Chapter 2 - Out of the Frying Pan…
(Continued)
Quatermain couldn't believe the scene that was unfolding before him. It pained him to not be able to help or even see if the doctor was hurt after such an encounter. Before he could even react, his vision grew dark once more. When it began to reappear, it showed him a different part of the Nautilus: the bridge.
Captain Nemo was there, as well as Mina Harker and two other crewmen. They spoke quietly amongst themselves.
"I hope that's normal, Nemo?" Skinner called as he made his way up the stairs and to the bridge. He had his hands buried deep into his coat pockets. He only wore his coat and he hadn't bothered with face paint. "Brr, it's freezing up here. The crew aren't still doing maintenance this time of night, are they? The door's open up top."
"I cannot imagine maintenance work making such a noise," Mina pointed out.
Nemo gave an order to one of the crewmen to go and shut the door. He turned to Skinner "The noise disturbance has been nothing of mine, Mr Skinner. The men have stopped with their work until they have dined. Ishmael left to find the cause of the problem but he has been gone for some time." Nemo looked over all the controls and instruments as if to be sure. He seemed satisfied with what he had found.
It was obvious to them that this wasn't normal. Those gathered knew the Nautilus well by that point. Quatermain wished he could tell of the danger that loomed over them, the state Jekyll was in. But at least the near-continuous almighty thuds acted as some sort of warning for them.
"Oh... Then chances are that means we've got ourselves a late-night visitor. And I doubt it's someone asking for directions," Skinner replied casually.
"Let's try not to jump to conclusions," Mina reasoned.
Captain Nemo glanced up to the door with a concerned expression. He murmured, "It is unlikely for there to be intruders. But Ishmael is taking longer than I expected..." He walked towards the door, determined to find the cause of the disruption himself when Dr Jekyll staggered in. Nemo almost bumped into him. The instant he saw the doctor, his mood darkened.
Jekyll was clutching onto his chest with laboured breaths. It was clear he had taken a nasty hit. There was already a lump swelling on his head from the impact and the way he was holding himself suggested some bruising, maybe even a broken rib. Other than that, a thin line of blood trickling down his cheek was his most visible injury. His clothes were intact, meaning the commotion had not included Edward Hyde while Quatermain had switched scenes in his vision.
"Two- Four of my…" he managed to mumble as he crumpled into Nemo's arms.
"Dr Jekyll?" Mina exclaimed. Nemo managed to get Jekyll to sit on the floor with his back against the wall. Mina hurried over to him, sweeping her skirt out of the way as she began to tend to his injuries. She removed her gloves and checked his pulse. After everything Quatermain witnessed, it would be racing like a frightened rabbit. But he was alive and after such an encounter, Jekyll ought to consider himself lucky.
"What happened, doctor?" Nemo asked, taking control of the situation and his ship.
"The vials," he croaked. His head tipped forward a bit as his eyes fluttered shut. He looked like he was going to fall unconscious again.
Nemo put a firm hand on his shoulder to keep him awake and upright. "Steady, Doctor. Your vials of formula? Has someone taken them? Is that the disturbance we can hear?" Jekyll nodded and held four fingers up, unable to catch his breath to speak or focus.
"Four? Four what?" Skinner asked.
"Vials," he managed.
"Are there four monsters?" Nemo pressed.
"No," he answered, "Two... Two each. I. I saw another man too… We're under attack."
"One Hyde would be bad enough- Two doubles could destroy the whole ship!" Skinner exclaimed.
Nemo nodded, standing up and allowing Mina more room to care for the doctor. "Indeed it would. Dr Jekyll, I believe we may need the aid of Hyde, if you feel well enough." Jekyll nodded. There was a hardened look in Nemo's eyes, one that was similar to how he appeared when Dorian Gray revealed his treachery. His ship had been threatened once more and that left the League with an infuriated captain. Nothing would stop him ensuring the safety of the Nautilus.
