The Mysterious M and the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen
Aurora stood in front of a building on the East London Docks and looked at it then over her shoulder to the cabbie who was just looking at her.
“You are sure this is it?” She asked looking back to the building again.
“Aye. This is it miss.” The cabbie said glancing at the building then back to Aurora. “Are you sure you want me to be leaving you here? This ain’t a kind of place for a lady.” Aurora smiled and paid the cabbie.
“Yes, I am sure. Don’t worry about me good sir, I am no lady.”
“I could wait in case no one is home.” The cabbie told her then muttered “The place doesn’t look like it’s been lived in for bloody years.” Aurora couldn’t agree with him more but smiled at the all too familiar sound of her grandfather’s voice from within. She walked to the door as the cabbie sighed and clicked his tongue snapping the reigns of his horse. She stood at the door for a moment watching the cabbie disappear down the street and was about to knock when another all too familiar sound reached her ears. The sound of gun fire. She reached for the pistols on her hips and kicked the door open and proceeded up the stairs following the sound. She didn’t even pause to wonder about the missing painting in the middle of a wall covered in portraits as the sound led her to a library filled with masked men, and automatic guns.
“Machine guns. How quaint.” She said as she pulled the trigger of the gun in her left hand bringing down the gunman with one shot. She took out a couple more before she got the chance to look around her. Two men were on the main floor fighting with the intruders. One of them was expertly kicking the crap out of his attackers; the other was using a thin sword. Aurora blinked as she watched the man with a sword take quite a few rounds in the chest and yet he still stood. She vaguely heard a woman’s voice scream out a name. The man removed the gunman’s armor with two swipes of his sword then stabbed him through the chest. As the gunman fell he grabbed the collar of the man’s shirt and ripped it down. Aurora raised an eyebrow to see the bullet wounds turn to ash and disappear.
“What are you?” The gunman asked before falling to the ground dead.
“I’m complicated.” The man remarked turning and walking to the other end of the library. She turned slightly to her left and watched as a book knocked out one of the gunmen then fall to the floor. The fighting was over and she saw her grandfather walk into the library and she smiled.
“I come to London looking for you Allan, and this is what I find.” She said making him turn to look at her.
“You two know each other?” a voice to her left asked although when Aurora looked there was no one there.
“Of course we do.” Her grandfather said. “She’s my granddaughter.” Aurora smiled at him as she began to take the empty shells from her pistols and replacing them with loaded ones. “I take it you got a letter from M.” Her grandfather remarked as she walked towards him.
“Mmmm….M. Such a curious name for such a curious mission.” Aurora said replacing her guns in the holsters at her hips.
“Granddaughter huh? Well that explains the accuracy.” The same voice said again and when Aurora turned this time she saw a trench coat and nothing more.
“Meet Skinner.” Her grandfather said with a chuckle. Aurora looked at the trench coat and then back to Allan.
“I thought I was special,” Skinner said directing it to the man who had taken the bullets in his chest as he walked down the spiral staircase in a fresh shirt and coat. “You’re invulnerable to harm.”
“I don’t like to boast.” The man said with a smile and looking at Aurora. “What happened to Mina?”
“Oh she’s probably hip deep into some sort of trouble.” Allan said to which Aurora could only smile.
“Don’t be such an alarmist Mr. Q.” A woman said walking in from behind a bookcase. She was dressed in what Aurora figured was the latest London fashion. “And my hips are none of your business.” She remarked picking up her hat when suddenly a man grabbed her from behind and held a knife at her throat. Without thinking Aurora pulled both pistols from her holsters as the other’s around her drew their weapons as well. She glanced at a man who suddenly stepped from behind a bookcase to the right.
“Shoot!” The man said. “Go on!” he looked around at each of them as everyone replaced their weapons. “I guessed as much.” The man continued. “That they would do anything to protect you.” Aurora rolled her eyes and looked at Mina who didn’t look at all frightened.
“See,” She said calmly. “That’s your biggest mistake.” She softly growled “Thinking that I need them to protect me.” And she suddenly whipped around to face the man, grabbing him but the throat…with her teeth. She dropped him to the floor then quickly joined him sucking at the man’s neck. A moment later she was back on her feet pulling her hair back.
“Extraordinary.” The man who fought mainly with his own body remarked. Mina popped open a mirror and seemed to use it more for looking over her shoulder than at her own reflection.
“Boy.” The man who appeared on the right said watching Mina carefully. “They told me European women had funny ways.” Aurora raised an eyebrow as he walked more into the room. “You missed a spot.” He said to Mina touching his lip.
“Excuse me.” Mina said wiping the blood from her lips. “And you are?”
“Special Agent Sawyer of the American Secret Service.” He replied and Aurora smiled.
“Then America is aware of the situation.” She stated walking around a table to her grandfather’s side.
“Well, war starts in Europe how long is it going to take to cross the Atlantic?” He asked looking at Aurora with interest.
"And just how did you get here?"Aurora asked him with a quirk of a smile.
“I followed them,” he said motioning to Allan and the others. “I knocked out a straggler and took his place.” Aurora looked over to her grandfather and they exchanged looks.
