Tolly: Sorry it took so long. Things pop into my head and I have to take care of them, you know? P.S. Sorry to all the HP fans in advance, but the line fit perfectly. Anyway…

Despite Mary's protests that it was a school night, they all took a trip to an old abandoned dock. Much to James's delight, a huge ship had risen from the depths and they had gone aboard. Now, most of the League and the Children were in the ship's library, finding out more about each other (which was pretty normal behavior, despite the circumstances). Captain Nemo had taken James to the bridge, and the Skinners were nowhere to be seen.

Mary looked around the room at the children, who were each deep in conversation with their older counterparts. Of course, she wasn't just looking. She was watching to make sure that her charges were safe, as she had for the past sixteen years. She had just seen Sawyer pantomime a shooting style to Allan and was about to interfere when she saw movement by a table with a few drinks placed on it. A bottle of scotch was pouring itself into a glass. She headed over.

"Mr. Skinner, I told you before, I don't want you teaching Veronica bad habits." said Mary disapprovingly. "She's bad enough already, without your influence."

Skinner remained silent, taking a large sip from the scotch glass.

"And furthermore—" she was interrupted by a tap on the shoulder from Zachary, who quietly pointed toward the door, where Skinner stood, make-up on and fully clothed.

"Veronica!" she yelled.

The glass quickly returned to the table and Mary heard rapid footsteps retreating to the door. However, the unfortunate invisible girl ran into Nemo and James, who were returning from the bridge. In the time it took Veronica to regain her footing, Mary had reached the doorway and apparently grabbed Veronica's ear, judging by the whimpers.

"Ow, ow, ow, lemme go, Mary!" cried Veronica, trying vainly to free herself. "I won't do it again, honest!"

"That's what you always say." snapped Mary. "Now come along. You're to remain covered at all times from now on." And with that, she marched from the room, keeping a firm grip on the invisible ear.

"I don't suppose that you had anything to do with this, Mr. Skinner?" asked Mina.

"Why, Mina!" Skinner sounded shocked. "I'd have thought you'd know me better by now."

"He's right. You should know by now: it was probably all his idea." put in Sawyer, leaning back in his chair.

Skinner was about to say something in return (most likely something rude) when James spoke up.

"Dinner is ready." he said simply, mimicking exactly Nemo's authoritative tone.

Everyone stood and followed Nemo and James to the dining room, where an exquisite banquet was laid out on the table.

As they ate, Timmy looked carefully at the food. "This isn't steak," he said aloud. He tasted it. "But it's good."

Nemo looked at him across the table. "You must have fine tastes, to have noticed the difference."

"No, I'm just picky. What is it, anyway?"

Nemo was about to answer, but just then Veronica and Mary entered. Veronica was looking very sullen as she took her seat. She had reason to. Mary had tied her wig with a huge pink bow and had also forced her into a dress. It was evident that this was punishment. The boys tried their hardest not to laugh.

"Why, hello, Miss Priss." said Allan mock-politely.

"Allan," Mary warned.

"Don't worry, Mary, I'd never make fun of ickle Ronniekins."

The other boys burst out laughing. Veronica was livid. The members of the League were doing their best not to burst into laughter as well. Mary, seeing that she could do nothing to stop them, let them all get it out of their systems before changing the subject.

"Perhaps you could tell us of the League's adventures, Ms. Harker." said Mary.

So Mina began the tale, starting with what she knew of Quatermain's recruitment and finishing with his funeral, and their decision to explore the world. Throughout the story, the teens were silent, but when she had finished, Veronica spoke up.

"So, how close were you to Dorian?" she asked, ignoring Mary's disapproving glance.

"I had a previous relationship with him. That's all." said Mina, though her tone spoke differently.

"What was he like?"

"He was really sure of himself all the time." Sawyer answered. "Kind of snooty. He kept up his outer image really well, considering his insides were filled with ashes. And he wore a gray suit the whole time."

"Huh. Sounds a bit like that new girl." said Edgar.

Timmy's eyes grew wide. He took a pen out of his pocket and began scribbling furiously on his palm.

"Timmy, what are you doing?" asked James.

Timmy held out his palm to show everyone. He had written DANA GIRORY on it and had crossed out the letters one by one. Beneath it, he had written DORIAN GRAY. "Dana's name is an anagram of Dorian Gray." he said. "You just have to switch around the letters."

"Who is this girl?" asked Nemo.

"She just moved here. There was something weird about her. She kept looking at me in class." said Allan.

"There's something else, too." said Veronica. "She knew about me. I don't know how, but she did."

"What do you mean, she knew about you?" asked Skinner.

"Well, she came up to me and started asking me about my hair and my clothes, and I thought it might be normal questions, you know? But then she said that Elle was wondering about it too and Elle's never really paid any attention to me and then she took off my sunglasses and I shut my eyes but I couldn't really see and I tripped over something and I opened my eyes really quick to catch myself and I know she saw but she didn't say anything, really." Veronica said really fast.

"You don't think…?" Mina asked.

"If Dana really is somehow related to Gray, she probably'd never get her picture taken, right?" said Allan. "You think we can check and see if there's any pictures of her from her old school?"

"Yeah, if we could hack into the school files." said Edgar. "Which we can't."

"Oh, yes we can. The permanent records aren't only kept on the computer." said Veronica. "There are copies in the filing cabinets in the principal's office. The lock isn't too hard to pick."

"Excuse me," said Mary, standing up. "You're not to do anything of the sort."

"But, Mary," protested Timmy. "This is a matter of utmost importance. What if she is who we think she is? Do you honestly think that she's just going to leave us alone?"

"Mary, they're right." said Zachary. "If Dana is anything like Dorian, we have to act quickly."

"And, doubtless, Dana knows about what happened in 1899 and is willing to follow in Gray and M's footsteps." said the Time Traveller.

"Elle probably knows too." said Edgar. "I think school's gonna start to be a living hell, now that we have the two most popular girls in school against us."

"Speaking of school," said Veronica. "Can I go get her file tonight?"

"Absolutely not!" Mary snapped.

"Forget it," said Veronica, wiping her make-up off with her napkin. "I'm going." She stood, yanked off her wig and made for the door, taking off her gloves and dress as she went. Mary made a move as if to go after her.

"Don't worry," said Skinner. "I'll take care of this." He rose and followed Veronica out.

"Glad to see that he's finally being responsible." said Mary, sitting down again. Suddenly, one of Nemo's men burst in.

"I hate to disturb you, Captain," he said. "But it's Mr. Skinner and his daughter, sir."

"Yes?" said Nemo. "What about them?"

"They've taken the car, sir."

Nobody was surprised.

Tolly: More coming! Please review!