Ch. 20
Several of the men had been hurt as the buildings of the surrounding area were destroyed. Being Captain's apprentice, I did hold power over the men, though not much. I started grouping the men together, and had them take those whom had injuries without blood into the ship with instructions to have them cared for. I sent several to collect lying chairs for the ones with blood wounds. With the men caring for the sick, I sighed in relief. No one had died.
I had yet to see Maitreya, and started to worry something had happened. I asked Oorjit if he had seen him, and he told me he had not since before the bombs went off. I thanked him and set out to search for my friend. As I search I saw Dorian entering the ship, and for a moment I abandoned my search to rush over to him.
'Dorian! Where is everyone else?' I signed, and felt my heart drop, fearing the worst. Dorian raised his brow, "Not good enough that I made it back safely then, is it?" he asked, and I scrunched my face, in a cross between a pout and annoyance at his stupidity. He gave a small smile, if you can call it that, and pat my head. It was odd, just last night Henry had done the same thing, but the feeling was so…different.
Now it seemed…odd for Dorian to be touching my head, as if he was ruining something important. "We were attacked and had to split up, I'm sure their on their way," he said, and finally removed his hand. He moved to walk past me, and I grabbed his hand before he could. I had been rude; I did not want him to think badly of me…
'Welcome back, Dorian!' I signed and smiled as I did. He stared at me for a moment, before smiling back, and this time I could call it a smile. He did not say anything, but I think in his own narcissistic way he was saying, 'thank you.' He finally turned and disappeared into the ship, and I began again my search for Maitreya.
He was not among the crew, and no one had seen him enter the ship. I frown and hurried to check the surrounding buildings, hoping to find him there. I did find him, his arms wrapped around a costumed woman, whispering words to her that made her flush and giggle. All the concern in my body left in a rush, replaced with annoyance and an urge to smack him, which I obeyed.
He yelled out as my flat palm whacked the back of his head, and he did not stop when he saw it was I, "-Can't you see I'm trying to calm this anxious woman?" he asked, trying to be the hero, and I looked at the women with a raised brow. He face was completely red, and she looked extrememly uneasy at being caught. I had to guess she had separated from her date. 'You don't even speak Italian you bloody fool!' I signed before grabbing his ear and yanking him back towards the ship.
He yelled profanities at me the whole way there, and if I could speak, I would have warned him I would kick him again. Alas, with one hand dragging him by the ear, I merely rolled my eyes to the sky and relinquished his ear when I found Lalit.
'Keep him in sight, and make sure he helps the men who're hurt!' I commanded Lalit as Maitreya fumed. "I do not need a watchdog, silent one! If you're that jealous, just marry me and I'll no longer need to look at others!" He told me and I stuck my tongue out at him. 'You wish I was jealous!' I signed in annoyance. "You know you were jealous! Otherwise, you would not have-"he started, but I ceased to hear him. Henry was walking down the ramp, pulling at his cuffs, and seemed to be looking for someone.
"Hey, are you listening to me?" Maitreya waved his hand angrily in front of my face. I looked back at him, oopsie. 'Were you still talking?' I asked, and his face fell, while Lalit laughed. "Somehow I don't think she's jealous of you Maitreya," He said, and grabbed his shoulder, "Come, let us help the others."
Lalit lead Maitreya away as he grumbled. He turned his head just long enough to wink before disappearing among the men again. I turned to go to Henry, and ended up bumping into him. "Ah, there you are, Marina. Ishmael would've been quite cross if I had lost you," he smiled down at me as he steadied me. I smiled bashfully at him, for I could just imagine what Ishmael said to him.
"Has anyone returned yet?" he asked, and I nodded. Not wanting to pull out my note, I held up one finger, to show him the amount. Then I put my hand on my hip and cocked it, pretending to lean on a cane. I did my best to look smug as I launched my nose into the air and stared at him down the bridge of it. He began to laugh, and I dropped my pose, smiling.