“Very noble.” The man in grey said walking towards Sawyer. “But this is a private party and you’re not invited.”
“Actually, Dorian has declined.” Mina stated looking first to the man in grey then to Sawyer. “So we are one shy of a full deck.” She paused and looked at Aurora. “That is assuming you will be joining us miss…?”
“Quatermain. Aurora Quatermain. And yes.” Aurora answered looking at Mina differently than she had at first.
“On the contrary, the battle is just the spur I needed.” Dorian said never taking his eyes off Mina. “That and the thrill of a friendship renewed.” Mina made a small noise and looked at Sawyer. “So you’re not needed.” Dorian said to Sawyer and Aurora almost felt sorry for the lad as he stood for a moment like a little boy told he couldn’t join in on a game. Allan took a couple of steps closer to Sawyer looking at the rifle in Sawyer’s hands and Sawyer handed it over to him.
“Winchester.” Allan said with a smile.
“That’s right.” Sawyer said. “It’s modified. American style.” Aurora laughed walking to her grandfather’s side looking at Sawyer.
“American style shooting too.” She said as her grandfather continued to examine the gun. Sawyer looked at Aurora and smiled.
“Well, whatever it takes.” He said then turned to Allan. “You like it. I brought two.” Aurora looked at her grandfather and their eyes met. His glinting with boy-like joy and hers dancing with mischief.
“You’re in.” Allan said to Sawyer handing him back his gun then turning to face Aurora slipping his arm about her shoulders as Dorian began to lead them out the back to the docks. “I thought you were in China.” He remarked.
“I was.” She replied looking at the floor.
“And it became too boring for you is that it?” He asked with a chuckle and Aurora stopped and looked at him pretending to pout.
“What? And miss all this?” She stated gesturing around her ignoring the look she was getting from Dorian.
“Besides, it has been way to long since the two of us has caused trouble together.” Allan chuckled and looked at Aurora.
“If I remember correctly, it was you that caused the trouble.” He said fixing his granddaughter with a look. She rolled her eyes and continued walking.
“Need I remind you of Singapore?” She asked over her shoulder making Allan chuckle again.
The door led them out onto the docks; Dorian led the way down the wooden steps. “So, what’s the next port of call?” He asked as he reached the dock.
“Paris. Just one last member to recruit.” The man who had fought mainly without a weapon, who was called Captain Nemo replied.
“Capture is more the word.” Allan said “And it will be quite a hunt.”
“You make him sound like some kind of animal.” Mina said from behind Aurora.
“Oh, and speaking thus Mrs. Harker, your conduct a moment ago?” Allan asked with a smile.
“Indeed.” Skinner began. He now had white cream covering his face with sunglasses over his eyes, and a hat and gloves. “We were all a quiver with curiosity.” Aurora looked at Mina and knew what she was. She had seen her kind before, and she had killed them as well.
“Well,” Mina said as she came to a stop a bit down the pier. “My husband was Jonathon Harker. Together with a professor named Van Helsing we fought a dangerous evil. It had a name. Dracula, he was Transylvanian.”
“Oh, European? One of those radicals the newspapers love to report on?” Skinner asked as Mina took off a glove and turned slightly looking over her left shoulder at him.
“I don’t know Mr. Skinner.” She said then turned to her right and with her right hand she pulled down the collar of her coat to show them the two evenly spaced puncture wounds on the side of her neck. “Is the vampiric sucking of people’s blood radical behavior?” No one said anything for a moment and the water began to bubble. Nemo smiled and walked down the pier.
“Ah. Our transportation is forthcoming.” He said.
“A boat?” Sawyer asked and Nemo looked at him.
“It travels on water if that’s what you mean.” He said and turned back to the water as it began to bubble even more. Everyone gathered neared the end of the pier and watched as a metal ship came up from under the water. “And beneath it.” Nemo said with a smile. They all watched as the ship rose higher and higher above them. Aurora glanced down the pier as the ship stretched out down it.
“Whoa.” Sawyer said under his breath when the ship finally stopped.
“Behold, Nautilus, the sword of the ocean.” Nemo said proudly. “Next stop Paris.” Aurora looked over at Allan who only gave her a smile before they all boarded the great ship.
Later, when she was alone with her grandfather did she begin to wonder what he was doing here, and when she could no longer stand it she asked.
“Why are you here?” Allan looked up from the book he was reading startled by her sudden outburst, only because he had not had the pleasure of them for a while now.
“One could pose the same question to you my dear.” Allan countered and Aurora smiled.
“I am here because saving the world is what I live for grandfather, you however had sworn off Her Majesty and her government after my parents died.”
“I have not forgotten.” Allan said glancing back to the book then up at Aurora and sighed. “They called, and I answered.” He said simply. “It’s like Sawyer said, once the war has started in Europe, how long until it spreads to other continents?” Aurora gave him her I understand it all perfectly now smile.
“You are not doing this for Her Majesty, but for your Africa.” She said standing and walking over to him.
“It’s your home as well.” Allan reminded her and with a smile she kissed his cheek and gave him a squeeze.
“How could I ever forget?” She asked and walked out of her grandfather’s room down the short corridor to her own.
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