A Dish Best Served Cold
Summery: Moriarty is out rule the world once again and he's had it with Sherlock Holmes's interference. He has a plan, but the detective's friends may pay the ultimate price.
DisclaimerAll Publicly Recognizable Characters, Settings, Ideas, etc. are the Property of DiC Entertainment and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. The Original Characters and Plot are the Property of the Author. The Author is in no way Associated with the Owners, Creators, or Producers of DiC Entertainment. No Copyright Infringement is intended.
Chapter 23 - A Death
Moriarty's 2nd Base, Unknown Location in the New London Underground
It was early morning when the master criminal walked into the large cell that housed his three prized possessions. "Mace," he began abruptly "I required all the information you can furnish me with regards to the Harrison family. They have tried my patience for the last time."
"Sure thing Moriarty," she got to her feet, "they have an important weapons shipment coming in. Play your cards right and you could deal them a heavy blow," she told him as she started for the door.
Moriarty smirked and followed, closing the door behind him. An hour later the redhead was back on the surface. She had been blindfolded and shoved into a hover car, after calling one of her friends and contacts for a meeting. She was being escorted by Kerai and Jax. Originally she was to be escorted by Kerai and Damon but…
"By the gods you must be joking" Mace turned to Moriarty after having been introduced to Damon and told he would be escorting her. "I need to keep a low profile—look at this guy he's huge, the woman what's your name…? Oh right Kerai, is ok, but this guy is out of the question."
"You have someone in mind?" the criminal asked eyebrow raised in a revoltingly Holmes like fashion.
"Nice neighbourhood," Jax observed as they were in one of the richer parts of the city. "Here I thought we were going to end up in some dive."
"We are. First though we're going to meet with a friend of the Harrison family. His name is Terry Billings—he and Harrison's wife used to date—Moriarty is to see to it she isn't harmed, and Billings is going to help make sure of that by giving us a few missing details so the plan can go off without a hitch." She did not pause as she crossed the street toward a rather large house with a tall black gate. She rang the buzzer.
"Who is it?" inquired a security guard.
"Dave hi!" Mace greeted in a cheerful tone. Dave was one of the security guards, he didn't particularly like Mace so she was sure to always smile around him and talk in a light-hearted tone when she dealt with him. "I gotta talk to Ter, he in?"
"One moment."
Seconds later the gate opened and Mace and her escorts walked onto the property. The front door was opened, not by Dave, but Tom, another security guard who thought Mace was funny. She flashed him a grin as she walked into the entrance room.
"Mace," Billings acknowledged as he came down the stairs. "What a pleasant surprise. To what do I owe the pleasure?"
"Got some information you're sure to find useful."
"Really? Let's talk in my office shall we? Your friends can wait outside"
"I wish," she replied Mace with a sigh. "Unfortunately they're rather attached."
"Very well if you say so." He sighed.
00o00
"Oh Lestrade, I presume that your offer to step in for Holmes this afternoon is still valid?
"Yes," replied the inspector looking him straight in the eye.
Watson grabbed her arm. "Lestrade," he warned, "Holmes would not wish you to do this."
"I know I'll be fine Watson," she gently pried his hand from her arm and strode out the door. Moriarty glanced back at the doctor with a smug expression and closed the door, leaving the droid alone.
They walked down the narrow hallway in silence for a few moments, their footsteps echoing as they slapped against the concrete, before Moriarty decided to break the silence. "As a reminder Inspector, this session shall proceed the same as last, you are to be permitted to exchange places with Holmes whenever you wish" The inspector did not respond, they reached the cell at last and Moriarty swung open the door infront of her. "Holmes I have good news, Lestrade has once again agreed to spare you another session."
The detective was sitting in a large metal chair with restraints around his wrist and chest. He looked up at Lestrade, his whole argument and plea floating in his gaze, but all Lestrade did was shake her head and walk over to the wall upon which the shackles rested their weary roots, followed by Moriarty who placed them around her wrists. He smirked as he took a step back and retracted the cords into the wall until the Inspector was forced into a standing position with her hands resting at eye level. "Now in the interest of time what say we start at level thirty-five?"
"How about in the interest of time we skip the taunts and banter?" Lestrade bit back.
"As you wish." as replied with sadistic glee as he pressed the button. Lestrade had not yet recovered from her ordeal of the day before and couldn't stop herself from screaming, not that she didn't try, moments of silence between her cries however were brief. "Argh—…Ahhh!"
"Hmm it would seem that she has not quiet recovered from her previous ordeal, a pity this will have to be short."
"Lestrade," Holmes pleaded, "do not push yourself beyond your tolerance, I can endure it, you have not yet recovered your strength."
