Adeline and Quartermain retrieved their things from Mr. Reed who assured them their bags would be taken to their transportation which Nemo was providing. Outside it was still raining and a large something with four wheels was waiting for them. "What in God's name is that?" Quartermain demanded.
"I call it an automobile," Nemo answered.
"Yeah, but what is it?" Skinner asked.
Adeline glanced at Nemo through the rain, "Is it a combustible engine? But you've outfitted the exterior quite stylishly?"
Nemo smiled slightly at the delight in her brown eyes and the confusion in the eyes of the others, "The future, gentlemen. This is my first mate."
The tall, thin man with a cap nodded to them with a slight bow, "Call me Ishmael. Please."
Ishmael opened the door for them and the four crawled into the seats. Seeing as there was only room for three on one side, Adeline was forced to sit across from them as the automobile began to move. She was used to riding backwards in her uncle's carriages, with and without horses.
"So, how did M get you?" Skinner asked Quartermain after a few minutes of awkward silence.
Quartermain barely glanced at Skinner before responding stiffly, "None of your business."
"You're a little testy, Mr. Q," Mrs. Harker informed him.
That comment forced Quartermain to look away from the window and turn toward the woman, "Mrs. Harker, I doubt if you measure danger the way I do."
Mrs. Harker wasn't fazed. She gave him a tight, taunting smile, "And I imagine you with quite the library, Mr. Quartermain; all those books you must've read merely by reading their covers." Adeline stifled a giggle at Mina's quip.
"I've had women along on past exploits and found them to be, at best, a distraction," Quartermain informed her with a wry smile.
Mina's eyes widened ever so slightly, "Do I distract you?"
"My dear girl, I have buried two wives and many lovers and I am in no mood for more of either," Quartermain denied glancing at Adeline as well.
"You can send them my way, if you like-" Skinner spoke up.
Adeline kicked the invisible man in the shin, effectively cutting him off, "Skinner, shut up."
Mina tore her gaze from Quartermain to Adeline, "So, Miss Fogg, correct? I heard you uncle has fallen ill?"
The younger woman nodded, "Yes, he has. However, he is stubborn and eccentric and cannot be deterred from his passion."
"Does he know you are here? Risking your life?" Mina asked.
Adeline nodded with a small smile, "Who do you think convinced me to take a chance on an adventure?"
"Still you are very young. Why join the League?"
"In all honesty, Mrs. Harker, I'm not entirely sure why I was invited in the first place but I can assure you, I can handle my own matters," Adeline replied truthfully. Mina nodded, apparently satisfied with Adeline's answers and grew quiet.
Soon enough they came to a small neighborhood on the river's eastside near the docks. Everyone exited the car and gazed up at the house of their next recruit. "Shall I stay here, Captain?" Ishmael asked Nemo.
"No, bring my lady to me," Nemo ordered. The five ambled to the door of their recruit's house.
"This is a charming spot," Skinner observed sardonically. "Does Jack the Ripper live here?"
The invisible man was ignored as Quartermain tapped the door knocker. A pair of brown eyes looked through the peephole before the door swung open revealing a well-dressed man with long dark hair. "Good evening."
"Mr. Dorian Gray?" Quartermain requested.
"I am indeed," the man replied suavely.
"We came by way of M."
The man smiled crookedly, "Ahh, M for mystery. Well I've told him and I'm telling you: I'm not interested."
"Dorian," Mina greeted the man. He noticed her and a look of complete surprise washed over his face.
"Mina?" He then opened the door fully to allow all of them inside.
The interior of the house was dark and lacked in color. "Charming décor," Skinner perceived as they followed Gray up the stairs.
"You're missing a picture, Mr. Gray," Quartermain notified the man pointing out a bare spot on his wall.
Gray didn't even glanced at the wall, "You never miss a thing, do you, Mr. Quartermain?"
"Oh, sometimes," Quartermain insisted
Gray led them into quite the library that was lavishly furnished but still felt cold, like the rest of his house. Skinner, of course, immediately noticed the alcohol and removed his hat. "Scotch, anyone?"
"Please, help yourself," Gray waved him off sounding slightly annoyed by Skinner's lack of manners.
