Team of Seven Heroes Shorts Tales 3; Chapter 8

8.

Doctor Moriarty seated there with his lecture notes, and the cup of tea within reach, he was to be satisfied but his mind was on something else. He was thinking of adversaries in his criminal career. There were few while they lasted, he had them considered as unresolved equations. For that, he was always on guard for it.

“Tea, Sir.” Doctor Moriarty heard his Butler asking him. It was polite for Wong to check on his tea then but he felt it was a constraint into his line of thoughts like a misplaced data that led the calculation to go astray. Normally, he will compensate for it with an allowance of deviation but for the doctor, there was no allowance for deviations. He prefers precise results.

“If you want to be disturbed, Colonel Sebastian is here at the corridor. He was kind to wait while you have your tea.” Another quality of the Colonel; patience and that made him a perfect killer.

“Yes, do admit the Colonel and change the tea. Have another cup for the Colonel too.”

“Doctor Moriarty, I am….”

“And you are suited for it. Commander Smith was an …. Pardon my terms, a bad data that needed to equated out.” Doctor Moriarty took a sip of the refreshed tea from the pot. The Colonel had taken the seat available but he declined the tea. He went for a glass of Scotch instead.

“A little early for Scotch, Colonel?” Doctor Moriarty pointed the obvious. “Its late morning.”

“I thought a celebratory drink to my ascension to replace Commander Smith.” The Colonel raised the glass. “He was a bad shot for a Commander.”

“He was and with that good riddance to his role. I need you in there as we will complete the equation of absolute over the others.”

“Bravo.” Colonel Sebastian replied. “And how would we handle the other three? Lord Millard is the key person.”

“Like the Ripper, we will rip the organs apart. I am proposing we move onto the Lord first. He is the heart and from him we will sought the mind; the unknown leader.”

“Do you want a head shot or a hanging by the mobs?” Colonel Sebastian was at times rather crude in his killing.

“No, we will do what the Ripper had done. We will shift the equation problem onto Lord Millard. After all, the Ripper could be from the Elites.”

“As they suspected the Royals then in the earlier cases, I loved it.”

“God forbid me from doing that. I love the Queen. Eccentric but whose mother was not at some stages of their age.” Doctor Moriarty had on an expression of concern as if it was his mother in question. The doctor loved his mother with his father failing responsibility to the family.

“And Colonel, you have been assigned the task of tracking the Ripper. Do it wisely and have the trails lead to the …. Should we name them as the Elites? Perhaps to the Millard’s. I hear the family do a number of social events that will make the papers double its edition daily. Geometrically I meant.”

It was the task then for the Colonel. It was also for the other member of the Council, General Smith. He was not a senior ranking officer by influence but of the hard works he had done. He was upset at the demise of the Commander and did his own investigation.

“General, the Commander was shot in a gun duel.” The duel was outlawed but gentlemen have their own laws. “The Colonel Moran Sebastian shot him in the head. It was a ….”

“Murder it was. Commander Smith deserved more than that. Only cowards get the shot in the head. Heroes die gallantry in battle.” General Smith recalled the name Colonel Sebastian. He was a senior officer and a good shot. It was time for him to call in favours.

One from an old friend in Intelligence.

“Fortunately for you, I have a liaison in London. His name is Mycroft and he is will Lord Millard to find the Ripper. The Nation leaders have voiced concerns that it will ripple if unchecked. I am sure he can be given a new assignment to locate and terminate Colonel Sebastian. The liaison is with the double prefix section.”

“Thank you, Fleming. I am indebted to you.” With that General Smith was at the mercy of the other.

At that moment, Mycroft was seated at the tavern enjoying the steak and kidney pie. He took another big bite of the pie although his mind was fleeting between the questionable contents of the pie to the persons seated in front of him. He had selected the seat facing the bar with the wide mirror covering the tavern area. He could pick out the other table seated by two men who looked like a butcher and grocer. They were sampling their own picks and they looked serious. Or there to pick their payments.

“You want another?” The tavern stepped over to offer more food. “Or you probably a piece of me?”

Mycroft smiled at the lady although she held more than a mouthful on her bosom. He decided to focus the subject of his interest. He asked if she felt safe with the so named Ripper.

“We are worried. There was another one last night. The bobbies were there and took the body away before the papers could reach it.” Mycroft heard the lady. He then left the tavern for the station and noticed that the two others whom he assumed were there for the food. He took to the street with his usual pace, with fleeting glances at the shop windows to check the two on his trail. He sneaked off into the alley and hid there.

“I saw him come in.” The grocer looked into the alley. The butcher was behind and then Mycroft appeared from the side.

“I am in rush, and shall we get the acquittance done quick.” Mycroft landed the fist into the butcher’s left waist and then the dropping chop on the butcher exposed neck when the later keeled over. He then kicked out at the grocer with the low kick behind the left knee and then the fist into the face.

“Pardon the tardiness but I am in a rush but since we are acquainted now, you could tell me on the Ripper.”

The information was sketchy but it was a stat.

“Wild parties. Mad Hatter’s place.”

Mycroft heard of the name and he knew who will know.

“My goodness., darling Holmes. I have one other upstairs and he is one I have difficulty loving.” Mrs Hudson lay the kiss on Mycroft’s lips. “But for you, anytime. And I loved kidney pies.”

“Nothing evades your observation, and no pun intended.” Mycroft embraced the housekeeper. “He is away I presume.”

“Yes, he is and peace reign here. I don’t know of what is happening outside of my house though.” Mrs Hudson was always the housekeeper. She has an uncanny ability to read minds. “And not of any mad parties.”

“Wild, my dear and I need to find one. And I ….”

“Not inducing in one. I know you well, Mycroft. I have you well …. Inside me. We could do it since we are alone….”

“Darling, I am ever keen but I am on a task. And we, Holmes are very selfish in our tasks.” Mycroft push the lady off.

“You are right or shall I say hideously right, if there was such a word.” Mrs Hudson retreated. “The Mad Hatter is the nickname for Lord Millard. Lord Matthew Millard. He held these wild parties as he termed it.”

Mycroft felt his task shortened in the time factor and then reached for the housekeeper.

“Do you still have the honey in the jar?”

“Why are you going to be a bear to eat me out?”

Eating was not in the mind on the doctor’s mind and she has tossed the organ away. She was disappointed that nothing she had done worked. Well, it worked on her legs. She was a crippled after the fall, she managed to cure her ailment with the treatment she experimented with.

“Nothing works.” Doctor Illinois muttered out.

“Perhaps you need to take a break.” The figure in the shadow voiced out.

“No, I can’t give up. Our …. happiness is in her.” The doctor sighed. “If only I was ….”

The doctor was pulled into the shadow and was held tightly.

“I don’t care for I love you.” And age does not damper their lustful needs. Nor of the needs of a life.