Venice and the Discovery of a Traitor.
The Nautilus slid quietly through the cannels of Venice. There was hardly anyone in the streets and when Nemo took a look around through the periscope they soon found out why.
“It’s the carnival. My god, we must find that bomb.” Nemo said. Soon the Nautilus’ nose was scraping away at the bottom of a bridge.
“We can go no further Captain.”
“All ahead stop.” Nemo ordered and the Nautilus stopped. Everyone gathered at the right side of the ship as the side lowered onto the dock. Nemo’s men made fast work of bringing out planks to walk upon and Aurora looked around at the night and smiled when she spied the carnival ahead of them.
“Masquerade! Paper faces on parade hide your face so the world will never find you. Flash of mauve, splash of puce, Fool and King, ghoul and goose, green and black, queen and priest, trace of rouge, face of beast.” She said in a musical tone and Allan cleared his throat. She looked over at him and laughed. “Sorry.”
“Deploy the divers beneath the city. The explosives must be found.” Nemo ordered and people began running around.
“Aye, Aye Sir.”
“The city is vast. He could be anywhere.” Mina said sighing
“What about Skinner?” Sawyer asked.
“Well, I’d be alert for his treachery.” Allan commented and they all jumped at the sound of booms. Suddenly the sky burst out in brilliant colors as fireworks exploded all around them.
“God, I feared the worst.” Mina said with her hand on her chest.
“Bloody carnival.” Aurora mumbled and looked back over to the people.
“It’s okay, we still have time…” Sawyer began but another explosion sounded and it shook the ground. Aurora had to do everything she could not to fall off the dock. People in the carnival began to scream as buildings began to collapse in the distance.
“There must be more than one bomb. Nemo, the bombs are at the city’s center. We must take out one key building.” Allan yelled above the noise.
“Yes! Get ahead of the collapse and destroy the next building!” Nemo agreed.
“We can interrupt the chain of destruction!” Sawyer yelled looking at the people scattering.
“With a beacon placed for the exact coordinates I could launch a rocket and take out the domino.” Nemo exclaimed and Sawyer ran back into the Nautilus.
“Well that’s ridiculous! We’d never get there in time.” Dorian yelled trying to be heard.
“There would be no room for error, but I tell you it could work.” Allan said to him.
“What are you talking about? Gray’s right.” Henry exclaimed.
“I’m an immortal sir, not a gazelle. How can we outrun this?” Dorian said gesturing around him and Aurora opened her mouth to speak but instead turned and took off running. Allan smiled after her. Squealing tires made them all turn and look back at the Nautilus as Sawyer speed out in Nemo’s automobile.
“Care for a spin?” He said with a smile after he slid to a stop.
“Come on Jekyll, get in.” Allan said running to the passenger seat.
“I’ll need coordinates.” Nemo yelled and Allan turned and looked at him.
“Can you track this thing?” Allan asked and Nemo nodded.
“Of course.”
“Then the car will be your target. Launch when you see the flare.” Allan said as Mina and Dorian climbed into the backseat.
“Right.”
“Jekyll, come on! We’ll need Hyde!” Allan exclaimed but Henry shook his head.
“NO! I think I should stay and tend to the wounded.” He told him and Allan shrugged.
“Then what good are you?” Dorian asked and Henry glared at him as Sawyer took off.
“We’ll need to pick up Aurora.” Allan said as they went around a corner. “Straight ahead, then turn left.”
“No. No. Take a right after the canal forks.” Mina said from the backseat and Allan rolled his eyes.
“We must turn left to get ahead of the…” Allan was saying when gunfire broke out and Sawyer veered right.
“Snipers!” Sawyer yelled swerving to get out of the line of fire. Aurora appeared from behind a pillar guns drawn and taking down as many of the men as she could. Allan whistled and she looked at them as the car approached her. Allan stood and tried to aim.
“Damn Skinner! He must have told them we were coming!” Dorian exclaimed and jumped out of the car as Aurora slid across the hood and took his place.
