My apologies for the delay in posting this chapter but I managed to pick up a flu virus from all the people coughing and spluttering around me at work. I hope you guys don't catch it because it floored me. Anyway, thank you for your reviews and speculations. On we go.

Chapter 18

Molly gathered up her things and quickly followed him into the bar where she found him sat at a table watching Meredith serving one of the locals. She sat down next to him and keeping her voice low she asked him what it was that she'd said that was brilliant.

Without looking at her he replied, his hand playing with his mouth covering his words, 'right under my nose...that's what you said and that's where the entrance to the tunnels must be, in the pub cellars right under our feet. It's the only place we haven't checked and it would have made their transportation of us so much easier because we never had to leave the building.'

'I just need to wait for the right moment, when Meredith is away from the bar and distracted and then I can check.'

Molly shook her head causing Sherlock to look at her frowning, 'oh no, not you...we, we're in this together remember. Anyway, when we find Lily she might need a doctor or at the very least a friendly female face and you can provide neither.'

Sherlock rolled his eyes but didn't say anything to contradict her. After a couple of minutes he huffed and stood up making his way to the top floor, gesturing for Molly to follow him.

When they got to his room he started to open up his drawers taking out various bits and pieces and stowing them in his pockets. He glanced at Molly, 'you might want to change into something warmer, we may have to hide out in the tunnels and wait for a while, it could get cold.'

'OK' Molly made for her room but instead of changing in there she gathered her clothes and brought them back into Sherlock's room. He looked at her in confusion, 'not that I mind you changing in my room because believe me I enjoy the view but why aren't you changing in your room?'

Molly unbuttoned her shirt and started to remove it so she could out on a t-shirt and jumper, 'two reasons. Firstly and most importantly, I don't trust you not to leave me behind. Secondly, I don't like that room, it just...I don't know, I just prefer it in here.'

She could tell by the look on Sherlock's face that he didn't quite understand what she was saying but he was too caught up in this new development to quiz her further. He handed her a small, metal cylinder, 'here keep this. It's a miniature breathing apparatus. I had Mycroft send them to me when I realised they were using the drugs in a aerosol form, we may need them later. Only use it when I say though as there's only 30 minutes of breathable air in them.'

He spent a minute showing Molly how to attach it to her nose and activate it. She felt a little ridiculous when it was on but the matter in hand was too serious for jokes.

He glanced at his watch, 'the bar tends to be quiet around six just before people come in for an evening meal, we should be able to get into the cellars then. Are you sure you want to come with me, you could create a distraction for...no, I can see by your expression that that won't happen. OK, well we have an hour to prepare.' He looked at Molly and then did a double-take narrowing his eyes, 'really, now, with everything that's going on?'

Molly smiled and moved forwards placing her hands in his chest, 'mmm yes now, I need a distraction or I'll just start worrying. You up for the job?'

Sherlock wrapped his arms around her and returned her smile, 'I'm sure I could be persuaded.'

The hour went quite fast and before Molly knew it they were back downstairs in the pub waiting for an opportunity to get into the cellars and look for an entrance to the tunnels. It soon came when Meredith was called away from the bar to take a delivery of supplies for the kitchens.

Molly followed Sherlock down the old fashioned hatch in the floor of the bar pulling the hatch cover back down behind her. Once down there Sherlock flicked on the light knowing there were no windows to give their location away.

The space was filled with crates and barrels, various tubes snaking over those in use. They soon found a door through to a second storage area with rougher walls and even dimmer lighting. In here was a mish mash of broken furniture and old bar fittings. In the wall at the back, behind an old worn curtain was an ancient looking wooden lintel and a darkened tunnel beyond.

Sherlock indicated to Molly to be quiet before turning on a torch. Molly patted her pocket to triple check she had her own torch; she didn't want to get lost down here without any light. Gradually they made their way into the tunnel. Molly was aware of a slight gradient downwards; it was scary how familiar the rough-hewn walls were, her memories of that hideous night coming back to her in full force.

The lower they went the narrower the tunnel got; Sherlock was already having to duck and even Molly was having to keep an eye on the height so she didn't bang her head. She kept fairly close to Sherlock not wanting to be left alone in this horribly enclosed space.

Just as she was starting to feel as though it were all too much the tunnel suddenly opened up into a wide space. In the centre was the bed that Molly knew she had been tied to. It seemed smaller than she remembered, as did the room. It could only have been about fifteen feet square. There were sconces attached to the walls all the way around to hold candles to light the space.

'Is this where they'll bring Lily?' Molly whispered.

