Sherlock stood outside the interrogation room watching him this man who seemed so familiar yet had no connection to the man what so ever. Moments later Gregson came out of the room he was covered in sweat his voice hoarse from shouting.
"Any progress?"
Gregson shook his head he'd done his best to break him but the man hadn't budged "No I've tried everything but the bastard won't give up what he did with Joan he said he wants his lawyer that he won't talk to anyone but his lawyer or..."
Sherlock turned his head it was hard to hide his fear it felt like the nightmare that he endured with Irene was repeating itself "Or who? Gregson who will he only speak to?"
"Who do you think Holmes? You, he'll only talk to you." Gregson was beside himself he felt so helpless "There's more he told me to give you this."
Gregson took out an envelope with Sherlock written on it he opened "If you look at the numbers on my face you won't thirteen any place. Ms. Watson is so charming that's just my opinion if you think I'm crazy then, well you can blame it on the bats in my belfry. Time is running out dear boy you better hurry because as I'm sure you know tick tock goes the clock." Sherlock turned his attention to Gregson.
"What does it mean Holmes?"
"I have no idea. The mentioning of the numbers is clearly about a clock. Belfry is perhaps some symbolic reference to a tower of some sort. I think Joan is being held in a bell tower of some sort but I can't be sure. I need to speak to him."
"Fine but don't let this… guy get into your head."
Sherlock didn't waste time he immediately marched in sitting down in front of the man. The man was about the same age as Sherlock same haircut. He had dark brown hair and eyes but dressed in an all-white suit and black shirt "Did you Mr. Holmes that the 2nd world war was started by an argument over telegraph poles? Most people these days will assume it was to stop the killings but really it was about money. I find it funny how close this country was to doing the same thing and yet even today people will say something like 'Yes we did the same thing that Germany did but we didn't kill anybody.' I really think this country is destined to die don't you? I mean it's a glorified pit of sin and the idiots just keeping hanging themselves."
"What does that have to do with Joan?" Sherlock asked his voice barely able to hide his worry and hatred.
"Nothing I was just making small talk we actually met before years ago I doubt you remember I was very forgettable back then. I've never been one to say much…" a burst of laughter escaped the man "Which is how I hear everything like Joan and your ex at that restaurant. I was the waiter. Pity that they didn't notice me I heard every word said. That, bitch though she was so smart… I must have spied on her solved her crimes and she never saw me."
"You mean Irene. You were stalking Irene and she didn't notice you? I find that odd."
He smiled "I was stalking you Irene or Moriarty became a mild interest. She was too busy pining after you to notice me. You really should have gone with her I mean she really gets you like no one else."
"Why now after all these years of stalking me why make a move now?"
"Well… I guess I was bored watching you I thought I might try my luck seeing which is smarter I even made up a whole identity based on your own obsession. Hoping you'd find me."
"So what is your real name?" Sherlock asked with disdain in his voice
"That's my little secret. You know I'm really not your enemy Sherlock in fact I think I'm the closest thing to a friend you have. So please call me James or if you insist on being formal call me Professor Moriarty." Moriarty smiled at the ever increasingly angry Sherlock.
"Why that name why did you steal Irene's name and organization from her? Why risk exposing yourself to someone so dangerous?"
"You really want to know why I went after your ex first." Moriarty leaned closer to Sherlock who was sweating with anticipation "I did it because I was bored."
Sherlock snapped he through Moriarty across the table "Where are they!"
"Look at you go!" Moriarty laughed like a lunatic even when Sherlock hurled him across the room.
"Where are Irene and Watson!"
Moriarty kept laughing "Oh yes that's right I forgot to mention the blond in my letter so here's a riddle you find her across the sea down on memory lane though I must say she's a bit tied up at the moment."
"Why are you smiling?"
It took a minute for Moriarty to compose himself and suppress his crazed laughter "Oh I was just thinking we haven't been this close in so long."
"Who are you?"
"I told you that's my little secret. Now are we playing my little game or not because then you'll be planning two funerals." Moriarty grinned.
48 Hours Earlier…
Sherlock was awakened by the sound of a blaring alarm clock he didn't know why he bothered getting out of bed sometimes it didn't seem like it was going to matter it was the same in day out. That was when he noticed something odd on his nightstand a newspaper an old one from England he looked at the head line his eyes widened with disbelief "My god."
Meanwhile Downstairs…
Joan sat on the couch watching TV when she heard screaming coming down the stairs "Watson!"
"What is now?"
"Is this some kind of joke? Digging up an old London newspaper and waiting till the exact date to place it on my nightstand for me to find?"
Joan stood up blinking at the newspaper bewildered by the accusation "What is that?"
"It's a newspaper from the first murder case I ever stumbled on. It's the one case I've never been able to solve in all my life no one else could have gotten into our home while I slept. So I ask again is this some kind of joke?"
"Sherlock are you brain dead? I didn't even know there was a case you couldn't solve."
Sherlock paused for a moment "Well technically it wasn't my first case it's the case that got me into this line of work but none the less it's the only one I've never been able to solve. It happened on campus when I was in college a girl was murdered in front of a whole party of students yet no one ever saw the attacker."
"Why does that bother you?"
"Because I was one of the students Watson! I was at that party she was right beside me and then there was a blade sticking in her neck!" Sherlock screamed.
Central Park…
Moriarty sat on a bench watching everyone around him as he had a laptop on his lap he was smiling, smiling because he had just stolen everything from Irene's accounts even the name Moriarty was now his. He killed her associates forced his way into her organization and forced it to work for him now. Most would think it hard but James actually didn't need to try honestly besides criminals and terrorists were far from loyal. It actual took him just one summer to do all that.
Moriarty looked over to his right and saw a happy family that was when his stomach started growling "Great now I'm hungry. Well I guess I better get this over with." He sighed folded his laptop took out a gun walked over to the family and shot all of them the little boy and girl their parents even the grandmother.
The people were screaming and running in panic he took out his cell phone dialing a number "Hello I'd like to make a reservation."