Taken In Again
Disclaimer: It's a fanfiction, what do you expect? I own whatever wasn't invented already.
Although the league was weary of my reliance to them, it eventually went away in time. Mina still never seemed to like me anyway, but honestly I didn't care. I don't blame her, though. I mean, how would you feel if someone cast a spell on you to get your man?
But still, I'm not exactly convinced that Henry is completely…enjoying his relationship with Mina. And that's not the jealousy talking…it's my instincts. You should see his expressions. They look too…I don't know…uncomfortable?
But anyway, we were on our way to Kenya when we made a pit stop at the coast of Douala, Cameroon. There, at the coast, there was a big commotion going on. A bunch of people were crowding up to see something. Captain Nemo seemed to be the most interested in the event. As we got closer through the crowd, we realized the attention was coming from a man who had visited, telling the tales of his adventures. His name was Samuel Ferguson.
Oh! I know him! He was the owner of the Victoria, that large hot air balloon. It seems as if that's what he came there for. He was telling of his exploration over Africa; what he saw and did I guess. He told the Cameroonians about the time when their balloon was being pulled by the tusks of an elephant, and the time when some tribe had mistaken them for gods. I remember those parts from the book. Then I remembered that Nemo's story was written by the same author, Jules Verne. No wonder he was the most interested…or knowledgeable of Ferguson for that matter.
"Doctor Ferguson!" he exclaimed, raising his arms in a 'good-to-finally-see-you-again' manner. To be honest, it surprised me.
"Why, Captain Nemo! So good to see you!"
Mmm. I was right. The league looked the most confused, and even more confused as to why I wasn't. I whispered to their direction. "Samuel Ferguson…captain of the Victoria."
Some of the members nodded.
"How is she?" said Nemo. I'm guessing he was talking about the balloon.
"Beautiful as ever. What brings you here at Cameroon?"
"Pit stop. We're on our way to Kenya, to visit a friend's grave."
"I see." Samuel glanced over to the league, and made his way over to us.
"Samuel Ferguson." He introduced, bowing.
The captain introduced for us.
"Samuel, this is Dr. Henry Jekyll, Mina Harker, Rodney Skinner, Alisha Dover, and Tom Sawyer."
Samuel seemed to be puzzled. "Dr. Jekyll…why, I've heard you were dead!"
Henry made a very exasperated face. "Well apparently not if here I stand." He said calmly.
"Yes I can see! Such a strange story…and strange creatures I see." He looked over Rodney. "And what an eccentric fellow we have here!"
Rodney also made a funny face. "You ever hear of Hawley Griffin?"
"Why yes, I believe so. Isn't he the fellow who discovered the means to become invisible?"
Rodney took off his glove and illustrated his ability. "Let's just say I'm next of kin."
"Marvelous!" the captain touched the invisible hand.
Before Doctor Ferguson could finish his excited expression, Captain Nemo exclaimed the rest of the league.
"Mr. Sawyer here is a member of the American secret service. And Mrs. Harker here is a superb chemist."
"Oh, spectacular! It's been so nice to meet all of you! Tell me, what brings all of you extraordinary gentlemen together?"
I raised my eyebrows to the term 'extraordinary gentlemen'.
"We're actually called that…The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen. We're assigned to protect her Majesty's British Government." Tom cut in.
"Her Majesty's British Government? Nemo! Well, I wouldn't have expected this much from you!" Ferguson's expression was completely baffled.
Nemo bowed his head. "All in time, my friend; evils…and people change."
"Well, that's splendid to hear." He looked to us. "My dear friends, did you say it was Kenya you were to visit?"
"That's right." said Mina.
"Well perhaps you would like to travel the distance in my Victoria? I'm sure you would take pleasure in the experience." Captain Nemo seemed grateful. "She's not too far off. I can blow her up if you'd like."
"That would be very kind of you, Doctor. Thank you."
Samuel Ferguson walked off in the distance. Tom squinted his eyes in puzzlement.
"Did he say…blow up? Why is he going to blow up his own ship?"
Captain Nemo laughed; and to his own surprise, so did I.
