Prisoner in Newgate
"Fidget!" Keating exclaimed as the bat bursted into his home "what the hell..."
"Basil..."Fidget panted "he has found...the police...he...they...the Boss...I..."
"Fidget, now calm down. What happened?"
The bat took a deep breath and tried to keep control on himself. "Basil has found the hideout. He brought the police there, and..."he sighed andlowered his eyes "they got the Boss."
"They WHAT?"
"They got him" Fidged repeated "Nuts flew away from a window, and I menaged to escape trought the pipes...the Boss couldn't follow me there, he was too large...he told me to come here..."
"And Nuts?" Keating asked "where is he?"
In that moment, the little bat flew in the room trough a window. "Don't worry for me , Mr. Keating, I'm here. The best spy of all the Mousedom, at your service!"
"NUTS!" Fidget exclaimed "how are you, boy?"
Nuts smiled. "I'm fine, Fidget, I'm fine. I followed them for a while, and..."
"Do you know where they brought the Professor?" Keating cut him off.
Nuts seemed suddenly uneasy. "Yes, I know it..."
"Where is he?"
The boy took a deep breath."He's in Newgate Prison."he finally said.
Both Keating and Fidget suddenly went pale.
No, they both tought, it can't be. It just can't be!
Newgate Prison was London's chief prison, and was where prisoners were held before execution.
Fidget gulped. "That meants that...that..."
Keating nodded sadly. "He'll be executed within a few weeks."
"No!"Nuts exclaimed "no, he won't! We can't let it happen!"
The mouse nodded. "I agree, we can't let it happen. Maybe I can help him."
Fidget looked at him in disbelief. "Help him? And how?"
"I'm not a criminal mastermind, but I yet have some connections. I know somebody who can help us."
Ratigan was in chains, bounded to the wall of a dark cell. He forced himself against the chains for the last time, then he give it up. He wasn't strong enough to break them. The rat shut his eyes and fell on his knees, exausted. "Damn!" he cursed under his breath.
"It's useless, Ratigan. You can't escape from here."said a too familiar voice. Ratigan opened his eyes to see Basil of Baker Street standing next to the door of the cell.
"What the hell do you want from me now, Basil?"he growled. He tried to stand up, but he was still too weak. He fell on his knees again and looked up to his mortal enemy, defeat in his eyes."You've won. The Napoleon of Crime has met his own Waterloo. What do you want again?"
Basil took a few steps closer, then he sitted in front of him on the cold stone floor. They stared at the each other for a while, then: "You're going to be executed within two weeks, Ratigan. Do you know it?"
Ratigan looked at him angrily."Of course I know it. I'm not an idiot."
Basil smirked. "Oh, I know you're not an idiot. I know it very well."
"What do you want from me, Basil?"
The detective looked at him straight in his eyes. "Who helped you?"
"I beg your pardon?"
Basil sighed. "It's not the moment for your mind games, Ratigan. I know who somebody helped your recover. Who are that people?"
Ratigan laughed. "What makes you think that I would tell you that?"
"You're going to be executed, Professor. Confess all your crimes, tell me your accomplices names and I'll try to change your execution sentence in a softer one...a life sentence or so."
Ratigan snarled. "I will never do a such thing, Basil! I would rather die on the gallows!"
"You're as proud as always, aren't you?"
"Shut up!"
"For the last time, Ratigan..."
"I WON'T TELL!"
Basil stayed silent for a moment, then he smiled. "It's the same thing your daughter told me the last week. She's as stubborn as you."
Ratigan's yellow eyes widened. "My daughter? Had you seen her?"
"Oh, yes. I visited her in the orphanage. I tried to make her tell me where you hideout was, but she refused to say anything."
The rat smiled weakly to himself. "Good girl." he murmured.
Basil stood up. "I suppose that my work here is finished. If you'll change your mind..."
"I won't."
"Whatever you want, Ratigan. I' ll be there the day of your execution" the detective stepped towards the door, then he stopped and turned once again towards his arc-enemy "but I want you know, Professor, that even trough my hatred towards you I'm sorry that your life is going to end in a such way."
Ratigan growled. "I don't need your pity, Basil."
"It's not pity, old boy. It's just respect."
Ratigan stared at him, speechless for the first time in his whole life.
"What should I say to your daughter, Ratigan?"Basil asked, his voice softened.
"Tell her that I'm sorry, and that I'll never forget her."Ratigan whispered.
Basil simply nodded. "I will."he promised, then he silently left the cell.
Ratigan shut his eyes again and lowered his head. I'm sorry, Theresa. I promised you that I would take care of our daughter, but I didn't. At least, not enough. Please, watch over her and forgive me...
"Basil, are you alright?"Dr. Dawson asked.
Basil shook his head and smiled. "I'm just a little tired, Dawson" he lied "just tired. Let's go to Baker Street." He didn't want to admit that he was actually sorry for his arc-enemy's fate.
What a nonsense! I've finally beaten him! I should be the happiest mouse in the world!
And then, why he wasn't?