Chapter 3
They were driving down a back alley way it seemed like. They sky was dark and clouded, giving the area a scary and mysterious presence.
The tension in the car wasn't much better. Everyone was packed in and didn't have a lot of breathing room, except for Layla.
"So, how did M get you?" asked Skinner.
Layla turned towards the window. She knew her father had a limit to questions, and Skinner wasn't helping much.
"None of your business." said a perturbed Allan.
"You're a little testy Mr. Q." said Mina.
"Mrs. Harker, I doubt if you measure danger the way I do." said Allan.
"And I imagine you with quite the library, Mr. Quatermain, all those books you must've read merely by looking at their covers." said Mina.
"I've had women along on past exploits and found them to be, at best, a distraction." he said.
Layla was getting quite fed up with this bickering but knew if she intervened she would be reamed a new one, so she sat back and tried to ignore them, but it didn't work to well.
"Do I distract you?" asked Mina.
"Hardly." whispered Layla.
"My dear girl, I've buried two wives and many lovers and I'm in no mood for more of either." he said.
"You can send them my way if you like." said Skinner.
"Skinner, shut up." said Layla.
Everyone sat back in their seats and proceeded to look out the window, not wanting to cause anymore arguments.
They pulled up to a building that sat on the east London docks. They all stepped out of the car and looked up to the building in front of them.
"Should I wait, Captain?" asked Ishmael.
"No. Bring my lady to me." said Nemo.
"This is a charming spot." said Skinner. "Does Jack the Ripper live here?"
They walked up to the door and Allan knocked. The whole on the door opened revealing a pair of eyes. The door soon opened and a young man stood before them.
"Good evening." he said.
"Mr. Dorian Grey?" asked Allan.
"I am indeed." he confirmed.
"We came by way of M." said Allan.
"Ahh. M for mystery." he said. "Well, I've told him and I'm telling you I'm not interested."
He went to close the door when Mina spoke up.
"Dorian." she said walking up to him with a smile.
"Mina?" he asked perplexed.
She walked inside, followed by everyone else.
"Charming decor." said Skinner as they walked up a flight of stairs.
"You're missing a picture, Mr. Gray." stated Allan.
"And you don't miss a thing, do you, Mr. Quatermain?" said Gray.
"Oh, sometimes." he replied.
Layla only nodded to herself, confirming what he said was true. He did after all forget many of her birthday's along with his own wives. It was amazing how the man ever survived.
They walked into a very large library, which was filled to the top with books. Layla stopped at the sheer size of it all. All her life she had loved books. Knowing that something so small could hold tons of information fascinated her to no end.
"Scotch, anyone?" asked Skinner, breaking Layla's daydreaming state.
"Please. Help yourself." stated Dorian.
"Don't let it ruin your makeup." said Mina.
Layla couldn't help but giggle a bit at the look on Skinner's face. She walked over to a bookcase and began looking at all of the different types of books.
"I'm impressed, Mr. Gray." said Nemo. "You take Skinner's uniqueness in your stride."
"Yes, well, I've seen too much in my life to shock easily." he replied. "Although, I must say I was surprised to see you again."
Mina turned at his words knowing they were directed to her. She sat down on the chair next to him.
"When our last parting was such sweet sorrow?" she said sarcastically.
"Oh. So you're nothing more than an enticement." said Dorian. Mina's smirk dropped from her face. "Nevertheless, your presence intrigues me."
Allan looked away from their conversation towards Layla. She was busy looking at books titles and couldn't help but let a small smile appear on his face.
"They say you're indestructible, Quatermain." said Dorian. With that statement cause Layla to stop her ogling and look towards her father.
"Well, a witch doctor did bless me once. I had saved his village. He said Africa would never allow me to die." said Allan.
But you're not in Africa now." stated Dorian.
"Really." stated Layla.
Dorian turned his gaze to Layla as Allan replied with a no. His gaze was penetrating and Layla couldn't help but feel a bit uncomfortable.
"I confess a curiosity as to what the files say about Mr. Gray." said Nemo. "We, all of us, have trades useful in this endeavor. A hunter, scientist, even Skinner has stealth-"
"Cheers." said Skinner.
"What have you?" finished Nemo.
Layla looked at him deeper, wondering what his secret really was.
"I have experience." he stated.
"Gray and I have met before." said Allan. "Many years ago at Eton College."
"A lecture, no doubt. You, the nation's hero, Dorian the eager listening boy." said Mina.
