It Started With Stealing | Sherlock Holmes

88 - Baskerville Base

A/N - Name me one person who doesn't love the 'mysterious cheekbones' scene (don't say you do because we all know it's a lie - stop lying to to yourself).

John Watson, you flirt 😂 but Elizabeth would have to agree with you!

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After the mildly unnerving talk with the tour guide, John and Elizabeth hopped into the land rover with Sherlock again, this time without knowing where Sherlock was taking them.

As he drove, the detective would send little glances back at Elizabeth through the rear-view mirror, his mind racing as he considered those tiny seeds of doubt in his head. Who was the other person on the other end of the phone? If it was Cleo, why phone her so late at night? And if it wasn't Cleo who was it? A criminal partner? Or...a new normal lover?

"So where did you say we were going again, Sherlock?" John asked, breaking his gaze with the scenery outside to look at his friend.

"You'll see." Was all he replied.

"You say that," Elizabeth met his brief gaze in the rear-view mirror, "And then it's going to turn out to be something that we should have been at least a little prepared for."

That smile of hers didn't sit right with him this time. He simply didn't reply and focused his gaze back on the road for good. Elizabeth was hurt by his dismissal of her comment. Any other day he probably would have replied with a smart-arse comment. Even John was a little surprised that Sherlock had totally ignored her.

Nevertheless, the drive continued - in silence.

*  *  *  *  *  *

Sherlock drove into the Baskerville base, an odd sense of confidence surrounding him as they paused at the security gate. John looked behind him at Elizabeth who looked equally as concerned and then at Sherlock.

A security guard came over to the window, "Pass, please."

Sherlock dipped his hand in his pocket, calmly pulling out said pass and handed it to the guard.

"Thank you." The guard went away to check it.

"You’ve got ID for Baskerville." John stated, "How?"

"It’s not specific to this place. It’s my brother’s. Access all areas. I, um," Sherlock cleared his throat, only a little stressed, "Acquired it ages ago, just in case."

"And again, to think you scold me for stealing." Elizabeth laughed, "You're a natural by the sounds of it."

"I wouldn't say natural."

"Knowing what kind of safe was at Irene's, stealing an ash tray from Buckingham Palace, Lestrade's ID and now Mycroft's pass as well..." Elizabeth reeled off, amused by his pick-pocketing talents.

John just sighed, "Brilliant..."

"What’s the matter?"

"We’ll get caught."

"No, we won’t!" Sherlock assured them quickly, "Well, not just yet."

"In how long then?" The thief enquired, "How long do we have?"

"Caught in five minutes." Came John's response, "'Oh hi, we just thought we'd come and have a wander round your top secret weapons base.' 'Really? Great! Come in – kettle’s just boiled.' That's if we don’t get shot."

"How about," Elizabeth began to suggest, "We keep the thoughtful possibilities of death to a minimum, eh, John?"

"Just saying..."