I know my chapters have been spread out and short these past couple of times. It's chaotic still. I was doing nano, it's the holidays, rp stuff, gosh I'm just a bum, I'm swamped. The next chapter after this one promises to be longer/better. This chapter was supposed to be longer but I didn't want to leave you guys hanging. Especially since I've been writing some hobbit stuff. Eheh. In the mean-time, enjoy this~

The Visage of War

Chapter Six

We are but Villains in Company

The resounding tap of high quality dress shoes across hardwood floor echoed on for far too long. Perhaps that was just Sebastian's imagination, but it certainly seemed so. Jim had an unnerving presence, and his entrances, no matter how subtle, could send chills down the strongest man's spine. Sebastian himself was no exception to this. If Jim had taken the time to find him after all that had transpired, he was certain that the criminal's arrival didn't bode well. Sebastian had done all he could to stay under the radar, hidden away with his hostage to keep Irene quiet. Of course, something in his gut said that Jim never lost track of him. Not even for a moment over the past years. So his arrival now wasn't a surprise. Not in the least.

There he was, standing off at the end of the hall of Sebastian's safe house, dressed to the nines, looking as impeccable as ever, not a hair out of place. Sebastian was stuck, frozen in place in his bedroom doorway, socked feet feeling cold against the floor as he looked up the length of the hallway and saw Jim stopped there at the mouth in his cream suit. The cream suit was one Sebastian recalled as a bad sign. Cream was reserved for men he had no respect for, men he hated, men he wanted to squash. The fact that he was wearing it now did not bode well for Sebastian.

"I hope you don't mind," Jim mused, hands tucked into his pockets as he just stared Sebastian down, like a predator eyeing easy prey, "I let myself in."

Sebastian swallowed thickly, putting on a brave face composed of a tense smile and nervous eyes. Sebastian squared himself, shoulders straight, back like a rail, chest puffed out. Making himself bigger hardly intimidated Jim, but the sniper hadn't any idea what more he could do.

"Jim..." Sebastian uttered the name and it brought a laugh from the criminal, condescending, sharp, and it cleaved down upon the bigger man like a dull, thick ax, making him want to drop to his knees and beg for mercy. There was something inherently terrifying about Jim. He was a psychopath. There was so much method, but his madness overshadowed it. He was a viper in a well tailored suit and he was poised to strike. Poised. That was the perfect word for it. Jim didn't seem at all effected as Sebastian puffed up like a large cat that's been threatened.

"Surprised you remember my name, you've been hiding away from me for so looooong... But then again, you did sell me out so I suppose you'd want to run, wouldn't you?" Jim's head swivelled, his dark eyes flicking over Sebastian without much regard for the glint of metal now occupying the well practiced, terrifyingly skilled shot.

"What do you want to do? Kill me?" Sebastian's voice held a tremor of laughter, the sort of panicked, maddened laughter of a man in a place of desperation. Jim tutted, his tongue clicking rhythmically and mocking the spat words of the other man.

"No no no... I've use for you yet. If I wanted you dead, you would be by now. And I wouldn't take the time out of my busy schedule to waste on you, Sebastian. You can be assured if ever a bullet is to go through your skull, you won't see it coming, and you certainly won't see me," Jim was hissing the words, aiming to sting, showing Sebastian he was now even farther beneath him. He didn't take well to mutiny, and he was making a point of that. "You get to live in shame and you'll never have decent work, criminal or otherwise again, save for me. I've put the word through that you're a rat. No one will touch you but me. So if you want to make a living, I suggest you give back what you've stolen."

Sebastian seemed to be having trouble keeping up with what Moriarty was saying. He was processing, and it read plainly on the scrunch of his face. He was putting it together and letting it sink in. Letting it stew. His eyes narrowed and he shook his head at Jim, drawing an angry flare of impatience up in the Irishman.

"It's not nice to take things that don't belong to you Sebastian!" Jim shouted, startling the other man into submission. Sebastian tucked his gun away and cracked his neck, rolling his shoulders thereafter.

"She's in the basement," Sebastian stated plainly, his face pulling into a sneer as Jim gave him a familiar, militant and icy stare.

"Well go fetch her, I'll be taking her back to where she belongs. I trust she isn't missing any of the bits that stick out hm? Not a hair on her head harmed, I imagine? Because you have to treat a lady with the utmost respect Mister Moran..." Jim was just taunting him now, and Sebastian turned quickly, against his better judgment away from Jim and heading for the basement to retrieve the woman in question.

She was a bit of a mess, really, when Sebastian brought her back. He cast her like a stone to Jim's feet, sneering at the consulting criminal with fire in his eyes. Fire Jim still had use for yet. The redheaded woman scrambled up and ducked behind Jim; her hand moved to cover her mouth as she sobbed gently.

"Thank you, Sebastian. I expect we'll be in touch," Jim purred, taking hold of the woman carefully around her waist as he turned his back rather confidently on the sniper and escorted her out of the building. The sky was dark, dusty grey, the overcast clouds heavy with rain that was yet to be shed, but Jim paid it no mind. It might have been the brightest, sunniest day of spring. He was smiling.

Because he'd have John all to himself for a whole evening now, just for returning this pathetic woman to her keeper.

He ushered her into the backseat with a gentle push and a very phony 'watch your head, love', glancing back at the building once, just once, and catching sight of Sebastian watching him from the doorway. His old employee was sure to want to put a knife in him by now. Maybe a bullet or two.

But that made things more interesting, and a bit more dangerous. Why not? He slipped in after Kate and tapped on the window between them and the driver, beginning the long road back to London. He was buzzing with anticipation. Soon he'd be seeing John again... Soon he'd be confronting Sebastian... Soon, soon, soon...

"The future is a brilliant thing, isn't it?" Jim mused, not looking at Kate, but out the window. She sniffled a bit and gave a cracked and broken reply.

"Wh..at?"

Jim's dark eyes slid toward her and she pressed herself against the door, trying to get away from his gaze alone. His grin was twisted up like a shark in a tank. He just laughed, chillingly so, at her, never clarifying his statement.

Absolutely brilliant.