"Brought you a little getting-to-know-you present. Oh, that's what it's all been for, hasn't it? All your little puzzles; making me dance – all to distract me from this." Sherlock says loudly after entering the pool. He holds up the memory stick whilst doing a full rotation.
"Evening." John says, Sherlock stops dead and stares at him in shock. I shake my head in confusion.
This isn't right. I think to myself.
"This is a turn-up, isn't it, Sherlock?" John asks and I stare closer at him. His coat is different, bulkier than before.
"John, what the hell…" Sherlock whispers in confusion.
"Bet you never saw this coming." John responds, really rather convincingly as Sherlock begins moving towards him.
John's coat opens to reveal a rather large bomb. Almost immediately a red sniper's dot centers on the bomb.
"Oh…" I say rather airly.
"What ... would you like me ... to make him say ... next?" John the puppet says.
"Gottle o' geer ... gottle o' geer ... gottle o' geer." John says his voice almost cracking. I start to step towards him.
"Ah, ah!" John forcibly chides. "I'll get to you soon Agent Hudson." He finishes and I stop dead, red dots suddenly littering my body.
"Stop it." Sherlock almost pleads.
"Nice touch, this: the pool where little Carl died. I stopped him." John narrates, trying not to cringe from what he hears next. "I can stop John Watson too." John looks to the laser point on his chest. "Stop his heart." He finishes.
"Who are you?" Sherlock says, turning to look in all directions. A door on the far side of the pool opens and a soft Irish voice emerges.
"I gave you my number." It says.
"I thought you might call." The voice continues. The owner of the voice steps out into the open and my stomach drops. It was Jim, Molly's most recent boyfriend. I almost smack myself, but remember the dots that would easily riddle me with holes should I make any movement.
He begins an almost casual stroll at the deep end of the pool, heading towards the three of us.
"Is that a British Army Browning L9A1 in your pocket …" Jim asks as Sherlock removes the pistol from his pocket. "...or are you pleased to see me?"
"Both." Sherlock responds and points the gun at Jim.
"Jim Moriarty. Hi!" Jim says as if trying to remind Sherlock who he is. "Jim? Jim from the hospital?" Sherlock brings his other hand up to support the one holding the gun as John begins strolling again. He walks along the outer edge of the pool, furthest from the three of us. He loops around, right up behind me.
"Delta Isabelle Hudson, the former FBI agent. I thought you'd be much more… impressive." He whispers in my ear. "Tell me, Delta, do you know how to beg?" He whispers lowly, chills rise up my spine as he turns and walks in the direction he came. Sherlock stares at me for a long moment before returning to Jim.
"Oh. Did I really make such a fleeting impression? But then, I suppose, that was rather the point." Jim says as if he hadn't said a thing to me. Sherlock looks at him quizzically.
"Don't be silly. Someone else is holding the rifle. I don't like getting my hands dirty." Jim says in response to the sniper light on John flickering.
"I've given you a glimpse, Sherlock, just a teensy glimpse of what I've got going on out there in the big bad world. I'm a specialist, you see …" He says looking as if he's just noticed something. "...like you!"
""Dear Jim. Please will you fix it for me to get rid of my lover's nasty sister?"" Sherlock quotes.
Jim looks impressed, recognizing the tag line.
"Just so." Jim says stopping
"A consulting criminal." Sherlock says. "Brilliant."
"Isn't it? No-one ever gets to me – and no-one ever will." Jim says, almost ecstatic.
"I did." Sherlock states, cocking the pistol.
"You've come the closest. Now you're in my way." Jim says.
"Thank you." Sherlock responds.
"Didn't mean it as a compliment." Jim responds.
"Yes you did."
"Yeah, okay, I did. But the flirting's over, Sherlock …" Jim says with a shrug.
"Daddy's had enough now." He states in a high-pitched sing-song voice.
" I've shown you what I can do. I cut loose all those people, all those little problems, even thirty million quid just to get you to come out and play." Jim says as he continues his strolling.
He closes his eyes almost as if feeling the strain of this whole situation.
"So take this as a friendly warning, my dear. Back off." He tells Sherlock.
"Although I have loved this – this little game of ours." He says.
"Playing Jim." He says in an artificial London accent.
