Revolution
Chapter 19
David walked into the valley
with a stone clenched in his hand
he was only a boy, but he knew
someone must take a stand
There will always be a valley
always mountains one must scale
There will always be perilous waters
Which someone must sail!
Into valleys, into waters,
Into storms that rip the night!
Don't give in, don't give up
But give thanks for the glorious fight!
You can tremble, you can fear it,
But keep your fighting spirit alive, boys!
Let the shiver of it sting you!
Fling into battle! Spring to your feet, boys!
Never hold back your step for a moment!
Never doubt that your courage will grow!
Hold you head even higher
And into the fire we go!
Are there mountains that surround us?
Are there walls that block the way?
Knock them down, strip them back, boys,
And forward and into the fray!
Into terror, into valor,
Charge ahead - no, never turn!
Yes, it's into the fire we fly
And the devil will burn!
Someone has to face the valley
Rush in! We have to rally
And win, boys!
When the world is saying not to,
By God, you know you've got to
March on, boys!
Never hold back your step for a moment!
Never doubt that your courage will grow!
Hold your head even higher
And into the fire we go!
Let the lightning strike!
Let the flash of it shock you!
Choke your fears away -
Pull as tight as a wire!
Let the fever spike!
Let the force of it rock you!
We will have our day,
Sailing into the fire!
Someone has to face the valley!
Rush in! We have to rally
And win, boys!
When the world is saying not to,
By God, you know you've got to
March on, boys!
Never hold back your step for a moment!
Look alive! Oh, your courage will grow!
Yes, it's higher and higher
And into the fire we go!
Into fire!
Onward ho!
- "Into the Fire", The Scarlet Pimpernel
"About time you stopped brooding," Damon said from behind Skinner. The invisible man gave a surprised yelp and started. Jekyll and Mina looked at him as if he was crazy.
"Don't tell me you knew he was standing behind me," Skinner shot back at them. Jekyll shrugged under his coat; Hyde had known. Mina had sensed his presence long before he had come to stand behind Skinner.
Tom laughed. Inwardly, Skinner beamed — he was laughing, and that was a good sign. Damon grinned.
"Sorry," he apologized, but something about his manner told Skinner he didn't really mean it. Skinner made a noise somewhere between acceptance and indigence.
Damon smiled. Tom's certainly got a good set of friends with him, he thought. He was glad for that; the Underground leader would need all the help he could get, if Blake's latest information was correct.
"Good to see you're alright, Tom," Jekyll said kindly. "From What Skinner was telling us, you..." Shut up, worm, Hyde boomed. Can't you see he doesn't want to be reminded? It was true; the expression that came over Tom's face was not unlike the one that Nemo had given Jekyll ten years ago, on board the grand Nautilus.
Damon raised the sheaf of papers he held and gestured to the side. Tom got the hint, and excused himself from the League's conversation.
"What is it?" Tom asked, glancing at the papers with concern.
"Latest report from Blake," Damon informed him. "It's an update on security for Dante's celebration. It says here that the Kwaden are going to be heavily armed. Reed too, maybe even Dante."
Tom nodded. "What about Zalma's procession? How's it going to be like?"
"Guarded, but not the same as Dante's, not by the long shot. Probably a few guards by the side, keeping the crowd at bay, that sort of thing."
"That's when we strike," Tom said decisively. "How are the building of the barricades coming along?"
"I have yet to get Arsène's report; I put him in charge of the salvage teams. They just left. I told him to send me hourly reports."
"Good." Tom paused. "Could you get me linked up with the rest of the world in a radio broadcast, like the one we had just now?"
Damon nodded. "I think I could get one of our men too, certainly. When do you need it?"
"Sunday."
One of Damon's brows shot up. "What do you need a worldwide radio broadcast on the day of the revolution for?"
"Well, since we're going to war, I think we should declare it."
Jekyll watched Tom from the corner of one eye. He seemed alright, if a bit pale; Skinner's description of his reaction to the destruction of his hometown had been a cause for extreme worry.
The gentle doctor knew of Tom's sometimes self-destructive personality. Ten years ago, he had blamed himself for Allan Quatermain's death. The League had stopped him before he had plunged too deep into that spiral of desolation by keeping him occupied — it had been a close call even then.
Skinner had single-handedly managed to pull Tom out of his despair. It was almost extraordinary enough to be warranted a miracle.
Then again, perhaps it had been of Tom's own doing that he wasn't in that tent, thinking of all the possibilities that might have led to St. Petersburg's survival. He may have snapped out of it, later on — maybe a few hours, maybe a few days. Maybe Skinner had just pushed the process along, or maybe he had initiated it.
So many maybes, Jekyll sighed inwardly.
