Okay people, in this chapter there are a few warnings, which will be happening more often as we get through the meat of why John went to ground! I try to not dwell so much on gory detail, but some detail is necessary to pull you into John's world.

So here's the warnings: flash backs to violence, oral rape and a personalised snuff film. If any of that is a trigger for you, be warned.

Very special thanks to junejuly for keeping my head on straight during 'the invasion' and extra special thanks to Sendai for reminding me that people wanted more!

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John stares at the screen, his stomach clenching and seeming to want to come up the back of his throat as he watches, motionless with fear, like a rabbit in the headlamps. The pain in his stomach expanding to include his chest as he watches Moriarty debase the man chained to the ground at his feet.

Long ago the man stopped struggling, after his face was beaten to an unrecognisable mass, and a few of his teeth lay scattered on the floor, he stopped begging Moriarty to free him, stopped even begging to die. He just knelt there propped up by Moriarty's fists in his hair as the mad man shoved his cock in and out of the broken gaping orifice the poor soul once referred to as his mouth.

Clutching the waste bin to his chest John feels another wretch come on as he hears the horrifyingly familiar cadence of Moriarty's release beginning. Somewhere in the middle it suddenly gets wilder and more expressive than John recalls, as Moriarty shudders and thrusts through his climax. John remains frozen, horror and worry abundant over what would constitute 'another level' of sexual enjoyment to a rapist.

As Moriarty gasps and whines through the end stages of his orgasm the camera clues John in. Very slowly it pans down to the still figure Moriarty has released to lie in a awkwardly slumped position. Slowly it focuses in on the chest and the impossible way one shoulder is folded under the rest of the collapsed body. A fine tremor begins to run through John as he waits to see movement, 'God in that position I should be able to see the lungs expanding extensively, to bring in great gasps of breath, especially after the way he was being gagged.'

Long moments pass, then a lilting cold laughter that's almost giggling fills the room. "Oh shit! I think I got a bit carried away there Jonny. So glad I didn't do this with you for real, look at all the fun I'd miss out on chasing you around Europe!"

John gags and wretches again into the waste bin to the sound track of Moriarty's laughter.

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Mary looks at him, her eyes wide and staring, "Good god John, you mean to tell me that poor man died?"

Nodding slowly, "Another ex-military bloke pinched to replace me. The poor sod was in the wrong place at the wrong time. His blood is on my hands now too and even though I've cut the head off the hydra, Moran is just as deadly, not to mention unhinged!" John furiously dry washes his hands and stares out at the rolling water. A long moment draws over them as Mary tries to absorb the horrific story.

Turning to him suddenly with curious eyes, "You haven't told me much about Moran, okay Rob talked about him, but I definitely don't trust his judgement!" John snorts a wry agreement, "Why are you so certain he's as bad as Moriarty was?"

John shrugs his good shoulder once, "Besides the certainty that someone who is willing to besmirch another's reputation by kidnapping children in disguise, then framing them for the kidnapping, let alone enjoy working for Moriarty, that person has to be unhinged. But who do you suppose was filming all the videos?"

Watching the information trickle through Mary's expression, slowly gathering speed as facts are becoming clearer to her, John sighs, "It would have to be someone he knows very well, that he shares intimacy with already, or the videos wouldn't have been so clear cut and professional. Moran is the only one I can think of that could fill such a gap."

Mary looks toward the horizon, blindly taking in the view to give herself time to think, "Certainly makes sense... so he's most likely a crazy nutter and he's got cross hairs on your boyfriend. What are we going to do about that?"

John smiles shortly, "Well we will move like fucking shadows and get to London before he knows what's going on. Then we'll make sure he can't do anything to anyone else."

"Okay... Sounds a touch vague, but a work in progress I guess. We get to Italy, then we get the money - as long as we haven't been duped by that slick Julio - what do we do then? How do we move unseen?"

John shrugs, "We walk, cross country, as much as we can. Only take public transport from small centres and most importantly, avoid CCTV. It's not perfect, there are places we'll have to travel around, but it is possible to do."

Mary playfully fakes a dramatic flinch, "Why do I have the feeling my feet are going to be worn right off before this is over?"

John pushes the comment off with a casual flick of his wrist, "No worries, we'll get you a pair of proper German hiking sandals and your feet will be fine!" Further comment is cut short by his mobile alarm going off. "Shit one hour to text Moran in, what the hell do I say?"

Mary watches speculatively as John slowly pulls out Moriarty's mobile delaying the inevitable by as many seconds as he can. "John?" her eyes widening a fraction, "last time you texted him, he was a bit surely and informal. Do you think Moriarty would let him get away with that."

With a deep in and out breath John nods a touch, "Your right, Moriarty would never let it stand, I just get so uncomfortable trying to think like that... like him, that I..." A fine tremble makes its way through John's frame as he tries to force his mind away from Jim Moriarty. Mary gives a tight smile, trying to be as supportive as she can.

"So you just make it a bit cold, and tell him your almost done figuring out where you, John, has gone. That aught to set him straight, as well as show him his place."

John looks intently at the dead man's mobile, "That's a very astute suggestion Mary, I think I'll do just that."

15/09/12 08:18Jim: Things are going just about as expected. Fortunately Rob, though stupid, can still manage to focus long enough to shoot. There's at least three trails for Watson, I have a feeling at least one is a false trail they made up to appease me. Going to spend a day making sure of the validity of the intel. I love testing the validity of the intel.

It was only a few moments later when the mobile chimed.

15/09/12 08:19mormor: I know you do. Enjoy... just not too long.

Suppressing a shudder John replies,

15/09/12 08:20Jim: Forget telling me what to do, you watch the boarders, he's slipped us before.

15/09/12 08:20mormor: Of course Jim.

John breathes deeply and slowly a couple times, "Looks like we bought ourselves another half day."

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Sorry this took so long I had family visiting over half term and got NOTHING done. Anyways, short chapter, more soon.

Ta