Team of Seven Heroes Shorts Tales 3; Chapter 9 & 10

9.

Inspector Weston had his arms full then with the Commissioner added on pressure to the Ripper’s case. They have dismissed new cases as other murders and even have the crime scene cleaned before the papers got wind of the murder. It was all a cover up to avoid the pressure from the public but that was not the expected response. The public had called for the murderer to be discovered and left to reign in the near future. It was in the papers although it resided in the later pages.

“Ripper away for now. New season to begin when?”

“Do we rest till the Ripper returns?”

The Commissioner down played the threat and kept the papers at bay but the inner sections of the authorities were at logger heads.

“Sir Millard, I can’t hand over everything we have on the Ripper to you.” The Commissioner made his stand. “I have my own people on the task.”

“I don’t care if you have the Queen’s endorsement. I am the Commissioner here.” Quoted and relayed by the Lord himself to the Parliament, and to his own Council.

“I say the Commissioner is brave or opting to retire early.” General Smith addressed the Council members on the Commissioner words but his eyes will not see the new member to the Council. He was still compiling information on the Colonel then. They were in the regular meetings required by the Council. They have a huge organization with over a thousand members.

“Doctor Moriarty, how does your vagabonds on the street viewed the news now?” General Smith was not to mince his words then. “I am sure with their huge numbers they will know more than us.”

“As well as your obedient boys do; they follow orders but no suspects yet. As for my ring of killers, none of them are involved in the killings.  We hold a code of conduct in our realm.”

“Gentlemen, let us be like them. We have not made much progress with the task. I have asked the help of the higher authorities…. God forgive me but I was not referring to her. I asked the nation Intelligence section to assist.” Lord Millard voiced out as the leader. “The Ripper must be found.”

“Maybe the Ripper is …. not of us…. I meant the criminal ones.” Doctor Moriarty released a chuckle then.

“The coal calling the other black.” General Smith cut in. “Lemmings have the same notion. I jump and they all jump.”

“The community have expressed their involvement and it did not include the Ripper.” Doctor Moriarty defended the people he learned to live and work with. “However, we cannot ignore all the date presented in an equation. It may be a major oversight.”

“An oversight?” Lord Millard voiced out. “Perhaps Napoleon had that at Waterloo.”

“If the common data will be an oversight, then perhaps we should look from a different angle.” Moriarty recount his calculations. He then snapped in the pertinent question. “Tell me of the parties you hold. Please do not be modest. We are peers here.”

Everyone at the table except the two who was prepared for the question. Lord Henry let off the clearing in his throat. He excused himself from the table. General Smith reacted with anger. He stood up and slammed his fist on the table.

“Its preposterous. The Council protects its own. You are a disgrace to the Council. Leave us before we are forced to kill you.” General Smith raised the threat.

“General Smith, let it rest. Doctor Moriarty have a point. We cannot protect our own if the ones with us are tainted.” Lord Henry cut in. “I am a realist.”

“And the Council respects that request. After all, the request may be the answer to the issue.” Lord Millard sighed. He had organized the parties but had feared the new members may had tarnished its intention like the Spaniards. He was enraged that such event was to take place.

“The Council sanction it.”  

Mycroft had his own sanctions approved then. He was in front of the mirror and adjusted his coat before he ensured his shirt was tucked in. He then checked his hair; a gentleman was conscious of the looks.

“You may want me to ruffle them once more.” Mycroft looked into the image that reflected the housekeeper. She was already dressed in a yellow dress with the corset holding the once pride of her’. And the tray with the tea pot and cups and the plate of scones.

“You are dressed and I doubt I could last that long through the layers there.” Mycroft smiled.

“I am prepared for anything. I will show you.” Mrs. Hudson bend down to place the tray on the table. She then pulled at the hem of the dress. “No restrictions there. You can have my back.”

“I can agree.” And Mycroft was not denying that he was too fast on the withdrawals but it helped them to have a decent tea party then.

“Mad Hatter will be holding one party tomorrow. Its at the Luke’s Den.” Luke’s Den was an underground place where the wild activities are held. Mrs Hudson could get him in but only with a promise he will come back clean.

“I have myself washed with carbolic soap.” Mycroft smiled. “I will be clean.”

Clean was what Doctor Moriarty always stressed in his life. He prefers them that way like the equation he performs; they always come clean with the result. Never results but the real result.

“Doctor Moriarty, I find the General will be a hindrance.” Colonel Sebastian broke the silence then with the tea getting cold. They were seated once more in the Doctor’s library and the Butler had taken a trip to the marketplace. He complained that the larders were getting empty.

“Thank you for pointing out the obvious.” Doctor Moriarty smiled at the Colonel. “We will handle the General but not for now.”

“And pray tell me.” Colonel Sebastian looked puzzled.

“For someone who was supposed to be experience in the field of Intelligence and tasks that may not be read, you are a bad bridge player.” Doctor Moriarty smiled, He reached for the tea and then held back. He remembered it was cold.

