"Good morning Doctor Watson. Feeling well I presume?" I ask with a false smile. John looks up and glares at me.
"What the hell Jim? Don't you think it's a bit… Much?" I chuckle softly,
"When you reach my position, anything less than extraordinary becomes too subtle." He scoffs. "Don't believe me? Hm." He rotates his neck and I smile. Oh, I'm having too much fun with this. "Oh I see."
"What?" He asks angrily.
"You're cross with me." I laugh aloud this time, that's funny! "You know John, I'm not going to kill you."
"Oh?" He sounds like he doesn't believe me.
"No no no! That would just break poor Sherlock. No. I need you alive if I ever want to get to him."
"Get to him?" I smile.
"Of course. Don't you know how to play this game?" I ask, a hit of sarcasm in my voice that he doesn't catch.
"It's not a game Moriarty, it's cold hearted murder."
"Tch." I pause for a minute to think about what I'm going to say and lower my voice accordingly. I put my face right next to his ear so he can hear me. "It's art, Doctor Watson. What I do is art. In their dying moments, people tell you who they really are. They show you. It takes skill to pull that out of them. It's art, John, and don't you ever," I stress the word, "forget it." I step back to look at him, and shove my hands in my pockets. "Don't make people into hero's Doctor Watson. Hero's don't exist. In their core, every human being will do anything to stay alive. To not die. I just bring it out. I expose it."
"ART? All you do is waste lives!" He's angry now, and I tsk again.
"Tch. Doctor Watson, I want you to pay close attention to me."
"You make people DIE Mr. Moriarty!"
"Die? That's what people DO! Weren't you listening John?" I straighten my coat and face him again, "I just withdraw the chance for them to rise to their full potential. People would perceive me as being," I do air quotes, "evil, but if you look at it differently, that's not the case at all. I consider myself a saving grace. And you have to admit, the art, is simply…. Stunning." John freezes, looking at me coldly.
"Saving grace? Are you trying to be funny?" I offer a half smile before pacing again, 'round and 'round the chair I go.
"Hardly. If I were trying to be funny, you'd be laughing. I'm merely defending my position. Shall I attack your career choice. Doctor?" I ask, a bit of spite in my voice.
"Wha-"
"Doctoring them. Making them better? Is that what you think it is John? Death is a sweet release! And you pull them back, right before they manage to taste the sweetness of whatever comes after your heart stops beating. Isn't that cruel? Isn't what I do kinder? Don't try to act all high and mighty to me John Watson." I sniff, the coolness of the morning getting to me at last.
"You're crazy."
"I have been told that, but I've learned that in order to go anywhere in this world, you have to be at least somewhat mad."
"It's not kinder." I look up and stop walking to look at the back of his head. Interesting.
"It isn't? And pulling them back from death is?"
"Most people don't want to die Mr. Moriarty." I smile and laugh softly. I see. Things just got interesting.
"From my experience, no one ever knows until they are approached with it, until they do die Doctor Watson, and then they realize they have always wanted to die." The sun just barely starts to peak over the horizon of the city, turning the clouds shades of pink and orange. My breath hangs in the air as I continue to circle him. "I have heard people beg me for death. Angel of Mercy."
"Mercy!" He scoffs. "Is that what you call it Jim?" I stop in front of him and look him in the eye, a smile spreading across my face,
"You called me Jim."
"Whatever the hell it is, it sure isn't mercy." I shrug, continuing to pace.
"That's debatable. Better to live in the light, rather than in ignorance. Wouldn't you say?"
"There's a saying, 'Ignorance is bliss.'" He quotes and I smile again. So predictable. You, Doctor Watson, are playing right into my hands. I just knew you would say that.
"At least until that ignorance is shattered, leaving a broken human being behind. You are all so fragile! You know this John, you work with them every day. The broken, the sick, the ailing, the dying." He glares at me and looks as if he's going to say something more, but the beeping of his phone in my pocket stops him. I smile and bend down to look him properly in the face. "I'd better be off, I've got Sherlock to finally come out and play, I'd better be prepared. In this game, one cannot afford to be caught off guard!" I tap him on the nose, much to his surprise and instant dislike. I smile before turning on my heel and leaving through the open door with a flourish. I slam the two doors together and head into the main part of the building before checking John's phone.
Found: a small wooden spoon used for the murder of one, Elridge Turner.
SH
I smile. Good. He's getting the hang of it.
Good boy. Now be a doll and clear up another mess for me.
I don't bother to sign the note. He knows it's me. I smile and whistle a tune as I place the phone back in my pocket. Luckily for me, Sherlock removes all tracking devices for both his, and John's portable devices. You'd think he'd at least leave the ones for the cell phones in, but I suppose he doesn't want Mycroft snooping, considering he's the one that put them there. Sherlock's frantic by now. I push the door to my study open and move another piece on the chess board.
Let the games begin.
