The Fight Against War
They spent the next two days fixing up the Nautilus. Henry, Aurora and Mina tended to the wounded as Tom and Allan helped with the mechanics. Dorian and Nemo tended to the going-ons. On the morning of the third day they all stood in the control room and Allan gave them a smile.
“Good work. All of you. Captain.” He said and turned to Nemo who smiled and raised his chin a bit.
“All ahead full!” He commanded and the Nautilus again began to move swiftly through the water. They all gathered in the dining room and Aurora plopped down in a chair and put her feet on the table. In front of her was a map and it was this Nemo leaned over pointing to.
“If Skinner’s headings are correct, we will pass through the treacherous Straits of Tartary and enter the Amun River which empties out into the frozen lakes of Mongolia…Virtually inaccessible to outsiders.” He said his fingers showing them the way on the map. Aurora sighed.
“Mongolia. Why did it have to be Mongolia?” She said and Henry smiled as did Allan.
“As long as you stay away from any beasts you should be fine.” Allan said and Aurora raised an eyebrow.
“Easier said than done I’m afraid.” She stated and Allan laughed.
It took them virtually no time at all to reach their destination and although the Nautilus couldn’t punch through the ice completely, the watch deck was able to and there they all stood, wearing thick warm coats to block out the cold biting snow that fell around them. Nemo, Allan and Aurora were all looking through binoculars at the land around them.
“Peasant settlements.” Allan commented.
“They’re all deserted.” Aurora noticed.
“Why deserted?” Mina asked as a loud roaring sound filled the air.
“Fear, no doubt.” Nemo said and looked at the others. They walked across the frozen lake following the directions Skinner gave them and Mina slipped on the ice but Dorian caught her and put her back on her feet. Aurora stooped over and scooped up some snow and began to roll it around in her hands until it was a perfect ball. With a devilish smile she raised her arm.
“Don’t even think about it Aurora.” Allan said not even turning to face her and she stopped in her tracks and just stared at him. Henry chuckled as he walked past Aurora so she threw the snowball at him instead and when he turned to look at her she was examining her nails. Dorian laughed and managed to earn himself his own snowball. He looked at Aurora but she shook her head, wide-eyed and pointing over to Mina who was smiling. Allan glanced over his shoulder at Aurora as she started walking again and she gave him a big smile. He shook his head and turned back around as a few more snowballs went flying through the air. One smacked him in the middle of the back and he stopped and turned to look at Aurora who smiled sheepishly then turned and glared at Dorian.
They reached the top of a cliff and looked down at the large black building before them blowing thick black smoke into the air.
“M’s summer retreat.” Sawyer said and Allan grunted.
“There is where Skinner signaled he’d met us, so we wait.” Allan said turning and heading towards a cave.
They made a fire inside it and Allan went and stood watch as the snow began to come down a little harder. He sat there and raised his gun at a sound.
“Skinner?” He said but there was no answer. Soon the snow cleared a bit to reveal a great white tiger standing there looking at Allan. He aimed his gun but then he slowly lowered it as the tiger turned and disappeared into the storm.
“I thought I heard something.” Nemo said stepping out of the cave and looking around.
“It was nothing.” Allan said and Nemo looked off in the distance and saw the outline of the tiger.
“Just an old tiger sensing his end?” Nemo asked and Allan chucked as Mina and Aurora stepped out of the cave.
“Perhaps this was not his time to die after all.” Allan said smiling. Mina then Aurora both gasped, jumping and Aurora touched her butt.
“I’ve been waiting all week to do that.” Skinner’s voice said from the snow.
“Get a grip man.” Allan told him standing and Skinner chuckled.
“I thought I just did.” He replied and Mina slapped him and Aurora just glared. “Ooh, Mina.”
“Report!” Nemo demanded and Skinner snorted.