---
It was about a half hour since Samuel Ferguson left us when he came back, ready for us to board. Captain Nemo seemed, once again, eternally appreciative. He led us to the Victoria, which he said was just over the hill in front of us.
"It's such an honor, Samuel…to be off to Kenya by her beauty."
"No need, no need my friend…just have her back to me when we part again." He smiled.
Mina started. "I wonder…how could a ship be on land?" she meant to only speak with Henry, but apparently Ferguson must have heard, because he turned to her and smiled, as we reached the top of the hill. The league, besides me and Nemo of course, all gave extremely amazed expressions…Mina, especially. She had just finished her sentence when her eyes met up with the balloon.
"My God! What on earth is that?"
"Hold her, hold her!" Samuel Ferguson shouted across to his creation. "She was crafted for my explorations over Africa. Her name is Victoria." He then said to Mina, personally.
"She's incredible! But surely you don't propose we board?"
"Why of course, Mrs. Harker. You will unquestionably reach Kenya in a matter of good time, rather than having to go all around that of South Africa."
Captain Nemo nodded, and we walked slowly down the hill with a glorious gaze upon us.
We boarded one by one, onto the balloon's basket. We had to duck, so not to hit the burners. I was excited, to tell you the truth. I've never been on a balloon ride before! Especially across several African countries. The rest of the league was a bit anxious. I mean, they've never been on, yet even seen a hot air balloon before. And I must say the Victoria was quite a balloon for our first ride.
Once we were all inside, Samuel Ferguson lifted us off. I have to admit I was a little frightened…anxious on how we'd get back down and all that. But at the same time I was extremely excited…and besides, I had the league with me…what could possibly go wrong?
…
I shouldn't have said that…with all the action we get around us, it's only a matter of time when I would have jinxed us…again.
---
Surprisingly nothing did go wrong with the balloon ride. The view was spectacular, really, during our voyage to Kenya. There was some speaking between the league, but not much went on. I was looking over the sides to the vast valleys of Zaire, I believe, when I remembered the dagger I bought in Egypt, after me pleading that nothing would go wrong with our ride. I had it with me, actually. It was in my holster. I took it out, and held it over my gaze. For everything I knew about Egyptian curses, the only thing I can tell myself was, 'How stupid! To buy a dagger in which the vendor was desperate to get rid of! Ugh! Why me?'
Rodney seemed to notice my pathetic, self-doubting expression, because he came to me with his own curious expression, reaching his arm over my waist. Immediately nervous, I shook the arm off, as much as I wanted it to be there…having to keep the whole 'secret' thing, that is. He seemed to understand.
"What's that?" he asked.
I hesitated for a moment, looking at the thing. "History…" I said, finally.
And with one last look, I tossed the thing over the edge of the basket, causing it to fall out of our lives, cursed as it might be. And by symbolizing the dagger as a leave for any more bad events, I must say…I felt pretty good about the future for the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen.
---
We arrived to Kenya about two hours later, and landed in the same town this Allan Quatermain was supposedly buried. It was a small town, I realized. Just some small homes stood, several people and animals roamed around, small markets existed, and a large building was being built. I would guess that was the place where the white men chilled out. We landed nicely on the field; Nemo knew how to work the balloon pretty well, I noticed…considering that he was the one who set us down, made an effort on our navigation, etc.
But anyway, the weirdest thing happened. We were walking to the grave when Tom noticed it first. He automatically saw something wrong with the grave, because he ran to it with a very…like…defensive or troubled kind of look. When we caught up with him, Mina was the first to ask.
"What is it?"
Tom frantically looked all about the grave. Rodney whispered to me that Tom left his Winchester rifle on Allan's grave before they had left his funeral weeks back. I knitted my eyebrows in frustration.
"Somebody take your gun?"
I was perplexed. Of course he must have guessed someone would have taken it sooner or later.
Tom stopped for a second. He looked at Allan's grave, then to all the other ones.
"It's not the gun I'm worried about…"
We didn't seem to catch on.
"Look at all the other graves…look at the dirt pattern." He ran to another random grave and established it with his arm.
"Dirt…pattern?" I said.
"Look at this grave, and then look at Allan's. It doesn't fill to the top. I mean, isn't the way how the dirt is piled…I don't know…seem to be off a bit?"
