Chapter 48 - Treason
Continued

Fantômas remained still, grinning at Nyctalope and Lupin's helpless state. Nyctalope was wriggling and trying to squirm out of the bindings, though it was futile. Lupin sat still, though his fingers were trying to trace along the rope to figure out how he was tied. The rope was hurting his wrist, but Zenith had done a good job with them.

"Well, there we have it. I was right after all. It was you from the very beginning, including the attack twenty five years ago. You were the one who slaughtered Nemo and Ishmael's family," Lupin summarised icily.
"Well done, Lupin! Though it took you much longer than I thought," Fantômas jibed.

Fantômas pulled up a chair and sat facing the two men, who were still stuck on the floor.
"I think for young Leo's sake you should explain this from the beginning. After all, you have the time; Robur is a slow smoker, especially as I annoyed him so much," Lupin pointed out.

"Yes, I suppose you have earned your answers. Besides, the two captains' time is drawing rapidly to a close. By the time the truth is revealed I will already be gone. At least if I tell you then you can tell the entire story for me... Over twenty five years ago, I became a criminal- an assassin... and very useful for the British. They caught wind of Nemo being taken by Robur a few years after the capture actually occurred. They asked me to go and take action to stop Nemo and Robur becoming allies and offered me a very handsome sum of money for it.

"By the time I arrived at the Island, the Nautilus was almost fully built, but I could see Nemo and Robur were far from friends. I decided to make sure however as I knew Robur's intentions of attacking London and Nemo's hatred for the British. Britain feared what Nemo would do for revenge over the death of his parents, you understand?"

"So you butchered four innocents so that Nemo would hate Robur, which then almost got Robur killed in its turn?" Lupin clarified.
"Precisely- and it mainly worked. I thought that was the end of that mission and I soon forgot about it, but then I was approached again. You, Lupin, as well as the very man I thought was dead came to ask me to join the Mysterious Men… Then things got interesting," Fantômas grinned.

"Tensions have been rising between Germany and Britain as we all know. That was Moriarty's fault. France is geographically and morally stuck between the two and does not know which nation she should side with. After the League was made official by the British government, Les Hommes Mysterièux was made in case France sided with Germany and the League attacked. Now, you can imagine Germany's unease at this. What can she do without her own League? She destroys the very weapons that threaten her."
"So Germany wants you to split the League and Mysterious Men up? Keep us as enemies?"Nyctalope guessed.
Fantômas nodded silently. "Not only that but cause Les Hommes Mysterièux itself to fall. That way, Germany would be far safer."

"Why would you want to protect Germany?" Nyctalope asked carefully.
"They offered me a bigger payload and a place for me to retire. Nothing more, nothing less."

Fantômas waited for a moment and continued "How else was better to break both sides apart than to strike at the most important members of each group- their leaders? I already knew who they were and how their heads work. The rest was just lining everything up. And so, I accepted the new mission."

"Pah, what do you care for missions?" Lupin spat.

Before Lupin could even consider what had happened, Fantômas, surged forwards like a bird of prey, pinning him to the wall by the throat. Lupin struggled helplessly against his restraints as Fantômas tried to choke him.
"It's all in the thrill, Lupin," he muttered in his ear.
"Let go of him!" Nyctalope hissed, trying to free himself again to help.
Fantômas snickered as he released him and sat back down. Lupin coughed as he tried to catch his breath. Fantômas had wanted to rattle the thief and it seemed he had done a satisfactory job at it.

For a moment there was an uneasy quiet, but Nyctalope wanted to know more. "So you framed me?" he snarled.

"Of course. I had to keep the scent away from me somehow. It's a curious thing, Jekyll's potion. A few sips and the creature within is released. I deliberately set out to injure Nemo. I knew of Lupin's mistrust and that he would not let me near Nemo whilst he was healing. In short, this bought me time, precious unsupervised time. For each of you, I collected a weakness - a motive! Zenith was easy; all I needed was opium, though I could get him to dig his own grave very easily with him feeling like an outsider. Nyctalope's pressure point was a little more expensive. I borrowed the plans from the original thief, Sadi Khan, so I could pretend Robur had bought them-"

"Where are they now?!" Nyctalope demanded.
"Back with their owner. I only rented them so to speak. They are long gone Saint- Clair. You won't be getting those back."

