There was an old lady who swallowed a fly
I don't know why she swallowed a fly - perhaps she'll die!
There was an old lady who swallowed a spider,
That wriggled and jiggled and tickled inside her;
She swallowed the spider to catch the fly;
I don't know why she swallowed a fly - Perhaps she'll die!
There was an old lady who swallowed a bird;
How absurd to swallow a bird.
She swallowed the bird to catch the spider,
She swallowed the spider to catch the fly;
I don't know why she swallowed a fly - Perhaps she'll die!
...
Levente slowly pulled the needle from Victoria's leg. His eyes watched with delight as sweat dropped down her face and she shifted slightly in pain.
"was that as good for you as it was for me?" He murmured.
"I've had better."
Hall burst into a deep laugh.
"See? Oh I told you she's a hoot! Hahaha oh Vicky we're going to have so much fun!"
Levente turned back to his table and Michael came and sat in front of her.
"Now Vicky, before you start feeling proud that you got your message to Mr Holmes I want you to know something. Within the hour, Sherlock Holmes will be sitting right here with us. Not because he is smart. No. But because I am smart. You're just the Bird I swallowed to catch the spider so I can catch the fly."
"That's a perfect analogy Hall, the old woman died in the end and so will you."
He smiled wagging his finger at her.
"You're quick I'll give you that. But I still caught you and I'll catch your lover as well. then Mycroft Holmes will do what I tell him to. And to think you could have stopped this so long ago. Oh well. I'm starving. Levente, let's leave Vicky to the darkness for a while shall we? She's going to need the rest before our visitor arrives."
The two men walked up the stairs, Levente carrying his tools.
"See you soon."
The light clicked off and she was left in the darkness.
"so where exactly are we going?" John had to jog to keep up with Sherlock's long and fast steps.
"Rocko's couriers. He is the most solid link to Hall's activities so we are going to question him."
"and by question you mean...?"
"we are going to ask him questions and he will answer." Sherlock glanced at John with sly amusement.
"My mere presence should be enough to have him answering my questions John. If not then..." he let the sentence hang and John felt himself longing for Rocko to resist just so he could see what happened.
They both rounded the corner and saw Rocko's shop.
"You ask for Rocko at reception, I'm going around the back." Sherlock stalked off as John entered the shop.
"Um hi. I'd like to speak to the manager? Is it Rocko?"
"Sure thing sir, just through here."
John stepped through the 'staff only' door before feeling a thud on the back of his head. He crumpled to the floor.
Victoria took a few deep breaths before she decided to act. Her hands were still tied tightly behind her back and her legs were firmly attached to the chair legs. She tried to recall the room layout so that she could move in the dark. First thing first, she needed to get free of the chair. She jumped forward trying to tilt the chair forward enough to stand on her feet. After several attempts the chair rocked forward. She gasped as her feet made purchase and almost yelped when the chair threatened to over balance and throw her on her face. She managed to stand, still bent in the chair; legs aching. She knew she only had one real go at this and steadied herself before jumping as high as she could and throwing herself backwards. The chair cracked and broke beneath her. Several of her fingers snapped beneath the weight of her body and her shoulders pulled tightly. She lay there a moment quelling the screams that threatened to rise. After a moment she realised no one was coming to investigate the crashing. She had no way of knowing how long she had been in the dark and everything was intensified. Rolling to her side she realised that most of the chair had shattered. Her hands throbbed behind her as she tried to stand. Her legs were still bound to the chair legs but she could now move them as the legs had snapped off the seat. She knelt for a moment before heaving herself up on to her feet. The tap continued to drip to her left and she used the sound to orientate herself again. She stepped forwards once, twice and then again. Each step hurt but she needed to get out. She needed to warn Sherlock. Her thighs bumped into the table and she knew she was close to the light cord. She leaned forward and walked to the right. The cord hit her face and she smiled. She tilted her face to capture the oily cord in her mouth. After several attempts she caught the cord in her teeth and pulled. The dim light clicked on. She looked around for something to cut her hands and legs free. There was nothing there. Levente had taken his tools.
"dammit" she muttered.
She caught movement out of the corner of her eye and turned thinking she was being watched. She sighed in relief when she saw it was just her reflection from the ensuite mirror. She looked like shit. She chuckled as a thought came to her and she stumbled towards the ensuite.
Sherlock walked into the back loading bay of Rocko's couriers and looked around. No one appeared to be there. He looked at the two vans sitting idly in the bay and recognise one from the footage Greg had sent him. It would seem Greg was correct in requesting a warrant for this place. Sherlock just didn't have time for legalities.
A throat was cleared behind him and he turned to see Rocko now standing in the entrance.
"Can I help you sir?"
" I do believe you can." Sherlock leaned against the garages bench.
" I'm looking for a good friend of mine and I think you know where they are."
Rocko smiled.
" of course." he whistled and two men dragged in the unconscious body of john. Sherlock paused a moment before turning to Rocko.
" not the friend I was talking about."
" oh? Well shit you're just losing people all over the place aren't you Sherlock?" rocko smiled.
" so it would seem."
" boss said you'd show up. Said you probably have company too. How about we drop Mr watson home you and me go for a little drive? Might even find that friend of yours."
Sherlock eyes squinted in thought.
" sure."
" load him up boys."
John was thrown in the back of the van and Sherlock took it his appearance. He would be fine. Mad but fine. Sherlock climbed into the front and joined Rocko.
