The Multiverser of the League Chapter 2: The Mysterious Fu Manchu, a league of extraordinary gentlemen fanfic

Welcome to chapter two of The Multiverser of the League, folks!

Let's begin.

DISCLAIMER: SEE CHAPTER ONE!

Voice Cast (how I envision characters being voiced)

M./Professor James Moriarty = Andrew Scott

BGMs

London Town - Miracle of Sound

Charging the Keep - Audiomachine

Rise of Storm - Soundmopi

We Bring the Tide - Mitchell Broom

Chapter Two: The Mysterious Fu Manchu

Dexter Verser's POV

"Well, gentlemen, at least we now know why we're here," said Mina, taking a puff of a cigarette. "British intelligence, through Campion Bond and his mysterious superior Mr 'M.,' have assembled us to thwart a plot against the Empire."

"Yes, it's like we didn't just get done having this explained to us," I muttered.

We were all sat around a dinner table on the Nautilus. There were planks around the table that gave reference to the Treasure Island incident. One said "Hispaniola 1760," indicating the ship that was sailed on and the year that Treasure Island took place. Another said "Skeleton Island," which is the true name of the island that was sailed to on that particular adventure. I should have known Nemo would be the type to appreciate those sorts of stories.

"Aheheh," Griffin giggled out. He was wearing a suit that his invisible nature gave the appearance of simply being worn by no one. "That's not why I'm here. I'm here to earn a pardon, and perhaps a cure. The only Empire I'm interested in is my own: The Empire of Invisible Man the First."

"Griffin, the day you have your own empire is the day I supernova this whole fucking universe," I said. I don't think people in the Victorian age even knew what "supernova" meant, but either way, I actually was perfectly capable of doing so if I wanted to thanks to a little something I picked up in the universe of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, but the threat was still idle – I'm not quite that heartless a bastard.

"Griffin, an enemy of Britain has stolen its one sample of Cavorite, the key to the mastery of the air," said Nemo, puffing on a large cigar. "You, too, could perish in an aerial bombardment, unseen and unmourned. We all could."

"W-Well, for my part, I'm prepared to help the cause as much as possible," said Jekyll, who was the only person at the table not smoking something. Even I had a cigarette in my hand (damn your addictions, Deschain!). "It's just that … Well, sometimes I'm not myself. I'm not sure I can always be relied on."

"Jekyll, we all have doubts," said Quatermain, pushing some tobacco into his pipe. He took a brief, narrow glance at me … then his eyes softened and he sighed, looking rather ashamed of himself. "I've been in a bit of a state myself lately, I admit that now. The thing is, Nemo's right. If some swine has the Cavorite, it affects every one of us."

"Well said, sir," said Mina. "For a moment there I almost fancied that I heard the Quatermain that I read of in my youth. Are we agreed, then, to proceed with the assignment as proposed?"

This is where I went through the plan again. "We split into two groups. One group goes to the owner of a teashop – a man named Quong Lee that Mr Bond referred us to – and asks him a thing or two about The Doctor; the other team goes to The Doctor's headquarters in Limehouse to see if they can get a look and find anything out."

Mina nodded. "No objections?" No one spoke. "Very well. We are resolved to track this 'Devil Doctor' to his den in Limehouse and retrieve the Cavorite. The motion is thus carried."

"Um, w-what about the groups?" asked Jekyll. "Who'll go with who?"

"Captain Nemo is going to be staying on the ship," said Mina, "to make sure we can make a quick getaway if it comes to it, though hopefully, it will not. Mr Griffin, Dexter, and I shall be going to the teashop, while Mr Quatermain and Dr Jekyll—"

"Actually," I said. "Er, I apologise for the interruption, Mina. Anyway, I can contribute to both groups, as it happens."

"… I want to say you're joking," said Quatermain. "I so badly want you to be joking … There's no possible way …"

A copy of myself appeared behind my chair, standing up. He raised a hand and waved at everyone. The whole lot of them were looking at him/me in shock, wide-eyed. Quatermain just sighed and rubbed his head like he was getting a migraine.

And that's when Griffin burst out laughing.

"Aheheh. How rare it is to meet a higher being such as myself! Ah, Mr Verser, you are very interesting."

I felt a shiver run down my spine at being compared to or praised by Griffin in any way whatsoever. It made me feel genuinely ill. "There is one bit of information I can give you about The Doctor," I said. "It's about the only thing I know about him, granted, but I don't know, one of you might find it useful. His real name is Fu Manchu. Before the incident at Reichenbach Fall, he was the only living rival to crime lord Professor James Moriarty."

Was name-dropping Moriarty a good idea? I didn't know. I couldn't reveal M.'s true identity myself because the plot demanded we do this job before the truth is revealed, but I suppose I hoped one of the others would put two and two together in order to save time (plus that poor constable's life).

And so we got to work.

(Play "London Town" by Miracle of Sound)

Opening Instrumentals

We are treated to a view of London docks. There is no wind or rain, thus the sea is still other than the usual waves.

… But there is one area that is being disturbed …

The Nautilus emerges from beneath the waves, its mass causing quite a stir in the streets.

The camera pans down to the streets, where the workers are all gawking at the huge ship, their skin and clothes black with dirt.

Slaves in seas of soot we drown

Come on down to London town

The Nautilus opens up and out steps Dexter Verser.

Susan Dalian

The cogs they creak and pistons pound

Come on down to London town

Following Dexter out of the ship is Captain Nemo. He glares around at his surroundings bitterly, scowling.

Irrfan Khan

Power cloaked in progress

Smoke in Eden's eyes

The camera cuts to London Bridge where awaiting the two gentlemen, Mina Murray stands, making sure to keep as far away from passers-by as possible. Her red scarf is blown to the side in a sudden gust of wind.

Winona Ryder

A million choking chimneys burn

And blacken out the sky

We are suddenly in Paris, in a small flat. Dr Henry Jekyll has his hands clutched against his face tightly, his face cringing. In the mirror he is facing, Mr Edward Hyde grins out at him maliciously.

James Nesbitt

So grab your mates and join us

Where the rats rejoice

Standing over a dead police officer, Hawley Griffin wears the dead man's clothes and smokes a cigarette he no doubt took from the man's pocket. He is completely invisible but pays no attention to the horrified looks of the people he passes.

Claude Rains

The brazen brass of the working class

Are here to find their voice

In an extravagant office, Professor James Moriarty, otherwise known as "M.," sits in a chair behind a desk, looking down at blueprints for an airship. Standing dutifully beside his boss, Campion Bond awaits instruction.

With Andrew Scott as Moriarty

and

Ralph Fiennes as Campion Bond

Revolution holds us bound

Come on down to London town

Break your back for class and crown

Come on down to London town

The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen stands atop the Nautilus, Hyde being superimposed over Jekyll, and all of them stare out at the camera. Blue Heart is superimposed over Dexter.

Guest Starring: Rebecca Riedy

Steam train running on a reckless rail

Speeding right into the rising gale

The screen fades to black. A pair of golden eyes appear in the blackness and linger for a moment.

and

Crispin Freeman

The screen fades to black completely and fancy white text takes up the screen.

The Multiverser of the League

Shovel harder 'cause we're on your tail

London's bloody cry

(End "London Town" by Miracle of Sound)

Third Person POV

Griffin sat in front of the mirror in his room on the Nautilus, irritated. This Dexter Verser fellow was proving to be a very large danger to him. If not because of the powers he seemed to hold, then simply because his dislike for Griffin was clear and unhidden. Griffin didn't care that people didn't like him – he was far above all these insignificant little rats and they ought to know it – but provoking the anger as someone such as Verser was something that gave even Griffin pause.

Griffin took the tin of white greasepaint and started applying it to his face.

But what to do? The man had already shown an extraordinary strength, the ability to change gender (into a form that Griffin had found so appealing that he'd fallen right into the bloody trap), and the apparent ability to multiply himself, though whether or not he could create more than one copy of himself remained to be seen. Still, it was a problem.

Having covered his face in the white paint, Griffin rubbed some on his neck and the underside of his chin.

I must tread carefully, he thought. The bastard's likely keeping an eye on me as much as he can … I must find a way of getting rid of him, or I fear he may kill me once this business is concluded, and that simply won't do.

Griffin put on a pair of round sunglasses to cover his invisible eyes and a wig of curly brown hair to cover the spots he'd missed at the top and back of his head.

"Aheheh. There."

He put on a hat and long-coat and started to leave the room.

I must find a way of killing this Verser fellow if I'm to survive, I think.

Not that he had a problem with that. The thought of it even brought a grin to his pasted-white face.

Now the League (minus Nemo) was outside the Nautilus and preparing to go about their mission.

"Good Lord, Griffin, you look appalling," Quatermain said in shock when he got a good look at Griffin's newly visible face. "Is that greasepaint?"

"Congratulations, Griffin," said Dexter. "You could pass for an actual albino now."

Blue Heart snorted (the other Dexter had turned into her in order to avoid confusion). "Maybe if he didn't look like the colour was about to drip off his face," she said.

"We'll have to hope the Limehouse shadows hide what make-up can't," said Mina. "Come with me, Dexter, Mr Griffin. We'll leave these three to pursue their own affairs."

Dexter, Mina, and Griffin walked off together.

"Hmmmph," said Quatermain. "Well, there they go. I must say, I'm not taken with that Griffin fellow. I don't trust her with him."

"Why do you think Dexter split himself in two?" asked Blue Heart. She scowled. "Neither of us trusts Griffin as far as we could spit." Plus, I don't trust him alone with Mina, and neither does Dexter, she added silently. It was strange – despite knowing full well that nothing of note happened on this particular venture, Dexter hadn't wanted to leave Mina and Griffin alone together for any length of time at all. Blue Heart could see why and even shared the sentiment, but considering what they knew of the future, it really made no sense to be so paranoid right now.