“Are you sure you can drive this thing?” She asked Sawyer as he hit a pillar making it collapse.
“Dorian!” Mina shouted as snipers approached him.
“Can’t get a clear shot!” Allan said sitting back down and lowering his gun.
“Then take the wheel!” Sawyer yelled standing and pulling out his pistols and firing.
“Aah! Sit down you buffoon! I don’t know how to drive this bloody thing! Sit down!” Allan yelled at him trying to steer and watch the road. Sawyer put his pistols away and sat back down.
“Got it.” He said and Allan glared at him.
“Save your bullets. These men are mine!” Mina growled then jumped straight up out of the car and up a side of a building.
“Did you see that? Did you see what she just did?” Sawyer exclaimed watching her.
“Keep your eyes on the bloody road.” Aurora exclaimed as the car began to hit things on the side of the road.
“Whoa! Sh—It’s a gauntlet!” Sawyer said turning and Aurora noticed that the back tires were throwing up water around them. Allan was looking behind them with a smile.
“The vampire lady has us covered.” He said pointing and Aurora turned and smiled as an army of bats were flying along above them blocking them from view and men were mysteriously falling to the ground.
Back in the Nautilus Nemo was walking towards the lookout tower to keep watch on the progress of the car.
“The collapse has reached the carnival, Captain…time’s running out.” Ishmael told him running after Nemo.
“Tune the tracer to the car’s frequency. The rocket must be ready to launch.” Nemo ordered.
“Aye! Aye! Captain.” Ishmael said. Nemo climbed to the top of the tower and took out a pair of binoculars.
“Come on Sawyer. Come on!” He said as pieces of building began to fall all around them hitting the Nautilus and bouncing off.
“Captain, we must pull out!”
“No! We stay and do our job!” Nemo said sternly and nothing more was said about it.
People were jumping out of their way back down on the street and Aurora had to hold on for dear life every once in awhile almost falling out.
“Next time, I drive!” She yelled as Sawyer hit a fruit trolley sending fruits and vegetables all over. Allan turned slightly then stood.
“Remember the flare. I’m off.” Allan said.
“What?” Aurora exclaimed watching her grandfather.
“Don’t forget, you two are the target.” Allan said then jumped out and ran down a side street.
“Oh.” Sawyer said as Aurora climbed into the front seat.
“They have overtaken the collapse. Be ready to launch.” Nemo announced as he watched the car get sent into the air as Sawyer drove across a bridge that was half collapsed. Aurora back flipped out of the car as Sawyer turned and fired off the flare seconds before him and the car crashed into a building as Aurora landed safely on the street on her feet.
“Launch!” Nemo ordered and the rocket soared straight up into the air.
Allan had seen the Fantom and took off after him. The Fantom saw Allan and began to run through the streets. They both looked up as the flare soared into the air and the Fantom grunted and went through a gate.
“Bravo kids.” Allan said and smiled.
“Come on Sawyer! Get out! The car is the target! Sawyer!” Aurora was standing beside the car trying to help Sawyer out of the upside down car.
“Shit!!” Sawyer said and they both began to run as the rocket hit the building.
“They’ve done it.” Nemo said as the buildings stopped collapsing and all went silent.
“Venice still stands. You failed.” Allan said walking into an enclosed graveyard shutting the gate behind him. He looked in the darkness looking for his prey.
“You see yourself as the brave John Bull.” The Fantom’s voice bounced off the tombstones and trees. “But you’re weak. You run from the memory of your son’s death. You should have trained him a little better. You may as well have put the gun to his head and pulled the trigger yourself. Oh yes, I know all about you.”
“I know all about your spy.” Allan said into the darkness. He knew the Fantom was moving around.
“Do you?” The Fantom said with a smile.
Ishmael sighed as he mopped up water from the floor. Albert walked in and smiled.
“Mr. Singer, what happened?” Ishmael asked spying him at the door.