We studied the two graves.
Henry was the second to notice it. "You're right…it's different…it's almost as if…"
"As if someone dug him up, then put back the dirt?" Tom finished…and Henry nodded.
"But how do we know for sure?" asked Mina.
"Well…" I sighed. "There's only one way to find out." I looked up to Tom. "May I?"
He seemed surprised. "Can you?"
I nodded. He nodded back.
With a rise of my hands, the dirt from inside the grave rose in the air above us, all separated so we could search for the body that wasn't there.
The league looked back down in the grave, all of us in unison. The body wasn't in there, either.
Before Mina could finish asking: "What could have happened to hi—", Tom ran off.
I ran after him once the dirt was back in its rightful place, and Rodney followed me. Tom went to one of the white men near the building-in-progress. I was told his name was Bruce, the former bartender of the previous building, which was apparently blown up…? I'm just gonna take a wild guess and say it had something to do with Allan.
Anyway, Tom came to Bruce completely hectic.
"You were a friend of Allan Quatermain?" he asked him.
Bruce looked to him for a few seconds, squinting his eyes from the hot African sun. Either he was trying to recognize who he was, or he didn't hear the question.
"Who's askin'?"
"Agent Tom Sawyer of the American Secret Service, and member of the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen. We accompanied Allan on the mission before his death?"
"Oh that's right, you guys. Nice of you to drop by. Must be visiting Allan's grave, then?"
"Right. Although, I came to ask if the grave had any contact since the funeral?"
"Contact, my boy?"
"Yeah…like…um…" Tom scratched his head, not knowing what to say. I thought I would cut in.
"Was the body ever dug up?"
Tom turned to me with a provocative look. Bruce seemed to be surprised.
"Dug up? No, not of my knowledge. I don't see why any body whatsoever would want to dug up one's grave."
"Hm. Neither do we…" I said. Bruce looked confused.
Just then, the four of us were startled by two men in a fight being pushed out the doors of the building…or what parts of the door were there, anyway. It was a big fight, they were having. The one who pushed the other out the door pushed him again. Then the other one pulled out a knife, and to all our surprise, stabbed his rival in the shoulder area…just above the heart, I'd say. The rest of the league had now come over to see what all the commotion was about. The man with the knife was about to pierce his stabbed opponent once again when we all heard a gunshot. And the man with the knife made a face, taking in the pain as he fell on his knees, then on his stomach…dead. We all just looked at him for a second or two, then up to the shooter. It was a man with a stern face; dark brown buzz cut kind of hair, and an elongated moustache, resembling the one kind of like Joseph Stalin. He wore a long, dark green coat and black boots. He stood there, gun still in place from the shot.
…
It was a Winchester.
The league's faces were stunned. I knew they had recognized him.
"Allan?" Mina exclaimed.
Allan lowered his rifle, still smoking a bit at the tip, and looked at each one of us, one by one. When he reached me he gave a long look, almost as if to remember if I was in the league with him from before, perhaps.
…
Yeah I don't think that was it.
His gaze went back to Mina, and he smiled.
Sigh. I guess the league just gained a long lost member, then.
Tom was completely stunned.
"H-how…"
Allan raised an eyebrow.
"But…but you…you were dead…and a lot older…and…"
Allan raised his hand.
"Africa kept its promise."
The league gave understandable expressions…I didn't get it.
"Okay…but how come you're a young chap, now?"
"I guess I was…reborn…"
Rodney shrugged, supposing for it to make sense…considering we were extraordinary gentlemen, anything could be possible.
Young Allan looked to me. I smiled embarrassedly.
"And who might you be?"
"Alisha…Dover." I slowly nodded, seeming to slightly rock on my heels.
Allan looked to Nemo. He noted my importance. "Alisha is a witch. She accompanied us on a previous mission we were assigned to." Nemo walked closer to Allan, reaching his arm to his shoulder. "I should fill you in…much has happened in your absence, my friend."
Okay…so the league gained a zombie…a dead man back from his grave.
…
That's a little creepy. Just saying…
Nemo and Allan had their private conversation for about five, ten minutes…I don't know…it seemed long. Nemo then turned to us. Allan looked at me.