And of course Sherlock has to play, he has no other options. I cannot afford to lose another piece in this game. I've worked far too hard for this. I need to win. Years of being shot down, forgotten, beaten, and I am not about to lose again. I touch my chest for a moment, sentiment mostly, feeling for the scars hidden by my t-shirt. Too much. I smile slightly before gazing at the board again. Game of chess. I'll be sure to win.
Reward.
Punishment.
Reward.
Punishment.
How to train your favorite pet. I smile again before leaving the study and calling for Sebastian on my phone. Change in plans again. Unpredictable, changeable. No one ever expects the unexpected. Even if they say they do.
"I do hope you aren't afraid of heights Doctor Watson." I call cheerily before I actually enter the garage. He looks up from his chair and scowls.
"Come to make art out of me have you? Come to shatter my ignorance."
"Tch." I shake my head pleasantly, "When are you going to learn to let things go?" I ask before turning on my heel. "Seb will be in to knock you out presently, I've got some other things to attend to before we continue with our game." He looks at me loathingly, "Our little game of chess is just about to get interesting." I flash him a pleasant smile before taking my leave and strolling down the street.
It looks like it might rain.
I might need my umbrella.
I shove my hands in my jean's pockets and turn the corner, pulling out John's phone while I'm at it. Time to change it up a bit Sherlock. Hope you like surprises. Hell, who am I kidding, he doesn't like surprises, but that won't stop me from playing dirty.
I'm soooo changeable.
Sorry dear.
You have four hours to find him Sherlock,
Or he'll probably end up little more than a smudge on the pavement.
;)
I couldn't resist the emoticon. Let him think what he likes. When you reach my position, you hide behind an innumerable amount of masks. Mask after mask after mask veils your true face. No one ever gets to me and no one ever will. Sebastian's car drives right past me, slowing down as a signal and then speeding away to find a suitable building. He'd text me when John's in position and I'll hurry on up to meet Sherlock and if he takes too long, I'll be the one to push the Doctor over the edge. Shoving John's phone back in my pocket I step up to the curb to hail a cab. Usually Sebastian would just drive me everywhere, but not today. Today, I'm a civilian. I dress like a normal person, I act like a normal person, I even smell like a normal person. Everyday it's something different. Today, I'm Jim. My phone buzzes and I tell the cabby the address, smile and sit back, waiting to arrive.
I climb the stairs.
Elevators give me a chance of being seen more than I want to be. People don't take the stairs. I throw open the door and a cold breeze blows through me. I'm a ghost. Until John sees me. His chair is missing and he dangles his legs over the edge of the building.
A cold rain begins to fall.
The first drop touches my nose and I look up, scowling at the rain.
John grips the edge of the building with his fingers, his knuckles are white, and he looks uncomfortable.
"Tch." I sit down next to him, the backs of my feet hitting against the side of the building. I don't say anything, I just look at John. And he looks at me. He looks mad, like he wants to say something, but he doesn't. I check the clock. Three and a half hours to go. Sighing I lay back, laying on the top of the building with my legs hanging over the edge. Never mind how open I am right now. John could just push me off and be done with it. But he doesn't. Why?
"He's not a cold blooded killer. Like me." John looks at me confused.
"What?" I look up. Had I said that out loud?
"Why are you up here Jim?" To that, I smile.
"In case Sherlock doesn't come." His face hardens and he refuses to look at me. Good. I put my hands behind my head and let the rain pepper my face. Oddly enough, it feels good.
"Sherlock came." The voice comes from behind us and I tilt my head to see Sherlock standing at the door. I reposition myself and continue to look at the angry clouds.
"Thought you might. How did you know it was this building?" I ask, curious. He doesn't say anything. Idiot. "I have your pet." I say loudly.
"He's not my pet Jim." I smile and sit up, one fluid motion mind, and swivel to look at him. I cross my legs and study him. He looks angry. Well of course he's angry.
"Hi." I say, offering a small wave. "Glad you could join us. This rain, is just… Splendid!" Sherlock frowns and steps forward. I don't move. This is a game of chess, I just have to wait for the right moment. He's testing me. I'm testing him. Casually I glance over my shoulder, seeing all the tiny cars, the small buildings and the ants running around the streets of London. Not my home. I smirk as Sherlock hauls John back from the edge.
"What are you playing at Jim?" he asks, studying me as he unties John's hands and ankles.
I just shake my head. "You wouldn't understand Sherlock." No one ever does. I stand up and Sherlock backs up, pulling John to his feet. I brush past them, grinning like a mad man, and head for the door. I pull it open and start to step inside before turning back and looking at them, "Check mate." I murmur before escaping down the stairs. I grin as I hear the door bang shut and hurried voices as Sherlock and John come up with a way to stop me. I practically slide down the stairs. I was made for this. Consulting criminal. I slide into Sebastian's car. "Thank you Sebastian. I can always count on you." I say with a smile, mentally moving my queen into check. When are you going to betray me to Sebastian Moran? If I've ever learned something, it's that everyone will betray you.
And in this game, I can afford no chances.
None at all.
I win this round, Sherlock Holmes.