A New Mystery at 221 Baker Street

Chapter 37: I. O. U.

Episode Transcript provided by Ariane DeVere/Callie Sullivan

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"Not guilty!" John yelled into his phone as he and Alice walked to the nearest Tube station. "It was exactly how you two said it would be,"

"Sherlock?" Alice asked as she took John's phone, "Listen, he wants an audience, and right now he wants that audience to be you. He'll be at the flat soon enough, so do try to treat him with some civility,"

"Anything else?" Sherlock asked as he turned on the kettle and prepared a tea tray.

"I better not find you on the floor, dead,"

Sherlock let out a slight chuckled and ended the call.

After he placed the small tray on the side table next to John's chair, Sherlock picked up his violin and started playing Bach's Sonata No. 1 in G minor. He could hear the front door being unlocked downstairs. Thankfully Mrs. Hudson was out for the week and therefore saved from the fright of someone breaking into her home. He paused his playing when he heard one of the stairs creak as Jim walked up to 221B. Sherlock continued his playing until Moriarty pushed open the door.

"Most people knock," Sherlock said with his back still facing the door. "But then, you're not most people, I suppose," He looked over his should and gestured towards the tea tray beside John's chair with his bow. "Kettle's just boiled,"

Jim walked further into the room and picked up an apple from the coffee table. "Johann Sebastian would be appalled," He said as he tossed it into the air. "May I?"

Sherlock pointed to John's chair with his bow once more. "By all means,"

Moriarty smiled sat in Sherlock's armchair. He took a small penknife from his pocket and began to cut into the apple. "You know, when he was on his death bed, Bach, he heard his son at the piano playing one of his pieces. The boy stopped before he got to the end..."

"...And the dying man jumped out of his bed, ran straight to the piano, and finished it," Sherlock finished as he poured tea for the two of them.

"The old man couldn't cope with an unfinished melody,"

"Neither can you, that's why you've come,"

"But be honest, you're just a tiny bit pleased,"

"With what? The verdict? Alice already concluded your freedom when you got arrested," Sherlock picked up one of the teacups and added a splash of milk before offering it to Jim.

"That does not surprise me. Alice has always been rather brilliant," Jim smiled. "But no, I mean you. You are pleased with me...back on the streets," Jim said softly. He looked into Sherlock's eyes, still carving into the apple. "Every fairytale needs a good old-fashioned villain. The hero may have the princess and knight by his side, but it won't be long until the villain becomes victorious,"

"I doubt that,"

"You need me, Sherlock. I know you hate to admit it, but without me you're nothing. You see, we're alike, you and I- except you're boring," Jim shook his head and clicked his tongue in disappointment. "You're on the side of Angels. But don't forget that Angels can always fall,"

"You got to the jury, of course,"

Moriarty scoffed. "I got into the Tower of London; you think I can't worm my way into twelve hotel rooms?"

"Cable network, simple enough," Sherlock deduced.

"Every hotel bedroom has a TV screen and every person has their pressure point. Even you," Moriarty took another sip of his tea. He began to drum on his fingers on his knee. "How hard do you find it: having to say 'I don't know'?"

"I dunno," Sherlock replied nonchalantly.

"Oh that was clever," Moriarty chuckled, "Speaking of clever, have you told your friends yet? Why I broke into all those places? Or did precious Alice solve it already? She's always been smarter than you. Imagine her by my side, the chaos that we would create together. I'd treat her like a queen with the world at our beck and call,"

"You didn't take anything because you didn't need to," Sherlock said, wanting to shift the conversation away from Alice. "Because nothing in the Bank of England, the Tower of London, or Pentonville Prison could possibly match the value of the key that could get you into all three,"

"I can open any door anywhere with a few tiny lines of computer code. No such thing as a private bank account now. I have everything. Nuclear codes- I could blow up NATO in alphabetical order. In a world with locked rooms, the man with the key is king; and honey, you should see me in a crown. Oh wait, you have,"

"You were showing the world what you can do,"

"And you were helping of course. Big client list: rogue governments, intelligence communities, terrorist cells. They all want me and my services. Suddenly, I'm Mr. Sex,"

"What is it all for?" Sherlock asked as Moriarty continued to jab the penknife into the apple.

"I want to solve our problem; the final problem," Moriarty lowered his head, "It's gonna start very soon, Sherlock: the fall. But don't be scared. Falling's just like flying, except there's a more permanent destination,"

"I've never liked riddles," Sherlock said as he stood up.

"Well learn to," Moriarty said, standing up as well. "Because I owe you a fall, Sherlock. I... owe... you,"

"What is the final problem?"

"I mentioned it earlier, but did you listen?"

Sherlock was to speak but refrained from doing so once they heard the front door open. The two looked at each other in silence as they heard Alice walk up the stairs to the boys' flat.

"Sherlock, John's gone to get takeout and we need to have Mrs. Hudson switch out the..." She stopped in the doorway mid-sentence once she saw that Moriarty was still there. "I was wondering why Sebastian was watching John and me in the gallery these past few days," Alice smirked as she placed her handbag on the table beside the door. "Did he pick the lock on our front door for you too? Or did you actually do something yourself for once?"

"You wound me, Alice," Moriarty said as he walked over to her. "I hate knowing you to think so little of me,"

"Oh you love it," Alice scoffed and crossed her arms. "I saw it in your face then and I see it in your face now. You want to prove to everyone that you are the best. That's why you did it, because you knew that everyone would watch you get away with it,"

"You caught me," He said with a flourish.

The two were now inches apart. Alice had no choice to look up at Moriarty, her 5'2 frame was no match for his 5'8. The two stared at one another, fighting for the unspoken dominance in their conversation. Moriarty leaned down and whispered into her ear, "Until next time, sweet Alice,"

"James," Alice replied so softly that only he could hear. They maintained eye contact as Moriarty gently handed her the apple he was carving and left the flat. He smiled on his way down, knowing that he won their little battle.

As soon as Moriarty left, Sherlock ran to Alice and pulled her into a tight embrace. "Are you all right? What did he say to you?"

"I'm fine," Alice looked down at the apple in her hand. "I O U," She read aloud, "More importantly, what did he say to you?"

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I'm trying to finish up The Reichenbach Fall before I go back to University in a week.