16. Chapter 16

Chapter sixteen

J ack explored the room as Hugh rested on the bed, waiting for the drug to work its way out of his system. The room held a variety of oils and sexual toys that Jack had no idea what most of them were, and he guessed that might be a blessing.

Hugh finally stirred, sitting up on the bed and rubbing at his eyes again. “I think it’s mostly cleared,” he said, and Jack came over to sit next to him. “I have a feeling I missed a lot.”

“Quite a bit,” Jack said. He gave Hugh as quick a rundown as he could about his arrival at the designated place, the abandoned theatre, Adam, the secret passage down into the tunnels. He explained about the apples and what he had seen the guests transform into after eating them. And he did his best to explain what Adam had told him about what the apples did, what they brought out from inside of a person. Hugh’s eyes grew wider and wider as he listened, his breath hitching a little in his throat.

“Fuck,” he said, and Jack gave a slight smirk. Hugh so very rarely cursed, so it was always amusing when he did. “I guess that would explain Viscount Jardin’s appearance, and why he was eating that young man.”

Jack nodded. “Visceral pleasures often go hand in hand.”

Hugh rubbed at his eyes again before they went wide, and he sat up. “Oh! My sergeant was one of the assistants helping us into the wagon,” he said, turning to Jack. “Have you seen him around? Gray muttonchops, looks sort of like a ferret?”

Jack frowned thoughtfully. “No, I don’t believe so, though I have not been comparing anyone to rodents either. Did you know he was involved in Eden?”

Hugh shook his head. “No, not at all. I don’t think he saw me, but we need to be really careful.”

Jack nodded. “If you see him, let me know, and I will do my best to distract him.”

“Are any of the other people you’ve seen the one you saw running away from Christopher O’Malley?” Hugh asked curiously.

Jack shook his head. “No, I don’t believe so. If I encounter Adam again, I can ask him if there are other members who are not currently in attendance. Or if the apples have been taken by anyone not part of Eden.”

“Have you seen the Tree down here?” Hugh asked, glancing around the small space like the Tree would materialize in front of them.

“No, but I have not examined much yet,” Jack replied. A thought occurred to him, and he felt silly that he had not thought of it sooner. “When I went to the Duke’s estate, I heard him talking to someone about the Tree. Moving it to Eden. And someone else replied that they couldn’t just plant the Tree in the stone. The Duke called him Adam. Which would make sense, with Adam being his son.”

Hugh frowned thoughtfully. “That does seem likely. So, the Tree is probably still on the Duke’s property at his estate.”

Jack nodded. “I assume that as well. If we can make our way back there, we could destroy it.”

“We’d have to destroy the whole thing. Probably every apple and seed too,” Hugh said.

Jack’s bonfire eyes twinkled. “Oh, no fear of that.” He patted his chest with his hand. “I can repeat what I did to the viscount in the alley.”

Hugh nodded slowly. “Do you think we could slip out of here and do it tonight?”

Jack frowned. “I’m afraid I am uncertain about the way to get back. And my presence, or lack thereof, would surely be noticed. So, we should probably at least wait for a bit before trying to make an exit.”

He had a point. It wasn't like Jack was inconspicuous amongst the group. “All right. We should probably try to find out what’s happening and any evidence we can find. We might have to bring a case against the aristocrats here.”

Jack nodded. “The only ones I know so far are the Duke, and that Adam is his son. The rest have withheld their names. But perhaps you can identify them better than I can.”

Hugh was sure that was why they all wore masks. “We should go look around. Though, I don’t know if I can just wander the hallways like this.” He glanced down at his barely-clothed body. “I get the impression that I am not supposed to be alone. Especially if I am drugged.”

Jack cast his eyes quickly around the room before they landed on a pile of red silk cord, coiled into a circle like a snake waiting in the grass. “Ah, here. I shall put this on you like a leash and parade you through the halls like a prize hound.”

Hugh’s cheeks flushed pink. “Oh. Um, yes, I suppose that would work.”

“Only with your permission, of course,” Jack added hastily.

Hugh’s whole face went red now. “It would not be my first choice, but I do not see a lot of other great options.”

Jack frowned. “I do not wish for you to be uncomfortable, Hugh.”

