Keep it simple and direct. That and plan for the worst.

Inquirer

"Griffin, what the FUCK are you doing here?" I grind out, aiming my holdout pistol (Military issue) at his center of mass. “How much have you overheard and WHY?"

The place I have the laser pointer positioned on his body, shifting ever so slightly as he twitches (and accompianed by a slight hurmph and tsking sound) seems to get through to that blackhole he calls a brain.

Quick gift of him seeing himself through my eyes (MAJOR sensory overload which rocks him for a moment), pushed it home.

"You can see me?" he whimpers. "That-that's not fair!"

Of course I can SEE you, I send sweetly. How do you think I managed to fix your . . . affair that time at Coote's, eh?

Now ANSWER THE QUESTION!! I add, dropping the nice act.

Almost a dream come true here, in a sense, since the first time reading Well's novel: practicing basic pscyhops/interrogation on the Invisible Man.

Well, basic in as far as catching intruders in zones they're not authorised in. Actual basic procedures...

Ah, nevermind!!

Keep it simple and direct for interrogations like this! Use props that the guy can understand with a minimum of fuss (the gun) but mix it with a bit of eldritch mystery (the laser aiming system, an unknown for 19th century England I'll bet) is the right mood setter, offsetting. Oh, and a woman swearing like a sailor kinda is offsetting, but that's only a minor thing. Anyway, keep the questions simple so the guy cannot possibly confuse it (and waste what little patience I have left for him). He has spying on us, and I have HAD it with him! Not like he could say that he's a messenger, passing on a message from the Doctor! Messages need not be delivered by naked (invisible) men, thank YOU!

. . .

Hm, speaking of messages I still have to read that transcript I squeezed out of Bond. Things had prevented such....

Ah, but that's for latter. Right now Griffin has a few questions to answer!

However, a look of absolute horror slips over his features as he seems to suddenly lose control of his body and he suddenly hunches over, acting like of ALL people: Gollum from Lord of the Rings! Then, to give further clue as to just why the strange behavior...

"Drowning deep in my sea of loathing . . ." he croaks out, sounding like Gollum from Lord of the Rings, the movie!

THIS has the fingerprints of my brother, Elrondir, ALL over it! He HAD said that Gollum would have been the perfect "computer mediea player skin" for that song, so . . . this.

Later, I shall confirm that indeed my brother had put upon Griffin (who had begged to use the lavatory), with the implicit understanding that he shall not wander about, alone (much less naked). Hey, he runs into the wrong place he might end up a newt or something! That or literally stoned if he comes upon the "Good Magician's" wife, the Gorgon (who IS able to petrify those who see her unshielded face, you know)!

That way, the boob is just singing in place (rather loudly and off key) and not getting himself into trouble before he can be tracked...

Later we shall find that he'd stripped off his clothing in the lavatory to got out creeping, not having believed Elrondir's warning (the IDIOT). . . . He either didn't believe or thought he could be a superman and resist. Victorian mind over matter, perhaps?

. . .

Or maybe whatever he'd been doped up with to get him functional after that mental collapse (re: 49677) he hoped would shield him from the geas?

Well, cannot get that answer from him, being that he only recalls the events which brought about his turnaround in the foggiest of terms, instead I concentrate on the more important matter at hand: why he's here!

Being that I cannot be bothered in easing Griffin's discomfort (what with his loss of control of body and voice), I instead do two things. First, I cast a quick silence spell on him, so as to prevent Mina from hearing the REST of the lyrics (which are rather raunchy. Yes, she may have been a music teacher before . . .getting caught up in things, but I rather doubt she'd appreciate that 20th century's band's (Disturbed's) tastes. However, if YOU feel like reading what I can lip read as he finds himself repeating himself again and again (though I don't recommend it) . . . http://www. lyricsondemand.com /d/disturbed lyrics/downwitht hesicknesslyrics .html Second, I carry out the interrogation via mental means. Being that I'm feeling a bit vexed, I forgo being nice and use the normal way I think on him. I'm capable of massive multitasking, and when you apply that to the almost telepathy of mental speaking it's like having a LOT of different questions screamed at you by LOTS of people (who just happen to sound alike).