Captain walked down the ramp, and I smiled at him. I told him the happy news of no deaths, and we began to nurse those who were hurt. I was wrapping Waman's arm when Mr. Q. appeared, holding his shoulder. "The Fantom is M!" he called, and I stopped wrapping in shock. "-And the hunt is still on," Mr. Q. finished. I quickly handed Waman's wrapping over to Tapas and walked over to Captain's side.
"What are you talking about?" Henry asked, and I could hear that he understood, he just hoped it was not so. "The Fantom is M. The very man who recruited us!" Mr. Q. said again. "Let me see that," Henry offered, motioning to his shoulder. Mr. Q. shrugged him off and said, "No!"
"But how?" Captain asked. "We'll get our answers," Mr. Q. said with assurance. "Where are the others?"
"Dorian's missing in action;" Mina was back, "And Mr. Skinner must have fled when he realized we knew." Mr. Q. looked down, rubbing his wound. Stubborn old toad, why would he not just let Henry treat it? "And Sawyer?" he asked.
"He'll live to fight another day," Sawyer was back as well! He walked up to us, and I saw he had a gash on his forehead. Mina walked up to him and he startled. "Don't worry, I've had my fill of throats for this evening," she assured him. He stood there with her hand on his head, looking at her apprensively.
"Captain!" Ishmael. I turned my head and with horror saw him limping, holding on to the railing for support. Without thinking, I ran as fast as I could to him, and heard the others behind me. Henry made it in front of me and held him as he fell. I stared with wide eyes at the crimson blood shining on his vest, and felt tears prick my eyes at the horror of the realization that hit me.
He had been shot. Someone had shot my mum! He panted, as he seemed to force out, "It was Gray. Not Skinner. Gray's tricked us all."
His eyes were wide with his own realization. He was going to die. He could not. No! No! No! I felt tears prick my eyes as his own flashed over to mine, and I gripped his hand tightly. It was warm, he could not be dying, it was warm!
His body trembled as he took a shuddering breath, and his eyes grew cold.
Mum?
I squeezed his hand tightly.
Mother?
His eyes were glazed.
Ishmael?!
I could hear my own ragged breath roar in my ears. Gone. He was gone. No, no, no!
I pit down on my lip so hard it drew blood. It filled my mouth as I forced the tears not to fall. I could not be selfish, I could not think of only my own pain. Captain and the others would be hurting too, I could not be selfish!
I heard metal clanging. It was the exploration pod being deployed. "What is that?" Mina asked. Captian stood, "The sound of treachery!"
I did not want to leave. How could I leave him now that he was growing cold? Maitreya was taking Ishmael from Henry. Henry came to my side. I did not see him, but I felt his presence at my side. "Marina," he was whispering my name, his hands at my shoulders.
I was helped up, and Ishmael's hand dropped from my own. I could feel the blood dripping down my chin, as I was lead away from him. I did not know where I was going, but always hands were on my shoulders.
Then we were on another ramp, and the exploration pod was falling into the ocean. "What is that thing?" Sawyer called. "My exploration pod," Captain told them. I looked up, and Henry's hands had left my shoulders to steady himself on the ramp.
The pod started moving, and the window opened. Dorian was inside it, and he blew a kiss to Mina. I clenched my teeth so hard my jaw hurt. I wanted to kill him, if I could have, I would have. I took a step forward and the chain holding the ramp stopped me. I gripped it in anger, I wanted to kill him!
"We can track it," Mr. Q. said. "I intend to catch it!" Captain all but yelled, and I glared at Dorian in anger. Captain ran back inside. I turned and followed him. We would catch him, and I would rip that smirk right off his face!
The ship was started at full speed. We headed towards the map that charted the pods place and our own. For the others, Captain said while pointing, "That is us. That is the Nautiloid. We shall be upon them soon."
Captain stood beside his maps, and grabbed the one he needed. I took a seat, staring blankly at my hands. Mum was gone. Mum was gone, and I had welcomed that murder back!