“Misadventure. Has anyone else returned?” Albert said with a sigh.
“No, you are the first. Hopefully not the last.” Ishmael said going back to his mopping. “Damn Skinner! He’s got a lot to answer to.” Albert smiled evilly and looked at him.
“Skinner? No. Me.” He said pulling out a small pistol and shooting him.
The Fantom came charging out of the darkness and jumped on Allan’s back but he was able to throw him off. The Fantom came at him again and Allan fought him off and during the struggle Allan’s fist collided with the side of the Fantom’s face knocking his mask off and the Fantom dug a knife into Allan’s left shoulder. The Fantom laid on the ground a moment and took off the prosthetics on his face and the voice changer out of his mouth. Allan looked at him and growled.
“You!” He said
“You don’t know the half of it.” The man said getting up and running to the gate. Allan removed the knife from his shoulder and threw it at the man and it hit him in the shoulder blade. Allan sighed as the man disappeared out of sight. He began to make his way back to the dock and the Nautilus.
Henry and some others of the crew were helping a few of the injured when Allan came upon them.
“The Fantom is M. And the hunt is still on.” Allan called out and Henry looked up from a hurt man.
“What are you talking about?” He asked coming towards Allan.
“The Fantom is M. The very man who recruited us.” Allan said again.
“Let me see that.” Henry said indicating the wound in his shoulder.
“No.” Allan said moving away from Henry.
“But how?” Nemo asked.
“We’ll get our answers. Where are the others?” Allan asked.
“Albert’s missing in action.” Mina said coming out of the Nautilus.
“And Mr. Skinner must have fled when he realized we knew.” Dorian added coming around a corner brushing some dust off is sleeve.
“And Sawyer? Aurora?” Allan asked looking over his shoulder.
“They’ll live to fight another day.” Sawyer said coming out of the shadows with Aurora right beside him. Mina walked up to Sawyer and looked at a cut on his forehead. Sawyer softly pulled back from her and she smiled.
“Don’t worry. I’ve had my fill of throats for this evening.” She informed him.
“Captain” Ishmael called out staggering out of the ship. Henry ran over to him followed closely by Nemo and the others. “It was Singer, not Skinner. Singer’s tricked us all.” He said sliding down to the plank and breathed a couple more times before he died in Henry’s arms.
“Should have killed the bastard when I had the chance.” Aurora said her jaw muscles flexing and relaxing. A sound echoed through the Nautilus and everyone looked to Nemo.
“What is it?” Sawyer asked and Nemo stood and growled.
“The sound of treachery!” He informed them and ran into the ship followed by the others to the other side where the side was slowly lowered and they all stood on it watching a round shape come from the side of the ship and splashed down into the water.
“What is that thing?” Sawyer asked.
“My exploration pod.” Nemo answered as he watched the pod come closer to them. The small window was uncovered and inside sat Albert who smiled and blew Aurora a kiss. She growled and pulled out one of her guns. Allan quickly grabbed her arm.
“We can track it.” He informed her and Nemo snorted.
“I intend to catch it.” He said and walked into the Nautilus. Aurora stood watching the pod for a moment as it turned and disappeared under the water going back they way they had come. She pulled the trigger on her gun and shot the water a couple of times making everyone turn and look at her. She slipped the gun back into its holster then stormed into the ship.
They had all followed Nemo back into the room that had been used as a dining room and he pointed to a contraption in the wall.
“That is us.” He said indicating a beacon on the end of a metal arm. “That is the Nautiloid.” He said pointing to the other one. “We will be upon them soon.” Aurora looked at it and bit her lower lip.
“You okay?” Sawyer asked to Mina and she smiled a bit.
“Uh, just a little shaken.” She replied as a high pitched squeal was heard and Aurora winced.
“Nemo?” Allan asked and Nemo shrugged.
“It’s nothing of mine.” He said as a man came running into the room holding something and the device stopped squealing.
