THE BAKER STREET TRIO (SHERLOCK X READER)

Chapter 53: The Six Thatcher

Rosie waved her chubby hands, grabbing for Y/N’s phone. Y/N tickled Rosie, making her laugh while she waited for Mycroft to pick up.

“Y/N.” His voice came through the speaker.

“Spycroft.” She said. “Sherlock is on his way home. They found Mary.”

“And the other agent?”

“Dead…” Y/N said. “But it’s not over. Do you remember the codeword?”

“Ammo. Why are you telling me this?”

“Not ammo, like ammunition, but amo. Amo, amas, amat…” Y/N said.

“I love, you love, he loves, what–oh, you and Sherlock had better be right about this.” Mycroft said.

“He’s sure, and I’m confident in him.” Y/N said.

She heard Mycroft sigh before hanging up.

Within the hour, Lady Elizabeth Smallwood had been taken into custody. She sat across from Mycroft in an interrogation room. Sherlock and Y/N watched through the two-way mirror.

“This is absolutely ridiculous and you know it.” Lady Smallwood said. “How many more times?”

“Six years ago, you held the brief for foreign operations. Codename Love.” Mycroft said.

“And you’re basing all of this on a codename? On a whispered voice on the telephone? Come on, Mycroft.” Lady Smallwood said.

“You were the conduit for AGRA. Every assignment, every detail, they got from you.”

“It was my job.” Lady Smallwood argued.

“Then there was the Tbilisi incident.” Mycroft went on. “AGRA went in and they were betrayed.”

“Not by me.” Lady Smallwood took a deep breath. “Mycroft, we’ve known each other a long time. I promise you, I haven’t the foggiest idea what all this is about. You wound up AGRA and all the other freelancers. I haven’t done any of the things you’re accusing me of. Not one. Not one.”

Mycroft turned and looked at his friend and his brother on the other side of the glass.

“She’s telling the truth, Sherlock.” Y/N said.

“I know…” He said.

They fell silent, each scanning their mind palaces for the truth. Y/N thought about the Thatcher busts, about the first case. A wayward comment came to mind.

“You’d be amazed at what a receptionist picks up. They know everything.”

“Don’t minute any of this.” “Codenames Antarctica, Langdale, Porlock, River, and Love.”

“They know everything.”

Y/N inhaled sharply. Sherlock opened his eyes and turned towards her. They looked at each other, speaking at the same time.

“Norbury.”

~

Y/N and Sherlock walked through the glass covered corridors of the London Aquarium. Sharks swam above and around them, creating shadows in the eerie blue light. They found Vivian Norbury sitting on a bench in front of one of the tanks, a black silhouette against deep blue.

“Your office said we’d find you here.” Y/N said.

“This was always my favorite spot for agents to meet.” Vivian said. “We’re like them. Ghostly, living in the shadows.”

“Predatory.” Sherlock added.

“Well, it depends which side you’re on.” Vivian said. “Also, we have to keep moving or we die.”