14. The Killer Within

            Jim was obviously hiding someone in the basement; I could hear their screams faintly. He had tried to put off my hearing like I was becoming senile, but after I pestered him long enough, he gave up and admitted it. He didn’t tell me who he had kidnapped, but I didn’t think it would be necessary to ask since I had a pretty good idea. We both agreed to not let Elena get anywhere near the basement, let alone the room. If she found him, things would fall apart. Whatever trust she had in me would disappear in a heartbeat. She’d want to be down there with him all the time.

            Due to Elena’s restless nights, Jim was more cranky than normal. A few times he’d almost thrown her out of the room or tried to strangle her in her sleep. I’d come to her defense and reminded him of why she was here at the mansion with us to begin with. We couldn’t kill her if she was leverage. Dead leverage was the same as none.

            A few times I’d suffered from stomach pains. Some were awful to endure, others were mild. Surprisingly, Jim was at my side during the harder pains, which concerned me. We didn’t have any emotional attachment to each other. But there was the possibility that he started to develop feelings for me. I dismissed the idea when I remembered who he was. Jim Moriarty, the world’s only consulting criminal. He could have all the connections in his web, but he wouldn’t have any meaningful relationships. He was all he needed.

            Last night—or this morning rather—there were three in the bed instead of two. Elena was curled into me while I had Jim behind my back. I was stuck in the middle. Both were out cold, though I knew they’d wake soon. I was awake but didn’t feel like getting up, so I just lay with them both. I petted Elena’s hair, thinking.

            When we were done with her, what would we do with her? Keep her forever? We weren’t going to kill her; I wasn’t going to let that happen. I wasn’t sure what Jim’s idea was for Elena, but I knew mine. I wondered if our ideas differed.

             If only Elena slept soundly every night like she did right now. She still continued to be plagued with nightmares. I’d get to the bottom of them soon. Everything would be fixed.

            A faint scream made Elena shift uncomfortably beside me. Behind me, Jim groaned.

            “He’s at it already? It’s too early,” he complained.

            “The sun’s been up for a while,” I noted. “Not so early. And what do you mean by that?”

            “By what?”

            “Don’t do that. I heard you. Who’s doing what?”

            “Nothing, darling.”

            “Jim.”

            “It’s nothing that concerns you.”

            “I live in this mansion, I’m pretty sure it does.”

            “Logan’s in the basement keeping an eye on our other guest.”

            I frowned. “You’re letting him get away with that?”

            “Why would I tell him no?”

            “Because this is your headquarters, not his. You let him in, you set the rules.”

            “Not with him.”

            “Oh, is Jim Moriarty afraid?” I teased.

            “No, I’m keeping him happy. Keep your connections happy, and they won’t turn on you.”

            “That’s common sense, not something that applies to just you.”

            I knew Jim rolled his eyes behind my back. “You just have to be technical sometimes, don’t you?”

            I giggled. “Sometimes. I think I know who you’re keeping down there.”

            “I won’t keep it a secret from you if you know.”

            “Am I allowed down there?”

            “Why wouldn’t you be?”

            “You’re really asking for it, you know. One day you won’t get away with your schemes. One day you’ll run out of luck and lose.”

            “I’ll believe that when they lock me up and throw away the key.” His fingertips stroked my neck.

            “It’s possible.” I shrugged. “Just because you think you’re high and mighty doesn’t mean that you can’t fall. You’re not invincible, Jim. Nobody is.”

            He chuckled darkly. “I think that’s where you’re wrong, little girl. I’m still here, aren’t I? How many times must I remind you that no one ever gets to me?” His hand cupped my throat. “You insult me with your lack of faith.”

            “I’m being realistic.”

            “Mm, I think you sometimes doubt me. It makes me wonder if you’re still loyal to me.”

            “Why wouldn’t I be?” I asked playfully.

            “Oh, I don’t know. If I convinced you to come along with me, who’s to say that others can’t? They can tell you what you want to hear and take you from me.”

            I clamped a hand around Jim’s wrist, trying to pry the hand off my throat. Why was he thinking this all of a sudden?

            “Nobody’s approached me,” I gasped.

            “Really? Why don’t I believe you?”

            “Look, just because I don’t give into your sexual desires every time you want me to doesn’t mean I’m not loyal to you. Stop being paranoid about me.”

“That’s not why I’m questioning you. You’ve been going out from time to time and don’t tell me where.”

“I don’t have to. It’s my business, not yours.”

“I took you under my wing, honey, I’m pretty sure your business is also mine. You work for me. Don’t make me have to get Logan on you for you to tell me the truth.”

 Without waking Elena, I turned over to face Jim with blazing green eyes. “I practically sold my life to you the moment I shot my sister and Dean all those years ago. Why would you think for a second that I would turn on you when you’ve never given me a reason to leave? I will always remain loyal to you. The times I’ve been out, I’ve done little things. Besides, who would approach me and try to turn me against you?”

“Don’t make me say the name.”

