Ch. 9

Captain explained the situation as we walked to the fish holding room where the netted League member would appear. Apparently, I had slept the day away, and it was now eight in the evening. I giggled softly and signed, "Sorry Captain." He grinned down at me with a knowing look, for it was not the first time I had stayed below all night only to sleep the next day far away. "Just make sure you sleep tonight, understand? If you cannot, lie in bed and count sharks," Captain told me with a smile, and I looked at him, my mouth an 'O' with pointed ends. Captain was the only one who knew my motto on sharks, 'If it's not dead, it's not good.' It was not that I truly hated them it is just you develop a dislike when you hear the story that you would have been 'shark bait' had you not had a miracle and ended up on the top of a ship as it emerged from below the surface. "That's horrible!" I told him, but I was laughing too.

We entered the room and I was less than shocked to see chains and spears. I smiled at everyone and waved my hellos, some waved, and some nodded their head, but all bowed to Captain. Ishmael stood up from where he had been sitting against one of the rooms thick column braces and said, "I'll watch for the flair, Captain," before nodding and exiting the room. I surveyed the thick chains for a moment with my hands on my hips. Kali, you would think they were capturing Mr. Hyde with all this gear!

Wait…

No, it cannot be, it is not possible!

Nevertheless, the last report I had heard did say he was on the move… What if he had been moving to Paris? I looked up at Captain in wonder, could it really be…? Captain smiled down at me, "From the look on your face I assume you have realized who shall be joining us?" he asked, and I gaped. I shook my head in disbelief; surely, I had to be wrong. It just was not possible!

Captain smiled, not the smile that crinkles his eyes, but the one of mild amusement that he reserved for in from of the crew. "Would you like me to tell you then?" I nodded softly; did I really want to know? "Mr. Hyde," Captain said, and I could have sworn that smile turned to a bit of a smirk.

I stared up at Captain. Had I heard wrong, because it really just sounded as though he had said, 'Mr. Hyde.' Captain chuckled, "What's wrong Marina, getting cold feet?" My face fell into one of displeasure. A while back, on a past trip to England, I had met a widow whom had said the infamous Mr. Hyde had been harassing her 'for the longest time.' She told me she was at the end of her rope and she had seemed so truly depressed that I had had to do something. Therefore, I had written on one of my papers and told her about how Captain and I sail all over and if we ever see Mr. Hyde, I would persuade Captain to capture him. I told her I would also give him a good slap from her through me when we did.

I was lying, for I knew Captain had no interest in the monstrous beast. The women had just looked so sad that I knew I had to do something to make her feel better. It was a mistake, but I did indeed talk to Captain about, and ever since he had found ways to bring it up just to tease me. He had made a point of telling me that he promised to get me a chance to slap Mr. Hyde. Looks like my chance had come.

The men were laughing at me, and I knew I was pouting as I stared sourly at them. They did not have to rub it in; I was just trying to make the poor woman feel better! "You're all terrible!" I signed before crossing my arms and looking away from them. It just made them laugh harder, as I knew it would. I held the pout for another moment before putting my arms on my hips and grinning.

"Hey Marina," Maitreya called, "If you do slap Hyde, I'll take you as my wife, how's that?" That sent the room into hysterics, even Captain was laughing softly. I laughed to, and turned to Captain, "I've decided not to slap Hyde," I signed to him seriously, making my face serious. The crew turned into a frenzy, calling out and jostling Maitreya. He was laughing too though, so he knew it was all in jest.

The good fun stopped short as the chain connected through the floor began to reel in automatically. The flair Ishmael had spoken of must have been shot. The loading door opened fully- I had not noticed it was cracked open- and I saw a large mass wrapped in a brown net being pulled toward us. The ship shook madly as the net entered the room, the loading door shutting automatically. I gasped at the large being on the floor, who looked unsure and stunned.

The crew jumped into action, and those holding chains went to work quickly to bind the giant that was Mr. Hyde. I watched in awe at the beast was chained carefully, yet quickly, the chains then hooking into the floors holders. Hyde was shaking his head, like a dog clearing water from his fur. I looked at him in confusion; he did not look that scary now. In fact, dazed and confused though he was, he looked lost and scared. His eyes were shifting quickly around him, and light was reentering them as his senses returned to him.

He looked so confused, so very confused. As confused as I was when I had awoken surrounded by Indians in a place I did not know? Without thinking I took a step forward, and then another. Was he as scared as I had been too? Did he just want something familiar around him as I had? Or perhaps even just one kind face, instead of the masks of confusion and disbelief? Captain had been mine, where was his…?

"Marina! Cease!"

Captain's voice shocked me from my daze, and my lidded eyes opened wide. Hyde's senses must have returned, for his eyes shot to meet mine, and I stared. His eyes were blue, and I could see no red glint in them! How could that be though? I had always heard that someone truly evil, as the widow had described Hyde, had the red glint. Where was his?

Hyde smirked and raised his arm, bringing it down in a swift motion. I just barely jumped back in time to avoid it, and I gasped as I did. The spear clattered to the floor as I lost my grip on it, and without thinking, I reached forward to grab it. While my conscious mind did not think, my subconscious knew not to let Hyde get a hold on the spear.

I grabbed the spear as Hyde stood up, and from my crouched position on the floor, I stared up at him. He was truly a menacing sight, and I finally knew why the widow was so distressed. To be plagued by such a beast every night would have terrified me to the point of hopelessness too…

Hyde seemed to be done with me, for he tugged at his chains with such strength the room trembled. I could feel the deep vibrations through my whole body, and knew others beyond this room felt it too. Hyde roared in feral ways, and I stood quickly, tripping on my feet as I crashed into Captain.

