Chapter 29 - A Matter of Justice
Island X: September 29th

It was early the next morning when Robur saw Fantômas again. Robur was in a seat close to his son's bed but the door to the room was ajar. Fantômas seemed somewhat uncomfortable, keeping his head down as he entered Armand's temporary room. It was blander than most of the others and Fantômas felt it was quite prison-like. It was a room stripped bare and not expected to be used.

Robur greeted him with a nod, standing up.
"Captain, I need to speak with you," he replied in a grim tone.
"What is it? Another attempt?"
"No, no. It is... regarding last night," Fantômas explained. His gaze fell upon the boy. Robur's eyes followed his. Armand looked at ease, sleeping undisturbed, as if unaware of what had happened to him last night.

Fantômas shook his head in disbelief "Am I right to assume he's unharmed?"

Robur nodded again, gesturing for him to stand outside with him. "A few blisters on his hands and a bad chest, but nothing that should have lasting effects," Robur said, closing the door most of the way behind him. "Now, what's troubling you?"
"Last night's fire, as we already suspected, was deliberate. An accelerant was used to make the flames take hold as rapidly as they did - there was a tin burned out near the curtain." Robur tensed his jaw but otherwise said nothing.

Without a word, Fantômas then produced from his pocket a blue long-sleeved shirt, belonging to Nyctalope. It was blue and tighter fitting. Only Nyctalope wore those kinds of shirts when he was expecting to exercise.

"Last night when my men and I were extinguishing the fire, Saint-Clair did not appear. I haven't seen him all morning in fact," Fantômas began, before handing the shirt to Robur. "Smell it." Robur did not have to lean in very far to smell it. It was rancid, humming with the scent of smoke, but there was another smell among it. It smelled like a mixture of shoe polish and wax.

"Paraffin," he acknowledged. His grip tightened on the material. "The stimulant for the fire."
"Exactly. You can even see a few splash stains on it."
"Yet you say he did not go near the fire at any stage of the night?" Robur murmured.
Fantômas nodded. "You see my concerns?" Robur could not read his face due to his black mask, but the voice carried all the worry he needed to hear.

Robur took a single breath, as deep and slow as he could make it and even that did not seem like enough. His eyes set aflame, as though they too were ignited with the aid of paraffin. "How did you come by this?" he asked, the quietness in his voice was frightful.
"I went down to the laundry to check all yesterday's clothes for such a smell. It was a simple matter of searching from there. I'd also wager on him having the missing keys to the door hidden somewhere- unless he has already disposed of them."

"I'll kill him," he snarled.
"No, you will not," Fantômas warned. "You might have little to lose but I am trying to earn my amnesty. Harming Nyctalope in any way will forfeit our freedom for all of us."
Robur struggled to keep his voice down. "Then what do you suppose I do with the man who tried to kill my son?"
"Take him back to France. They will deal with him. You might even get your wish if he's charged with treason."

The sound of a groan from the bedroom drew their attention. Robur opened the door wider to check on Armand. He was still asleep but had turned over.
"Regardless, this spree must be put to an end. Nyctalope pays for his crimes today."
Fantômas nodded. "See to your boy. I'll gather a few men and return." With a nod of agreement, he went back inside his son's room.

Robur became a silent storm, the hawk had found his prey and now all he had to do was dive for it and take his revenge. He looked down to his son. His only child lying in front of him, recovering from a savage attempt to take his life. Robur could not help but gently stroke his dirty blond hair. Things made sense now. Nyctalope had given up trying to kill him and had instead made Armand his new target. Robur had made his decision; he knew what to do.

(*A Little While Later*)

Nyctalope jolted awake when he heard someone pounding at the door. He sat up in bed. He could hardly open his eyes as light flooded into his vision. Another loud knock and Nyctalope decided to call out "What is it?"
"It's Fantômas, Lupin wants to speak to you outside in the courtyard. He said it was important."

Nyctalope sighed and sluggishly got up. He then dressed. "It would have been easier if he came to me," he yawned. Perhaps something had come up that could prove his innocence. That thought prompted him to get ready faster.

Upon arriving outside, he found Lupin to be speaking outside with Robur. He folded his arms in a bid to keep the cold breeze from reaching his skin. Over a dozen of Fantômas's men were present as was Fantômas himself. Though he felt ill at ease, he went to see Lupin. He felt quite reassured to see that Jean and Rene were not far from the gathering. They were sat talking, laughing and enjoying the day whilst the rain was gone but the wind remained. Nyctalope wished he could go and join them instead of having to worry about what Lupin had to say

"Lupin, you wanted to see me?" Nyctalope spoke up, ignoring Robur's presence for the time being.
"I did?" Lupin asked, somewhat perplexed.
"It was I who wanted to see you, Saint-Clair," Robur spoke up. Nyctalope could see how rigid he stood, how deep, strong and somewhat jittery his breathing was.

"Why? Has something happened?" Nyctalope asked, making sure to soften the scowl that almost made itself known.
Robur took from the inside pocket of his jacket a blue shirt- one of his. "There was a fire last night in Armand's room."

"My God! Is. Is he alright?" he exclaimed.
"Remarkably yes. As you seem to have been unaware of this, I assume you're claiming you were not there?"
"No, I was in bed by ten."
"How do you know the fire was after ten?" Robur asked sharply, a grin of triumph pulling at his lips.
Nyctalope's mouth opened and then closed again. Then his words came to him "I don't - I assumed- I was saying where I was."