I laughed quietly. “I haven’t seen the crime-solving duo since I placed the chip on John Watson so I could find his house to steal Elena. Even if they found me and tried to convert me to the good side, I wouldn’t.”

            Jim stared at me with solid chocolate eyes, trying to see if I was lying to him. When I saw the tension leave his face and be replaced with a smile, I knew he was done with his paranoia.

            “If—more like when—you go down there to visit, just be careful,” Jim warned me. “I know Johnny-boy has seen your face and will recognize it in a heartbeat. He’s chained, but he’s got some leash on him. Don’t get too close, I don’t want to have to kill him when it’s not his time to die.”

            “I’m always careful. Why do you doubt me?” I gave him a long kiss on the mouth. “You know, if you don’t go anywhere today, you can babysit for me.”

            Jim grimaced. “I’m a consulting criminal, not a nanny.”

            “It would just be for a little while.” I scooted closer, our bodies touching. “Just keep her busy and happy, that’s all she needs. If she asks about her parents—”

            “Lie. I know, Raine. You’re not the only one who can successfully lie to children.” He grinned toothily. “You don’t need to tell me how to do things, I’m a quick learner.”

            “You just agreed to do it.”

            “You can be persuasive.”

            “You should have kept refusing; I would have tried a lot harder.”

            “I know you would have.” His eyebrows rose suggestively. “I would have made you work for it.”

*      *      *

            It didn’t take long for my curiosity to get the better of me. Once I got Elena fed and happy, I let Jim take her and headed towards the basement. I passed the shooting room. I hadn’t really visited there for a while, I was too busy babysitting. I didn’t expect the job to be 24/7.

            I knew what room to find, Logan was coming from it. He looked pretty smug, so he obviously had fun on the other side of the door. His happiness disappeared when he noticed me, though. He blocked my way, getting defensive.

            “Afraid that I’ll murder your toy?” I crooned. “People know he’s here, Logan. It’s not a secret.”

            “What are you going to do with him?”

            “Visit,” I said simply. I glanced down to see fresh blood on his hands. “You better wash up.”

            “Oh, I will. It’s a shame he’s not hiding things, I would take more pleasure out of torturing him. I can’t deny I still enjoy doing it without reason.” He beamed.

            “Will you let me through?”

            “Oh, right, sorry.” But Logan didn’t move. He just kept his eyes on me.

            He was starting to make me nervous, and I didn’t get nervous very often. But there was this look in his eyes, something that told me I should run away from him. It was like he was sizing me up or something. He cornered me into the wall, leaving me with no escape. I kept a calm façade while I was internally freaking out.

            “If only you weren’t with him,” he sighed. “You would be mine so easily.”

            “Since when has stealing stopped you from taking some other guy’s woman?”

            “The women I find usually don’t have someone and are desperate for intimacy. If I find one like you, it’s rare. I take more pleasure in it because I know there’s nothing their guy will do to avenge her death. Now, with you, you are a different story. I take you, and Jim takes my life. But then again, maybe he wouldn’t if he doesn’t care about you. It’s hard to say with him, he gives away nothing.”

            “I think if you killed me, he’d take care of you within a day,” I spat. “And I wouldn’t let you get the better of me. I know what you can do; I don’t want to see it.”

            “Oh, you think that you’re not a challenge?” Logan raised an eyebrow, getting his face close to mine. He could probably hear my heart screaming right now in my chest. “I could easily make you obey me. You could try and fight, but in the end, I’d win.”

            “Men and their obsession with domination.” I rolled my eyes. “You all must think you’re so tough with all that testosterone in you.”

            Logan grabbed my throat firmly, making me squirm. “We know we’re dominant, we’ve always had the right.”

            “Women can be the same way; men are just too pigheaded to notice it.” I sniffed.

            “You consider yourself dominant?”

            “I can be.”

            “Prove it right now. Show me.” I fumed, tensing. Logan laughed at me. “You’re too afraid to try.” He shook his head. “You won’t be much of a problem at all. Once Jim drops you, you’re mine, Raine Whitmore. And trust me when I say this: if you try to run and hide, I will find you.”

“I could go to him later and tell him you’re threatening me.”

“And what do you think he’ll do? Throw me out? Send out a hit man to finish me off? I think you’re mistaking him for something he isn’t, Ms. Whitmore. You aren’t special to Jim Moriarty; you’re just another fly in his massive web. He lured you in by giving you everything, and now you can’t escape him.”

“Whoever said I wanted to?” My hands clenched into fists. “I still need to visit your little torture toy. Move out of my way.”

“Just a hint of dominance.” He smiled wolfishly. “If only you weren’t so terrified, then I could see the real you.”

“If you try and take me, I’ll show you.” I gave him a hard shove to the chest. Logan reeled back before brushing himself off. I couldn’t take my eyes off his bloody hands. John Watson had to be a bloody mess in that room. My eyes went to Logan’s face. “Don’t go near Elena looking like that, you’ll make her be terrified of you even more.”