Hugh snorted softly. “I’m wearing less clothing than an infant, in an underground dungeon full of monsters. A leash around my neck is the least of my concerns right now.”

Jack laughed a little nervously. “I suppose. My deepest apologies for doing this then.” He slid the red cord around Hugh’s neck, leaving plenty of room, and tying it in such a way that it would not tighten. “Is that all right?”

Hugh nodded, giving the rope a little test pull. “Yes, that will do.” He gave Jack a brave smile. “Lead on.”

Jack gave him a reassuring smile back before heading out of the little alcove and back into the main hallway. Despite the area being fairly cavernous and made of mostly stone, sound was dampened pretty well, because Jack almost walked right past the first alcove that held one of the masked guests and two of the boys Hugh recognized from the champagne room. Both he and Jack stopped to watch in morbid fascination.

A few feet away, one of the masked guests sat upon a padded bench. His skin was a horrifying shade of burnt red, and Hugh realized that instead of arms and legs, his appendages had turned into some sort of squid-like tentacles, and more protruded from his back as well. Between his legs knelt one of the boys who was fellating him eagerly, his eyes half-lidded and drowsy. His ass cheeks were spread wide by two of the tentacles, and another boy knelt between them, devouring his hole with his tongue as he grunted. Hugh could see that one of the tentacles was lodged deep inside the boy’s rectum, pulling back before thrusting so deep, it was a wonder that the boy was not screaming in pain. Whatever drugs had been in their drinks were obviously very effective at blocking out any pain. At least, for now. Anthony had mentioned how badly he had hurt after the last party. Hugh wondered if he had had something like that happen to him. Would any of these people remember what happened to them the next morning? Or would they just wake up with bruises and pain and no idea what caused it? The thought made him sick to his stomach.

This was the first transformation he had seen other than the viscount, and it was fascinating and horrifying at the same time. A human body, warped into something vile. ‘God-like’ was how Adam had described it. Turning someone into their darkest desire, the cruel face they couldn’t show society. And, he suspected, this was probably one of the milder depravities Eden had to offer, if the viscount’s cannibalistic rage was any indicator of the grotesque tendencies the members exhibited.

The masked creature suddenly looked up, and Hugh could see that, instead of a mouth, the man had a nest of squiggly little tentacles that draped over his upper lip and chin like a living mustache. Somewhere beneath the tentacles, his mouth curved into a lipless smile. “Ah, Jack,” he said in a voice that sounded like gravel scraping over ocean rocks. “Would you care to join us?”

Hugh glanced over at Jack. Jack glanced back at him and gave him a pointed look, narrowing his eyes. Hugh quickly adopted a dreamy, half-lidded look. Jack glanced back to the man and smiled politely, letting the light from the gas lamps catch his pointed teeth. “No, but thank you!” he said, a bit more enthusiastically than Hugh felt was probably necessary. “Since I have not been here before, I am seeing what wonders this cavern holds.”

The tentacled man laughed, and the sound made Hugh’s bones feel like they were grinding together. “Of course, of course. Feel free to come back if you’d like. If your little pet there is any good, perhaps I’ll give him a try.” The man’s mustache tentacles quivered, and Hugh felt like he had been plunged into icy water. He knew Jack wouldn’t let anything happen to him, but even just the threat of being unable to stop someone from abusing him like that was horrifying, let alone by a creature who was transformed from human into vileness incarnate.

Jack let out a soft laugh, then nodded. “Well, I shall leave you to it,” he said, waving his hand before starting off again, and Hugh hurried after him so as not to have the rope pull him.

They passed by another alcove that was empty, but the one after that was unfortunately not. One of the boys was locked into a strange contraption that held his legs bent and spread obscenely wide. There was the whirr and click of something mechanical, and Hugh realized that it came from some sort of clockwork device that was pistoning back and forth. There was a large phallus on one end of it, and the phallus was thrusting in and out of the boy’s stretched hole as he moaned and sobbed softly. Hugh couldn’t tell if he was enjoying it or not.

Another of the boys was on his knees sucking on a large prick. There was another next to his face, and he was stroking that one with his hand. The man that they were attached to was large and looked almost like a sort of bull, with horns protruding from his forehead not entirely unlike Jack’s. He was watching the boy on the machine with rapt attention, stroking the hair of the boy between his legs. Hugh realized with a start that the boy between his knees was Anthony. At least he knew where the young man had ended up. He wanted to run over and pull Anthony away from the monster, but he couldn’t. Perhaps once the other man was done with him, Jack could take Anthony with them to keep him out of the others’ hands for the rest of the night.