“Well hello to you too. And need I remind you, I am naked in the snow. I can’t feel any of my extremities, and I mean any of them.” Skinner said and both Mina and Aurora stepped aside to allow him to pass between them into the cave, both making sure not to touch any part of him. They exchanged glances with each other before following him in. “With all the suspicion on the ship, I knew you wouldn’t believe I wasn’t the spy. Well, I thought it was best to disappear.” Skinner said pulling on a coat.
“So what are we dealing with?” Allan asked and Skinner sighed.
“The fortress is vast. Furnaces produce iron for making M’s weapons of destruction. They’re pieced together on the factory floor by a private army of ruthless men who share his vision. But the worst was to come. In the dry dock, M’s best minds pervert Nemo’s dream.”
“The Nautilus?” Nemo asked looking at Skinner who had applied his make-up.
“Nautili. There’s eight for now.” Skinner corrected him.
“What about the kidnapped scientists?” Nemo asked.
“M holds their families hostage. The men work or the women and children die.” Skinner answered.
“Monstrous.” Nemo said and Aurora twitched her nose.
“Well, that isn’t the half of it.” Skinner continued. “The scientists are forced to work night and day to make new versions of us. Invisible spies, an army of Hydes, vampiric assassins, immortal men and men with strength and speed. M leaves for Europe today with a sample case of the chemicals to sell to the most eager nation.”
“I’ll not let my evil infect the world.” Henry growled and Mina looked at him.
“Do you think any of us feel differently?” She asked and Henry scowled.
“Chimney pipes lace the buildings and bombs in the furnaces would make quite a bang. But someone needs to blow that place to hell. And I am least likely to be seen.”
“Skinner, I didn’t know that you were such a barefaced liar.” Allan said and Aurora looked at him. “All that time pretending that you weren’t a hero.” Allan finished and Skinner smiled.
“Well shut up, or I’ll come to my senses. And besides, any more like me and I’ll lose the franchise.” Skinner kidded and Sawyer stood and cocked his rifle. Allan raised his to come across Sawyer’s chest to stop him.
“No. This cannot be a hunt to the death, more’s the pity. We must take M alive if his secrets are to be uncovered.” Allan said and Aurora snorted.
“Not Singer. He’s lived long enough.” She growled and Sawyer laughed shortly.
“Oh, I’ll handle him.”
“No.” Aurora said looking at Sawyer. “He’s mine.” She gritted her teeth together and Sawyer nodded at her.
“Nemo, you and Hyde will free the prisoners. Sawyer and I will deal with M. Dorian and Mina, you two keep Nemo and Hyde covered, Aurora…” Allan instructed and looked at his granddaughter and smiled. “You do what you do best.” Aurora smiled.
“Gladly.” She said.
“Then the game is on.” Allan stated and they all walked out of the cave. Skinner took off his coat and make-up, Henry changed into Hyde, and Aurora just walked steadily without stopping. Skinner went on ahead to take care of the guards. He came up to one and took his gun from him.
“Do you mind?” Skinner asked him then slammed the butt of the gun in the guard’s face. “Night night.” Skinner said as the guard fell to the ground. The other one seeing what happened to his buddy turned around to run but stopped short when he saw Aurora walking towards him. She hardly gave him any notice as she pulled back her right arm and punched him square in the nose sending him to the ground to join his buddy. “Nice hit.” Skinner said as Dorian handed him his coat. Aurora said nothing as a flock of bats flew by her and into the fortress.
They walked carefully into a large loading dock that was empty. The ceiling was cracked with a large crack running horizontally across it allowing some snow to filter in. They all stopped for a moment as Nemo’s men went around them checking to see if things were clear. Hyde looked at Aurora then held out his hand and looked at all of them. One by one they all placed their hands on his, Allan being last and they stood there silent for a moment then Allan nodded and patted the hand under his and they broke, each going their own way.
Aurora was following Albert’s scent through the twists and turns of the fortress. She wasn’t really sure where she was and she was only confronted by a couple of guards who never was able to utter a word before hitting the ground unconscious. She was in no mood to play with anyone at the moment and all she really wanted was to strangle Albert to death. She passed by a room and slid to a stop and backed up then entered it. There stood Albert at the other side of the room looking as if he was preparing to leave.