A smile tugged at Blue Heart's lips. I think Dexter's already rather taken with you, Mina, she thought cheekily.

"I hadn't thought about Griffin," said Jekyll. "To be honest, I've more pressing worries of my own … The truth is, I don't trust me with myself."

"You don't need to worry about Hyde," said Blue Heart, giving him an encouraging smile. "So long as either Dexter or I am around, you don't need to worry about him doing anything – we'd take care of it."

"You speak as though you and Mr Verser are different people," said Quatermain, curiously. "Yet aren't you just him but changed to a woman? Are you not the same person?"

"Well … yes and no," said Blue Heart. "It's a weird situation, you've got that right, but while we do share a body, we don't share a personality or a mind. If I wanted to, I could block him off from accessing my thoughts entirely, and he could do the same to me, but we don't. I'm sort of a power boost, in a way. I know it's difficult for you to believe, with your 19th Century attitude of 'women should be subservient' and all that bullshit, but I'm actually more powerful than he is. Like I said, I'm kind of like a boost that just happens to change his personality and gender." She shrugged. "Haven't you noticed that I'm more expressive than he is?"

"Well, now that you mention it …" said Quatermain.

"Mr Verser does seem a rather stoic fellow, doesn't he?" said Jekyll.

"He just has trouble expressing himself," said Blue Heart. "It's a problem that I don't have. So, yeah, we're technically different people. So it's okay to fantasize about me, boys." She turned and winked at them, then started to walk off.

"… These women are going to drive me insane," Quatermain mumbled to hide how flustered he was.

Jekyll was still a nervous, sweating mess and said nothing.

They passed by a man with a paper that read ERUPTIONS ON MARS MAY BE VOLCANOES. This didn't mean much to Quatermain and Jekyll, but Blue Heart knew what was happening.

It's got to be the Martians fighting against the Molluscs, she thought grimly. Those pricks will be invading Earth soon enough … Hopefully not as soon as this Cavorite situation is over and done with, though. God knows Dexter likes a bit of peace and quiet between adventures …

Dexter Verser's POV

I picked up on Blue Heart's thought process in terms of the Molluscs and found myself amused that she thought a lack of rest between missions would annoy me. That being said, I was very much determined to fight of the Mollusc invasion with as few casualties as I could manage when it happened.

"God, what a squalid thing humanity can be!" Griffin said as we moved through Limehouse. There were people, pretty much all of them peasants, milling about all over the place. "Would that they all might vanish and be made invisible instead of I."

{Oh sweet merciful Jesus, now I'm having flashbacks to Miracle Day} said my mental roommate, Captain Jack Harkness.

I shuddered at the memory. I exist as Captain Jack Harkness in the universe of Doctor Who, and as such, when Miracle Day rolled around, I had to allow myself to be vulnerable to harm while everyone else on Earth became immortal. It was a nightmare of a time, let me tell you. Actually … come to think of it, The Doctor – the Time Lord Doctor, not Fu Manchu – exists in this universe … Oh, bollocks, is all that shit going to happen again? The thought of putting up with Miracle Day again gave me a headache. Maybe Prime can do something about it. Put a stop to it, or something.

That was a nice thought.

"You clearly have a low opinion of humanity, sir," Mina said to Griffin. "No doubt that is why you were so eager to become something entirely other."

"Aheheh," Griffin laughed in that little verbal tick of his. "Not entirely other. I still have human wants. It's simply that my own desires are more … transparent than the needs of other men."

"Griffin," I said, "you have the worst kind of God complex: the kind you can't back up. Now, I'd normally recommend a good psychiatrist, but I honestly think the whole Multiverse would benefit if you were put down as soon as possible."

Although I couldn't see his eyes past his sunglasses, I knew Griffin was passing me a poisonous glare. "You were married once, I hear, Miss Murray," he said. "You'll understand what I mean, I'm sure."

"Invisibitch, shut it!" I snapped at him. "Everyone here has a past, there's no need to keep bringing them up when it's just to mock people."

"Aheheh. Come off your high horse, Verser. I've noticed that you're the only one of us who's on a first-name basis with our lovely leader. What are you trying to do, pick up where her husband left off? How scandalous of you. You're no better than me, in the end – just as prone to your lower urges."

"Stop it, both of you," Mina ordered firmly. "I'll not have you bickering like overgrown children when we have a job to do. As you can see, we've arrived at the teashop. As for my marriage and your lower urges, Mr Griffin, I don't really feel that these are suitable subjects for conversation. I'm sure you'll agree. And Dexter, while I very much appreciate your defence, need I remind you that we are supposed to be working together as a unit? Constantly ripping each other's heads off is going to get us nowhere fast. Now, gentlemen, shall we go inside?"

Griffin and I were both stunned into silence as Mina walked into the shop ahead of us.

"… She is one hell of a woman," I said.

"Indeed," said Griffin.

Choosing to ignore the fact that Griffin had just agreed with me on something, I walked inside, and Griffin followed me. The shop was pretty damn dark, as was most of Limehouse (which I was strongly starting to suspect was some sort of Chinatown during the 19th Century – I couldn't say for sure, because while I lived in England even when I was a human, I've never had many reasons to go to London). It was faintly lighted by a paper Chinese lantern in the corner.

The shopkeeper was the man we had come to speak to, Quong Lee. He was an older Chinese fellow with a little dark hat and a long white beard.

"Mr Quong?" Mina asked.

"I am Quong Lee, purveyor of fine teas," said Quong Lee. "Well, now, what have we here? A pretty lady, and …" he eyed me and Griffin, but his disturbed gaze lingered on Griffin, "… a pair of gentlemen. You have not come for tea, I think."

"You are indeed correct, sir," said Mina. "You were recommended to us by a Mr Campion Bond …"

"Ah," said Quong Lee. "Then perhaps we had best talk somewhere more private. Through here, if you please."

He walked into the back room, and we followed.

"I see that Mr Bond's name is familiar to you," said Mina. "Perhaps you know already why we have been sent here: we seek information on a man they call 'The Doctor.' Though, as I've come to understand, he also goes by Fu Manchu."

There were a few moments of silence.

"He …" said Quong Lee. "… He is known to me."

"You don't seem very keen to discuss him," Griffin accused.

I reached over and held a hand over Griffin's mouth. He tried to pull it away from him, but his strength was no match for mine. "Quiet, Invisibitch, we're at work here," I said.

Quong Lee, for his part, didn't even acknowledge that this had just happened.

"Mr Quong," said Mina, "we need to know this Doctor's whereabouts. It is a matter of direct importance."

"Naturally," said Quong Lee. "With The Doctor, all things are. The waters lap beneath the heavenly bridge. The dragon sleeps below the waters. My advice to you: do not awaken it."

Griffin mumbled something from beneath my hand. Sighing, I released my hold on him so he could speak.

"Thank you," The Invisible Man practically growled at me. "We didn't come here to have our fortunes told, old man …"

"Ignore my colleagues' childish bickering, sir," said Mina, "but can you not be more direct in your advice? What else have you to offer us, save for your parables?"

"Tea," said Quong Lee. "Fine tea."

And so we left the shop.

"Huh," huffed Griffin. "Wisdom of the Orient, my eye! All bluff. He clearly didn't know a thing."

"How did you invent an invisibility formula?" I asked him. "I mean, really? Someone as brain-dead as you invented a piece of revolutionary science … I'm starting to think you're not quite the man you claim to be, Invisibitch."

"Would you stop calling me that!?"

"Men …" Mina muttered under her breath. "Contrary to what you say, Mr Griffin, I think Mr Quong knows a lot more than he can safely tell. All he can do is hint."

"Really?" asked Griffin, incredulous. "I'll wager if I just went back there and took off these spectacles, he'd tell us everything. Besides, what kind of hint was that? All that 'The dragon hovers over the pagoda' nonsense?"

"That isn't what he said," said Mina. "He said the dragon was below the water, and the water …"

"The water was below the bridge," I finished.

Limehouse also contained Rotherhithe Bridge, which was right over the Thames.

Blue Heart's POV

This area of Limehouse was seedy as all hell, but I really hadn't expected anything different. On one hand, I felt very sorry for these people because of the state they were in, but on the other, I knew that people in a place like this wouldn't think twice about stabbing you up for whatever you were wearing, or something as small as maybe glancing at one of them in the wrong way. It was the grim part of London, the part that the Americans always insist on showing in films that take place in 19th Century England (I'm looking at you, Tim Burton!).

"What did she say?" Jekyll asked as Quatermain got back to us.

"No more than she had to," said Quatermain. "She was frightened, like the others we've approached. I told her I was after opium. She mentioned someone called Ho Ling at Shanghai Charlie's."

We started walking through the area.

"Y-You aren't really seeking opium, are you?" Jekyll asked.

"No," said Quatermain. "Rather surprisingly, I'm not. It's a funny thing, but I'd much rather face a horde of screaming Bantus than receive another ticking off from either Miss Murray or Mr Verser."

A smile came across my face. The fact that Quatermain was not craving his drugs on this venture was very good news to me, indeed. Though I suppose adventure in itself can be a kind of drug, can't it? It would go a long way to explaining why Dexter can almost never choose a peaceful world to visit – he just has to go for one where there's danger at every turn.

Still, I suppose everyone has their vices. Mine just happens to be sex.

That's one personality trait Dexter and I share.

"Miss Murray's a rum sort, isn't she?" asked Jekyll. "I can't see what she's doing with notorious types like us."

"Neither can I," said Quatermain. "Apparently, something ghastly happened to her last year, but she doesn't talk about it. She divorced her husband … rather a relief for the poor fellow, I imagine … and now she mopes round in that bloody scarf all day. Infuriating woman."

Jekyll hummed. "Very striking profile, though, don't you agree?"

