A/N: Sorry about the violence at the end.
Unknown location
The sound of heavy footsteps woke her as Jordan opened her eyes, but all she saw was darkness. She realized her arms and legs were tied to the chair she was sitting on and she tried to see where Morgan was.
"He isn't here," a low voice said in her right ear and she jumped. "Did I startle you? Good."
"Who are you?!" she demanded. She heard a soft laugh as a warm breath moved over her cheek and she tried not to wince.
"You're frightened. Good."
"Who?! Are?! You!?"
"There is no need to shout. You will find out in due time."
She listened to the heavy footsteps walking away as she pulled on the ropes and tears started to roll down her cheeks.
Dorset
Murphy leaned against the top railing while he sipped on some coffee and he had one ankle crossed over the other. He was watching the sunrise as the cool sea air moved through his hair and he sighed. He heard the sound of the door opening as Connor walked to him and Connor leaned against the top railing. He had felt something was wrong with his twin as Connor glanced over at Murphy, but neither of them said a word. Connor moved closer when he crossed the opposite ankle over the other and he sipped on the coffee he had brought out with him.
"Mornin'," Connor said, but Murphy didn't answer. "Thinkin' about th'ranch?"
"No," Murphy grumbled.
"Worried about th'kids missin' school?"
"No."
"Have a fight with Lou?"
"No."
"Have another nightmare?"
"No."
"Do you want me t'shut up?"
"Aye."
Nodding, Connor sipped on the coffee while they watched the sky growing brighter and he smiled after Murphy leaned his left shoulder against Connor's right shoulder.
Margaret woke to find an empty space where Connor should be as she sat up and she turned the light on. She got out of bed when she walked to the bathroom, lightly knocked on the door before she opened the door and she turned the light on. She sighed as she turned the light off then she headed for the bedroom door. She left the room when she headed downstairs and she saw the light was on. She stood at the bottom of the stairs when she saw the light was on in the kitchen and she went in the kitchen. She saw someone had made coffee as she opened the cabinet and she took out a coffee mug. She poured some coffee into the coffee mug as she wondered when Connor was and she picked up the coffee mug before she walked out of the kitchen.
"Where are you?" she whispered when she looked toward the window and she saw someone standing at the porch railing. She walked to the window when she saw Murphy and Connor and she wondered why they were out there. Something told her not to go outside and she went back upstairs.
She walked in the master bedroom when she walked to the desk and she placed the coffee mug on the top of the desk. She walked to the dresser when she picked up the laptop and she walked to the desk. She placed the laptop on the top of the desk as she sat down and she opened the laptop. She powered up the laptop as she looked at the screen and she looked at the photograph on the screen. She looked through the emails when she saw one email from the Dorset Police Department and one email with the header Open Now. She opened the email from the DPD as she read the information and she leaned back against the chair. She got up when she walked to the night table and she picked up her cellphone. She walked back to the desk when she sat down and she pushed the buttons. She hit the dial button when she held the phone up to her left ear and she closed the window to look at the photograph.
"Yes. This is Margaret Stone. I wish to speak with Chief Superintendent Elinor Walker. Thank you," she said when she felt like someone was behind her and she turned in the chair to see Connor walking in the bedroom. She watched him walking to the desk as he leaned over to kissed her cheek and she could smell the scent of the sea air on his skin. "Is Murphy alright?"
"Dunno. He wouldn't tell me." Connor said while he leaned down as she turned to face the laptop and he wrapped his arms around her shoulders. "What're you doin'?"
"I'm…," she said as she held up her left index finger and she looked at the screen. "Hello, Chief Superintendent."
"Hello," Chief Superintendent Elinor Walker's voice said.
"Sorry to call so early."
"No, that is alright. How may I help you?"
"I am investigating the murders which occurred in London and it seems there is a connection with the murders which occurred Dorset."
"Are you talking about the River Walkers killings?"
"Yes. Do you think I could examine the information you have on the murders?"
"Do you have a warrant?"
"I can get one by this afternoon."
"Then, yes, you can see the information."