Adam suddenly came around the corner. His teeth and his eyes under the gold mask had returned to normal now as he gave Jack a friendly smile. Hugh quickly turned his eyes away from Anthony and schooled his face into a dreamy blankness. “Ah, Jack. How are you enjoying yourself?” Adam asked.

“Quite a lot, Mr. Adam!” Jack declared. “Everything I have seen is quite intriguing.”

“The sorts of pleasure and chaos you are looking for?”

“Indeed,” Jack replied with a chuckle. “It is so nice to encounter peers of similar mindsets.”

Hugh had to admire Jack’s ability to lie about the horrors they were witnessing even as he felt sweat break out on his own bare skin and his stomach whirl like a hurricane inside of him. He felt Adam’s eyes on him, and he let his eyes blink heavily. He had heard that voice before. But where? The gold mask kept him from seeing Adam’s full face, and he was having trouble placing it. He felt the man’s eyes roam over him, and he wished he did not feel so exposed, literally or figuratively.

“And how is your toy for the evening? Doing what you wish?”

“Oh yes,” Jack replied. “I’m still getting my bearings, but I wanted to ensure I got this pretty one.”

Adam nodded, smiling a serpent’s smile under his mask. “If you need any suggestions, I am sure some of the others would be willing to help you. And please, do explore. There are so many vices to be had. You certainly do not have to limit yourself to one.”

“Most appreciated,” Jack said, nodding at him.

Adam smiled wider. “Well, I’ll not keep you from your fun.” He stepped aside, and Jack walked past him. Hugh kept his eyes half-lidded and lowered to the ground, feeling Adam’s gaze on him the entire time. He didn’t move or speak again until they were well away from that tunnel.

“That was Adam? The Duke’s son?”

“Yes,” Jack said.

“I know I’ve seen him somewhere before,” Hugh said with a frown.

“Really?” Jack asked in surprise. “Where?”

“I don’t know,” Hugh said, the feeling itching inside of his skull like a rat trying to get out. “I’m sure it will come to me.”

Jack kept moving, out into the main alcove where the table still sat with its discarded clothing around it, though the plates had been cleared. Jack frowned at the other tunnels branching off of it. “I have no idea which way to go or where anything is. What are we looking for?”

“I don’t know,” Hugh admitted. “Evidence of who these people are and what they’re doing?” Thus far, everything they had seen was disturbing, but it wasn’t necessarily illegal. The prostitutes had been given the option of leaving earlier. The drugged champagne was certainly dodgy, but there was no evidence to bring any sort of charge against anyone once it was gone from the drinker’s system. “We don’t know that these creatures are the ones attacking people in the street either. They might just be really fancy perverts, which isn’t a crime as far as the law is concerned. Even my sergeant being involved isn’t necessarily unlawful, unless there is actually something illegal happening.”

Jack nodded and started down a tunnel he thought he had seen the Duke enter into. “We’ll keep looking,” he said, then lifted his head in surprise. “I smell food.”

Hugh sniffed the air too. “So do I. And not apples either.”

“This way,” Jack prompted, and Hugh followed him down the tunnel until they reached another archway.

The largest table Hugh had ever seen was stretched across the room. It was covered with platters and dishes, some of which were already empty, but others were piled high with any and all manner of food. Hugh recognized various meats and fruits and cheeses, but there were a number of things he couldn’t even begin to identify. But that was hardly the most interesting or disturbing thing in the room.

Stretched out on the table, leaning over it was what looked like it might have been a man. But his skin had stretched and expanded until he looked like an oversized caterpillar, with rolls of fat, and spindly limbs that seemed only designed to grab the plates and lift them to his gaping maw. His mouth was so wide that Hugh could have easily put his head inside of it, and saliva dripped onto the table in great puddles. The creature picked up a nearby platter that held a whole roasted pig, surrounded by vegetables, and an apple in its mouth. It tipped the plate upward, and the entire contents, pig and all, slid whole into its mouth. It began to chew, and there was the most horrific sound of crunching bone that Hugh had ever heard. Then the creature swallowed, the bulge big enough to see it travel down his throat, though the blob of flesh had no discernable neck. Hugh thought he was about to be sick. Jack glanced at him, then quickly led him away from the room. “Come, boy,” he said, and Hugh was too grateful to move away from the fleshy mass of human gluttony to care.

