The Game Is On - (Sequel To Triple Threat)

Chapter Nine

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Chapter Nine

Sherlock

We had reached a dirt path that had been half concealed with leaves and mud, but there was something amiss. I could make out faint footprints in the dirt, but they weren't very fresh; more dirt had gathered on top so I could barely make them out. There were two, three possibly more sets of tracks that resembled footprints, and then there were others. The tracks were clustered, so perhaps there had been some sort of struggle? Long faded lines lead from the cluster, back along the dirt path, resembling somebody who had been dragged. Then I saw something that made my heart hammer against my chest, a feeling I was certainly not accustomed to. I crouched down to get a closer look, but my suspicions were confirmed.

"Is that...blood?" Donnovan asked quietly as she looked at the red specks of mud along the track. I nodded solomnly, whoever it belonged to was injured. I just hoped it wasn't Lana. Donnovan called in the forensics team to analyse the blood, but I wasn't prepared to wait for them. If the blood did belong to Lana, then chances are she was still losing blood and wouldn't survive much longer - that blood was around a day old. Donnovan tried to stop me, but when seeing how determined I was she just let me go.

I followed the dirt track which led to a small wooden cabin. I frowned and stopped, this cabin looked completely abandoned, had I gone the wrong way? I was expecting to see some fortified building with guards and whatnot, this was a dissappointment to say the least. I approached slowly, my hand reaching into my pocket and clasping the pistol I had pick-pocketed from John. I pressed my hand gently upon the wooden door, which creaked open. The house was silent, and completely empty. After five minutes of searching the downstairs rooms, and a few minutes of checking the three rooms upstairs I was ready to give up. I'd obviously come to the wrong place. But then I noticed it, out of the corner of my eye. I stood still as a statue, and from the corner of my vision I observed the black object on the ceiling. It was no bigger than coin, but I knew it was a camera. I was being watched, so I was in the right place...but it was a trap. I started to regret walking away from the police, I could certainly do with some backup right about now.

CREAK.

I spun around with my pistol aimed towards the sound, but I was not prepared for the sight in front of me. Irene walked tentatively down the stairs, with somebody hiding behind her with a gun pointed to her head. She had a cut lip, bruises beginning to form on her face, her right arm hung limply and was battered, whilst her left had been cut. She was covered in injuries. The person behind her, most likely the person to have hurt her, was just cowardly hiding.

"Face me." I hissed angrily, letting my emotions take control.

"Bring her up." The person, who I deducted was a young man, shouted. A young boy and a young girl, around Lana's age, emerged from a door under the stairs that I hadn't even noticed. They were carrying a body bag. I felt fear and anger rage through my body as I saw the brown hair hang out of the top of the bag. It was Lana. They'd killed her. To get to me. I saw red as I aimed my gun and tried to find a shot where I wouldn't hit Irene.

"You can't kill me without killing the woman you love, Sherlock Holmes." The sickly voice laughed from behind Irene. I pursed my lips and debated about shooting the other two, but then he'd just shoot her anyway.

"Coward!" I spat venemously as I lowered my gun. The man chuckled again, but this time emerged from behind Irene. He cocked his gun and held it against her temple. I internally calculated the speed atwhich it would take me to shoot him, but no matter where or how I shot him, he'd have time to relexively shoot Irene. I didn't want another death. I clenched my teeth together and tried to compose myself, but every time I managed to slightly steady my nerves I'd see Lana's body and I'd lose it again.

"Mr Moriarty junior I suppose?" I hissed. The man nodded.

"The name is Joshua." He did a patronising bow, which reminded me so much of his father. I felt my hands clench into fists, but I shut my eyes and took a second to steady my growing anger. All my life I had been able to keep my emotions in check, I wasn't going to break that streak now. I knew that Joshua's plan would be to get me to lose my temper, that wasn't going to happen. Surely it wouldn't take the police too long to find this place. There was a small chance that we could get out of this...well, nearly all of us, I thought as I glanced again at Lana's dead body. I tore my view away from that and looked at Irene instead. Her eyes locked with mine, and she shook her head. It was the tiniest of movements, unnoticed by the Moriartys. For a moment I thought I was imagining it, but she didn't break eye contact. Then, she coughed and discreetly nodded to the door under the stairs, where they'd dragged Lana out. I frowned for a moment to think on what she was trying to tell me. And then it hit me. I glanced at the body bag one more time for clarification, before grinning to myself.

"What?" Joshua's voice snapped me out of my thoughts, but his confused expression only made me chuckle. "WHAT?" He shouted; short temper, just like his father. He scowled and pressed the gun closer to Irene's head. "YOU DON'T THINK I'LL DO IT?" He growled like an animal, his eyes wild and raging.

"Oh, I don't doubt you will. But that, I'm afraid, is not what I'm finding so amusing." I paused for a moment and glanced at the other two children, both of whom were looking terrified. They knew I had worked it out, and they knew they'd end up paying for it. But that, is not my problem. "Might I make a suggestion? Check that body bag." I said, my voice was patronising, which only riled him further. He kept his gun pointed at Irene before unzipping the bag with his free hand.

"WHAT THE HELL?" He jumped back in shock and looked at his two siblings. "Where is she?!" He hissed, pointing the gun at them instead. I took my chance and leapt at him, pushing him to the ground. He spun around and took a shot at me, but I ducked and kicked the gun out of his hand, before kicking his nose, breaking it and knocking him unconscious. By the time I looked up, the two children had gone, leaving Irene and myself. I spun around to find her on the ground, her hand on her hip with blood seeping between her fingers.

"I guess he got me." She whispered, her voice laced with pain. I crouched in front of her, studied her wounds and cursed under my breath. There wasn't time.

"Where's Lana?" I asked softly.

"Basement." I ran down the stairs to the basement, to find Lana passed out on the stone floor. I checked and sighed in relief when I felt her breathing. I scooped her up and carried her back into the house. Placing her on the sofa, I dialled Donovan and explained the situation. I then moved back to Irene after grabbing a tea towel from the kitchen, and held it to her hip to subdue the bleeding. It was a futile attempt but I had to try. Within one minute the towel was soaked. I felt her cold hand rest on mine. I looked up and met her eyes, which were pricked with tears.

"I'm sorry." She whispered, as a tear dropped onto my hand. "I should have listened to you." She began to sob, but I quietened her by pressing my lips to hers.

When I pulled away I saw the elation in her eyes.

"The Woman." I said softly, taking her head in my hands and moving so I was able to hold her as her eyes slowly drifted shut. I checked her pulse, but let her hand slip through mine when I felt nothing.

Police burst through the door, followed by paramedics who rushed straight to Lana. I stood up and looked Donovan in the eye.

"You're too late." I walked past her, leaving her staring at Irene's body as the paramedics tried to bring her back. I walked outside and phoned Jo.

"I found her. She's safe."

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Sad chapter :'( Hope you enjoyed it, feedback is greatly appreciated.