Dancing With The Devil (part two)

Chapter 37: King Of The World

The next morning came around quicker than anticipated. Astrid didn't sleep at all. She just lay on the roof of the building, until it came to the point where she was so cold her entire body went numb. She had said 'bis morgen' to her friends and let them sleep for the night. Her and Jim had spoken for a little bit longer, he had even tried staying awake to talk to her but she insisted that he needed sleep. She made her way back to her found room at about three o'clock in the morning and got out of the bed at about seven o'clock, when she started to hear the house wake. She grumpily slouched down into the kitchen, wearing the same clothes as the night before, and made herself a cup of coffee. She didn't bother to tidy up the mess she made, she even made extra sure to forget to close the coffee cupboard.

Astrid carelessly kicked the back door open and sat on the edge of the patio and sipped the hot bitter liquid, not caring that it burned her throat. After about ten minutes of staring into nothingness, she heard the door open behind her. She didn't turn around to find out who had disturbed her peace, she just looked up and listened to the person sit down next her.

"See, you're already making yourself at home."

"My aim was to make a tip of your kitchen." she grumbled, still not looking at the man next to her.

"Yes, you did that too"

"What's gonna happen now?"

"We're going to take over the world."

"You already have control of the underworld."

"That might be true, but I don't just want Jim Moriarty's underground network at my command," he smirked, "I want every government begging for my mercy, I want to be the king of the world."

There was a pause as Astrid took in what her father had said.

"What will happen to Jim?"

"He'll die in disgrace, just like Sherlock Holmes."

"Yes, well, Sherlock Holmes is still alive, and so is Jim, so clearly the dying in disgrace plan failed for both of you."

"For now." he said, taking his eyes away from his daughter.

"What about me?" Astrid asked, finally looking at Hansel.

"You'll be back at the top, at my side."

"As long as you don't make me marry that ignorant Irish oaf."

"You mean Dominic?"

"Yup." she snarled, "he's a moron."

Lucas chuckled, " he is a bit annoying," the man stood up and offered his hand for Astrid to take, "come inside, it's cold out here."

Astrid pondered his offer for a bit before letting him pull her up to follow him back in doors.

"If I was to run away, would you let me?"

"Perhaps. But you wouldn't."

Astrid frowned slightly and chuckled.

"You were right."

"Hmm?"

"I have missed it," Astrid bit her lip and sighed, "I've missed being on top, being feared by everyone in the room, all that bullshit. I don't know if it will be the same, but, I'm willing to find out."

Lucas frowned and stepped closer to his daughter. He looked at her and squinted, "you're lying."

"I'm not," she twitched her lips upwards, "I'm actually not."

Her father began to smile, "come with me." he walked to the corner of the kitchen and opened the door that led down to the basement, "you already know what's down here, of course. But let me explain."

She followed him down to the underground warehouse and walked through the centre of the maze of cauldrons and stood right in the middle of the factor floor. Astrid stood next to him and looked around.

"I will have a tub of this placed at all sorts of places over the UK and Ireland. They will act as not just a pressure point for this country, but for every one else in the world."

"'Do what I say and the great UK doesn't get obliterated'" she smirked, "clever."

"Of course, I wouldn't want the entire world to go up in smoke, I just want Jim Moriarty's network, well, my network, to be more powerful than any organization in the world."

Astrid laughed, "and you have the perfect leeway. It's genius."

"I'm glad you agree."

"I'll help you with all this, if you promise me one thing."

"What would that be?"

"Never hit my mum again."

He frowned, "of course."

"Good," she smiled, "then I am yours."

He looked down at his daughter and smiled victoriously. He left her down in the basement to look around. The second he shut the door behind him as he exited, Astrid's smiled rapidly morphed into a look of disgust

"D'ya get that?"

"Yup." came the voice of James Moriarty through Astrid's ear, "what a douche. Ruling the whole word? How original?"

Astrid let out a loud unimpressed scoff, "says you?"

He sneered, "imagine the paperwork."

"Are you in position?"

"yeah I'm coming in."

Seconds later, the door opened and Jim walked into the room.

"Where's Seb?"

"He's on his way."

"What about Faith?"

"Waiting with the detonator. Seb called Ciaran Walsh and managed to get one big ass bomb."

"So many annoying Irish oaf's, I'm realising." She sighed and pushed her hair out of her face, "I need to find Amelie." she said and rubbed her head, "tell her to get as far away from here as possible."

She opened her mouth to continue but was stopped by the door opening.