"Suppose I take that for the truth. The other thing that I cannot fathom is why your shirt reeks of smoke!" Robur hissed, holding up the shirt to Nyctalope's face in a clenched fist. Nyctalope could not help but notice how white his knuckles became with the grip.

He looked away from the shirt and back to Robur. "I. I don't understand. Are you accusing me of this?" Insulted. Stung. Nyctalope couldn't believe what he was hearing. He forced himself to calm, remembering what Lupin had told him. He had to keep his head and wait for Lupin to help him. But as he looked over to him, he found Lupin was equally as baffled. Lupin said nothing. That concerned the young hero more than anything.

"Playing innocent won't work this time. There have been two attempts on my own life. That was almost tolerable but I will not stand for your threats against my son. Enough is enough!"
Robur turned to look at Fantômas and ground out, "Take him to the cells."

Lupin stared at Robur in a combination of disgust and alarm. He stepped forward and was about to speak but Robur's hand shot up to eye level, silencing Lupin without so much as looking at him. The order had been given. Robur had no intention of letting his second in command intervene. Lupin knew that and so could only observe in horror.

"I will give you one chance to come without the need for force," Fantômas warned Nyctalope.
"I wouldn't harm so much as a hair on that boy's head and you know it. I'm not responsible for any of this! You're making a mistake-"
His words fell upon deaf ears. A gesture from Fantômas and Nyctalope found himself surrounded by three of Fantômas's men, all with cold unmoving faces. Nyctalope cast his eyes back and forth trying to assess the danger that threatened him.

"Robur, please. Wait a moment and listen to me-"

One of the men kicked the back of his leg hard, taking him by surprise. With a hiss of pain, his knee thudded to the floor. He had to use his hands to stop himself falling on his face. Within an instant, the men seized him by the wrists, yanking his arms behind his back. Nyctalope struggled hopelessly against their strength. They pushed him down to the ground and a firm grip locked him into place.

"Robur-" Lupin tried to speak but by then the ropes were wrapped tight around Nyctalope's wrists. Nyctalope winced and continued to struggle against his restraints with increasing ferocity. He shouted out in anger. Rene and Jean noticed the commotion. They too yelled in protest and hurried over to help their friend.

"Let go of him, you'll disturb his wound!" Jean demanded as he and Rene dragged Fantômas's men off. They were soon taken by more men and pulled away, kicking and snarling. Now the number of men made sense. They'd expected a fight.
"Don't struggle. That will only make things worse," Lupin said quickly.
"Let go- I haven't done anything!" Nyctalope snapped, ignoring Lupin all together.

"Enough!" Robur shouted. "Take those two down to the cells also."
"No!" Nyctalope beseeched. "Will you just listen-"
"I want Nyctalope in a separate cell. Find Champeau and lock him in his room- I don't want them all together either," the captain continued. He stood firm, like a mountain. His hands were behind his back, clutching onto the shirt, watching with sharp eyes as the others' hands were bound.
Lupin could not hold his silence. He spoke quietly over Robur's shoulder. "You know what will happen if you do this. Slow down a moment, how do you know you're not rushing to conclusions?"

Robur turned to face him, no signs of fear or regret showed in his frame. Only determination. "It's better than dragging my feet and disregarding the truth. Lupin, keep out of this or you will be joining them!"
Lupin was at a loss. What could he do with such a threat looming over him? And it was a threat he was quite sure he'd act upon. The thief stepped away from Robur and pursed his lips. Things were growing out of hand; out of Lupin's control. He turned his head away.

Nyctalope and his companions were marched back towards the fortress. Fantômas's men struggled to keep a firm hold of their new prisoners as each one fought for their freedom. The images of a dark cell already taunted Nyctalope. An idea sprung to mind. With an almighty gust of brute strength, he ran forward as if he were being tackled in rugby. The grip of two of the men lessened as he pulled away from them.

Fantômas hurried forward and struck the lad on the back of the head with a single swing. He crumpled to the ground, unconscious.
Chief!" Rene exclaimed as their leader succumbed to an immediate sleep. He was dragged along with little care. Rene and Jean did their best to fight but it was no good. The men carried them off to the cells without another word from Robur.

Lupin looked at Robur with wild eyes. He knew not challenge Robur's power too much in front of others but now they were gone he felt no such restraint. "I expect you to have some valid evidence and a very good reason for this."
"Because he's guilty. I need to other reason or justification," Robur answered, his voice harsh like red hot steel cooling in water.

"You'll have the lad scared half to death-"
"And what about Armand?" Robur snapped. "How do you think he felt when we woke up locked in a burning room?! I came too close to losing him last night, Lupin, and I am not giving Saint-Clair another chance to kill him!"
Lupin raised his voice slightly to meet Robur's tone. "Then there were other ways to go about this. Why didn't you tell me this was what you had planned? I didn't even know about a fire!"
The captain chose not to answer. He walked away, slapping the blue shirt hard onto Lupin's chest as he passed him.

Lupin looked down at the shirt and, taking it in both hands, smelled it. True enough, it reeked of smoke, so much he let out a single cough. "By Jove..." he murmured.

Fantômas came up beside him, rubbing his hand where he had been forced to lash out. "Some things are better left as they are. Let them get on with this and don't concern yourself with it any more. There's nothing you can do about it now. Lèon Saint-Clair is guilty. When this is all over Robur will take him back to France for it. I've managed to sway Robur from doing worse, don't tempt him."

Lupin did not reply. He stood looking at the spot in which everything had taken such a vicious turn moments ago. He let the wind cool his agitation. Fantômas sighed and left the thief alone, patting his arm as he left.

"This isn't right. I can't accept it…" he murmured.