YOU SEE, BUT YOU DO NOT OBSERVE. EVERYONE'S ACTING WEIRD!!!
I looked up and gave Tom a confused expression as he fixed his gaze on an advertisement on my side table which I had not previously noticed the existence of.
As you have probably deduced, I was in the Diogenes Club again. It was a few days after the incident at the wedding, so I should have expected something to go wrong. I now noticed that these advertisements were on all the tables, and that the other members were looking at them as if they were visual poison.
I uncrossed my legs and leaned over to grab the card on my side table, raising my eyebrows discriminately at Tom.
The ad was brightly colored and had the Diogenes Club coat of arms at the top. It was official, but it did not look that way. These were its contents:
1st Annual Diogenes Club Social*
Friday Night, June the First
Eight-o'clock sharp.
Attendance mandatory for all Members; non-attendees will be subject to removal from the Society of the Diogenes Club.
*For the first time in over a century, all rooms and quarters of the Diogenes will be open for discussion except for the normally-open Stranger's Room. This will be a silent room for anyone wishing to escape the hectic party atmosphere on the night of 1 June.
I replaced the ad back onto my side table, grabbed the lapel of Tom's coat, pulled him up, and led him out the door. We walked into the Stranger's Room.
"Diogenes Club SOCIAL?!" I screamed at Tom when we walked in. The other people sitting in the room took notice of our discussion. "What is this nonsense?! It's a silent society! That's the point of the silence! Was that a joke? Non-attenders will be subject to expulsion?"
"I know; that's what I thought. Maybe..."
"...The killer planned it. Of course. He wants everyone in the same place at the same time again to kill someone else. But who? Who does he want to kill? He obviously wants everyone to see-"
"-The death of another senior. Which one, though? Eldridge or Villarreal?"
"I was thinking both at the same time."
"Oh, I don't know!" I said, sitting down on a chair. "Three Seniors are dead now. Listen to me. Lestrade must be there that night. Do you understand? I don't care if you sneak her in dressed as you or something, but she has got to be there. No exception. She has got to see this."
"Lestrade? Your friend?" That was when I remembered: Tom barely knew Gina. Yet another reminder for me that I was truly in my own little world.
"Never mind. I'll call her if I sense something's going to go wrong. But something's going to happen. I must talk to Eldridge and Villarreal immediately. Where are they?"
"The Senior's Quarters."
"Bring them in here."
When the Seniors walked in, I sat up, smiled, and pointed to the couch opposite me with its back to the window looking out on Pall Mall. The Seniors looked expectantly at me.
"You do realize why I have called you here. It is to discuss this abomination of an event which has been planned for us. You must know of it; the advertisements are everywhere. You did not plan it. I did not plan it. I do not know who planned it."
"You know, everyone's making such a big deal out of it, and I thought you wouldn't be one of those people. Why do you care so much?" Eldridge asked bluntly.
"I believe that the murderer planned the social so that everyone in the Club, including you and your Senior partner Villarreal, would be there to see the murder of another Senior."
"Mycroft, these are unfounded allegations!"
"They are not completely unfounded. I am making a legitimate query, and this is something on the forefront of Mr. Saylor's mind as well," I said, pointing to Tom who immediately sat up to take notice. I shot him a glare, and he began to speak.
"Yes, if there is anyone we should trust with relation to figuring out what's going on in the killer's mind, it's Mycroft. She works directly with the police nearly every day to figure out who's committing these murders. And it would not be fair to her or the police if we do not even ask you to take some precaution."
"What precaution?" Villarreal asked Tom, not looking at me.
"We ask that you not drink or eat during the party. I will direct your every movement and every conversation. I'll make sure that absolutely nothing will come in your path that is suspicious in any way. In return, we ask for your cooperation."
"You have my full cooperation," Villarreal said to me.
"Mr. Eldridge, sir?"
"You do not have my cooperation."
"Sir, you must cooperate. It could save your life."
"I said, you do not have my cooperation."
"Sir, I do implore you-"
"Who is she to tell me how to act? You are not my Senior, Ms. Holmes! Villarreal, I demand to have this woman censored!" Eldridge exclaimed.
My insides went dead cold. Censor me? What for? In the Diogenes Club, a censorship punishment is worse than being expelled; to silence an already established silence would be excessive and clearly very embarrassing.
"Senior Eldridge, that is a very drastic measure. We need not censor Mycroft Holmes."
"Then how do we stop her?" Senior Eldridge rudely asked back. Mind you, this conversation was going on in front of me.
"I think it's time for me to make my exit, if you don't mind," I stated, ready to walk out.
Tom chose now to speak up. "Don't take one more step, Mycroft. Senior Eldridge, she was concerned for your well-being. If you choose not to accept our help, that is acceptable. But do not expect us to run to your aid should anything go wrong."
For once, the Stranger's Room was as silent as the sanctorium.
"You may not have my cooperation. And as long as I live, I will not see the advancement of either of you in this society."
Eldridge tapped Villarreal on the shoulder and they both exited, Eldridge appearing as though he had Villarreal on a leash that he could pull at any time and make a command.
I remained at the Club longer than I had originally thought I would after the argument. I had a date with Chris, and I was contemplating canceling it.
Maybe I should have done it. It was almost like my subconscious wanted Chris to hate me, just so that I could bask in the glorious aloneness once more. This feeling had occurred on more than one occasion per day, and I was tiring of it.
Chris used to be an escape from my work. But now, since I became more involved in my work, I felt no desire to separate from it again.
By the time I had returned to 221B, it was lunchtime. I walked into Mrs. Hudson's shop and ordered a sandwich at the side-counter.
Of course, Chris was my cashier.
"Ready for our date?"
"Why not?" I responded, trying to recall the experimental nature that I used to have when I'd agreed to date Chris.
*As always, thank you for reading and I'll see you next week! 250 TODAY!!! Wow I'm impressed... I'm really impressed; thank you so much for your reads and votes and I'd appreciate your comments too! :) You are all absolutely AMAZING!!!*
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The Autobiography of Mycroft Holmes
FanfictionSo, you want to know what it's like to live with Sherlock Holmes? You want to know how Mycroft Holmes became the intimidating British Government official known to some as the "ice man" and others as the British Government? You want to know who Mycro...
