Moriarty's Musician

Purging the Demons, Part 11

Moriarty sat silently beside Sebastian as they drove to the old church ruins, his mind racing as to how this was exactly going to play out. He liked planning for every possibility, and it was easy to orchestrate his activities when he didn't care about the collateral damage. But this time it was different... so different.

He picked up his phone and texted Dan.

M: Are you in position?

D: Yes, Boss. I'm here.

M: Good. Do you see them?

D:  No, there's no sign of them. I don't think they're here.

Moriarty rubbed his chin and exhaled a long sigh as they approached the ruins. He imagined Soo-Ling with her swinging ponytail and grimaced. Where would a scheming snake hide? He scanned the crumbling structure as he tried to find some sign of them. With the sun quickly making its way behind the horizon, Moriarty knew he was rapidly losing the advantage of the light.

He texted Dan.

M: The second you spot the snake, take her down. Don't wait for the signal. I know she's here.

D: Yes, Boss.

Moriarty glanced at Sebastian and frowned. "Keep looking for her Seb. I'll see if I can lure her out."

"No, Boss. Let me go."

Moriarty shook his head. "I appreciate your offer to die for me, Seb, but it has to be me who goes. If I can keep her talking, hopefully, she'll let her guard down and give Dan a clean shot." 

Clapping Sebastian on the shoulder and opening the car door, he stepped out onto the worn gravel path, now covered in patches of vegetation that pushed through the broken rocks. He studied the ground and could see two separate paths of wheel tracks that had crushed the growth underneath. One set of tracks led away from the ruins, toward the town of Killarney. 

Could the snake have already handed Annabelle over to the owner of the vehicle, this buyer? Moriarty's jaw tightened.

Inclining his head, his eyes traced the second set of tracks that led to the growth of trees that Dan was stationed at. He chuckled. So she had hidden the car. How wonderfully clever of her. His eyes darkened. She was watching him. He could feel it. Now, where would a snake hide knowing the setting sun was helping her go undetected?

A corner of his mouth lifted as he slowly pulled off his sunglasses. Raising his hand over his eyes to shield them from the glare, he scanned the top of the crumbling church.

"Soo-Ling!" he yelled, "I know you're here! Show yourself and let's chat!"

His eyes caught a small movement from the top of the ruins where a steeple once stood, but before Moriarty could make a motion to Sebastian, a red hot pain seared through his right shoulder. His left hand flew up to the source of the pain and was immediately coated with his blood that oozed from the gunshot wound. Collapsing to his knees as the excruciating pain rippled through his body, he tried to focus on the crumbling wall. He couldn't die. Not here, not like this. Annabelle needed him.

Within minutes, Sebastian was squatting beside him, pressing a makeshift compress into his shoulder. "I've called Dr. Murphy in Killarney, Boss. Hang in there. He's on his way."

Moriarty's mouth was going dry, and Sebastian's face was becoming increasingly blurry. "Seb... Soo-Ling?" he managed to grind out.

Sebastian's face was tense. "Dan got your snake. She's alive but she ain't kickin'."

Moriarty managed a small nod at Sebastian. He turned his head slightly to see Dan hauling Soo-Ling down from her hideaway atop the church ruins. Blood also gushed from her shoulder wound, but she was alive, that was all that mattered.

Moriarty could only manage a whisper. "Seb, don't kill her... Annabelle..." He swayed on his knees then leaned heavily into Sebastian who continued to keep the compress tight against his boss's shoulder to stem the rush of blood. 

Darkness began weaving its fingers around Moriarty, and the dull, rhythmic thumping in his head became louder until he succumbed to its invitation to sleep.

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