Playing Games With The Devil - A Sherlock Fanfiction

Chapter seventeen: Rule Number One

Sleep was impossible last night. I couldn't get the unsettling words of Sebastian out of my head. So I busied myself in cleaning up the place and then taking a shower. Once I look presentable I send Mycroft a text asking him to meet me here. At this point I think I've finally come to terms with the fact I only want information on Moriarty out of curiosity.

Sherlock is right, knowing things about him won't reveal his weaknesses. But I also don't for one second believe that I could possibly be one of them. This is all a game to Moriarty, nothing more. I happy to play his game, though. I've been a criminal my whole life, I don't see any point in dying a fraud. And if I'm being perfectly honest this is the most fun I've had in a long time.

About an hour or so later Mycroft finally arrives. "What could possibly be so important that it required me to stop by?" He asks walking in the door. "I need all the information you can get on Moriarty." I tell him getting straight to the point. Mycroft smiles and takes a seat on one of the chairs. "I don't think he is the person you should be focused on right now." He says. "And why is that?" I ask. "You're brother tried to burn John Watson alive. If I were you, that's where all my attention would rest." Mycroft explains.

"I can handle Kyle." I say confidently. "Is that so? Because if my sources are correct, and they always are, it took you no less than an hour after learning he was still alive to drink yourself into oblivion. You're not capable of handling anything. Especially when mind altering substances is what you turn to." Mycroft says looking wildly disgusted.

"What is it you turn to? You're little brother has drugs and we've established I have alcohol. So what do you do? There has to be something." I ask. "I thought you wanted me here to discuss James Moriarty, not chat about our personal lives." He tells me sounding annoyed. "You're the one who began discussing siblings. Is that not personal? But since I'd rather not waste time just tell me whatever you know about Moriarty and I won't bother you again." I negotiate. Mycroft reaches into his pocket pulling out a flash drive.

"Everything I know about James Moriarty is on this." Mycroft says and places it on the table next to him. I watch as he stands up and begins walking to the door. He stops for only a brief moment. "This obsession you have with him will destroy you. Oh and don't forget, you owe me."

The door closes and I immediately grab the flash drive off the table, I reach for my laptop and insert the flash drive. I begin looking through all of the files stored, so far there is nothing of interest. All of his recent crimes are listed as well as completely useless debaucheries. After spending several more minutes scanning over worthless facts I finally start to get to something worth my efforts. There's a photo of him at presumably the age of 15. Written at the bottom of the picture is his name. James Isaac Moriarty.

Jim. How cleaver.

I'm aware it's not much but knowing his full name is somewhat of a start. If anything it'll be fun see the surprise on his face when I revel that I know it. I smile at thought and continue scrolling through files. What I see next causes my smile to falter. It's a news clipping.

James Moriarty is now an orphan after the tragedy that occurred in Dublin yesterday afternoon.

The 16 year old boy was found in his home along with the bodies of Stephan Moriarty and Kelly Moriarty. James was brought in for questioning as the prime suspect and holds with a plea of not guilty. As for the youngest of the Moriarty family, 7 year old Hailey has yet to be found.

I stare at the computer screen rereading it over and over. He had a sister. What they have possibly done to make Moriarty hate them so much? I keep reading through all of the other files pertaining to his family. Apparently Hailey was discovered in the bottom of a creek months later. Moriarty was found not guilty even though the evidence was completely against him. It's obvious even as a teenager he wielded an unmeasurable amount power over people.

I keep looking through everything Mycroft has on Moriarty when I come across a file that must have been added very recently containing information on me. Every crime I've ever committed and basically every move I've made has been recorded down on here, but it's not the past that gets to me. I read through several lists of what I've done recently. Mycroft even has text messages Moriarty and I have sent to each other.

It all makes sense now. Mycroft has never thought of me as a potential ally against Moriarty, in fact he believes the opposite. Giving me this flash drive knowing I would see all of the information he has on me was a warning from him.

I remove the flash drive from my laptop and proceed in smashing it to bits. I know this isn't his only copy, that would be absolutely stupid to believe, but it gives me some relief to break the thing in a million pieces. "Someone's moody." I jump from the sound of a voice behind me. "Did you like my little spectacle with John?" Kyle asks.

"Get out." I say sternly. "But why, little sister, the fun as only just begun." He says and I can hear the amusement in his voice. "He could have died." I tell him. "So you care more about the man you've barely know for a month than your own brother. Remind me again why you're not getting the sister of the year award." Kyle says giving me a look of utter disgust. "Leave innocent people out of this, Kyle. Your issue is with me, not them." I state trying to get through to him.

"Do you hear yourself? What the hell happened to you? Have you forgotten that not to long ago you murdered innocent people just because I told you to. And don't think I haven't heard about your antics in Italy. You haven't changed, Brooklyn!"

I stare at Kyle speechless. The truth hurts, and right now it's like I'm being stabbed repeatedly and having salt poured into the open wounds.

"Get the hell out of here." I manage to say between laboured breathes. "How does it feel to know that you're all alone?" Kyle asks. I don't answer. "The famous detective doesn't want anything to do with you, John doesn't really like you, and even Sebastian has grown tired of you. You have no friends and no family. Oh, and you're only kidding yourself if you think Moriarty is actually interested in you. You see, I've recently became a client of his. I'm paying him to help me destroy you." Kyle tells me with a smirk on his face.

"Really? I never knew you were the type of man that needed help. But I suppose you have always been a coward. Goodbye, Kyle." I say and walk into my bedroom. When I hear the dorm slam shut I know he's left. I reach under my bed and feel for the bottle I have stashed there. I remove the lid but before I can take a drink there is a knock at the door. It's continuous and very agitating. I place the bottle back down and make my way to the door.

Molly is standing there looking very distraught. "What is it?" I ask. "There's something you need to see." She tells me and grabs my arm pulling me along with here. I'm too stunned to protest to I simply follow her to the cab that's waiting outside. "Where are we going?" I ask her. "Barts. A body was brought in this morning and I was told not to tell you but you have to see it." Molly says her voice somewhat uneasy.

I stay quite for the remainder of the ride to Barts. She pays the cabbie and we get out. We walk hurriedly to the morgue. It's just me and Molly in the room as she leads me over to the table with the covered body. She uncovers the body and I fight the urge not to throw up. The body is so mangled I can't even distinguish if it's a man or a woman. Blood is everywhere. It's obvious no one has been in to examine the body yet. "This was found on the body." Molly says handing me a piece of paper that's been placed in a plastic bag. Even though it's drenched in blood and dirt I can still read it.

Brooklyn, you said I was loosing my touch and I just couldn't stand the thought of that. Rule number one of our new little game, every time you don't do as I say someone you know will die. This guy was random but I can promise you the next one won't be. In light of these changes, I think we should celebrate. I'll have a car pick you up tomorrow. -JM

"He's insane." I say out loud. "What are you going to do?" Molly asks. "Not a damn thing. I'm going to make him think he's won." I tell her. "I don't think this is going to end very well." She says. "Oh I know it won't. But I'm at the point where I really have nothing to lose." Molly eyes me suspiciously but doesn't say another word. I hand the note back to her and walk out leaving her behind with the corpse.

I begin walking to the Marylebone Hotel in the hopes that Sebastian is still staying there. When I arrive there I bribe the lady at the front desk to tell me if he was still staying here. "Yes, he just came in actually." She tells me. "Perfect." I say with a smile.