"Shut up—ahhh!" Lestrade began to scream non stop.
"Oh, my apologies, I did not alert you Holmes, I discerned that now was would be an excellent time to increase the voltage."
Holmes glared at the criminal. "Moriarty I told, you she has not sufficiently recovered you will kill her!"
"Rest assured I would bring her straight back. Even as we argue medics are standing at the ready." He assured the detective with a dangerously playful smile as if the proceedings were a game.
Holmes glanced back at his friend who was still screaming. He and Moriarty continued to watch in silence for what seemed a million eternity's, willing Lestrade to scream 'switch' or some such thing, but she did not. Her eyes were closed and she was fast becoming paler and paler. Finally he could bare it no longer.
"Damn you Moriarty, what must I do, to end your insanity!"
"There is nothing you can do Holmes, nothing in the world." With that he unsheathed the remote once more. As his favourite malicious grin spread across his face
Holmes' eyes widened in fear. 'No!' He thought then out loud, "You will kill her!"
The criminal mastermind stabbed down Lestrade's screams grew louder and her body started to convulsed. Soon she began to cough up blood.
"Hmm," said Moriarty, "it's only at level sixty-five."
"You must stop now!" cried Holmes
"But I'm enjoying myself; let's just try a few minutes at eighty-five then we'll call an end to this little session." said Moriarty as he adjusted the dial.
"No!"
"Aaahhh!" Lestrade screamed, as her coughing intensified. Suddenly the screams stopped and the shackles deactivated.
Quickly Moriarty pressed another button and loosened the shackles. Lestrade fell to the floor. Before Holmes could say anything Moriarty had rolled Lestrade on her back. He then put his mouth to hers, he exhaled then detached his mouth after two seconds, he repeated the process. He then placed his hands on her chest above her heart and pressed down repeatedly. Holmes froze as he realized he was giving her CPR. He hadn't seen Moriarty deactivate the shackles, they had deactivated automatically, and they only did that when the victim's heart had stopped.
00o00
"Argh, what a dump!" complained Jax.
"Ya I'd avoid eating here if ya can," Mace warned her companions. "Good thing about it though is it's always so crowded, and the patrons so drunk, that you don't have to worry about being overheard." She told them as she breezed thru the main door
Mace ignored the other patrons, heading straight for her usual table, where her friend Mickey was waiting for her. "Hey Mickey this is Jax and Kerai and they, much to my dismay, will be joining us." She sat down across from her friend, Jax sat next to Mace and Kerai next to Mickey.
"Should I ask?" said Mickey with a small wave toward Kerai and Jax.
"Probably not, we need to talk business right now you find anything on Young?"
"'Nother shipment coming in on Wednesday around 2:00 a.m. 'bout a hundred thousand creds worth."
"That's big, where's it docking?"
Mickey looked questioningly at Mace for a split second then answered, "Pier 17." Beneath the table he gave her shin a slight nudge which she returned. 'She's in trouble,' he thought, 'she knows where Young receives his shipments. The fact that she returned the nudge as opposed to simply giving me a reassuring smile confirms it.'
"Hmmm can you tell me anything about Philipson?"
"Nothing much. He's into his usual shady dealings acting as your ideal go to man for acquiring weapons. Word is he swindled that Moriarty guy you were inquiring about last week."
Mace smiled. "Did he now?" she said as she gave Mickey another nudge confirming that Moriarty was the source of her troubles.
"Ya he's been keeping his head down since."
"And where might he be doing that?"
"Not sure, but I know he'll be at a place in Whitechaple for some entertainment on Friday."
"Can you be more specific?" Double nudge.
'Double nudge; she wants a no.' he thought. "No," he told her out loud as he returned the signal.
'Hmm he really doesn't know, oh well, suits me,' thought Mace. "Oh well, think you can find out?"
"Ya I'll give you a call"
"Much appreciated."
00o00
Moriarty had just finished giving Lestrade compressions when the medteam raced in. They removed the shackles and got out their portable defibrillator. One medic set it up while another tore open Lestrade's shirt with a knife exposing a white bra. Moriarty continued to give breaths. When he was done the medic who had been setting up the devise, placed the pads on Lestrade's chest and shouted "Clear!"
Lestrade's body contorted slightly and Moriarty checked her pulse, ten seconds later he shook his head.
Time froze for Holmes he couldn't believe it, Lestrade might die in the attempt to spare him a single session. 'Stupid woman!' he thought, 'how could you be so reckless, What were you thinking?!'
The medic called "Clear!" once more and placed the pads on Lestrade's chest. Again Moriarty checked her pulse and shook his head.
