After The Reichenbach Fall

CHAPTER 15

Later, Sherlock shows a footage of the mysterious Tube train and Lord Moran's disappearance to you and John.

Looking at the screen, John said "Yeah, that’s ... odd. There’s nowhere he could have got off?"

"Not according to the maps." Sherlock answered.

"Mm." You said thinking, and sits down in John's chair. "There’s something – something, something that we're missing, something staring us in the face."

Sherlock turns to the wall again but then his phone beeps. He takes it out of his pocket and looks at the message.

"Any idea who they are – this underground network?" John asked sitting down in front of the computer.

Sherlock looks at a sequence of photos taken of Lord Moran walking along a road next to the Houses of Parliament. The sequence seems to indicate that he has just come up from Westminster Tube station.

"Intelligence must have a-a list of the most obvious ones." John said looking at the computer screen.

You stand up and walk beside Sherlock. "Our rat’s just come out of his den." Sherlock said showing you the pictures of Moran.

"Al-Qaeda; the IRA have been getting restless again – maybe they’re gonna make an appearance ..." John said.

"Yes, yes, yes, yes, YES! I’ve been an idiot – a blind idiot!" Sherlock shouted making you jump a little.

"What?" You asked.

Pacing across the room, Sherlock said looking excited, "Oh, that’s good. That could be brilliant."

"What are you on about?" John asked curiously.

"Mycroft’s intelligence – it’s not nebulous at all. It’s specific – incredibly specific." Sherlock said.

You seems to understand what's Sherlock is thinking and nodded.

"What do you mean?" John asked again.

"Not an underground network, John." Sherlock said.

"It’s an Underground network." You and Sherlock said in unison.

"Right. ... What?" John said, confused.

"Sometimes a deception is so audacious, so outrageous that you can’t see it even when it’s staring you in the face." You said, and leans over at John’s shoulder to replay the Tube footage of the lone passenger – Lord Moran – getting into the train at Westminster.

"Look – seven carriages leave Westminster ..." you said, trying to explain something as the footage switches to show the next station "... but only six carriages arrive at St James’s Park."

"But that’s ... I ... it’s-it’s impossible." John said, not believing what he just see.

"Moran didn’t disappear – the entire Tube compartment did. The driver must have diverted the train and then detached the last carriage." Sherlock said.

"Detached it where?! You said there was nothing between those stations." John said to you.

"Not on the maps, but once you eliminate all the other factors, the only thing remaining must be the truth." Sherlock said then points at the screen. "That carriage vanished, so it must be somewhere."

"But why, though? Why detach it in the first place?"

"It vanishes between St James’s Park and Westminster. Lord Moran vanishes. You’re kidnapped and nearly burned to death at a fireworks par..."  you said and then stopped, realising something. "What’s the date, Sherlock – today’s date?"

"Hmm? November the ... My God." Sherlock looks at the information wall and walks slowly towards it. "Lord Moran – he’s a peer of the realm. Normally he’d sit in the House. Tonight there’s an all-night sitting to vote on the new anti-terrorism Bill." He stops in front of the sofa and smiles.

"But he won’t be there. Not tonight." You said walking across the room. "Not the fifth of November."

"Remember, remember." John said.

"Gunpowder treason and plot." Sherlock followed.

Shortly afterwards Howard Shilcott – sitting in his living room and wearing his bobble hat – is Skypeing with the three of you while you all frantically search through maps and papers on the kitchen table.

"There’s nothing down there, Mr Holmes, I told you. No sidings, no ghost stations." Howard said.

Sherlock turns the laptop around so that John can see the screen. "There has to be. Check again."

Howard leans offscreen.

John who is looking through a book said, "Look – this whole area is a big mess of old and new stuff. Charing Cross is made up of bits of older stations like Trafalgar Square, Strand ..."

"No, it’s none of those. We’ve accounted for those." You said, then looks closer at an old map. "St Margaret’s Street, Bridge Street, Sumatra Road, Parliament Street ..."

Howard took the pom pom, that he’s been chewing, out of his mouth. "Hang on, hang on. Sumatra Road. You mentioned Sumatra Road, Ms (l/n)." He leans offscreen. "There is something. I knew it rang a bell." Muttering "Where is it?" He comes back into view. "There was a station down there."

"Well, why isn’t it on the maps?" John asked.

" ’Cause it was closed before it ever opened."

"What?"

Howard holding up a book to the camera to show the relevant page. "They built the platforms, even the staircases, but it all got tied up in legal disputes, so they never built the station on the surface." Grinning, he points to the appropriate spot on the page.

Sherlock has been slowly straightening up while Howard spoke. "It’s right underneath the Palace of Westminster."

Just like Sherlock, you stand up to get your coat.

"And so what’s down there? A bomb?" John asked, not realising that you and Sherlock were starting to walk away. "Oh ..." He said, and as soon as he realised he hurries after you, grabbing his coat as he goes.