Pyro (Sequel to 'Burning in Water')

Chapter Five: Power & Control

When they got home, Darcy shrugged off Jim's jacket and hung it up on the hook wordlessly. The lights were out, the only light was the weak afternoon sun filtering through the half-closed slats of Darcy's front blind. She hadn't realised they'd been out walking so long.

"I suppose I'm meant to offer you lunch now," she laughed, "before you leave." She barely breathed out the second bit breathed out, almost like a forbidden secret, or an unwanted truth. 

"I suppose I'm meant to accept." He chuckled dryly. 

Darcy began moving towards the kitchen before instantly freezing. There was a different smell hanging in the air. A man's cologne. Her eyes frantically raked her living room and the attacked kitchen before she spotted him. A dark heavy coat, almost invisible in the near darkness. Moriarty was still in the hallway, hanging up his scarf next to his jacket. 

"Honey, what's taking so-" 

Two things happened at once. 

- "So dramatic," Darcy remarked. She had sat back to finish her drink and Moriarty had taken over the story. "Also, way to steal my idea." 

"What can I say darling," he flung a smirk back her way. "I've always been a performer at heart." -

Immediately, Darcy flung her arm out to stop Moriarty as he walked through from the hallway. He ran into it, made an indignant and startled noise, and then stopped just as a knife was slung in a razor-straight line in front of them, thunking dully into the wall.

They sprang into action. Darcy dived for her knife, cursing that she'd left it in her boot which was lying haplessly in the hallway. She'd let her guard down. She cursed herself. Damned Moriarty, bringing his damned chaotic life into her damned retirement.

Meanwhile, in the kitchen, Moriarty had removed the knife and was in the process of restraining their assailant. The figure lashed out, biting Moriarty's hand that was holding the knife, and dashing towards the front door. He ran into Darcy, who managed to grab his arms as Moriarty strode forward and held the knife against his neck. 

"Now," said Moriarty, breathing a bit heavily from their scuffle. Darcy had to still a certain thrill at the authority and huskiness of his voice. She filed that one away for later inspection. "Let's talk."

They got him into a chair, using some old rope Darcy had in her gardening shed. He turned out to actually be a she, with long auburn hair and deep brown eyes.

- "Seriously, it was like she'd just walked out of Vogue or something. How is that fair?!" Darcy complained in the background, earning a laugh.-

"Geneva?" Moriarty asked, astonished.

"Did you miss me?" She asked sweetly, smiling before leaning forward to try and struggle out of the ropes .

"Fortunately, dear, I've tied them very intricately and very, very tightly. Also, I thought super-villains who break into people's houses (which by the way, congratulations, given that I have a single bolt lock and no other security) were meant to actually have a personality? Try another one-liner honey, you might eventually hit the jackpot," Darcy said, stepping out of the shadows where she was waiting, mocking her tone. 

"Ah, the hero of the hour. Detective Darcy, it's been a long time." She smiled.

Darcy thought hard about if she'd ever seen this woman before. She thought really long, and really hard.

"Unfortunately sweetie, you're forgettable. Am I meant to know you?"

Geneva made an indignant noise. "I was the weapons buyer. A massive shipment of arms to Germany? Secret information on the National Bank? The famous 24 Hour Heist?"

"Oh, that's the one. Didn't your fabulous heist end when you  eloped with the head of security? Nice going there, by the way. That was all it took for you to get 6 people from your team of 7 killed."

Geneva hissed and struggled violently for a few seconds before seeming to calm down. She spat a lock of hair out of her mouth.

"I'm not here to talk about that. I'm here to talk to you," she turned her gaze to Moriarty. "You screwed me."

Darcy laughed in the background at the double entendre, but then realised Geneva wasn't joking.

"Wait, you actually...?" She pointed a finger between the two of them. Geneva just smiled triumphantly and Moriarty shrugged, a softer look in his eyes.

"Forget it. I give up," Darcy stormed out, leaning agains the other side of the door frame to gather her thoughts.

She could still hear what was happening inside though.

"So you finally got her, huh? 

"Shut up," Moriarty snarled, in the most poisonous voice possible. "What in the name of god are you doing here, you mouthy, bratty little-"

"Don't lose your temper now. I'm just here to negotiate. But I want to know how you're going, honey. What's new, rabbit?"

Darcy felt like throwing up. She'd had enough of this. 

She strode back in, ignoring Jim, smiled at Geneva, pointed her gun, and shot.