For her ninth birthday, Sebby took her to Wonderland. That was what she named it because it was her birthday and Sebby said she could name it whatever she wanted. He'd sighed at the name, calling it a "Silly name for a bunker," but he'd taken a black marker and scrawled it on the inside door anyway.
'Welcome to Wonderland.'
Underneath he handed her the marker and let her draw a picture while he unpacked their bags. She drew them, her and Sebby and no Papa Jim in sight, with Basil at their feet as a real mouse. She missed Basil. Papa Jim had found him in her bed and had gotten angry. Yelling that she was too old for toys he attacked Basil with a knife. She'd screamed and tried to save her best friend, but when she'd hit Papa Jim to try and get Basil back he'd hit her right back.
He'd hit her then again and again and again until she was screaming because he was hitting her instead of screaming over Basil. He punched and scratched her, pulling at her hair with a wild look in his eyes until she fell to the floor. Then he started to kick her. Her best friend was on the floor bleeding stuffing and she was bleeding blood when Sebby had burst in.
"What the fuck, Jim!?" he'd shouted, grabbing Papa Jim and pulling him away as he moved to kick her again.
They'd fought then, Papa Jim trying to attack Sebby as the big strong man held him back. She'd whimpered as they fought, scared that Papa Jim was going to hurt Sebby but scared for Basil too. Crawling to her best friend she'd stayed quiet, tears pooling in her eyes when her arm wouldn't work and was bent at a funny angle, but at last Basil was in her grip.
Until he was wrenched away.
She'd looked up to see Papa Jim standing over her, his eyes glinting red. "You're too fucking old for fucking toys!" he'd screamed at her and marched out of the room with Basil in his hands.
Tears had leaked from her eyes. Staring at the door that Papa Jim and Basil had gone through she'd cried as Sebby had knelt next to her and cursed. "Fuck, kid. Fuck," Sebby whispered, voice gone scared as he'd hovered next to her. "Evey look at me, look me in the eyes. I need to know where you're hurt sweetie." He'd looked at her as if she were a broken china doll and surveyed her injuries. "I need to get you to the doctor. Evey sweetie I'm going to have to pick you up. It's going to hurt but I have to do it, okay?"
She'd stared at the door that Papa Jim had gone through and her tears had hit the ground. They had been pink from the blood on her face, joining the pool growing beneath her. "He took Basil," she'd whispered, eyes still on the door that Papa Jim had gone through.
"I'll get you a new one. Hell, I'll get you a dozen," Sebby had said and picked her up. He had been trying to be gentle, so gentle, but it still hurt. She'd cried out and moaned as he'd hurried and carried her through the mansion to where the men lived and the little clinic was. "It's okay," he'd whispered as he ran with her in his arms. "I've got you Evey. I won't let him hurt you again. I promise kid, I promise."
She must have passed out while he had been carrying her because the next thing she had remembered after that was waking up in her own bed. It was warm and bright in her room and the table next to her bed was covered in flowers. There were a dozen stuffed mice all sitting at the foot of her bed and she'd stared at them blankly. None had been Basil.
Sebby had been sitting next to her bed and as she had turned her face to look at him he'd smiled. "You gave me quite the scare, kid," he'd said, voice soft. "How do you feel?"
It hadn't mattered how she felt, what mattered was that Papa Jim had been mad at her for having a toy mouse and now she had twelve. And none of them were Basil. Tears flooded into her eyes as she looked up at Sebby. "Where's Papa Jim?"
"Not here," Sebby assured her and used one of his big strong hands to wipe away her tears as they fell. "I convinced him to go away for a while and he's not here. I promise, kid."
He'd been right. For six months Papa Jim was gone and life was bright again. While she'd healed slowly, it had been okay since she hadn't had to worry about Papa Jim coming in to be mean to her as she was trapped in bed. With Papa Jim gone she didn't have to worry about all the rules either. She ran through the mansion and laughed as loud as she wanted and sometimes didn't change out of her pajamas for days if she didn't feel like it. Sebby didn't mind. In fact he came up with more ideas for her to try. Together they made mud pies and played tea party and it was fun because they had real tea and Sebby made the other men in the mansion play too. She got more shooting lessons, they went camping, and just as fall was starting to create a crisp in the air, Sebby took her to Wonderland.
