East London Docks, 1899

I had felt it was best to sit down at the nearest chair to my area, for I believed falling to the wood floor in a faded condition would distract quite the attention. I could not handle this—what was it that I had done? How may I be able to do it again? And who else, besides the Captain, had seen my action take place?

Before I could do anything but ask these questions, my thoughts were interrupted by Mr. Skinner, who retrieved his hat off the table of scotch. He was fully dressed once again, in all his splendid glory of grease paint and trench coat.

"I thought I was special…you're invulnerable to harm." he spoke in my estimation to Mr. Gray, whom replied with an "I don't like to boast…what happened to Mina?" while descending his spiral iron staircase. He was newly dressed, and sounding quite prideful, if I must say so myself.

On the contrary, I did wonder where Mina had run off to since I'd last seen her. Mr. Quatermain must have thought the same thing, for he spoke,

"Oh, she's probably hip-deep in some sort of trouble…"

How rude! I truly have been gaining a disliking for this Allan; he is just so sexist! What gives him the right to judge women in a way to call them insignificant and…and distracting, in his own words! I feel as if I should…I should blind him! Ha! Yes! The power I have now realized to have must overpower me; I must use it to my advantage! I've seemed to gain some of my brawn back, and so I sat up, only to see Mina make her way into the room.

"Don't be such an alarmist, Mr. Q…and my hips are none of your business!" she spoke in quite the amused tone.

I couldn't help but feel disappointed by Mina's lack of standing up for her own womanly rights.

But, just then, I was quite surprised to witness a gunman hurriedly stand up behind Mina and seize a knife over her throat! I was standing near Mr. Skinner, Mr. Gray, and the Captain, and Mr. Quatermain was standing not near us, but a bit closer to Mina then the rest of us. At the very sight of Mina in danger we all subconsciously reacted in a protective way; Nemo retrieved his sword, Allan cocked his rifle, Mr. Gray retrieved his own steel, Mr. Skinner jerked in a defensive manner, and to my surprise a young man I have never seen before…yet, a man I have never seen before wearing the same apparel as the gunman cocked a rifle as well! Who was this gunman? Why is he, an ally of our apparent opponent defending Mrs. Wilhelmina Harker? And yet…even I felt strange when caught sight of this attack; I was beginning to get the same exhilarating feeling once earlier, during the battle; during my subconscious blinding defense.

"Shoot!" the man shouted to all of us. "Go on!"

By his words, this gunman knew by our turn he will immediately react by slicing our colleague's throat. And so, we all relaxed our manners. In response, he laughed.

"I guessed as much…they would do anything to protect you." He must have been speaking to Mina. His voice was full of vulgarity…his tone was growling…I viewed as his breath crept against Mina's skin…and oh, how I pained for her! But, she defended herself against the odds,

"See, now that's your biggest mistake…" her words confused me; what had this woman up her sleeve…? But she continued…

"Thinking that I need them to protect me…"

What is she…?

And she pounced! I say, right from his grasp! And she…dare I say it…turned at the very man and aimed at his neck! What, in God's name, did she intend to do? But I digress…I must say it now before I merely faint of the thought…she simply seized her opponent's neck and…oh I cannot believe…

Wilhelmina Harker is a vampire! A vile, blood-sucking creature of the night! She detained the man's throat, plunged her fangs, and flung back her head revealing to us the most depraved sight of all—her fang-sporting mouth sodden with the man's blood, and repossessed to her labor! We were all more than shocked—I, myself, was sickened to the bone! Ah, I knew this woman had something on her! And her name…I do recall…however, not to come to mind just yet I intend to find out what it is that I know of her. Her vampire nature certainly did not spark my memory, but I do know it is something of which must have related to her character. As I ramble, she must have finished her work, for she left the dead body at its rest and sprung to her feet. I was able to tell she was quite embarrassed for her action, for she hurriedly pinned up her hair, and checked her mirror while wiping the blood off her lips. I feared that I simply stood there whilst draping my jaw. The Captain's words traumatized me out of my hypnotic stance.