"She is very attractive in a dignified way, yes," I said. Then, in irritation, I added: "I assure you that Mina is more than qualified to be part of this team. I know about what happened to her last year, and if you did, I know for a fact you wouldn't be as crappy about this as you're being. I'll never understand why women being strong is so wrong to you people! Fair enough, she has a wall up, but would you stop and consider for just one second that it might have been her husband who as the shithead in their marriage? For fuck sake."

Quatermain and Jekyll just stared at me with wide eyes.

"Oh, yes, I'm less likely to keep quiet than Dexter, too."

"… You really are a woman," Quatermain said with exasperation.

"I-Is the opium den very far?" Jekyll asked, presumably to divert the direction of the conversation.

Quatermain seemed to be about to answer when we turned a corner and he paused. "… It's right in front of us," he said. He was looking at a building with a sign that said Shen Yan Barber.

We went in.

Even if I hadn't known this was the place beforehand, I would have known it the second I set foot inside. It brought to mind the opium den in Cairo where Dexter and Mina had found Quatermain, only this one was filled with Chinamen rather than Arabs. It was dark and dingy and everyone seemed to be getting high on something or other. A shiver ran down my spine as we walked through and I felt dozens of pairs of eyes crawling all over my body like vultures who have just found their next meal.

"Are you sure this is the right place?" asked Jekyll. "I'm nervous enough already. I don't want anything setting off one of my attacks."

"Don't let the barber's sign deceive you," said Quatermain. "As I recall, Shen Yan is Shanghai Charlie's real name. As for everything else, just stay calm and follow my lead." He led us to the man at the counter on the far side of the room. "Ah. Noble Shen Yan. I wonder, can you help me? I am looking for my friend Ho Ling. I think that he has something for me."

"Ho Ling is at the rear, consulting with the manager," said Shen Yan. "He must not be disturbed. Ho Ling was not too good a friend of yours, I hope?"

"Was …? Oh, you mean Ho Ling? That dog? Certainly not! It … it was money that he owes me. That's why I was looking for him. In fact, I …" Quatermain was interrupted by an angry-looking man opening the door behind the counter, "… uh …"

The man who came from the back room was holding up a paintbrush with yellow liquid on it that had red smoke coming off it. "Lǎobǎn xūyào gèng duō de shuāzi," he said in Chinese. "Zhèxiē dōu shì rónghuà de. Kàn zhège. Méi yòng de." The boss needs more brushes. These are melting. Look at this. It's useless.

The door behind the man opened just enough to see the flame-lighted room within. There was a fat man – presumably, Ho Ling – who was strung up by the arms with a thinner, older man sat in front of him, painting yellow Chinese lettering onto his chest with that same smoking "paint" that was melting the brush. Ho Ling was gagged and clearly in great pain. The sight of it disgusted me … but knowing that interrupting would likely cause a riot in Limehouse, which may well impede the turn of events, I stayed my hand and swallowed down my disgust.

"Wǒ xiǎng yào lìng yīgè," said the angry man who had come from the back room. I want another one.

"Hǎo ba, hěn kuài, lǎobǎn zài děngdài," said Shen Yan in a panic. "Qǐng yuánliàng wǒ. Wǒ zài zhèlǐ yǒu yīgè xīn de huàbǐ." All right, quickly, the boss is waiting. Please forgive me. I have a new brush here.

"Kuài diǎn, báichī, lǎobǎn zài xiě shī!" Hurry up, idiot, the boss is writing poetry!

I got a good look at what was written in acid on the poor bastard's chest.

The stars are destiny's verse

A man without scars

Is an unwritten book.

It was all in Chinese, of course, but that was what it translated out to. The fact that it merely mentioned "scars" gave me some hope that the poor sod might yet survive this experience, but I had an awful feeling that it was false hope. You didn't get to be the rival of James Moriarty by being merciful, after all.

"Kàn zhège!" said Shen Yan. "Wǒ zhǎodàole yīgè!" Look at this! I found one! He brandished two paint brushes.

"Bǎ tā gěi wǒ!" said the angry man. "Wǒ hěn jí!" Give it to me! I'm in a hurry! He snatched the brushes from Shen Yan. "Zuìhòu! Xià cì zài kuài yīdiǎn!" Finally! Next time, be quicker! He went back into the back room and slammed the door shut again.

"Uh …" Quatermain said uncomfortably. "Well, I can see Ho Ling has more important matters to concern him than my trivial debt. My friends and I had best be going. Please forgive us for imposing on you."

We turned around and started to walk away.

"Wait," said Shen Yan.

As we pulled to a sudden, startled stop, Jekyll's face tightened significantly. It was quite clear he was trying not to let himself get stressed out by the situation.

"Something about your story, sir, does not ring true," said Shen Yan. "To me, you have the look of one with a desire for opium. Ho Ling sold opium. Why do you pretend he owes you money?"

As Quatermain turned back around to talk to the man, Jekyll closed his eyes and started to take deep breaths.

"Uh … forgive me, wise one," said Quatermain. "Truly, nothing can escape your eye. Ho Ling had promised to supply me opium, yet sold me tar instead. It was my money that I wanted back."

"Then why not say so?" asked Shen Yan. "Lying to Shen Yan could leave you and your friend there with your throats cut, and your pretty lady friend the plaything of every man in here."

I suddenly felt a great need to rip this man's balls off and beat him to death with them.

"I … I felt foolish to be gulled by such a trick, like a schoolboy," said Quatermain.

"Ha!" said Shen Yan. "You were right to feel foolish. You deserve to be tricked."

Beside me, Jekyll gritted his teeth as his skin seemed to start squeezing against his skull. His teeth sharpened to a point and he squeezed his eyes shut in pain.

I grabbed onto one of his hands and squeezed. He squeezed back tightly enough that it would have broken the bones in any normal person's hand. "Sh, sh, sh," I said in what I hoped was a soothing tone. "Calm down, Jekyll. Hey, keep calm, deep breaths. We'll be out of here in no time."

"What ails your friend there?" asked Shen Yan.

"H-He's sick," said Quatermain. "He needs opium badly, and he … uh … he ate the tar by mistake."

"Ha ha ha! What idiots you are! Be gone from here, and give thanks that your sorry tale amused us. The next time I see your faces, you won't be so lucky."

I finally decided that enough was enough. Since we were about to leave, I really didn't see the harm in making sure this asshole got at least something that vaguely resembled a punishment. With that in mind, I walked over to the counter, placed a hand on either side of his head, and yanked downwards, smashing his head off the counter with a loud CRACK!

He slumped, unconscious, to the floor.

Everyone in the room was silent.

They were all staring at me.

"What?" I asked as if nothing had just happened.

Everyone went back to taking their drugs and having their conversations. They did so in quite a rush. It amused me greatly.

"You coming, boys?" I asked, walking past Quatermain and Jekyll.

They followed soon after.

"What the Devil is wrong with you two!?" Quatermain asked once we were out. "Jekyll's fidgeting in there was bad enough, but then you just had to go and make a scene like that, didn't you, Verser? Or whatever your name is!"

"I'm Blue Heart, thank you very much," I said. "And you seriously can't be saying that bastard didn't have something coming to him."

"Well, of course, he did, but we're trying to operate under this little thing called discretion!"

"I … I was scared that they might kill us," said Jekyll. "I'm afraid I … I almost lost control. If it weren't for Mr Vers— Blue Heart trying to calm me down, I fear I would have lost control."

Quatermain looked sheepish. "Thank goodness that you did," he said to me. "After what was in that back room, Jekyll going berserk would have been all that we were short of!"

"Why?" asked Jekyll. "What did you see?"

"There was … It's difficult to describe. There was a man being tortured. I assume it was Ho Ling. He must have cheated his masters. They were writing on him. In caustic paint."

"My God," said Jekyll, greatly disturbed. "How horrible!"

"I've seen worse," said Quatermain. "It wasn't the torture that unnerved me. It was the man performing it. I say 'man,' but … Jekyll, he turned to look at me. His eyes were … I'll tell you, that room was very much like hell … and he was very much like Satan."

"I've met Devils," I said. "But just from seeing that one man being tortured, I think Fu Manchu is worse than a number of them."

I let that hang in the air as we continued to walk.

Dexter Verser's POV

We were all sitting around a small table with a map of London on it. Well, most of us were, anyway – Nemo was standing, looking as deadly serious as usual. I'd sent Blue Heart away once we'd all gotten back; there was no need to keep her out at this point.

"So, gentlemen …" said Mina, "… it seems that we have made some headway."

"Well, I suppose if you count almost getting used as writing paper by an Oriental demon making headway …" said Quatermain.

"You saw him, that's the main thing," said Mina. "Now we know he's real. Added to what was learned by Mr Griffin, Dexter, and myself, I rather think we're getting somewhere."

"You mean your fancies concerning Rotherhithe Bridge?" Nemo scoffed.

"They're more than fancies, Captain," said Mina. "Everything makes sense. The bridge was built ten years ago, after the planned tunnel linking Rotherhithe and Shadwell was abandoned halfway through as costly and unsafe. My point is that the uncompleted tunnel is still there, below the river."

"How is that relevant?" asked Quatermain.

"The tunnel had an opening in Limehouse," Mina explained. "When the project was closed down, the land concerned was bought up by a charity. They built a poorhouse there across the entrance of the half-made, useless tunnel. It transpires that the financial backer of this charity is an unnamed Oriental businessman …"

"Fu Manchu has an underwater base …" I said, sighing. "Good God, it's like some sort of espionage adventure novel." Which is very appropriate, now that I think about it, I added in my head.

"And you think this financial backer is our Devil Doctor?" Quatermain asked, incredulous. "Surely there are lots of Oriental businessmen that work in Limehouse?"