"Thank you. I'll call you as soon as I acquire the warrant and we can discuss a time for me to look at it."
"Alright."
Margaret ended the call as she looked at Connor and he lightly hugged her shoulders then he walked to the bed. She watched him get under the covers as he smiled and he lightly patted the mattress. She looked at the laptop when she turned the power off, closed the lid, got up and she walked to the bed. She slid under the covers as she snugged against him and he placed his right arm around her. She enjoyed the coolness of his skin and the scent of salt and wind as she placed her head at the center of his chest and he lightly kissed the top of her head. She looked at the wall while she listened to the gently beating of his heart when she sat up, got out of bed and he watched her walking to the door.
"Where are you goin'?" Connor asked.
"I'm going to go talk with Murphy," Margaret said, leaving the room and she headed down the hallway.
Louisa felt the coolness coming from Murphy after he crawled under the covers and she snuggled closer. He smelt of salt and sea air and she rested her head under his chin. He wrapped his arms around her as she sighed and he lightly moved his fingers over her back.
She had woken up and found him not in bed, but he had gotten up early before to feed the animals or he had something on his mind.
"Wanna talk about it?" she asked in a soft voice.
"I guess I'm jus' tired," he said, lightly rubbing his chin in her hair.
"Tired?"
"Aye. I'm tired of shitheads like Maggie's uncle usin' us an' makin' us feel like all we are is a weapon t'be used whenever they fuckin' want."
Louisa heard the sadness in his voice as she blinked her eyes a few times and he sighed. They became quiet when they heard a soft knock on the bedroom door and Murphy looked at the door.
"Murphy, are you awake?" Margaret asked.
"Aye, I'm awake," he said and she opened the door. She walked to the bed while they sat up and she stood at the foot of the bed. "Do you need summat?"
"Yes, I need you and Louisa to go with me when I go talk with the Chief Superintendent of the Dorset Police Department."
"Why?"
"Why?!"
She noticed the look he was giving her as she moved to his side of the bed and he moved so she could sit down.
"What is going on with you? You don't normally balk at doing things like this," she said and he felt her fingers moving over the top of his right hand. Margaret looked to Louisa for help, but Louisa only shook her head and Murphy sighed. "Please, Murphy, tell me what's wrong."
He brushed the hair out of his eyes when he explained and she nodded her head now and then. When he finished, she held her arms out and he moved closer so she could hug him.
"I had no idea you were feeling like this."
"I guess I'm just bein' an eejit," he said and she rubbed the back of his head with her right hand.
"Murphy MacManus, don't you ever say that again!" she scolded and he snorted a laugh. They moved back as they locked eyes and she gave him a small smile. "Do you want to know something?"
"Sure."
"I have told this to Connor time and again. I will never make you do anything you don't want to do. So, it's up to you. If you and Louisa want to go with me then you can. If you want to just play tourist and go sightseeing then you can. If you want to pack up your family and go back to the ranch then you can. I will not stop you."
He let go of Margaret when he leaned back against the wall and he crossed his arms over his stomach. He lightly bumped his feet together as he half-lowered his eyelids and he had a silent conversation with himself. They waited for him to say something as he looked at them then he made a deep sigh.
"What time do we have t'be there?" Murphy asked.
Dorset Police Department
The car came to a stop at the curb as Margaret, Louisa and Murphy got out of the car and they closed the doors. Margaret and Louisa were dressed in black suit jackets with matching skirts, white blouses, nude hose and black high heels and Murphy was in a dark suit, white shirt, black tie and black hard leather shoes and he had his hair brushed back. He was wearing sunglasses and the tattoo on his right index finger was covered with makeup. Louisa walked next to Margaret while Murphy followed them and he scanned their surrounding with his eyes. They headed up the stairs as the sliding doors opened and they walked to the security station. After being scanned and showing the guards their identification, Margaret led them to the elevators and she pushed the call button.
