Chapter Six:

Nemo…

Captain Nemo, whose name in Indian meant 'nothing,' was accustomed to waking before the sunrise. It helped him keep his mind in a state of mental balance. This particular morning, the morning after he and the rest of the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen recruited the latest member of the League, he was in the conference room, contemplating their newly appointed mission.

He looked up, however, when the doors opened suddenly, and a lovely young lady with long, curly brown hair ran into the room. She nearly ran into the table Nemo was sitting at. "Captain," she said, slightly out of breath. "My name is Kathryn. We haven't yet met officially, but Rodney Skinner recruited me to the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen."

"Yes, I know," Nemo said, getting to his feet. "What is wrong?"

"You need to take me back to Ireland," she said, pulling her dressing gown tighter around her nightdress. "There is unfinished business I need to attend to."

The Captain was not impressed. "I am sorry, but we are too far gone from Ireland to take you back," he said serenely.

"Captain, I need to go back," she said earnestly. "This is a matter of great importance."

"Why do you need to return?" he asked.

She hesitated. "I don't feel comfortable telling you that," she said quietly, but keeping eye contact with him.

"Are you going to kill someone?"

Miss Bennet dropped a vial onto the table. It rolled to Nemo. He picked it up and examined it. "This is the last dosage of a poison that needs to be ingested by a particular person in Ireland," she explained. "If this man does not die, there are several women who will pay the suffering for it. You took me the day before I was going to give him this. Today."

"What is this?" he asked, rolling the vial back to her.

"Distilled wine with an infusion of Colchicum autumnale," she replied, picking up the vial. "In tiny doses, it does no damage whatsoever. But, in small doses, over a course of time, there will be enough to stop someone's heart while they sleep."

Nemo looked sternly into Miss Bennet's eyes. "Do I need to be cautious about the food I eat?" he asked her. "I'll not have poisoning on my ship."

"Captain Nemo," she said, slipping the vial into her dressing gown pocket. "I'm insulted that you would accuse me of poisoning my comrades. Now, take me back to Ireland, or none of you will be my comrades."

"Is that a threat?" Nemo and Miss Bennet turned to the door. Jekyll was standing in the doorframe, dressed and prepared for the oncoming day. "Miss Kathryn, you shouldn't threaten people. Especially the ones on this ship."

"Dr. Jekyll," she said. "If I were giving advice, I wouldn't give that piece. I'd probably keep it to myself, and use it for my own benefit." She crossed to him. "Now, I will give you some advice. Don't cross me. I would hate to discover my hand slipped over your supper wine, or your morning tea. Good day." She walked past Jekyll, then turned back to Nemo. "My offer still stands, Captain. Do as you like with it." Then she was gone.

"Captain," Jekyll said, entering the room more fully. "She is not to be trusted. If you only knew of her treachery, you wouldn't allow her to keep some of her possessions with her."

"Dr. Jekyll," Nemo said in response. "I do not think we will need to worry about her. We will take her to Ireland for only the amount of time she needs to complete her business. That is all." Then, Nemo left for the helm to give instructions to turn around, leaving Jekyll irked in the conference room.