“Hello Albert.” Aurora said and he turned and looked at her then smiled.
“Aurora. You’re alive.” He said and Aurora tried to keep her anger in check.
“It’s possible I can’t die. Same could be said of you. Let’s put it to the test.” Aurora gave him only a second to register what she was saying before she attacked him. He expertly blocked her blows and she glared at him. “Thought you didn’t like to fight.” She growled and Albert laughed catching her arm and pinning it behind her back making her press against him chest to chest.
“Did you really think I was that weak Aurora? Couldn’t you sense the truth?” Albert’s eyes were laughing at her and she growled and turned to her right breaking Albert’s hold and kicking him in the jaw in the process. “They sent a woman to fight me?” Albert asked laughing.
“I’m nothing if qualified.” Aurora said taking a few more swings at him. He caught her against a wall and looked into her deep green eyes.
“Join me in London. Give into your demons and we’ll be a league of two.” Albert suggested and Aurora growled.
“Dream on.” She said shoving him back hard.
“Thanks to you I don’t. My body doesn’t require sleep.” Albert spat at her and she smiled.
“You can sleep when you’re dead.” Aurora said coming at him and he laughed.
“You wicked tease. You talk as if you could do me harm.” Albert said moments before she caught him round the neck and threw him into a wall.
“I’m a woman. I can do all sorts of things.” She said and Albert growled as Aurora flipped over him when he took a swing at her. But he quickly turned and Aurora was right there. She stabbed him in the stomach and backed up and he made a face and looked at her.
“Minx.” He said then pulled out the knife and before he could do anything else Aurora had his arm and again they were chest to chest.
“Do you realize what you’ve done Albert?” Aurora whispered. “What you’ve let out in me?”
“A woman’s wrath.” Albert spat. “Oh, I’m petrified.” He felt the coldness of a blade across his cheek and he shoved Aurora away and touched the wound as it healed. “We’ll be at this all day.” He said then lunged at her.
“James! Here’s you box of tricks!” A man said running into a room. Allan and Sawyer stepped back in the shadows and watched. “The brute’s potion, the vampire’s blood, the Indian’s science, and mounted samples of invisible skin and muscle tissue. Not to mention the secret to immortality.”
“They’ll be all the rage in Europe.” M said smiling then another man came bursting through the door.
“Intruders! Intruders! Indian men! I think it’s Nemo’s crew! The prisoners are escaping!” He announced and M growled.
“How many times must I kill these cretins?” He said and looked at the first man. “Make this the last.” And the man nodded and turned.
“Damn them.” He muttered and left the room with the second man. M slid on his coat and reached for his mask when Allan stuck the barrel of his rifle at the base of M’s neck.
“Do not move M. Or would you prefer Professor James Moriarty? Hmmm?” Allan said and James laughed.
“James Moriarty? The so called Napoleon of crime? That man died at Reichenback Falls. He died, and I was reborn.” James growled and Sawyer turned and knocked another man out as he was trying to sneak up on them which distracted Allan for a moment. But in that moment James ran and turning only to throw a knife in their direction.
“Watch out!” Sawyer said tackling Allan to the ground then smiling as the knife hit a picture. “Eyes open boy. Can’t protect you all the time.” Sawyer said and Allan rolled his eyes and stood.
“Ah, the bedroom Aurora.” Albert said from behind her holding her left arm behind her and talking into her ear. “It gives me such warm ideas?” He whispered hotly in her ear and Aurora smiled and with her right hand shoved a knife back into Albert’s crotch.
“Me too.” She said as he let her go and she turned walking back wards smiling.
“If that had been permanent, I’d have been very upset.” Albert said growling and pulling out the knife. Aurora grabbed a long sword off the wall as Albert came running at her. She lifted it to his chest and he ran himself through. He smiled at her then the smile began to fade.