It's very disorienting and . . . .draining. Point in fact, he staggers a bit under the stress, but I don't feel much pity here.

While shifting through that rather . . . disturbing thing he calls a mind (yuck!) I find that his ego has been bruised by me and my friends (ahhhh, poor baby). Seems that Bond had sensed that and took advantage, sending him to spy on us to as to better control (or more like erase) us at an opportune time.

See, it seems that M and Bond are now decidedly nervous because of us. We (the League and my group) . . . . too powerful and too out of control (according to Griffin). Seems that we'd scared a few people, who have the initial M....

Who is NOT Mycroft Holmes I fear. In all those stories I've read it didn't hint at such methods like this That and stuff I have overheard around the Victorian equivalent of the water cooler. M is not Mycroft, and being that it seems that events of Conan Doyle's "The Final Solution" where it had appeared that both Sherlock and his arch enemy had died at that dangerous waterfall had died had instead BOTH not only Sherlock having survived (only faking his death) . . . but gut feeling says that James Moriarty did as well!

. . .

And if HE is in charge of this operation, what does that say about Mina's MI-5? Of Mina's UK government in general?

Nothing too good, let me tell you!! Oh, they might have set him up to become the Napoleon of crime in order to better control that element (maybe) and then perhaps reeled him back in after the waterfall debacle . . . . Not too far fetched, actually (some other governments back on MY Earth earlier in history had done similar stupid things like that).

However, having been in the line of work I had been inside until becoming a Golem taught me this: In the Creator we trust, all others we monitor. I had been taught to expect the worst to always be a likely outcome and be pleasantly surprise when it doesn't, but that's by the by.

AS a side, that's why I'd suggested the continuation of scarf wearing to Mina earlier there. Luck being like it can be, wrong questions can pop into those like Hyde's head (who I have a distinct feeling is developing . . . character) . . . and he may take it out on Jonathan (who happens, according to whispered scuttlebutt to be in town). See, we Champions are confusing him (because we don't fear and loath him like most of the others, except Mina). I see he hides it, but . . . it confuses and angers him.

He hasn't taken certain actions to take advantage and doesn't seem incline . . . almost like a developing conscious (and pleaese don't roll your eyes, I'm pretty good at reading people so shut up).

That said, still. . . . Hyde IS the violent type, you know! That and remember, I was taught to plan for the worst (and expect he worst).

With Dracula dead (and true nature and treatment of Mina unknown), Jonathan's the next likely suspect, get me?

It's not a likely turn of events, but remember . . . . plan for the worst I do. . . . always (even if it doesn't always . . . show).

Boy Scouts had it right: 'Be prepared.'

. . . .

Now, hope that all made sense but it is the best I can do right now with the mess I have right now with touching Griffin's mind (yuck). If I was really distracted I'd revert to old military tech talk (Rumfeldese) and REALLY be unclear.

Let's just say that it is all that and a bit old and trite bout of "woman's intuition".

Hm, wonder what Mina's is saying to her right now. Feel it is in play, really, but...

Hm, I wonder if Mina believes that Hyde would avenge her . . .

Well, let's not keep Mina waiting! I need to tell her about what I've come upon and what I've deduced and suspect and all that. Do hope that after all this is said and done at minimum we dump Griffin!

Somewhere deep and remote . . .

Oh, and let us not forget that I suggest that I transform her ear rings into clip-ons. They'll be useless to her as they are now after those pierced ears are healed by the healing draught, you know.

That and after this all is done, the drinking of magic potions and such, we need to get the others in on this and decide whether or not to tell off M and Bond! Maybe tell themto sod off and leave (I could do it in person and get away with it, betcha!) That. . . or work on our lonesome, as free agents. Something, anyway . . . .

Anyway...

1. "Well, what have you learned?" Mina prods me as I turn back to her, still keeping half an eye on the Invisible (not to ME) Man).

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