Team of Seven Heroes Shorts Tales 3; Chapter 12 & 13

12.

Mycroft read the telegram that was replied to him by his handler. There was not records of one named Ryan Loggins. The list of Lord Millard’s family and staff names will be sent to him by courier. He then turned to the papers. It was the news on the death of Inspector Weston; a fine officer from the London’s best. The papers reported that the murder could had been due to his investigation into the smuggling activities at London. There was also another report on the Ripper.

‘Three nights of peace? Is the Ripper going into hibernation once more?’

The last Ripper spree of killings were five and the recent one then was unconfirmed four and five confirmed. And with many more unaccounted. Another paper took that hint.

‘Five and now five or nine or we lost count?’

At three days, the Ripper was yesterday’s news. The new one was missing heiress.

‘Lady Mariam Denise Connors missing since for two days. City wide search on and no suspects yet.’

‘Are we plagued? Ripper to Missing?’  

“Bad news, Mycroft?” The man turned to his hostess, Mrs Hudson.

“I am afraid it’s. Any idea when Sherlock will be back? I do need to see him.”

“Not for a few more days. He sent over a telegram to feed his parrot in the room. And also, that spider he keeps as a pet.” Mrs Hudson replied. Then she leaned over and asked Mycroft.

“Do you have peculiar pets, my love?”

“None whatsoever but only sex crazed ideas.” Mycroft replied with his eyes averted to the revealing cleavage. He then excused himself. “Work calls and …”

“Sherlock is away, Sure you won’t stay on to nibble at the scones? They are freshly baked.” Mycroft reluctantly pulled himself away from the house. He was when his brother will come back. The latest case was one Sherlock will take on without any hesitation.

“Mycroft Holmes? This is from Universal Exports.” Mycroft saw the package offered to him by the Scottish man. “A Miss Monnie Pence asked me to sign here as endorsement.”

“And a fiver for my services, Sir.” Universal Exports was obviously not doing well.

Mycroft took the package and was soon reading the contents in the café nearby. It was an interesting read, and he learned more than he did while in London.

Lord Matthew Millard, co-heir to the Millard Estate with a sister Illinois Millard, Medical researcher. The Lord was educated in the best and became a banker before he managed the estate. He was not married and have no relationship with any one dead or alive. He was however a popular figure with the effluent and socialise with them. He was suspected to be heading the criminal circle named the Council which does work for the effluent and royalty. He was suspected of his involvement with organizing wild parties but none was proven.

Lady Illinois Millard; other than her education and profession, there was no information on her. She was a recluse at the estate and not seen in public for over twenty years.

Mycroft then saw the other reports.

Lord Thomas Henry; retired statesman, widower and no children. The sole owner of the Henry’s estate which he built with his own funds. Suspected privateer and smuggler in his earlier days but had retired. Suspected to be a member of the Council. Hardly seen in public but was known to keep to himself at the estate with selected friends, and Lord Millard was not one of them.

General Ian Barry Smith; decorated Army officer retired due to battle wound on his left thigh. A fine gentleman and officer but suspected to be in the Council. He was the aide of the Prince of Wales at Africa and India.

Commander Tyrone Smith; Naval Commander. Was suspected of in the Council. Deceased.

Major Patrick O’ Neil Dennison; Airship Commander. Suspected member of the Council. Deceased.

Mycroft laid the folders on the table and thought of what he had just learned then. There were two points that intrigued him’ Doctor Illinois Millard and the Council. He was not trying to link to the Ripper which was his task but those two may have some links to why he was there. He wished Sherlock was with him then.

“Mycroft Holmes?” The man looked up and saw shadowing him from the sun was one he wished had not met.

“Mary Watson. I am. And how are you and John? Is he here?” Mycroft knew the answer but he was being polite.

“No, he is away. With Sherlock I presume. Don’t you know?” That was a countermove he was trying to avoid.

“No, I am not. I was… just back from Glasgow. How is John?”

“Alive, I hope. He does scram off on the call of your brother. I do wonder if he was in love with Sherlock than me.”

“Watson …. I meant John. He is straight as a …. candy man…I meant dandy. Whatever. He could be with Sherlock to …. protect him. Nice chap.”

“Well, if you see him before I do. Tell him I am married to him.” Mary Watson looked to the street. “And if I am missing, don’t bother to find me.”