"Quite the reverse. It was Gray visiting Eton, and I was the boy." said Allan.
Everyone looked at Dorian. Dorian looked to Mina with a smirk. But all was not smooth. Layla's ears perked up and soon, her and her father had both of their guns out, ready for whatever was to come.
"What is it?" asked Mina.
"Like father like daughter." said Dorian.
Layla ignored him as she looked around, trying to see what the noise had been.
Quickly, men in armored suits and machine guns surrounded them, each one holding them at gun point. There was no way they could make it out alive.
Layla and Allan both turned towards Gray.
"Gray?" asked Allan.
"They are not mine." he stated.
"They're mine." said a man.
Everyone turned to see a man dashed in thick robes and a mask come from behind a bookcase from above.
"First meetings usually warrant introductions." said Allan.
"Of course. I am the Fantom. You are the League of so-called Extraordinary Gentlemen. Introductions made." he said as he took a step down onto the stairs. "Oh, and I'm scarred, Mr. Quatermain, not blind. Drop the gun."
Both Layla and her father dropped their guns at the same time.
"Your mission is to stop me. That of course, I cannot permit. So I give to you all special one-time invitation. Join me." said the Fantom.
"You think we'll help start a war that will consume the planet?" asked Nemo.
"While you profit from your arms race?" asked Allan.
"I cannot deny that fortunes are made in war."said the Fantom.
At that instant, someone joined the ranks from above and caught the attention of Layla. She turned her eyes to the man above. He wasn't dressed like the others, but if needed to, could pass as one. He aimed his gun directly at her, and she noticed that he was the man she saw on the corner of the street.
"Imagine the riches a world war will yield." the Fantom continued as he walked down the stairs.
"He's not wrong. Mm." said Skinner.
"Speak for yourself." said Dorian.
The Fantom walked towards Allan, and kicked his gun away from him. Layla looked towards the mystery man above whose gun was trained on her. The man winked at her and turned his gunfire on the enemy. Everyone scrambled at the first shot of gunfire and ran to find a hiding spot. Layla grabbed her gun from the ground and went to hide behind a bookcase. Nemo grabbed Mina and pulled her behind another bookcase where she would be safe.
"Skinner!" yelled Layla.
At the mention of his name, he knew what to do. He wiped off his face paint and threw off his coat. Soon he was invisible and fighting off the enemy. Machine gunfire was surrounding the area and Layla found it hard to concentrate. She looked above to see guns going full power. She managed to off two men, but they soon found her hiding spot and turned their fire towards her. She flew behind the bookcase while hundreds of bullets lodged themselves into the wood behind her.
Dorian grabbed his sword and went after anyone he could find, slashing them all over as he walked past them.
Layla ran from bookcase to bookcase trying to find a better spot. She found one where the steps led upwards. She didn't notice that one of the men was sneaking up behind her until she heard him groan. She turned around to see him shot and the mystery man behind her with his gun aimed. She nodded her head to him in thanks and he was gone. He was up above her, throwing men off and occasionally shooting them.
Allan got in a few shots himself, but he was specifically looking for the Fantom. He shot him once, but it wasn't good enough.
"Layla!" yelled Allan.
Layla saw her father running through the middle and covered him as he ran through gunfire. When he was through, she followed. The mystery man above her covered her as she ran through, her not even knowing.
"Draw your pistol!" yelled one man to Nemo.
"I walk a different path." he said. He unsheathed his sword and was soon fighting men his way.
Layla and Allan ran after the Fantom but was stopped by another one of his men.
"Run James!" yelled the man.
Layla looked above her and jumped, grasping onto a bar and pulling herself up to the next level, while her father fought off the man. She almost lost her grip when the mystery man grabbed her and helped pull her up. She noticed he had taken off his scarf, and was quite handsome.
"You okay?" he asked her.
She out of her left eye the Fantom as he raced up the stairs.
"That Fantom. Go!" she yelled.
He didn't have to be told twice. He left Layla on the floor and ran after the Fantom. She was soon running after him as they chased the Fantom towards the roof.
Nemo was being preoccupied with his fare share, kicking and punching every which way. Dorian was still slashing men left and right with his sword. Skinner, who had been running around unnoticed saw a man coming towards him.
"Hang on." he said and punched the guy in the face. He grabbed a book and knocked the guy out.
"Night-night." said Skinner.
Layla and her mystery man ran after the Fantom, Layla nearly missing a doom filled fall as she jumped over a very big space.
Dorian slashed his way right into a machine gun. The man pulled the trigger and sent several rounds of gunfire into Dorian's body.
