The Master regarded the limp burden at his feet with something close to satisfaction. It had been nearly three hours since he had been taken and the doctor showed no sign of waking. He's complexion was pale and his lips were moist with blood. The Master frowned a little.
"Victor." He murmured, turning to the hooded figure that stood at his side silently, "Did you strike him?"
Victor shifted uneasily. "I had no choice, Master." He said. "He was beginning to wake. He might have put up a fight. Bringing him back would have been difficult."
The Master nodded slowly, almost looking satisfied, but Victor's eyes were drawn to the tiger who sat beside him. Her ears twitched and she turned her head to regard him majestically, pupils narrowing. Victor shuddered. The Master was not happy.
The Master turned his attention back to the unconscious Watson. "Put him into Debbie's room. If he wakes drug him again. Keep him quiet."
"Yes, Master."
"And Victor," the Master's cold eyes bored into Victor's, "See that he does not escape."
"Yes, Master."
As Victor left the room, the Master turned to his tiger who purred as he rested a hand on her silken fur. "See he came, just as I said he would, isn't that so, my pretty?" he whispered to Sultana. "And soon, very soon…"
Holmes tugged at the dark blindfold covering his eyes. Only he could not feel any. There was no cloth of any kind covering his eyes. Yet his eyes were open and he could not see. Something was obstructing his vision.
"I dislike being led like this." He said coldly to his guide, whom he remembered being a young girl of eighteen. She had appeared when he and that unknown Marfusus had entered an alley. The next moment he has being pulled by the arm, unable to see. At least he could still move his hands.
"Sorry." He heard Marfusus say. "But we cannot risk revealing our hideout to you."
"I am not your enemy." Not yet, he added silently to himself.
"In this world, Mr. Holmes, everyone is our enemy." Marfusus's voice was sharp and Holmes felt himself stiffen. On the other side, the girl's grip on his arm tightened. "Not now Marfusus. " She sounded frightened. "Wait till we get there."
Marfusus remained silent; though Holmes could tell that he was unconsciously fuming. After a pause, he said quietly, "I apologize."
Holmes inclined his head. He could feel that they were turning into alley. Heaven knows how many they had already passed. "Where are you taking me exactly?"
"Where we live."
"And the purpose of going there is?"
"Mr. Holmes, you have had no occasion to work with people like us, I trust?"
"People of your capabilities? No."
"Then, in order to rescue Dr. Watson, your powers, remarkable as they must be, will not be enough."
Watson. Pain flooded Holmes's heart. Loyal faithful Watson. He clenched his fist. "Then it is your intention to help me in this?"
"Yes."
"Why? What concerns have you over Watson? Was it not you who caused this in the first place?" Holmes's voice was as sharp as a shard of glass with ice like brittleness.
The girl to his right stiffened quickly. Holmes sensed her turning her head quietly, in direction of the conversation.
Then Marfusus spoke. "This is something, "he said slowly, "that I must discuss later." He put his hand on Holmes's shoulder and pressed quietly. Then said aloud, "We have reached."
They stopped. Holmes could not tell where they were. There was no sound, not even a breath of air. Holmes felt the girl leave his arm and step forward. There was a sound like a gust of air and a hiss.
"Its us, Echidna."
There was another hiss and low rumbling, as if a door had slid open. Holmes felt himself propelled forward, and as he did so, Marfusus bent forward and said quietly in his ear, "Safe to say, Mr. Holmes, I have an unpaid debt to John Watson." Louder he spoke again, as Holmes grasped the words. "Take the Shadow off him, Lizzie."
Holmes blinked as his vision cleared. Though the room was dark there was sufficient light and he raised an arm to shield his eyes. As he did so, Marfusus spoke.
"Welcome, Mr. Holmes, to my home."
On moving his arm, a roomful of people looked unsmilingly back at him.
A/N: As you can probably tell, writing Holmes from third person is really tough from me. So I apologize for the second part. It wasn't really satisfying *sigh* but I can't write it any better. Sorry for the anticlimactic ending!
Oh and i completed a whole year on this site a soetime back in March but i clean forgot! So I'll announce it now: I've now officially a member of fanfiction for a Year and a couple of days!