“Now is when I inform you that the only person who can kill you is the one who first placed the curse upon you.” Aurora said then grabbing the end of the sword she walked forward pushing it deeper into his heart and then into the wall. “You tried to break my heart once.” She said with a smirk. “And now I have broken yours.” Albert looked at her wide-eyed and gasped for breath. “I had always toyed with the idea of nailing you sometime. I didn’t think it’d be literally.” She growled as Albert died. She took a few steps back and realized she wasn’t feeling any better. With a growl she left the room and went to search for Hyde and Nemo.
Allan and Sawyer ran down the corridor following James as he tried to escape them. Suddenly something slammed into Sawyer throwing him against the wall. Allan stopped and looked back at him.
“It’s okay.” Sawyer said rubbing his side. “It’s Skinner.” Allan nodded then continued after James.
“What the hell are you doing here Skinner?” Sawyer asked taking off his coat.
“What makes you think I’m Skinner?” An unfamiliar voice asked before pulling out a knife and attacking Sawyer with it.
Aurora smiled as she heard the screams ahead of her. The smile widened as she heard Dorian’s voice.
“Where’s a Quatermain when you need one?” He asked taking out two men with his sword. A shadow played on the floor and everyone looked up to see Aurora with her arms out as she flew through the air rolling then landing on her feet in front of them. The men were taken back by this sudden appearance of her and she was smiling.
“Hello boys.” She said huskily then proceeded to kick the shit out of the man closest to her. Dorian looked over at Edward who in turn looked back at him. Mina came running forward and smiled when she saw Aurora.
“We have trouble.” She announced.
“Trouble? I call it sport.” Edward said and looked at Aurora who turned and came chest to chest with him.
“Go. Help Nemo. I’ve got things covered here just fine.” She informed him and slid a knife out of her sleeve and threw it over her shoulder. Edward watched as it sank itself into a guy’s throat stopping him dead in his tracks.
“And Albert?” He asked his eyes meeting hers.
“Just another notch on the belt of death.” She said smiling and Edward chuckled.
“Instead of a notch on the bed post?” He asked and she rolled her eyes and grabbed a nearby throat.
“Men.” She said and turned away from Hyde to continue her small reign of terror.
“I’ll stay and help her.” Dorian said as Mina and Edward ran towards the other end of the fortress.
“Who said I needed your help?” Aurora asked him with a smile throwing a man towards him. Dorian easily sliced the man’s throat and just gave Aurora a look.
Sawyer kept shooting in the direction of the knife, but to no avail. He quickly ran out of bullets in his rifle and was forced to use it to defend himself against his unseen attacker blocking the knife blows as quick as he could, but not quick enough for the knife found the flesh of his left hand and in pain and rage Sawyer kicked his assailant into a storage room where a jar of black sand came pouring down over the invisible man. He sighed and looked at his hand then heard a soft hissing sound that was getting louder. He looked to the end of the short corridor where a man stepped around the corner completely covered in bulky metal holding a long shaft that had fire coming out its end.
“Not good.” Sawyer said and dived into the storage room as fire licked at his heels.
Allan walked slowly his rifle up and ready. He had followed James into an attic like room and was carefully looking for him among the discarded chairs and other junk. He spied James across the room from him and growled.
“End of the line Moriarty.” He said and shot. He snarled as a mirror broke and James ran across the room pulling out an old rusty sword and swinging it at Allan. He blocked the blow with the rifle, but the rifle was snapped and he tossed it aside.
“To the death. But you’ll need Hyde to make it mine.” James growled at Allan who just smiled.
“He’ll be making his own fun.”
“Nemo! Get the scientists.” Mina yelled as a new group of men joined in on the fight. Edward grabbed a steel door that had been thrown aside earlier and held it up to the bullets flying in their direction.
“Is that all you’ve got?” He yelled at them as one of them was laughing cheerfully. Mina snorted from behind a pillar and glanced around it. She saw Aurora and Dorian out of the corner of her eye and watched as Aurora brought down a few of the men with just as many shots. Dorian stood by Mina and sighed.