'Come on Lestrade show us how stubborn you can be… come back…please!'
The medic declared "Clear" for the third time
Moriarty, looking slightly worried, checked her pulse and shook his head.
'No…please no' though Holmes desperately he had stopped breathing and his heart felt as if someone had reached into his chest and was squeezing the life out of it. His whole body felt numb even his mind nothing existed but Lestrade on that floor.
"Clear" Lestrade's body convulsed and Holmes thought he saw her eyes flutter briefly. Moriarty checked her pulse and nodded. Quickly she was moved onto a stretcher and taken from the room.
00o00
Lestrade awoke hours later in the medroom. "Argh, what…what happened?"
"You died."
Lestrade turned at the voice, which she recognized as Moriarty's. She glared at him but said nothing.
"Really Lestrade, dying in the middle of a session, it's very rude."
She ground her teeth.
"Pity you didn't manage to finish it—I suppose Holmes will have to."
"What? You can't be serious?!" Lestrade sat upright, and stormed over to the criminal, ignoring the fact that she only had on pants and a bra. "You mean to tell me, that I went through that, for nothing?!"
"Not nothing Lestrade. I told you I wanted a three minutes at level eighty-five before the end of the session you only lasted thirty seconds, so Holmes will only have to endure two minutes and thirty seconds."
Lestrade gaped at the criminal. "You conniving vindictive piece of slime. How dare you!"
"Make that five."
Lestrade started as the meaning of the words reach her, instantly she forced her body to relax.
Moriarty smirked. "I told you, you should learn to control your temper." His tone was silky smooth and very sinister.
Lestrade thought about how painful thirty-five and sixty-five had been for her, 'I can't believe I'm doing this again.' She clenched her fist. "Sorry."
Moriarty looked startled. "Come again?" He could not believe she was apologizing. 'Well this is a pleasant surprise' he thought.
"I'm sorry I lost my temper, please don't hurt Holmes."
Moriarty smirked. "Very well I'll shorten the session back to three minutes."
Lestrade became furious as Moriarty turned to leave she reached and grabbed his right shoulder forcing him to turn. "You'll kill him!"
As Moriarty turned his fist flew and he backhanded Lestrade in the eye with his right hand. Lestrade in her weakened state, fell to the floor.
"Watch your tone with me! Holmes will be the one to suffer for this".
Lestrade turned to face the criminal and saw that he was standing over her fist raised, and eyes scrutinizing, daring her to retaliate. "Please," she cried her throat hoarse, a look of despair crossed her face and she bowed her head unable to look him in the eye. "I'm begging you…" 'I can't believe I just did that, still it'll be worth it if it stops him from torturing Holmes.'
Moriarty's expression softened and his body relaxed. "Very well since you asked so nicely I'll shorten it to two."
Lestrade said nothing. Merely glared at the floor her hatred for the man before her intensifying with every second.
"Now I suggest you get up and get back to bed, I'll have someone find you a shirt—last I check your current attire was considered inappropriate even in this day and age," he chuckled as he turned to leave.
00o00
"I do not want to know what I just stepped in." said Jax.
"Trust me when I say you want to know what you now need shots for," replied Mace.
Kerai smirked, the interaction between these two women was highly amusing.
"What are we doing here anyway? I thought we'd be meeting informants, not carrying a bunch of food to some squatters in some decrepit part of new London."
"These squatters are a well of information, and don't let on that your doing this for something in return, it will shut them up or they'll barter for more food. Simply hand out food and ask how they've been and what they've been up to. Subtlety ask them if they've seen anything. You two wearing those mikes so I can listen to what they tell you later?"
"Yes though I don't see why."
"You don't know what to listen for sweets. Now follow my lead."
An hour later the three were once again in the hovercar. "Now can we go back to the base?" whined Jax, trying not to breath as the smell seeping from her left foot grew steadily worse.
"We have four more 'decrepit places in New London' to visit, I need to talk to various other squatters. Then I need to go to a couple of bars but first we need to pick up more food."
Jax sighed and began to massage her forehead thinking, 'Why me? What did I do to deserve this?'
It was another six hours before the trio headed back to the base. "Finally!" said Jax, "I thought we'd never finish."
"It wasn't that bad," Mace grinned
"Says the women who doesn't have to go to the med center for shots."
"If you had looked where you were going…"
"Why you—argh visiting those squatters was a waste of time."
"From what I gathered the last two were, the others were profitable, I don't think I learned much that would help the professor, but maybe long term…" Mace's voice trailed off. She blocked out her immediate surroundings and withdrew into her own little world a world in which annoying people like Jax did not exist, which wasn't difficult to do since she had been blindfolded, again.