I clasped my hands together and closed my eyes. 'Kali,' I though, 'Please take care of mum for me. Please. Please. Please!'
A high-pitched, electronic twittering suddenly burned my eardrums. I grabbed them in agony, my eardrums stinging. The others groaned as well, and everyone looked around in shock. "Nemo?" Mr. Q. asked. "It's nothing of mine," Captain told him. Why would it be, you old toad? We did not want something that made our ears bleed!
Nishad walked in carrying something and the twittering stopped. "Captain, the noise came from this," he said as he handed it to Captain. Captain looked at it and said, "A recording disk?" He took it from its case and put it on the phonograph. He turned it on and a woman's voice said,
"Ready professor?
…
-Recording."
M's voice filled the room, "Gentlemen, if you're hearing this then every step leading up to it has gone as planned." I glared at the disk, as though M could see it. 'Was killing Ishmael part of your plan?!' I screamed in my head.
"And I have been true to the goals set to me."
It was Dorian, and I felt my throat tighten in anger. How dare you! 'Goals set to me,' my arse you bastard!
"Yes, it's me, Dorian."
We have noticed you bloody fool!
"As you know by now, I'm no loyal son of the Empire."
We've noticed.
"My loyalty to Mr. M comes in no small part from his possession of something I hold very dear to my heart-"
What? Murderers do not have hearts. They have nothing they hold dear to their hearts!
"-Something I would do anything to regain."
So you've proved you heartless coward!
"Are you all right?" Mina asked, and Henry answered, "My ears hurt. It's nothing."
"Everything so far has been misdirection. Sanderson Reed, the assassins in Kenya your recruitment and mission, the secret conference, a myth."
I clenched my teeth again. All those deaths for nothing?
"Even the League itself. There is no League. There never was."
Then what do you call us? We, who are together and have been through so much.
"It was a ruse to get me closer to my goals."
"He likes the sound of his own voice," Sawyer said.
"You see, I want you, each of you,
even tired old Quatermain. He'll capture Hyde where all others have failed. The question is why. Why all this mask and mystery? Because in the war to come, I intend to wield the greatest weapon of all: The power of the League itself."
I glared at the disk in disgust, he wanted the League?
"To that end, I set my wolf among you sheep-"
"Growl," It was Dorian, and I clenched my fist.
"-who'll gain your trust, quietly lead you astray."
"And all the while, I'll collect you, the parts of you I need. Nemo's science." Dorian was talking again.
"Magnesium phosphorus," Mina whispered in shock, and I clenched my hands harder. How dare he?!
"Skinner's skin sample."
Poor Skinner, he really was innocent!
Jekyll's potion. Mina's blood. And even an extra treat, Marina's script. Bravo, by the way. Who would have ever thought look underneath your mattress?"
"He's stolen us, and we let him," Henry growled.
If you fail to save Venice, then I get my war. And if you succeed... well, it's a small price to pay for Gray to go about his task. War will come, sooner or later...as inevitable as summer into autumn. Now, some of you, perhaps Quatermain, if he isn't dead...will pause to ask why I'm letting you know all this. What fool reveals his stratagem
before the game is over? It is over, for you...because my voice isn't the only sound being made."
W-what?
While I've rambled on, a secondary layer of inaudible sound higher than humans can hear, audible to dogs and lower animals has been heard by crystal sensors dotted about your vessel. Sensors attached to bombs.
'What?!' I thought in alarm as glasses vibrated.
""Bomb" voyage."
Dorian ended the disk. I stood up from my chair in alarm as Captain destroyed the phonograph.
The ship shook violently and I toppled to the floor.
We were too late; the bombs had gone off!
Side Note:
20 CHAPTERS!
Oh gods, I have never written such a long story on my own! Thank you everyone!
Those who have reviewed, saved, and read, for your constant motivation.
I had tears in my eyes as I wrote this one. Gods, that's never happened before. I cannot believe I actually got so into writing this! It's amazing! I'm so happy!
-WitchWhoLovesHim