Nyctalope ground his teeth together to the point he thought they'd shatter in trying to restrain his intense fury. Fantômas smirked as he continued. "Ha, and then there was you, Lupin. You were a difficult one indeed. I found where Victoire lived very easily, should I have required leverage from you, but I could collect little else. Luckily for me, you did all the work yourself. Your defending Nyctalope worked brilliantly in my plan."
"Glad I could be of assistance," Lupin said almost cheerfully.

"Still, I knew I wouldn't have been able to frame you- or Zenith really for that matter. You're both too experienced- too clever. Then, of course, there's the inconvenience of you not killing. Nyctalope on the other hand, so new to the world of crime that I thrive in, was perfect! Robur knew your thirst for revenge, Nyctalope- the darker streak in you. I can see it very well… Deep down, you are as cold-hearted as I. You play the role of hero, but I can soon see you changing your tune. You're only gold-plated and already tarnished. The innocent ones are always the most easily corrupted. I can offer you a place in my gang if you like?"
"Shut up! I'd sooner die than be anything like you!" Nyctalope snapped.

Fantômas drew his gun, though he did not aim it at him. "Hold your tongue! You should be careful what you wish for… Now, where was I? Oh yes, I was well aware of how mistrusted I was by the Mysterious Men. Getting past this obstacle was easy, given patience. I captured Ishmael in Belgium. It was a small gesture, but Robur fell for it all the same. Our dearest captain saw the risk I had taken in collecting Ishmael to aid the progression of the mission.

"Little did he know I had left a few clues for the League to pick up on earlier. I moved one of the few things Nemo owned associated to the island- a book to be precise, and I left behind Robur's signature- his flag, though in a smaller form. It was enough for the League to begin to suspect. The fact that the League came to Belgium, however, was purely coincidental, though I have a feeling that it was to do with Sherlock.

"Now, the first attempt at splitting you all up was on the Albatross. It was Robur's bottle of brandy which I laced with poison. I had the antidote just in case something went wrong-"
"Which it did," Nyctalope sneered furiously.

"Yes, so I quickly removed the evidence by throwing the bottle overboard. When I had to save Zenith I was concerned that you would pick on the fact certain poisons have specific antidotes and the coincidence of me having the right one. If it did cross your minds you were too blinded by the fact I had saved him to care. All the same, I realised the opportunity that had presented itself to me after the poisoning. I realised I could frame you, Saint- Clair, and that's what I set out to do. That brings me onto the second attempt. This was where the dust was thrown into Robur's eyes well and true."

"The shooting- but you couldn't have been there," Nyctalope argued.
"He didn't need to be," Lupin said. He had closed his eyes as he tried to meditate on the facts that were rapidly being delivered to him. "You got one of your men to do the shooting for you. Oh how easily we forget about our little henchmen. I bet you even made him dress in that set of clothes you took from Nyctalope. The set which comes into play again soon in this tale."
"Well done, Lupin. You're not as stupid as you let on," Fantômas jibed.
"Yes well, there's more to me than a handsome face."

"So Lupin was right all along, but Robur never believed him because of you!" Nyctalope growled.

Lupin interrupted him, "That was the idea. I must admit this has been very thoroughly thought out. Fantômas evidently feared my intelligence above any others- though who can blame him? I have to ask, however, did you want your man to kill Robur or simply scare him?"
"Either would have satisfied me, though I do believe things turned out for the better. Not only was Nyctalope fully suspected, but you began to lose your authority. Robur no longer valued your word and then all I had to do was widen the rift.

"Consequently, I had to step up my game. Robur's priorities had changed since the first incident all those years ago. So I had to target his son. I didn't want Armand killed. That would have intensified matters too far too soon. I wanted to get at Robur a little more first- to see how far I could push him so that he would begin to crack. The snake has to strangle its prey before it devours it, and I do love watching the mighty fall.

