Chapter 9: A Great Game
"You might be looking for reasons but there are no reasons." ~ Nina LaCour, 'Hold Still'
….
Alessa held on to herself as she stood on the balcony of Moriarty's home. She cursed herself for her slip two days ago, but the noise in her head was unbearable and they kept lacing at her thoughts poisoning her genius all in all they were making her slip. A good part of her knew she needed to be pulled out of this mission, crusade, whatever it was it wasn't good for her. But a larger part, the darker part of her conscious wouldn't allow the thought for too long. It was the part of her that craved darkness craved the depths that being around and with Moriarty brought to her. At the end of the day Alessa knew that she wouldn't leave, and she knew that was because of one simple thing. She liked the darkness.
She discreetly looked over her shoulder at the woman sitting in the chair across from her Spider. Her lips drew in a tight thin line; it could be really bad if that woman told Moriarty what she knew about the Fates. Alessa sighed before turning towards the door and walking back inside, the fabric of her long white maxi dress flowed with each steps until she was standing next to Moriarty and looked down at the seated woman.
"Good, you decided to join us. Ms. Adler and I were just getting acquainted." Something in his tone told her that something else was going on.
"I heard. Ms. Alder, pleasure to make your acquaintance. Anaca Romanov." Irene Adler raised her polished brow at the younger woman. She knew that face anywhere, well she knew her mother's face very well. She accepted the extended hand with a small smirk, but said nothing about her discoveries.
"Likewise, Ms. Romanov." Alessa knew with the way Irene drawled out her name that the other woman was aware of who she was. A cell phone chime caught her ears and she looked down at the phone and saw a clear typed out message from Sherlock's personal blog.
"You have a message; I think he wants to meet you." Alessa said with a smirk while showing the alert from her own phone to Moriarty. He looked pleased, ten he looked over at Irene Adler.
"We will be in touch Ms. Adler. Ms. Romanov, please show our guest out." Alessa nodded her head at Moriarty before turning to Irene.
"Follow me Ms. Adler." She commanded in a light tone. Moriarty leaned back satisfied by the exchange.
….
Alessa's head was reeling with the information Adler had given her. She was standing next to a crouched Sebastian, their relationship had not improved but they at least tolerated each other's presence. Well most of the time. With one fleeting glance towards the man she turned her heel and walked away. Her feet carried her swiftly down the long hallway before she breached the entrance to the pool.
"I will burn the heart out of you." She heard the last part of Moriarty sentence, as the door closed. All eyes were on her.
"Gentleman." She spoke in a clear charming tone as she pushed past the Detective and his blogger.
"Glad you could join us Ms. Romanov." Moriarty chided as she stood next to him. She looked over to where her father was standing and she could see the wheels turning in his head.
"Well I couldn't let you have all the fun. Besides, don't you figure that they'd want to meet the woman who blew up their flat? Pleasures all mine by the way, Mr. Holmes, and Dr. Watson." She greeted them from her position next to Moriarty.
"The Fates." Sherlock drawled out in monotone, and Alessa clapped her hands together with a very giddy laugh.
"Oh you've heard of me! How, wonderful." She gave both men a crazed excited look; it was all a part of the plan.
"ENOUGH!" Moriarty yelled, Alessa looked back at him with a smile.
"Well, we better be off then. So nice to meet you both." Alessa chided as she slipped her arm through Moriarty's. Sherlock pointed his gun at Moriarty.
"What if I were to shoot you both right now." Moriarty looked gleeful at his words.
"Well then you could cherish the look of surprise on my face, because I'd be surprised Sherlock. I really would, and just a teensy bit disappointed." He spoke in a condescending tone, and Alessa flashed a smile at all three men.
"But you wouldn't get to cherish it for long." She told him, a small red circle appeared on his chest.
"Ciao, Sherlock Holmes." Moriarty concluded as he began to turn, pulling Alessa with him.
"Catch. You. Later." Sherlock drawled out, he punctured each word with a crisp tone. Alessa watched as Moriarty smirked, his hand lay still on the door handle he glanced backwards for a slight second before speaking.