"Now, remember, let me do the talking," Margaret said and they nodded their heads. The elevator doors opened as they walked in the elevator car and she pushed the button. The elevator doors closed while Murphy stood behind them and he lightly moved his head side to side. He placed his hands in front of him while Louisa placed her hands behind her back and he moved a little closer to take her right hand. She squeezed his fingers as she smiled and Margaret looked behind them to see what he was doing. Shaking her head, she smiled and Louisa slightly shrugged a shoulder.
The elevator doors opened as they walked out into the hallway and Margaret led them down the hallway. They stopped at the door to the Chief Superintendent's office as she opened the door and they walked into the inner office. The receptionist looked at them as he stood and they walked to the desk.
"May I help you?" he asked. Margaret showed him her identification as he nodded then he walked to the door to the inner office. He opened the door as he slid in the office and he closed the door behind him.
Murphy looked around the room with his eyes while they waited and the door opened. The receptionist stood to one side as they headed for the doorway then they went inside and he closed the door behind them.
Chief Superintendent Elinor Walker sat at the desk as they looked at her and Murphy stood near the door. He noticed she had snow white hair, hard gray eyes and a serious look on her face.
"Hello, Miss Stone," Elinor said as she stood and they shook hands.
"Thank you for seeing me," Margaret said as she placed the warrant on the top of the desk and Elinor picked up the warrant. She motioned with her hand for them to sit on the chairs in front of the desk and Margaret and Louisa sat down.
"Before we begin, I must inform you I do not like being lied to."
"I beg your pardon?"
"I am talking about him and his brother," Elinor said, pointing to Murphy and they turned to look at him.
"You recognized them?" she asked as she turned to look at Elinor.
"Miss Stone, I may be up in years, but my eyes work perfectly fine. Now, tell me. When did Interpol employ supposedly deceased vigilantes?"
Margaret became quiet as the muscles in her jaw twitched and Louisa felt her stomach sinking.
"How did you figure out who they are?" Louisa asked as she used her accent and Elinor looked at her.
"Here."
Elinor handed Louisa a photograph as Louisa looked at the image of Murphy and Connor's serious faces and she noticed it looked like what they had seen at the Reapers' base.
"This is a painting," Louisa said.
"Yes, it is."
"Where was this taken?"
"It was taken at the River Walkers' base. Now, will you tell me what is going on?" she asked as Elinor looked at Margaret. Margaret was looking at the security cameras as she stood up, turned and she headed for Murphy. Louisa stood as she followed her and Murphy saw the anger in Margaret's eyes. "Miss Stone, we are not done."
"Yes, we are," Margaret said as she turned to look at her. "And you can inform my uncle I am not playing his games. Not anymore."
"I do not play games. Now, sit down and let us continue."
Murphy's eyebrows arched up as he blinked and he walked to Margaret. She looked at him as he gave her a blank look and she sighed.
"You don't have t'do this if you don't wanna," he said in low voice. She looked back at Elinor when Margaret shook her head and she and Louisa went to sit down. Murphy followed them as Margaret and Louisa sat on the chairs and Elinor looked at them.
"Well?" Elinor asked and Murphy felt like he and Connor were in the headmaster's office after they had been caught fighting.
"Due to security reasons, I cannot go into a full disclosure. But I assure you Mister MacManus and his brother are not dangerous," Margaret said.
"I am glad to hear that," Elinor said as she opened the file on the desk and she slid the file toward Margaret. "Here is the information you requested."
Margaret picked up the file as she looked at the information and she handed the photographs to Louisa. Murphy placed his hands on the top of the chair as he leaned over so he could look at the photographs and Elinor noticed the small glances he and Louisa gave each other. Elinor then saw the wedding rings they were wearing and she leaned back in the chair.
"Oh," Elinor said, softly.
"Is there something wrong?" Margaret asked, looking at her.
"No. Just making an observation."
Louisa looked at the photograph of the painting when she looked at the next photograph and her eyes widened.
"Christ," Murphy whispered.
"Lord's name." Louisa whispered and he nodded.
"Let me see," Margaret said and Louisa showed her the photograph. Margaret's eyes widened as she smiled and they looked at her. "That's…interesting."
