Sawyer…
"So this is her?" Sawyer asked Mrs. Harker, watching a young woman board the Nautilus with the aid of Skinner, judging by the floating carpetbag behind her. "This is the girl Skinner was so eager to see?"
"So it would appear," Mrs. Harker replied, pulling her collar tighter. "She doesn't seem as threatening as we were led to believe, though. Shall we go meet her, than?"
"Are you mad?" Dr. Jekyll asked, approaching the two from behind. "Of course she doesn't seem as threatening! That's part of her façade. She's killed more men than Hyde had before he fled England. Why do you believe a lovely English girl was found in a tiny house in the dredges of Ireland? She's one of the most feared murderesses of London. Some even go so far as to say she is worse than Jack the Ripper." Jekyll looked at Sawyer square in the eye. "Keep your wits about you when with her. Good evening." Jekyll smiled at Mrs. Harker, then left to go help the young lady move into her quarters.
Sawyer glanced at Mrs. Harker and said, "He just warned against her!"
"He must feel safe because he has Hyde on his side," she replied. "Well, let's not be rude." Mrs. Harker sighed and followed after Jekyll.
"Here goes nothing," Sawyer muttered, following Mrs. Harker, his grip on his hidden pistol tight. He and Mrs. Harker reached the young woman's quarters as she was unpacking several sinister looking items. They seemed extremely out of place among her other possessions. Sawyer hesitated to introduce himself at the sight.
So Jekyll took the opportunity. "Welcome to the Nautilus," he said, holding out his hand for hers. "My name is Dr. Jekyll."
The young lady hesitantly shook Jekyll's hand, looking him up and down. "Thank you, Dr. Jekyll," she said. "My name is Kathryn." She quickly took her hand back from him. "I've read of your work. I must say, it's very impressive. You've created a serum that transforms you into another man. Mr. Hyde, isn't it?"
"Um, yes," Jekyll answered, somewhat embarrassed. "Thank you."
Mrs. Harker stepped forward, holding out her hand. Shaking Kathryn's, she said, "Mina Harker. Pleased to make your acquaintance."
Kathryn nodded. "Surely not the same Mina Harker married to Jonathan Harker?" she asked. Mrs. Harker nodded solemnly. "I've read of your work with Professor Van Helsing as well. Very brave to take on Dracula." Then Kathryn turned to Sawyer. "And you are?"
Sawyer snapped out of his trance. "Special Agent Sawyer of the American Secret Service," he said, offering his hand. She shook his hand with a surprisingly strong grip. She didn't say anything about his past, so Sawyer asked, "Do you have a last name we could use, or do you just want us to call you Kathryn?"
"I've had too many surnames to choose one," she said far too casually. "Call me Kathryn or Kate."
"Ahem," Sawyer heard from somewhere. "Can I speak with Kathryn alone, please?" Since they all knew the formless voice well, Sawyer, Jekyll and Mrs. Harker nodded and left the room, with the door closing behind them.
Sawyer turned to Jekyll and Mrs. Harker. "How well do you think he knows her?" he asked as they all walked toward their own quarters.
"Judging by how excited he was when he heard she was going to granted clemency," Jekyll began, "I'd say the two go years back in their acquaintance."
Mrs. Harker looked somewhat thoughtful. "Of course, his usual ne'er-do-well manner was darkened when he first heard we were going to recruit her in the first place," she said. "You remember, he wouldn't speak, he would always wear the jacket so we would know where he was, and if he did speak, it was usually to warn us against her."
"But," Sawyer said. "But if they are such good friends, why would he do that? Why would he try to dissuade us from recruiting her? It doesn't make sense."
Jekyll stopped. "Unless…" he started, but trailed off. "No, of course not. Silly to think of it," he said, resuming his walk to his quarters.
"What is it?" Mrs. Harker asked, gently placing a hand on Jekyll's arm. "What were you thinking?"
"I just thought that perhaps Skinner doesn't fully trust her," Jekyll explained softly. "That perhaps, since it had been so long since they last saw each other, that perhaps he doesn't trust her because of what she's done to need clemency from the British Crown."
"You just don't trust her," Sawyer said. "She seems perfectly nice to me."
Jekyll made a face. "Oh, yes, a real sweetheart," he said, slightly sarcastically. Since they first joined as the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Jekyll had been the quiet, somewhat shy member. But, since defeating the Fantom, or Professor Moriarty, as some would call him, Jekyll had slowly come out of his shell. Others in the League thought that Skinner might have been rubbing off on him. "You didn't notice all the poisons she unpacked. Or the peculiar weapons on her vanity? She is a talented murderess. Every man she killed appeared to have died from natural causes. She could never be condemned for her crimes. But, the last murder she committed in London was discovered by the one particular Sherlock Holmes, her former neighbour, and she fled the country, fearing justice from Scotland Yard. I wouldn't trust her even if my life depended on her." Jekyll nodded to Mrs. Harker and Sawyer, then left for his quarters rather hurriedly.
Sawyer watched him leave. "Did it seem strange to you that the only person Kate hesitated to touch was Jekyll?" he asked Mrs. Harker.
"What do you mean?" she asked as they continued down the corridor.
"She hesitated to take his hand," Sawyer said. "And she was giving him an up and down examination. Do you think she's afraid of him?"
Mrs. Harker didn't seem troubled. "Perhaps," she answered. "But you heard her. She's read of his scientific accomplishments. She knew about Hyde. Perhaps it's Hyde she fears."
"Maybe," Sawyer said. "I still think it's weird."