“They just keep coming don’t they?” He asked as Aurora slid behind Edward.
“Like cockroaches.” Aurora commented then smiled her eyes brightening and dancing. Mina and Dorian looked at each other as Aurora crawled between Edward’s legs facing the direction that the onslaught of bullets was coming from.
“What are you doing?” Edward asked her looking down at her as she pulled out her left gun and dumped the shells on the floor and reached into her pocket and pulled out a handful of funny colored bullets and loaded them in her gun. She gave him a smile and laid flat on her stomach taking aim and firing.
“You’re not killing them!” Dorian informed her as she shot a bullet into each of the men around them. Mainly hitting them in the legs.
“I don’t have to.” She said pushing herself back and stood grabbing the back of Edward’s collar and pulling him around to the other side of the pillar. He looked at her as the door he was holding clanged to the floor and was about to ask her what was going on when a serious of small booms erupted from around the men. When it went silent, Aurora smiled as Mina, Dorian and Edward just looked at her then to the mess on the floor. “Exploding bullets.” She said proudly and Edward gave her a look. “I spend too much time in a lab.” She told him, then a movement caught her eye and she made a face. “Must have missed one.” She said and took off after him. Edward, Mina and Dorian quickly followed her and watched as she tackled the guy to the floor and rolled. He ended on top and he smiled and she returned it then placed her right foot on his stomach and flipped him off of her; and to the main factory floor below them. He crashed on top of a table and slid off of it. Aurora rolled over and looked at him and smiled. “He’s wearing armor.” She stated standing as Edward came up to her left and Mina and Dorian to her right. They all looked down as the guy slowly got up.
“Jittery little thing isn’t he?” Mina asked as he jumped up and laughed and Aurora smiled.
“Come on!” She yelled down to him. “You want more?” He looked up at her and smiled then looked to his right at a large beaker of clear fluid and Aurora groaned. “Tell me that’s not…”
“It is.” Edward said and watched as the man grabbed up the beaker and with a wicked smile began to drink from it. “NO!” Edward yelled at him. “Not the whole thing.” He said in slight desperation.
“This is going to be bad isn’t it?” Aurora asked softly.
The armored man followed Sawyer into the storage room and shot fire at him every time he saw him. Soon the room was ablaze and Sawyer was trapped. His back was to the man as he came around a corner and he was suddenly pushed out of the way as a line of flame came at him.
“Watch it Sawyer!” the familiar voice of Skinner said then screamed as he took the brunt of the flame.
“Skinner!” Sawyer yelled grabbing a thick metal pipe and whacked the back of the man making him explode into a fireball. Sawyer sidestepped the burning man and ran to where he could barely see a badly burnt Skinner twitching and laying on the floor. “Skinner?”
“That’s the last time I play with matches.” Skinner said then quickly pointed but it was too late. The other invisible man put his knife to Sawyer’s throat and Sawyer could only swallow.
Allan punched James in the face making him spin around and Allan quickly grabbed a stick of wood and held it tight against James’ throat.
“I hope I’ve got your fire when I’m your age.” James said hoarsely and Allan grunted.
“You will not live beyond today. That I promise you.” Allan informed him right before James slammed his head back into his.
Aurora slid across the floor and into the wall where Dorian and Mina already laid. Nemo came running up looking at them curiously.
“Wow.” Aurora said standing rubbing her ribs where the man had hit her. Nemo glanced over as he helped Mina to her feet and looked at the man fighting Hyde.
“What is that thing?” He asked as Hyde flew to join them. His back hit the wall and he landed on his feet and cracked his neck.
“It’s me on a bad day.” Hyde said then ran back at the man. The guy was a couple of feet taller than his normal and had muscles bulging out of every possible place. Aurora felt a shiver as she looked down at her ribs.
“Remind me not to piss Hyde off on a bad day.” She said grumpily.