Once they were out of earshot, Hugh gagged, sucking in deep breaths to try to settle his stomach and clear his head. Jack frowned. “Are you all right?”

Hugh nodded, spitting out a mouthful bile and swiping at his lips. “Yes. It is not even that terrible compared to what we have seen.”

“That doesn’t mean it is not disgusting,” Jack replied as they turned down another archway. “Such a brazen display of gluttonous excess. And especially when others are starving.”

The scent of blood and viscera suddenly filled Hugh’s nose as they walked, and he gagged again, clapping his hand to mouth. Jack’s nose wrinkled in disgust as well. “Well, that doesn’t seem good.”

Hugh did not want to know. After what he had seen done to Christopher, Toby, and Joseph, he knew that whatever was down that next hallway was likely horrific. But he had to see. He had to know what sort of monsters they were dealing with, what they were capable of. They stepped into a dimly lit hallway.

It was as if they had sudden broken a bubble of some sort; for as soon as they passed beyond the stone archway, the screaming hit them. Not just one person, but several voices, babbling, pleading, screaming, wailing. Hugh wondered for a moment if he had passed into Hell. The smell of blood only got worse. Jack frowned. “Wait here.”

“No,” Hugh replied. “I’m coming with you.”

Jack looked like he wanted to argue, but he just nodded, starting down the hall to one of the lit offshoot archways. Hugh followed after him, then almost tripped over himself as his bare feet landed in something warm and sticky. He looked down to see that the stone floor was covered in puddles of blood. Fresh blood, bright and thick. And not only blood. Bits of flesh, bone, clumps of hair, other fluids. Hugh jerked back. Jack glanced down, then immediately swept Hugh up into his arms to hold him bride-style. “I’ve got you.”

Hugh wanted to protest that he could walk and did not need to be carried like a baby, but he realized that walking through all of the carnage with bare feet would be horrifying, so he just nodded and let Jack carry him. Jack at least had boots on.

Jack reached the archway, stepping into it. Inside, he recognized the couple he had walked into the theatre with, though only by their masks. Their bodies had morphed into something entirely different. The man was bandy-legged and covered with a layer of dark hair, his head a cross between a wolf and a bear. The woman had metamorphosed into a sort of bird-like creature with a razor-sharp beak. Both of them were covered in blood and gore, though from what Jack could tell, it was not theirs.

Between them was a long, wooden table, similar to the ones in the morgue at the back of Scotland Yard. And while there was a body upon it, it was not yet a corpse. It was that of a nude woman, her wrists and ankles shackled to the table so she could not get off of it. Jack and Hugh both watched in horror as the woman turned her head toward them. Hugh almost screamed. The skin on the woman’s face had been peeled off of her, leaving the nerves and muscles beneath the skin exposed, her dark eyeballs bulging, her lips pulled away to expose her teeth like a grinning skull.

Jack’s hand landed on Hugh’s cheek and suddenly turned his head, pressing Hugh’s face into his chest. Hugh tried to turn his head out, but Jack held him there as he heard the wolf-faced man say, “Ah, Jack. Would you care to join us?”

Jack’s voice was smooth and rumbled against Hugh’s cheek as he replied, “Oh, not at the moment, just getting the line of the land, is that the correct phrase? It certainly seems like you two have been rather busy.”

The woman let out a cackling sound that made Hugh’s bones feel like they were being scraped together. “Indeed. We’ll go through this whole lot before the end of the night.”

Jack’s eyes followed the direction the woman pointed. Against the back wall was a large cage that looked like it could hold about a dozen people, though now there were only five inside of it, of various ages and genders. All of them were staring in horror at the woman strapped to the table, no doubt wondering what their own fate would be at the hands of these monsters.

“Let me see,” Hugh whispered against Jack’s chest.

Jack hesitated, then carefully stepped to the side so his body blocked most of what was happening on the table. He let go of Hugh’s cheek for him to turn his head toward the cage.