Mycroft did watch the lovely lady took her stroll down the street, and then it dawned on him another afterthought; missing. The Ripper have not been sighted but the latest was the missing heiress.

“Coincidence perhaps….”

It could be coincidence then that the Commissioner thought with the Ripper in hibernation, life could had improved but the missing heiress had him fuming. Naturally the effect rippled down the rank and with two Inspector short, Sergeant   Lestrade was promoted to the new rank and given the new task.

“Find the heiress.”

The first task the newly minted Inspector did was speak to his informers. He had a ring of them; Lestrade Fellows, a myriad selection from the dock yard retiree to the paper boy on Strand Street.

“You got to be balmy to ask us on the heiress. Killing and murders may be the works of us with a bit of snatching some poor brats but we never managed with a lady and an heiress, that’s a hefty one. Not our league.” That was a fair comment from the retiree.

“Missing? Are you sure, Inspector?” The pronunciation of the rank was stretched to the limit by the paper boy. “The heiress could be on holiday or eloped on one. Narry a crime to do so when you are rich. Or with a poor sod like me. It will do good for the papers print. I could earn some more coppers from it”

“Spare your time to find the Ripper. That one may be at rest and its time for you to track it. You don’t want another season of killing.” That advise came from the retiree and it came with a warning. “We ain’t forgetful of it.”

So were the Elites.

“I say, old chap. I heard talks they say the Ripper is one of us.” It was a casual statement but it had its rippling effect when mentioned to a few more ears. The statement then became ‘the Ripper is said to be us’. The reaction of the Elites was from disgust to anger. When one’s emotions were compromised, logical judgement was ignored.

“Yea, recall the last time they locked us in.” Words that fanned the commoners soon flared at the Elites.

“We will show them we ain’t no softies.” The words went out and the Elites hardly fight their own war called on the undesirable after all money buys power. The group of paid thugs soon caused problems at the streets and Whitechapel was once more in the papers.

“Fighting on the streets.”

“There is no more Ripper but the Rippers are back.”

“Whitechapel strikes back. We are not your bloody slaves.”

“London under siege.”

13.

Moriarty tapped his pencil on the notepad where he was trying to solve the mathematical model presented there. It was an intriguing one but he found his thoughts shifting to the head of the Council ranting on the renewed fighting in London. It was into the third day and even the missing heiress was not reported on. He heard his name called.

“Moriarty, are you hearing me?” Doctor Moriarty looked up. He disliked being called by his name and more so by a mad man then.

“I do. And I can concur. We need to stop it.” Doctor Moriarty put on the stern face. He wanted to laugh for it was him who fanned the hate and the rioting. It was his doing to do damage on the Council. The Colonel was helping in another manner; he was killing the people on the list given to him.

“Can you move your criminals on the task?” Lord Millard asked.

“I can but many of them are already out of my influence now.”

“What shall we do then? Call in the Army?” Lord Millard looked at the General. “If its to be, I have to consult the Head.”

“Yes, our Head. Who is it?” It was a surprise move by the General but welcomed by the Doctor. He had met the General a day before and given the complexity of their relationship, he went in with simple mathematical moves to start the conversation and before then both men were drinking and sharing information. The General was a grouch due to his battle wound but he was a strategic leader too. He was adept at the mass formations and movements but compared to Doctor Moriarty, the later was adept at the stealth moves with precision. The Doctor sliced his way into the General’s mindset and set the question of the real leader.

“General, you are a great leader but do the Council knows. You can resolve the riot in hours. Unfortunately, we are the Council and yet we cannot do the decision there.” Lord Millard sighed. “We are powerful yet we are without the power. It’s for the ….”

“Ultimate leader which you are not. You are like the Parliament and yet the Queen held the final say in the decision.” The voice came from the side and everyone turned to look. There stood a man holding the watch. “I believed I am late.”

“Good day, Lord Millard. You have spoken well. Do not despair for I am not here to take your influence or maybe part of it.” The man approached the table. He smiled at the seated and then greeted them.

“Ryan Loggins. I am the elusive leader who held the power behind the Council.” The man greeted the seated. “General Smith, Doctor Moriarty, Colonel Sebastian. I am Ryan Loggins.”

“I am your leader. The one who formed the Council.”

“Preposterous! You can’t be the leader. You are …” General Smith snapped back. “I will not have you …”

“Age does not matter if one held the power to command. I can command you if I need to be. As Napoleon Bonaparte did at the age of 24 when he was made General. Two years later he led the campaign against the Austrian and their allies, the Italians. He had risen ever since then.” Ryan glared at the General.