"Mrs Harker, perhaps you should remain here to keep a watchful eye on the doctor for now? Dr Jekyll should not be left alone."
To everyone's surprise, her stubbornness about being cast aside or being considered weak did not show. She understood that Nemo's suggestion was out of pure practicality. Quatermain couldn't disagree with the reasoning. Mina had proven herself over the course of their first meeting. She was a woman, yes, but she was worth more than a thousand men.
"Go; be careful," she said. "We will follow if we can."
Her hand had settled on Jekyll's shoulder without her realising. There was a predatory gleam in her eyes that almost dared someone to try harming him further.
"We must locate those creatures," Nemo announced as he hurried out of the room and down the corridor. Whatever the captain had in mind in order to fight the monsters, he wouldn't be facing it alone. Skinner took off his coat and followed after him.
"I need to help them," Jekyll groaned, trying to get back on his feet.
Mina's firm grip pinned him in place and forced him back down. "Get your breath back. Then you can help if, and only if, you're well enough. Though I expect they will need Hyde..."
Jekyll let his head fall against the wall and closed his eyes, concentrating on steadying his breathing. Quatermain hoped he would recover somewhat swiftly.
Once again, the scene Quatermain was watching shifted to another part of the Nautilus…
(*Meanwhile*)
Nemo ran through each corridor and flew down every flight of stairs. He knew exactly where Dr Jekyll's room was. If the monsters had taken the vials, they would be nearby. And if not, he could be able to follow their trail of destruction. He took a shortcut by moving through the engine room, knowing time was of the essence.
Skinner was still following, although Nemo could make out his heavy breathing above the noise of the engines at either side of them. "Skinner, come on!" Nemo ordered.
"Alright, alright, I'm going as fast as I can," Skinner grumbled.
A lot of Nemo's crew would be down on this floor and in great danger. If Hyde wasn't here to stop these monsters, who could? The creatures could do a lot of damage in the time it would take for the captain to find them. Then there was the extra time they had gained whilst Jekyll was heading up to the bridge. The fuse was running down. It made Quatermain all the more curious about what these three intruders were doing.
The pair ran along a narrow metal bridge above the gigantic engines, generators and pumps of the Nautilus. The clanking of feet on the metal grating echoed through the engine room along with the ferocious humming of machines. The room was deserted and the silence in such a vital room, usually bustling with activity, was not natural. The absence of the normal commotion made one thing clear. These Hyde creatures had been nearby. They needed to be ready. But Quatermain was also concerned over other matters. Why hadn't an alarm been sounded for example? Surely there was one.
A clatter of metal rang out, succeeded by a shout of pain. Nemo had fallen through a section of the bridges above the engines and his leg was dangling in mid-air. Nemo held himself up to save his leg from receiving further damage from the sharp metal pieces. It would be a painful position to maintain. He was wincing and breathing hard through gritted teeth.
The sound of slapping feet increased as Skinner rushed to catch up and help Nemo up from under his arms. They both struggled to find a secure footing. Once Nemo's leg was free, he held onto the railing to keep himself steady.
"Careful, Nemo," Skinner said.
"Thank you. Although I fear I may have badly injured my ankle." Nemo glanced down at the broken section of the bridge. He looked furious at himself for being injured. "My ship is never left in such a state... This could not happen accidentally; metal does not split in such a way unless it is provoked," he explained, keeping his right leg above the ground. He tried a few times to put it down flat, but it hurt him too much. Quatermain imagined that his leg would be in quite a state now: bleeding and beginning to swell. It would slow him down and that could be dangerous.
"Just be careful. I'll have to get you to Mina."
"No, we must-"
Another deafening bang came from behind the two. They both jumped at the sudden noise.
"Hyde?" Skinner called, almost hopefully.
"Quiet, you fool," Nemo hissed.
The thudding began to get louder and louder, faster and faster. Something big was running towards them... Far bigger than Mr Hyde.