"I told her that," said Griffin. "She thinks she's Sherlock Holmes, back from the dead!"

For a second, I came very close to correcting Griffin and telling him that Sherlock Holmes is alive and well … but then I remembered that the events at Reichenbach Fall in this world ended vastly different to any other version I am aware of. All because Moriarty was secretly an agent for the British government and they couldn't afford to let Sherlock figure this out if he were to get out alive. Back when I was a human, I would occasionally wonder about Alan Moore's mental health because of just how bleak he portrayed anything – if any character and/or group had anything negative about them, he turned it up to 11 and, as a consequence, turned pretty much everyone into an anti-hero, anti-villain, or just a straight-up villain. Nevertheless, I could not afford to let slip that Sherlock was still alive and living as a beekeper in Sussex for risk of someone like Griffin letting the information slip and getting the man killed.

I think the only exception in The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen was Mina, come to think of it.

"I think no such thing!" Mina fervently denied. "Rather, it is you men who, typically, are not doing any thinking at all!"

"She's right," said Jekyll. "I think I see Miss Murray's line of reasoning on this. I mean, if this Chinaman has stolen the Cavorite, he's done so for a purpose."

"Exactly!" said Mina. "Thank you, Dr Jekyll. At least someone has considered things. What purpose could the lord of Limehouse have for Cavorite?"

"Don't be ridiculous," said Nemo. "Cavorite is the key to anti-gravity. As Mr Bond pointed out, an enemy of Britain would undoubtedly use it to make lethal airships. We all know that!"

"Where would they make them?" inquired Mina. There was a note of sarcasm in her voice. "The middle of Oxford Street, perhaps?"

"What are you talking about?" Nemo asked as if she were an idiot.

"She was being sarcastic, Nemo," I said. "The fact that you thought she was being serious makes you look like a bloody idiot. Anyway, I think what she's getting at is that there needs to be a lot of fucking space for building ships like that, but there's nowhere near Limehouse with that much space that isn't also easily accessible to the public. It would be downright stupid to try building something like this in a place that exposed. So …" I rolled two fingers around in the air, silently urging the others to use their fucking brains.

I could practically hear the click in Quatermain's head when his eyes widened and he dove toward the map on the table. "God, it's obvious!" he said in shock. "The tunnel! He's building something in the tunnel and so he erects—"

{Hehe, he said 'erects'} said James Adams.

Shut it, I thought to him.

"—the poorhouse right across its mouth to cover it!"

"Hm," said Griffin. "Terribly clever, I'm sure, but how do we get in?"

"Through the poorhouse, I'd imagine," said Mina. "Some of us might pose as beggars and obtain a bed there. Once inside, we could investigate."

"I'll do it," I said. "I'll just have to dirty myself up a bit." I had to repress a shudder. I like being clean.

"Not for me," Nemo said immediately. "No more posing as a beggar or a servant."

"After almost losing control earlier, I daren't take on more undercover work," said Jekyll. "Perhaps if I remained in the background, offering reinforcements if necessary?"

"Very well," said Mina. "That leaves Dexter, Griffin, Quatermain, and myself. We'd best prepare, gentlemen."

I don't quite know how to build up to what I'm about to say next, so I'll just come out and say it: I dressed as a Victorian version of Chester E. Bum from Doug Walker's Bum Reviews videos. The outfit was a dirty brown long-coat that was all ripped up at the bottom, a pair of dirty brown trousers that were ripped at the knees, and the same orange and black beanie that Chester wears, though it was dirty enough to hide the more modern colouring. My normally straight hair was left dishevelled, with some of it drooping over my face. I dirtied my face up a bit for good measure.

As I walked off the Nautilus to meet Mina, I nearly chuckled at the double-take she did when she saw me.

"Well … you certainly look the part," she said.

"I wanted to look convincing," I said. "Trust me, I'm not any happier about this look than you are." Though I do love Chester E. Bum, I silently added.

Then Quatermain showed up in full Peaky Blinders gear. The clothes were old-looking, though, and they did give off the impression that they were the cheapest thing available, so it didn't distract too much. He was holding something long in a bundle of cloth.

"You, too, look suitably haggard, Mr Quatermain," said Mina. "But what on Earth is that you're carrying in your bundle?"

"It's an elephant gun," said Quatermain. "You said I'd best prepare. Well, after seeing that yellow devil at his work this afternoon, I'm prepared. Shall we look for this poorhouse?"

"Of course," said Mina. "Griffin and Jekyll should be in position by now."

"You know you don't need the elephant gun, right?" I said as we walked. "I have a pair of revolvers in my belt under this. Plus, I could probably take apart anyone who comes up against us with my bare hands. We're not exactly in much trouble here."

"This Fu Manchu is an opium warlord," said Quatermain. "Out east, they have entire criminal secret societies in their employ called triads."

"I'm aware."

"This Doctor is the first to export this idea."

"Again, I'm aware. But does that really call for a big gun that has one shot and takes fucking ages to load?"

"Just let me have my comforts, will you?"

I sighed. "Fair enough, then."

"Ah. Look," said Mina, pointing. "There's Jekyll now. Give him the signal so he'll know we've seen him."

"If you say so," said Quatermain. He raised his hat in a greeting gesture to Jekyll, who was standing on a street corner in a suit, looking sophisticated. "I was talking with him earlier. I've never met a man more guilty or more haunted. Not like Griffin …"

"Quite. Mr Griffin seems utterly incapable of suffering remorse. I rather think our so-called 'alienists' could learn much about criminal insanity by talking with him."

"Jekyll has a condition, but Griffin is a psychopath," I said. "Griffin is completely self-obsessed and cares absolutely nothing for others. There really isn't any comparison between him and Jekyll. Hyde is an entirely different subject, but I still don't think his violent tendencies can hold a candle to the pure evil that is Hawley Griffin. Hyde, at the very least, seems like he has to be in a bad mood before he'll kill you."

"Let's hope we never have to find out if you're right," said Quatermain.

"Indeed," said Mina. "Now, here is the poorhouse just ahead. Remember, Dexter and I are a married couple of good character who've fallen on hard times, and Mr Quatermain is my father."

"Yes, Mina, we remember the plan," I said. "It's almost like we heard it ten minutes ago. Oh, wait …"

The small glare she levelled me before she knocked on the poorhouse door told me that my sarcasm was not very appreciated.

As we waited for the door to be answered, I could not help but admire the plaque on the wall beside the door with all the names listed. It likely meant nothing to the people of this universe, but the fact that Alan Moore had found a way to sneak in the names of H. Rider Haggard (creator of Allan Quatermain), Sax Rohmer (creator of Fu Manchu), Edgar Allan Poe (creator of C. Auguste Dupin), Robert Louis Stevenson (creator of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde), Bram Stoker (creator of Mina Murray, known in his book as Mina Harker), Jules Verne (creator of Captain Nemo), and H. G. Wells (creator of Hawley Griffin) was a testament to how good he is at including minor details that have larger meanings. If I weren't currently living out the events of his comic, I would have been fanboying like a lunatic.

The door was opened by a Chinese man. "Yes? What do you want?"

"Please, sir," Mina said in a faux low-class accent. "Me, my Arthur, and my poor ailin' father here was seeking beds, seeing as 'ow we've no place to sleep. Ain't that right?"

"Oh, aye," I said. "It's been a right rough time, let me tell you. Bloody freezin' out 'ere, it is."

"Uh … blimey, yuss!" said Quatermain in what was, I won't lie, the most terrible fake low-class accent I'd ever heard. Luckily, however, it seemed to be fooling the man at the door. "Not 'alf it ain't! Stripe me!"

{Here's hoping this guy never takes up a career in acting} said Jim Kirk.

To be fair, he sounds like Sean Connery, I thought. That must make putting on any voices at all complete hell for him.

"Huh," said the man at the door. He looked between Mina and I. "You married, no be together here. Man sleep one place, ladies sleep different place."

"Naturally!" said Mina. Then, realising her slip-up, she amended, "I-I mean, we are married, but we're not that married, are we, Arthur?"

"Nah," I said, waving a hand in the air. "I'll prolly get along better with me dad 'n law, anyway."

"Very well," said the man at the door. He stepped aside to let us through. "Then is beds here. Remember, in here is no drink. Make mess, you clean up."

"All three of us are tee-total, me and these two," said Mina. "We won't give you any fuss."

"Good, then you follow me and …" The man suddenly made a noise that portrayed shock and a sudden loss of breath as he stumbled backwards slightly. That would be Griffin pushing past him. "W-What …? What that push past? I feel it push …"

"Uh, yes. Yes, I felt it, too. Gust of wind, I expect. Don't you think, Arthur? Dad?"

"Aye, love," I said. "It's just a bit windy out tonight."

"Gust o' wind," Quatermain agreed. "Gor blimey, yuss."

"B-But …" the man sputtered, then took a breath to calm down. "No. No, you right. Just wind. Inside now. You follow me, ladies mans sleeping place."

"You're very kind, sir," said Mina as we were let in. "Isn't he, Arthur?"

"Aye, he's a decent bloke," I agreed.

From there, we were shown to the rooms. Quatermain and I were dropped off in the very first one, while Mina was taken along to the women's quarters somewhere down the hall. I looked around the room we were left in and felt a wave of disgust mixed with pity when I truly saw the conditions the poor were being left in. You remember what the charity collector said about the homeless' opinion of poorhouses in A Christmas Carol? "Frankly, some would rather die." Well, looking at the state of this place, it was easy to see why. The place was filthy and the "beds" we had been promised were little more than worn mattresses scattered about along the floor. Pretty much all the people here looked like they were on death's door. It wasn't a very pleasant atmosphere.

Note to self, I thought. Buy up a shitload of houses and become a landlord. I won't need to charge rent, so this should work out well for everyone.

But that was a plan for another day.