“Captain, the noise came from this.” He handed it over to Nemo and Aurora walked around them to stand on the other side of Allan.
“A recording disc?” Nemo asked looking at the others. He turned and placed it on the player and carefully placed the needle to the disc.
“Ready Professor? Recording.” A woman’s voice came out of the speaker.
“Gentlemen, if you are hearing this then every step leading up to it has gone as planned.” Another voice came from the disc. Allan made a face.
“M. Also known as the Fantom.” He said and Aurora looked at him astonished.
“And I’ve been true to the goals set to me. Yes, it’s me. Albert. As you know by now I’m no loyal son of the empire. In fact, my loyalty to Mr. M comes in no small part from his possession of something I hold very dear to my heart. Something I would do anything to regain. Because like Dorian, I too have been cursed an immortal, no thanks to Aurora.” Aurora blinked and sighed. Allan looked at her and she shook her head. Her brow wrinkled and she tilted her head softly as if listening to something outside.
“You alright?” Mina asked Henry and he just smiled.
“My ears hurt, it’s nothing.”
“Everything so far has been misdirection." M continued. "Sanderson Reed, the assassins in Kenya, your recruitment and mission. The secret conference, a myth. Even the league itself. There is no league. There never was. It was a ruse to get me closer to my goals.”
“He likes the sound of his own voice doesn’t he?” Sawyer asked and Aurora made a face.
“You see, I want you, each of you. Even tired old Quatermain because he and Aurora together will capture Hyde where all others have failed. The question is why. Why all this masque and mystery. Because in the war to come, I intend to wield the greatest weapon of all; the power of the league itself. To that end, I set my wolf among you sheep.” M continued to talk.
“Growl.” Albert cut in.
“Who’ll gain your trust and quietly lead you astray.”
“And all the while, I’ll collect you. The parts of you I need. Nemo’s science…”
“Magnesium phosphorus.” Mina said and Aurora looked at her.
“Skinner’s skin sample…” Albert continued and Aurora suddenly remembered back in the hold when Albert had helped Skinner up and he complained that Albert had scratched him. “Jekyll’s potion, Mina’s blood…” Mina touched her fingers and Aurora noticed a cut across one of them. “And Aurora’s muscle tissue.” Aurora’s hand went to her leg and she suddenly realized it was nothing from the ship that had cut her. She had felt pain when Albert shoved her overboard.
“He’s stolen us. And we let him.” Henry said softly and Aurora rubbed her forehead.
“If you fail to save Venice, then I get my war…” M continued. “If you succeed, well, it’s a small price to pay for Singer to go about his task. War will come sooner or later. As inevitable as summer into autumn." Henry glared at the player for a moment and rubbed his ear. "Now, some of you, perhaps a Quatermain, if they’re not 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…” Aurora gasped and covered her ears.
“Turn it off Nemo! Turn it off!” She screamed. Allan reached over and grabbed her by the shoulders as her knees buckled and Henry came to her side looking at Allan who looked over at Nemo.
“While I’ve rambled on, a secondary layer of inaudible sound higher than humans can hear, except for Aurora if she bothers to even listen for it, audible only to dogs and lower animals, has been heard by crystal sensors dotted about your vessel.”
“Sensors attached to bombs.” Albert’s voice informed them. “Bomb voyage.”
“Grab on to something.” Aurora said gasping. “This is not going to be good!” Nemo growled and threw the player off the small table and seconds later a boom rocked the Nautilus tilting them slightly to the right and Aurora grabbed the table in front of her. Another boom went off and they tilted even more and the table began to slide slowly and Aurora crawled on top of it. Nemo ran into the control room and Aurora followed Allan and the rest, with Henry’s help.
“Out of the way!” Nemo yelled and grabbed the controls as the ship shuddered.
“We have to surface!” Allan yelled grabbing onto a pipe above him as the ship leaned more to the right throwing everyone around.
