Chapter Text
“Well, Artie, it seems I made a slight miscalculation, and we are 80 years in the future! I thought that 12th century England was so...” Kayne makes a slightly disgusted noise “knights and castles, and that's all so boring and last century, well, more like 12th century!” He lets out an ear-splitting laugh, that seems to echo in Arthur's head like a bell.
“Could you at least tell us where the Blackstone is? Or where we even are?” Arthur manages to ask just as Kayne opens the portal and steps delicately through.
“Artie, Artie, you and John are perfectly capable of figuring that out on your own! You’ve come this far, haven't you? Well, I must be off, have fun!” He closes the portal, sealing it behind him
“KAYNE! Tell us where we are-” But John was too late, Kayne had left them in this place with no sense where they were or if they were even in the same reality.
“John, where are we?” Arthur asked, ignoring what John had done, that was a conversation for later.
“I have no idea, Arthur; we look to be in an alleyway of some sort. I can see a street just ahead; we’ll get a better sense of where we are out there.”
“Alright.”
“Arthur! The buildings.... they’re so tall, and the cars, Arthur, they look nothing like the cars in New York, or Arkham. I don’t think Kayne was lying when he said we were 80 years in the future...”
“Do you see a street sign? Or anything that could tell us where we are?”
“Oh yes, there's one right here, Oxford street; I don't recognize it, Arthur...”
“But I do! Were in London John! I suppose we get to go to England after all, do you see a library or a place we can understand more of how things work here?”
“No, but we could ask someone, speaking of people the streets are packed, and their all looking at these glowing rectangles, and they're clothes are so... bright. Now, Arthur, there's a woman, ask now!” Arthur put on his best PI smile
“Excuse me! Do you-”
“She just pushed past you Arthur... I don't think this will work”
“There are thousands of people in London, John, surely there's someone who will help us...”
An hour later and not a single person had even spared them a glance.
“Maybe this won't work” Arthur sighed, all these people seemed so preoccupied on these rectangle things that they didn't even stop for two seconds to help them!
“Wait, Arthur, there's a man looking straight at us. Arthur, he's coming towards us.... he looks wrong, be careful.”
“Hello, are you hungry? I have some food.” the man says, but it sounds like its coming through too many layers of flesh.
“Uh, yes, please” Arthur was just now noticing the pang of hunger in his stomach.
“Here”
“Arthur.... he's reaching inside himself. Oh God, Arthur he's taken out a chunk of flesh and he's offering it to you in the palm of his hand. He’s got too many fingers Arthur....”
“Oh, good lord! Um, no thank you, I'm actually, uh, not hungry at the moment...”
“I know you are.... come on, just a little bite...” Arthur felt the man's hot, putrid breath on his cheek. He took a step back, trying to get away from whatever this man was.
“Uh, no, I'm um- I've got an appointment- uh" Arthur ran. Stumbling over himself in an effort to get as far away as possible
“Arthur, you can stop now, I don't think he's following us. You couldn't see him but when he opened his mouth, he had too many teeth. I don't think he was human, Arthur.”
“Yeah, I got that impression... How could something like that happen in the middle of a city, let alone on the side of the road? Whatever things exist here, they don't care if their seen...”
“Arthur! Were Infront of a library! I think you ran quite far.”
“Ah, perfect, now we can figure out what's happened in the past more than half a century for everything to look so.... different”
“Yes, the doors just- no to the left, there. Arthur, the library is enormous! It's covered in floor-to-ceiling bookshelves, each one stuffed full of books. Theres a desk with a receptionist looking at us, I suppose we do look quite unusual. After the entrance there's the non- fiction/ history section, do we want to look there first?”
“Probably the most logical starting point, yes.”
“it's just to the right here, yes. I'll tell you when we reach the history section. Here.”
“See anything like ‘modern history’?”
“Yes ‘modern history, 20th to 21st century’ I'll start looking in it for anything that might help, but I doubt there'll be anything about the Blackstone in here.”
“true”
A while later and Arthur was in shock, so much had happened it was hard for him to process.
“Are you sure it was World War two?”
“Very sure, why are you so concerned?”
“There can't have been TWO world wars! Who was fighting who? Why?”
“I'm not sure Arthur, it's not that important surely?”
“Of course it's important John! Do you understand how devastating the great war was? If there was another one, it must have been terrible! When did it happen?”
“1939-1945”
“Great God! Only a few more years back home and it would've happened...Anything else in there?”
“Hmm, 1960s, moon landing...”
“Wait what? We went to the moon?! WE WENT TO THE MOON!!” Arthur exclaimed, ecstatic.
“Arthur, keep your voice down! The librarian just put her finger to her lips; we might get kicked out if your keep shouting!”
“Oh, yes, right, um we went to the MOON John! The moon!”
“Yes, yes, extremely exciting Arthur... Let's ask about any more libraries in the area.”
“Yes, good idea, John.” Arthur walked over to the desk, extremely self-conscious about his clothes. “Excuse me, do you know of any other libraries in the area?”
“Arthur, the woman is looking you up and down, quite rudely too.”
“Theres a place called the magnus institute somewhere to the right, but I doubt someone like you would have the academic qualifications to access their library.”
“We do look quite ragged Arthur, I think we should get freshened up.”
“Thank you.” Arthur said, before walking back out the doors onto the darkening street.
“It's getting quite dark, Arthur, we need to find somewhere to stay before it gets too late.”
“Your right, but what if I don't have enough or they don't use the same currency here?”
“Hmm, I think we should- ARTHUR, LOOK OUT-”
“Wha-” was all Arthur could say before he was tackled to the ground, he felt the strong hands grip his shoulders as he cried out. He felt hot panting breath on his cheek as whoever or whatever was pinning him down started to speak.
“What are you...” And Arthur realised he was pinned down by a WOMAN? She had a slight Welsh accent, and spoke aggressive and fast, like a dog.
“What? -” Arthur panted, confused.
“WHAT ARE YOU? You smell wrong so I assumed you were one of them”
“One of what?” Arthur asked, his detective instincts kicking in.
“One of them. I’ll just have to take you back to the institute so Jon can force you to tell us...”
“The magnus institute?” Arthur pried
“Arthur, her eyes have snapped back to yours, that got her attention, be careful, I think she's dangerous.”
“What do you know about the institute?” She sounded even more aggressive.
“N-nothing! I just know the name...” The woman growled and hoisted him to his feet.
“I don't like you. You smell different. So, I’m going to handcuff you.” the woman stated.
“Hey! You can't- I've done nothing! Stop it!” Arthur tried to struggle as she shoved him in cuffs, but she was obviously much stronger than him and overpowered him easily.
“Stop struggling or I’ll kill you.” she growled and shoved a gag in his mouth.