We only stayed in that room long enough for the man to walk away, then Quatermain and I were on our feet and quietly walking out into the hall. Mina was already there waiting for us.

"Well, we're in …" said Mina. "And I think Griffin's in, too. Which way now?"

"Well, I suppose we—"

Shortly after he suddenly cut himself off, Quatermain shoved me forward … and right into Mina. Through the animé logic that the Multiverse keeps throwing at us (which made even less sense in this comic book setting than it normally did), of course, our lips were the main thing that met as we collided with one another. It only lasted a second or so, but in that time, I couldn't help but revel in the soft, moist feeling of Mina's lips. I like to think the fact that she didn't immediately push me off meant she got some enjoyment out of it just as I did.

Mina and I sharply pulled away from each other almost as suddenly as we'd collided with each other. There was an older lady passing us by.

"Oh! Blimey!" Quatermain said in faux shock. "You've caught me daughter and 'er husband at it! It's just a goodnight kiss, mind – they ain't stupid enough to do more while I'm 'ere, eh? Be a sport and don't let on, won't ya?"

"Ooh, don't worry," said the woman. "I was young and 'ad a chap meself, once. You enjoy 'im while you can, love."

"Y-Yes," Mina said with a little stutter. "Yes, thank you. Goodnight."

The woman went to the ladies' sleeping quarters.

And that's when Mina rounded on Quatermain, looking thunderous but with a red face.

"Sir, if you ever attempt something like that again, I shall …"

"Damn it, woman, we were in a jam!" Quatermain argued. "I'm sure Mr Verser liked it no more than you did."

"On the contrary, I've had worse shocks," I said. Quatermain just looked at me with this Work with me so I can get out of trouble look, but I shrugged. "What? I'm not going to lie about it."

"… Let's just see if this place has a rear exit," said Mina. She took a final glance at me, her face red, and started walking.

We were only moving for a little while when we came to the back door we were looking for. Stepping outside, the area was dark and desolate, which was to be expected since it was behind a bunch of buildings. It was easy to see why the area had fallen into obscurity the way it had. It was clear none of the grass had been cut in ages, nor had any of the other plant life. Everything was overgrown or covered in moss. Right under Rotherhithe Bridge, there was an entrance that had plants grown over it, and I knew instantly that was what we were looking for.

"Well, there's the tunnel mouth," said Mina. "I must say, it doesn't look as if it's being used for anything outlandish. It just looks abandoned and overgrown."

"Yes, it does," said Quatermain. "In fact, the tunnel mouth is more overgrown than the rest of this site. Why should that be, do you suppose?"

"It'd look pretty damn suspicious if it was well-maintained, wouldn't it?" I asked. "As abandoned as this place looks, I'm willing to bet there's still some of the homeless population who comes back here sometimes. They don't want some tramp wandering in by accident or because they got curious, do they?"

"I see what you mean," said Mina. The three of us started to walk through the shrubbery and into the tunnel. "These must have been deliberately planted here to mask the entrance."

"Right," said Quatermain. This was just as we came across some collapsed tunnel. "And this builder's rubble seems a bit conveniently situated to my eye. Let's dig a little further …"

We kept on going through. Mina and Quatermain had candles which they carried with them in order to see, but I could see in the blackness just fine. One of the perks of being a Multiverser was being able to adapt my body to certain environments – much like how Blue Heart had switched to infrared when it came to finding Griffin, I could switch my eyes to night-vision at a moments' notice. Of course, it might also have something to do with being a Devil, but whatever. I swear I'm not ignoring details just to make myself look good.

{Liar}

SHUT THE FUCK UP, SKULDUGGERY!

… Moving on.

We reached what would appear to be the end of the tunnel, as any further progress was made impossible by a significant amount of rubble.

"More rubble, blocking the tunnel," said Quatermain. "Perhaps we were wrong after all."

"We have to keep looking, anyway," said Mina. She looked around with her candle. "I think these stairs must lead to one of the tunnel's upper maintenance levels …"

"The fact that there's a light at the top may also be an indicator," I said dryly.

Mina completely ignored me and walked up the stairs. She poked her head around the corner, then immediately withdrew it back again. "I was right," she said in a whisper. "There are Chinese guards up here. The tunnel's obviously being used for something."

"Then we'd best see what, hadn't we?" I said.

We moved up the stairs in a crouch. A guard walked past, and we quickly darted to the opposite side of the lantern-lit corridor, which led straight into another corridor. As we moved, we walked past a room that appeared to be illuminated blue, but Mina and I didn't stop to look. Quatermain slowed for a moment, however, in bafflement.

"Miss Murray? Mr Verser?" he said in shock. "Did you see that chamber? It's got a roof of glass that looks up right through the riverbed. It's unbelievable!"

"I …" said Mina. We had stopped and she was looking at the sight before us in complete shock. "Mr Quatermain, I think you'd better come and look at this … and then we'll discuss what is believable."

Even by my standards, the behemoth of a ship before us was fucking massive. It was no wonder they to build it underground; there was no way they'd have been able to build this thing above ground without it being noticed by every passer-by for miles (probably an exaggeration, but not much of one). The thing was designed to look like a green and purple Dragon and it even had a pair of sharp yellow eyes painted near the top. The white teeth of the mouth were above and below a long window, which I assumed was the bridge. There was a massive cannon jutting out of the front-centre of its "face" and smoke billowing out of its "nose."

Any of my own ships could have ripped it apart several times over, I had no doubt, but it was still an impressive sight.

"We'd best get moving," I said. "We're pretty high up, but if we wait too long, they might see us. Better to move now, I think."

With that said, I moved to start climbing down the scaffolding that would lead us to the lower floors and started the long climb down. I didn't need to, of course, but I thought it better to be discreet.

"We are above an abyss such as Satan's own," said Quatermain, who was just above me. "Pray do not look down, Miss Murray."

"And you, sir, should not look up," said Mina. "You have me at a disadvantage and I trust you'll not misuse our situation. Having penetrated Rotherhithe's abandoned tunnel, we must now endeavour to locate the stolen Cavorite."

"And I've seen hell, Quatermain," I said as we descended. "Several hells, in fact. Some are worse than this, some are better – that thing is just a really big machine, and machines can be broken."

"Let's hope we can climb down the scaffolding before any of The Doctor's labourers spot us," said Quatermain.

"Even if they do spot us, we should be reasonably safe," I said. "If I couldn't shoot well enough to take on these sorry sods, I'd have forgotten the face of my father."

"What?"

"Nothing you need to worry about just now."

We kept climbing down for a little bit longer.

"It can't be much further now," said Mina. "You two realise, of course, our Chinese adversary must intend to steer his dragon vessel straight out through the poorhouse he's constructed at the tunnel mouth?"

"Unbelievable," said Quatermain.

"Not really," I said. "You saw him paint a man with acid. D'you really think he's above killing a bunch of poor people to achieve his goals? The man's a psychopath."

I reached the bottom of the scaffolding and climbed off. Quatermain followed after me, and Mina followed after him.

"Indeed," said Mina. "Any doubts I had about Bond asking that we find the Cavorite are vanished."

"Keep your voices down," said Quatermain. He was peaking out from behind the crates that were so conveniently next to us. "There's construction going on behind these crates."

Mina peaked out, too. "Not really," she said. "From what I can see, they all seem to be far too busy bowing to pick up a hammer."

"What? What do you mean? Let me see …" He stood up a bit and peaked, as did I. True to Mina's words, all of the workers were on their knees, bowing their heads with their arms spread out in front of them like they were worshipping their god. "Oh my God, you're right. In heaven's name, get back behind the crates. Don't let him see you!" He pulled Mina down and we all sat with our backs to the crates.

The thing that had us so desperate to get out of sight was Fu Manchu himself. He was being carried through this God forsaken place on a throne that really demonstrated the man's massive ego. There were two men at the front and two at the back holding wooden poles to keep the throne suspended in the air. There was a very short man in front of them all beating out a rhythm on a drum as they walked.

It's genuinely amazing how a normal human can inspire this much awe and fear in his followers, I thought. Some of our enemies with actual power don't get reactions like this … Slightly terrifying.

"I-Is that him?" Mina asked in a hushed voice. "Is that this Fu Manchu fellow, the lord of Limehouse?"

"Yes, that's him," said Quatermain. "The last time I saw him he was writing on a live man's skin with acid. Please excuse me, but I rather think it's time that I unwrapped my gun …"

"Don't be ridiculous! That stupid thing has one shot and that's it, from what I understand of elephant guns. His hordes would be on us before you could possibly reload."

"I don't care. I'll just feel much happier with it beneath my arm."

"I can understand that," I said. "I feel much more comfortable with my guns on me. It's why I've always got my revolvers strapped to my hips."

"I'm sure we'll be all right," said Mina. We got up and started walking in the direction away from the workers. "This must be some chance inspection that Manchu's suddenly decided on. My guess is that he'll be departing presently. I can't say that I got a proper look at him …"

"Be glad," said Quatermain. "You'd only have bad dreams."

"Mr Quatermain, you do not know me or my history very well. More to the point, you do not have the first idea about my dreams. Dreams that were merely bad, sir, would be a great relief to me. Furthermore, they …"

"Nǐ shì shuí?" Who are you?

The bald guard practically appeared out of nowhere. He was a pale chap with very few teeth, all of which looked like they'd rotted years ago. He was clad in all black with a bright yellow moon symbol on the left side of his chest and several machetes held in holsters around his waist.

"Oh, God, a guard!" said Quatermain, going for his rifle. "He's seen u—"

Before Quatermain could finish, I held my fist up and punched it right in the guard's face. He stood there, silent, for a few moments, then fell down in rather comical fashion.

"It would be very helpful if you didn't go into a blind panic every time we were in danger, Quatermain," I said. "A good whack to the face, that's all it took to solve that problem. Now, shall we move o—"

SCHLICK!

