The last victim

"Ah-ha!"Basil literally jumped from his chair. He turned over to see the face of the Killer of Alleys staring at him from the paper...a face who had finally a name.Basil took a paper, wrote a name and an address on it and ran out of the room.

Ginny suddenly stopped in the middle of the dark street. Her small ears perked up. "Nuts, did you hear that noise?"

Nuts glanced at her in disbelief. "I didn't hear anything."

"Shhh"Ginny whispered "listen".

The bat listened. For some moments he heard noises of someone who was fighting, and then a weak, muffled scream came from an alley. He heard something fell on the ground.

Ginny and Nuts looked at the each other for a moment, then they both nodded. They carefully approached at the entry and looked into the alley. A mouse was lying on the ground in a pool of blood, lightened by the moon, and another mouse was in front of him, with a bloody knife in his left hand. Ginny recognized him even before see his cat-like mask. It was the Killer of Alleys. He stared at his victim for a moment or two, then he knelt beside the body and began to write something on the ground with the blood.

Ginny had seen him in her nightmares many times, but this time she didn't feel any fear: she only felt a mixture of pain and rage invading her mind. Her instinct was crying her to took that damn killer for his troath and kill him with her bare hands, but she knew that it would be too dangerous. He had a knife, and she was unharmed. For a moment her most violent instincts fought against her brain and common sense, then she menaged to keep control on herself. Nuts was shaking violently beside her. He looked at his friend: his light-orange eyes were full of terror, and he looked like he was going to scream. She put a hand on his mouth to shut him up and took him away from the entry of the alley.

"Nuts, now listen me"she ordered in a whisper"follow him to see where his hideout. Observe him from the roofs, so you won't risk your life. I'll go to call my father and his henchmice. We'll met you here. Any question?"

The little bat shake his head. "No."

"Remember that we can't let him escape, Nuts. Mistakes won't be ammitted."

"I won't fail"he promised.

Ginny patted on his shoulder."Very well. Then good luck, nightflyer."she said, calling him with the coded name he used as a spy.

He smiled a little. "Good luck to you too, Ginny."he said, then he spread his wings and flew on a roof near the alley.

Ginny ran towards Ratigan's hideout as fast as she could.

The door opened, and a young mouse lady, cleary a maid, stared at him from the doorway.

"Good evening, Miss"said Basil before she could speak "I'm Basil of Baker Street. Mr.Geoffrey Carmichael lives here?"

She nodded. "Yes, he lives here, but he's not here at the moment. I'm sorry."

Basil felt his blood freeze into his veins. "Did he tell you where he was going?"

She went suspicious. "Why do you want to know that?"

"I'm afraid he's in troubles"Basil lied "I need to know where he is."

The maid looked confused. "In trouble? What kind of trouble?"

"I can' explain now. Please, Miss, I need your help. Someone can get killed if you don't help me!"

She stayed silent for a moment, then: "He never tell me where he's going"she said "but I took a carriage, and I know the driver. His name is Leonard Desmond. He lives at 56 of St. John's Street. You can ask to him."

"I will"Basil exclaimed "thank-you for your help. Maybe you saved a life tonight!"

Nuts looked down to the Killer of Alleys. He had take his mask off to pass unnoticed, and now he was walking trought the dark streets. The bat follow him for a while, then he saw him enter into an old fabric.

He had found the killer's hideout.

The drunken mouse grabbed Ginny's left arm. "Hey, baby"he slurred "where are you running?"

Ginny snarled. "It's not your concern"she said sharply "now let me go, damn drunkard!"

He blinked. "What...?"

"You heard me, you idiot! If you don't want troubles, don't upset me and stay out of my way!"

The mouse shuddered, surprised the little girl's tone of command, then he grinned and pulled out a gun, pointing it against Ginny's head. "How you dare to call me an idiot, you little filthy sewer..."

The mose didn't see Ginny's clawed hand plunge into his stomach, but he felt it. He screamed, and let go Ginny's left arm. The gun fell on the ground. She kicked him on his right knee, causing him to collapse on the ground. He screamed again, then he saw the gun a few inches from him and tried to grab it. Using all her strenght, Ginny grabbed the mouse, lifted him over her head and tossed him down of the sidewalk. The mouse fell on the ground with a weak scream, then he didn't move. Ginny stared at him for a second, her calws dripping with blood, then she grinned.

"I warned you to not upset me"she said at the form who was lying on the ground, unconcious or maybe dead "oh, by the way...I'm a half-blood, not a rat." Then she grabbed the mouse's gun, cleaned her bloody hand on her shirt an ran away.

And this is the eighth chapter. Maybe it's a little too harsh,but I always liked dark stories. R&R!