and they brushed lips tenderly, sharing a brief kiss that meant so much to the doctor, even as he pulled away, a sad smile on his face. He took his hands in hers, and sighed, defeated. "I was right then, about this world. Always I knew that heaven would be the cruellest of places… farewell, my perfect Mina."
With that, he took his hands from hers, turned his face from her eyes shining with tears, and began to walk away from the League, his form shifting so uneventfully that it seemed… final.
Jekyll vanished in a mere whisper… and Hyde whistled a tune as he moved.
"Mina…"
Tom touched a hand to Mina's back, frowning deeper than anyone had seen before, even as the vampire drew in a shuddering breath. She did not take her eyes from the retreating form. "It's all right, Tom."
Hyde moved onto the bridge as she opened her hands, looking down at the battered but treasured pocket watch that had been deposited there. She smiled sorrowfully with tears in her eyes, gazing up to see her brave friend walking away for the last time.
"I'm all right."