"Move," Nemo whispered. Skinner seemed hypnotised by the hair- raising clattering. Nemo knew that Skinner hadn't budged. "Damn it, man, run!" he bellowed, shoving Skinner forwards. The captain's orders finally entered the invisible man's mind. Skinner took Nemo's arm and wrapped it around his shoulder. Then the pair took off, Skinner almost dragging his companion along.
Nemo continued to jog forwards with an aggressive limp. He looked to be pushing himself to go faster, although his ankle was protesting with every step. Still, survival was more important at the moment. That was one of many things Quatermain liked about Nemo: his determination and resilience.
"Skinner, let go. I will be able to run on my own."
"But-"
"Go!"
Skinner grumbled in reluctance but slipped from beneath him and went behind him. Nemo would appreciate the gesture of Skinner wishing to protect him at his expense, but he would not allow it. Nemo said, "run on ahead, warn the crew. Hurry now!" Quatermain watched as Nemo made way for Skinner scooting past on the narrow bridge. There seemed to be a moment of hesitation on the invisible man's part, but the sounds of pursuit prompted him to do as Nemo commanded.
Nemo's speed increased despite the pain ricocheting up his leg with every step. His decision to run on it wouldn't win Jekyll's approval, not that it could be helped.
Without warning, a crimson-red fist, at least ten times the size of his own, clasped onto Nemo's good leg from beneath the bridge. He tripped and fell. Even over Nemo's shout of surprise, it was possible to hear Skinner's footsteps stop abruptly.
"Nemo?!" Skinner exclaimed.
"I said run!" he barked, drawing his sword and plunging it into the beast's hand. It instantly let go, but Nemo was unable to retrieve his sword. The creature had already yanked its hand away in pain.
Nemo shuffled away from the bellowing monster before finding the strength to scramble to his feet and run as best as he could. The door flew open a few feet away. Skinner was at the doorway, waiting, calling for Nemo to hurry. The moment Nemo slipped through, he spun around and shut it.
Using decades' worth of experience aboard the Nautilus, Nemo locked the door at a startling speed. When he saw an open toolbox by his feet, he added to the security, wedging a wrench between a pipe and the handle. The two men began to flee again. It would not take long for this new Hyde to break open the door. The doors were watertight, not Hydetight.
This time, they didn't go very far. Skinner helped Nemo to get to a storage cupboard. Nemo and Skinner were forced to pause to catch their breaths.
"As I guessed, it's no-one needing directions," Skinner remarked.
"Where… are my… crew? There should at least be some of them here," Nemo panted, ignoring Skinner's comment. He looked around the cupboard. The room mainly contained brushes and mops, but Quatermain spotted some excess medical supplies. Nemo rummaged around until he found what he was looking for: a few rolls of bandage.
Skinner, not having a definite answer at the moment, suggested, "They probably ran. I can't blame them either. That thing is massive."
"We have to stop it. It's locked in the most important room of this ship. He'll destroy the engines," Nemo exclaimed. He began to wrap the bandage around his ankle to support it, aware of how little time he had to work.
The ringing of muscle and bone on metal echoed through the hallways. It was trying to break through the door. It was only a matter of time. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say it's more interested in you," Skinner remarked.
"So it seems, but any animal knows to attack the weaker prey. Besides, it may not be able to see where you are," Nemo replied. "Come, we should hurry. We need to lead it away from the engine room whilst it remains fixed upon us."
"You can't move with your ankle in that state, you'll have to let me help you," Skinner argued.
Nemo tested his ankle, putting weight on it. It was clearly sore but he seemed satisfied that he could move with it. "If I was to accept your help, I would be risking your life."
"We're all a team!" Skinner retorted. "I'm not asking for protection, but you need it. You're hurt, you stubborn old fool."
Nemo shook his head. "I will manage." His voice left no room for argument.
