Loving a Holmes

The Governor

When I wake, I sit up and look around the room. We are all in the rather large cell; Mycroft, John, Sherlock, the governor and I. I look around and notice that it is the same cell Eurus had been in on the tapes we had been watching in the governor's office. On the left of the room, about halfway back, the governor is sitting on the floor with his back against the wall. Nearby, Mycroft is leaning back against a grey-paneled wall, the top button of his shirt undone above his slightly loosened tie. Sherlock is pacing but stops, turning to face me. "Are you alright?"

I nod and look over to John, who is sitting a few feet away from me, to make sure that he is okay as well. He nods, to indicate he is fine before I stand. As I do I notice that I feel even more nauseous than I did this morning. It's probably just whatever they injected me with. Sherlock continues to pace back and forth in front of the glass. "Did you see your sister?"

"Yes."

"How was that?"

"Family's always difficult."

Mycroft sighs. "Is this an occasion for banter?"

Sherlock gestures toward his brother. "Mm, case in point."

The sound of a phone ringing out can be heard. John stands up. "Are we phoning someone?"

"Apparently."

John looks across the room to the governor. "What's he doing here?"

"As he is told. Eurus is in control."

The phone connects and a young girl's distressed voice can be heard over the speakers. She is anxious and it sounds as though she's crying. "Help me. Please, I'm on a plane and everyone's asleep. Help me!"

The lights in the cell go red and Jim's voice can be heard over the speakers. "Hello. My name's Jim Moriarty. Welcome... to the final problem. This is a recorded announcement."

Still holding the back of his head, John looks across to Sherlock. The lights turn white again. "It's okay. He's dead."

I stand and walk over next to Sherlock. "He doesn't sound dead."

Mycroft glances up, still leaning on the wall. "Shouldn't you be happy about that?"

"My brother and I were never close."

Jim's voice continues on the speakers and the light in the cell turns red. "Please say hello to some very old friends of mine."

The girl calls out over the phone as the light turns white again. "Hello? I can hear you talking. Please help me! I'm on a plane and it's going to crash!"

Mycroft sighs and shakes his head. "What is this? We can't do this!"

Sherlock glances toward him. "Do shut up, dear."

"Is this supposed to be a game?"

"Be quiet."

The little girl calls out again. "Please help me!"

Sherlock and I glance toward each other and take a deep breath before we begin talking to the little girl. "Oh, hello. Um, try to stay calm. Just tell me what your name is."

"I'm not supposed to tell my name to strangers."

I smile softly and shake my head. Oh, the bliss that telling her name to a stranger is one of her main concerns right now. "Of course. Very good. But, um, we'll tell ours. My name is ..." There's a click and then static from the speakers. "Hello??"

On a large TV screen, the image of pouring water briefly appears and then resolves to live footage of Eurus smiling into the camera. "Oh dear. We seem to have lost the connection."