Feliz Año Nuevo: Happy New Year everyone! I just got back from my abuela's so I figured I'd upload the next chapter now before I went to bed. I hope everyone had an exciting New Year and a safe one at that. I also want to thank Brinatello once again for looking over this chapter. So for the new year, here's a little bit of violence for you. Enjoy!

Chapter Nine

The cabs ceased two or three miles away from the east docks. The area seemed darker than usual. No moon was out, the ground was covered with fog, and steam came from heaven knows where. To Basil, it seemed colder than usual as he noted a mist of exhaled air. He watched everyone prepare themselves for what was yet to come. He took out his pocket watch and saw that it was thirty minutes until midnight. He could feel his heart practically pounding in his chest. He knew without a doubt that he was terrified. This time he was not ashamed to show it. He looked at all the bobbies around him; all had the same terrified expression that he carried. Even Lestrade was frightened. In the back of Basil's mind, he knew that the inspector was thinking the same thing as he. Basil jumped slightly as he felt a gentle hand on his shoulder.

"Oh, I am sorry-" Olivia quickly apologized.

"No my dear, it is quite all right," Basil quietly responded as he rested his shaky hands on her shoulders.

"You better go," she sadly stated as Basil gave a simple nod. However, before taking one-step, he quickly took Olivia in his arms and kissed her passionately. He didn't even notice that all were watching. Usually Basil was never this intimate in front of anyone. However, at this moment, the detective did not seem to care. As their lips finally parted, they remained in each other's embrace as they gazed deep into the other's eyes.

"I love you," Basil softly said as he tried to fight back his tears.

"Bring them back," she replied as she kissed him once more before he quickly disappeared into the thick London fog. "I love you," Olivia whispered as Basil's footsteps became more and more faint. Tears slowly began to fall down her face as she walked back to Lestrade who was still watching them.

"He's going to be fine, love," Lestrade reassured her as he placed a hand on her shoulder. Looking at him with pure sadness, she quickly gazed back towards the direction Basil headed.

"I hope you are right, Lestrade. I do hope you are right."

It was precisely at midnight when Basil reached the East docks. Breathing heavily, he quickly checked his revolver and gripped it tightly in his hand. All around him there was nothing but complete silence. This was something he most definitely did not like. He knew that he was being watched. The question was how many were watching him. Clearing his mind of all thoughts and fears, he ventured forward. It was only then that the eerie silence ceased. Basil yelped as a gunshot went off and hit an oil barrel only inches from where he stood. He gripped his revolver tighter as he began to hear footsteps coming towards him.

At any moment, Basil felt as if his heart was about to stop. The loud footsteps drew closer and closer as Basil swiftly crouched down and hid behind a broken crate just as he spotted two mice.

"Hm, I thought me 'eard somin'" the short but slender man whispered, still it was loud enough for Basil to overhear.

"You always think you 'ears somthin'. 'Sides, we're supposed to be lookin' for that detective," the other short but overweight mouse replied.

"Well 'e's not 'ere. Wonder why those damned Hispanics ain't lookin' for 'im. They are the ones who want to kill 'im."

"Beats me, let's get outta 'ere."

Before turning, the overweight man flicked his cigarette in the direction the frightened detective hid. He flinched as tiny sparks of ash flew when the bud ricocheted off the crate. Landing only inches away from his foot. Basil dared not move until the two men disappeared into the fog. Waiting a few extra minutes, Basil slowly moved away from the crate.

"Very typical of you, Dominic," Basil mumbled to himself as he continued on.

Once again, he could feel dozens of eyes watching him as he drew closer to an abandon building. When he reached it, he noticed a small note taped on the metal door. Sighing, he ripped the note almost violently from the door.

"This is where the game really begins. From the moment you see this note, you will have exactly one hour to rescue your precious children. If you fail to do so, well you know what will happen. They will be killed. No hints will be given to you except that they are in this precise building. I want your best game Detective Basil. This is where your intelligence is the key to protect those most dear to you. Do not expect me to be lenient with you. Every second counts and there will be all sorts of obstacles in your way. I'll see you real soon.

D."

Basil's anger began to swell up as he threw the paper to the ground. At this moment, he was not in any mood for Dominic's little games. All he wanted was for him to die. He quickly noticed a large shadow in the corner of his eye. Before the man could make a slight move, Basil whipped out his revolver and shot him in the head. He struggled to break the lock that was on the mouse-sized metal door.

"These damn locks always give me trouble," Basil said to himself as he finally got it unlocked.

It was at that precise moment when he began pushing the door open a bullet struck his right shoulder. Screaming in pain, he gripped the wound tightly while jumping into the building to dodge the second bullet. Cursing under his breath, Basil pushed the door shut with his feet just as three more shots were fired. Before doing anything else, Basil whipped off his Inverness and unbuttoned both his waistcoat and white button-up shirt. He then took out his handkerchief and a pair of tweezers located in the right pocket of his dark grey trousers. He knew removing the bullet was going to be unbearable but it needed to be done. Taking a deep breath, Basil used the tweezers to extract the bullet from his shoulder.

