Once Upon a Time Traveler
Chapter Four
Capitan Nemo stood next to Henry Jekyll while Rodney Skinner minus his face paint stood next to Jekyll on the pretense of getting a bit of sun. In truth, Nemo had hoped to alleviate some of the symptoms of cabin fever beginning to brew amongst those not yet acclimated to living on a submersible vehicle for long periods of
time.
"As you can see, doctor - ", he gestured expansively, "we have a veritable apothecary at your disposal. There's nothing the sea lacks. I wonder sometimes if the populations on land know that they owe much to the Mother Ocean."
Henry ducked his head for a moment attempting to drown out the still salivating Hyde.
"Yes, I see that.", he met the eyes of the Warrior. "Most impressive."
Nemo fixed Jekyll with a concerned gaze and spoke softly, "You appear worried, doctor. Is there cause to be concerned for our safety?"
Henry knew the veiled implication under the well-meaning care that Nemo was displaying. The physician shook his head gently, "No, I merely – " He broke off his explanation, searching for the verbiage that would convey his ominous foreboding without implicating his other personality.
"Well, speak up man, is there or isn't there?"
Henry nearly sputtered his answer, "It's not from me." He let out an exasperated sigh, "Not from 'him', either." Another sigh, and a wincing of pain as he tried to now focus his eyes out towards the glittering oceanic horizon. Diamond-like peaks sparkled atop the blue-green quartz liquid that filled the underwater canyons, and housed more life within it's womb than most humans could have ever comprehended.
It hurt Henry to try and maintain his gaze too long upon the beauty before him. But, it also hurt to see the distrust in the eyes of the philosopher-warrior as well.
"Then, who would it be, mate?", came the Cockney thief's question.
"I don't know – I only – I don't know how to explain it."
Mina's bat-like hearing picked up the anguish in her friend's voice, and leaving Dorian to pine for her to adore him properly, she crossed the con deck to see if there was something she could do to assist a compatriot in the medicinal arts.
Gently, she slipped between Henry and Nemo, nodding reassuringly to the Capitan, then stinging Dorian's ego by giving the sometimes demented doctor her full, caring attention. "What is it Henry?"
He blushed deeply, now embarrassed that his panic attack had drawn her so completely.
"I – I'm not sure.", he had to admit.
"Can you help him?", Nemo touched the vampiress' elbow.
"Yes.", she quickly noted the situation that Henry was enduring. "But, might I suggest we adjourn below? I want him as comfortable and unaffected as possible."
"Good then.", came the booming voice of Quatermaine. "I'll just keep Tom here, busy for a bit longer!"
"Heck, sir, I can't wait to find out how good a shot you really are!", the young agent was engaged in a friendly bet to see just who was going to hit the farthest target. He hoped against hope that he'd win. Not so much for what he would receive out of the bet. He just wanted to keep the prized pocket knife that he put up against the
elder hunter's stake!
"Well, I can't imagine ow I could be of service, ere, so I'll just take my leave now, thank you.", an invisible hand reached up to casually doff his hat to the trio and he added as he departed, "Hello Dorian. Care to make a littl' wager of your own?"
A deck of cards simply appeared' from a pocket in the long black coat and began shuffling' themselves!
"No, thank you.", the Immortal languidly drawled. "I have rather important business of my own to conduct."
At this last, he put a hand in the crook of Mina's arm, pulling her by her flexed elbow.
"You're not going to take all evening with him, are you?"
Nemo stepped in to correct any misapprehensions that Dorian harbored. "If she does it will be of no consequence to you!"
Mina fairly purred to the Capitan, while holding Dorian's impugned glare. "I couldn't have said it any better myself."
"I'm sorry – I apologize", now all eyes were again on Henry. "I didn't mean to be such a bother. I'm actually feeling much better."
"Nonsense.", Mina gently dismissed any further attempts to dissuade her from seeking the answers to her questions in Henry's unconscious mind. "I have the greatest faith that we'll be able to help you as soon as we can get to the main parlor."
She turned to Nemo for confirmation that this would be allowed.
"By all means, Mrs. Harker, you have my word that no disruptions will be tolerated. You have my complete assurance on that."
She turned a pale face to the paler physician, and smiled, "There then, that's settled."
She held out her gloved hand to take Henry's arm and, flushing slightly, he cocked his elbow for her. The bestial side of him drooled and grinned, with a leer in his voice, "She's smiling at Me, Henry. It's Me that she's wanting right now."
Putting a hand to his temple, Jekyll again grimaced, both in pain and embarrassment. What if 'he' came out right there, in front of her? What if she had to harm him in order to protect herself from 'him'?
They arrived at the entrance of the room and Henry smiled tightly to Mina, and bade Nemo wait, "May I ask, Capitan, one favor from you?"
Placing a hand on the scabbard of his ornate sword, Nemo frowned, "How is it that I may assist you?"
Haltingly, Henry stepped forward, "I'd appreciate it, very much, sir, if you would – "
"Yes?", Nemo encouraged the doctor.
"If you would, sir, I'd appreciate it very much – could you – monitor the procedure?", Jekyll felt a fool for asking, but, he knew the power that Hyde could wield over him.
"I'm not sure if –", it was Nemo's turn to gaze to Mina with a question in his eyes.
"What is it, Henry?", Mina voice soothed him, as Edward egged him on. "Yes, Henry, tell her. Tell her Everything we've ever dreamt of doing to her!"
Henry struggled on to make himself clearly understood, "It's just – what if – what if 'he' gets out? I don't wish to alarm you, or anyone."