"Dorian!" cried Mina as Nemo dragged her away from the fight.
Dorian didn't look to pleased as he sent a murderous glare towards the man. He slashed away his armor and stabbed him right into the stomach. The man fell, taking Dorian's shirt along with him, showing the bullet holes turning to ash.
"What are you?" gasped the man.
"I'm complicated." said Dorian.
The man fell to the ground dead.
Layla and the mystery man were still running after the Fantom. It seemed he never seemed to give up. They chased the Fantom up the stairs when the man suddenly stopped causing Layla to almost run into him. He aimed his gun and fired, missing the Fantom by inches.
The Fantom jumped through the window, sending glass shards everywhere. Layla pushed past the man and ran towards the window. She looked down below but couldn't see anything. The man joined seconds later and searched also, finding nothing.
"Damn." he replied.
Layla, breathing heavily turned towards the young man. He seemed to be a year or two older than herself which made his attractiveness all the more prominent. He turned towards her and caught her looking. She turned away quickly once their eyes met and look back down below. She sighed and turned away, heading back downstairs.
"You alright?" he asked her.
"I'm fine." she replied.
And with that nothing else was said as they made their way back to the library.
"I thought I was special." said Skinner as he grabbed his hat from the drink cart. "You're invulnerable to harm."
"I don't like to boast. What happened to Mina?" asked Dorian.
"Oh she's probably hip-deep in some sort of trouble." said Allan.
"Don't be such an alarmist, Mr. Q. And my hips are none of your business." she said as she picked up her hat from the ground.
She was grabbed from behind by a lone straggler of Fantom's men. He put a knife to her throat and everyone pointed their guns towards him. Layla and the young man both walked out from behind the study, cocking their guns and pointing them towards Mina's capture.
Allan looked with a questioning glance towards them but was distracted by the capture.
"Shoot! Go on." he said.
Everyone put down their guns, the last being Layla and the young man.
"I guessed as much. That they would do anything to protect you." said the man.
"See, now that's your biggest mistake, thinking that I need them to protect me." said Mina. Her eyes turned red and she suddenly turned on the man, sinking her teeth into his neck.
Everyone was a bit alarmed. Layla jumped a bit, slightly bumping into the young man beside her. She was a bit scared at the fact that they know had a vampire in their midst.
The man fell to the ground and Mina went with him, drinking all of his blood. She whipped her head up, putting her hair back into a bun and wiping away the excess blood along her mouth.
"Extraordinary." said an amazed Nemo.
"Boy. They told me European women had funny ways." said the young man. "You missed a spot."
Mina looked towards him and wiped away the missed blood.
"Excuse me." she said.
"Layla. Are you alright?" asked her father.
"Yes, I'm fine." she said.
"And who is this?" asked Allan.
"Well to be frank I'm not quite sure myself." she said turning towards him. "And you are?"
"Special Agent Sawyer, of the American Secret Service." he introduced himself.
"Then America's aware of the situation." said Allan.
"Well, war starts in Europe, how long is it gonna take until it crosses the Atlantic?" said Sawyer. "I followed you. I knocked out a straggler and I took his place."
"Very noble." said Dorian. "But this is a private party and you're not invited."
"Actually Dorian has declined." said Mina.
"So we are one shy of a full deck." finished Layla looking towards Sawyer.
"On the contrary, the battle was just the spur I needed, that and the thrill of a friendship renewed." said Dorian.
"Mm." said Mina, nodding her head towards Dorian.
"So you're not needed." finished Dorian.
Allan walked towards Sawyer, eyes on his rifle. Layla stepped a bit closer also.
"Winchester." Allan stated.
"That's right. It's modified. American-style." replied Sawyer.
"American-style shooting too." said Allan.
Layla smiled a bit and Sawyer chuckled.
"Well, whatever it takes." he said as Allan handed it back. "If you like it, I brought two."
He motioned to what Layla was holding, and sure enough, there was the second, in her hands.
"You're in." stated Allan.
Layla felt a bit excited at the words her father spoke. Everyone went about their ways, grabbing what needed to be grabbed and prepared to leave. Layla unloaded the gun and handed it back to Sawyer.
"Keep it." he said. "You're pretty good with that thing. Almost as good as me."
"Yes, well, as you shoot American style, mine's a bit more better with Quatermain style." she replied with a smile. She cocked the gun and sat it on her shoulder, and with a wink, she turned away from him, walking over to where she left her coat.