"GODDAMN IT!" he cursed as he finally pulled the tiny piece of metal from his own flesh. How is it that something so small and so seemingly harmless, could cause that much damage to whomever or whatever it hits? This was a question he would have to answer later. Struggling, he managed to mend his bullet wound. After buttoning himself back up, he then carefully slid back into his Inverness. With revolver in hand, he continued on.

The room was poorly lit. All around them were cobwebs and long forgotten shipping boxes. Alexia and Sean were tied back to back in the middle of the cold, concrete floor. The only wound Alexia obtained was a large cut just above her right eye. This was caused by one of Dominic's men who knocked her out with the end of his revolver. Due to the injury, it also caused her to have a black eye.

"My father will find us!" she shouted angrily to Dominic. He stood near the large glass window directly above the entrance, his back facing her. Laughing cruelly, he turned to face her.

"That is, if he manages to make it past my men. Your father may be the most intelligent mouse in the world, but that does not mean that he can survive getting past the most deadliest mice in all of New York City. Tell me child, how much do you know about Puerto Ricans?"

"Well for starters, they have a short temper," Alexia replied with a curled lip.

"So do the British," Dominic retorted but then stepped back, "and the Scottish. I keep forgetting your mother isn't British." He paused for a brief second before returning his attention to Alexia, "Ah, I do hope I get to see her beautiful face again-"

"Don't you dare touch my mother!" Alexia demanded bravely, hoping to intimidate Dominic.

"Really, and what are you going to do about it? Kick me? Scold me? Well, I can see where you get your...spirit from. You are more like your father than I expected."

"Damn straight-"

"Which is not always a good thing, you see, what your father failed to mention is that we Puerto Ricans are extremely deadly when we want to be. Just looking at us the wrong way could set us off. He knows this from experience. You think Ratigan was the deadliest advisory he ever faced? No. I was. When he showed his face in New York, we gave him several beatings, ones that he will never forget. It is a shame that someone always managed to find him. Most of his scars you've probably seen are reminders. As for your mother, well, her injuries are all imperceptible."

"What do you mean?" Alexia asked in a worried tone.

Dominic's smile became more sinister as he slowly walked towards Alexia. Crouching down, his hand gently rested on her leg. Alexia's heart began to race faster as she began to fear the worst. Tears slowly began to fall. In the back of her mind, she hoped that her father would come and save them before the worst came to either herself or her brother.

"You see, Alexia, your mother isn't as innocent as you think she is," he began to say as his hand went higher and higher up her leg. "She was a naughty little girl in her time, talking back to her elders, fighting," he paused for a brief moment as his hand stopped just below the hem of her skirt, "screwing around with certain detectives at such a young age...and not even married. She was a little whore, wasn't she? It would be such a shame if the detective's little girl became one as well. How disappointed he would be if his fifteen-year-old girl suddenly followed the wrong path like her mother."

"YOU'RE WRONG! MY MOTHER WAS NEVER LIKE THAT, IT WAS AN ACCIDENT!"

"An accident...or a mistake? Why do you think they were so secretive after Ratigan's death? Nobody knew that your mother and father were together until after everyone found out that he knocked her up and married her. You want to know why they tried to hide it? They were ashamed, Alexia. There's still talk about how you were an abomination. That's right, an abomination in the eyes of our God. Your father was a highly respected man until she came around and messed it up. Your father, the great private consulting detective of London, England, would never do anything as immoral as sleeping with a woman half his age. Actually, he would never sleep with any woman. Your mother, being the little tramp she was, apparently forced him."

"You're wrong. They told me what happened. When Mom and Dad were held hostage, their fear got the better of them. I also know why they kept their relationship a secret. It was not because they were ashamed. They did not know what others would say if they found out. Dad was afraid about Mom's reputation being destroyed because of him. He cared more about Mom's well-being than his own and he still does."

"Is that so?" Dominic questioned sinfully as he began to untie ropes that held her and Sean together. "Keep the boy back! I think I'm going to have some fun with this one."

"No, leave her alone!" Sean demanded as he tried to break free from the powerful hands restraining him.

Alexia began kicking and screaming to get him off her. Tears fell down her face as Dominic gained control and pinned her arms down.

"What's the matter? I'm not going to hurt you, much." He said as his smile became wider and more ominous. "I'm sorry chica; your daddy isn't going to save you. You and your mother will soon be mine." His fingers gently brushed the inside of her thigh. He then let out a dark sinister laugh as Alexia began to cry harder than before.

"DAD!" The sound of her desperate cry echoed throughout the whole building. Her only hope was that her father heard it. However, in the back of her mind, her fear was that he might not make to them in time. She only hoped that she was wrong.

Dun, dun, duuuuuuuun!