Wonderland wasn't much. It was a small bunker built in a hill with a big steel door hidden by foliage. They walked a long time along the river that ran by the mansion to reach it, Sebby pointing out landmarks the entire way they walked. At last they turned off from the river, he showed her the hidden door, and together they went down the rabbit hole.
Sebby showed her everything about Wonderland that trip. How to secure the door, start the generator, where the gear was stored. There was a bunk bed in Wonderland and Sebby let her have the top bunk without a fuss, helping her spread out the sheets and thick wool blanket to snuggle under that night. Sebby showed her how to reconstitute the freeze dried food and when she made a face over how gross the strawberries were he'd laughed and showed her how to fish instead. Together they built a fire and laid under the stars until she'd fallen asleep and awoken snuggled into her bunk with the wool blanket twisted around her.
It was bliss.
The next day Sebby showed her more serious things, but it was okay. He showed her where the weapons were and they went off to practice shooting. He taught her how to tie knots and showed her how to make a snare for a rabbit. Then he showed her were the big book on edible plants was and the two of them poured through it with every plant they came across until they found enough for dinner. That night it was cloudy so they stayed inside with the solar lanterns burning as Sebby showed her the GPS receiver.
"If we ever get separated I want you to come here," he said, voice serious as they sat together on his bunk. "You know the way now. Just follow the river until you find Wonderland. Go inside and lock the door and don't open it for anyone unless it's me. Got that?"
She nodded and, biting her lip, cuddled against him. "What if you don't come?" she whispered.
"You should have food and fuel enough to last you three months," Sebby said. He didn't seem bothered by her question at all like Papa Jim would have been. It was one of the reasons why she loved Sebby more. "If I don't come for you within a month I want you to take the GPS receiver here and go to town. Got that? Take a bag and pack it full of food, water, and a big knife, and follow the GPS out of the woods. The points are already programmed inside that will take you to the road, but don't accept a ride from anyone unless they're a cop. Walk to town and go to a police station and when you get there, give the officers this."
He put a small card into her hands and she peered at it closely in the dim light. There was a name and two phone numbers that seemed too long and an e-mail address. "Mycroft Holmes," she read, voice soft. His name seemed familiar or at least part of it did. "Who's he?"
"Someone who'll take good care of you and who'll make sure you're taken where you should be," Sebby said, voice serious.
"Until you can come and get me?"
He didn't answer for a long time. Instead he wrapped his arms around her and held her very, very tight. "When Jim showed you to me the first time I thought he'd gone crazy. You were just shape on an ultrasound then and I didn't want anything to do with you. But Jim gets what he wants and even though I was against it we got you. And that was the best thing that's ever happened to me. I know it's been scary and hard for you, you deserve a better life then being stuck with a mad man and an old mercenary, but I'm so glad I've had the chance to help raise you."
She wrapped her arms around him, nuzzling against his chest. "I love you, Sebby."
He squeezed her back even tighter and pressed a kiss to the top of her head. "Love you too, kid."
Together they spent another two blissful days in the woods. Sebby taught her as much as he could and she absorbed what she could, beaming whenever he praised her. Her heart felt lighter than air as they walked back home, chatting cheerfully and going back over how to get to Wonderland.
As they approached the mansion they both silenced. It was obvious as soon as they laid eyes on the building that something had changed. The men who roamed the grounds were more alert, rifles in their grip and held tight. Snipers were stationed all over the roof.
Papa Jim was back.
He was smiling, grinning, as he waited for them by the main door. That was never a good sign and she hung back as Sebby bravely stepped forward to greet Papa Jim. But Papa Jim didn't even look at Sebby, he didn't look at anybody but her, his smile getting wider and wider.
"Hello poppet," he said, eyes burning upon her as she was drawn closer and closer. "Boy, do I have a surprise for you."
Sebby tried to stop it, tried to claim that they needed rest and a bath before any surprises, but Papa Jim wouldn't hear any of it. There were the men too. Armed men she'd never seen before with rifles that slowly surrounded them and didn't look to Sebby for orders. He saw them too, saw the fear on her face and Sebby's shoulders sank. "Just the kid or me too?" he asked, voice stiff.
"You can come. If you want," Papa Jim said in a singing voice as he turned away. He stopped in front of the door to the basement and turned back, his evil grin wide. She lost her breath and nearly screamed. "Come along then, poppet. Come get your surprise."
