AN/ Sorry about the delay. This chapter took longer to get up then I thought it would, but I'm home sick from school now so I was able to get it done. Thank you to all my reviewers. You're the best! I honestly don't know when the next chapter will be up because school is getting busier, but I'll see what I can do. Please review!
We did not go to the control room that night, but we did visit it in the morning when Captain Nemo found the black powder on the floor. Skinner accidentally knocked over a book as he and I stood in a corner of the room. Instinctively, he froze in panic as Nemo turned in our direction…but no, he didn't say anything. He had his suspicions that it was Skinner who had been meddling with his ship and that he was there in the control room at that moment, but he didn't say a word to that effect. He just told Ishmael to take a sample of the powder to Mina for identification. I made a decision as Skinner and I quietly crept away.
"That's it," I said. "From now on, you're not allowed any alcohol."
"Why?" my assignment protested.
"Because it slows you down and you make silly mistakes like knocking things over. We can't afford to do that."
"You're no fun." Skinner sighed deeply. "Okay, okay. I won't drink anymore until you leave. When are you leaving?"
I preformed a quick calculation in my head. "In about a week," I replied.
I was pleased and impressed when Skinner actually listened to me. He didn't touch another drop of alcohol while I was with him.
That day was actually very dull. I told Skinner to rest up as much as he could in preparation for the coming events. I asked him what his stamina was like for bearing freezing conditions and he reminded me that he had spent years running around the chilly, wet streets of London in the buff. A little cold wether was nothing to him.
"But what about a lot of cold wether? Like snow and wind-chill?" I asked.
Skinner shrugged. "Well, I'm sure I'll manage," he assured me. I had to agree, he was going to be fine.
The day perked up towards the evening. I suggested to Skinner that we go to Mina's room to find out what the black powder was. Skinner was more then happy to oblige. I was looking forward to it too, a few moments I could spend with Serro before I had to go off with the invisible man and the traitor.
Skinner and I slipped into the room unnoticed by the vampire, who was working at her desk. Serro saw me and frowned, wrinkling his forehead, wondering what I was doing there. I smiled faintly and pressed a finger to my lips, indicating the invisible man by my side. Serro nodded, understanding. I watched his reaction as Dorian entered the room. Serro sighed softly and glared at the immortal. He didn't like him any more then I did. Skinner's eye brows raised in interest at Dorian's appearance and he frowned thoughtfully as Mina identified the black powder as magnesium phosphorus.
"Photographers use it to make a flash," she explained.
"A camera, perhaps?" Dorian suggested. He stepped closer to Mina.
"It appears that someone wishes to capture this vessel's secrets."
"That 'someone' is Dorian," I growled. Skinner looked at me in surprise.
"It's him?" he mouthed, pointing quietly at the immortal. "He's the spy?" I nodded grimly. Serro and I shared a look of equal loathing.
"I was surprised you ultimately joined the League," Mina told Dorian.
He was quiet for a moment to appear regretful. "I mean to undo the flaws in my character. I want to face my demons."
Mine and Serro's eyes narrowed. Serro looked like he was about to say something, but he stopped myself.
"And what do you know of demons?" Mina asked, her voice on the knife's edge of being dangerous, warning.
Dorian sighed. "Do you recall a space on the wall of my home?" he asked, not really waiting for an answer. "A picture was missing. Although the picture is my portrait, I doubt you'd recognise the face upon it."
I sensed another presence near by. I looked and saw Doctor Jekyll hovering in the doorway, also silently watching the scene.
"Every year that passes, my portrait ages instead of me," Dorian continued to an attentive Mina.
"When did you last see it?" she asked him.
"I dare not look upon it myself," the immortal replied. "Or the magic of the painting would become undone."
Now Skinner noticed Doctor Jekyll, fidgeting with his pocket watch. Skinner smirked, remembering the earlier incident with the watch.
"Nightcap?" Dorian offered Mina. Skinner's attention turned back on them.
"I'm not much of a drinker," Mina said, standing and removing her glasses. She walked over to the bed. Dorian snuck up on her from behind, pouring a small amount of drink from his flask into a tiny, delicate glass.
I noticed Serro walking up to me. Mina's attention was on Dorian, as was Skinner's "I just wanted to say goodbye to you now, in case we don't have time later," Serro whispered to me.
I felt my knees dissolve. I smiled sadly at him. "Bye," I breathed.
"Bye. Good luck."
"You too." I felt my eyes begin to water ever so slightly. I blinked and swallowed. "I'll see you later."
Serro nodded with a small smile just as Mina's glass broke. The small cut it made on her finger and the drops of blood that went with it were enough to set her off beyond her control. Skinner grinned largely as Mina and Dorian locked lips. I hit him lightly.
"He's the bad guy, remember?"
Suddenly I heard a deep menacing voice. "Yes, Henry. Look but don't touch. That's your way." I realized I was hearing Hyde's voice inside Jekyll's mind. I lightly but firmly pushed Skinner towards the door.
"Go! Follow Jekyll," I commanded.
Skinner shot me a foul look, displeased I was forcing him away from the passionate scene before us, but he obeyed. I looked back at Serro one last time. We waved a sad little wave at each other, then I was gone.
