I gathered all my things from my dressing room. John said that he would be waiting for me back at the Black Cat where he would have a carriage to take me to a nearby train station that would take us back to London. I packed my few dresses that I needed, my personal belongings, and, of course, James' work in my suitcase. I then packed all of my combustibles and pyrotechnic tools in another suitcase, and snuck out of my tent.
It was now four o'clock in the morning and the workers were just getting up to feed and care for the animal. I had to sneak because I was under a twenty-year contract with Mr. Lionel Jenkins, the ringleader. I would be in huge trouble if I got caught sneaking away. It was too early for me to fly, so I rushed out onto the country road. It would take a bit longer to get there, than if I took the normal route, but I was sneaking.
Once I got to the Black Cat, John was waiting for me outside the front door with a rather expensive looking carriage. He took my luggage and loaded it into the carriage, then helped me in and followed, shutting the door behind him. After we were seated the carriage almost immediately pulled away at an abnormally fast pace. I supposed it was because they also knew about my twenty-year contract. It took us almost half the day to get to the train station, but when we finally got there, things went a lot smoother.
It took us the rest of the day to get to London. So when we got there at ten o'clock at night, John said that we were still waiting on one member of the League to arrive. We stayed at a nearby inn. Yes, we both had our own rooms. That night at dinner, I inquired as to who was in the League and what made them so special. But that was classified, John said, and that I'll just have to wait until tomorrow to meet them.
The next day was the second most exciting day of my life. John and I were staying right across the street from the building where the first of the League would be assembled. We walked up the many steps to the huge double doors guarded by giant marble pillars. John must have lead me all the way around that building before we finally came to the rather, secret, staircase going down into what I thought must be the cellar. At the bottom of the torch-lit stair, was a double door, which lead into a grand library. Books lining every wall. Being a book lover, I was almost in heaven.
The room was rather dim, and there was a man sitting in the corner at the farthest end of a table at the farthest end of the room.
"Sir," said John "this is-"
"Miss Amelia Foxworthy." Said the man spinning his seat to face us. He stood up and, smiling, walked over to me, took my hand and kissed it.
"It is truly an honor to be in the presence of the only woman to ever fly among the clouds."
The man was a little taller than me, looked to be about fifty, and had a sly, yet friendly look about him. His hair was slicked back and he had a small, thin mustache curling across his upper lip.
"And what may I call such a, charming man?" I asked as politely as I could.
"I am known by many names. Underlings call me Sir, peers call me M." he said stepping back and putting his hands behind his back.
"Well then M," said a voice from behind "who is our newest member?"
I turned to see a tall, beautiful woman standing in the door. She was dressed in a Victorian dress with a black veil going across her face. M walked past me and took the woman's hand and kissed it.
"Amelia, may I introduce the only other feminine member of this league, Dr. Mina Harker."
"How do you do?" I said slightly curtseying. I could tell she was somewhat older than I, so I treated her with the respect due.
"No need for such formalities." Mina said smiling.
"Well," said M, "why don't you two ladies get to know one another. We can't waste our time and energy trying to get to know one another on our voyage."
"Very well." Said Mina taking my hand and leading me out of the library.
We walked back up the steps and out into the building.
"Are you hungry?" asked Mina.
"Um, just a bit." I said.
"How about I take you out for something to eat, and we can get to know one another. After all," she did a hilarious impression of M's voice "we can't waist time trying to get to know each other on our voyage."
We both giggled as we walked down the steps and out into the street. Mina pulling her collar up around her neck.
It was a cloudy day, and I suspected rain later on.
Mina and I sat at a table in a café where we discussed each other's powers. She was fascinated by James' flying theory, and I was fascinated by her story of vampire hunting with Dr. Van Helsing before she was bitten herself. I also asked her if she knew who else was in the league besides either of us, and she said that she had already met one member, who was quite vulgar, rude, and had a habit of walking around naked. Wonderful.
After Mina and I had talked so much that we could have been sisters, we decided that it was probably time to go back to the library and meet with M and the rest of the league. When we reached he bottom of the staircase, Mina reached for the door, but the door swung out from under her hand, and some invisible voice said, "Ladies first." And started giggling at my surprised look. I looked over at the source and to my surprise, there was a floating, white face staring at me! Mina glared at the face and said in a warning tone, "Skinner!"
"All right, all right, don't lose your panties! I was only 'avin' a bit o' fun." Said Skinner.
The face walked, or floated, over to a chair where it put on a long, black, leather trench coat. Mina looked at three other men in the room and said,
"Are we late?" A white haired man, sitting across the table from M looked at us and said to M "Please tell me that these are the wife and daughter coming to tell me that the husband is sick."
"Excuse me?" said Mina. As M explained and introduced us to the man (Allan Quatermain) I looked and saw an Indian man in a dark purple captain's suit, with a matching turban adorned with a silver shell holding a small feather.
Apparently, he saw me staring and acknowledged my stare with a, somewhat, friendly, yet solemn nod.
"Ah," M's voice cut in "let me introduce you to the captain of our voyage. Captain Nemo of the Nautilus."
Captain Nemo bowed deeply, bending at the waist. Mina and I curtsied slightly.
"Well then, all who was coming here is here, we have but two members left to collect. I wish you all good luck. Captain." He said nodding to Nemo as he left through a back door.
"Ladies, and Gentlemen." He nodded towards the four of us and gestured towards the front door. "Shall we?"