Tears were already in her eyes and for a moment she thought she was going to be sick but then Sebby took her hand in his and squeezed it tight. "Come on, kid," he said, voice gruff. "We'll go together."
She clung to him, both of her hands holding him tight as he walked towards the basement door. Practically being dragged, she choked and struggled to breathe as she stared at the door, as she remembered. Sebby stopped before they could enter the gaping maw, turning to Papa Jim. "The kid's practically having a panic attack. Can't it just be me?" She gripped him tighter. She wasn't about to let Sebby go into the basement alone. "Jim, can't we save this for another time?"
Papa Jim grinned and it was a mad grin. Madness all the way down in his horrible, horrible eyes. She wanted to scream as he turned his gaze onto her. "Go downstairs and see your birthday present, Evey."
All the panic dried up in her throat and for some reason she felt calm. She was going to die. That was all there was to it, she thought as she looked to the basement door. She was two days away from nine and today she was going to die. No cake. No presents. At least she had Sebby with her. Holding his hand tight she put her foot on the first step and stepped down. Then she did it again and then again.
It didn't get easier to descend as they went down. If anything it got harder. She could feel the weight of the house and earth settling upon them and knowing that Sebby was right behind her did no good because Papa Jim was right behind him. They stopped at the bottom and she held her breath, looking at the great steel door that locked off the basement from the rest of the mansion. Where the monsters were locked up. Where she was about to be locked in.
Sebby opened the door when she didn't. He brushed past her and entered first and she loved and hated him for it. Loved because he was checking for monsters first and hated because she was exposed again to the mad monster gaze of Papa Jim. Who was going to kill them. She didn't want to die with him looking at her.
"Come on," Sebby said gruffly and pulled her into the room. Her breathe caught in her throat and for a moment she thought she was going to scream and cry and wet herself and pass out all at the same time but then he tugged again and she was inside.
It was different then the last time she had been in there. Then it had been dark. Not dark enough to hide the blood and burning as Paul and Josie died, but walls and floor had been dark and black to the point where it looked like the entire room had been painted with blood. Now it was white. All over white. Floor and walls and ceiling and everything. It hurt her eyes a little. Back then the room had been full of things. The steel table that Paul and Josie had died on, the chairs she and Papa Jim had sat on, all those tools. Now it was empty.
Well not entirely empty. Slumped against the wall, his hands pinned up high above his head, was a man. He was skinny and dirty and really very sick looking. His chest was heaving, filling up the silence in the room with big wheezy breaths. His hair was long and dark like hers and his fingers were long. She didn't know who he was.
"Look!" Papa Jim cooed. He snatched her away from Sebby, Sebby who had frozen to stare at the man slack jawed, and spun her around the room like he had done when she was little and he was very happy. Papa Jim pushed her towards the skinny sick man and put a hand on each shoulder, squeezing to make her look. "It's your birthday present poppet! Happy birthday! A little early, I know, but I'm sure you'll forgive me!"
She stared down at the man and all she could think was confusion. She didn't know who the man was. But maybe Papa Jim had really brought her down for this? Maybe they weren't going to die. He squeezed her shoulders tight and she gasped, letting out a breath she hadn't known she was holding. "Thank you Papa Jim," she said and her eyes widened as the man moved at the sound of her voice. "He's a very lovely birthday present."
"Do you know who he is?" Papa Jim asked, bending down to hiss in her ear.
"No, Papa Jim. I don't know who he is."
Papa Jim laughed a very low laugh. "That's Sherlock. He's the Bad, Bad, BAD Man who's been following us all these years."
The Bad Man twitched and gasped for breath, not looking up and she stared at him. He didn't look like the boogeyman that Papa Jim had told her about for all those years. He looked weak and hurt, like the men Papa Jim brought in to torture. He didn't look like someone who would murder them all and rape her until she died.
Papa Jim was looking down at her, his eyes glinting. "What do you think?"
Licking her lips, she bit the inside of her mouth. "I thought he would be bigger," she whispered.
This had to have been a good answer because Papa Jim laughed and let her go, spinning away with mirth. "She thought he'd be bigger!" he laughed and his men laughed too.
All except for Sebby. Sebby reached for Papa Jim, his eyes worried. "Jim. Jim!" he hissed lowly. "We have to talk. We have to-"
"Later," Papa Jim hissed at him before spinning back to her and the Bad Man. "Don't be rude, poppet. You should introduce yourself."