“How can you tell a bad day from a good one?” Dorian asked then reached out and grabbed Aurora’s jacket collar pulling her out of the way as the man slammed into the wall making it crack badly. He slumped to the floor and Aurora reached out and grabbed Hyde’s hand.
“Hyde! Come on!” She said as they ran down a corridor Nemo staying behind as the brute got to his feet. Moments later they were behind a broken wall and Nemo slammed into it.
“He’s too strong.” Nemo announced getting to his feet then looking around. “We’re trapped.”
“No.” Hyde panted. “He’s burning through the formula at an accelerated rate. He’ll soon change back.” Aurora looked at him as she leaned against the broken wall and sighed. The wall exploded to her right making her scream as a hand closed over her throat and pulled her to the other side.
“What. Is. With. You guys and throats!” She gasped wrenching his hand off her throat and punching him a couple times, which at best just made him stagger back a bit.
James stumbled and hit the floor. He rolled over and looked at Allan as he came towards him.
“You think you’re gonna come in here and wreck all this?” He said breathless crawling backwards as Allan reached over and grabbed an old axe. “There’ll be other like me, Quatermain! You can not kill the future!” Allan raised the axe above his head.
“Shoot him!” Mina screamed and Aurora ducked pulling out a gun and firing. The clank told her she hit the metal covering his chest.
“Not good!” She yelled. “I keep hitting metal!” She quickly moved to her right to dodge another blow, but he caught her jacket and flung the left gun out of its holster and it slid to a stop at Edward’s feet. He picked it up and looked at it. Aurora fell to the ground and didn’t want to move. The pain that coursed through her body was starting to become apparent. She rolled onto her back and looked up at the man coming at her. The ground shook as one of Skinner’s bombs went off, knocking the man and everyone else off their feet. Aurora quickly got to hers and ran towards the small group.
“Time to go!” She announced and helped Hyde and Mina to their feet.
“Couldn’t agree with you more.” Dorian said as another explosion rocked the floor and pillars started to come down. They ran down the corridor as a pillar fell and blocked the only way out, and in doing so knocked a large hole in the wall.
“Now what?” Mina asked.
“Through the hole.” Aurora said looking over her shoulder as the man started to run after them. “NOW.” She shoved Dorian through and Edward reached back through to grab onto her and pull her in. They were now in a small circular room that had snow on the floor and no other way out other than the small hole they came in. The man hit the wall behind them like a train and they all turned and looked at it.
“He’s too large to fit through.” Nemo said but a tinkling sound made Aurora look up then moan. Thirty feet above them hung large sharp icicles now trembling with the force of the explosions and the man hitting the wall.
Allan had fallen from the first explosion and James scrambled to his feet. He grabbed his mask and the case and started heading for an open hole in the wall when the cocking of a gun stopped him in his tracks. James turned around and looked at Allan as he stood there with the pistol pointed at James.
“Do you ever get tired of being wrong?” James asked and Allan blinked. “The league, me, Skinner? Wrong. Wrong about your little American friend as well. Do you really think he’s ready for action? I think you’ve trained him about as well as you trained your son.” James held up his mask and Allan looked at it. He saw the reflection of the invisible man with a knife at Sawyer’s throat. With a quick turn he shot the invisible man just as James shoved a knife into his back and he stumbled. James turned and jumped out the hole. Sawyer ran to it and watched as he glided safely to the ground then undid a strap and ran. Sawyer turned and grabbed a rifle from the floor and went back to Allan. Allan took his glasses out of his pocket and sighed. Both lenses were cracked badly.
“Get him!” Allan told Sawyer and he ran back to the hole and aimed.
“It’s too far.” Sawyer said.
“Take your time. You’re ready. Take your…” Allan fell back against a pile of boxes in pain. Sawyer followed James with the rifle. James smiled as he saw the Nautiloid coming closer. With a deep breath Sawyer pulled the trigger. It zipped through the crisp air quickly and without a sound, and then planted itself into James back piercing his heart. James fell forward and the case with the blood, potion, skin and muscle samples and the secret to immortality slid across the snow into the icy water and sank.