(Play "Charging the Keep" by Audiomachine)

The sound of flesh being cut through froze me in my tracks. I had turned away from the guard to address Mina and Quatermain, yet now I remembered just who had gotten them out of that little jam in canon and how he had done it. Shaking in a fury from what I knew I would find when I turned around, I slowly turned myself to face the corpse of the previously unconscious guard who now had his throat cut open and blood was spilling everywhere … and the bloodied, apparently floating machete which had clearly been taken right out of one of the man's holsters.

"There," said Griffin. "And how are you thr—"

I grabbed the bastard by the throat and shoved him against a wall. The machete fell from his hands in his shock and I could feel in invisible hands clawing at my arm to get me off. It did him no good. This … this SON OF A BITCH just killed a man who was already out! I thought in a rage. Just cut the throat of a man who had no way of fighting back!

"I ought to snap your neck like a fucking twig," I said dangerously as Griffin struggled against me. "That man was dealt with … Why the hell did you do that!?"

"Mr Verser," Quatermain hissed at me. "I understand that what he just did was abhorrent, but please, now is hardly the time …"

{Do it!} that slithery little voice within me whispered. It was the voice of The Darkness, an extra "passenger" I had picked up that gave me a rather large skill in umbrakinesis … with the very large downside that it liked to eat hearts in order to become more powerful. {He deserves it … Embrace your anger … Kill him!}

I did my best to block out the voice, though I didn't release my hold on Griffin's throat and his struggles seemed to be weakening.

"Dexter, calm down," Mina said firmly. There wasn't a hint of panic in her voice – this wasn't a request, this was an order. "Release him."

And much to my own surprise, I did so.

(End "Charging the Keep" by Audiomachine)

I heard Griffin fall to the floor and scramble away from me amidst deep, rapid breaths of air.

"You're mad!" Griffin accused. "Completely, undeniably mad! Didn't you two see it? This lunatic just tried to kill me!"

"And you just cut this poor beggar's throat in his sleep," said Quatermain.

"Aheheh. Would it have been more sporting to do it while he was awake? The man was going to wake up and report your presence eventually. Frankly, I think I saved you three a lot of trouble."

"Griffin," I said coldly. "Shut your damn mouth."

"It's just as well you didn't get any blood on his clothes," Mina said, kneeling down next to the dead man. "Help me get it off him. You can wear it to retrieve the Cavorite, Mr Quatermain."

"Aheheh," Griffin laughed. "My. How admirably callous."

"Shut up, Griffin. You disgust me. You may as well leave this to me, Dexter, and Quatermain. Go and fetch Jekyll. He can provide us a diversion to help get us and the Cavorite out of here."

"Well, if you're certain you can get by without me … I tell you what." He picked up the bloodied machete and stabbed it into a nearby crate. "I'll leave this machete here for you, shall I?"

"Just go!" said Quatermain. "Bring Jekyll here as soon as possible, all right, Griffin? Griffin?"

"He's gone," I said. "And good riddance to him."

Third Person POV

Griffin's breath wheezed out of him as he made his way back through the area to get to where Jekyll was waiting. Damn that Verser, he thought, seething silently to himself. I get that lot out of a jam and the bastard damn near chokes me to death. The nerve! So what does it matter if I killed a man in his sleep? It's not like the bugger would have seen me to fight back, anyway.

Griffin really wanted to kill Dexter Verser.

He really wanted to.

But how would he manage it?

I'll think of something, he thought with certainty. I'll have him dead at my feet soon enough. If I'm lucky, I might even have my way with that little tart of a woman he can turn into.

He pushed his way through a door, leaving a bloody handprint on its surface. He walked until he reached the entrance to the tunnel, then went through the poorhouse. He got onto the street and kept walking until he reached where Jekyll was still standing on the street corner.

"Jekyll …" he whispered.

"AAAA!" Jekyll cried out in shock.

"Oh, for God's sake, Jekyll, don't be such a woman! It's me. Quatermain and Murray need you to create a diversion."

"G-Griffin. Thank God. But … I mean, my diversion. It's just I'm not sure I can … you know. Not just like that."

"We'll manage between us. Come on."

They started walking toward the poorhouse.

"But my condition depends upon my emotions. What if I can't get into the mood?"

"Jekyll, be quiet. Just do your bit."

They walked into the poorhouse. Jekyll tried to put on the most stern-looking face he could, but it wasn't very convincing. Griffin wondered how he had ever been paired up with this idiot.

Jekyll walked up to the man behind the front desk and said, "I … I demand to see the manager!"

The Chinese man looked at him in confusion. "What you want? No manager here."

"B-But I, uh, I really must insist that I, uh …"

"Jekyll," Griffin growled, "in the name of Christ, just hit him!"

"Stop badgering me!" Jekyll snapped at him. "I'll do this in my own way!"

"Mister, you bad in head," said the Chinese man. "You get out now, please. I call help."

As though on cue, two larger Chinese men turned up. "Tā shì shénme?" one of them asked. What is it?

"Bǎituō zhège húndàn," said the man Jekyll had been talking to. Get rid of this bastard.

"There, you bloody weakling!" Griffin snapped. "Now you've messed everything up!"

"Will you stop hectoring me?" Jekyll asked desperately. "I can't think!" The two larger men grabbed him by his arms. "No! Leave me alone! You take your hands off of me, do you hear? I said …" his eyes widened and became bloodshot, "… leave …" he grew visibly taller and his face turned angry, "… me …" he gritted his teeth, "… ALONE!"

Edward Hyde's massive body ripped through Henry Jekyll's clothes and then he grabbed the arm of one of the men who had been holding him and ripped his arm in two, splattering blood everywhere.

The man's screams of pain seemed to pierce the night itself.

And that was before Hyde used his massive sharp teeth to bite the other man's hand off.

"And next time …" Hyde growled, "… if I say I want to see a manager …" he grabbed the man who had been sitting behind the desk, "… then bring … me … the MANAGER!" He bit into the man's neck and pulled with both his arms. The poor sod's screams didn't even get to last very long as Hyde ripped him clean in half and then threw his two halves to separate sides of the room.

"J-Jekyll?" Griffin asked in genuine fear. "Jekyll, i-is that you?"

"Of course it's not, you cretinous freak," said Hyde. "I'm Edward Hyde. A pleasure to make your acquaintance, Mr Griffin."

One of the lanterns that had been on the walls had been knocked off during Hyde's little rampage. Now the fire of the lantern was spreading.

"Uh … w-we need to move quickly. Y-You've started a fire."

"Oh, I can see that, Mr Griffin. I'm not blind, you know."

Was it Griffin's imagination … or was Hyde staring right at him? "What?" he asked, suddenly nervous and paranoid. "What are you looking at?"

"Me? Nothing. Let's get on with the diversion, shall we? Wherever you are."

Hyde started walking through the poorhouse. Needless to say, he was noticed by every single person, but he didn't bother with any of them. Everyone started dashing for the exits either after they'd seen him or after they'd seen the fire. It didn't really matter, so long as they were out of the way.

"Aheh. Good work, Hyde," Griffin said when they were out back. "You really are quite an entertaining fellow once a chap gets to know you. The tunnel mouth is over that way." He pointed.

"Oh? And which way is that?" Hyde asked. "You keep forgetting, Griffin. I can't see you."

"Aheh. Yes, of course. I do apologise. It's right ahead of you. Past that rubble."

Hyde stomped his way through the rubble and plant life that blocked the tunnel. He sniffed for a few seconds and cringed. "Hurrgh! What a hole! It stinks of Chinamen and the river!"

"Really? I can't smell anything … The door's over here. We'll have to be quick if we're to rescue Murray, Quatermain, and Verser."

"Verser," Hyde growled. "Yes, I remember him from Paris. Shoved me out of a window, knocked me out, and abducted me. I don't think there's any great hurry, is there?"

"No, I wouldn't say so. I say, what do you suppose is in there?"

He was looking at a large metal door that he hadn't noticed when coming up this way the first time. It was far too big and thick to be an ordinary door. The fact that it was metal and locked gave the impression that they were keeping someone or something locked away. But the door … It looked like the sort of thing you'd keep Hyde in, and he was hardly a small fellow. Griffin was morbidly curious.

"I haven't the foggiest," said Hyde. He grinned. "Want to have a look?"

"Be my guest."

Hyde walked over to the door and grabbed the massive bar that was keeping it locked. He pulled it to the side with some effort, unlocking the door, and then pulled backwards. The door slid open with a metallic squeaking noise that could only come from a large piece of metal that isn't often moved from its place. Hyde stepped back and looked into the dark room.

There was something in there.

Something big.

(Play "Rise of Storm" by Soundmopi)

It stepped out. Hyde took a step back to allow it room; Griffin took several steps back in fear. The creature was actually bigger than Hyde, though not by very much. In some ways, it almost looked human – certainly, its face was the most human part of it, but with a dark, nearly black colour and glowing, evil red eyes. The fact that this thing was about the same height as Hyde even though it was hunched over was a testament to how big it was. It had long, dark grey fur covering every inch of its massive body and crooked red spikes sticking out of its back in places. Its hands and feet were clawed. Stranger still, there seemed to be lightning sparking from its back.

"What on Earth …?" Griffin gasped.

"You're a hell of a beastie, aren't you?" Hyde asked, grinning.

ROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!

Rather than responding, the creature roared loudly, aggressively. Then it threw one massive clawed hand at Hyde in a slashing motion. Hyde raised his hands and caught this, but he had underestimated the beast's strength. Hyde was knocked back with a jolt as the beast growled at him. The hit knocked him all the way to the other end of the tunnel.

Griffin was suddenly very glad this creature couldn't see him.

"You want to play, then!?" Hyde shouted.