She shuffled her feet. "I'm-"
"Properly," Papa Jim shouted. He rolled his eyes heavenward. "Kids today!"
Biting he lip again she took a deep breath and looked up at the Bad Man with a big grin plastered on her face. "Nice to meet you Mister Bad Man Sherlock!" she said in the most cheerful voice she could fake. "I'm Evey Moriarty!" She rhymed the words and made the little hand gesture in hopes it would make Papa Jim smile. "How do you do?"
Slowly the Bad Man looked up at her. His eyes were blue. Bright blue like water on top of snow in the sunlight. Electric blue. Just like hers. She took a step back.
"Hello Evelyn," the Bad Man said. His voice was hoarse, raspy, and deep. "I'm very happy to see you again."
"When was the last time you saw me?" she asked before she could stop herself. Freezing, terrified that Papa Jim would hit her for talking out of turn she took another step back.
The Bad Man smiled, bloody lips breaking open as the skin stretched. "The last time I saw you in person was the day you were born. It was just for a moment. You were very small and red faced and very, very upset at being taken from your mother. That's why I'm here. I want to bring you back to her. Your mother."
"That's enough!" Papa Jim growled, grabbing her and hauling her back. "We've already talked about the rules, Sherlock! No breaking them, especially not this early in the game!"
"Jim, what are the rules," Sebby asked, stepping forward. He took her away from Papa Jim, pushing her gently towards the door. "You've changed them on me too. I need to know the new rules."
Giggling, Papa Jim nodded to the man who'd followed them down into the basement. Nodding back the man turned and walked out, shutting the door behind him. Still giggling, Papa Jim pulled out a gun and put it into her hands. "Go on then. Shoot Sherlock."
"Jim-"
"Shut up Seb, or I'll have her shoot you first," Papa Jim spat, glaring at Sebby. Grabbing her shoulders he turned her towards the Bad Man and knelt down so that his mouth was by her ear. "Shoot him," he growled. "Or I'll skin you alive, make you into a wallet, and make Sherlock watch."
Swallowing hard, she stared down at the gun in her hands. It was a Glock 42. Just about all of the men had one, even Sebby had one, though he'd never let her shoot it. It was very, very heavy in her small hands. She knew it would shoot at .38 bullet and she knew the recoil would be bad, but she'd probably be able to do it. Sebby preferred her to use rifles and for her to lay prone on the ground for stability, but she'd gotten to practice with handguns too. Just not one that was so big.
"You can shoot me if you want," the Bad Man said. He looked up at her with those electric blue eyes and looked small as she fumbled with the gun in her hands.
She licked her lips and shifted the gun so she was holding it properly. Behind her, Papa Jim and Sebby were arguing over her shooting the Bad Man. Sebby was furious, but Papa Jim got what Papa Jim wanted and she took a deep breath. She put her finger on the trigger like Sebby had taught her and pointed the gun between his eyes. The Bad Man didn't flinch, just looked up at her as if he were one of the baby bunnies she had once found in a nest in the backyard and for a moment Evey didn't know what to do.
They'd been beautiful, her baby bunnies, so helpless and small and she'd sat in the sun and stroked their soft fur and given them each names. She told them stories from her books about other rabbits, famous rabbits, and the adventures they got into playing in cabbage fields and running from Farmers.
Then she'd heard Papa Jim calling for her.
He'd called for her to come in from outside and what was she playing with, if it was dirt she'd get a beating, so she'd filled up her hands with soft baby bunnies and drowned them in the back pond. She threw them into the dark water and as they hit they made little splashes and squeaked in a way that had made Papa Jim come out to see what she was doing. He smiled and laughed to see it, to watch with her as the baby bunnies struggled for a moment then sank and gave her a tight hug as he told her how proud of her he was. He told her that the next time she shouldn't hide, that she should run and get him and they'd have fun with the bunnies together and she'd smiled back and screamed 'No' in her mind.
After dinner and after bedtime she had cried for her baby bunnies. Had cried that they were dead and had cried for the Mama Rabbit who wouldn't know where her babies had gone. But after she was done crying she had looked up at the ceiling and felt glad. The baby bunnies were dead but at least they had died before Papa Jim could have gotten to them first.