"What were you thinking, Marina?" he asked me in a fierce whisper as he clutched my arms. I looked at him with sincerity, for I did not truly know, and shrugged my shoulders helplessly. Captain must have understood, or he dismissed it now that I was safe, for he released me and shouted at the men to hold Hyde in place. He had picked up a spear to defend himself as well.

I took my place and held my spear to try to deter him for moving too much, but his growls and wrenching did not dim. When I room shook I had to grip the spear as tight as I could so I did not loose it again, for it killed me that I had dropped it before.

The chains were not holding, and he managed to rip several out. They hung on him uselessly, as did his ripped coat, why did he wear such things? From the corner of my eye, I saw two people enter the room. I chanced a glance and saw Mr. Q and Sawyer. "Holy-" Sawyer did not get a chance to finish before Deepak was sent sailing by him as a grunting Hyde hit him with a balled fist. The men were yelling, trying to get close, and shouting suggestions. None of it worked, and before anyone could stop it, Hyde swung again Udit went sailing out of the room. I gasped and turned to him, I saw him lift his head dazed and sighed in relief before turning back to Hyde with a frown. How dare he do such a thing to Udit!

After that, several more were hit as the rest of the League walked into the pandemonium. "Stay back, if you value your life," Mr. Q. warned them as he walked over to Captain and where another was thrown. I turned to see Mr. Gray pulling Skinner off the ground. Skinner pulled back quickly, but I could not hear them over Hyde's growls. Even more men were thrown, and Kanan landed next to me, looking confused. I leaned down to defend us both and helped him lean up into a sitting position. I sighed as Kanan stood shakily and I followed him up. Why was no one stopping this?"

"Mr. Hyde," Mr. Q. finally said, and it was a prayer answered when Hyde turned sharply to stare at him. "You've done terrible things in England. So terrible that you fled the country," Mr. Q walked forward towards Hyde and stood in front of him as Hyde paced and swung his chains angrily. "Now, I'm ashamed to say that her Majesty's government is willing to offer you amnesty, in return, for your services," Mr. Q. stopped pacing in front of Hyde and asked, "Do you want to go home?"

I gasped at what happened next, Hyde spoke! The wild and feral beast could talk! "Home," he said in a deep and coarse voice as he stopped to look at Mr. Q., "'Home's where the heart is,' that's what they say. And I have been missing London so. Its sorrow is as sweet to me as a rare wine."

…

The beast…spoke poetry…

I stared at him in shock. There was no way this was possible. It was too unbelievable! As I stared Hyde said, "I'm yours." He looked at Sawyer and said, "Don't be afraid," as he turned around. "Who says I'm afraid?" Sawyer asked as his chin jutted out in defense.

The ring beside me holding Hyde's chain ripped off the wall. If I could scream, I would have. For the chain passed so close to me, I felt the air shift as it passed by my arms, which I had thrown over my face for whatever protection they offered. I could hear Hyde screaming, "You do!" As I brought my arms down and quickly checked to make sure I was truly unharmed. Breathing heavily from my racing heart, I stared at Hyde in shock as he yelled, "You stink of fear!"

I was lucky attention was drawn to Hyde, for no one saw my fear. I smiled slightly in relief as I sighed. "Quite the parlor trick," Mr. Gray said, and this time he seemed amused that someone could have been hurt. I frowned sourly at him. "You wait till you see my next one," Hyde told him, before backing away slightly.

With a pained expression of fierce concentration, Hyde growled through clenched teeth. Suddenly his body was convulsing where he stood as burst of smoke surrounded him. His feral yells increased with every new burst of smoke and through each cloud, more and more of his body disappeared. It was gruesome to see, for his body was no longer proportioned. Mounds of hard looking flesh and sagging skin. He seemed in so much pain as he…transformed, and his shrieks became truly horrid.

Until finally there was just a man. Gasping for breath with arms spread wide open. He fell to the floor in what I could only assume was exhaustion. The chains seemed too much for his form, and shaking madly, he shed them awkwardly as he stood up slowly. Still shaking as a leaf caught in the wind, he gripped his torn pants to keep them from falling. "Dr. Jekyll, at your service," his said shakily. His voice was no longer coarse but low and slightly off, I think that was due to the shaking though.

"So…" I heard Mr. Q. say, but I did not look at him, "the League is set." I nodded my head, but I think it was partly from shock. 'Dr. Jekyll' was half-naked right in front of me! I felt my chest and face burn, and I knew I was blushing badly. I had seen several like this on the ship before, but never had I seen someone like this whom I had not none for many a year. I turned my head in shame, hoping no one would notice, for I had been staring in my shock. Without a second thought, I walked up to the Doctor, pulled my shawl from my shoulders, and shoved it into his face.

Hey everyone this is WitchWhoLovesHim and this is just a chapter dedication to SweetRevengeful-aka-lamika who has given me lots of motivation through their encouraging messages. However, I also want to really thank everyone who has submitted reviews, you've all been amazing motivation as well! I hope you all continue to read Marina's story till the end and enjoy it Also, I hope this chapter makes up for the shortness of the last one, I tried really hard on it!

P.S. If you see anything wrong, don't be afraid to tell me, I really want to improve my writing and I'm sure your critique will help a lot - I won't be mad and do something stupid like quit the story, I swear! hahaha