Sherlock shook his head, 'I don't think so. There's no symbology here. I would expect there to be some kind of alter at least. No I think we need to go further.' He flashed the torch around showing two more tunnels one to the north of the village and another further west. He examined the floors of both tunnels spending a couple of minutes examining the walls of each for the first couple of metres. Finally he indicates the northern tunnel, 'this one, come on'.

This tunnel was similar to the first except for being a little wider and interspersed every so often with wooden support structures where the rock changed to earth. Twice they reach a fork in the tunnel and each time Sherlock went through the same routine of checking the floor and the walls looking for signs to point them in the right direction. They were also being constantly vigilant for any sounds.

Eventually they started to see the glow of lights in the distance. Sherlock flicked off the torch and they slowly edged their way forward in the near pitch black. Molly had to hold onto the back of Sherlock's coat to help guide her as well as offering her a touchstone of security. Her heart felt like it was in her throat and her ears were filled with a buzzing noise signalling the claustrophobia which had been ever present since they had first entered this network.

As they got to the end of the tunnel the light became brighter but was flickering, casting shadows back and forth across their faces and the ever smoother walls of the tunnel. The space before them was much larger than the previous one that her and Sherlock had been held in. It looked more like the basement of a house.

'Do you know where we are?' Molly whispered.

Sherlock glanced back at her and nodded, 'underneath Lord Sladen's home I assume. I knew he was involved but never suspected it was this much...I always miss something.'

Molly peeked out from behind Sherlock; the room was large and obviously the centre of the occult activities here in the village. On each wall that she could see was the engraving of some kind of symbol. Molly recognised the Brimstone Sigel that Sherlock had also found in the church, an inverted pentacle and above the obvious altar was an inverted cross ornately carved out of wood with cabalist symbols carved down the centre of it.

The altar itself looked like something out of a Hammer House of Horror film. It was covered in a dark red velvet cloth with a dozen black candles in ornate, gold candlestick holders. In the centre was a human skull, quite an old one from the discolouration on it and either side were two silver chalices. On the front of the cloth, hanging down in front of the altar was the head of some kind of animal embroidered in a gold thread.

'The Goat of Mendes,' Molly heard Sherlock say to himself. When he saw her glance over to him he elaborated, 'it's a symbol that originated in Egypt but has since been claimed by the Church of Satan to represent Baphomet, a demon.'

The centre of the room was dominated by a stone table covered in dried blood with channels dug into the edges to funnel the blood down into an old iron grate in the floor. The table sat in the centre of a huge pentacle drawn on the ground.

The worst thing for Molly however was the overwhelming sense of evil that permeated out of the room. She could feel bile in the back of her throat and knew she was starting to hyperventilate. All she could think about was those faceless chanting figures surrounding her and Sherlock mixed in with the body of Karl laid out on the floor with his intestines spread in a bloody heap over the grass and the look of abject horror on the vicar's dead face. She felt as though she were drowning, her chest was heavy and she couldn't seem to get a decent breath in her lungs. Spots started to swim in her vision and she knew she was about to pass out.

A moment later Sherlock's face swam into view. She could see the concern in his eyes and his mouth, that beautiful mouth moving, but she couldn't make out the words. His hands felt cold on her face, bringing her back to herself a little and she started to make out what he was saying, 'stay with me Molly. Try to slow your breathing, in and out like I am.' He lifted her hand to his chest and exaggerated the movement he made as he took a breath and let it out.

She mirrored him and gradually felt the fog lifting, the weight in her chest receding. As she started to feel better her embarrassment at letting him down started to rise up. She knew her cheeks were blazing even as she started to apologise, 'I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to let you down. It's this place, I can't describe it, it just feels evil.'

Sherlock cocked his head, 'it's just a room Molly, places themselves can't be evil only the people who inhabit them.'

She shook her head, 'no...no...you're wrong. I can feel it. It's still there, something very bad has happened here, maybe many things.'

'Are you alright now? I need to take a look around.'

Molly nodded, 'yes I'm fine. You go.' She sat herself down at the edge of the tunnel and watched as Sherlock made his way around the room. There was an old, wooden door set into one of the walls and she saw him turn the handle before crouching down at the lock. After a couple of minutes he tried the handle again but it still wouldn't open, Molly assumed it must be bolted on the other side.

He came back over and crouched down opposite Molly, 'Lily must be being held on the others side of the door but there's no way through from this side. It's too thick to break down and there are separate bolts as well as the lock. We'll just have to wait until they arrive. We'll have to go back to the last fork in the tunnel and hide until everyone using the tunnel from the pub has passed through, at least it's not too far back. Come on.' He stood and held his hand out to Molly pulling her up so they could set off back.

Not long to go now, the stage is set and the actors will soon be taking their places upon it. I'll aim to post the next chapter on Sunday, illness permitting.