"Where's this flying device of yours?" he asked curiously. I sighed.
I took out my signaling device, a little button keychain thingy. Very useful. Pressing the button, it made a beep, and the green light flashed on and off, on and off. This indicated that the broom was on its way here.
I smiled to Allan. "It's coming." My broom, now fixed from the fall in Norway, was in the Nautilus. And I had no idea if the Nautilus was on its way here, or still by Cameroon. It shouldn't matter, though. It can fly pretty fast.
The league all silently chatted with one another during the time. Allan was looking at me for quite a while…getting…very…creepy. I glanced over to him, but apparently his gaze had left me and had gone to Mina. His expression was soft and gentle. Almost remembering a pleasurable memory.
OH MY GOD. THAT'S IT.
This could be my chance! Rodney once mentioned Mina saying to Tom she didn't take the qualities 'young' and 'sweet' in high regard. And I had joked with him saying she must then like mean, old guys.
Heh…that's pretty funny.
But anyway, Allan was old…and seems mean enough.
Hmm…yes…this can work.
I walked over to Allan, and took him in secret. He seemed curious as to my direct approach.
"Hi, Allan…I'm gonna ask you something, and I want you to give me an honest, straight answer, if you can."
"That depends on what you're asking." His Scottish tone was hard.
"It's about Mina." I had to whisper the last part, placing my hand on his shoulder, trying to keep it private between us.
He seemed surprised. "What about her?"
"What is she like? You must know her somewhat, considering of your experience with her. What are your feelings for her is what I mean."
He raised an eyebrow. "Why do you ask?"
I smiled. "That's for me to worry about and you to ignore."
"She's a vampire." He said straightly.
"Yeah…I know."I could tell I was pressing the question; restless for my answer.
"Okay, then."
"Allan…I need to know. What was your relationship with her?"
The 'Great White Hunter' sighed. "We weren't close, if that's what you're asking. I don't take great pleasure in having woman along with me on exploits." His face was stone cold. I knew he didn't like me already.
"You don't like me, do you?" I looked at him with the same expression.
"I never said that. I'm just not used to being around women that can actually be of use during the job."
I kept cold, and my eyes must have flickered color, for he made a very startling expression. In response I raised my head a bit, to look him more in the eye.
"Well…whatever...I must confess, that's hardly the impression I'd received from her."
He raised his eyebrow.
"To tell you the truth, I think she's rather smitten with you…"
Allan widened his eyes, and glanced over to Mina. During that time, I heard a beep come from my signaler. I took it out, and it was flashing red now. This meant the broom was closing in. I stood up and looked around the fields around us. Off to the east I could see it coming toward us, fast as a missile. When it neared us, I pressed the signaler again, the broom slowed and lowered, I swung my leg over, and I got on. It rose up as I looked back down to Quatermain. He looked around to find me, so I whistled to his attention. He was more than surprised to see me floating in mid-air…and on a broomstick.
"Just saying!" I yelled, and off in the distance I went.
---
We all finally got to the Nautilus a while later. Being in my cabin now, I've been pretty bored, I'll tell you that much. I thought what I told Allan, about Mina being smitten with her. Ugh! I shouldn't have said it. This always happens to me! Even in this world, I'm a screw up! Gahh!
Well, I found my book on Egyptian history and started to look through it. I skipped all over, but stopped at the section of Cleopatra. Something had caught my eye…
It was the dagger.
There was a passage underneath it, so I read without hesitation.
…
I would have guessed this much…you know what it said?
The jeweled dagger was a priceless heirloom of Cleopatra herself…stolen from the tomb years ago and never to have seen again. It was told that the stolen dagger was passed down from the thief's family in order to hide it, and there was also a possibility that the family wanted to get rid of it, out of fear of being caught and killed.
So it wasn't cursed.
Just priceless.
…
Did I ever mention that I hated my life?
…
Huh…guess it curses the owner after all.
I mean…it was priceless.
And I threw it over the edge.
Oh yeah…that's priceless alright.
I sighed. I'm sick of this already.
Rummaging through my case of clothes and supplies, I found my portaleiver…
And I urged so bad to press the button…