Hugh didn’t recognize any of the faces from the champagne room. All of them were gaunt, nearly skeletal, most of them with long, stringy hair. Hugh had seen people like this before; he often came upon them in his nightly patrols. The bottom of the barrel poor of London. The orphans, the homeless, the addicts, the runaways. Those who had not found work in one of the many brothels and instead lived on the street, scrounging through trash bins and begging for the smallest scrap of food or warm clothing. The forgotten ones, the ones who had no one to protect them. Here they were, tied like sheep for slaughter. He recalled when several of the regulars he usually saw had disappeared from his route the last few months. Were they victims of this savage group, snatched up and brought here to be tortured and murdered? How many of them had there been? It was impossible to account for every homeless person on London’s streets.

He wanted to run to them, to open the cage doors and set them free. But Jack’s arms were tight around him, and he knew he couldn’t. If he acted out, there was nothing stopping the monsters from ripping him apart as well. He couldn’t ask Jack to defend him without knowing the capabilities of the monsters. If they caused a ruckus, perhaps the other monsters would come to investigate, and Hugh did not feel like facing down nearly a dozen transformed creatures who all had a penchant for violence.

Jack turned, and Hugh was met with another horrific sight; the bodies of what must have been the earlier victims of this couple. It was a mess of limbs and blood and intestines in a sort of pyramid-like shape in the corner, the odd arm or foot sticking out like a battlement. There were little pieces scattered around the pile too. Fingers and toes, bits of scalp with hair still attached to them. Here and there, he could see a glassy, accusatory eye peeking at him from beneath the pile of gore. Why did you not stop them? How could you let them get away with doing this?

Jack grabbed Hugh’s head and pressed it again into his chest, crooning soft noises and petting his head like he was a frightened dog. A wild scream came from the woman on the table, and Hugh didn’t dare lift his head to look and see what was being done to her. “Jack, please,” he pleaded softly, hoping that the spectre would hear and understand.

Jack started into motion, and Hugh felt the breeze move over him as Jack exited the area, slipping a little in the obstacle course of blood and other things that led back through the chamber of horrors. Jack moved quickly, and, only moments later, the screams of the dying were no longer audible.

Jack slumped against the wall of one of the arches as he held Hugh close. “These people are monsters, literally and figuratively. How long they have been doing this, do you think?”

“I have no idea. But I’ve seen enough to know that they need to be stopped,” Hugh said firmly, though he could hear his voice shaking a little.

“I agree,” Jack replied. “But how do we do it?”

Without knowing their identities, bringing charges against them would be difficult, and it would be slow. And if they were the upper echelon of society, it was possible that they could use their money and power to avoid charges and conviction anyway. Hugh didn’t like the idea of resorting to vigilante justice, but people were being tortured and killed only yards away.

“Could you use your fire on them?” Hugh asked.

Jack frowned thoughtfully. “Perhaps. But I can exhaust its use very quickly. And if the fire spreads, there will doubtless be innocent people caught in the blaze.”

Hugh thought about little Morris, looking so terrified as he held Hugh’s hand, and Anthony, who had put so much faith in him. He didn’t want the boys to suffer at the hands of these vile creatures, but that didn’t mean he wanted to kill them to avoid it either. He had a sudden thought. “If both the Duke and his son are here, that means his estate might be unguarded. If we can destroy the Tree, these people won’t be able to transform again, right?” It wouldn’t stop the horrors currently going on, but it might prevent future ones from being committed.

Jack’s eyes lit up. “I have been seen by a number of guests recently, so I believe we could slip off without suspicion. If we go now, we might be able to destroy the Tree before they leave here for the night.”

Hugh frowned. “If we destroy the Tree now, we may not find out who the other members of Eden are.”

Jack was silent a moment before he slowly said, “I believe that is the risk we must take. Cutting the head off the serpent will be better than tipping them off that we are onto them.”

Hugh glanced down at his nearly naked form. “Of course, if I run through the streets like this, I may get myself arrested.”

“I think you look quite dashing,” Jack said with a teasing grin before he sobered again. “But the more pressing concern is, we still need to find a way out of here. I’m afraid I am quite turned around.”

