Dancing With The Devil (part two)

Chapter 8: One More Miracle

The two hour long car journey served more than enough time for Astrid, often with the help of Seb, to fill in her best friend on the situation. Astrid didn't miss a thing, not even the criminal side of the tale. She told Faith how they had met, and how she trained for months to become what she was 'destined' to be. She told Faith how she had finally met her father, but without even knowing it. Then, they got to present time. They talked about Sherlock Holmes, and how Jim had managed to trick Sherlock into suicide, by making the world believe that he was a fraud who gets off on his work- which isn't all a lie- which eventually caused Sherlock's need to jump off of St. Bats' rooftop to save his friends, which the bodyguard and the spy to realise why Jim had to do it.

Had to kill himself.

They finished explaining the story from start to present, leaving Faith with an expression on her face that could not be explained.

"So you're a criminal?" She asked reluctantly and Astrid nodded. Faith began to slowly shake her head, "you told me, when we were younger, that that's what your dad did, and you never wanted to be like that. Like him."

"Well, maybe I changed." Astrid stated flatly as she looked into the rear-view mirror at her friend, "I'm sorry if who I am isn't good enough for you."

"I know you, Astrid," she said sympathetically, "at least, I thought I did. You ain't that kid anymore."

"I wasn't a kid when I met you, and I'm not now," Astrid said, "my dad made my like this. It's in my blood."

"That doesn't mean-"

"Yes, it does."  Astrid deadpanned, "it's in my DNA"

Silence spread throughout the car. Astrid glance down at the sat nav which said that there was 10 minutes left. She sighed to herself and looked out the window, they were surrounded by countryside.

After ten minutes, they turned the corner to where the address lead them. As soon as the engine stopped Astrid jumped out of the car and took a look at the house from the outside. It was reasonably big, the drive could fit two cars in it and there was a garden in front of the house. Astrid walked slowly up the drive to the door. She put the key into the lock and twisted it around. She pushed the handle down and the door swung open and she stepped into a large porch. There was a second door to enter the house that had a key hanging out of it. Astrid twisted the key as Sebastian came into the porch, followed by Faith. The door swung open and Astrid slowly walked into the house. They found themselves standing on a stone floor in a small kitchen. Astrid walked forward a few steps and found herself shouting out.

"Jim?" She questioned into the new house, expecting an answer. The lights flickered on causing Astrid to turn to look at Seb who had found a light switch.

"We should find a computer or something," he said as he lifted up the USB stick to clarify what he was talking about. They wandered further into the new house where they found a cosy looking room with two sofas and a television. There was a foot rest in front of the large black sofa and as if by coincidence, there was a laptop on it. Astrid took the USB from his hands and sat on the sofa in front of the laptop.

She opened up the computer and selected the 'guest account' option. As soon as the guest profile logged on she stuck the USB stick into the side of the laptop. After a few seconds a file loaded. Astrid instantly opened it and in it, a video was stored. Sebastian sat down beside her and Faith sat on the other side. Astrid clicked on the video and it played.

Her heart almost stopped beating as the face of James Moriarty appeared, he was leaning forward towards the camera, seemingly turning it on. He leaned back and Astrid was able to see his full face.

"Hi, urm ...so I am aware that this doesn't seem like me, but you deserve some sort of explanation. So, if your watching this, then I am probably," he paused and looked down at his hands, "definitely dead. I realise that during this period of events I was pretty enamoured with Sherlock Holmes and wasn't clear with what was actually going on. You have the right to know. It started with an idea. A key code, a line of computer code that can break into any thing. I'd say that I used this code to break into the crown jewels, the bank of England and Pentonville Prison, then use the trial as an opportunity to show advertise, to show the world what I can do. To show them that I can break into one of the most heavily guarded places in London one day and be walking the streets a free man the next."

He stopped and looked into the camera and smirked. It wasn't a harsh or sarcastic or evil smirk. It was a gentle one, as if he was reflecting on the past, which was sort of what he was doing. He continued speaking.

"Then there was Richard Brooke; a character that I invented to trick the world, and this is what brought Sherlock to his knees- having the whole world believe he's a stupid detective in a funny hat who's only reason to do what he does is to stop himself from getting 'too bored'. That's what has lead us to now. He thinks he's got the key code, and that's what this rooftop battle will be about. I've got gunmen on Watson, Mrs Hudson and Lestrade. If he doesn't jump off that building, they all die.

"I'll be honest, I'm not sure what's going to happen, and if your watching this, Astrid, I want you to know that if I was to die, it would be for the cause, and it would be the last resort." He paused for a good few seconds before carrying on, "so, on another note. The place that is on the address is sort of like a safe house. It's in a little village near Oxford. It belonged to my parents and now belongs to you. If you wanted to live somewhere else, then you can treat it as home.

"One more thing-" he began to say something and stuttered. Jim Moriarty actually stuttered. "I-I ...ugh, never mind, it's stupid."

Jim leaned forward again to turn off the camera. The room was still, so quiet that you could hear a pin drop. The three in the room stayed frozen for avoid minute before Astrid snuffed and wiped away the tears trickling down her face. She sighed and leaned forward to take the memory stick out of the computer. Astrid took the memory stick and put it up to her lips. She gently kissed it as new tears began to line her eyes. She began to whisper to herself.

"Please Jim," she said so quietly it was almost in her head, "just give me one more miracle; stop being dead."

She sighed and stood up. She felt the eyes of the two others in the room follow her as she walked to the entrance of the front room. She stopped in the door frame and leant against the doorframe. Astrid found herself quietly crying with her head buried into the sharp wood as if it was someone's chest. It was at this point when Faith saw that everything she though her best friend had turned into was not what really true. She was still a human who could fall in love and have her heart broken.

Faith stood up slowly and took a breath. She slowly walked over to the door where her best friend was weeping. Astrid heard her coming and turned around to look at her. She opened her mouth to say something but was stopped by her American friend wrapping her arms around her neck and engulfing her in her arms. It lasted a minute and when they eventually pulled out, they discovered that they were now both crying. Faith smiled softly and nodded. She took Astrids hand in hers and nodded.

"I'm with you."

(Sorry that I haven't updated in a while; quarantine is really fucking up my ego!👍😂)