"Extraordinary…"

Why…extraordinary is far from what I imagined.

"Boy…they told me European women had funny ways…" a voice I have never heard before had spoken. But I soon realized it to be the gunman who had defended our Mina! His accent sounded to be of America. He surely did look American by his disheveled, unkempt blonde hairstyle!

Mina continued to wipe the blood off her lips, when the young American offered to her, "You missed a spot."

She seemed embarrassed—she said, "Excuse me" and looked away to dab the remains of blood off her face. And oh, how I ache for her sake of embarrassment, she soon realized of the complete and utter stranger standing there, watching her actions like that…

"And you are?" she asked.

The young man gave the league and I a sign of confidence.

"Special Agent Sawyer…of the American Secret Service."

And so he was not a gunman for The Fantom after all…

Allan spoke up. "Then America is aware of the situation."

Well, Mr. Quatermain…obviously.

The young agent replied, "Well, war starts in Europe, how long will it take until it crosses the Atlantic?", and I couldn't help but feel a slight hint of a sarcastic character in this boy. And he continued…

"I followed you. I took out a straggler, and I took his place."

He followed us? How very curious.

It seems as if Mr. Gray, to whom I almost forgot was standing right beside me, took a rather disliking for this agent.

"Very noble. But this is a private party, and you're not invited." he spoke.

In response, naturally, Agent Sawyer seemed to be of disappointment. Mina struck back, however.

(Must I say that despite her strong, willing vampirism, amused tone of our league members, and sturdy but occasionally soft rights as an English woman, overall I find Mrs. Harker to be a very baffling, generally weak character for my sense. I wonder if vampires can withstand blindness…)

"Actually, Dorian has declined…so we are one shy of a full deck." She spoke to us all in a friendly offer. I was quite impressed by her amusing deject of Mr. Gray, her apparent…past friend. This, however, does not alter my thoughts towards her manner or temperament. And, as I soon realize to be correct, I did not fall to realize that Mr. Gray was done with us all. And so,

"On the contrary, the battle was just the spur I needed…that, and the…thrill of a friendship renewed," Mr. Gray caught a glance at Mina, who returned a certainly flirtatious smile. There was, as anyone could only imagine, something going on between the two. And frankly, it quite disturbed me.

"So you're not needed." Dorian continued.

The boy seemed gloom, and I honestly felt sad in the Agent's favor. He had such a young face…it's as if I'm looking into the face of my younger brother, with whom I had let down.

And Mr. Q then saved the day.

"Winchester…" our elderly adventurer glanced at the Agent's rifle. What is it, dear God that distracts men these days; weapons? Whatever happened to good old chivalry and dedication! The man is extremely overrated about time by stories and such…the dear brutality for a woman to think the perfect man is out there to unwillingly serve to her will and kiss her foot and hand at please…and here I stand, by a man distracted by a rifle…

Agent Sawyer gave Allan the Winchester indeed. "That's right," he spoke. "It's modified…American style." And our dear Mr. Quatermain mumbled, "American style shooting too…"

Now, I'm not one to mock, however, I cannot hold it back:

Quatermain, one; Sawyer, zero.

A-ha! How I laugh!

A chuckle came from this care-free boy; I, say!

"Well…whatever it takes."

Humph. I could not help but feel dizzy once again.

I took a quick glance around the room…I felt on edge. Besides the two men conversing against one another, Mrs. Harker seemed to be quite at ease if not slightly hasty (in my opinion, to see whether or not her precious agent joins the team or not), Mr. Gray seemed…angered, for lack of a better judgment. Mr. Skinner, to my surprise, looked to be amused and yet…sly, but of course for his character. The Capitan, who caught my glance, seemed on edge as well…hasty to continue our mission and not waste it on this dilly dallies of a conversation! We were a chosen league—is it our choice to add…or possibly remove members? That leaves me to wonder shall I be a part of that case.

And then, it was done, as Allan spoke.

"You're in"