The Bad Man continued to smile at her and his eyes were so soft. He wobbled in her vision and she knew she was crying. Big fat tears rolled down her face as she trembled. "It's okay," he whispered. He shifted his hands towards her like he was trying to reach for her, but the chains stopped him. "I'm here for you. I'm so sorry Evelyn. This is all my fault. I should have been there for you and your mother."
She'd never had a Mummy before. Just Josie who'd got her skin taken off and Irene who'd tried to kill her and who'd killed William and who'd died with her brains spread out over the bathroom. Mummys weren't all that wonderful if that was what they were like. "I don't want a Mummy," she said and the Bad Man went still.
"Your Mummy wants you," he said. Looking at her sadly and softly he smiled. "Your Mummy's name is Molly Hooper and every day I fail to bring you home her heart breaks a little more. She wants you Evelyn. She wants to make you her daughter and to love and cherish you like you deserve. She loves you."
The tears were rolling down her face now, Sebby and Papa Jim arguing louder and louder behind her. "Did you send Irene?" she asked, voice barely above a whisper.
The Bad Man's eyes went wide and his whole body went still. He even stopped breathing.
"I liked Irene," she whispered, rubbing the tears from her face. "I liked her a lot. I liked her even though she murdered William and tried to murder me too in the bathtub. When she wasn't trying to murder me she was nice. And gentle. She loved me and William so much she wanted to kill us instead of leaving us alone with Papa Jim." She looked at the Bad Man and he looked at her with hollow eyes.
She could feel it then. The truth that was settling in around her. It was never going to end. There was no Molly Hooper Mummy that would take her into their soft arms and love her like Mummys in the story books did. There was no handsome prince or happy ending. There was just her and Sebby and Papa Jim. Them three forever. And Papa Jim was going to kill her. He'd only taken her because of the game, the game with the Bad Man, but that was ending. He wouldn't have any reason to keep her around. Maybe he'd keep her for awhile but then he'd get bored and then she would die. Horribly. And then Sebby would be the only one left with Papa Jim until he got bored of Sebby too.
The gun was in her hands. She held it tight. Looking at the Bad Man she smiled. "It was the nicest thing anyone's ever done for me."
She fired.
Turning the gun she fired at Papa Jim, the smile still on her face. Blood spurted.
But there were no happy endings.
Sebby gasped, eyes wide. Then he fell.
Maybe it was that the gun was too heavy. She'd never shot this kind before. She didn't know it. Maybe it was that she had fired without aiming properly, that she'd fired at moving targets for once, that Papa Jim had stepped aside at just the right moment.
It didn't matter.
Sebby fell and the world shattered around her.
Papa Jim gasped, eyes going wide as Sebby hit the floor. He started screaming.
The Bad Man started to scream too. "Vatican Cameos! Vatican Cameos!" he shouted, not making any sense in her hazy world. "For the love of God, Mycroft, Vatican Cameos!"
Sebby hit the ground. He was clutching his chest. His face was scrunched up in pain. He was looking at her. She saw his lips move. "Kid," he said and then he went still.
There wasn't any sound left in the world. Just a high ringing noise that blocked out all thought.
The next thing she knew she was outside. Her chest was heaving as if she had been running and there was a gun in her hands. She stared at it, uncomprehending. It was a Glock 42. Just about all of the men had one, even Sebby had one, though he'd never let her shoot it. It was very, very heavy in her small hands. And warm. As if it had just been shot. A feeling that she had thought of that before filled her and she felt sick. Papa Jim had given her this gun. In the basement with the Bad Man. She had been told to shoot the Bad Man. Had she done it?
There was a roar and then lights were appearing in the sky. They raced towards her, towards the mansion, and she felt panic fill her. The Bad Man was there. It was time to run. Whenever the Bad Man came they had to run. Clutching the gun she looked around, tears flooding her vision. The Bad Man was there, but where was Sebby? Sebby always came to get her when the Bad Man came. She needed Sebby.
Shouting for him she ran back towards the house but the helicopters were already there. Men were jumping out of them, sliding down ropes and hitting the ground running. They were breaking into the mansion, shooting and Papa Jim's men were shooting back. Clutching the gun she turned and ran away. Ran towards the woods. As she ran she passed the pond where once she'd drowned a soft pile of baby bunnies out of despair and kindness and stopped. She clutched the gun. Then she threw it in. It made a bigger splash then a baby bunny and no squeaking noise.
