The Showdown

"Are you sure he's still here?"Basil asked, looking to the old fabric factory "there isn't any sign of him."

Ratigan sighed. "Did you expect the writing 'The Killer of Alleys is here'on the door? "

"Ah ah" Basil said sarcastically "very funny."

"Do you have a weapon with you?"

"Yes."Basil pulled out a revolver from his coat.

"Good."Ratigan turned to his henchmice "Morgan, Somerset, enter from that window and search him in the right side of the factory. Thistle and Kane will search him in the left side, and Fidget and Franklin in the upper floor."

"And I?" Basil asked.

"You'll come with me"Ratigan said sharply "I want to look over you every moment.And at the first wrong move..."he pulled out his gun to prove his point.

Basil gulped.

"Stop here!"

Ginny got off from Felicia's back and patted on her nose. She purred. "Good cat"Ginny whispered "now go back home."

As Felicia disappeared in the darkness, Ginny pulled out the gun from his poket and ran towards the old factory.

"Any sign of him?"Basil asked, trying to see something in the darkness.He wasn't very happy of his present situation: he was in an old, dark factory, looking for a heartless killer who could be hidden everywere with his knife...and his arc-enemy was beside him with a gun in his hand.

"Nothing."

Basil snorted. "I can't see anything! It's too dark here!"

"Shhhh"Ratigan whispered "I heard something."

In that moment, the door shut close, and the light turned on.

Ratigan blinked. "What the hell..."

Basil looked around. "He's here."

"I know he's here, Basil! The lights doesn't turns on by theirselves!"

They both stopped in the middle of the room and lifted their guns, ready to fire. The room was full of old machinerys covered with dust, who offered innumerables hiding places. There was no one in sight.

"He's watching over us"Ratigan snarled "he's somewhere in this room, watching our every move ."

"What if he has a pistol?"Basil asked "he would easily kill us.I would nevere think to die beside you."

"Oh,shut up,jinx!"Ratigan cut him off sharply, carefully stepping toward a half-opened old closet. He opened it. "What the..."

There was any sort of objects inside the closet: brooches, bracelets, some watches, cuff-links, necklaces...

"Oh, God"Ratigan breathed "he took these things from his victims. There are his trophys."

Then he suddenly shuddered, staring at something in the closet. "No..."he whispered "it can't be...". With a white-gloved hand, he took the beautiful golden ring from the closet a cleaned it from the dust.

It was Theresa's wedding ring.

THUD!

Ratigan heard the noise of a blow, and turned to see Basil falling limply on the ground with a moan. Behind him there was the Killer of Alleys, unmasked, still with the brick in his hand. "Good evening, Professor" Geoffrey Carmichael grinned, staring at him with his cold black eyes "you've found her ring, didn't you?"

Ratigan snarled and lifted his gun, ready to fire. Carmichael threw something agaist him. Ratigan screamed in pain as the knife ran into his right shoulder, and his gun fell from his hand. He collapsed on his knees.

"Well, well" Geoffrey Carmichael laughed, taking Ratigan's gun and pointing it against him "and so, the Napoleon of Crime is now knelt in front of me.The last time I saw you, you were knelt near your wife."

Ratigan's eyes grew red of anger. "You were there!"

"Oh, yes. I was hiding near there, and I saw the whole scene. How sweet! Your wife was a beautiful woman, you know."

"Why did you kill her?"

Carmichael laughed insanely. "Because I like kill. It's a good reason as any other, isn't it?I had to stop for almost three years because of some trouble with my healt, but now I'm back to work!"

Ratigan stared at his wife's killer. "You're mad."

"Oh, no, I'm not mad. If I would be mad, I would kill that charming little tomboy of you daughter too. I never kill children."

Ratigan growled fiercely. "You're barking mad! I hope to see you rot in hell!"

Carmichael grinned "If there is somebody who's going to rot in hell this night it is you, Professor."he said. He cocked the gun, getting ready to fire...

BANG!

Geoffrey Carmichael screamed in pain as the bullet hit his arm. The gun fell from his hand. Another bullet hit his right leg, causing him falling on the ground with another scream. Ratigan turned to see the person who had saved his life.

"Ginevra!"

Ginny was a few feet away, still with the gun in her hand."Daddy!"she yelled, kneeling beside her father "you're wounded!"

"It's nothing serious, honey"Ratigan said, grabbing the knife and driving it away from his shoulder with a gasp of pain "didn't I...didn't I tell you to stay home?"

"I'm sorry, daddy, but..."

"Don't apologize, honey. You saved my life. By the way, who gave you that gun?"

"I found it"Ginny lied.

"Uhm."Ratigan didn't seem to believe her. He looked at his daughter for a moment, then: "It doesn't matter" he said, putting a handkerchief on the wound, then he saw something sparkle on the floor. He took it.

"It is mom's wedding ring!"Ginny exclaimed. Ratigan nodded.

"Yes. He stole it from her that night."

"How...how cute..."said a mocking voice. They both turned to see Carmichael. He still had Ratigan's gun in his hand. "I think that I'll make an exception to my rules this time..."he gasped "I'll kill you daughter too."

"I don't think so"Ratigan said quietly, putting the ring in his poket.

THUD!

A brick hit him on the head, making him fall senseless to the ground. Basil trew the brick away and handcuffed him, then he rubbed his head. "And now we're draw"he grunted "I'm tired of those damn blows on my head!"

In that moment, the door swung open and Ratigan's henchmice ran in the room.

"Boss!" Fidget called "are you fine? We heard a gunshot and..."he stopped, seeing the scene. "What...?"

"You hadn't been very useful"Ratigan said ironically, getting on his feet with Ginny's support "anyway, it doesn't matters. We have him".

Basil was a little uneasy. He was surrounded whith Ratigan henchmice, and now that he had the Killer of Alleys, Ratigan didn't need of him anymore. He could order to his henchmice to kill him in every moment... "Er...maybe it's time to call the police"he finally said "to bring him to jail, you know." If Ratigan wanted to give the order to kill him, it would be now.

Ratigan simply nodded. "I'll send somebody to call the police, you only have to wait here.And remember" he added, pointing at the Carmichael's body "I want him hammed...and not a single word about me or my wife."

"He will be executed in front of all London within a week, and no one will know about your an your wife's part in this casa. It's a promise."

The two mortal enemies stared at the each other for a while. "Very well"Ratigan finally said "our... 'alliance' is ended by now. I won't get you killed this time, Basil, but I want you know that the next time I won't have any pity."

"And I won't hesitate to bring you to jail just like him."Basil answered. Hatred was in their eyes again.

Ginny stared at the detective. He's all my family, Mr.Basil If one day you will send my father in jail,I will have to kill you, she tought.

"Let's go"Ratigan ordered, still supported by his daughter "our job here is ended."

Well,this is chapter 10! I'll update the epilogue within a few days. R&R!