Jack was right. It was a labyrinth down here. If they could find anything that led upward, they probably would make their way to an exit. But finding that would take time; the longer they were down here, the more people would be hurt, and the less time they would have with the Tree unguarded. “Well, we need to look around for an exit either way,” Hugh said. Maybe if they went back to where Jack had found him, they could backtrack until they found the ramp that led them up from the underground?

Jack started down another hallway, eventually finding his way back to the main chamber where the discarded clothing still lay in piles around the table, shrouds to humanity. Hugh pointed to one of the other tunnels. “I think that is the one we came from originally.”

“I think so too,” Jack said with a nod, then paused as someone exited the arch. It took a moment to see them in the dim lighting, because they were dressed all in black, including a black domino mask over their eyes. One of the employees. But even with the mask over his eyes, Hugh knew exactly who it was, and his blood ran cold in his veins.

Reardon’s eyes landed on Hugh next to Jack, and his thin lips spread into a cold smile. “Well, well. Turns out I was seeing right after all,” he said. “Won’t His Grace be impressed that I outed a rat in our midst.”

Hugh glowered at the man. “How long have you been working for Eden, Sergeant?”

Reardon laughed, the sound like claws on stone. “Long enough to know that they’ll reward me for catching a spy. Oh, won’t they have fun with you.”

Reardon’s eyes hadn’t moved from Hugh’s, but now he lifted his head, addressing Jack. “My lord, I’m afraid your little playtoy there is a constable with the Metropolitan Police.”

Hugh realized that the one time he had mentioned Spring-Heeled Jack to Reardon, he had not said anything about Jack knowing him or even speaking to him, only that he had encountered him at the site of one of the murders. Reardon thought that Jack was one of the participants of Eden.

“Carrots and compasses, are you sure?” Jack asked, turning to look at Hugh as if he had never seen him before. It might have been comical if Hugh was not absolutely petrified that they were about to be exposed.

“Quite sure,” Reardon said. “I know him myself. A little nancy of a constable and a piss-poor investigator.”

Hugh wanted to point out that he had found Eden, but Jack suddenly grabbed his wrist in a grip as strong as iron, though he did not squeeze. “Well, that certainly won’t do! We must report him to Mr. Adam at once! Will you be so kind as to lead the way, good sir?” Jack asked. “Last I saw, he went that way.” He bobbed his head toward one of the tunnels.

Reardon nodded and turned on his heel. “Of course. Follow me, sir.”

He had taken only two steps when Jack struck him from behind with a blow that sent Reardon spinning into the wall. His forehead connected with the stone with a sickening sound, and the man dropped to the ground, his black mask tumbling off his face. The front of his forehead had caved in where he had struck the stone, the front of his skull crushed into the matter behind it. His eyes stared dully at nothing.

Jack flinched and turned to Hugh apologetically. “Oops. I didn’t mean to hit him that hard.”

Hugh was finding it hard to find any sympathy for the sergeant. If he was involved with Eden, he got what he deserved. “That’s all right,” he said. He slid the silk rope off from around his neck. “We need to hide his body, so no one finds it before we’re able to get out of here.”

Jack picked up Reardon by the back of the neck, holding him like a rag doll. “Oh! Let us have you take his clothing,” he said, stepping into one of the small enclaves attached to the tunnel.

Hugh quickly stripped off the black outfit from the man, sliding them on, including the shoes. They were a little big, but he could make them work. He glanced down at the red rope and purple fabric. “Let’s put him in this outfit, and then tie him up. If anyone sees him, maybe they won’t realize right away he’s dead.”

“Devious,” Jack said with a grin. He lifted Reardon’s limp form, wrapping the red rope around the man’s neck and wrists before leaning him against the wall in the corner.

Hugh draped the purple silk over the man’s groin, then placed the black mask back on his face to hide the bloody laceration on his forehead. Jack wrinkled his nose. “I’m sure he was someone’s slice of cake, but I wouldn’t eat it.”

“Jack!” Hugh replied, trying very hard not to laugh at the inappropriateness of the joke or the situation. He stepped back to look. From a distance, he could probably pass for being unconscious. As long as it bought them time. They still needed to find a way out of here. And then he had a thought. They had spent so much time looking up, they hadn’t really looked at the floor. “I just realized, there must be a sewer connection somewhere. The blood would need to be washed away.”

