Prelude

Olalla's head flung around and she bent over as Dance's fist hit her. Screaming in pain, she buried her face in her hands. Her head throbbed and stinged. Groaning, Olalla pulled back her hands and turned around to look at the undead man. There was a dark mark around her eye and she panted. Her nose bleed.

She felt Hyde raging in her pain, angrily trying to break through her skin. The pain in her head was almost unbearable. However, before she could change, Dance pulled out a bloodspike with a green handle and jabbed it into her side. Olalla moaned in agony as she felt Hyde retreat. No! She had to become Hyde again. She could not stay like this. It brought her back to all the times where Tenebrae had terrified her as Jekyll. One side good, the other side bad. One side desire able, the other side a reason to be avoided.

Despite being Jekyll, her temper had not changed. Her brow was furrowed and blood stung her lips as she asked with a hiss through her teeth: "What was that for?" Dance responded coolly: "That boy was using the Sight on you. I could not let him learn what I intend to do. Robert apparently is searching for you and I rather prefer if he does not."

"Why not?", Olalla asked with a hoarse laugh, "Is this not what you want? Am I not a bait or something to lure him here, so you can finish him off?" "I am not interested in Robert Jekyll right now", corrected the undead man her. Olalla's laugh died down and her smile turned into a frown of confusion.

"So let me get this straight", said Olalla, "I am not here to be killed. I am not here to capture Robert. Then why did you go through all this mess?" The young woman angrily lifted the chains that clattered around her arms. "Why am I here?" She was belivered, confused. What was Dance's goal if it was not one of these two?

Her father slowly pulled on his leather gloves and smiled. "This is not about Robert, Olalla", Captain Dance responded quietly, "It is about you from the very start. You see, I require your help with something." He slowly stepped aside and Olalla could see what laid on the table. Apart from the monocane dart gun, Fedora had used, she spotted a large book, bound in dark green leather, looking ancient and old. "No!", Olalla breathed and her eyes widened in shock as she recognized what it was: The Jeziquel Family Book.

~Jekyll & Hyde~

The bandits were standing before the Daily Truth building. The entrance was behind them. A glass door hidden underneath a fancy archway, inspired by old Greek architecture. It did not fit the style of the building at all, however the man had learned not to make fun out of it. Prothero was a picky man, egocentrically, who believed he had the best and most exclusive looking house in all off London.

They were three. Butcher like figures in long, black cloaks. They all only had a limited vision, because they all wore eye patches, despite no one having a damaged eye (except Silas, however he was not guarding here right now. He was too important for that). The bandits were hopping from foot to foot, trying to get a feeling in their legs. Standing here was exhausting. It was not very cold outside, since it was late summer, however their clothes were warm and thick.

Their job was a bore. They stood there and watched. Most even did not know what they were watching for. Some intruder. Mostly Robert Jekyll. However, they did not know if he came. They just watched for anything extraordinary and bored themselves to death, while doing so. They were low class people, who had a dump rage for everything in the world and thus easily worked with Tenebrae. They were the kind of people that felt hate because of minor injustice like Mrs. Backer who had stolen him of five dollar or Mr. Smith, who had tripped their leg. It were these inconsistencies, gathered up inside them, that turned into a savaging, dull hate that could be directed towards anything if one simply knew how.

At that moment one of them looked up. A rather rough looking bandit crossed the street. He had lowered his head and grumbled under his breath. The man's clothes seemed to be a bit ill-fit, but he wore an eyepatch over his left eye so he must be one of them.

The man was dragging a small, dark tanned boy behind himself. The boy stumbled over his feet and whenever he tried to slow down, the bandit snarled something at him. He stopped before the other bandits.

One of Silas' men asked: "What is this about? Who's that?" He had a large scar over his cheek. The stranger slumped the Indian boy before them like a sack of potatoes. "This is Ravi Najaran", he growled. Scarface and the others shared confused glances. The rough bandit groaned. "Doctor Robert Jekyll's brother", he clarified and waved a hand, "Rings a bell?"