“I got him!” Sawyer exclaimed and turned towards Allan with a smile that faded fast. “Allan?” He asked running up to him.
“Get me back to the Nautilus.” Allan whispered.
“If he keeps hitting that wall we’re going to have all those icicles raining down on us.” Mina said as another small icicle hit the floor. Another explosion went off and Aurora’s eyes widened as she saw a massive fireball heading their way over the man’s shoulder. He turned and saw it and Aurora shoved Mina hard to the right making Dorian and Nemo fall over as she flung herself to her left into Edward. The fireball rocked the walls and shot pieces of the wall over their heads and the icicles clanked loudly. Aurora scrambled to her feet and looked at the new hole in the wall where she had been standing just moments before. Mina gave her a look and crawled through it followed by Dorian and Nemo. Aurora paused and looked at the man as he struggled with a large beam that had fallen onto his shoulders and then slipped through the hole quickly followed by Edward just as the rest of the inner wall collapsed down upon the man inside sending dust and small pieces of debris out after the group. Aurora hit the snow close to where Mina had slipped and fallen and began to laugh.
After a moment Mina joined her and the two were lying in the snow in a fit of uncontrolled laughter while Dorian, Nemo and Edward stood there looking down at the two in confusion.
“It’s a wonder I understand women at all.” Dorian said as Aurora rolled to her feet and helped Mina to hers. Aurora glanced at Dorian then looked around.
“I hope everyone else got out okay.” She said and Nemo nodded.
“Come, they’d meet us at the Nautilus.” He said and began to lead the way. Mina and Aurora looked at each other and smiled as Edward and Dorian walked around them following Nemo.
“You two coming or are you going to have another fit?” Edward asked glancing over his shoulder at them. Aurora and Mina began to walk together talking softly and laughing now and again making Dorian and Edward look back at them.
“You ever wonder…?” Dorian began but Edward shook his head.
“No. It’s better not to.” He said and Dorian nodded.
There was a solemn quiet as they approached the watch deck of the Nautilus and both the women went quiet.
“What’s wrong?” Nemo demanded of the nearest crewman and he looked at Aurora then to the ground. Sawyer appeared and Aurora looked at him.
“Tom?” She asked striding forward.
“It’s Allan…” Tom whispered and Aurora pushed past him and ran into the Nautilus. She didn’t need anyone to tell her where Allan was, for she could hear his heartbeat and knew it well. She slid into the room and looked at her grandfather lying on his bed, his face the color of ash.
“Grandfather?” She asked softly quickly going to his side. He opened his eyes and looked at her when she sat on the bed and he smiled.
“Aurora.” He said barely above a whisper and touched her cheek. Aurora didn’t notice that the rest of the league had come into the room or that Henry had changed back. “I am very proud of the woman you have become. Never let anyone tell you any different.” He said and tears sprang to her eyes. “I love you so very much Aurora.” His thumb caressed her cheekbone and Aurora placed her hand on his and smiled.
“I love you too.” She said and swallowed. “You’re going to be fine. Henry can…he can...” Allan shook his head at her and wiped a tear from her cheek.
“May this new century be yours as the old one was mine.” He said and Aurora choked on a sob.
“Don’t leave me.” She whispered leaning closer to him and kissing him softly on his lips. “I need you.” Allan smiled at her tenderly.
“You’re a Quatermain, don’t ever forget that. You can do anything.” He said and closed his eyes. Aurora leaned forward and put her ear to his chest as the hand on her cheek went limp and she started to cry softly. No one moved or said a word. The only sound was Aurora’s muffled crying as she curled up next to Allan on the bed. Henry softly pushed on Dorian’s arm motioning to him that they should leave her alone. Mina wiped a tear from her cheek and looked at Dorian then turned with the others to leave. Even Skinner sniffed in the hall as Henry quietly shut the door behind him. They all stood there not saying a word just looking at each other.
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