"I was thinking that we could be called Co-Seniors, and that we could abolish all lower positions. There would be no more novices; all others under us should be Juniors. We'd raise the salaries of all the workers and increase the benefits of membership to keep people with us during this transition time, and then maybe we can hold events.
I want to make the New Diogenes Club a better place than it used to be. It should be a place where all should be appreciated for who they are, not deferred into lower positions because they're young or anything... I think the New Diogenes Club should be a more modern place, don't you think so too?"
Tom Saylor was talking nonstop now, at a much higher volume than I'd have liked in this restaurant. He first confided with me that he'd finally broken up with his girlfriend. Then, he began to talk about the future of the Diogenes. The funeral for Villarreal had just ended, marking the beginning of the era of Senior Mycroft Holmes.
But I was not jubilant, as I'd once thought I'd be. I caused Villarreal's death by not really convincing him. And I was more determined than ever to kill the murderer and destroy his assistant.
"Tom, stop," I said, with an aggravated tone in my voice. "I don't want this to begin immediately yet. First I want to catch the murderer," I stated, knowing Tom would become very angry with me for saying this.
"Mycroft, we've waited too long. You haven't had any leads in over a year and a half. You must give it up. Do you not want the New Diogenes Club?"
"I do want it, but what if he murders one of us just for coming back with this so quickly? We should wait."
"He won't do that. You said he'll never murder you."
"It's not me I'm worried about. It's you. He's trying to get to me by murdering those who are closest to me. You are putting yourself in danger just sitting here with me, do you understand? He's everywhere!"
"You're paranoid," Tom told me.
"I don't think I am. I think I'm being very reasonable. I don't want to overshoot. This is too much too early."
"Way to go; you just ruined my whole plan. I wanted to have the new infrastructure set up by next week. Possibly the end of this week, if we worked fast enough."
"I'll find another lead. I can manage it. This has to end soon."
"The rebuilding will take a while. We have to start, at least. We owe it to the members. Who, I might add, are very influential people..."
"I know; I've already taken that fact into account."
"How?"
"They're not in danger. I don't know any of them personally. He can't kill the entire Club."
Tom's mouth dropped open.
"Find your leads," he finally said. "But I want no part of this. I'll be at the Club tonight in the Strangers' Room if you feel like reasoning with me later. I'm creating the New Diogenes now, and I don't care that you won't be there to see it. Your Senior position will be there for you when you decide you want it."
It was my turn to be shocked. Tom then proceeded to walk out of the restaurant. I didn't try to stop him; he was too far gone in his own plans of how the Club should be run.
I finished my coffee at the table, and then left about five extremely awkward minutes after Tom had. As I walked out of the restaurant, I checked my phone.
I had just received a text message from an unknown number that had never texted me before. I decided to open it.
When the second message opened, it appeared right under the first one as a string of messages. This was the content of the two messages:
Message #1:
This is a WARNING. Tonight at the Diogenes Club, another man will die unless you elect to MEET ME, THE MURDERER, TONIGHT AT 8:00 at TOWER BRIDGE.
Message #2:
P.S.: Bring Lestrade.
I was still trying to decide if this man was actually serious. Bring Lestrade? I knew he knew that the old Detective Inspector was involved, but I had not known that Lestrade was another target of his. I pondered this piece of information for a bit, deciding then what I needed to do.
I wouldn't just bring Lestrade; I'd bring the entire New Scotland Yard Force as well.
YOU ARE READING
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...