Scarface nodded eagerly. "Yes, now I remember", he said. "Well", the ruffian growled, "Then I will bring him to Captain Dance." He tried to move between them. Looking at Scarface, his low voice became a threatening undertone, almost a snarl, growl: "I said I will bring him to Captain Dance!" Very slowly Scarface stepped aside and the bandit gave Ravi a smack against the head and shooed him into the Daily Truth building.

"Well, that was easy", mused Hyde. He carefully pulled off the eyepatch and chuckled in amusement. However as soon as he and Ravi entered the main lobby, his smile dropped. Doors, stairs everywhere. Corridors that went up and down. A map, depicted floors and rooms so much it was hard to count them all.

Hyde sighed and grunted: "This building is too large for my liking." It would take years to find Olalla in there. They did not have this much time. The mad man looked at Ravi. "Now what?", he hissed, "Can't you use your Sight again and locate in what room she is?"

Ravi shook his head. "I do not dare to try this again", he explained, "Dance already knew once that I am using the Sight. If I do it again, he will grow suspicious." Hyde huffed. "As if he is not suspicious already", he grumbled.

Ravi asked: "Can't you just ask somebody?" Hyde laughed. "Yeah, right", he called sarcastically, "Let's just" - right at that moment Prothero was walking downstairs with a map under his arm - "...ask somebody." Hyde's snarky visage dropped. "Ravi", he whispered with a side gaze to his brother, "You are a genius."

Prothero handed his secretary the files in the map. "Sign these", he told her, "And please make the following phone calls." - he put a small list off telephone numbers on the files - "and tell these managers that they won't be able to meet me this afternoon. If they ask why, say I have business to attend to. Important business, that cannot wait."

Hyde was lurking in the background. He examined the newspaper owner closely. White hair, a tight, blue suit, polished shoes that shined and reflected the lamp's light. A rather sore expression on his face and a certain unease in his steps. Something was bothering him a lot. Hyde had a very good guess what this might be.

He slowly strolled up towards Prothero as the grey-haired man walked back towards the stairs. Catching up, he patted him on the shoulder. "Hello", Hyde said as the newspaper owner turned around and gave him a punch across his face. The last thing anybody would see if he spared the time were Prothero's feet as Hyde and Ravi dragged him away.

A few minutes later Prothero woke up. He was sitting on a toilet seat in a locked cabin. Before him stood a dark-haired man with smouldering eyes and a small Indian boy, who pointed a loaded pistol at him. Prothero was frozen for a couple of seconds. It took him some time to find his speech again. "Hyde", he hissed.

"Wow", Hyde called, "Good job. You figured it out." He slowly clapped his hands. The newspaper owner angrily looked around. "What is this about?", he asked with a sour expression on his face, "What do you want from me?" "Answers", growled the mad man.

Hyde slowly leaned forwards, until their faces were inches away from one another. "Where is my sister?", he asked. "Who?", asked Prothero. The mad man bared his teeth and growled: "Do not attempt to play a game here, Prothero. Where is my sister? I know, you have her."

The whitehaired man angrily crossed his arms and looked upwards. "Why should I tell you anything?", asked the newspaper owner. Hyde and Ravi looked at each other. "Fine", he hissed, "Have it your way." Hyde snatched Prothero by his collar and opened the toilet. He forced the smaller man on his knees and pushed his head down towards the fuming water.

"Listen up", Hyde hissed, "We are in the men's bathroom. There is no camera here. Nobody will hear you. In fact, if I kill you, no one will ask or be suspicious. This cabin is locked. Someone will simply assume that you are taking a piss. So" – he pushed Prothero towards the closet – "where is Olalla?"

Prothero's breath quickened and he tried to hold against the brutal force on his neck. His hands slipped over the toilet's seat. He inhaled the scent off piss and other disgusting elements. Finally, his disgust, fear and panic overtook him and the newspaper owner shrieked: "She is in my office!" "Where is that office?", asked Hyde. He still did not let go. "Upstairs, ninth floor, the third room", stammered Prothero, "Please release me!"

