Chapter Ten: Happiness

Waking up to see Moriarty's face looming above you was the stuff of nightmares. Lestrade tried to spit out a biting remark but found her mouth was gagged.

"Mmph umble mmphft!" She’d also been shackled to a chair.

Moriarty smiled at her, looking like a child on Christmas morning. "Don't worry, Beth. I'll make every thing right. Very soon. I promise." He turned away and faded into the gloom.

"Muat?" (What?)

*******

Artemis blinked as a faint light burnt his pupils. After what seemed to be eternity, the man, whom he presumed was Professor Moriarty, had unchained them and taken them out of the little black room. Now he led them, with an entourage of Goblins, down a rough tunnel.

The light was coming from a naked bulb that swung listlessly from the ceiling of the cavern they had just entered.

In front of the group, three children were tied to a fence teetering on the lip of a chasm. Artemis looked back to Moriarty. The Professor had taken out a laser and was toying with it happily as he talked rather excitedly to Lestrade. Artemis' eyes widened in horror and he looked towards Holly. She'd gone terribly pale.

*******

Everything was going completely according to plan. Beth did, however, look quite frightened, which shot misgivings into his mind. But, he reasoned, that was only because he hadn't explained everything to her yet. Once she understood, everything would be okay. She'd be happy then. Forever.

*******

Fenwick stood petrified in the shadows behind Moriarty. That face. It was her. Of all the people, it had to be her. Fate was a horrible person.

He swallowed the lump in his throat. His realisation wouldn't have been so bad if only Master would put away that laser. If only... but Fenwick was fully aware his Master would do no such thing. He'd heard him piece together his plan. He'd encouraged him to go through with it. Not that he'd needed urging, his mind being as far gone as it was. And, right up until three seconds ago, Fenwick had wholeheartedly agreed with this new plan of the Master’s. But not now. Oh no, not now.

Dropping silently to his knees, Fenwick started to pray. Something he'd never done before in his life.