A Game Of Hearts And Minds

CHAPTER XIII - Another reason why it's better not to marry a Holmes

Once my spinning of my head ceased me, I tried to stand up, but I was pushed down to the seat again. I was still too weak to struggle. Why can't anyone just give me a break? I was about to try and stand up again, but I felt the familiar feeling of a barrel of a gun pressed against the side of my head.

"As I'm sure you are aware, miss Holmes, I have no conviction to splattering your brains across the wall. So I suggest you get comfy, and answer our questions. Where is he?" His voice sounded like cracked glass, and I thought I recognized his voice from somewhere. Then it clicked, one of Moriarity's man. For gods sake, I knew. I knew all along. This man had hit me, over and over again and had nearly knocked me out a matter of seconds ago.

"I have no idea who you are talking about." My words came through gritted teeth. Of course I knew who he was talking about, and where he was. It was Mycroft of course, Moriarity needed to get to him, Mycroft was one of the most powerful man out there. If I told them where he was, they would leave to get to the adress I told them and, as the man so delicately put, splatter my brains across the wall. 

"No," the man stated plainly, "You do. You're just playing dumb, so to give you some more leverage, let's play a game." My mouth went dry, I tried to control my breathing, but it was of no use. I felt a hand grab my hair, pull down and forcing my head back. "Now, Mr Howard here is particulary talented with the knife. He knows exactly where to cut to cause an excruciating amount of pain without it being fatal."

"But then again I assume his father, who happens to be a butcher, wouldn't be very proud. Would he?"

Someone ran the edge of a blade down my neck and shoulder. My body stiffened and suddenly I wasn't present in the room anymore, well I was, but my mind wasn't. It brought me back to the pool, the cave, to the dream I had about Moriarity, to what had happened with Moriarity, to our kiss, to the scars on my back. Damn, I was traumatised. How ordinary.

I was pulled back to reality when I felt the tip of a knife dig into my skin just below my knuckles. It caught me off guardm I hissed in response. I felt the tightness around my chest grow. "One last cahnce before I let Howard have some fun. Where.Is.He?"

Was I really going to risk my life for my brother in law. Before I even thought twice, I knew I wasn't going to respond. My jaws were clenched onto eachother. I couldn't go against them, I couldn't spill the information on where Mycroft was, neither could I spill anything about Sherlock, so the only thing I could do was outsmart them. 

Before I could begin scheming, Howard dragged the kife across my wrist with just enough pressure to damage, but not enough to reach to my veins. I hissed at the toning of my skin as blood dripped down my arm. The action repeated itself again and again, going higher and higher up my arm. "I've been patient with you so far, but I've had it. You know where he is, so why don't you tell me and we can stop this nonsense." I looked up, tears prickling behind my eyes. "You've made a mistake. I don't know." The man in front of me took the knife from Howard, holding it up to my throat. "We know how much Sherlock trusts you. You underestimate our knowledge." 

I could feel the knife cut through the skin on my neck. It hurt, but I was sure that it was not deep enough to cause me any long-lasting damage. "And you overestimate Sherlock." I relaxed my tense muscles and stared the man in front of me down. Before the man could make another move, the stairs creaked under someone's weight. With the knife pressed to my throat, the man all hurled up behind me and getting into defensive positions, like they were scared. "Morrons." I whispered under my breath. Another cut along my throat.

And who other walked into the room that Sherlock freaking Holmes. Yippykayee.

"Mr Holmes. I believe you know something we want."