The beast roared at him again and started to stalk toward him.

Hyde walked forward, his teeth bared.

As the two hulking creatures locked eyes, they picked up their speed and full-on ran at one another. As they neared each other, both of them jumped, both intent on tackling the other to the ground.

The two of them met in mid-air and Hyde was knocked back in the direction he had come, now with the creature grabbing him.

As they landed, the beast tightened its grip on Hyde, ten threw him back across the tunnel.

Hyde was now outside, behind the burning poorhouse.

"Damn," Hyde growled as he stood up. He looked at the creature, which was stalking toward him from inside the tunnel, and growled in his throat.

The creature growled back as if in challenge.

Hyde took note of a nearby carriage that looked as though it had been abandoned out here years ago and grinned to himself. He walked over to it, raised his hands, and brought them both down at its centre, shattering the middle parts and breaking it in half. He then reached his hands inside the two halves, grabbed them, and raised them up, turning back toward the creature. It was now running for him.

Good, he thought, and grinned.

As the creature reached him, its claws extended, intent on ripping him to shreds, Hyde brought his right hand round and whacked the creature across the face with one half of the carriage. The creature veered off its path and stumbled to the ground. Hyde hit it again with the other hand, sending it sprawling onto its front. Then again, knocking it a few feet to the left. And again. And again.

Hyde kept this up until the carriage was nothing but splinters scattered around the area.

The creature spat blood, got onto its hands and knees, and growled at Hyde as if to say Is that all you've got?

"Stay the fuck DOWN!" Hyde shouted as he raised his fists to hit the beast again.

The beast took this as an opening and rammed its hand into Hyde's stomach, the spikes on its back sparking. Hyde once again felt that jolt, like being struck by lightning, and went flying back, crashing through one of the many buildings surrounding this place. Luckily, it was empty.

Hyde raised himself to his feet with a grunt. "For God's sake," he groaned.

He got up and charged the beast again. It charged back, once again knocking Hyde back. Hyde hit a wall, and the beast punched him in the stomach, knocking him into it again. Hyde made a lunge. The creature pushed him back into the wall. It put one of its massive arms to Hyde's throat – the thick, harp hairs pricked slightly. Hyde grunted in effort, trying to push it off, but every time he came close, the creature's back sparked again and it pushed harder.

The beast used its massive strength to lift Hyde off the ground. Hyde kept kicking and hitting it in different places, but it never released its grip.

Then Hyde's battle-hunger turned to rage and bloodlust as the creature gained a look of triumph in its eyes and saw fit to roar right in Hyde's face.

Hyde grabbed the creature's arm in his hand and squeezed as tightly as his anger would allow him to, then with a great effort, forced the arm away from his throat. He gritted his teeth at the strain. He did the same with the beast's other arm, actually succeeding in pushing the beast back. The beast's roars were now angry, savage. Then Hyde did something else the beast clearly didn't expect: he let go of its right arm.

With nothing holding is arm back anymore, the beast's hand shot forward and slammed into the wall above Hyde's shoulder.

Still holding its other arm, Hyde raised a fist and punched it into the beast's face as hard as he could. The beast staggered – Hyde still held its arm. He punched again, and again, and again. The beast was bent over from the punches. Hyde released its arm, grabbed its head, and shoved downwards. The creatures face impacted the concrete ground with a satisfying crack!

Knowing it wasn't finished off just yet, and seeing that its back was sparking again, Hyde grabbed one of the crooked red spikes on its back. Immediately, he felt jolts of lightning flowing through him and yelled out in pain, but he kept on pulling at the thing until it ripped from the beast's back.

The beast roared out in pain and immediately stood up, its back to the wall it had just been holding Hyde up against.

Hyde pointed the sharp end of the spike at the beast's face and shoved forward.

The beast had no time to defend.

The spike stabbed through its face and through the wall, nailing it there for the foreseeable future as a geyser of blood shot out of its face and hunched back.

(End "Rise of Storm" by Soundmopi)

Hyde stood there, breathing heavily for a few moments … then laughed. "HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! I don't think I've ever had that much fun!" he announced.

"Is that what you call it?" asked Griffin. He sounded amazed. "This creature very nearly did you in."

"I know! And wasn't it exciting? So blood-pumping fun? I don't think I've ever had a proper fight until now – usually, I just kill people and they don't stand a chance. But this! This was incredible!" He laughed again. "Come on, Griffin, let's go save the other three. That's put me in a good mood, that has."

"Yes … I suppose we should."

As shocked as Griffin was at this turn of events, he was also incredibly curious and fascinated by it. Why had that monster been down here? What was it? Where had it come from? Many questions ran through the Invisible Man's head as he and Hyde walked back into the tunnel to enter the base of the one Verser had called Fu Manchu. There were a lot of strange things happening on this mission, and in spite of how terrifying that beast was – or maybe even because of how terrifying that beast was – Griffin was finding this experience very intriguing, indeed. One might even say enjoyable.

Dexter Verser's POV

The noise that drew most of the men upstairs wasn't quite what I was expecting. I was expecting screams and the sound of slaughter (not something I wanted, mind you, but something that was kind of unavoidable when Mr Hyde was involved). Instead, there was a lot of roaring and a lot of sounds akin to concrete being broken. There was something going on up there that I hadn't foreseen, and in my line of work, that's never a good sign.

I shook my head. I could worry about that later.

Quatermain was fully decked out in the uniform of the poor man whose throat Griffin had cut. I had initially tried to argue against Quatermain going and had volunteered myself, but Mina had pointed out that I would attract more attention than he would simply due to my feminine appearance. Upon reflection, I could see her point. There were no women down here, not among the workers, and one wouldn't expect there to be, either, in the Victorian era. Someone as feminine as myself would likely attract more attention than an older man like Quatermain, so I reluctantly let it slide.

"Some sort of commotion seems to be drawing them away from their workplace," said Mina. "This is your opportunity to find the Cavorite!"

"They'll spot me in an instant!" said Quatermain. "I look like a damned pantomime character! I wish I still had my chainmail shirt …"

"Mr Quatermain, you are far too scarred and hideous to quibble about fashion. We'll find the Cavorite, then get it out of here. Simply do your job, sir."

"Fāshēngle shénme?" a man shouted to another man on the higher levels. What happened?

"Yǒuxiē rén zhèngzài lóu shàng dǎjià," the man on the higher levels said. Some people are fighting upstairs. "Kěwù de yěshòu yǐjīng sǐle!" The Abhorrent Beast has been killed!

Abhorrent Beast …? I thought, dread settling in my stomach. Isn't that a monster from Bloodborne? What the hell is it doing here …? I mean, it's not like it's completely implausible, given the nature of this universe, but still ... Well, at the very least it sounds like Hyde killed it, so I'll worry about that when we're out of here. Still, something's going on and I need to find out what before some real damage is done.

It was a few seconds before I realised that Quatermain was on the move, walking into the "belly of the beast," as it were. He walked into the dragon ship in order to retrieve the Cavorite.

"He's a bit rusty, but you can't deny there's some of the old him still in there," I said to Mina.

"I suppose," she said. "But to read about his adventures for all of one's youth only to find him like this when we finally meet … It's hard not to be disappointed, as horrible as that must sound."

"No, I get it," I said. "They say 'never meet your heroes' for a reason."

"Who says that?"

"Just people. You can see the point, though, yes?"

"Yes, I rather think I can."

We waited quietly for Quatermain to rejoin us.

Surprisingly, it went well. Quatermain walked toward us with the glowing green solid-glass cylinder that contained the Cavorite.

"I've got it," he said. "The workers' attention seems to be elsewhere. Perhaps Jekyll and Griffin's diversion is working."

"What a queer thing," said Mina, looking curiously at the Cavorite. "Is it heavy?"

"No, it's … it's quite the opposite. It makes me feel strange just looking at it."

"Well, think about it, you two," I said. "If the Cavorite was heavy, it wouldn't really be a gravity-defying mineral, would it?"

"I suppose you have a point," said Mina. "Let's get it outside. I'll carry your gun, Mr Quatermain." She took the gun and we started to walk.

"But … the very idea of powered flight!" Quatermain said in amazement. "I know men like Robur and Captain Mors are said to have the secret, but …"

"Sir, please hurry!"

I very nearly smirked. Quatermain's amazement at the idea of powered flight was very amusing, especially considering that I've flown in some pretty high-tech stuff in my time. Plus the fact that I can fly on my own, anyway.

We came across a door with a bloody handprint on it.

"But it's incredible!" Quatermain continued. "This treated glass seems to render it inert. I imagine this bottom plate slides out, directing the energy downwards."

"Oh, for God's sake …" said Mina. "Why are men so obsessed with mechanisms that further nothing but destruction?" The door with the handprint on it opened and a guard made to step out. "Must—"

"Miss Murray! Behind you! It's—"

Mina simply whacked the guard unconscious with Quatermain's elephant gun.

"Yes, yes, all right," she said. "I'm not incapable, you know!"

"Evidently."

We walked through the door only to find that to our left, a bunch of other guards were watching where their fellow had been knocked out. They didn't look too happy about it. The all held machetes and the second they saw us, they came charging at us, yelling. There was quite a number of them.

Quicker than my companions could blink, I whipped my revolvers from their holsters at my hips and started shooting.

BLAM! BLAM! BLAM!

I went for non-lethal shots – shoulders and kneecaps, mostly – and every shot hit home exactly where I wanted it to. My years of Gunslinger training had made my skills with dual-wielded revolvers near unmatched by any in the Multiverse. I fired off the twelve shots that my revolvers allowed, then, rather than reloading and carrying on, I turned around to face my two teammates.

"Let's get a move on, then," I said. "They'll think twice about following us after that, but I don't think we've got long. I'd rather avoid any unnecessary confrontations if it's all the same to you."