Someone shouted. Someone shouted her name and she turned to see a very tall very thin man outlined by light. The Bad Man. He was in light and she was in darkness and for the moment she was invisible to him. Turning, she fled into the woods.
She ran and ran and ran. Splashing through the river and crying all the while, she fell and went under the water. She stood, fell again, and cried out. Her hands and knees were bloody. She wanted Sebby and a bandage, but the Bad Man was probably still after her. He was always after her. So she kept going, stumbling through the river because Sebby had told her once that dogs couldn't follow you if you walked through a river. She walked and walked hearing helicopters in the distance until she climbed out of the river and fell into Wonderland.
The helicopters went quiet as she shut the door behind herself. She locked it, sliding the heavy deadbolts in place before turning to the darkness. She didn't turn on the generator, didn't try to find the lanterns. Instead she found one of the heavy wool blankets in the darkness and climbed into Sebby's bunk.
In the darkness she stared at the locked door. Then she wept.
It was still dark when she woke. Wonderland didn't have any windows and she didn't know if it was day or night. She was hungry. She had to pee.
Murderers didn't get food she decided and so she laid in bed until her bladder threatened to burst. She couldn't pee in Sebby's bunk though. He'd be mad at her so she climbed out and fumbled about until she found the composting toilet Sebby said was for lockdown times. You were supposed to add stuff to it though, so it would compost instead of just stink, and she bit her lip. Sebby had taught her what to do. He'd be upset if she didn't follow his instructions. Fumbling around she found a lantern and hit the button. Light flooded the tiny room and she found the chemicals to add to the toilet.
She also found a packet of freeze dried ice cream, the only good one there was to eat, and she ate it after she'd taken care of the toilet. She should have probably washed her hands first, but she didn't have any water so she wiped them on her still damp clothes instead. Taking the ice cream with her, she climbed back into Sebby's bed and wrapped the blanket around herself. Eating slowly, she fell back asleep.
When she awoke again the lantern was off. The battery had run out. It was solar charged, she needed to stick it back outside and that was good. She was thirsty. Slipping from the bed she went to the door and slid the deadbolt open. Opening the door revealed light, sunlight so bright it nearly blinded her and water. Also helicopters. One was chopping its way overhead and she shut the door again.
Her lips were dry. She licked them. Deciding that she'd have to wait until the helicopter was gone she rummaged in the darkness until she found another package of food and carried it to bed with her. Ripping it open revealed freeze dried green beans. She didn't like them, but she ate them anyway. With nothing better to do, she wept for a while longer then fell back into sleep.
Her mouth was dry. It was what woke her. Her mouth was so dry it hurt and her tongue felt clammy. She needed water. Sebby had shown her how to use the water filtering bottles to safely collect river water. You let the water run through the charcoal filter and then you added a drop of iodine and put it in the sun just to be safe. She knew how to do it. Sitting up made the darkness swim around her though and she fell back to the bed in a swoon.
When she came back her mouth was still dry. She was panting a little and her heart was racing but she was just lying in bed. She felt like crying, but no tears would come to her eyes. Even they felt dry. She laid in the darkness and wished for water. Her mouth was so dry.
There was a knock on the door.
She looked up into the darkness where the door should have been and croaked. She had tried to call Sebby's name but her throat was dry and it was a croak instead.
Another knock. Shave and a haircut. It was how Sebby knocked every morning when he came to wake her up. Sebby was at the door.
Her limbs felt heavy but she slid from the bed. Her legs wouldn't work so she crawled towards it. Her lips were dry but licking them just made them sticky. With a shaking hand, head reeling she felt her way up the door until she reached the deadbolt. Breath heavy she tugged. Then tugged again. And again. The knocking stopped as she pulled the deadbolt free and fell back, too weak to open the door herself.
"Sebby," she croaked and he pushed the door open in answer.
The light was bright. Blinding really. It hurt her eyes and she whimpered, closing her eyes. Right before she closed them she saw it though. The big dark figure who stepped into Wonderland. He knelt by her side, gathering her up with his big hands.
"I've got you," a voice whispered and Evey wished that she had tears that she could cry. "I've got you, baby. You're safe. I promise. I've got you."
The Bad Man held her tight to his chest, hands threaded through her hair as he rocked her in his arms like an infant. Going limp, Evey let out a sigh and decided right at that moment to die.