"NO you want!" His manner was mocking, his words were sing-songed and Alessa was bemused by his behavior.
Once they were on the other side of the door Moriarty held out his arm to stop her and she grinned. "Wait." He told her in a low tone.
….
Sherlock's mind was reeling as he paced around the pool. John was sitting against a wall for support that would have to do. There she was, Anaca Romanov, the Fates, Alessa Crane; a double agent. Interpol's best. How was she connected to Moriarty, why was she even here. Then as if his subconscious pushed forward the information he let off a scowl as he scratched the back of his head with his gun. Of course, this was his doing.
"Sorry booys, I'm soooo changeable!" Moriarty cheered as he reentered the pool area. Alessa followed behind him, a wicked grin on her face as she watches them. Both her father and the army doctor have red lasers pointing at them.
"It is a weakness with me, but. To be fair." Alessa smirked at both men then looked over a Moriarty with a slight adoration.
"It is your only weakness." She chided, her fingers brushed across the lapels of his coats as she circled him.
"It's one of my favorite things about you." Alessa whispered in his left ear, her painted red lips brushed across the surface of his neck as a result. Had Moriarty been a weaker man, he would have fallen for this ruse.
"You can't be allowed to continue. You just can't. I would try to convince you..But everything I have to say has already crossed your mind." He spoke in an airy sing-song voice while watching his pet with one eye and watching his new toy with the other.
Then the scene took a turn, Alessa watched with an amused glint in her eyes as her father looked down at his companion. As if he needed permission. The great Sherlock Holmes let out a sigh, and then his manor became calm. His body turned, and the pair watched with intrigued expressions he raised his gun arm and aim at the jacket covered in explosives.
"Probably mine has crossed yours as well." That's when a noise caught all four of their attentions. A ring tone of 'Staying Alive' played from the inter pocket of Moriarty. Alessa reached into his jacket and pulled out the device holding it out to him.
"Do you mind if I get that?" Jim questioned, Alessa rolled her eyes at both men. Sherlock gave Moriarty an amused look before he replied in nonchalant tone.
"No, no, please. You've got the rest of your life." Jim snatches the phone from Alessa's hands before answering.
"Hello?... Yes of course it is. What do you want?" He questioned into the phone before mouthing a 'sorry' to Sherlock before turning around. Alessa watched as Sherlock mouthed a quick 'no, it's fine'. Whoever was on the other end seemed to have upset Moriarty because he turned fully around.
"SAY THAT AGAIN!" He shouted in the phone, Alessa raised her brow at him. But didn't say anything. Sherlock looked on intrigued.
"Say that again, and know that if you're lying to me, I will find you, and sssskin you." He hissed into the phone before saying a simple 'wait' to the other person on the phone as he walked forward at glance over Sherlock. Sherlock tightens his grip on the gun aimed at the jacket, so Jim stops looks down at the jacket thoughtfully before turning his gaze to Sherlock.
"Sorry. Wrong day to die." He told the detective, Sherlock smirks slightly before asking.
"Did you get a better offer." Jim on smirks as a response to his question as Alessa lets off a fit of giggles as she follows after the retreating Moriarty. She answers for him.
"You'll be hearing from us, Sherlock." They walked away, strolling back around the pool and to the door from which they originally came. Only to stop when Moriarty stood at the door and clicked his fingers against the door. All red lights vanished.
"So if you have what you say you do, I'll make you rich. If not, I'll make you into shoes." Alessa grinned at James, which was the last they saw and heard from them in that moment.
John looked at Sherlock, clearly confused. "What just happened?" Sherlock looked over at John before responding. "Someone changed his mind."
XOXOX
I'm so sorry it's been so long since I've posted to this story : ( So here's what I'm going to do, I'm going to wrap this up with a few more chapters them revisit the story and rewrite it. Because I believe I have become a different writer since I started this story and would like to change somethings about this so let's see what is to come. Let me know what you think!
Sincerely, LaRae
