Chapter 4: The Ripper
Whitechapel, London
Daedalus had no problem locating the Prince and his associate, despite attempts to conceal their movements. The Prince was quite used to traveling in style, so while he did not use a Palace coach to move about the city, the lavish one he had apparently rented for the night was still out of place within the slums of London.
The pair had spent the beginning of the night crawling through seedy taverns and drinking freely complements of the Palace’s coffers. Daedalus was careful to keep his distance and observe his quarry. It was apparent that Werewolf, Montague, was in charge of the duo and the Prince was often compliant to his companion’s wishes. Daedalus hoped that tonight’s events would involve more than just the consumption of alcohol. If one of these men was indeed Jack the Ripper, he would need them to act upon their twisted desires, if he was to bring an end to the whole sadistic affair.
Upon the strike of the midnight hour, the pair finally made their move and focused their attentions upon a young prostitute named Mary Jane Kelly.
Daedalus had come to know her name and various aliases through conversation with many patrons, and despite her chosen profession, he could understand why some found her attractive. The pale beautiful woman was wholly unaware that her new clients may in fact kill her tonight as she playfully charmed them. If darker events were about to unfold for Mary Jane, Daedalus was powerless to stop them.
The Veiled laws required that a crime must be witnessed in order for him to exact justice. This was mandated by the High Veiled Council, since many supernatural beings had lost their lives to hearsay or simple, human misunderstanding. As the group left the tavern, Daedalus was careful to keep distance. He followed the trio as they navigated the nearby slums to reach Mary’s flat. As they entered her simple dwelling, Daedalus looked for a vantage point to wait out the men as they sought to fulfill their lusts.
The soft glow of candle light appeared dimly warm against the grimy windows of Mary’s room. All that Daedalus could see was shadows moving about the inside of the apartment. Hours passed and no screams erupted from within Mary’s flat. All seemed quiet and this made Daedalus anxious. Just when he considered moving closer for a better look at the mysterious affair, the door burst open and Prince Albert lumbered out. The man looked ghastly pale and without warning began to retch repeatedly. After he was able to control his stomach once again, Prince Albert frantically gazed about and then darted away from the area, leaving his companion apparently by himself, with their victim. Based upon the Prince’s departure, Daedalus was quite sure he would find all the evidence he needed to close the Ripper case firmly.
The scene that opened as Daedalus entered Mary’s flat was gruesome to behold. He found Druitt in mid-transformation as he returned to a more human form. The supernatural man made no move to flee. He seemed quite satisfied with himself and his most recent murder as he gazed with content at his unexpected guest.
“I would recommend surrender.” Daedalus stated through the handkerchief held over his mouth and nose. The smell of death hung heavily in the air. “This poor girl need not have died for your obsessions, Montague.” Daedalus made a mental note to burn his clothing adorned for this evening’s romp. The stench of rapidly decaying flesh and blood was hard to mask even with the finest of perfumes. He would never understand Werewolves and their need to act upon the most carnal of wants. The devouring of a victim’s organs to sustain youth while affective for these creatures it did little for intellectual augmentation. One could not simply eat to gain knowledge.
The lycanthropic man named Montague John Druitt, but known to world as Jack the Ripper laughed as he sat nude in a pool of his victim’s blood.
“Obsessions, if anyone knows of the power of the great intellectual muse it should be you dear, Dr. Daedalus.” Druitt’s dark eyes burned with madness in the low candle light.
“There is no intellect in murder most foul; of this I can assure you. You have done well in covering your tracks to a point Montague, but you are but a novice in a very old game of hide and seek.” Daedalus knew his time for interrogation was running out, it would be only a matter of time before Inspector Abberline and his men, would get word of the murder and move in. “Five women quite a show you have put on for the city, one most will not soon forget and yet your hunger I would assume is far from sated.”
“Are you calling me a glutton?” Montague growled.
“Well if the adjective is correct.” Daedalus did not have time for this feral beast’s tournament of dominance. “Tell me who holds your leash and I can see that you are not put down, like a rabid animal. Her Majesty’s police are not known for kindness in regards to a murderer’s treatment. There is no need for you to die foolishly. “
Montague laughed his face caked with dry blood and bits of flesh. “Did you think I would give up my master’s name so easily?” Another laugh boomed. “Now who is the fool?”
“You still are. Do you not find it disappointing that your master is not here to protect a most loyal servant? Your secrecy only ensures that a life is saved but not yours.” Daedalus lowered his handkerchief and glared at the creature before him.
“What does your master tell you? There is glory in death. Perhaps honor? Well if that were the case, why do they not give up their life as well and prove it for the entire world to see. You see Montague; there is the great lie you have so willingly become a fool of. You suffer and your master is better for it. Tomorrow they could very well retire from subterfuge and you will still be a dead dog.”