"Now, as Lupin has already deduced, I managed to take one of your shirts, Nyctalope. I told my man to keep it on him when he set the fire, deliberately away from the boy. All he had to do was leave the shirt in his room, under Armand's bed. I spoke with Robur whilst my man set the fire I left after a few minutes after the fire was burning well. We then both saw the fire and I helped save the boy. I was hardly suspected because of all this. Why would I save the people that I was trying to kill?

You two, on the other hand, were a different story. All the fingers were pointing at you, Nyctalope. Robur made the mistake of trying to set all the facts against you and I helped him where I had to. The shirt was enough to have our little hero arrested… The hardest part was persuading you, Lupin, but I was already prepared to solve this problem."

Without another word, without as much as a nervous gesture, Fantômas removed his mask. The mask that had never left his face. The mask hiding his every feature, his every emotion. Nyctalope's face paled at the sight, he seemed frozen on the spot. He didn't move, he didn't make a sound. For what did he see?

Himself.

"Sapristi!" Lupin remarked. "I had already realised that this is why I thought Monsieur Saint- Clair had attacked me on the day of the explosion. The only problem you suffered was when I fought back. All the same, I must congratulate you for that disguise. I would applaud your work if my hands were not tied."
Fantômas smirked like a fox. "I have been slowly transforming myself for some time now. My mask was very useful as you did not get to see what I was doing until I was ready to show myself. I knew eventually I would have to play my card," Fantômas explained with a cruel smile.

"Still, you were very careful when you attacked me. You were sure to fight in poor lighting. I also presume that's why I got a few bashes in the face, along with the drugs and all the dust, yes? The instinctive watering of the eyes impairs the vision. C'est Magnifique."
"I'm glad you think so," Fantômas replied wryly.

Nyctalope narrowed his bow. "Why would you attack Lupin?"
"Because I knew you were innocent. I began to suspect this once I smelled your shirt. It did indeed smell of smoke, but it was too strong. Had you lit the fire and left, it would not have been that pungent. The evidence was poorly made in that sense," Lupin pointed out.

"Nor did he trust me and believe my false alibi. You see, Nyctalope, I tried to convince him that you wanted revenge against Robur for having your father's stolen plans, for not intending to go after Khan. I made you a valid motive but Lupin wasn't convinced. I knew he would voice his questioning of the motive to Robur and then they'd all smell a rat. This I naturally could not permit- it would give me away. So I planned to silence him. I knew of Lupin's skills in fighting and so revealed my disguise as you, just in case he should manage to almost overwhelm me. Fantômas would not be to blame, but Nyctalope instead."

Lupin wiggled and sat up a little straighter. "Then why the explosion? It's clear that it came from inside. If you wanted me dead you could have very easily finished me in the night and just unlocked Nyctalope's cell to cover your tracks."

"Robur was too careful for Nyctalope to escape at any point. The explosion was necessary to disrupt this security. My men reported to me that the Nautilus was on its way before anyone else even noticed it. The bomb made the Mysterious Men scatter- each with an individual task. Of course, you would play the part of the hero and have to get Nemo. I just had to wait and catch you. Your death would have been blamed on the League by the time any help made it to you."

"Ah, but of course."

"Nemo is clearly eager for blood without any further contributions on my behalf, although I did hear Ishmael was injured and his third in command was shot dead. They needed no push, and your death would have brought the Mysterious Men to fight. However, I saw Hyde carrying you, so I decided, should you survive, that I would have to think fast to make a new trigger."

"What you mean to say is that you just didn't count on Nemo saving me. That has always been your flaw, Fantômas. You think that everyone is as cold and cruel as you are."
"Do shut up, Lupin! It's your drooling sentimentality that got you into this mess," Fantômas snapped.

Nyctalope seemed much more attentive as Fantômas got up and took out Lupin's pocket watch and noted the positioning of the dainty hands. Lupin could not stop him as, deciding that the watch had value, he took it for himself and sat back down. Lupin seemed quite annoyed but amused all the same.