            As Logan and I switched directions, my mind thought up what could be on the other side of the door. The confrontation was just another memory quick to be forgotten. John Watson was chained, Jim had told me that much. I wondered how John was lured out in order to be kidnapped. Was Logan apart of that plan?

            The first thing that welcomed me was the God-awful smell of blood that hadn’t been cleaned up. With the lighting, I could see dark puddles that were fading on the floor. I didn’t mind blood, but I’d never smelled so much in one area before. I held back the vomit that threatened to come out of me.

            Across from me, John Watson was breathing heavily, his head bowed, and his body slumped against the wall. His arms were shackled at the wrists, his legs weren’t contained. He looked to be trembling terribly. I saw a dribble or two of blood fall off his lip. This is what I saw on the surface, I couldn’t see what other damage Logan had done to him.

            If this is what Logan could do to John Watson, I could only imagine what he could do to Sherlock Holmes if he ever got a hold of him. I could easily make you obey me. You could try and fight, but in the end, I’d win. I shuddered. Logan would happily torture anybody because he just found it fun. True, I found the idea of murder exhilarating and sometimes enjoyable but not for every day. It wasn’t habit for me to walk out and kill a person a day; I wasn’t up to that level of obsession just yet.

            When I shut the door, that’s when John picked his head up. He was in dire need of a bath; his body odor was blending in with the stench of blood. He just looked dirty too, with the mixture of blood and sweat. I had a feeling he’d been through a lot worse than this, being that he’d been an army doctor. To him, this was probably child’s play.

            His eyes were unfocused and mostly closed, so he barely acknowledged my presence. Taking chances, I crossed to him, kneeling beside him. I gingerly grabbed his face in my hands, he moaned softly.

            “Doctor Watson,” I whispered, wiping some of the blood and sweat off his face. “Come on, wake up for me. Let me see those brown eyes. Come on, I know you can hear me. Wake up.”

            It looked like it took him a lot of effort, but John eventually got his eyes open. He focused for a minute before settling on my face. I smiled snidely at him, and that woke him right up. He lashed out, smashing his head into mine. I was knocked onto my back, with him looming over me. I rolled away from him just as he fell to his knees in exhaustion before me.

            “You,” he hissed.

            “Okay, I do deserve that,” I admitted, rubbing my throbbing forehead. John tried madly to break free of his chains to try and strangle me with newfound energy. I could see the fury bright in his eyes, the urge to have my blood on his hands.

            “You broke into my house and murdered my wife,” he spat coldly, quaking as though there was an earthquake going on.

“Oh, so she did die, then? I never found out.”

“Well, she did. Congratulations, you made a little girl lose her mother. You broke up yet another family with murder.”

“And you think I’ll feel remorse for that?” I snorted derisively. “You don’t know me at all. It must’ve been awful for you, to not be able to save her.” I pouted mockingly. “Did you feel hopeless as you tried to save her life? Did you feel guilty for letting that happen to her? Do you still feel it, the guilt?”

“If you come any closer, I will strangle you.”

I rolled my eyes at him and realized that the more I taunted John Watson, the closer I got to him. For once I wasn’t willing to press my luck and kept just outside of his reach should he decide to pounce. 

“You took my daughter. Where is she?” John demanded.

            “She’s fine,” I said quietly.

            “That’s not an answer.”

            “She’s here. Is that better?” I snapped. I readjusted myself to sit on my knees.

            “Is she alive?”

            “Of course.”

            “I swear, if you’ve done anything to her, I will wrap these chains around your neck and choke you. Hell, your head might even come off if I give it enough effort. Let’s try that now. Come here.”

            “Not a chance, Doctor Watson.” I sniffed.

            “What did you come down here for? To gloat?” He tenderly patted under his nose, as though he was checking for blood.

            “No, I just came to see if you were really down here. Not that I didn’t believe Jim to begin with.”

            “Well, here I am,” he announced bitterly. “Just what is Moriarty’s game?”

            “Oh, I can’t tell you that. I don’t even know.”

            “You’re practically his second-in-command, and you have no bloody idea what he’s up to?”

“Oh, that’s flattering that you know I’m his right hand woman.” I chuckled. “I’m sure Logan told you quite a bit before I came down here.”

“Moriarty must not trust you, I’m guessing, if you don’t know what he’s up to.”

            “He does,” I said defensively.

            John chuckled darkly. “Oh, how stupid you are, Ms. Whitmore.”

            I paled. Surely Logan wouldn’t have given away my name. He wouldn’t dare. He wouldn’t have given my name to John Watson of all people. This doesn’t make any sense. Nobody outside of those here knows my real name. The world knows me as The Viper. How…?

 How did John Watson know my name? 

**Hello again, my faithful readers. Whelp, things just get darker and darker as the story goes on, don't they? I am truly a horrible person by killing off people in my stories, especially a child's mother. Believe me, it was not an easy task. It was even more so as I wrote what would happen to John. I couldn't let him escape this.

In this story, it seems like no one is safe, don't you agree?**