"I'm afraid this is the only way," answered Quatermain. "I need to see what's on that island." He shook hands with the doctor again before preparing the Nautilus.
"I just wish there was more I could do to help," said Watson. "Perhaps I should come along with you, after all."
"You've done more than enough already, doctor," insisted Mina.
"Quite so," Jekyll agreed readily.
"Besides," added Quatermain, "you can help us much more by staying right here."
The League all finished their individual good-bye's to Dr. Watson. They then climbed down the hatch of the Nautilus. Watson stood on the shore and waived at the vessel as it slowly submerged beneath the depths.
> > > > > >
The Nautilus was well advanced in design and construction beyond any other vessel of the time. At even its average speed, the Nautilus could have reached its destination in less than an hour's time.
However, considering the tragedy that had befallen other voyagers traveling to the same island, it was agreed that the Nautilus would travel well below its average speed to avoid detection.
At first, the League members were able to pass the time by admiring the many splendors beneath the ocean's surface through the Nautilus' many portholes. Soon, however, the sights seemed to be repeating themselves, and passengers aboard the vessel were forced to find other ways to amuse themselves.
Mina Harker busied herself with her chemistry set, trying to fathom the mysteries of science.
Rodney Skinner amused himself by playing pranks on the crew of the vessel, a feat easy to get away with through his invisibility.
Tom Sawyer amused himself by tossing playing cards into his Stetson cap.
Meanwhile, Dr. Henry Jekyll stood alone in his cabin, grasping his scalp in pain. The mixture of physical pain and mental anxiety caused him to crumple over, clinging to the ledge of his desk to keep from collapsing. As he looked at his hands, they seemed to be changing shape and color, becoming misshapen and disgusting. Jekyll lifted his face to look into his mirror. The sneering, orange face of Edward Hyde looked back at him.
"Let me out, Henry," pleaded the face in the mirror. "Henry, please!"
"No, Edward!" cried Jekyll. "Never!"
"Something the matter, Henry?"
Jekyll hurriedly composed himself and turned towards the voice. He was startled to see no one there to greet him. After a moment's realization, he finally muttered, "Oh, Skinner. It's you."
"You look like you're in quite a bit of pain," said Skinner. "What's the matter?"
Dr. Jekyll took a deep breath. His secret up to now had been only between him and Hyde. He had been looking for a friend he could confide in. Now it was only a matter of deciding where to start.
"Skinner," began Jekyll. "You're invisible. You know exactly how it feels."
"There's nothing in the world quite like it," agreed Skinner.
"But you miss being visible," said Jekyll. "Being a part of the world you live in. When you walk in to a room, you miss being noticed. You miss having all eyes turn to you."
"I do," said Skinner. "But what's all this got to do with you?"
"I feel invisible, too," said Jekyll. "Henry Jekyll was a respected
scientist, but he never had all eyes turn to him once he entered a room. He was looked at as hardly a man. Only a pale thin shell. That's why I invented Edward Hyde. Edward Hyde has presence. He is always noticed when he walks into his room."
"I'm afraid I don't see your point, doc," said Skinner.
Jekyll felt comfortable telling all of this to Skinner. Since Skinner was invisible, Jekyll had a perfect excuse not to look straight into his eyes. All the same, Jekyll found his vision being cast downwards.
"I destroyed the Hyde formula," he confessed.
"You WHAT!" gasped Skinner. It was the might and presence of Edward Hyde that had brought Jekyll into the League in the first place. Although the doctor was a brilliant man and a crucial part of the League, Skinner wondered how the team would function without the doctor's vulgar other self.
"It doesn't matter," said Jekyll. "Edward Hyde is still inside of me. And he can still come out."
"What do you mean, Henry?" asked Skinner, becoming more and more alarmed.
"Lately, Edward has been coming out from within me, without my even drinking the formula. The power of Hyde within me has become too strong to handle. Edward exists without the formula now. He is completely beyond my control. I am terrified that at any moment, he might come out again."
"What are you going to do about all of this?"
"I've been working on an antidote," said Jekyll. "Each batch just seems to make Hyde less controllable. I'm thinking of asking Mina if she would be willing to help..."
"I'll go get her now," offered Skinner.
"No!" cried Jekyll, his voice closer resembling Hyde's. "Skinner, you must tell no one. I don't know how'd they react if they found out. Especially Mina. If things become desperate, I'll talk to her. But in the meantime, this must be our secret. Do you understand?"
"Of course, mate," said Skinner.
"Thank you, Skinner," said Jekyll. "I knew I could count on you."
As Skinner exited, the pain surged through Jekyll again.
> > > > > >
Even though the secret remained between Skinner and Jekyll, the intensity seemed to hang about the air as the Nautilus continued its pain- stakingly slow voyage across the bottom of the ocean. Skinner stopped taunting the crew members. Mina became increasingly frustrated with her experiments. And Sawyer was tossing more playing cards onto the floor and less into the Stetson. It seemed his bad aim was no longer bothering him.
Quatermain stood beside Captain Nemo at the helm for a good part of the voyage, taking great interest in the progress of their journey. Quatermain was about to head to his own cabin to get some rest, when lights began to glow and alarms began to whistle.
"Something spotted on the radar, sir," announced one of Nemo's mates.
