Chapter two: Iris

Basil arrived to Baker Street around noon. His left shoulder limped to his side as it was laced in blood from several gun shots. He observed Mrs. Judson had left though that was not the odd thing he saw.

Curled up in his chair was none other than Mina asleep. Within seconds of Basil homecoming a rushed knock on the door had the curious mouse at the door.

"Basil your back, oh thank god!" Dawson piped in excitement. Basil stared back at Mina on his chair then back at Dawson.

"I presume you have nothing to do with this?" Basil asked.

"We have time to fool around Basil as I have received notice of what is to come and quickly should we act!" Dawson responded concerned.

"Certainly nothing too terrible than what has made it's self known already…" Basil intervened. Mina soon a woken from her slumber to see Basil not too far from her talking to Dawson in the doorway; Mina gasped when she saw the wound on his left arm.

Mrs. Judson came back from the store long from Miss Mina's wake. "Basil what have you been getting to now?"

"Business is business Mrs. Judson now if you please presume with your regular duties!" Basil replied coldly. Mina got up from the seat to politely move Mrs. Judson.

"Excuse me? What happened to manners?" Mina sassed.

"I am way to busy to even begin with you at the bit!" Basil replied.

"Now come on you two!" Dawson softly said.

"Yes I agree this is going no where as we all have something to do!" Mrs. Judson shouted. Everyone became silent if only for seconds round.

"Well…yes, come along Dawson!" Basil said to glare at Mina from behind. Dawson followed behind.

Why did I come with troubles to him again?" Mina asked for Mrs. Judson to smile warmly.

Dawson cleaned his dear friend's wounds and disposed of the bullets properly.

"This Theodore sounds like he is you're twin if nothing more!" Dawson theorized.

"You try to insult me now? This man is nothing like myself as his thoughts were meant to twist and manipulate for his sake to gain access in places unsuited for his fowl play!" Basil responded quickly.

"He knows his way around. How are you going to be able to beat a man who can work the system?" Dawson asked.

"At the moment…hmm nothing comes to mind, but I reassure something brilliant will come about!" Basil replied. Dawson mildly laughed at his friend's contemplation for the day. Someone running up the stairs is heard; a nurse poked her head above the railing.

"Mr. Dawson another man is waiting down stairs for assistance!" The nurse called.

"What is his problem may I ask?" Dawson asked.

"Oh yes, severe burn injuries asking immediate attention!" The nurse once again called back.

"I am so sorry Basil looked like we'll have to pick up our conversation up another time." Dawson said unsure of what to say next. Basil put his hand on Dawson shoulder.

"No problem we shall continue later at the flat if no other plans acquire my presence." Basil remarked with a grin.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Dawson questioned.

"You have work to do, so chin up already!" Basil thought he might mention. The two walked down the steps to get a look at the poor mouse that had got his day made out for him.

Basil stared good and hard at the face of the young mouse for he seemed familiar to him, but couldn't match a name to the face. Dawson slightly turned his head to see Basils face, so very uncertain.

"I'll be seeing you around…" Basil said as he put his jacket on.

Mina made her way to a local flower shop that was a couple blocks away from Doctor Dawson's office.

Her mind wondered off many times before she had reached the little store. She looked through many plants like Roses and Forget me Not, but a flower she was fond of most had been the Iris for it had a place in her heart.

"Violet such a sad color…did someone die just of recent?" Theodore asked. The voice pierced Mina's nerves for she had not expected his visit.

"No, it's just…" Mina stopped for Theodore interrupted.

"It's just the flower you received for your birthday every year along with many other goodies, eh princess?" Theodore responded.

"…If you have nothing better to say then please leave now!" Mina shouted.

"Then I won't reveal the piece in the puzzle." Theodore replied.

"So you are a part of my father's death then?" Mina accused.

"That I can't say…, but I can lead you to the truth." Theodore reassured her.

"How do you know the truth?" Mina asked quietly.

"I have seen all though there must be sacrifices to be made Miss Mina!" Theodore thought out loud.

"This has to do with Basil doesn't it?" Mina said.

"Clam down please Macro!" Dawson asked.

"That man Theodore had not silenced me yet. He proposes to do the worst yet!" Macro yelled.

"He is the one that did this to you?" Dawson mumbled to himself.

"Miss Mina, where is she now?" Macro questioned.

"She was at Basil's flat last I saw…" Dawson responded. "Why, is she in danger?"

"This is Theodore's doing at the least. Is Basil still in charge of her case? He must work fast for he works faster!" Macro said.

The night came down like a curtain on the town. Carriages ceased to come for the day was almost over.

Rain would soon greet the night like some horror story from a book. Basil was caught in this terrible storm. He secured his hat, so dampness doesn't make its way through.

His walk home being lonely in the rainy, windy, and light fog of London till he caught something unusual in the edge of his sight unable to cope that it could be nothing he chased after it.

Past many buildings that he had passed not too long ago then to crawl up ladders and boxes to stand on the tip to know the face, but to know the face that knows you back.
With a smile the other mouse signaled him from a far. Basil stood curious of his next actions.

"You dare to see to see the truth? If that is so then this is the wrong place because soon you will see that supposed truth turned upside down in a matter of time!" Theodore shouted.

Basil turned his back to the dribble. "I have no time for trivial matters!" Basil responded.

"You shouldn't take things likely friend!" Theodore replied. Basil charged at Theodore in the distance for him to dodge.

"I take nothing likely in my realm! Beyond myself there is nothing, but what friends I have and the past at my backside!" Basil said outraged. Theodore's smiled turned into a smirk in no time flat then suddenly straightened his tie a bit.