"You would not be lying to me, would you?" Hyde bent over and his breath graced Prothero's ear. "No, I wouldn't!", screamed Prothero, "Please, just let me go! I am not lying. I promise!" He whimpered like a scared child.

Hyde slowly closed the toilet seat and allowed him to get up. He smiled darkly. "Thank you very much." The mad man formed a fist and slammed it against Prothero's shoulder. Moaning, the newspaper owner fell down and was unconscious at once.

Ravi eyed the man who leaned against the wall near the toilet. Turning around, he faced his older brother who cleaned his nails. "Was this really necessary?", he asked. "No", responded Hyde and grinned, "I simply felt like doing it. Moreover, do you want him to call the security in the next five minutes?"

"No, of course not." Ravi rolled his eyes and shook his head in mild frustration. "So what now?", he asked, "We have to leave this cabin after all. I guess we have to unlock it. So your smart move is pretty much gone." Hyde grunted. "Nah", he responded and waved a hand, "We just climb up the cabin wall."

Ravi looked at the white plastic walls and furiously shook his head. "Oh no!", he responded, "I am not climbing that thing up. I cannot even do that. You are crazy." A heavy hand planted itself on his shoulder. "Relax Ravi", Hyde's voice rasped over his ear, together with a gust of warm breath, "I will climb up and carry you. Simple as that."

Ravi blinked. "Are you sure?", he asked, "I mean, I won't be too heavy?" With a low, playful growl Hyde pulled the Indian boy on his back, "Ravi", he responded, "I am capable off climbing up the Empire in seconds. I will be able to carry a little scab like you."

Ravi barely had time to tighten his grip, when Hyde took one great leap and clawed himself on the edge off the cabin door. Snorting through his nostrils, the mad man changed his hold, before he pulled himself up. With his little brother like a koala baby on his back, Hyde swung himself over the door and landed before it with a low thud.

"Okay", Hyde grumbled and slowly rolled his neck. Fixing his clothes, he murmured: "Ninth floor, the third room. I say, we better get going." With long, mighty steps, body swinging from side to side, Hyde strolled through the building over the stairs. Ravi followed with quieter and faster steps. "Let's hope that nasty fellow did not lie to me", growled the mad man.

Prothero had not lied. Using a lift, Hyde and Ravi entered the ninth floor. The doors were only on the left side off the corridor and now it was only a matter of counting them. They stopped before the third door. Hyde's body was hunching forwards. His nostrils trembled and the cyan flared in his eyes. Anything could be waiting behind that door. Monsters, Vetala, bandits, maybe even Dance himself.

Hyde suddenly realized he had no real plan. What can be so difficult? All I have to do is charge into the room, smash a few people on the ground and free Olalla. This can't be too hard. He chewed on his lips and crunched his teeth. Throwing a small side gaze at his brother, he hissed: "You stay behind me, Ravi. And have your pistol ready."

The Indian boy's face was stern and almost blanc in his fear and anxiety. However, he slowly took out the pistol. "You have to unsecure it and then pull the trigger when you shoot", Hyde hissed. At least he knew that much about weapons. It was not really impressive knowledge, but it would do. Ravi carefully did as he was told. When he was done, he merely nodded towards his big brother.

Hyde did not waste any time. He took one great step and kicked against the door. It flew open and banged against the wall. Hands formed into fists, the mad man stormed into the room and the boy followed. It was a large room. Mighty windows, expensive furniture and carpets. Cupboards and table were covered with reading material as you would have expected it.

Olalla was sitting on a chair, chains around her wrists. Her eyes widened when she spotted Hyde and Ravi. The mad man smiled. "Olalla", breathed Hyde and approached her. "No!", called his sister, "Robert, Ravi! You are not supposed to be here! Run!" "But why?" "This is a trap!"

Olalla had hardly finished her words. Behind himself Hyde could hear a low shot. He swirled around in an attempt to avoid the attack, however the green monocane bullet sliced through his skin already. Face crunching into an angry grimace, the mad man roared: "God fucking dammit!", before he stumbled forwards and lost his balance. In his fall Hyde saw Silas, slamming a broom against Ravi's back. Then everything turned black.