After The Reichenbach Fall

CHAPTER 39

"You know Magnussen as a newspaper owner, but he’s so much more than that." Sherlock said turning around after closing the door. "He uses his power and wealth to gain information. The more he acquires, the greater his wealth and power." He continued as sits down at the dining table and opens his laptop. "I’m not exaggerating when I say that he knows the critical pressure point on every person of note or influence in the whole of the Western world and probably beyond. He is the Napoleon of blackmail ... and he has created an unassailable architecture of forbidden knowledge. Its name ..." He turns the laptop to show the screen to you and John. "... is Appledore."

"Dinner." John said out of nowhere, you raised an eyebrow.

"Sorry, what, dinner?"

"Me and Mary, coming for dinner ... with ... wine and ... sitting."

You just watch them, thinking deeply. Sherlock turns and stares at him for a moment. "Seriously? I’ve just told you that the Western world is run from this house and you want to talk about dinner?"

"Fine, talk about the house." Sherlock throws him a look, then turns back to his laptop while John looks towards the door as if he still can’t believe what he just witnessed, but eventually he turns back.

"It is the greatest repository of sensitive and dangerous information anywhere in the world the Alexandrian Library of secrets and scandals – and none of it is on a computer. He’s smart – computers can be hacked. It’s all on hard copy in vaults underneath that house; and as long as it is, the personal freedom of anyone you’ve ever met is a fantasy."

You stand up, "Stop it Sherlock. I know what you're doing. And stop using innocent people, you'll hurt them."

"Sorry, what?" John asked you, narrowing his eyes to you.

"You are really an idiot John. You see but you do not observe. I'm done here." You said coldy as you walk towards the door but before you can open it someone knocked, followed by Mrs Hudson’s familiar, “Ooh-ooh!” the door opens and she comes in.

"Oh, that was the doorbell. Couldn’t you hear it?" Mrs. Hudson said, pointing back down the stairs.

"It’s in the fridge. It kept ringing." Sherlock answered.

"Oh, that’s not a fault, Sherlock!" She exclaimed, looking anxious.

"Who is it?" You said,

Mrs Hudson draws in an anxious breath. "There are scary looking people downstairs and they said something about meeting with Sherlock. "

You frown, "Tell them they can come up."

Suddenly, three men – clearly security men, all wearing earpieces – walk into the living room. Sherlock, now standing by the fireside with John, while you, you're sitting on Sherlock's chair.

"Oh, go ahead." Sherlock said as he spread his arms and allows one of the goons to frisk him. Another one walks over to John while the third looks over you but you glared at him so he just looked around the room. "Sir?" The security said to John. John glances over to you and Sherlock, then looks back to the man. "Can I have a moment?" John said.

Sherlock lowers his arms from his frisking and looks across to the man. "Oh, he’s fine."

The man glances at Sherlock, then kneels down in front of John and starts frisking him. "Er, I ... right. I should probably tell you ..." The man reaches into John’s jacket pocket and takes out a flick-knife. "Okay, I- That." The man pulls John’s jacket open. "And ..." The man stands up, holding the tyre lever he has just taken from John’s jeans and looking at him sternly. What the hell? John steps closer to the man and speaks confidentially. "Doesn’t mean I’m not pleased to see you." The man does not look amused.