“Like the tea, the Colonel will be cold soon. But for now, we have another task here. Lord Millard told him he has the Intelligence send someone to track the Ripper. An Intelligence officer by the name of Mycroft Holmes.” Doctor Moriarty explained. He saw the concern look on the Colonel.

“I doubt the other Holmes is involved.” Doctor Moriarty continued on. “He is preoccupied in overseas and we shall use the opportunity to complete our tasks now. We will let the Holmes do the task.”

Colonel Sebastian nodded. He knew from his years of services, he will bid his time. So was Lord Thomas Henry who was always the quiet one who then decided to confer with Lord Millard.

“I am having concerns on bringing in the Intelligence into the Ripper case. We may be exposed in their investigation.” Lord Henry looked at Lord Millard. The other smiled.

“The Intelligence have their work outlined and in my position as the overseer there, I will be privy to the details. Its from there, I will be able to advise on the next move. If the details are against our interest, I will have them omitted.”

“A wise move, Lord Millard but an overseer may at times err or be late in getting the information. The double prefix is an independent section where they answer to no one or section. They are the ‘wild dogs’ as nicknamed by the other sections.” Lord Henry placed his words carefully.

“Wild dogs? I believe that term evaded me. I believed the parallel to that will be they are rabies infected. Well, the Ripper is one, and we shall have our one to counter it. More to it, if they are unsuccessful, we are not affected by it.”

“I pray you are right, Lord Millard.” Those words were uttered cold towards the Lord Millard.

10.

Inspector Weston was once more or was it his frequent visit of his there to examine the reports. He avoided the Surgeon Frasier who was close to Inspector Niles. There was an animosity between Weston and the coroner. He will just grab the reports and read it in the corner before returning it.

Unfortunately, the Morgue had limited space to move with the Ripper’s victims filling up the area. There were issues for there were doubts that some of those victims may not be the works of the Ripper. The cuts varied and some were in a rush but the last counts were nine victims.

“Reading my reports without asking me.” It was the Surgeon. And he was not asking a question, he was stating a statement.

“Yes, I was. I am intrigue….”

“The victims vary in their cuts. Yes, I reported that. Of the last four identified to be the Ripper’s victims, only two have the consistent cuts. But when I traced back to the other victims not recorded as the Ripper’s, there was one other. So, are we looking at a series of killers? Perhaps, or one which may be in rush.”

“I …” Inspector Weston was cut off.

“I do not speak at your Station on your work so don’t do mine here. Ever since the outcry on the Ripper, there were murders that were similar but in the working I do, I know where the lean and fat meats are located, and how to slice it. Unfortunately, not all of it was consistent like in our victims.”

“Thank you, Doctor.” Inspector Weston took to his heels but was stopped by the Surgeon.

“I am a Surgeon. And shall remain as one until I retire. Do not mixed up my profession.” Surgeon Frasier snapped out but the Inspector was past listening. He was out and then back at his desk. He grabbed the pile of folders and perused the contents. It was the listing of known killers. He perused the names and then called on the constables.

“I want these idiots in the Station by tonight.”

It was a bunch of idiots that was at the party but no one cared of the branding for they have paid their dues for it, and aimed to collect back as much. Mycroft had arrived in the pressed suit from Saville which he regretted shortly. He was offered a half mask by the servant at the doorway.

“Mask? Am in the Opera now?”

“A matter of discretion, my Lord.” The servant replied. “There are those who preferred to be anonymous.”

Mycroft took the offer and donned the half mask that covered his left side of the face to the lower cheek bone. He was tempted to scream then. He was then taken into the dungeon and shown a different world from above.

The so named dungeon was lighted up by the torches and the fireplaces with the walls decorated with the garish shades of cloths and raunchy paintings that made it looked like a Roman orgy brothel which it was then. The place was furnished with long seats covered with satins or silk covers, and there were the tables laden with food and drinks. That was a fair expectation of a party but that one had ladies in cages hung on chains from the ceiling, with the men auctioning for them like slaves, and there were other slaves already in the act with their masters or mistresses if gender mattered then. If the orthodox followers which they were none there they would not had sanction the openly displayed of lust by the party goers.

“Well, hello there Phantom. I am sure you could make me scream out louder.” Mycroft found his right elbow taken up by a young lady dressed in a very revealing manner. He smiled and then told her he was looking for his friend.

“He is a guy and we are close.” Mycroft added that later piece for the jest of it.

“Oh, I am one too.” The lady leaned over to whispered to his ears. “I have one too. And I loved to be ridden from the rear.”

“Oh!” Mycroft feigned a smile. His sexual desire did not extend to all the areas. He was to move on when the lady stood in front of him and backed the body onto him.