Ay, Hyde boomed back. But there'll be less of those when you let me out and I get to kill something —
Shut up, Jekyll said forcefully. He would not have Hyde running loose in his mind again; since 1899 he had tried, tried so hard to repress the beast, but he wasn't successful until recently.
You shut up, worm, I'm the one —
"Shut up," Jekyll gritted through clenched teeth. Mina and Skinner stopped talking, and they looked at him oddly. Jekyll felt himself flushing; he'd made a fool of himself.
The vampire touched his arm lightly. "Dr. Jekyll...? Are you alright?"
Jekyll shook his head, trying to make his thoughts his own again. Hyde seemed to have retreated into a part of his consciousness which he was unaware even existed, and Jekyll was glad for that. His hands trembled, because he held his top hat, and that was shaking; Skinner was avoiding looking at it for that reason.
"I'm perfectly fine, Mrs. Harker," Jekyll gave her a shaky smile. "If you'll excuse me, I think I'll go and check on Owen." He nodded towards one of the entrances to the cavern, where Owen and his ragtag group of children had just entered. They were grinning and dirtier than usual; Skinner thought they'd probably been up to some mischief.
Invisible thief and vampire watched as the tortured doctor headed over to the group of children; they saw him and waved. Many a "Dr. J!" floated across the Underground headquarters.
"Reckon Hyde's still in there?" Skinner asked Mina. She sighed.
"Most likely."
"All these years he's been living with Hyde in 'is head," Skinner commented. "How come the man's not insane yet?"
"Dr. Jekyll has a stronger will than he lets on," Mina said wisely. "I believe he has had Hyde under control for some time. I do not recall reports of a large monkey or beast prowling the streets of London."
"Did you even think he survived the war, Mina?"
"Yes." She turned her keen green eyes to him. "For a man who disappeared years ago, Skinner, you ask many questions."
Skinner gave a snort. "Very funny. 'sides, I'm not the only one who disappeared when war broke out." He cast a sidelong glance that was full of meaning her way. "Others did, too."
Mina turned her gaze away to look at Owen, who was struggling to get away from Jekyll. Obviously he thought he was alright and recovering well from that bullet wound. "I had my reasons. We all did."
Skinner paused. Mina noted with some satisfaction that he was turning that over in his mind. They did all have their reasons. Keeping their heads safe from Dante was one of them. The only thing that bothered her was the question of whether their heads would be safe if the revolution was suppressed.
Jekyll finally caught Owen and pulled the whining child to the hospital tent.
"I swear, I'll be alright," Owen was saying as he was dragged by the collar. "'tis just a little wound, no harm done, honest, Dr. J, I've been through worse —"
"Owen, we are checking your injury," Jekyll said firmly. "No arguments. I need to stop any infection before it sets in."
"But, Dr. J —" Owen whined.
"No arguments," Jekyll cut him off, finally getting him into the tent. Damon and Tom looked at each other and laughed. That was typical of Owen to insist everything was otherwise than it was.
Tom felt a tugging at his leg. He and Damon looked down, and bright blue eyes looked up at him. It was one of Owen's 'babies', as he affectionately called the kids he took care of. The girl was about Owen's age. She had red hair, but most of it was so dirty it had turned black.
Tom went down on one knee so that they were at eye-level. "Hey. What's your name?"
"Anne Shirley (#1)," she said shyly. She dug around in a pocket of the oversized coat she wore. Tom watched and Damon's curious gaze followed her hand. Finally, Anne pulled out a small horseshoe. Smiling, she pulled one of Tom's palms open and put the horseshoe in his palm.
Tom didn't know what to say. The street kids had just given him a lucky charm. He looked down at the lucky charm, then back up at Anne, then at the shuffling street kids behind her. They were all so young, so innocent. And dirty, but that could be ignored.
Black, white, Asian, it didn't matter. Children of every age and race stood together in the cavern, side by side. The little ones held the hands of the older ones; Jimmy Grey had two five-year-olds on either side of him. The Cannon Street boys had also joined up with Owen's own large group, so now the children's number had significantly increased in size.
Tom suddenly realized that the future of all the children depended on him. They stood there, watching him. Anne had been sent to give him their hopes, their dreams — he had promised a better life for the people, but he had left the children out of the picture. He felt guilty for that.
Closing his palm around the horseshoe, Tom nodded. "Thank you."
Anne nodded again, giving him her bright smile before hopping back to the rest of the children, taking one of the five year olds from Jimmy.
Tom stood up, deeply moved. Damon regarded him with some mirth. "Please tell me you're not going to bring that around with you."
Tom looked at him, then back down at the horseshoe. "It's a good luck charm." He dropped it into one of his jacket's pockets. "And I'm going to need all the good luck I can get."
(#1) Anne Shirley was the redheaded orphan from LM Montgomery's book, Anne of Green Gables, published in 1908.