"Just shut up," Jekyll snapped to seemingly no one. He left Mina's doorway and started down the hall at a fast pace. This triggered Skinner's interest and he and I followed him. "I won't be tricked again."
"Tricked?" Hyde said. I looked to the dark portholes lining the wall. I wasn't really expecting to see Hyde reflected there, but I was amazed to find that I could see him. Such is the power of the spirits. "You've known what I was about each time you drank the formula," Hyde reminded his passive alter-ego.
"Liar! I'm a good man, a good man!" Jekyll insisted.
"Well, who's lying now?" Hyde growled. "You want it! Even more then you want her."
My attention briefly darted to Skinner to see if he had a reaction to all of this. He too seemed to be sensing something of Hyde's presence. I also noticed that Skinner didn't make a sound as he hurried after the fast moving Doctor. To this day, I don't know how he managed it. Years of practice, I assumed.
"No!" Jekyll said, but Hyde ignored his protest.
"Drink the elixir!"
"No!"
"She barely even looks at you!"
"Be quiet!"
Suddenly, Hyde was no longer a reflection. He thundered into existence and grabbed Henry's throat in one massive hand. I jumped and Skinner, also startled, stoped in his tracks. "SHE LOOKED AT ME!" Hyde shouted.
Jekyll gasped for air. Skinner looked at me, worry on his face. I don't think he ever really realized until that point the true nature of the demons Henry had to battle inside of him.
"Contain your evil, Doctor!" A voice declared from behind us. In an instant, Hyde disappeared. We looked and saw Captain Nemo walking slowly in our direction. He reached for his sword. "Must I take drastic steps?"
"I am in control," Jekyll said.
Nemo was not convinced, and to tell the truth, nether was I. "I very much doubt it,' the Indian said.
"Your talk is all well and good, sir, but your own past is far from laudable," Jekyll said in his defence, angry that Nemo could be so hypocritical.
There was a fleeting moment of tension as the words sunk in. Then Jekyll slowly turned and walked away. After another moment, Nemo did the same, leaving Skinner and I alone in the hall.
"Well," the invisible man said. "That was interesting."
"Yes, it was," I agreed. "Could you see Hyde?"
"I saw…something, I think," Skinner said, glancing in the direction Doctor Jekyll had gone.
I clasped my hands behind my back. "Well, what have we learned so far?"
Skinner looked back at me. "Dorian's the spy." I nodded. "But what's he trying to do?" Skinner inquired. "Just gather information on us for the Fantom?"
"Yes…and something else too, but I'll tell you about that later."
"Okay," Skinner said, used to my vagueness. He smirked. "And we learned that Min-a," he said her name in a sing-song voice, "is more then a little involved with Mr Gray. Is she in on the spy work too?"
"No, she's not." I sighed. "Mina is, in fact, a victim in all this. Dorian is one of the demons she has to battle." I paused, thinking. "They all have demons," I realised. "Even you." My black eyes met Skinner's. The irises of my eyes are in fact blue. Dark blue on the outside, morphing to green on the inside, all washed through with a hint of grey. I couldn't tell what colour Skinner's eyes were, even with my 'Skinner Vision' on. They were every colour, and yet no colour at all.
"Yeah, I guess so," Skinner said.
Something flashed in my mind. Moving images. Jekyll in his room…a missing vial…Jekyll hurrying to tell Quatermain…
Skinner noticed my sudden distraction. "What is it?"
"Come on," I said. "I think there's something else you may need to see."
I ran down the hall, trusting my feet to lead me through the Nautilus' maze-like hallways and corridors. Skinner was right on my heels. We found Doctor Jekyll again and slowed quietly. Quatermain, Nemo and Tom were in a room with Di Vinci's blueprints of Venice discussing how the Fantom was going to turn the city into rubble. Jekyll appeared in the shadows of the doorframe.
"I'm afraid that's not the sum of our problems," he said. "Everyone, including the invisible man and myself listened closely. "Skinner, he's taken a vial of my formula," Jekyll accused. Skinner's jaw clenched and I held my breath.
"Are you sure?" Alan asked.
"Who else? You've seen the way the sneaky blackguard operates."
Skinner glared at the Doctor, then stalked away. I went with him, having heard enough. "Why do I want to help these people again?" Skinner asked me irritably.
"For the greater good," I replied. "I will explain more to you when we have more time, I promise." Skinner sighed. "Now, tomorrow night we'll reach Venice. All of the League will go on land but we won't. At one point, Dorian will return to the Nautilus and steal the exploration pod. We're going to sneak onto it with him."
It was hard to tell what Skinner thought of this. "That's the plan?"
"That's the plan," I confirmed. "The League will follow you when they can."
"Sounds dangerous," Skinner said. "I don't think Dorian will be very kind to me if I'm caught."
"You'll be careful and I'll protect you," I assured him. Skinner thought for a moment and cracked a grin, accepting the inimitable.
"Okay!"
I smiled. "Hey, you gotta take risks if you want to be a hero."
"Yeah, and at least it'll get me away from these freaks for a while." Skinner indicated the rest of the League with a jerk of his head. I had to laugh.