" now at which of your homes shall we drop 'im"
Victoria leaned against the sink in the ensuite. Her heart was racing, her body was shaking and she knew if she didn't get warm or calm down soon she would get another shock to settle her heart's rhythm. She looked into pale face on the dirty mirror and nodded knowing what she had to do. She closed her eyes tightly and threw her head forward into the mirror. Pain exploded in her head as shards of the mirror fell to the floor. She felt blood trickle down her forehead and opened her eyes. The remaining pieces of mirror it confirmed it. Her head was cut just below her hairline and blood soaked one side of her face. She sank down to the ground and sobbed as she stretched her swollen fingers to clasp a piece of mirror. She felt around for what seems like hours but eventually clutched a large shard in her hand. She sat curled on the bathroom floor slowly cutting away at the bindings on her arms. As the last piece was cut her arms felll apart from each other and she started. Her shoulders screamed at the new range of movement and she worked on freeing her legs from the wood. Her fingers were slick with blood and several bent at odd angles. She tore her legs free and laid back against the bathtub. She knew she couldn't lose it yet. She grabbed her crooked fingers one at a time and clenching her jaw she cracked them back in line. She cried out as the last one snapped into place.
She breathed against the pounding in her chest.
Sherlock. She needed to get through this for him. She needed to warn him. She needed to get out of here. She pulled herself up and looked at herself in the mirror again. She was going to get out and she couldn't wait to see the surprise on Hall's face.
Sherlock got out of the van which was parked in a very run down street. The houses looked empty and unkept. Rocko nodded to a house and then speed off. Sherlock walked up to the front door and knocked. The door opened almost instantly and a tall man with a gaunt face greeted him.
" Mr Holmes, how nice to meet you, please come inside."
Sherlock looked the a man over. Hungarian, sixty...four? Left handed. Single. Psychopath. He was at the right place.
" thank you." Sherlock walked in.
" ah Sherlock. How nice of you to join us. Sandwich?"
Michael Hall stood in the hallway with a plate of food.
" I was just about to take something down to Vicky. I'm sure she'd love to see you."
Sherlock looked to the old man who now had shut the door and had adjusted the gun and his right hand. ah. That was why he opened the door that way. Not left handed just holding something concealed. there was always one thing.
" lead the way." Sherlock held out his hand to spur hall onwards. Levente followed.
" don't worry about Levente. He won't kill you. He enjoys pain too much to end it that quickly."
Levente smiled as Sherlock looked back at him.
" Vicky will be so surprised to see you. I don't think she believe me when I said you'd come so soon." Sherlock tried to focus on the house and a possible action plan but his fear for Victoria keep stealing his attention.
Victoria had picked up a leg of the broken chair and was now standing at the top of the stairs. The door was locked so she waited for someone to open it and hoped she would be able to overpower them. Her hands throbbed and she fought to slow her breathing. She could hear talking and prepared herself.
"she's not allergic to anything is she? Cheese? Egg? Gluten? She's not a vegan is she?"
Sherlock frowned at Hall.
"she eats anything, though she isn't find of pickles."
Hall laughed. "I told Levente to leave out the gherkins! Nobody likes them in a club sandwich. Old people huh? Strange taste buds. Now, as you'll see we did have to restrain Vicky. I know she loves to fight back so I did it for her own protection. Of course now that you're here Sherlock she may be untied. I would say it will be you that may need subduing for the next phase.."
He clicked the door open but before he could grasp the handle it flung open towards him and hit him in the face.
"Jesus!" he yelled as he held his nose and dropped the food. Victoria leapt out from behind the door and held the chair leg out like a bat. She paused at seeing Sherlock and he looked her over in horror. Blood ran down the side of her face and into her damp clothes. Her skin was pale and the bruising on her hands stood out against it. She was shaking but probably from adrenalin and not fear as her eyes shot between the three men in front of her.
"well now look at what you did." Hall gestured to the broken plate and sandwiches lying on the floor. His nose was bleeding and he shook his head.
"really Vicky. What the hell were you expecting to do next? Beat me with a lump of wood while lev stood and watched? I bring you Sherlock and food and you hit me with a door? Put the wood down Vicky."
She looked again at Sherlock and Levente who was holding his gun to Sherlock's neck. The detective nodded to her and she slowly dropped the bat. With her last action all the defiance left her and she crumpled slowly to the ground. She sat there staring ahead of herself, her hands in her lap.
"well go on lover boy, get her downstairs and we'll see what mess she's made."
Sherlock slowly moved forward and knelt down in front of her, he brushed the side of her face and tried to make eye contact.
"I said get her downstairs!"
Sherlock didn't jump but tori did. He reached over and pulled her to him. He picked her up, her hands still cradled against her and walked down into the basement.
"well shit you made a hell of a mess Vicky and not just to the room." He'll looked over at Sherlock holding her. "I like your fight. I really do. But next time you pull a stunt like this I'll give Levente free reign." He kicked the pile of splintered chair pieces. "clean this shit up and we'll see you upstairs."
Hall walked out of the room and Levente started to collect the chair and mirror pieces. Sherlock glanced between the men and followed hall upstairs. Hall stopped and pointed to a room.
"in there."
Carrying tori into the room he noticed a small couch.
"keep her quiet." He paused. "I'll get some towels."
Sherlock sat down with tori on his lap. He used his hands to encase hers. She took a sharp breath and he hushed her gently. Her hands weren't as bad as they looked. Sure some of her fingers were broken and very swollen but they would heal if they got treatment. She leaned her head against him and breathed in his scent. He noticed she was cold – clammy.
"we need to get you out of these clothes tori." At first he thought she was in shock but then she replied.
"I'm sorry I wasn't faster."
He pressed his lips to the top of her head.
"I'm sorry for the very same thing."
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Hope you all enjoyed this latest chapter. I have written a few chapters ahead but need to type them out on my phone. Reviews will make my tired fingers worth it so please let me know what you think if you want more. Thanks for reading! Lee
