The Case of Elaina

The Great Game

Elaina hurried around the corner of the street almost opposite the familiar flat. She noticed the police cordoning off the area and made her way swiftly through the small crowd of gawking onlookers without the prying eyes of the officers watching she went under the barrier. Elaina froze briefly when she saw the brick and dust scattered all over the road and pavement.

A fire engine was still on the scene with its fire hoses scattered.

Elaina hurried towards 221 and raced up the stairs. Her eyes were drawn to the boarded-up windows. Elaina calmed herself when she noted Sherlock plucking the strings of the violin he was holding on his chest while he glared petulantly towards John's chair.

Knowing fully well she wanted no part of the conversation she began to slink backward towards the shadows of the stairs.

"You may as well stay, Miss Elaina," Mycroft said from where he was sitting in John's chair.

Elaina let out an annoyed huff of air but begrudgingly went to stand by Sherlock.

"I can't," Sherlock voiced once he was sure that Elaina was done with her deductions.

"'Can't'?" Mycroft echoed.

"The stuff I've got on is just too big. I can't spare the time,"

Mycroft rolled his eyes "never mind your usual trivia. This is of national importance,"

Elaina smirked with an idea as she watched Sherlock sulk "How's the diet?"

Mycroft sent a glare towards the young girl "Fine." he turned around in the chair to face the front door "Perhaps you can get through to him, John,"

Sherlock and Elaina looked up to see the deshelved Doctor standing at the doorway out of breath.

"I saw it on the telly. Are you okay?"

Sherlock nodded mindlessly "Oh, yeah. Fine. Gas leak,"

"Apparently," Elaina scoffed as she observed the damage to the room.

Sherlock turned back towards Mycroft "If you're so keen, why don't you investigate it?"

"No-no-no-no-no. I can't possibly be away from the office for any length of time-not with the Korean elections so..." Mycroft cleared his throat as he remembered who was still in the room "Well, you don't need to know about that, do you? Besides, a case like this-it requires...legwork,"

"How's Sarah, John?" Sherlock voiced "How was the lilo?"

"Sofa," Elaina corrected "It was the sofa,"

"Oh, yes, of course,"

John looked at the duo "How...? Oh, never mind,"

"Sherlock's business seems booming since you and he became...pals," Mycroft reasoned. "What's he like to live with? Hellish, I imagine,"

"I'm never bored." John shrugged "Especially with how often Elaina sneaks in here,"

"I'm surprised you haven't given her a key,"

"He's tried." Elaina pointed out.

Mycroft offered John a folder "Andrew West,"

"Known as Westie to his friends," Elaina added.

"A civil servant, found dead on the tracks at Battersea Station this morning with his head smashed in,"

"Jumped in front of a train?" John reasoned.

"Seems the logical assumption,"

"But..." Elaina said.

"But?"

"Well, you wouldn't be here if it was just an accident,"

Mycroft huffed in annoyance at the girl "The MOD is working on a new missile defense system-the Bruch-Partington Programme, it's called. The plans for it were on a memory stick,"

John snickered "That wasn't very clever,"

"It's not the only copy. But it is a secret. And missing,"

"Top secret?" Elaina perked up.

"Very. We think West must have taken the memory stick. We can't possibly risk it falling into the wrong hands. You've got to find those plans, Sherlock. Don't make me order you,"

"I'd like to see you try," Sherlock said calmly.

"Think it over. Goodbye, John, El,"

"That's Elaina to you!" Elaina shouted after the man as he left the flat. She watched Sherlock until she was well aware that Mycroft was away "Why'd you lie?" Elaina took a seat cross-legged on John's chair so Sherlock would look at her "You've got nothing on not a single case,"

"Oh!" John realized "Oh, I see,"

Elaina looked over at John in confusion.

"Sibling rivalry." John reasoned "Now we're getting somewhere,"

Sherlock rolled his eyes when his cellphone rang "Sherlock Holmes. Of course. How could I refuse?"

As Sherlock stood up he hung up the phone and headed for the door after placing his violin down.

"Lestrade. I've been summoned." Sherlock glanced over at John as he tossed Elaina her jacket "Coming?"

"If you want me to," John shrugged.

"If I have to," Elaina groaned in annoyance at having to go to the department.

"Of course. I'd be lost without my blogger and network,"