J&L: Jagowl & Litepaw (7)

St. Bart's Mortuary

Gustav: "Tea, tea for everyone!"

Litefoot: "Much obliged."

Jago: "Ta. Now, if I may encourage a diagnosis, Gustav. Can you shed any light on my feathery formation?"

Gustav: "I have seen this before, in fact. Or at least something similar. It is a form of virus, whose function is to rewrite the very building blocks of your bodies composition."

Jago: "But can I be cured? I don't want to spend my waning years atop a belfry, snatching at mice with my toes."

Gustav: "Indeed it can. One need only consume the antivirus, and the effects will be reversed. Provided of course that the transformation is not complete. Once your cells have been fully altered, you will be trapped within your new body."

Jago: "Corks."

Litefoot: "How do we obtain this antivirus? What is it?"

Gustav: "In good time, Professor. All in good time. How is that tea?"

Litefoot: "A little sweet for my liking, but perfectly fine. Just what the junior doctor ordered, eh? *chuckles*"

Gustav: "Drink up."

Litefoot: "Say, you have quite the wealth of experience about this virus. Where did you encounter it before?"

Gustav: "Ah. You see, I have something of a confession to make. This virus is not naturally occurring. It is the product of advanced scientific research and experimentation, that has fallen into the wrong hands."

Jago: "Whose hands might they be?"

Gustav: "Mine. No, no, don't get up or make a scene. Hush now."

Litefoot: "I can't feel my legs."

Jago: "I'm locked solid!"

Gustav: "A paralytic, dissolved in your tea, disguised by copious amounts of sugar.  Don't fear, it'll wear off within the hour. You see, I merely wanted to have a chat with you two, without things getting ugly."

Jago: "You'll pay for this, you cove!"

Gustav: "Please spare me the bravado, Henry. I can see right through your bluster, and right now you are powerless. I could kill you with the slightest effort."

Litefoot: "Then go ahead!"

Gustav: "But that is not my intention. Not yet. This affliction, this virus, is not my brainchild, it is Mr. Lambert's. But once I caught wind of his desires, I ingratiated myself with him. I helped him perfect his 'plague of evolution' or whatever he calls it. Wants to usher in a new age of human potential, bless him. He's like a child with a box of matches, a blunt instrument with an even blunter mind. Whereas I'm Moriarty. I'm a force of chaos, cunning beyond compare. I only helped the fool because I saw in him an opportunity to introduce myself to you two."

Litefoot: "There are easier ways to get our notice you know. You didn't have to help a madman spread a plague."

Gustav: "Oh, I'm well aware. I've been following you for weeks without raising suspicion. You've only know Gustav a few days, but *Irish brogue* how long have you known Jim?"

Jago: "You're Jim? Blast it all, I was took preoccupied with this malady to notice the resemblance."

Gustav: "How ironic. For the Impresario seasoned in disguise and subterfuge to be fooled so easily."

Jago: "I can tell one thing though. You do remind me of another rum character. That impeccable imitator headlining my New Regency. You're Ivan too, aren't you?"

Gustav: "At last, the penny drops. You got me, although you really haven't."

Litefoot: "We still haven't seen your true identity, have we?"

Gustav: "Of course not, but for the sake of clarity, you may call me Julian"

Jago: "Gustav. Julian. Whatever your name is. What's your game here, eh?"

Julian: "Simple. I want to give you both a case. Stop Mr. Lambert before he attempts any wide scale transmission of his pet virus. I had to ensure you'd be infected too of course, to provide something of an incentive."

Litefoot: "But why?  And what happens if we fail?"

Julian: "If you succeed, I've gotten to see how you function first hand. If you fail, you will become undone as London fails to chaos. Either way, my goal is achieved. Now, I'd love to stay and chat, but I've got dash. Things to do, revenge to plot, that sort of thing. Oh, and I've added a soporific to your beverages also. Sweet Dreams, my infernal investigators. Soon, you'll have nothing but nightmares."