"Sebastian, I think…" Sophie bit her lip, standing in the bleak corridor where she'd committed… Manslaughter? Murder? She didn't want to think about the technical terms of what she'd done. Luckily, one of the men she'd killed had not only the key to the cell Sebastian and Jack were held captive, but also, as it seemed, the keys to the entire department. The cells around the corridor, as Sebastian had cautiously checked, were completely empty. Sophie didn't help, but Jack and Sebastian disposed of the body's buy kicking, yes, kicking the deceased bodies into their cell. No fingerprints, but either way it wouldn't take the Government much of a guess to realize what had happened when they find three dead bodies. Sophie couldn't help feeling proud of herself, though. She'd done what Jim asked. And, in reality, she'd done the job well. Minus the bullet.
"Shush." Sebastian continued working on Sophie's upper arm, taking care of the bullet wound which wasn't by far as severe as it looked, according to Sebastian. One look at Seb, and people wouldn't think he was nearly as smart as he actually was. In physical appearances, he was, anyone had to admit, a treat. His hair was a light blonde which took after their father, unlike Sophie, who was truly the spitting image of their mother. But Sebastian's muscles and height did give the impression of all looks no brains, but on the contrary, he used those assumptions to his advantage. Removing a bullet, well, this certainly wasn't his first time, and would by no means be his last.
"No listen. I know the walls were soundproof out of the corridor…" Sophie winced as Sebastian tightly wrapped a cloth around Sophie's upper arm to prevent blood loss. The bullet hadn't done any major or permanent damage, but by no means did that mean it didn't hurt. Never mind, Jim's people could sort that out later. "I couldn't hear any of your and Jack's shouting while I was out there. But we've been down here at least half an hour. Are you sure no one will be suspicious?"
"Sophie, the Government are a bunch of highly paid morons. We're fine. But we need to move soon." Just as Sebastian finished his sentence, Sophie gently pulled her leather jacket over herself once more, which actually wasn't a terrible protectant against the bullet, so it seemed only logical for her to wear it.
Jack leaned against the cool wall of the corridor and watched Sebastian work on Sophie's arm. If it had been anyone else doing so, he would be intervening and saying they weren't allowed to touch Sophie (because Sophie was his) and that they were doing the whole job wrong. But Sebastian cared about Sophie just as much as Jack did, so he restrained himself. Yes. Cared about. Jack wanted to deny it, but seeing Sophie with the blood around her made every muscle in his body tense, his mind reel and his vision, for a fraction of a second, actually blur. She was perfect as she was and God forbid anything about her changed. Ugh. It's a good job I'm saying this all in my head. I sound like such a soppy fucker. Be still my beating heart. Jack sniggered at his own mental inner voice and watched as Sophie bantered with Sebastian about the Government and their current predicament. There was another thing prying on Jack's thoughts. Jim. Jim actually cared about Sophie, and unlike himself, didn't bother to deny it, at least not in front of himself or Sebastian, anyway. Jack actually had a secret suspicion that Jim preferred her over him, but Jack couldn't say he minded. In fact, he couldn't blame Jim in the slightest. Sophie was… Well, Sophie. That was enough. More than enough. Shut up Romeo and stop acting like a lovesick 11 year old. But the thing was; Jim would never send Sophie directly into danger like that. OK, maybe he would, because in reality she was working for him. In a sense. So Jim wouldn't send Sophie into danger like that unprepared. At least not willingly. Sure- he'd armed and prepped her, but Jim also planned everything he did in advance, so he had something in store. He was always in control, just like Jack. The Moriarty brother's held all the cards, 24/7. No ifs, no buts, they could twist anyone around their little finger, in any way, and that was final.
"So Jimmy's been captured then?" Jack had been silent more or less the whole time Sebastian was fixing Sophie's arm, so when his Irish voice seeped its way into the air, the Moran's looked up instinctively.
"While he was explaining that I had to come in and get you two, he said he wouldn't be around for a while." Sophie almost welled up at the memory of sitting in the back of the car with Jim. He was so adamant that he would be OK, and for that moment, Sophie didn't feel like a 16 year old girl about to commit a rescue (crime), she felt like a 5 year old being told their dad was abandoning her. "Mycroft Holmes, obviously. He's got him. Jim mentioned that he'd be back, again, obviously." Sophie stood from the spot on the ground and so did her brother. "How are we supposed to get out? You two are supposed to be locked in a cell right now."
