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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Wulf Ratbane" data-source="post: 743390" data-attributes="member: 94">PROLOGUESomewhere in London, in the well-furnished, dimly lit apartments of Mr. Campion Bond, cigar smoke drifted lazily through the yellow lamplight like fog on the Thames. Bond frowned; the handsome, athletic man seated before him seemed perfectly at ease despite the pungent smoke. Somehow, Mr. Bond suspected that his guest’s comfort with cigar smoke was more likely gained in seedy saloons than in the company of proper gentlemen.“They are late,” said Bond, still frowning—though even as he spoke the door was pushed open by a delicate white hand. Ms. Mina Murray stepped into the room, heels drumming, dressed snugly against the night air, and trailing just behind her billowing, ever-present scarves came Alan Quartermain—a man of action well past his prime. They were followed by Dr. Henry Jekyll, nervous and polite as ever; and behind him, silent and stern, came the scourge of the seas, Captain Nemo. They entered the room and fanned out; a beat, and the door closed behind them.They waited a moment for the broad, massive back of Mr. Bond to turn and face the door. As he did so, he stepped aside, revealing their guest for the evening. Both men were dressed in black, Mina noted, though one look at the handsome face and cool blue eyes of the stranger and she knew the two men could not be more different. The stranger rose as he caught sight of Mina.“Greetings, Gentlemen,” said Bond, deliberately rankling Mina. “Do not bother to sit as I will be brief. The Queen has need of your services once again. This gentleman is an agent of the President of our former American colonies. It seems they have a problem, and Mr. West here is not up to tackling the task alone. He has been sent to meet you all and get a feel for your talents; however, as time is apparently of the essence, I suggest we dispense with the pleasantries. Sir, if you would be so kind as to lay out the matter before us.”“All right,” West said. “The renowned scientist and inventor Nikolai Tesla has gone missing from his laboratory in Colorado Springs.” He paused for a moment, but only Nemo registered the slightest hint of recognition, and little else. “His disappearance was rather sudden—he practically vanished overnight, leaving behind many of his belongings, including most of his notes and experiments. The President suspects—merely suspects, mind you—that Tesla’s disappearance may be the work of dissidents within our own military who hope to turn Tesla’s mind from civic projects and towards military uses.“Frankly this never would have happened under President Grant but…” he paused. “Even so, I doubt the tale is true. Personally, I hope some clue to Tesla’s whereabouts can be found in his notes, but as he is in the habit of encrypting his notes in ancient greek, latin, and Arabic, any clues to be found are beyond my means. I’ve sent an educated colleague to Colorado Springs but, in the meantime, the assistance of such learned scholars as yourselves would be much appreciated.”He paused to smile at Mina—though to her credit, he noticed, she did not smile back. “Time is indeed of the essence: Wherever Tesla has gone, it is clear that his knowledge must not fall into the wrong hands. The man’s mind is a weapon in itself.”Bond stepped in. “Barring any questions, you will accompany Mr. West to New York, and from there you will travel by rail to Colorado Springs to scour Tesla’s notes—for clues. Captain Nemo, the Nautilus is prepared for immediate departure.”</blockquote>

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