"Yes, I rather think you're right," said Quatermain. Then we got moving.

"I … I hadn't imagined there'd be so many of them …" Mina said as we ran.

"Don't worry," said Quatermain. "Griffin and Jekyll's diversion will save us, you'll see. Just a little further … and our path shall be strewn with roses!"

Mina drew to a sudden stop in front of us. "R-Roses? I-I fear you are mistaken, sir … although indeed, the colour is very similar."

The part of me that was amused by Mina's statement was so small that I wasn't even aware of it until later. The sight that greeted me when I looked was horrifying. It wasn't like I didn't see it coming, either, since I had read through all this back in my human life, but still … the image of Hyde standing amidst the corpses of all those men, their blood all over the floor, the walls, and Hyde himself, while Hyde held the torso of a man in one hand and his legs in the other with the poor bastard's hand in his mouth … It was disgusting to look at, even for me.

Good thing Mike isn't here to see this, I thought absently. He hates death more than most people … Hard to imagine how he'd respond to seeing this shit.

"HARRRGHHH!" Hyde yelled through the hand in his mouth. "GRRHA HA HA HA HUURRGH!"

"Oh no!" said Quatermain. "Hyde's gone barmy and our way is blocked from either end! Where the hell is Griffin?"

"I'm here," said The Invisible Man. "What about this chamber?" He opened the door into the blue-lit room we'd seen before.

"But it's a dead end!"

"We don't have any choice," said Mina. "Hyde! Leave those men alone and come here! We need you!"

Hyde turned and glared for a moment, then spat out what was left of the hand and stalked over, ducking to get through the door as the rest of us walked into the room.

"You dare to order Edward Hyde as if he were a dog?" he growled at Mina.

"Dogs, sir, have more self-control!" Mina snapped without a hint of fear. She really is kind of a badass. "Now get in here!"

We closed and locked the door behind us as we were all inside.

"This should keep the devils out …" said Quatermain, "… although not for long. With the tools down in that workshop, they'll have breached the door within minutes!"

"Urrgh," Hyde groaned. "Let them. I can kill the little bastards as quick as they come at me …"

"… And if we do not think of something quickly, they will kill us all," said Mina.

"Aheh. All of us that they can see, anyway," said Griffin.

"Griffin, if it came to it, I'd bloody well kill you myself!" snapped Quatermain.

"Aheheh. Careful, Quatermain. You won't see me coming, you know."

"But I do see you, Invisibitch," I said dangerously, "and if you try anything funny, I'll finish off what I started to do earlier."

"Stop quarrelling!" Mina said suddenly. "I have an idea! If we could break the glass roof above us, we could escape into the Thames."

"Ridiculous," said Quatermain. "We'd drown."

"I wouldn't let you," I said. "Well … not all of you." I didn't need to say anything for the others to know I was talking about Griffin.

"What about the Cavorite?" asked Mina. "Wouldn't it propel us up through the descending water?"

"Well … it might," said Quatermain. "Better than being massacred, I suppose."

"It's a stupid idea," Hyde said, staring up at the glass ceiling above us. "That glass must be so thick that even I couldn't break it!"

"What about Quatermain's elephant gun?" Mina suggested.

The banging outside the door, which had been steadily increasing in volume during the course of our conversation, had reached a new level and was joined by the sound of a lot of metal creaking.

"The door's giving way," Quatermain said urgently. "We have to act quickly. We'll all hang onto Hyde. I'll fire the gun. Miss Murray, you open the Cavorite case."

It was less holding onto Hyde and more him lifting us up, in the end. He had Mina in his left arm, Quatermain in his right, and Griffin was clinging around Hyde's neck. I held onto one of his legs, which looked fucking ridiculous, but it was worth it considering what I knew was going to happen in a few moments. Still, it was slightly embarrassing.

Hyde grunted. "Not so tight around my neck, Griffin!"

"All right," said Quatermain. "On the count of three, I'll fire and Miss Murray will open the case! One … two … three!"

(Play "We Bring the Tide" by Mitchell Broom)

BANG!

The gun fired.

Mina slid the bottom off the case.

And then we were in water.

It's an odd feeling, propelling up through the water like that. Whereas air whips at you and does little to stop your ascent, water, especially water that's already acting as an opposing force, seems almost like it's trying to stop you from moving. And with how ill-prepared one would be for such an event as this, keeping a breath once you've got it is next to impossible, so you'll feel the water invading your every orifice – thank God I can breathe underwater. And luckily for the others, the Cavorite was propelling us upwards at a speed so fast that they didn't need to worry about drowning for too long.

Within a few seconds, the water was spilling off us in torrents as we shot out of the River Thames and into the skies above the city of London. The Cavorite left a great green beam in our wake as it propelled us upwards through the bottom of its case. I could feel the whipping of the air drying me off as we flew (and I also briefly noted that the poorhouse was no fire).

"The container!" Quatermain yelled as we continued to ascend at a rapid pace. "For God's sake, shut the container!"

Still gripping Griffin's leg and dangling below everybody, I made my move. From my back sprung a pair of Dragon wings which were black in colour and had a few red scales where the bones were under the skin. My Dragon blood was a little something I picked up in the world of High School DxD. I flapped my wings and pulled downwards. It didn't stop our descent – the Cavorite was surprisingly very powerful – but it slowed us enough that the others stopped panicking, though I don't think they realised that themselves. To tell you the truth, I don't need the Dragon wings to fly, they were just useful for providing extra resistance against the Cavorite's pull.

"I'm trying!" Mina said. "It won't …" the Cavorite case slid shut at last, "… budge …"

And then everyone was falling.

I kept hold of Hyde's leg, so when he fell, he just ended up dangling upside down in my grip.

"Grab the others!" I said to him.

I flew down quickly and got Hyde level with Mina. He grabbed one of her arms in his hand, which was good enough. I then flew him over to Quatermain and the same thing happened. I could see Griffin falling, but since he was going to land in the river, I really didn't see the need to do anything.

Has it come across yet that I really hate that invisible cunt?

(End "We Bring the Tide" by Mitchell Broom)

On the Nautilus about half an hour after all this, Campion Bond was addressing the lot of us. There was a makeshift dummy on the sofa with a dressing gown on, bandages wrapped around its head, and a pair of sunglasses over its eyes.

Only Nemo and I were aware that it wasn't Griffin.

"Marvellous," said Bond, holding the Cavorite in its case. "Simply marvellous! You've done splendidly. Professor Cavor will be delighted … as, of course, will my superior, Mr M."

"And our payment?" asked Mina.

"It will be deposited in your special bank account, as promised. We'll be in touch if you're needed until then. Miss Murray. Mr Verser. Gentlemen."

He left the ship.

"Supercilious little pog's pizzle," Mina said once he'd gone.

Quatermain gave a small laugh. "For once, Miss Murray, I agree with you. What about you, Griffin? You've kept uncharacteristically quiet. Griffin? What's …"

One bump against "Griffin" was enough to topple the dummy over and reveal exactly what had been sitting there this entire time.

"What in heaven …?" asked Quatermain.

"B-But … where is he?" Jekyll asked shakily. "Where's Mr Griffin?"

"He followed Bond," I said. Everyone looked at me. "I saw him following Bond, and for once, I didn't feel the need to stop him. I don't trust Bond as far as he can keep a diet up."

Nemo nodded in agreement. "And that's why I sent him," he said.

Third Person POV

Campion Bond walked through the streets of London with the constable who was acting as his current bodyguard. They kept on walking until they came across a building with a sign outside on a golden plaque which read: Her Majesty's Military Intelligence Division 5. The constable stood in front of this sign and turned around, as was customary, as Bond continued to walk into the building. He kept walking until he reached the office of his superior, M. He made to knock, but the door to the dark room slid open.

"Ahh, Mr Bond," said M., who was stood staring out his window with his hands behind his back. "Do come in. I've been expecting you."

"I, um … I have the Cavorite, sir," said Bond, placing the case on M.'s desk. "My special unit retrieved it."

"Good. And the so-called lord of Limehouse, how is he?"

"The Rotherhithe Tunnel flooded during the operation, as did much of Limehouse. He may be dead, sir."

"Ha, ha. No. No, not dead … but thwarted, certainly. In a weakened position. Tell me, Bond, does your little group have any idea who they're working for?"

"I fear Dexter Verser knows more than he's saying. He's proven to know an awful lot of things I haven't told him so far."

"Dexter Verser is a moot point. Our new friend has assured me that he will be taken care of sooner or later. What about the others? Do any of them suspect anything?"

"No, sir. I mentioned a Mr M. Miss Murray – the Harker woman – has assumed that you must be Mycroft Holmes."

"Ha ha ha ha!" M. laughed raucously. "Oh, that's good. That really is terribly good … but 'M' can stand for a great number of things, can it not?"

"Uh, yes, sir. Yes, it can. I'll deliver the Cavorite to your engineers at once, sir."

"Oh, come now, Campion, old chap …" The balding, aged face of Professor James Moriarty finally turned to face Bond in the dimly lit room. "It's James. Call me James."

I once again apologise for any shitty translations.

So, an Abhorrent Beast from Bloodborne makes an appearance. This is the first of many additions you'll be seeing in this story, ladies and gentlemen. Like the removal of the massive timeskips. Rather than jumping ahead 50 years or so like canon does on occasion, I fully intend to take advantage of this world where all fiction in our world is the reality. Just you wait until the Mollusc invasion arc if you want to see something interesting.

Now, before I go, I'll answer the reviews I've gotten so far.

Hero of the Multiverse: Thank you, my friend. Nice to know you approve.

ZenithBloodedge: Cheers, mate. It'll be an interesting one, to say the least.

Guest: Well, I hope this second chapter has held onto that attention, dear reader.

That's all, folks! See you next time!