Dancing With The Devil (part two)

Chapter 2: The Live In One

The next day, the trial continued. Of course, as predicted, James Moriarty was out of the court room in no time, which consequently lead to one of the most tense tea and biscuit discussions in the world. It began with the grey-suited baddie walking up the creaky steps of 221b baker street, up into the residence of the violin-playing genius. The door creaked open as the criminal mastermind, entered.

"Most people knock, but then your not most people I suppose," he put the violin down and pointed towards the kettle, "kettle's just boiled."

"Johann Sebastian would be appalled," he strutted across the room and picked out an apple from a bowl and tossing it up and down in his hand once, "may I?"

"Please." Sherlock invited him to sit at John's chair, which Moriarty ignored and sat in Sherlock's. He took out a small penknife and began carving into the apple as Sherlock put down his violin.

"You know, when he was on his death bed, Bach, he heard his son at the piano playing one of his pieces." he continued to cut into the apple as Sherlock stirred two cups of tea, "The boy stopped before he got to the end-"

"-and the dying man jumped out of his bed, ran straight to the piano and finished it." Sherlock finished eagerly.

"Can't cope with an unfinished melody-"

"-neither can you, that's why you've come-"

"But be honest, your just a tiny bit pleased."

"With what, the verdict?" he frowned as he handed Jim the cup of tea. The consulting criminal looked up at his enemy and smiled into his eyes.

"With me, back on the streets. Every fairy-tale needs a good old-fashioned villain." he drawled, not breaking eye contact," You need me, or you're nothing. Because we're just alike you and I, except, you're boring. You're on the side of the angels."

"Got to the jury, of course," Sherlock said, changing the subject.

"I got into the tower of London; you don't think I can't worm my way into twelve hotel rooms."

"Cable Network." Sherlock stated obviously.

"Every hotel room has a personalised TV screen, and every person has their pressure point; someone they want to keep from harm." he took a sip of his tea, "easy peasy"

"So, how are you going to do it?" he said as he sipped his tea, "Burn me?"

"Oh that's the problem, the final problem, have you figured out what it is yet?" he said dramatically, "what's the the final problem."

There was a pause.

"I did tell you, but did you listen," the consulting criminal idly drummed his knee cap before tilting his head and smirking, "how hard do you find it, having to say 'I don't know'"

"I dunno."

"Oh that's very clever, that's awfully clever." Jim chuckled in an upper class tone, "speaking of clever, have you told your little friends yet?"

"Told them what?"

"Why I broke into those places and took nothing."

"No."

"But you understand?"

"Obviously."

"Go on then."

"You want me to tell you what you already know?"

"No, I want you to prove that you know it."

"You didn't take anything, because you didn't need to."

"You'll never need to take anything ever again."

"very good, because..."

"Because nothing ...nothing in the bank of England, Tower of London, could possibly compare to having the key to all three."

"I could open any door anywhere with a few tiny lines of computer code, no such thing as a private bank account now, they're all mine, no such thing as secrecy, I own secrecy. Nuclear codes- I could blow up NATO in alphabetical order; in a world of locked room the man with the key is king, and honey you should see me in a crown." he smiled in delight as Sherlock began to figure out what as going on.

"You were advertising all the way through the trail," Sherlock finally concluded, "showing the world what you can do."

"And you were helping," Jim admitted, "Big client list; rogue governments, intelligence communities, terrorists cells. They all want me, suddenly I'm mister sex."

"If you could break any bank, why do you care about the highest bidder?"

"I don't, I just like to watch them all compete; 'daddy loves me the best'" he explained in a high-pitched childish tone, "aren't ordinary people adorable? Well, you'd know, you've got John. I should get myself a live-in-one."

"Why are you doing this?" Sherlock asked curiously."

"It would be so funny."

"You already have a 'live-in-one'." Sherlock stated causing Jim's head to snap up instantly, before momentarily smiling, "Alexa."

"No need to act so jealous." Jim chuckled, earning himself a confused frown"Alexa, or, 'Astrid', isn't normal."

"Astrid?"

"She isn't one of those ordinary people, she's like me, just ...less psychopathic." Jim tilted his head, "oh, she didn't tell you?"

"Tell me what?"

"Ooh, going in for the big bucks," Jim chuckled and tutted, shaking his head, "I will not tell you that."

"If you have a good life with a woman who you have a thriving relationship with," Sherlock began to rant, seemingly panicked, "why are you doing all this?"

"because I want to solve our problem; the final problem." he lent forward eagerly, "it's gonna start very soon Sherlock; the fall. But, don't be scared, falling's just like flying, except there's a more permanent destination."

Jim's head tilted upwards to look at the ceiling, he began to whistle, and as his head lowered, the note slowly descended to the sound of something thudding on the ground. Sherlock gulped before standing up and straightening his suit.

"Never liked riddles." he had stated as Jim stood up.

"Well, learn to," he straightened his jacket, "because I owe you a fall, Sherlock, I owe you."

And with that, the consulting criminal left the flat. Leaving the consulting detective extremely puzzled. The consulting criminal had big plans for the downfall of Sherlock Holmes.