"Playing gay. Did you like the little touch with the underwear?" He asks, switching back to his Irish accent.
"People have died." I growl at him.
"That's what people DO!" He screams at me. "YOU OF ALL PEOPLE SHOULD KNOW THAT." He screams almost demonically.
"I will stop you." Sherlock whispers.
"No you won't." He responds, suddenly eerily calm.
"You can talk, Johnny-boy. Go ahead." Jim invites John, when he notices Sherlock looking towards him.
"Take it." Sherlock says, removing one hand from the pistol to hold out the memory stick.
"Huh? Oh, that?" Jim says "The missile plans!" He takes the stick from Sherlock before kissing it, slowly he lowers it.
"Boring." Jim states once again in a sing-song voice.
"I could have got them anywhere." He tells us, tossing the stick into the pool.
"Run!" John suddenly yells, pointing a gun at Jim.
"Oh yeah, John, bright idea. Let me just outrun about a dozen bullets, no big deal." I tell him.
"Good! Very good." Jim says with a laugh.
"If your sniper pulls that trigger, Mr Moriarty, then we both go up." John tells him, sandwiching the bomb between them.
"Isn't he sweet? I can see why you like having him around. But then people do get so sentimental about their pets. " Jim says, condescendingly.
"They're so touchingly loyal. But, oops!" Jim says. "You've rather shown your hand there, Doctor Watson." He says with a grin looking towards Sherlock. A red light blinks to life in the center of his forehead.
"Gotcha!" Jim says in another sing-song voice as John releases his grip.
"Westwood!" Jim says indignantly, trying to smooth his suit.
" D'you know what happens if you don't leave me alone, Sherlock, to you?" Jim asks.
"Let me guess. I get killed?" Sherlock responds.
"Kill you?" Jim grimaces. "N-no, don't be obvious. I mean, I'm gonna kill you anyway some day. I don't wanna rush it, though. I'm saving it up for something special. No-no-no-no-no. If you don't stop prying, I'll burn you." He says running his eyes down Sherlock's body.
"I'll burn the heart right out of you." Jim snarls at him.
"I have been reliably informed that I don't have one." He says softly.
"But we both know that's not quite true." Jim says with a quick glance in my direction.
"Well, I'd better be off." Jim says looking around as if for an exit route.
"Well, so nice to have had a proper chat." He says.
Sherlock raises the pistol higher before asking.
"What if I shoot you now- right now?" He asks.
"Then you could cherish the look of surprise on my face. " Jim says, mimicking a surprised look and then grins at Sherlock.
"'Cause I'd be surprised, Sherlock; really I would." He says, screwing up his nose.
"And just a teensy bit disappointed. And of course you wouldn't be able to cherish it for very long." He says slowly turning away.
"Ciao, Sherlock Holmes."He says, stepping towards the same door he entered from.
"Catch… you… later." Sherlock says, stepping forward to keep him in sight.
"No you won't." Jim sing-songs as he leaves. The tension releases from my body only to be immediately replaced by anxiety.
Sherlock drops in front of John to remove the vest.
"That, er ... thing that you, er, that you did – that, um ... (he clears his throat) ... you offered to do. That was, um ... good." Sherlock tells him.
"Sorry for snapping at you!" I offer and John shakes his head as the vest drops off.
"Why was he calling you Agent Hudson?" Sherlock asks, staring at me.
"You're intelligent. You tell me, why would he call me Agent Hudson?"
"Unless," I gasp "I was an agent of some sort!"
"But where." Sherlock stresses.
"Where do you think?" I respond. "What? Don't think you can trust me now?"
"You've been toting me along this whole time, without having me figured out." I remind him.
"I know I can trust you, Delta." Sherlock responds. "He'll burn you along with me."
"He can't burn what's already ash, Sherlock." I respond before exiting the pool.
Suuuuuper long chapter lmao. But it was too intense just to cut off in the middle. Excited to see where this takes us. Some Delta history drama is coming up soon, so might be a few chapters before we return to canon story line! Who knows!
Hope you all enjoyed this first encounter with Moriarty. I'm so pumped for the next chapters bc I can't wait for the Irene Adler stuff too because that is going to be so much to mess with!
Thank you all so much for reading. Should have another chapter out tomorrow! (If not, this triple update should suffice)
~WaywardSoulCreation