Session 2 - The Old Fishery

Lt. Forrester, braced for the inevitable attack by the dog, reacts to the spring by catching hold of the animal and using its momentum to throw it into the river below - by unhappy coincidence upending the skiff piloted by Mr. Dementiev. Then catching hold of a handy rope, he swings over the heads of the confused, frightened orphans to confront the common thug descending from the catwalk.

Dr. Cross, upon emerging from the upper rooms, finds herself overwhelmed by the combination of the heights and riotous activity and momentarily flattens herself against the wall. The major, entering behind her, rushes by her to aid the lieutenant in his melee, drawing his sword and calling out a challenge to the sailor.

Meanwhile, Dr. Ming leads his quiescent patient into the adjoining office and bids him reflect on his life; unfortunately, the doctor's attention is immediately diverted by a sharp cry of pain from Mei Mei. Rushing back into the front room, he discovers a swarthy Spaniard midget (ed. note: Mexican, actually, but they doubtless all look alike to a gentleman of Oriental extraction) standing over her. Confronted, the individual throws a dagger at Dr. Ming, who uses his mastery of the elements to curve the dagger around his person and reflect it back upon the attacker.

Meanwhile, Mr. Dementiev, with the luck of the Roma, is able to not only to regain the skiff, but recognises the dog as one belonging to his brother! Drawing upon the arcane powers of the professional magician, he blasts the inquisitive shark encountered earlier by the Lieutenant, driving it off and allowing him to pull the dog into the skiff.

On the fishery floor, the melee between the sailor and the two officers is quickly settled in favour of the officers. Dr. Cross, rushing to intercede, is immediately brought up short by a shout of recognition from her niece amongst the orphans; in an ill-advised show of bravado she leaps from the catwalk towards Miss Edwards, only to crack her skull against a hard surface and slip into the space between life and death. Most of the orphans, seeing their oppressor subdued by the officers, take this woman landing among them as the signal to scatter from the building in a bid for freedom. Miss Edwards remains, attempting to staunch the blood slowly pooling around Dr. Cross.

Above, Mei Mei injures the Spaniard, who, crossing himself against Dr. Ming's sorcery, flees the scene. Lady Wordsworth, in the carriage outside, watches curiously as he stops, considers, then cautiously makes his way along the ancient boardwalk. Fearing some treachery, she leaves her carriage to investigate...

Mei Mei, after checking upon Dr. Ming's prisoner, hears him muttering about a secret lair below the fishery. She immediately goes to relay this information to the doctor, who is using his arts to treat Dr. Cross. The latter groggily regains consciousness to find her niece with her arms wrapped tightly around her. While the pair of ladies make their way slowly to the waiting carriage (so as not to strain Dr. Cross too much), Mr. Dementiev and Lt. Cross act upon Mei Mei's intelligence by returning to the skiff and finding an entrance to a basement built into the embankment...