Mirrors

Chapter 18: Let it bleed

Time was up for Xavier. The East Wind was coming for him. The end was there and his only solace was found at the bottom of a brandy bottle. He supposed this was the outcome for playing with fire, you got burned. His coworkers had abandoned him, to cover their own tails. Not that it mattered, all the ones responsible for the recalibration of Sherlock Holmes were dead at this point. All that was left was the doctor himself, he was the final straw. He had tried running, but somehow death followed him. If this was going to be his final stand, he was going to go down with some dignity. He intended to take some of them down with his. Xavier's office was as good as place as any to hold his ground.

There's a muffled bang outside his office and he looked up quickly. "So it begins." He sighed regretfully. He didn't regret his actions, no he regretted that things didn't go according to plan. Xavier stood as the doors are kicked in. Xavier pulled out his gun and unloads the clip at the men entering the door. Xavier fired desperately until the clip is empty. The smoke clears and Sherlock strided into the room. "Hello Doctor..."

"Holmes." Xavier hissed. Sherlock smirks, his smile wide and toothy against his thin pale face. "You must have known this day was coming...." Sherlock purred, making the small hairs on the back of Xavier's neck stand up. Jim and John come into the room to stand behind Sherlock, guns ready.

"It really shouldn't surprise you that this was the outcome of your choices. You underestimated me and Jim here. And that is the last mistake you will ever make." Sherlock snarled and lunged forward. The detective grabbed hold of the doctor's scruff to drag him out from behind his desk and to slap him down on the floor.

"Before things progress, I want to know why. Why didn't you just kill me?" Sherlock asked. "It was too merciful. We wanted to make you into our weapon. You were to be the perfect soldier without empathy and remorse." Came Xavier's response. "Congratulations, doctor. You succeeded. Shall you see the fruits of your labor?" Sherlock snarled, getting right in Xavier's face. "Oh dear god...." Xaver whimpers. " May God save your soul and what's left of mine. You really should have killed me when you had the chance." Sherlock snarled.

With that Sherlock descended on the unfortunate doctor. Sherlock didn't bother with a gun. The gun would have been too merciful and short. Sherlock intended to make him suffer, to exact a small percent of the pain the detective suffered at the hands of this man. John watched with a horrid fascination as flesh became pulp. Very quickly the doctor became unrecognizable. The area around the two was spattered with gore. Sherlock was beating the man with his bare hands.

At last Sherlock stopped, his chest heaving and covered in his elbows in gore. The doctor was pinned down under him, barely alive. With his last reservoirs of strength, the doctor spoke the word that broke the failsafe within Sherlock's mind even as the detective's hands moved to deliver finishing blow. The doctor gurgled and quieted, finally passing.

During the brainwashing process, Xaver placed a series of mental blocks within Sherlock's mind to prevent the old Sherlock from coming back. The failsafe would crumble those barriers and all the memories of the torture and pain would come back, all at once. The process was theorized to kill a man. With the command given, the barriers crumbled and broke.

Sherlock sucked his breath in sharply and goes very still. He could feel and almost hear the snap and crack. It was like glass shattering, a parallel of fragility of his mind. He blinked once and slapped his hands to his temples as the memories and pain came searing back. Sherlock screamed loud and painfully as the sensation floors him. Jim and John have opposite reactions. Jim took the opportunity to tuck tail and run. John, on the other hand, ran to Sherlock's side to support him as he collapsed. John panics as he saw blood drip out of Sherlock's eyes and nose. "Sherlock! Oh God, talk to me!"

But the detective is long gone, lost in a haze, torrent of horrible memories. Sherlock's mind and body rebelled as the walls came crashing down. John was helpless as he watched his friend goes painfully still and silent. John had his arms around Sherlock as they were both half kneeling on the ground. Sherlock trembled slightly and goes limp in John's arms.

"Sherlock? No no no! Oh god no!" John sobbed and buried his face into Sherlock's chest. John rocked them both back and forth. "Sherlock...no....please no. I need you. Come back to me.... please...."