Chapter 23
Caught in the Web
Sebastian Moran
"Not a kill shot?" Moran demanded unable to keep the anger out of his voice. He breathed a sigh of relief as Holmes was confirmed to be in serious but stable condition. Holmes needed to live. Moran wasn't done with him, not even close. He had gone to a lot of trouble capturing John Watson and forcing treatments on him. Much to his surprise, Watson had lived though it and transitioned to Omega. It was the one unknown with the experimental treatments and a source of constant frustration. They couldn't control which subjects transitioned to Alpha and Omega. Much to their annoyance there seemed to be an equal chance about 51% of subjects transitioned to Alpha while 49% transitioned to Omega. Pity, Watson would have been a spectacular Alpha. With his military training, he would have been a perfect soldier for their growing ranks. Not the point, Moran reminded himself. Watson was the lure for Holmes. Sherlock Holmes was the end game and the ultimate prize. James Moriarty's death would be avenged.
Moran grit his teeth in frustration, AGRA's agent had done so well until now. He wanted Holmes alive, not dead. The woman would pay for that. "Bring him in. Stabilize him and if he lives, we start the transition." Moran ordered. Moran wouldn't be satisfied until he saw the man himself in the flesh. Jim Moriarty's words echoed in his head serving as a grim reminder. "In a world of locked rooms the man with the key is king." Moran sighed. He was close, so very close. Holmes had tried to take the web apart but had only succeeded in becoming caught in it. Moran couldn't hide the smile that thought had caused.
"The itsy bitsy spider…" Moran sang softly with eyes that shown with madness. Sherlock Holmes had likened James Moriarty to a spider. Moran felt his rage build as the image of Moriarty's dead body flashed before his eyes. The blood spatter staining the roof of Bart's as Holmes looked on helpless. Holmes had fallen. That should have been the end, an eye for an eye. Two great minds gone for eternity. But Holmes had orchestrated a masterful illusion. So great that it had fooled everyone, even Moran. But as the saying goes, nothing lasts forever and as pieces of the web began to disappear mysteriously, Moran began to suspect a rouse. There was only one man capable of tracking down the untraceable. Sherlock Holmes. Though Moran had lacked concrete proof of life, he knew that Holmes was alive and taking apart the web one piece at a time. Moran wouldn't allow it. He knew that there was one thing that would bring Sherlock Holmes out of the shadows. John Watson.
It had taken much longer than Moran had expected, but all his labor had finally bore fruit. He would have his revenge. He chuckled darkly and continued to sing softly. "Climbed up the water spout…"