Nyctalope held his silence as the assassin said "There is still ample time to finish what I have to say, at least. I retreated outside once the League had Nemo and Ishmael. I found myself a gun and waited, curious as to what was going to happen. As I have said, you can imagine my dissatisfaction at seeing you alive, Lupin. It wouldn't do at all, you'd try to heal the rifts I had caused between the League and Mysterious Men. I couldn't risk it. When you and the others left for the other side of the Island, Zenith was still unconscious. Armand returned to try to help him. So I decided to shoot him."

"You shot Armand?!" Nyctalope exclaimed. Apparently the news had not met his ears. "He's a child, you animal!"
Fantômas raised the gun to silence him. "Oh, don't be so dramatic. I only shot him in the thigh. After that, I waited a good few minutes, so as to not make me look like a suspect, and then played the part as the hero once again. As the League had been there before they were the ones who were blamed for the shooting.

"Once we were in the Albatross, I just had to persuade Robur not to trust our dear missing thief. Who knows what ideas the League could have filled your head with, Lupin? Besides, Robur knew you'd try to stop the fight. Which is why you're here bound as you are. Actually, It's almost time for the grand performance and the two captains shall cease to be. I will have to leave now to make sure the job is done."

Nyctalope had been quiet for quite some time. Fantômas could see the anger in his frame that he so desperately was trying to control. How he wanted to watch the hero lose his temper and try to free himself, but time was pressing.

Fantômas smashed the telegraph against the floor, rendering it utterly destroyed. Then, replacing his mask, he approached the door.
"I hope neither of you takes this personally. Business is business after all."
"Very well, Au revoir. Though do have someone come back to untie us," Lupin replied, closing his eyes and leaning back against the wall. He paid the assassin no more attention as he left humming the Chant du dèpart. The very song that Robur's first mate would play when they were placing his infamous flag.

The door shut with an eerie thud. They both listened as the three men disappeared in the car to fight to the death.

For at least two minutes there was silence. Neither man spoke as they listened to the automobile pulling away from the house.
"Lupin, what do we do?" Nyctalope asked finally, trying once more to free himself.
For a moment Lupin didn't reply, he seemed to be concentrating on something.
"You do have a plan, don't you?" Nyctalope asked.

"Well..." Lupin finally yawned and stretched out his arms. Nyctalope was taken aback- he had freed himself!
"That was the most lugubrious of explanations. At least we know everything he has been planning," Lupin said to himself as he untied his ankles.
"How did you-"
"It's quite simple really. Zenith is on our side- he always has been. I made a plan with him at a much earlier date. I asked him to act as though he was more neutral and when he needed to, against us. When I told him that my ropes were loose, I asked him to tie it again in a fashion which looked solid but with time I could undo. I simply used morse code to write 'loosen' and 'stall'."

"You never cease to amaze me. Help me out of these ropes, will you?
"Shh, wait."
"What?"
Lupin made a rapid gesture with his arm to silence the boy. The sound of footsteps made it clear as to why.

Lupin silently grabbed the remains of the telegraph and went behind the door. The man left behind to guard them entered with a brisk step. By the time he realised Lupin was missing, he was already in a heap on the floor. Lupin had struck him on the back of the head with the broken telegraph.
"A thousand apologies, Monsieur," Lupin said to the unconscious man.

Lupin quickly crouched down beside Nyctalope and began to work on his wrists. He struggled to unpick the knots that Nyctalope had tightened in his struggles.

"Now, as I was saying, how I'm free isn't important. What is important is that they are going to fight at Dover according to Robur's message. We have to get there and stop this madness. I would try to get into contact with Robur using another telegraph but I fear what Fantômas would do if he found out." Now Nyctalope could untie his own ankles, Lupin tied up the guard with the spare rope.

Nyctalope rubbed his now free ankles and wrists and then stood up with Lupin's help. "Then... if you knew it was Fantômas, why didn't you say so earlier?"
"Because he would have shot us all. At least this way we have a chance to save everyone," Lupin explained, searching the unconscious man and taking from him his gun and what ammunition he carried.

"So how are we meant to get to Dover?"
"The train followed by boat is the fastest way available to us. We just have to hope that's not too late. Come along, I need to go to a friend's house to get you a gun and deal with this fellow. Then we can be off. As Fantômas said, now it is time for the grand performance and I fully intend to be there before the curtain falls."