An hour later Mace found herself in a cell with Watson and Lestrade. "Hey you two, how was your day?"
Watson was fusing over Lestrade who was sitting in a corner, he was insisting she lie down and rest. Mace couldn't help but notice that the inspector did not look her usual resilient self. She was not wearing her uniform, well not all of it, she had on her usual grey pants and black boots but she was wearing a white tee shirt where her usual body armour should have resided.
"Beth sweetie you ok?" asked Mace as she couched down and put a hand on Lestrade's shoulder looking at her directly in the eye.
"Inspector Lestrade has been refusing to talk about her day until you returned."
"Only wanted to go through it once huh?" Mace said knowingly.
Lestrade nodded "Moriarty returned after you left and asked me if my offer to take Holmes's place was still good…"
00o00
"Ah Holmes feeling rested I trust?"
The detective was sitting crossed legged on the floor he looked up at Moriarty "How is she?"
"She has recovered wonderfully, as I assured you she would."
"What do you want?" Holmes persisted wearily.
"To finish the session of course,"
Holmes stared at the criminal "Of course, you wanted three minutes at level eighty-five but Lestrade… was not able to withstand it."
"Precisely. Though Lestrade did manage to convince me to shorten it to two minutes, you should have heard her Holmes she actually said please not only that…" Moriarty knelt down so he was at eye level with the great detective, "she begged."
Holmes shifted slightly. Lestrade saying please was one thing, but the image of Lestrade begging was surreal and even frightening. Beth Lestrade took charge of situations, she did not plead for mercy from her opponents, she clobbered them.
Moriarty noticed Holmes' response and continued. "Begged for mercy. She's becoming more hospitable and pleasant by the day. More like the women of our time. But then again you never liked those—you liked women who were independent and wilful like… Irene Adler. Well, Lestrade won't be like that for much longer."
Moriarty leaned in closer. "I know you've never admitted it, and most likely never will, but you admire her, achieving the rank of Inspector at age twenty-five, convincing Hardgraves to bring you back, her intelligence may not be on par with ours but she is smart, strong independent, and she is a fierce and noble fighter, not to mention as tenacious as her ancestor ever was and far more troublesome."
Moriarty was now so close to Holmes that their noses were almost touching.
"Everything you admire about her, every characteristic which defines her in your eyes, I will destroy."
It took all of Holmes' will power not to lunge at the criminal. 'Imust remain calm Moriarty will nothave the opportunity to break Lestrade. I will find a way to communicate our location to Mace and we will escape.
"Now, Holmes," Moriarty withdrew the remote from his pocket, "Shall we begin?"
00o00
"Oh Beth," said Mace.
"Moriarty shall pay for what he has done, mark my words, he shall pay." Watson muttered ominously.
Mace and Lestrade were both taken aback by Watson's outburst. They didn't think his tone could become that dark.
All of a sudden the door opened and Kerai entered. "Hello Ins-s-spector," she hissed to Lestrade before turning her attention to Mace. "Here are those recordings, as well as some paper and pens," Kerai handed the items over to Mace. "You have until tomorrow to go over the recordings, you will be meeting Moriarty in an hour to tell him what you learned today."
"Thanks for the heads up," Mace smiled pleasantly. She had decided on first glance that she did not like Kerai. The women was cruel, the way she had smiled at the squatters, like she was looking at fresh meat.
"Heard you died today Inspector, glad you didn't stay that way—I want that pleasure." And with that she walked out of the room.
00o00
Holmes collapsed onto his hands and knees and continued to cough up blood. Sweat dripping down his brow and his body heaving slightly.
Moriarty stood over the detective smiling. "Hmm, coughing up blood already? You're in as poor a condition as Lestrade. I suppose I will have to give you a reprieve for a day or so. Oh well, no matter, with the information I've gained from Mace there is much to command my attention. I really must thank you for her; she's already proven very useful."
Holmes remained silent as he was having trouble hearing and seeing straight. His arms gave out, he collapsed and he curled into the fetal position, shivering.
Moriarty walked over to him. "I was talking to you Holmes," he gave the detective a kick in the gut.
"Ooomh," Holmes coughed up more blood. 'Why can't I stop shaking?'
Moriarty smirked as blood splashed onto his boots, pleased at what he had reduced his opponent to. "I'll send in a medical team," he grinned over his shoulder as he exited the room.
Next update is on the 31st of January that's right on Thursday I have finally finished editing the story it's done completely done Yayness, so I'll be updateting twice a week on Thursday and Sunday, remember to read and rate.