Clique of 221B

Chapter 28: Assassination?

"So you're off now?" You hear Mycroft say to Lady Smallwood. You're sat down to the side of the filing cabinet in Mycroft's office. Lady Smallwood doesn't know you're there. Both Mycroft and Lady Smallwood are putting on their coats. "I won't see you for a week?" He asks. Lady Smallwood looks in the mirror on the wall as she adjusts her coat.
"Just spending it at home - unless she calls." She turns away from the mirror to face Mycroft.
"The P.M." Mycroft says with an understanding voice. Lady Smallwood holds out a small card to him,
"Here."
"What's this?"
"My number."
"I already have your number."
"My private number."
"Why would I need that?"
"I don't know. Maybe you'd like a drink some time." Oh, great. Mycroft frowns,
"Of what?"
"Up to you." She gives him a smile. "Call me." Mycroft on a date, I can't think of a more disastrous situation. What am I thinking. Why would it be disastrous? Mycroft's perfectly entitled to date whoever he wants. She turns and leaves. Mycroft turns to follow, looking at the card then chuckles. You walk over to his desk and sit on the edge. Go on then [Y/N] make it worse for yourself.
"Mycroft's got a girlfriend!" You say in a sing song voice. Why did I just do that? He rolls his eyes at you. He turns back and drops the card on his desk. Mycroft turns and starts to walk away, then he stops and turns back. I'd better cover my back. "Mycroft Holmes if you don't pick this stupid card up and put her number in your phone, I will get involved. And you do not want me to get involved." Nice save. He stands in front of you and taps his fingers on the desk next to the card. You tilt your head towards it. He sighs, but with a smile on his face he picks up the card and takes his phone out of his pocket. You take the phone out of his hand and create a new contact.
"Name?" You ask.
"Alicia Smallwood." You type it in, frowning.
"I thought her name was Elizabeth?"
"Why did you think that?"
"I don't know. I think I just heard it somewhere." He shrugs,
"That might has been one of her old aliases. You're known by a lot of names."
"Been doing some digging Mr Holmes?"
"Out of pure interest."
"Anything of a particular interest?"
"I'll let you know." You smile returning your attention to the card in his hand,
"Her number?"

The next day...

Mycroft has gone to stay in his country house for the weekend. He did ask if you wanted to go with him but you have quite a lot of work to do. When you say work you mean sorting out something that's been bugging you for a while now. You easily hack into the security footage of the aquarium on the night Mary died. You see Vivian Norbury stood with Sherlock. You turn the volume up and hear Vivian say,
"I knew this would happen one day.
"It's like that old story."
"I really am a very busy man. Would you mind cutting to the chase?"
"You're very sure of yourself, aren't you?"
"With good reason."
"There was once a merchant in a famous market in Baghdad." Sherlock closes his eyes, looking very done.
"I really have never liked this story."
"I'm just like the merchant in the story. I thought I could outrun the inevitable. I've always been looking over my shoulder, always expecting to see the grim figure of-"
"Death." Mary interrupts as she walks into the room and stops at Sherlock's side,
"Hello, Mary."
"Hey."
"John?"
"On his way."
"Let me introduce Amo."
"You were Amo?" Sherlock looks at Mary. "You were the person on the phone that time?"
"Using AGRA as her private assassination unit."
"Why did you betray us?" Norbury shrugs,
"Why does anyone do anything?" And you freeze. You register that Sherlock's speaking but you can't comprehend what he's saying. Because those words; that phrase. Is what he always used to say to you, it's the words which haunt your memories, dreams, and nightmares.
...
"So I punched him." You shove him playfully,
"You what? Why did you do that?"
"Why does anyone do anything?"
...
Your laugh echoes in your head,
"Why are you doing this to me?"
"Why does anyone do anything?"
...
Tears pour down your face,
"Why did you do this to me?"
"Why does anyone do anything?"
"I don't know." You sob. The reply is muffled but you can still hear the three words that you miss the most.
"-I love you."
"If you loved me you wouldn't have left me."
...
The tears are still running down your face when you get an alert telling you that all Mycroft's house's security has been disabled. Thank goodness, a distraction. You rush out the room quickly grabbing your gun and laptop on the way. You phone one of Mycroft's drivers to pick you up. They arrive 4 minutes 27 seconds after your call. You climb in the back of the car and tell the driver to get to Mycroft as quickly as possible - regardless of the speed limit. On the way there you try your hardest to find out what could of happened and how all the security could of been shut down. When the car pulls up outside the estate you tell the driver to wait there and you get out, leaving your laptop on the car seat. You pull your gun out as you approach the front door, your heart racing. It's unlocked, obviously. You walk through the entrance hall towards the main door. As you get closer you can hear voices. When you open the door you first see Mycroft stood quite close to you. He's dressed in his usual clothes but without his jacket. His hair looks slightly ruffled, as if his fingers have been through it a lot. There's a small cut on his right thumb, probably from his umbrella sword. Wow. I'm just as good as a Holmes with my observation skills! Not the time for celebration though. Speaking of Holmes' you see Sherlock descending the stairs. Oh my God.
"This was you?!" You say to him.
"I hope I didn't spoil your weekend." He replies.
"How could you! I thought he was being assassinated!" You point towards Mycroft, he looks just as annoyed as you. I think Sherlock scared us both. Sherlock brushes past you towards the door.
"You're just leaving?" Mycroft asks him.
"Well, we're not staying here. Eurus is coming and someone's disabled all your security." Eurus? Who's Eurus? He opens the door and walks away calling back, "Sleep well." John follows him but turns to you when Mycroft speaks,
"Doctor Watson. Why would he do that to me? That was insane!"
"Um, yes. Well, someone convinced him that you wouldn't tell the truth unless you were actually wetting yourself."
"'Someone'?" John looks away for a moment before saying,
"Probably me."
"So that's it, is it? You're just going?"
"Well, don't worry. There's a place for people like you - the desperate, the terrified, the ones with nowhere else to run."
"What place?" John frowns as if it is obvious.
"221B Baker Street." He turns away and is half way through the entrance hall before adding, "See you in the morning. If there's a queue, join it!"
"For God's sake! This is not one of your idiot cases!" John leans back through the door and pointing towards a window above the stairs.
"You might wanna close that window. There is an east wind coming." He smirks before turning and walking out the house. You turn to Mycroft who looks nervous.

Mycroft sets a bottle of brandy down heavily. You push two glasses towards him and he pours the brandy.
"Care to tell me what's going on?" You prompt.
"Family problems." Is all he says before he downs the glass, staring straight ahead. You pull the bottle away and lock it in the cabinet.
"Would you like to stay at my flat tonight? I'll call security down here tomorrow morning." He shakes his head.
"I'll stay here." He continues to stare into the distance. You take your jacket off and hang it up.
"Right then." You say. "We'd best get to sleep then."
"You don't have to stay."
"I couldn't leave my best friend like this." That turns his head and brings a brief smile to his face.