“Brilliant as always, my dear,” Jack said, giving Hugh a quick kiss on the lips. There had to be one near this area, with all of the blood and viscera from the couple torturing those people. Jack motioned down the hallway, and, sure enough, as they rounded a corner, there was a round grate on the floor.

Jack squatted down next to the grate. It was old and looked like it might be rusted in place. He wrapped his hands around the metal bars and yanked. The grate creaked ominously, the metal giving a little. In the quiet of the stone, it sounded louder than a scream. Jack glanced over at Hugh. “I think one more pull, and I’ll have it free, but it will be loud. We need to be prepared to run.”

Hugh nodded, glancing around, but no one was approaching them yet. Jack grabbed the grate and gave it a mighty yank. It pulled free with a rusty-sounding screech like a banshee. “Go,” Jack said. Hugh quickly reached in, finding the old, iron handrails that created a ladder down into the sewers. He started down them, hoping that they were not so rusted as to fall apart. One of the rungs was missing, and he slipped, holding onto the slimy metal until he got his feet back under him. About a dozen rungs down, his oversized shoes landed in warm, wet, slippery water. He made a face. “I’m at the bottom,” he called up to Jack.

“Move aside, I’m coming down,” Jack said back. Hugh backed away from the hole. He heard another screech of metal, and then Jack dropped down the length of the hole to land in the muck.

“Is the grate back in place?” Hugh asked.

“Yes,” Jack said, scooping him up in his arms and starting down the tunnel. “But we have to go, I saw someone coming just as I dropped.”

Hugh nodded, holding tightly to Jack’s coat. The foul air whistled past him as Jack hurried along with no fear of the dark. His feet splashed in the water, and he heard the scuttle of rats away from them. He didn’t even want to know what else might lurk down in the sewers. His ears strained to catch any sound of someone following them, but he could hear nothing besides Jack’s plashy boots.

They had gone on for some distance before Jack spotted another set of rungs leading upward in the dark. “Here,” he said. “We should be far enough away from Eden to come out on the surface. I’m going to set you down.”

Hugh nodded, making a face as his feet once again found the disgusting muck that was the London sewers. Jack suddenly sprang upward, arms outstretched, and Hugh heard him hit something heavy and metallic above them before a spotlight of light shone from above, and Jack landed on ground next to him. He scooped Hugh off his feet, wrapping him up with his chest to Hugh’s back instead of like a baby. “Hold on,” he said before he leaped straight up. The tunnel rushed past them, and then they were suddenly out in the open air. Jack shifted and landed on the pavement, and Hugh sagged against him as Jack set him carefully on his feet.

There was a scream nearby, and Hugh turned to see a woman in a long dress and apron standing nearby, watching them with her hands thrown up to her mouth, her eyes wide. Hugh was sure that in the night’s darkness and the illumination from the streetlamps, Jack looked positively terrifying. Jack slid the manhole cover back in place, then turned to the woman. “I do beg your pardon,” he said with a magnificent bow. The woman turned and fled, still screaming.

Hugh frowned. “That’s going to draw attention really quickly. Can you get us to the rooftops?”

Jack laughed and scooped him up. He leaped, his foot catching a wrought iron railing to give him another boost, before he soared up and onto the roof of the nearest house, clambering up it to where the chimney was. Hugh glanced around, taking a moment to orient himself. The sun was not yet dawning, so it took him a little while to figure out their location. But eventually he spotted a few familiar buildings in the distance. “That’s Greyminster Church. Scotland Yard would be… that way,” he swung his hand around to point.

“The Duke’s estate is north,” Jack said, and Hugh pointed again.

“That way then.” When he glanced over at him, Jack was leaning against the chimney, studying the area. “Isn’t that hot?” he asked.

Jack glanced in surprise at it, as if just noticing what it was. “Oh, yes, quite.” Hugh chuckled in spite of himself.

Jack scooped up Hugh in his arms. “I’m going to run to the Duke’s estate, and I’m not going to stop unless we absolutely must, all right?”

Hugh nodded and held tightly to him. “Yes.”

Jack took a running leap, and suddenly they were sailing across London’s rooftops, the way they had on the night to Elysium. Hugh clung tightly to Jack, the wind whipping his hair and stinging his eyes. He would have to find some sort of goggles if this was going to keep happening. He hoped it would.