“Ooooh!” The lady crooned out. Mycroft had enough and grabbed the lady by back of the neck and applied the pressure. Soon she was out and laid on the divan nearby. It was a trick they learned at the training school; it was called the death pressure taught by the Japanese. Mycroft ignored the posture the lady was laid but he was busy trying pick out the party members. He could make out two Army senior officers; retired thankfully but still randy in the picking. He saw a Parliament Secretary and knew that the affairs of the lust could never be contained within the confines of cupboards and hotels not when the man behaved like an obedient donkey. He shook his head that he voted for the employer of the man. He saw then Lord Millard himself; a non-participant by the way he was moving around the place, but he has an assistant taking attendance. So, the old fox was not running from the hounds but counting them for his own records. He marked the young man for a ‘roger-ing’ later.

“Gracious!” Mycroft mumbled to himself. It seems that the place had left him with some imaginations.

“See anyone you like, Colonel?” Lord Millard stood next to the fellow member of the Council. Colonel Sebastian was wearing the mask with the nose that resembled a long beak. He was dressed in the tweeds and thought with that he will be seen as incognito there. 

“Why, Lord Millard. I am …

“Do not stutter there, Colonel. We are not young boys anymore.  Ease out of your normal self and enjoy.” Colonel Millard snapped back before turning to his aide. “Ryan, do not enter the Colonel’s name please. He needed more discretion.”

“Oh, Colonel, My personal aide, Ryan Loggins. Fine man and secretary.” Both men shook hands and then they were on their own tasks. The name of the aide was overheard by Mycroft who had approached to the trio. He saw the three gentlemen took on their own routes and decided to follow the younger man. He was to take the steps when he saw one that not expected to be there.

The Commissioner himself. 

The man was covered with a red cloak and a sceptre with his head wearing what may be a King’s throne. He was marching behind two ladies and singing some lurid song.

Mycroft turned away and missed the departure of the aide. He searched the area but the aide was missing. He cursed himself for being distracted.

That distraction did not evade the Colonel who had the aide tagged. He saw the aide stepped out of the dungeon and followed suit. The trail took to the upper level and then into what maybe be described as the study room. The aide took his seat behind the desk and then begin writing on the folder there. Colonel Sebastian entered the study room with the slight opening and was surprised when the aide voiced out.

“Come and be seated, Colonel Sebastian. There is no need to stay hidden.”

Ryan Loggins description was seen better in the study area without the distractions. He was a younger man as described but his look precedes his years. He looked older there with the spectacles perched on the nose bridge, and his cheekbones were more pronounced then. He was dressed in the three pieces sui of dark grey and his fingers were devoid of any marital relationship. He held a watch that was heard clicking away on the strokes. The sound was mesmerising to the ears. 

“I am not only the aide of Lord Millard but his personal guardian of his estate and wellbeing. As for you, Colonel Moran Sebastian, I have little knowledge of you besides your gallantry in battle both at the Frontier and Africa, with some time in the Far East.”

“That was four years ago. I was posted to Peking.” Colonel Sebastian replied.

“Yes, a fine gentleman and marksman. Was it with the Enfield and Webley too. I read your records. Sealed but accessible for me with the seal of approval by Lord Millard.” The one named Ryan voiced out. “You retired and kept a low profile I was advised but there were talks; unfounded naturally that you involved in the world of killing once more. Your marksman skills made you the perfect killer.”

“Perhaps you may think I am the Ripper then.” Colonel Sebastian cut in. “After all, most of us in the profession of killing may be one. And almost all of those downstairs would have qualified and some does have the killing attribute and murder in a few.”

“Singular in your thought defined your dedication to the world of marksmanship. You are too focus on the narrowly defined context. You see everything from the scope of the rifle but I am different. I looked it from multiple angles. And you are not the Ripper but I stand to question your involvement with the Council. The Council as you may know by now, are concerned people of the nation which have the means to safeguard the nation …. By whatever means it will take.”

“Criminals turning to be heroes? I applaud them and you.” Colonel Sebastian. “I joined the Council on the singular as in your word, to do more killing. I am a killer and without that act, I am dead or near death.”

“And then am I your next target?” Ryan asked the question. “You did follow me here. And I have not offer you a drink yet.”

“I followed you to know who are you. I am intrigued for I can see that you are the one who have all the answers to the Council.” Colonel Sebastian in turn then took the seat opposite the desk. “The Council offers me nothing new but with you I can see something different.”

“An intriguing thought. What could I offer?”

“The Council. I can help you remove all of them.”

“Intriguing. I know that may be more … powerful but I am not sure if that I want to be. Nevertheless, I will think about it.” Ryan replied. “And you may be assured that this will be our secret.”

“Just as the secret that I will keep for you that you came to kill me just how.” Ryan smiled. “Now be gone. You will be missed at the party.”

“By the way, Colonel. I have a list of names to remove. Could you do it for me? Consider it as a sign of your loyalty to me.”

The Colonel left with his mind asking why didn’t he kill the other then. The other knew of his profession and even offered him some tasks. He was also unsure why he offered to remove the Council members. He will need to betray the doctor. The one other person that he had sworn to serve. For an officer to betray the commanding officer was a treachery move.

The Colonel was to be a traitor.