"Do we know what it is?" asked Nemo.
"Negative, sir," responded another crew member. "But it's pretty big."
Tom Sawyer was looking through one of the portholes when he thought he saw a large mass of pure white pass by.
"Was that what I think it was?" asked Sawyer. He turned to Mina, who was anxiously peering through another portal.
Mina looked shaken. That was significant, because it took a lot to shake Wihemina Harker.
Captain Nemo was intently gazing out of the front pane l of the Nautilus, intently looking for what he had thought he had seen. Quatermain stood beside him, looking equally nervous.
Suddenly, everything went dark..
"What has happened?" demanded Nemo.
"Power seems to have gone out, sir."
"Can it be repaired?"
"We're working on..."
The lights came on as suddenly as they had gone out, totally
illuminating the viewing panel. Nemo and Quatermain, two usually courageous men, both jumped backwards at the sight.
Before them were rows of huge, flat teeth, each about the size of a regular man. Two bulging eyes were barely within the frame. All of this was set in a frame of the purest white.
The face withdrew from the panel. A few moments later, it was replaced by a gigantic tale, swinging into the panel and sending the crew of the Nautilus flying to the ground.
"What was that?" demanded Quatermain.
"It's the great white whale," replied Nemo.
"What is that supposed to bloody mean?"
"They call it Moby Dick."
As if on cue, the monster returned, charging head first into the Nautilus. The whole vessel trembled, threatening to fall to pieces. In the aisles, Sawyer and Mina flew backwards and toppled to the ground, landing one on top of the other. Dr. Jekyll, now transforming into Mr. Hyde, flew head first into the mirror on his cabin wall, creating another loud crash.
"I think I've heard of Moby Dick," said Quatermain.
"Some say he is a freak of nature," said Nemo. "Others say he is Satan incarnate. Others say he is an instrument of the wrath of God."
"And what do you say?"
"I say we have better things to worry about right now."
Moby Dick began to move backwards. Then, in a matter of seconds, the monster swam forward and collided with the Nautilus again. This time, cracks began to form in the panel.
"Fire harpoons," said Nemo. "Every one we have. We must weaken the thing!"
Nemo's crew members hastily went about their task. Quatermain watched as several sharp spears forced themselves into the gargantuan whale. The cry of the monster was audible through the cracks in the panel. The Nautilus was tossed about from the waves created by Moby Dick's thrashing and shaking. Soon, most of the spears floated away from the giant whale. Moby Dick seemed agitated but not at all harmed. He charged into the Nautilus again, this time with more force than before.
"Fire our flares," said Nemo. "Aim directly for the target. We need to stop the beast at whatever costs."
Bright lights streaked through the waters and hit Moby Dick. The whale again moaned in pain. Again, it seemed more aggressive and less subdued.
The whale prepared to strike again. Everyone held their breath and braced themselves for another shock. It didn't come. Moby Dick made a sharp turn and disappeared from view. Everyone waited nervously, wondering what was coming next.
A great force hit the Nautilus, and everyone aboard once again was thrown to the ground. Hyde's familiar scream could be heard across the vessel, echoing that of the whale's.
"It has struck the side of the ship," explained Nemo. He turned to one of his mates. "Fire missiles. One at a time, from our less potent to our most powerful. Fire at will! Go!"
As Nemo's men marched off to obey their captain's orders, Nemo turned to Quatermain.
"I'm afraid our weapons are still a bit rustic," he said. "I whole- heartedly wish Mr. Scrooge would have designated a larger sum towards new armory."
"Is there anything the rest of us can do to help?" asked Quatermain. "I'm sure Sawyer or Jekyll...?" Nemo just shook his head. Quatermain realized that as much as the rest of the League would be willing to help, this was exclusively the captain's battle.
Everyone watched anxiously as the high-powered explosives fired against Moby Dick. As the explosions cleared, the whale swam rapidly back and forth before the Nautilus. It seemed disoriented. Nemo prepared to give orders to steer away from the whale, but at this point it seemed Moby Dick had shaken himself awake once again.
All Quatermain could see in the panel was Moby Dick's teeth. Then there was complete darkness.
"He's trying to eat us," said Nemo.
Indeed, there was great screeching as the shell of the Nautilus moaned against Moby Dick's powerful grinding teeth.
"We have only one more option," said Nemo. "Focus all of our electrical power to the front shell of the Nautilus."
A great light appeared in the panel. Moby Dick's moan could now be heard throughout the entire ship, echoing through the strong hull of the vessel.
"Increase voltage."
Sparks now began to fill the viewing panel.
"Increase voltage!"
The light in the panel turned blue.
"Maximum voltage!"
Sparks and lightning volts of blue and yellow flashed inside the whale. Outside, the skeleton of the whale was lighting up beneath its white flesh.
Finally, Nemo ordered that the power be shut. Moby Dick loosened his jaw and quickly retreated into the darkness of the ocean.
Mina, Sawyer, and Skinner entered, looking relieved to still be alived. They were followed by Jekyll. He was panting hard, his eyes were bloodshot, and his skin was the same color as Moby Dick had been. Tell- tale signs that Edward Hyde had just left him. He hoped no one noticed.
The rest of the voyage was relatively dull.