The lady soon left, and Aliona started swearing. "I. Do. Not. Need. A. Bodyguard. That lady is an idiot, an insult to the human race!" and she carried on in that train of thought for quite a while.

"Ok, just be quiet a bit." I said, exasperated. "We told Jim where we were quite a while ago. It would take a bit of time for them to realise that something was wrong. Then they'd have to plan something, and then execute it. Which means... They should have been here 2 minutes ago."

"let me see if I can reach my knife." Aliona muttered, struggling with the ropes.

"Just sit still a moment, will you?" came a familiar voice.

"Uncle." Aliona breathed, as the knife cut our ropes.

"Jim Moriarty." the lady said, walking back into the main room. We stayed seated as if we hadn't been cut loose.

Jim looked up, and saw her. "Hello. Come to your death willingly? That's a first."

"There's a first time for everything." She said, walking closer.

"Uncle, where's Tiger? Only you promised to look after him." Aliona asked, pretending to be a spoilt girl.

"He managed to crawl across the roof of his cage." Jim said, catching on to her meaning.

"You put my cat in a cage?" Aliona asked angrily.

"Afraid so." Jim said cheerfully. So Seb was on the roof, or in the rafters of the warehouse. Somewhere where he could see the proceedings, and could shoot someone if need be.

"Well, now, Jim." The lady said. "As you seem to have come all this way for nothing else..." She stepped forward a bit more.

Aliona looked at me. "I'm not sure I like this." she muttered.

"No." I agreed.

"You left me to fend for myself!" the lady growled, inches away from Jim.

"You betrayed my organisation." Jim replied. "I really couldn't let you stay. And, despite what you think, there was nothing, and I repeat nothing, between us."

"I've built myself a better organisation, where I'm in charge. And anyway, how would you know?" The lady asked.

"So where is this wonderful organisation? And you'd be surprised." Jim replied. It was almost like there were two conversations going on.

"Not here. And try me." she growled. She took another step forward. Jim stepped back.
I turned back to say something to Aliona, heard a muffled shout, and then a gunshot.

"Thanks, Seb." Jim called, kicking the body away from him.

My brother appeared a few seconds later. "I wasn't going to let her kiss you." He explained.

"Well, I didn't want her to either, and you helped me get rid of another consulting criminal. So I have to thank you."

"I should hope so." Seb muttered, removing the remainder of the bullets from the gun, and putting them in his pocket.

We left the warehouse, and made our way back to the house, which was one of Jim's many safe houses.