A smile quirked its way onto Jack's ridiculously handsome features and cleared his throat. "I believe I can be of service." Nonchalantly, Jack picked up the gun and walked lazily towards the fire extinguisher on his right and shot the fire alarm, producing a wailing alarm and water spilling from the ceiling. Jack grinned as he turned to the Moran's. "Welllllllll, wouldn't it be just convenient if we were in a place filled with so many people we wouldn't be spotted in a running, frantic crowd? Lucky usssssssss!" Jack sang the last word with as much glee and omnipotence as Jim's, mimicking the consulting criminal's exact tone. Sophie bit her lip to control her laughter, she knew now was really not the time.
Sebastian nodded and slipped one of Sophie's knifes into his pocket. Definitely not his first choice of weapon, but you can't be picky in these situations. "So Jim's with a Holmes? Bet he's ecstatic about that." The water spilling from the ceiling affected none of the three as they made their way up the stairwell to a crowd of running Government workers with files above their heads and security guards following the crowd like dogs.
"Yes, he's with Mycroft. He didn't seem to care, really. I think we're going back to England soon, though." Sophie knew exactly what Sebastian meant about Jim being ecstatic. Mycroft Holmes. Big brother of Jim's little obsession. Sherlock Holmes.
"Heads down. Spread out." Jack made no eye contact and held is head low as he spoke. Sophie did as instructed, and saw Sebastian give Sophie a nervous glance. Really, I did just save you. I can handle myself just fine. Sophie nodded in Seb's direction as she blended further into the crowd, in an attempt to assure her brother she was fine. She hadn't expected it, but Sophie felt sufficiently more anxious leaving the facility than she had been entering. Maybe it was just that she had just killed three men. Who knew?
Sophie wormed her way through the crowd feeling only slightly conscious that someone might detect her, but somehow she doubted it. She reached the glass door to the outside heat with ease and watched the people around her. And it clicked. The people running out were, just by a glance, just office workers. The security guards were ushering secretary's everywhere, but there was no one… Official to be seen. Sophie had doubted that Jack's fire alarm trick would really work, but it had definitely seemed to have fooled the temps and standard employees. But if no one official, no one of real Government importance was leaving the building, could that mean they knew? When Sophie had entered, the men in suits that looked like people out of Bond movies with personal bodyguards were almost everywhere for the eye to devour. And now there were none. Could they've just been ushered out of the building first? No, the idea seemed unlikely. It would've taken the CCTV cameras no longer than a minute to see there was no fire. And that could only mean that the Government, the real, powerful Government knew what Sophie had done. Not just Mycroft Holmes. The entire Government.
Sophie took a breath and kept her head to the ground. She was outside now, but this was the Government. Sophie looked about her and searched for Sebastian or Jack's head in the crowd. No such luck. Sophie's instinct told her that she shouldn't go looking for them; it was too much of a risk of drawing attention to herself. So when she continued walking and a signature black, tainted windowed car purred and came to a stop next to Sophie, there was no hesitation whatsoever as she slid inside and met the face of Jack sitting in the back seat, and Sebastian driving.
Mycroft Holmes knew Jim Moriarty wasn't going to run from him, so placing him in the back seat under no surveillance and sitting in the front seat himself wasn't a risk. He'd never admit it to anyone, but nothing on this planet terrified him more than Moriarty. There was something about his eyes. They never truly met anything. Void. Obsolete. Defiant.
Mycroft's mobile buzzed inside his suit pocket and withdrew it, expecting the usual; being informed of his brothers antics. Mycroft had been watching Jim Moriarty ever since the 'Game' that Moriarty had invented all those months ago. And he knew what Moriatry had. The key code. The key that could unlock any door. He just didn't know what it was. But he was going to find out. But James Moriarty was such an enigma, and Mycroft knew he'd be a tough one to break.
Fugitives Sebastian Moran and Jack Moriarty have been broken out, sir. Red headed girl seen accompanying them out of unit. Assumed to be sibling of Moran. –T
Mycroft knew exactly who it was. Sophie Moran. She was proving to be of interest, after all.
Sophie Moran. By tonight I want information on both Sophie and Jack. Check their location if you must. Leave them be. Both Moran's and Jack could be of use. No harm. -MH
Mycroft knew exactly why he'd kept Sebastian, Sophie and Jack safe. He could have them captured, killed, whatever felt appropriate.
But Mycroft was telling the truth.
They could be of use.
I hope I made it clear that this is around the between A Scandal and Baskerville time!
All my love.