"I still don't like it," Skinner grumbled, despite knowing that Nemo could not and would not hide away whilst his ship - his home, was under attack.
The two hurried down the corridors once again. Skinner must have been concerned about Nemo's ankle, especially since he had applied so much pressure to it with the running. He asked about it, but Nemo said what was expected. "I am fine. Do not concern yourself with such matters now. My leg has been treated and it is tolerable. I admit I should not have been so impercipient and so careless to the point of being injured, but we must continue."
After turning the corner, Nemo's eyes widened. One of his crew members, Ishmael, was lying face down on the floor, unconscious. Skinner had almost fallen over the top of him judging by the noise he made. Nemo winced as he crouched down by Ishmael's side, turned him over and began shaking him in an attempt to wake him up. Quatermain could see Ishmael's chest rising and falling, so he was at least alive.
"Ishmael, Ishmael! Come, you must get up," Nemo exclaimed, patting his cheek. Ishmael wasn't moving, but he seemed to be able to hear him. His eyelids twitched and he gave a soft moan in response to Nemo's attempts to rouse him.
A crash of metal alerted the captain that he needed to get Ishmael out of harm's way. It was coming. Ishmael wasn't going to wake up in time.
"Take Ishmael into that room on the left. I will keep that-"
"Nemo, no. You're not listening! You can't just go off on your own. It will kill you!"
"I am aware of the risk, Skinner. But a captain must ensure the safety of his vessel and crew above all else. Do not question my command, it will doom us all. Now please, go!"
There was a brief moment of hesitation, but then Skinner sighed in frustration. "I expect to see you at the end of this, preferably in one piece, understand?" Nemo nodded to Skinner and doubled back towards the creature as the invisible man got a firm grip on Ishmael.
When Nemo drew near where he'd left the monster, he froze in his tracks. All sounds became inaudible as he hastily absorbed his surroundings. The door to the engine room was wide open, the crash had simply been the door hitting off the wall. It wasn't broken: someone had unlocked it for the beast. His hand went to the knife on the side of his belt, his kirpan which Sikhs were required to carry as part of their faith. Nemo's was about six inches, but the blade was thin and would do little against a creature this powerful. Still, it was all he had.
Taking a deep breath, Nemo listened. The sound of breathing, like that of a bull, echoed around the corridors. A gentle sigh of hot breath slithered into Nemo's collar. He shuddered. It was above him, clinging onto the piping high above him like an ape. It was waiting.
Nemo resisted the urge to look up. That would prompt the beast to jump on him. Instead, he hobbled away, like he thought it was elsewhere. Nemo took his chance, bursting into a sprint, using any handrail he could find to throw himself further forward. He needed to find some form of weapon, but there would be none in his path. The closest weapons would be in the library. He had to make it there.
Provoked by movement, the monster jumped after him. The creature was far stronger and faster than the injured man. It would be an easy catch. All Nemo could depend on was his knowledge of the layout of his vessel and hope the beast was unable to keep up in the narrow hallways.
Nemo hurled himself up the stairs three at a time. His body was not obeying him fast enough. His legs crumpled several times beneath him, but he hurled himself back up, forcing air into his lungs. The speed at which he ran was phenomenal, spitting air through gritted teeth. He desperately made his way to his library, knowing that it was his only chance. There would be weapons for him to use there. Just a little further.
'Come on, Nemo, come on!' Quatermain urged through his dream. He wasn't going to make it. The foul creature was at his heels. The only thing protecting Nemo was the size of the corridors. The monster was squeezing through all the metal walls, struggling to turn the corners in time. It left great dents in places. It ran like a gorilla, using its arms like forelegs. That was the only way it could pass through the smaller hallways. If Nemo slowed down by a fraction, he would be finished.
Quatermain could see Nemo was wearing down. Adrenaline was the only thing that was forcing him onward. Adrenaline would be the only thing that could save him.
Quatermain hoped adrenaline alone was enough.