The poppyblood killer

Chapter 11

My heart races as I face Moriarty.

- I can't believe it, I say in my head.

- I see you've betrayed us, Moriarty, Sherlock says.

- Playing the detective was amusing, but that game is over now, Moriarty says.

- What are you talking about. What about the Poppyblood Killer, I ask.

- He was never my priority, Moriarty says. My heart sinks.

- You promised to help us, I say.

- And you believed every word, Moriarty says.

- What was it all for then. Why spend all that time helping us, gathering information about the case, if you never cared, I ask. There's a glimmer of regret in his eyes.

- Don't you see. I didn't have a choice. I had to play my part until the moment was right, or Sherlock would've thrown me back in prison the first chance he got, Moriarty says.

- That time you slipped out to investigate then, John says.

- A little business deal with the Shadow Syndicate, Moriarty says. I shake my head in disbelief.

- Don't look so distraught, Kira. As you said, I did get you some valuable information. If you get out of this alive, you might even be able to use it, Moriarty says. There's an edge to his voice I don't quite understand, as if he's trying to say something beyond the surface meaning of his words.

- Nothing will stop me from saving Clare, I say.

- Best of luck then. And for what it's worth, I'm not allied with the killer. I didn't even know for certain if he would show up, only that it was the perfect opportunity to let them capture you, Moriarty says.

- So, he really handed us over to them. Just like that, I say in my head.

- What are you going to do, John shouts.

- Me. Nothing. Your fate is up to the Syndicate now, Moriarty says.

- No. Why. How could you do this, I shout.

- The Poppyblood Killer is indeed targeting members of the Shadow Syndicate, so our interests aligned for a time, Moriarty says.

- So, you were on their side from the beginning, I ask.

- I'm on no one's side but my own, Kira, Moriarty says. There's a pang in my heart when I think back to the conversation we had about his childhood.

- I may have helped them tonight, but they don't own my allegiance, Moriarty says.

- Then help us instead, I say.

- I'm afraid I can't do that, Moriarty says.

- If you have no true loyalty to them, then why. Why are we the ones you've chosen to betray, I ask. I stare at him, hoping to find answers in his unreadable face.

- I'm afraid it's not as simple as you think. I need the Shadow Syndicate. Alas, we're not on the best of terms, so they wouldn't help me out of the goodness of their hearts, Moriarty says. He waves his hand at the three of us and the armed men surrounding us.

- Leading you into an ambush was my part of the bargain, Moriarty says.

- In exchange for what, I ask.

- Freedom, no doubt, Sherlock says. In contrast to the distress I feel, Sherlock's voice is steady. He doesn't even seem surprised, only disappointed. There's a strange resignation in his voice. As if he anticipated this from the moment we allied with Moriarty.