"You should see it in person," Elinor said.
"No thanks," Murphy mumbled while he looked away.
"Now, according to these reports, you found the bodies of the River Walkers near the bottom of a cliff," Margaret said as she changed the subject.
"Yes, and what is so puzzling is no one saw a thing," Elinor said.
"How is that possible?" Louisa asked while Murphy stood straighter.
"That is something we are still trying to figure out."
"What about the message? Where did you find that?" Margaret asked.
"We found it at their base," Elinor said while Louisa looked through the photographs then she found a photograph with the message written on the wall. She showed the photograph to Margaret then Murphy and Murphy frowned. "We still don't know what it means."
"What happened to the rest of the River Walkers?" Margaret asked as she changed the subject again.
"I have no idea. We went to their headquarters to do some routine questioning, but there was no one around."
"So, whoever did this scared them off," Louisa said.
"I believe so," Elinor said and Margaret looked at the file. Margaret frowned as she closed the file after Louisa handed her the photographs and they stood up.
"Thank you for your cooperation," Margaret said as she shook hands with Elinor then Louisa shook hands with Elinor. Murphy gave her a nod as they headed for the door and Elinor crossed her arms over her chest.
"Mister MacManus, may I have a word?" Elinor asked and he cautiously walked back to the desk. She motioned with her finger for him to lean closer as he did and she smiled. "The next time you accompany Miss Stone to a meeting, do not flirt with your wife."
He gave her a shocked look after she gave him a wink then he snorted a laugh and he nodded his head. He walked to Margaret and Louisa as they left the office and they headed down the hallway.
"What did she say?" Margaret asked.
"She told me not t'flirt with my wife durin' a meetin'," Murphy said as a blush moved across his cheeks.
"You were flirting with me?" Louisa asked.
"I guess."
"You were," Margaret said with a smug look.
"No, we weren't," Louisa said.
"You were in the elevator."
"All we were doing was holding hands."
"Right," Margaret said as she pushed the call button and she looked at them. "But you are supposed to be my assistant and my guard. That means acting professionally."
"Oh,"
"Don't get me wrong. I enjoy the fact you two have been married for a long time, but you act like you've been married for six months," she said as the elevator doors opened and they walked in the elevator car. She pushed the button as the doors closed and she turned to see them looking down at their feet. "Come off it. It's ok. Connor kept looking at my ass while we were at the Yard."
"He did?!" Murphy asked and she nodded.
"And the fact Chief Superintendent Walker did take you to task for it means she thought it was cute, too."
"She did give me a wink."
The elevator doors opened as they walked out into the lobby and they headed for the front doors. They walked outside as they headed for the car and Margaret smiled at Murphy and Louisa holding hands.
Unknown location
Morgan groaned as he opened his eyes and he saw a blurry ceiling. He tried to move, but his arms and legs wouldn't move and he frowned. Suddenly, he heard the sound of heavy footsteps on a hard wood floor as he laid still and he closed his eyes. He heard a low creaking sound as the footsteps moved closer and he winced when whatever he was lying on moved.
"I know you are awake," a male voice said.
"Who are you?" Morgan asked.
"That is for you to find out."
Morgan heard the anger in the voice as he sighed then he winced when whatever he was lying on moved again.
"If you think I am going to beg, you are mistaken," Morgan said then he heard a growled laugh.
"I don't expect you to beg. That would mean you are afraid. And we both know you have no feelings," the voice said as he felt a warm breath on his face and someone placed their hand on the center of his chest.
"Do you mind moving? Your breath is horrible."
Whoever it was moved away as Morgan listened to the heavy footsteps then he heard a low scraping sound. He wondered what was making the scraping sound, but the suddenly pain from something hitting his left lower leg just below his knee moved through his body and he screamed. Pain seated through him as something hit his right lower leg just below the knee and he screamed louder. He panted while red lines moved behind his closed eyes and he heard the scraping sound again. The sound faded as Morgan let a small whimper pass his lips then darkness enveloped him.