Mina again moved to reassure him, "I promise you, Henry, I can look after myself. I've been doing it for years."
Mina good-naturedly played along with his stalling tactic.
"But, I –", Henry tried to warn her.
Nemo cleared his throat to intervene. "I shall happily attend your session with Mrs. Harker, if you wish, doctor. But, only if she assures me that it will not interfere."
Mina suddenly understood Henry's concern. She couldn't help but smile to herself. Here he was, branded a dangerously insane if not outrageously progressive 'thinker', outcast by 'polite society' and considered 'intolerable' to the Royal House until such time as They needed Him! And, here, he felt naked in her presence. She averted her eyes so Henry couldn't detect the mischief in them, as she replied to the resplendent Warrior.
"Oh, no, Capitan, I think it would be most suitable that you should chaperone.", she again smiled, and this time, she simply dazzled Henry with her caring and concern for the proper protocol to be observed.
The three entered and Nemo closed the doors shutting out the rest of the crew and his guests.AsMina removed her stylish coat,she directed Henry to bring another of the fine leather chairs to that spot, she requested Nemo to put out the majority of the lights in the room.
Nemo gave a small bow and proceeded to extinguish all but three of the flickering sources of illumination.As she removed her hatpin from her intricate bun, Minaindicated to Henry how the chairs needed to be arranged. As Henry was angling them properly, she thought better of just leaving the hat pin 'too available' for use if Hyde wised to attempt anymischeif. So, removing the delicate brim of her hat, she found a 'hidden' spot along the hat band and made certain it wasn't visible to the naked eye.
Smoothing any stray wisps languishing on her forehead, andmissing the ones just kissing the back of her neck, Mina further instructed the good doctor.
"Now, Henry, put those two as close to each other, almost facing, as you can."
"Like this?", he asked for her guidance as he placed them where she'd instructed. They were so close to each other their knees would nearly touch!
"Yes, doctor. I think that will be sufficient.", she smoothed her skirt and prepared herself. Just how far would Edward allow her to go into Henry's mind? Would there be unforeseen consequences? She was resigned to the fact that Hyde would make his presence very well known and more than likely 'felt'!
Henry sat in the chair dutifully attempting to calm his mind when Mina turned to him, and situating herself in the chair opposite him, bid him, "Please, doctor, remove your jacket and loosen your tie."
A hand raised to his throat, and he frowned to Nemo, "I beg your pardon?"
"Please, Henry, it will help you to relax.", Mina softly nudged.
Realizing that he wasn't going to outsmart her by feigning inability to be hypnotized, he reached for the knot that was tightly tied just below his large adam's apple. Now, he stood and slid his sinewy arms out of the tight sleeves that marked the fashions worn by the modern Victorian gentleman.
"Now, then,", Mina gestured to the dimpled leather chair. "Please, be seated."
He did as instructed and Mina leaned forward, attempting to look deeply into his dark blue eyes.
"Here.", she suggested lightly, "Look into my eyes."
Now, it was Henry's turn to feel alarm towards the darker side of a friend. He instantly sought a verdict from Nemo.
Nemo nodded once to convey his approval of Mina's suggestion, and reassurance that he would be there to protect Henry should Mina's darker urges over take her in the proceedings. Still exhibiting trepidation, Jekyll turned to face Mina.
Her voice was lightly soothing and fairly purred with otherworldly enticement, "Now, then, this is a technique I used to assist Sigmund Freud. Until three months ago, he was enduring a most dangerous cocaine habit."
Watching her carefully as she attempted to gain access to his subconscious, Henry queried, "If I – "
"Do not worry, Henry. You are in capable hands and you have friends here who wish you nothing but good.", Mina heard an edge come to her voice that she tried to quell. When she still sensed hesitation in him, she spoke with a greater force in her gentle voice, "Here, doctor."
It worked; the sound of imperiousness caused him to cease any protest, and as a dutiful subject of the realm, he turned his face completely to her. Her vampiristic nature was unleashed and she was able to cause him to sway towards her.
Instantly, he was under her power.
She sighed slightly, and looked to Nemo who was watching the process intently. She nodded once to him to indicate that the doctor was well and truly 'accessible' to her questions. Nemo nodded back his approval of her technique, "What is it that causes you distress?"
"Fear of disgrace.", Henry's voice strained.
She looked to Nemo. "Perhaps I should have been more specific."
Now, she sighed, "What is the specific fear you had as you looked out to the sea this afternoon?"
"I don't know how to explain it. I feel a presence will be set amongst us. One that is not of our time or of our earth."
"He's mad.", Nemo hissed a whisper to Mina.
Mina wasn't as quick to dismiss this information. "Why do you feel that Henry?"
"Because I told him of her!", Edward growled!
Mina sat back. She was stunned to see the eyes snap open, bulging and nearly as blood shot as her's would be in the midst of a hunt. But, he sat still, encased and imprisoned, as he was in Jekyll's body.
"What do you mean, Edward?", far from showing her fear, Mina held her composure well enough to fool the sensitive nose of Hyde.
"She came to me. Of her own volition. A body of rare –", he licked his lips as if describing a delicacy. Finally, a single word summed up Hyde's assessment. "Dexterity."
His eyes fluttered and then, rose, only half-lidded, as if attempting to conjure her now. "A spirit of fire and a soul of innocence. She is a warrior, much like you, Nemo. But, of a different time and place."
Mina now could not understand for the life of her just what the darker half of Jekyll was playing at. Now, Hyde's eyes opened wide as they trained themselves on Mina's quizzical frown. "And, it will be you, Mrs. Harker who has been kind enough to guide her to me!"
