a study in wizardry

date night

John enters - suited and booted and in a bit of a panic. 'I need to get some air to the brain. We're going out tonight.' 'Actually - I've got a date.' 'What?' 'It's where two people who like each other go out and have fun.' 'That's what I was suggesting.' Peals of laughter come from the kitchen. 'No, it wasn't... At least I hope not... Hi, Everett' 'Uncle John' Sherlock finds his wallet. 'Where are you taking her?' 'Cinema.' 'Hardly original. What about this?' He digs into his wallet and takes out a scrap of paper. It is the tiny shred of a poster that he peeled off the wall from the railway arches. 'In London for one night only.' 'Thanks, but I don't come to you for dating advice.' John looks at the paper there's no picture. Just a scrap that says 'CIRCUS' and has the box office phone number.

John and Sarah hurry along East End Street. 'It's years since anyone took me to the circus.' 'A friend recommended it to me. He phoned up.' 'Is it a touring company or something?' 'I don't know much about it.' They turn the corner. She sees the venue. 'I think it's probably from China. The front facade is decorated in a hundred Chinese lanterns. There is a poster: 'The Yellow Dragon Circus'. I've got two reserved for tonight.' 'What name is it?' 'Er... Holmes.' 'Actually, I have three in that name.' Before handing him an envelope with the name 'SHERLOCK HOLMES' on it. 'Oh, no. I think that's an error. He booked two.' 'And then I phoned back and got one for me as well.' John doesn't need to turn around to know his date has been crashed. She turns and sees Sherlock behind them in the queue. 'I'm Sherlock.'

Sherlock and John are arguing outside the ladies' loo. 'You couldn't let me have one night off?' 'The Yellow Dragon Circus! One day they're in London. It fits. The Tong sent an assassin to England...' 'Dressed up as a tight rope walker? Come on, Sherlock. Behave!' 'A killer who can climb! Who can shin up a rope! Where else would you find that level of dexterity? Exit visas are scarce in China. They'd need some reason to get out of the country, wouldn't they? I just need to have a little look round the place...' 'Fine. You go ahead. I'll take Sarah off for a pint.' 'I need your help.' 'Look, I do have one or two other things on my mind this evening.' Sherlock scoffs 'Like what?' John looks at him disbelieving. 'You are kidding?' 'What's so important?' 'Sherlock - I'm right in the middle of a date. You want me to accost some killer whilst I'm trying to...' 'What?' John can't think of a delicate word, so... 'Whilst I'm trying to get off with Sarah!' Said person then comes out of the toilet, John forces a smile. 'Ready?'

There are no seats in the derelict music hall. The audience stands in the empty space inside a ring of candles. In the centre is a tall tripod covered with a black cloth. A female performer enters, dressed in the makeup and robes of the Chinese opera (rouged face and gold head-dress). A drummer bangs out a monotonous beat on the Dagu drum. An eerily familiar sound. The same drum they heard at the museum... The same drum Van Coon and Lukis both heard...

The opera singer pulls off the cloth. Balanced on the tripod is an evil-looking ballista - an ancient Chinese crossbow. At one end is the long metal shaft, ready to fire. At the other end hangs a metal bowl on a chain, dangling from the trigger. A big crash from the drummer. From her robes, the opera singer produces a lethal-looking crossbow bolt. She puts it in the ballista mechanism and cocks the spring. A wooden plank (cut into the shape of a man) is strapped to the apron of the stage. The ballista points straight at its imaginary heart. The opera singer raises her hands for silence. Hush. Then drum roll. She extracts a white feather from her headdress. Gently she drops the feather into the metal bowl. The mechanism is so sensitive that the weight of the feather pulls the trigger down and releases the spring. The deadly dart fires straight into the plank. The audience gasps. The opera singer retrieves the dart from the plank and replaces it in the ballista.

A masked warrior enters, dressed all in black - short and muscular. 'I think I know what's coming.' He stands against the plank. The opera singer ties him with thick cords so he is unable to move. 'Dear God. What are they going to do now?' 'Ancient Chinese escapology act. The crossbow is on a delicate spring. The warrior has to escape his bonds before it fires.' 'Well, that sounds like ideal entertainment for a Friday night.' Crash! Sarah jumps again and clutches John for comfort. The ballista spring is pulled back. Then... A long golden rope is lowered from the ceiling. Attached to the bottom end is a sandbag. The rope runs up and over a beam. Attached to the end of the roof is a metal weight, shaped like a teardrop.