"What small group of friends…" Theodore snickered.

"Why should this matter to you?" Basil questioned.

"It doesn't…not in the least does it! Ratigan had not the mind as your rival counterpart of crime to control what went across the streets no more than you do to save death in ones hands though you felt you have saved many at the same time you have saved none." Theodore preached.

"You think you can drag me down with silly philosophy? I admit I have not saved everyone and then there are the ones whose deaths caved under beneath me without know how, but this cannot be stopped, the world will continue as it will always!" Basil replied.

"A slight difference in your speech shows the depth of a mans soul! I will show how many has crumbled like the walls of Jericho. I guarantee you cannot act fast enough!" Theodore said as he lit a smoke then leap down and downer, so much below Basil than before he knew it he was not in sight while the fog blocked his once existence.

Basil sighed while he finally took off onto the distance where a paper fell down from nowhere with the number twenty eight had been carved into it.

"Don't you see that we have him in the palms of hands; from here the words you say can affect his every being!" Theodore shouted to shove Mina up against her dresser. Guilt plagued her every feature in the face for her to close her eyes in a moaning, muffled, cry.

"I trust him! Though a jerk he can seem…he is the only one that will help me!" Mina screamed.

"Now I have come to help! All I ask is don't say a word to him of me and tag along whenever possible. Influence his actions to despair himself…make him want to seek comfort in the midst of already seen sadness to lie a head! In between this I will take action in the background." Theodore pleaded.

"You are going to kill me aren't you if I do not do what you ask of me?" Mina asked openly in loud whisper. He put his hand on her shoulder; Mina only looked up at him.

Dawson and Macro met up at BakerStreet to try to confront Basil who once again was out with no message to give to Dawson from Mrs. Judson.

"Mr. Basil is very busy it seems as of late!" Macro stated.

"Yes, very busy. He at least would have left some words with the house maid, but nothing…" Dawson thought a loud.

"Maybe another time then perhaps…Basil can't be that far can he?" Macro questioned.

"That man can be far away in little time or be anyone anywhere!" Dawson snickered.

"So he likes to play dress up and has good transportation." Macro intervened quickly.

"I guess you can put it that way!" Dawson replied to catch Miss Mina out of the corner of his eye. "Miss Mina, hello, Miss Mina!"

"Hello Doctor Dawson, how are we today?" Mina asked nervously.

"Basil is out other than that fine." Dawson responded warmly.

"That should be for the better as I am very busy myself…" Mina said while her thumbs twiddled up and down.

"Do you need assistance?" Dawson offered his help. Macro turned his bandaged self the other way in her presence. His ears drooped then his tail lowered in fear of her opinion of what has become of himself.

"No I am fine to take care of this." Mina dawdled. A shifty eyed chubby mouse dressed in black and white pulled up in a black carriage that had two well trained black cats that carried wherever he asked.

"You are requested in the presence of Theo." The mouse shouted. Mina made her farewells to Dr. Dawson then got into the carriage. Macro turned to take a good hard look at the buggy. Dawson went nuts after he saw Macro jump the bottom of another larger carriage.

"Theo…Theodore! Sorry I have to cut our meeting short, but I must hop this train!" Macro shouted. Dawson ran to catch up to where Macro was. When Dawson finally jumped to make it up on the bars above the only thing he could do was huff. "You didn't have to come."

"I would never forgive myself if I missed out on this!" Dawson thought a loud. Macro patted his back with a laugh.

Basil at the corner dressed in one of the crony's outfits peering around trying to find where exactly the man was hiding in such huge place. A hand crept on his shoulder for him to jump.

"Ey what is this all about?" Another mouse dressed up in color garb asked. Basil pulled himself together in an instant.

"Oh well I was looking for restroom!" Basil stated in a new tone of voice.

"You won't find it in there." The crony responded.

"Why is that?" Basil smiled.

"That is Miss Mina's room, were you trying to get a peek at something eh?" The crony piped in laughter. "That's alright I won't tell!"

"Miss Mina?" Basil asked shocked. "Why did she resort to come to Theodore's again?"

"You have the worst memory here don't you? Miss Mina is playing the prissy detective of BakerStreet member?" The crony responded then left shortly down the left side of the hall.

Basil went to pursue what was behind those doors to see if Miss Mina had really made her stay in Theodore's domain. His hands gripped the handles to open to no one in the room.

Enraged he dove into many documents that almost meant nothing to the case at hand. A note at the very top of the large mirror stuck up bent in the corners attracted his attention.

"28, the very number to break his being; he said. I know the numbers have been up for me…now I am waiting for him to reap my soul."
Basil stuffed the little letter in his pocket to quickly run out of the room for the same crony from earlier to grab him by the hand.

"Where exactly are we going?" Basil questioned.

"Theodore wants us to meet him!" The crony replied. Basil accidentally whammed his face into the corridors before they had made it fully down the hall in a hurry. He rubbed it furiously. "Hurry up already."

"It stings for Christ's sake for I hit it! Leave me be a second will ya?" Basil shouted in pain. Theodore tapped his feet in front of the two when they got there in time.

"Sorry Theo, this guy here hit one of the doors!" The crony snickered.

"Whatever matters it was, leave it be for I ask the capture of Doctor Dawson; Basil's mate and the betrayer Macro!" Theodore asked.

"He was the guy burnt in the face at the clinic I'm guessing?" Basil questioned.

"Right…now I ask you to bring one or the other, but either way in time they will be found!" Theodore boasted.