"Don't let it ruin your make up," Mina told the invisible man causing Adeline to chuckle as she perused the book titles lining the shelves.
"I'm impressed, Mr. Gray. You take Skinner's uniqueness in your stride," Nemo commented appreciatively but with a hint of suspicion.
Gray fluffed his gray suit jacket and sat down in his armchair, "Yes, well, I've seen too much in my life to shock easily. Although I must say I was surprised to see you again."
"When our last parting was such sweet sorrow?" Mina questioned causing a few of the league members to raise their eyebrows curiously.
"Oh, so you're nothing more than an enticement. Nevertheless your presence intrigues me." Gray then turned his attention to Adeline who was pouring over a fascinating astronomy book. "How is your uncle faring, Miss Fogg? I haven't seen him out and about in many months."
Adeline returned the book to its designated spot on the shelf, "He despises being kept inside all day but refuses to give up his love of inventing despite his deteriorating condition."
Gray merely nodded in a sort of understanding before glancing over at Quartermain, "They say you're indestructible, Quartermain."
"Well a witch doctor did bless me once," Quartermain replied evading giving an actual answer easily. "I had saved his village. He said Africa would never allow me to die."
"But you're not in Africa now," Gray pointed out.
Quartermain still held his stern expression, "No."
"I confess a curiosity as to what the files say about Mr. Gray," Nemo spoke up glancing around the room quizzically. "We, all of us, have trades useful in this endeavor. A hunter, a scientist, an inventor- even Skinner has stealth."
Said invisible man raised his glass of Scotch, "Cheers."
Nemo ignored Skinner's comment and focused back on Gray, "What have you?"
"I have experience," Gray answered peculiarly without explanation.
"Gray and I have met before," Quartermain announced. "Many years ago at Eton College."
"A lecture, no doubt," Mina added. "You the nation's hero, Dorian the eager listening boy."
Quartermain shook his head, a small smirk appearing on his face, "Quite the reverse. It was Gray visiting Eton…and I was the boy." That certainly caused everyone to look over at Gray curiously and mystified at the obvious age difference.
Suddenly, Quartermain stiffened and drew a pistol from inside his coat. "What is it?" Adeline asked her fingers creeping toward the hidden buttons inside her coat. About a dozen or so masked men appeared in the rafters pointing large, bulky guns trained at the six of them.
"Gray?" Quartermain questioned turning to the owner of the house who had risen from his chair.
"They're not mine," Gray replied to the underlying question.
"Then whose are they?" Adeline demanded studying the men above them, mentally calculating the possibilities of winning a fight. It didn't look good.
"They're mine," a raspy voice answered as a masked man in a fur coat appeared at the top of the stairs to the rafters.
Quartermain turned to the newcomer, "First meetings usually warrant introductions."
"Of course," the man agreed. "I am the Fantom. You are the League of the so-called Extraordinary Gentlemen. Introductions made." Their designated enemy stepped down a bit. "Oh, and I am scarred, Mr. Quartermain, not blind. Drop the gun." The sound of metal hitting wood filled the room as Quartermain did so. "Your mission is to stop me. That, of course, I cannot permit. So I give to you all special one-time invitation. Join me."
"You think we will help start a war that will consume the planet?" Nemo questioned the Fantom dubiously.
"While you profit from your arms race?" Adeline added disgusted that he actually believed they'd help him.
The Fantom continued down the steps, "I cannot deny that fortunes are made in war." Adeline noticed a new masked man appear up in the rafters with the others. He looked different from the others, particularly the protruding blonde hair, and had a different gun as well. "Imagine the riches a world war will yield."
"He's not wrong," Skinner pointed out.
"Speak for yourself," Gray told the invisible man.
The Fantom approached Quartermain slowly. Adeline tensed, unsure what their enemy was going to do. The masked villain simply kicked Quartermain's gun away back behind one of the mountainous shelves. Adeline noticed Quartermain glance up at the straggler minion that looked different from the rest and instantly the new man with blonde hair started shooting at the other men in the rafters. Adeline smirked and pressed the buttons inside her sleeves causing two pistols to shoot into her hands. The fight was on.