“We’re taking in too much water!” Nemo yelled as bolts began to shoot across the room. “The controls are not responding!”
“Primary engine room almost full! The aft bulkhead is open! Pump valves are jammed!” a man informed Nemo.
“Seal it off!” Nemo ordered.
“But there are men in there Captain!” He said and Nemo turned to look at him.
“For the greater good, we must seal it!” He demanded and the man ran out of the room, quickly followed by Henry.
“Henry!” Aurora yelled sliding across the floor.
Henry ran down to the engine room as the men were starting to seal the door.
“Hold it, wait don’t close it!” He yelled grabbing one of the men and pulling him away and opening the door.
“What are you doing?” The man yelled and Henry sat down with his feet through the door.
“It’s our last chance!” He told them and began to slide into the room.
“My orders are to close it.” The man informed him and Henry looked up at him.
“Then close it.” He said letting go of the frame and falling into the water below. Men were all around him yelling and screaming as the water rose higher. Henry took a deep breath and dived under the water ignoring the pain throughout his body as he changed into Edward Hyde. Hyde quickly swam to the pump valves and grabbed them. He braced his feet against the wall and pulled. Slowly they began to move and he pulled harder and he managed to get them fully on. The valves opened and the water began to empty out of the room and Hyde grabbed onto a nearby pipe and held on as the water level lowered and the men cheered.
Back in the dining room Aurora was rubbing her right cheek as she righted a chair. Allan looked to the door as Henry walked towards them, and he gave him a thumb up and Henry chuckled.
“Let’s not make a saint out of a sinner. Next time he may not be so helpful.” He said then looked at Aurora who smiled at him but had a small gash across her cheek. “What happened to you?” He asked and Aurora rolled her eyes but shook her head. “Can we, uh, still follow Singer, or…” he asked pointing to the contraption in the wall as a couple of men put it back together.
“We were the faster, but now we’re the tortoise to his hare.” Allan said as Henry helped him with a small table.
“So we’re done?” Henry asked and Sawyer glared at him for a moment.
“No.” He said. “We’re alive. If M has any ideas to the contrary, that gives us an edge.”
“The sea is vast, he could be anywhere.” Nemo said and Sawyer looked at him.
“Yeah well I’m an optimist. Maybe that’s a crime to you twisted so-in-sos but it keeps me from going crazy.” Sawyer said picking up a chair.
“Your optimism is out of place.” Mina said and Sawyer looked at her.
“You’re wrong. Cause we’ll get our man. Or at least I will.” He said looking right at Aurora. “That other agent I told you about was my childhood friend.” He said to Allan. “We were agents together until the Fantom shot him dead. Now you can be done, but I am not. I will avenge his death.” Henry sighed and stepped up closer to Aurora.
“It’s not about any one of us Tom. It’s bigger than that.” He said and Sawyer looked at him.
“Yes it is Jekyll; the fate of the world is in our hands. The world. So M tricked you. He brought you all together and you walked straight into his trap. But, the way that I see it, that was his big mistake. He brought you together.” Sawyer said and Henry smiled.
“He has a point.” He said.
“And the boy becomes a man.” Allan said from his seat at the head of the table. “Perhaps a leader of men.” Allan looked at Sawyer and he smiled.
“And women.” Mina added and Aurora smiled.
“Perhaps some of us.” She said and looked over at Dorian who was chuckling softly. A door opened suddenly and a man stood there and looked at Nemo.
“We’re getting a signal.” He announced and they all followed him down to the communication room.
“Morse code.” Allan said when he heard the beeping.
“What does it say?” Aurora asked the man sitting there.
“Hello my freaky darlings…”
“Skinner.” Sawyer said.
“Uh, hiding on board little fish with Singer and M. On way to base, east by northeast, follow my lead.” The man continued and looked at them.
“I guess we had better fix the big fish so we can follow him and see this all through to the end now shouldn’t we?” Aurora commented looking at Sawyer who smiled.
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