Arcadia - (A WhoLock Fanfiction)

:Chapter 23: Confrontation:

I walked through the dusty corridors of the warehouse on Creaere Street. The metallic scent overpowering my sense and leaving me light headed. The warehouse halls were a mess, cluttered with scrap metal and old broken down vehicles. I felt my lungs inhaling the dust and settling, coating the walls of my already diseased lungs. I cough quietly, still creating an echo in the warehouse far too large to be left abandoned like this. It appeared to be a car manufacturing factory, outdated and left for a junkyard.

The unmissable feature of the warehouse was the homeless, lazily throwing their still lit cigarettes at me as I rushed past. The homeless were huddled on the ground with, what I expected was all of, their possessions surrounding them. They were giving me quiet smiles and glares as I walked past, one who tipped his tattered hat at me. I had to assume this one of Moriarty's games. I knew he was a rather dramatic criminal, but a trickster none the less. The way he casually had his tiger send supposedly friendly texts to me. If had met Sebastian, I would have thought he was inviting me down for tea.

Jim Moriarty, Sherlock's greatest adversary. The man seemed rather intriguing and I knew that I would have to offer something to him. He wasn't inviting me to have a chat this time and leave me, relatively unharmed. He would possibly ask me to join his extensive 'web of crime'. I would not decline this offer, as it just might mean the chance to leave Sherlock and John in peace, away from me.

I turned the last corner slowly, taking each breath in time with my steps, to find a bruised and battered John Watson, as I had envisioned him, strapped to a chair and blindfolded with bruises coating his exposed skin. Sebastian was stationed to his right holding a hand gun to the hostages head. He lent down to whisper something in John's ear, before his lips turned upwards, deviously.

"Boss, the little ones here!" he called to the back of the hall, gesturing his head towards me.

"And nice to see you again too, Sebastian," I matched his devious grin. He strolled off towards the back of the room, whispering to his boss before exiting the hall with an ear-piercing creek of a metal door.

"Ahh! Finally I thought you'd never arrive," called a different voice musically, the sound echoing again and again in the hall.

He lurked in the shadows, his footsteps making quiet taps against the concrete floor.

"I'm afraid your face is one of the many that I have not had the pleasure of laying my eyes on,"

He emerged from his place in the shadows, the dull light shaping his slender, pale face. The perfect villain. He approached John, giving him a friendly punch to the arm, the 'friendly' part being more like throwing his entire weight at the man.

"Flattery won't help to save Johnny-boy, however I do appreciate your effort,"

"Not flattery, simple manners and common courtesy, it's nice to see you finally step out of the shadows, Mr. Moriaty"

"I'm starting to get the idea that you have come to have a chat with me, rather than save this one," he thumped John 'lightly' on the head one last time, "Since your here anyway, we might as well continue this banter while we wait."

"Wait for what?"

"For Sebby, to get the rest of the hostages, of course." he smirked as my face clearly turned to an expression of horror, my cover slipping for seconds before I recollected myself. I had to stand my ground, if these people were going to have any sort of a chance."

I heard the screech of the metal door again and a van drove in roughly, jolting to a stop in the hall. The cries of at least two women were recognisable inside the van, but I couldn't identify who they belonged to. I felt tears form in my eyes but forced them down.

Sebastian tossed person after person from the van, there were at least 4 more people lead to the middle of the hall in front of Jim. I recognised the Doctor, struggling against his bounds. That's where he'd been all those missing weeks. In Moriarty's control, being beaten and threatened while we continued our boring lives. How could I have missed it? And where was Clara & Quinn? A whole new wave of guilt & panic washed over me, weakening my knees and pounding against my head.

The hostages were tied to chairs, arranged carefully, Moriarty showing his dramatics by composing everything down to the seat placement for the unlucky hostages. I watched, helpless, unable to move my feet from the concrete they seemed to be merged with.

"I assume your collecting these hostages for Sherlock" I finally said, my voice silencing the muffled cries of the Doctor.

"Clever girl..."

"But there's a seat empty, at first I thought it was for you, to sit in as you confronted your greatest enemy, but now I'm starting to see that might not be the case..."

"Oh dear, you're just part of plan, kitten"

I felt the blow to the head and the world cut to black.