Montague stood, a new found rage making his lithe muscles twitch. He growled his face twisted with a snarl. Even in human form he was still dangerous due to his most recent feeding. The lycanthrope was about to attack when he heard a small buzz and whine from an odd looking hand gun that appeared in Dr. Daedalus’ hand. “Silver infused lightning gun that promises to be effective and most painful. I would sit back down if I were you.”
Montague did not like the Daedalus ’s mention of silver and lightening in such close proximity to his naked form. He did not need to be a scientist to know that he had lost tactical advantage.
“Varney.” The lycanthrope growled.
“So now the servant knows his master’s name. So where do I find, Varney, these days?”
“I do not know. I have only seen him once at my initiation to his order. His commands come by pigeon.”
“Pigeon, how inventive and most untraceable,” Daedalus deduced with wonder in his voice.
The sounds of the Inspector and his men approaching were apparent to both men in the room. Time had run out and soon the room would be crawling with police. “So you said you could get my life spared.” Montague suddenly pleaded.
“I did. Yet now you are not just some marauding Werewolf, you are an uncouth servant of a well-known malignant narcissist. Something I cannot let the good inspector know of.” Before Montague could react the crackling of silver lightning filled the air around him as the strange gun discharged. Its spidery effervescence ripped through Montague’s exposed flesh. The Werewolf felt his heart burst inside his chest as death took him, a look of puzzlement frozen on his face forever.
The door to the small flat burst open and several of Scotland Yard’s finest armed with revolvers secured the area.
“Well the battalion has arrived at last.” Daedalus smirked and raised his hands to show that he was at present unarmed. The officers made no move to search him and brandished their guns to make it clear he would not be leaving anytime soon. The small flat was alive with dismay as the men of Scotland Yard took in the ghastly scene with anguished grunts and faces pale.
“Officers I assure you this crime is not of my doing. Hence there is no blood on my hands nor does any of my clothing expect for my shoes, much like yours, victims in passing alone. There is no way that I could have committed such atrocities and be so …impeccably clean.”
The men ignored Daedalus’ remarks and
kept their weapons drawn upon him. Then without warning a young officer retched uncontrollably the murder scene, which was apparently too much for his young eyes.
“Come now surely the Yard’s finest have seen blood before. Granted there is quite a bit about and thanks to a weak stomach most of if any scientific evidence contained in said blood is now ruined.”
“Look who complains about tampering with evidence a man I do not remember inviting to my crime scene.” The husky voice belonged to Inspector Abbreline who now stood in the doorway since the flat could not accommodate anymore investigating visitors.
“Inspector perhaps you can have your men be a bit friendlier to a scientific practitioner and agent of the Crown. There is more to this crime than meets the trained eye and it involves things to which my services are required. If your men have the proper clearance, I would be happy to discuss the situation with them as well. ”
Inspector Abberline frowned at Daedalus but signaled for his men to stand down. “I want everyone to wait outside, except for you, Dr. Daedalus. I expect you men to keep the area outside protected and I do not want any writers or cameras from the local rag snooping about. ”
The inspector allowed his men to exit the small grisly flat and proceeded to enter himself and closed the door behind him.
“What exactly would require you to be involved with the Ripper case?” Inspector Abberline asked as he looked about the room his face scrunching with disgust.
“Why the Ripper himself of course, a personal request from the Queen.”
“Do I need to waste time in sending one of my men over to Yard command to verify that statement?”
“Hindrance on your part for this matter does not in the slightest infuriate me; it will however bring the Queen displeasure.”
Inspector Abberline gazed back to the corpse on the floor. “Well at least that rabid dog has finally been put down. The real question is where his master is?”
“If you are referring to the Prince, he is long gone. Though I am not so sure that dog was his to control.” Daedalus stated flatly.
“Another fine mess you have left for the Yard to cleanup.” The Inspector spat.
“I am quite sure this will be a most grateful mess to clean up. I believe your Ripper case has come to a gruesome close.” Daedalus smirked with audacity. “It took me one night to find the lycanthrope that has mocked your precious Yard for weeks now. Mind you, this fellow’s imperial entanglements would have proven troublesome to say the least.”
“One does not simply question a member of the royal family, even if he is known on the streets to trek with such filth.” Inspector Abberline grimaced.
“Correct, now if you require nothing further, I must take leave and continue my investigation, and I would differ any further inquiries about my comings and goings to the Throne itself.”
“Tell me, do you hunt these monsters because you are one of them, or is it something else?”
“My dear Inspector, there is at least a mystery the whole of the Yard could never unravel.” Daedalus said with a tip of his bowler as he left the Yard to clean up the Ripper’s remains.