“All of you are here on my approval. You are all deserving of the position here. General Ian Smith, you are master strategist but your wound cut short you career. Doctor Moriarty; a genius in the subject of mathematics and yet you lead a network of criminals whose loyalty was to you alone. And to you, Colonel Sebastian. As I recalled you were brought in by Doctor Moriarty but you held a quality needed now. The killer among the planners is needed to do the task needed. Thank you for eliminating the persons on the list. They have served their purpose or will be.”

Everyone looked baffled at the younger man.

“Before you asked of me, you may want to know why the Council was formed? I will tell you.”

“The Council was the idea of the Lords and Princes, with the scandals that had corroded into their realm. They were once revelled as the Royalty and untouchables. The sad events of history eroded that perception. When King John in 1215 accepted the Magna Carta at Runnymede, it also protected the aristocracy but not the common people. It did uphold one important principle; the King could not rule arbitrarily. The introduction of law was introduced to protect the people. It worked fine until King Henry renegaded on the charter and he then lost the war at Lewes. It was from there the English Parliament was formed.”

“It was in the later 16^th century that power of the monarchy recovered. It was the beginning of the conflict between the monarchy and the Lords, thus resulting in a civil war and soon after the beheading of the traitor at Whitehall. The Convention Parliament soon declared that the Government of England should be King, Lords and Commons. But it was short lived when King James II fled to France when William of Orange from the Dutch land invaded England. It left the country to the control of the Parliament. It was in then the title of the Prime Minister was introduced when Lord Horace Walpole became the First Lord of the Admiralty and Chancellor of Exchequer. He was also known as the Prime Minister.”

“The Parliament eroded in the last decades, and the demands for reform was called upon. With the Great Reform Bill passed, the common people took back control. The secret ballot was introduced and more reforms came into notice. The women suffrage was one that was debated widely.”

“The Lord and the others with links to the monarchy felt threatened by the reforms. The call was made and the Council formed. Lord Millard is the third in the succession of leaders, and with time we garner members and widen our support. We act to protect the ones which are our members. I am without a title but behold I am from the line of monarchy long before your father was born. My lineage traced back to King John in 1215 but my link had been severed and thus I am a commoner but not by birth right.”

Doctor Moriarty clapped his hands together breaking the silence in the chamber. He then stood up and bowed to the younger man.

“A remarkable tale on the history of England rulers and Lords. Now may I leave?” Doctor Moriarty picked up his cane and hat.

“No, you may not. Doctor Moriarty, the appointment to the Council is bounded by the oath of loyalty and death will be its unbinding consideration.” Ryan looked at the Doctor. “Colonel Sebastian will perform the deed for me should you take another step.”

Doctor Moriarty turned and saw the Colonel was looking at him. It was obvious then that the Doctor had no choice in the matter. He then sat down and looked at the younger man.

“Assuming we are …. the Council and its now revealed leader, tell us what do you want of us.” Doctor Moriarty replaced the cane on the side of his chair.

“The Council was assigned a task to stop the Ripper which have gone into …… hibernation. The Ripper return have created mayhem which we cannot tolerate. The common people have already demonstrated their anger at us, and the large killer taunts us. When will it return?”

“And the killer may be one of us by that I meant the Elites or the Lords and …. Monarchy as you may termed it.” Doctor Moriarty snapped back. “He …. or she may be from there. After all, the mathematical probability is an absolute possibility.”

“True words, Doctor. I respect you for covering the followers of yours and yes, I believe so that we cannot ignore the …. Elites. They are beyond reproach but there could be a few rotten apples.” Ryan replied. “Pray tell me if you suspect any.”

“You for one, young man. You are capable of doing it for power to you can be …. intimidating perhaps. Or over whelming.” Doctor Moriarty smiled. “But given your character, I doubt you are a killer. There are killers and …. planners.”

“Who may that be then, Doctor Moriarty?” The tone of Ryan Loggins took on a tone of irritability. “The Ripper?”

“I am unsure but I am investigating and protecting.” Doctor Moriarty smiled. “That what the Council was to do.”

“Then find the Ripper. The killer may come back for one more kill or more.” Ryan told Doctor Moriarty. “Don’t let him be our nightmare forever.”