Do Not Go Gentle

Chapter 10

{ My necklace is a rope, I tie it and untie. And the people talk to me, but nothing ever hits home. People talk to me and all their voices just burn holes. }
- Lorde

〰〰〰〰

"You must be humoring me, Sebastian. There's no way-"

"I assure you, my lord. I am all too serious."

The paper in my hands bears all of Sebastian's recent research regarding the investigation. We had been certain that Grell Sutcliffe had been, indeed, ruled out of the suspect list, leaving only john Brown as our criminal. The reason for this had been that Grell had supposedly been in the reapers' realm jail during the times of the murders on charges of reaping souls whom had not been slated for death; a common "mistake" of his. But now... oh, how the tables have turned.

You see, These two "men" had both been murdering out of line... at the same time... but with no connection to each other; at least when the murders had begun. Once these killings turned into mass-homocides, the two found out each other, and subsequently started working together, for Grell had never been housed in jail in the first place. How Sebastian managed to find this out within three nights, completely surpasses my understanding.

I laugh, setting the paper down on my desk gently, my gaze still peering at the flawless handwriting even after my fingers leave the parchment.

"Well, then... I suppose we must tread lightly."

"Yes, of course. What is our next move, sir?"

"I'm going to snuff these two out."

I begin to pace the length of the room, my finger pressed gently against my lower lip.

"It is my duty to bring peace to the queen, after all. Though it is necessary to treat London's empire as carefully as a newborn babe. I swear, the delicacy of the wealthy-man is immeasurable."

I stop my mindless walking, shaking my head. I turn to Sebastian.

"The morn is still young. Call the Yard... Abberline. Let him know everything. Request a meeting as soon as possible. If he cannot today, then tomorrow. Understood?"

"Yes, my lord."

He replies, kneeling low to the ground, his hand pressed to where his heart should be.

"Let me know when you've finished."

I say right before his footsteps abandon the carpeted floors of my study, not turning to face him.

"Of course."

And I know we both feel the shock in the air.

〰〰〰〰

Three hours later, there comes a rapping on the manor door. Sebastian tends to it, letting in the detective Abberline, whose meeting was scheduled five minutes ago.

"Tardiness is terribly unprofessional, Abberline.'

I say as I walk up to greet him.

"O-Of course, sir. I deeply apologize."

I turn away, smirking to myself.

We sit in the living room, facing one another over a game of chess. I have just finished filling him in on who the suspects are, and why, and what the evidence is. I have already demolished the detective of half of his game pieces, a sea of white sitting by the side of the board.

"A red hair was found on the dress of the victim, you said?"

"Yes, my butler spoke with the undertaker earlier today."

"But how are you certain of Mr. Brown's suspiciousness?"

"You see, there is one minor detail that was overlooked many times over before it was found."

I take another bishop from him, setting it beside the array of other bishops and knights.

"The crest of the royal family. It had been burned on the inside of each of his victim's clothing. This was found upon further, less necessary inspection, of course."

I do not add the fact that John is a shapeshifter, or that Grell is a reaper... or that these two paired together makes for one nasty criminal.

"I see."

He mindlessly makes a move in the game before us. I immediately prove just how careless he is with his action.

"Now, Earl... do you have any idea how to deal with criminals as secretive as these two?"

He scratches his head, giving away just how puzzled he must be.

"Why, of course. I have quite the team on hand."

He nods, surveying the board before making the only move made possible for him; subsequently exposing his queen. he knows he has lost, sighs, and leans back. I take his queen.

"Checkmate."

He chuckles.

"You always beat me, don't you, Phantomhive?"

"I play to win. And we all know just how picky children are about their games."

"You're hardly a child, sir."

"How so?"

There is an uncomfortable silence wherein he seems to be searching for the right words to say; the right words to tell me just how debouched and ruined I am. How jaded, heartless and shamefully victorious I am in all my notorious mystery. Though he doesn't know just how fast my heart beats for the corrupt.

I suddenly feel just how scratchy the lace of my collar is... and just how childish my features must look to him. I sit up straighter. Though I am barely an adult at fifteen, I feel as though I have been treated this was my whole life; as if I am a wise old man who knows of all the wonders this world can offer. But, alas, I do not. I do not know just how deep the oceans are, or how tall the tallest tree can grow. I do not know how many stars there are in the sky. And I do not know how even the smallest creatures can live among such dreadful things as humans... how they build off of our advances and mistakes. How they stand on the shoulders of giants.

Sebastian finally enters the room, breaking up the unbearable silence with meaningless afternoon tea.

"Earl grey."

He says when I look at him pointedly. Then I nod. he pours the tea... sets it beside us.

"Very well. You may leave us be."

He exits the room. Abberline clears his throat, the asks,

"Where do we go from here?"

"I suppose we must first locate them. Mr. Brown surely isn't too hard to find. I suggest incarcerating them separately as to avoid any schemes or manipulations. My butler will handle Mr. Sutcliffe."

"Very good, sir. I shall see to it that the Yard makes this our first priority. We shall start right away."

He stands.

"Alright. Sebastian, see him out."

Sebastian enters, leading him away.

〰〰〰〰

The next morn, as dawn breaks over the horizon, I am nearly dressed and fed already. today is the day. The day I rid of at least one more awful creature from the earth. Sebastian is studied up on how he shall kill this creature... and at the moment my shoes hit the cobblestone, our plan sets in motion.

I will snuff them out.

I sit up straighter... checkmate.

Checkmate.