Allan is disconcerted

Allan

"And if I may, I hope I'm not being rude in asking just who . . . what are you?" the Sikh puts in from the side.

The answer to that last question, as well as the others is . . . rather . . . shall we say . . . . eye opening?

. . . .

They had been rather tight lipped on certain details, but what they did say was almost too preposterous to believe. I mean, how did they get here from . . . . where ever they hale from (Underhill?), by magic carpet?!

Then again . . . . while some of it sounded like it came directly from fairy tales, but then again some of the things I saw down in Africa had more than a bit of the . . . occult to it. I am not talking of the things that got put into the books my admirers kept clamoring for, either!

. . .

Elves and magicians! Ridiculous to hear, but to see? Seeing is . . . something else. Yes, it is rather . . . unsettling!

This is basically what they told us: they were on a quest to obtain some kind of mystical, rare magical ingredient. Some kind of element or mineral that, in it's pure form is useful for travel. They'd said that it could empower a vehicle to travel to the Moon (and back), no problem!

. . .

Bloody.

Well, I'll . . . leave whether or not that could happen to the . . . . astrologers and such. What they are after (if I understand them correctly) is a sample that has begun to . . . denature. Oh, it's still useful to them because they want to use it to save a young woman's mind from being driven insane AND even in it's denatured form it could still prove dangerous if it fell in the wrong hands.

How? They don't explain, but that is what they tell me.

. . .

A magical vision (!) had directed them to this place, telling them that they could find this Cavorite.

Someone named "Chi". My, what an . . . odd name . . .

They seem to be very close to this young woman I've yet to meet and . . .

. . .

Good Lord, that has something of the noble to it, trying to save a woman. Can well understand why they had been LESS than willing to part with Mr. Griffin, given the rather personal nature of their quest!

Yes, yes. While my group's quest trumps theirs, what with it being for God and Country, I still cannot feel . . . . some matter of empathy for them. Much MORE so than for this "Mr. Bond" and "M" that Miss Murray has spoken of on occasion.

Dr. Gilbreth at least shared enough to tell us why they were here, anyway. What business they had with Griffin, anyway.

. . . .

As for Bond and M, those two have to as of YET deign tell us what the devil they want us to DO for merry old England! That alone isn't enough for it, but as insane as it sounds, I find that I trust Dr. Gilbreth and his group much more than Bond and M (whoever HE really happens to be)!

I am rather happy that that . . . Miss Murray calmed down at actually agreed to compromise with this group because though I've just met them there is something that . . . makes me want to trust them. Glad that we could come to some kind of beneficial compromise.

Now, anyway we learn about them (or at least Dr. Shaw) being magic users (the validity of it) whilst on our way back to Wapping, answering (in part) what they are. We learn in this trip that at least some (perhaps all?) only appear human from what they reveal to us, verbally. The magic . . . spell--a long and drawn out performance -- that Dr. Shaw put upon Griffin to make him pliant to questioning . . .

I say! While I would not like to be on the recieving end of such a spell, I can see it could not be cast, the spell, at the drop of a hat. Meaning we . . . more mundane folk would stand some chance if he and his friend tried such things.

. . .

That is somewhat reassuring . . . .

. . . .

Unless of course, that is what they WANT us to believe?

. . .

Well, maybe . . .

It takes quiet a bit of doing to get anything from this invisible man, however. I have the distinct feeling that if not for the magic used to calm (and intoxicate him) he'd be in such a bad way as NOTHING could be gotten from him! His mind has . . . snapped.

Probably from the process of having become invisible in the first place OR soon afterwards. Giving it some thought, while being invisible might have it's childish appeal for a while I would NOT want to be permanently that way!

"My wee wee," Griffin croons in a small, childish voice softly, clutching his . . . affair from what we can see from the flour that still covers him! "Wee wee!"

. . .

Yes, the boy's gone totally barmy from his ordeals. Perhaps his fixation on his "affair" has something to do with his psychosis that drove him to raping all those girls back at that school, perhaps?

"Well, then it lay within the League then?" Fertal sighs, talking to nobody in particular.

I . . . think that he's talking about his quest there. Maybe he and his friends feel that we have something to do with this Cavorite?

Maybe but whatever the case, I can well see that Mina . . . . Miss Murray wants NOTHING to do with Griffin now. Point in fact, this rapist is useless to us (and I cannot say that I'm sorry to say that)! Glad that Mr. Bond won't be able to force Griffin upon us, even IF he had sent us down to "collect" him in the first place!

As for HOW they know of us . . .and Mina . . .

"Well, it is a strange thing old chap," Dr. Gilbreth chuckles a little bit when I ask him that question again, right before pulling into Wapping proper. "It is something like grand symmetry, really! You know of those like 'Fred' here in legend and stories. Would it surprise you to know that they have legends and stories told by . . . . bards and such. See, there is a theory amongst . . . our sages and wise-men which tells of for each work of fiction and fantasy is in actuality the author glimpsing into another reality all together, sir? Small snippets of other people's lives and all that."

"Come now!" I scoff at the absurdity of that last part. "You cannot expect me to believe that . . ."

"Mr. Quatermain of the Diamond Mines," Dr. Gilbreth interrupts, smiling slightly in consternation and resignation. "You have quiet the following, old chap, especially for a dead man! The bards have you expiring nobly in your last adventure, you know?"

. . .

For the love of God, how did he . . .?

"And at risking going out on a limb," Dr. Gilbreth continues, looking over at Nemo. "Captain Nemo of the submarine Nautilis, ala Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea I presume? That was another well read tale may I . . ."

"Divine Shiva . . . who are you?" Nemo whispers, blinking.

"We've already gone over that," Dr. Shaw says softly, doing something to put Griffin out again.

"Nobody we should trifle with, I'll wont!" I answer, looking at him earnestly.

"Someone that we should at least introduce Mr. Bond to," Mina decides. "If nothing else, it shall prove . . . interesting. Maybe even useful, I shall wager."

1. "What say you to that?" she continues, having come to some kind of decision (without consulting the REST of us, again).

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