Team of Seven Heroes Shorts Tales 3; Chapter 18

18.

“Brute, you are hurting me.” Oliver Millard aka Igor heard the plea from the lady he had imprisoned. He was with her earlier and in his frustration, he had twisted her left arm. She then rolled over before smoothened the skirt over her legs. 

The brute was without any finesse in his approach and it hurt her. She then pushed herself up but was pulled by the hair at the rear. She was yanked back to the bedding and then felt the brute was onto her. She fought back then by pushing him but he was stronger and then his fists came onto her face. She felt the blow and rolled to avoid them but he relentless. He kept on calling her names and then she felt him lifted off her.

“Stop it, Igor.” It was the other older lady. The lady was seen outside the dungeon cell, but it was the first time she saw the lady stepping in.

“You will behave, Igor.” That was a stern command by the lady. The brute got up and then rushed off. The lady then turned to leave but stopped to look at the battled lady.

“Are you hurt badly?” It was a funny question to be asked when it was obvious that the lady’s face was bleeding.

“I will get you some bandages.” It was then the lady saw the other was pulling her legs to walk. She knew then the chance to escape was there. She got up and ran for the door. She pushed the elderly lady and then ran out. She was not in a dungeon but some huge covered area. There was not many furniture but there was two tables and some cabinets. The place smelled of cleaning materials. She saw the covered form on the table. She approached it to fling open the cover. It was a lady lying there, nude and there were electrodes attached to her. She was breathing but unmoving. She screamed then.

“Please don’t …” The lady turned to the elderly lady who was then crawling on the floor. “I did…”

The lady knew that if she stayed on, she will not get away. She saw the doorway and ran towards it. It led to the outside and there were two trails. The left one lead to a huge mansion further ahead while the next one led to the woods. She took the one on the right.

Meanwhile then at the factory. Illinois crawled to the table and pulled herself up. She saw then the lady lying there. She knew who it was but it had been some time since she last looked at the person.

“Shelly……Would you ever forgive me?” Illinois asked for forgiveness and then reached for the power lever. He pulled it down and watched the lights on the electrodes all dimmed. It was to be done. And Igor will forgive her.

“Forgiving is for the sinner.” Mycroft heard the call. He shook his head and then realized he was at the party. He was unsure what was it and why did that happen then. He took in his realization that he was attending the party. He looked at himself. He was without his shirt and on his chest, he had food layered there like a painting. He looked around and saw the others.

Lord Millard was dancing on the floor. And he was nude.

Oliver Millard was there too. He was humping some lady that Mycroft had not met before. He was naked from waist down and he had the cat o none which he was whipping the lady on the back.

Colonel Sebastian was there. He was dancing but with his rifle as the dancing partner.

He saw then the Ripper. All covered in the cloak but beneath it were the sets of knives. He was holding a living organ in his hand.

It does not make sense. The party was never that wild. He was one before. Then he saw Ryan Loggins. The figure was standing there smiling. He was dressed in the overcoat and was holding in his right hand, the surgical blade too.

Was he the Ripper? Mycroft asked himself. Or was he mad.

“Mycroft, you ought to stay connected.” Mycroft saw the person talking to him. It was Sherlock.

“You are not real.” Mycroft forced himself to speak. “I am …”

“I am real, Mycroft. I am Sherlock.” Mycroft felt the shake on his shoulders. He turned to look up and saw Sherlock again. The later offered him a drink.

“You were drugged. It’s Absinthe.” Sherlock who was real then told Mycroft. “Cough it out. You have to. The Ripper is killing them.

Ripper? Mycroft senses heightened on the name being mentioned. He opened his mouth and it was then Sherlock stuck the finger. It wasn’t orally pleasurable but it made Mycroft threw up. Whatever he had in him came out in the gushes of vomit. He rolled over and more vomit came out.

“Holmes, he is getting away.” Mycroft heard the call and he looked up. He saw Sherlock chasing someone. It was Watson and the other was chasing someone else.

It was all a …. Nightmare. Mycroft told himself. He clenched his teeth and tried to sit up. He was slowly sitting up. He will get up.

“Mycroft, get up.” Mycroft shook his head once more. He looked at the one who called him. It was Lord Millard.

“Help us, Mycroft. Ryan gone mad. He is killing the people.” Mycroft saw the killer named by Lord Millard pointing to the young aide. The other was covered in blood and was slashing the lady on the flooring. He sliced the lady on the chest to reach inside. He saw three other ladies laid there with the chest sliced. He turned over and tried to stand up. He saw then the other killer.

It was the unknown man until recently.

“Igor in the name of God, please stop.” Lord Millard called out.

Igor? Mycroft tried to make sense of the name. He could remember the name was Oliver Millard.

Why Oliver? Did the name matter then?

“No, this is mine to do. I am the Ripper too. I will kill them all.” Igor called out. “The Ripper told me to learn. Its more fun than hurting them. Here I hurt them from the inside.

Mycroft heard the cries from the ones who could make out the situation. They all looked drugged but maybe some were lapsing between it like him. He sat up on his haunches and saw the Lord Millard threatened by the one named Igor.

“No. Oliver. I am your uncle.” Lord Millard would never understand why his nephew killed him then. Mycroft saw the Lord fell on his face with the nephew standing behind with bloodied blade in his right hand.

“Sir, you are next.” Mycroft saw the young killer approaching him. He reached for the hem of his pants. He pulled it up and revealed the derringer. It was the standard issue for the double prefix for the close duel. It held two bullets and that was all he needed. He pulled it out and shot the young killer in the face.

Mycroft saw the other killer looking at him. He levelled the gun and the man turned to run. He fired the last bullet and saw it hit the fleeing killer in the back but that did not stop the killer. He tried to stand up and was then surprised by the banging on the doors. He looked towards it and saw the doors broke down. A group of men in blues stormed in. Mycroft smiled then.

“Stay at your places.”

Not many of them moved even for the living ones.

“Tell me, dear Sir. What happened here?”

“I am unclear.” Mycroft recalled replying. He then heard the shout from the doorway.

“Lord Millard’s house is burning. The mobs are doing it. We need to be there to reinforce.”

Re-tracking two hours earlier, the carriage carrying Igor and Victor stopped when the rider got the signal. Victor disembarked there.

“Victor, I could take us back. It’s a long walk.” Igor offered but Victor declined. He stepped from the carriage and then held the overcoat with the hood over his face. He had to get back to the lady. It was all he was concerned on. Igor told him that he hit the imprisoned one and hurt his knuckles. That drew more concern from Victor. He then took the long walk back. He decided to take to the woods where there was less chance of him being sighted.

Unknown to him, a wagon pulled up at the nearby Station. The rider disembarked and then assisted the lady into the Station. All it took was half an hour and the mob slowly forming. The lady soon stepped out.

“I am Dorothy Bromfield. I was held against my will and forced upon.”

“Who was it?”

“The Ripper.”