Rip the Flesh, Reap the Money: Chapter 1

My name is Jacob Stock and I am one of the most famous surgeons in history. Rather than be remembered as the man who used his skills to save lives, I was known as the man who used his skills to take lives. Some refer to me as the Whitechapel Murderer. Others prefer the more notorious name, Jack the Ripper. Whatever you choose to call me, know this: I did what I did for a good reason.

I was not always the monster the papers made me out to be. I had a family like every one else; in fact, family was the reason I spilled blood in the first place. It started at my family's clinic which I co-owned with my big brother Bill. He was the kind of guy who let the city get the better of him, making us bitter opposites. While I bedded my wife, he bedded prostitutes. While I tended to my son, he tended to his coffers. About the same time I had breakfast, he was getting his morning's dose of opium. The only thing we could say we shared was our position as doctors. He was the physician who handled the medicine and finances and I was, to him, the lowly surgeon of a brother who enjoyed being pushed around by his egotistical, drug-addicted brother. That might be why I humored his get-rich-quick schemes. Still, I couldn't help but fill myself with anxiety on this particular night.

I had just stepped out of the clinic and prepared to lock it up for the night, seeing as how Bill always left early to do God knows what to or with God knows who. I didn't mind though since we rarely received patients. My grandfather probably thought Whitechapel would be a good place to set up a clinic since it had so many sick people, but I'm guessing he didn't think they wouldn't be able to pay up either. When I finally heard the, "Clink!" of the lock, I casually tucked the key into my pocket and started down the sidewalk. I picked up a newspaper from the paper boy as I passed his block. The front page read, "WOMAN FOUND DEAD ON BAKER'S STREET." I shook my head and thought how dangerous this world will be when my son grows up. At the moment he's only two months old, barely out of his mother's womb. I just can't picture the little guy growing up to defend himself from this world's monsters.

I kept my feet on the sidewalk and my eyes on the paper until I heard, "Hey! Jacob!" I bit my lips, not in the mood for a conversation right now. All I wanted to do was go home and enjoy a nice cup of tea, but it seemed that would have to be put on hold. I turned back around to see Bill waving to me from the inside one of those new automobiles. I was absolutely flabbergasted by the sight of this machinery. I bundled up the newspaper into my pocket and hustled over to him with my mouthing gaping. I couldn't say a word. I mean, what would you say if you found your brother riding one of the most expensive machines in the world? I examined the car's occupants and noticed two other people. In the front was a driver who was obviously paid to do what he did. The man sitting in the back next to Bill was of some interest though. He was a blond man within his thirties and wore a black tailcoat and a red cravat. He had this charismatic look about him and you could tell he spent much of his time flirting. Judging from the beautiful, jeweled cane he had next to him, this vehicle was his, and he had more than enough money for another one.

Bill was just as likely to catch a girl's eye tonight. He was in a relaxed, formal tuxedo and bore a lovely pair of dress shoes with narrow toes. Around his neck was a red bow tie which was possibly the only thing that hurt Bill's credibility in terms of fashion. His hair was long and shaggy, yet it couldn't compare to the length of my hair. Indeed, since I was sixteen, I've kept my hair in a pony tail.

The blond man caught me eyeing his vehicle and smirked and asked, "You like it? It cost me quite a few pounds" I stared at him blankly for a moment until I swear he batted his eyes at me.

Bill slid his hand across the side of the door as if it were his own and said, "Jacob, I'm sure you've heard of Earl Stephen Michaels."

"No, should I have?" Stephen's face changed to a pout and Bill's to a scowl.

Bill sternly said, "Yes, you should have. He's one of our suppliers."

Stephen winked and admitted, "There's no finer opium than mine."

"That explains it," I thought. Of course I wouldn't have heard of the one enabling my brother with drugs. I had to admit I was expecting a Chinese merchant though, not an earl. I gave them an understanding nod and asked, "What're you two doing just parked out here?"

"We're here to pick you up of course," Bill announced. "Now get in. We're wasting valuable time."

"I can't leave right now! Beatrice is expecting me to take the baby off her hands in a few hours!"

Stephen appeared vanquished at that news until he rebounded and announced to Bill, "If he doesn't go, neither will you." Bill gave me that "You got to come with us" look and I couldn't help but indulge him.

"Could you at least tell me where we're going?"

The earl gave me a questionable grin and said, "A party of pleasures and sin, my dear."

"Ah. I really don't think--"

"There's more to it than that!" Bill reassured me. "The earl here told me there'd be interesting work for a surgeon. Work that pays well."

I honestly had no clue what that could mean, and I was getting mixed signal of what kind of party this was. If I just had any idea what would happen, I wouldn't have been naive enough to say yes.