This Game Was Designed to Hurt

Last Request

When Evelyn awoke the next morning, she quickly got dressed and went downstairs for breakfast. She and Mary ate and talked together, mostly about the previous night's events. Mary was now only still slightly upset, but Evelyn pointed out that Dr. Watson had warned her about Holmes beforehand, and she did goad Holmes into making his deductions in the first place. Mary and Evelyn had only just finished their meal when Dr. Watson came for a visit.

The two women walked into the entryway of their flat to greet the doctor. He still looked remorseful at the events that had occurred the night prior. "Hello Mary, hello Doctor Turner," he greeted and joked. Poking fun at Evelyn's interruption the night before.

"Hello John," Mary greeted, looking thoroughly amused at Evelyn's expense.

Evelyn smirked at the doctor, "Hello Dr. Watson. I do thank you for remembering my preferred title this time, but you may simply call me Evelyn." Mary looked pleased at this development, recognizing that only close friends or people that Evelyn trusted were allowed to address her by her first name. She assumed that it was Evelyn's way of accepting John as Mary's future husband, and it was true.

Evelyn knew that the doctor was a good man, hell, his escapades with Holmes as well as his chosen profession and military service were a testament to that. She knew that he would take good care of her best friend, and as she had told Holmes, she would rather Mary be happy, with a family, rather than miserable and a spinster. Though Evelyn had no problems with becoming an old spinster, in fact, she didn't think that she would ever marry. She was rather more married to her work...

Dr. Watson however, looked mildly surprised, though proud of himself as well. "Alright then Evelyn, but only if you address me by my first name as well," he bargained. The woman smiled and nodded in agreement. "Anyways, I just wanted to come and offer my apologies again Mary, and to you as well Evelyn. His behavior was out of line." Mary of course, readily forgave him, as did Evelyn, though it had nothing to do with her. "I'm afraid I can't stay though, I'm the attending physician for Lord Blackwood's hanging."

That statement piqued Evelyn's interest. Of course, she read the papers like anyone else, and she knew all about the case of Lord Blackwood and the five murdered girls, and the attempted murder of a sixth. Evelyn had known about Watson's involvement in the case, but she had been unaware that he was the attending physician for the hanging.

"Do you think I might be able to accompany you, John?" Evelyn asked. Mary and John stared at her in shock. "Don't look at me like that. I think that it would be beneficial for my career as a doctor, and I will admit, I'm slightly intrigued. I read the papers the same as anyone else, you can't blame me for my curiosity," she reasoned.

Watson cleared his throat, slightly uncomfortable with the proposition, "Well... I suppose from a doctoral viewpoint it would be beneficial for you to experience things of this nature. I can't see any reason why not, but are you sure about this?" He looked apprehensive at the notion of the woman seeing such a gruesome affair. Mary didn't look pleased about the situation either.

"Oh yes. I'm no stranger to death John, I'm sure I'll be fine," Evelyn reassured him. He still looked apprehensive, but less so, though Mary still looked appalled at the notion of her friend going to a hanging.

"I suppose we should get going then," he stated. Evelyn and Dr. Watson bid Mary farewell and climbed into the carriage that John had left waiting outside of the flat. Once they were seated and on their way, John realized that he had forgotten to tell Evelyn an important piece of information.

"I hope you don't mind, but we do have to make one stop before we go to the hanging..." He looked nervous to tell her what they would be doing beforehand. She looked at him inquisitively, wondering what had him so on edge. "I have to pick up Holmes," he stated.

"Oh? Whatever for?" the woman questioned. She was now even more intrigued at the prospect of spending more time with Holmes, as well as why his presence was required.

"Lord Blackwood requested to speak with him as his last request," Watson explained. "I realize that you may not wish to see him again, but I can promise you I will make sure that he does nothing to offend you."

"Oh, I don't mind at all actually. In fact, he had asked to meet with me again sometime under better circumstances, though I'm not sure if a hanging would count as better circumstances," Evelyn chuckled slightly at that thought. John looked absolutely stunned at her statement.

'Holmes wanted to meet with her? Whatever for? And she agreed?!' he pondered. Evelyn though, could see that he was struggling to understand.

"He said that he found me intriguing and I felt the same about Holmes, so I accepted," she explained. Although it wasn't much of an explanation for the doctor, he could only wonder what it would be like to see them interact. As it turns out, he didn't have to wait long, as minutes later, they arrived at the bar where Holmes had been fighting the night before.

The detective had stayed in a room above the bar, and as Evelyn and Watson walked up the stairs, Watson could only imagine the sight that he would find, and what Evelyn would have to witness. "Now Evelyn, I want to apologize before we go in, I must warn you, it may not be entirely pleasant."

"I'm sure I'll be just fine John. I've seen quite a few things that would make even the most courageous men lose their lunch," she chuckled. John nodded at her and opened the door, only to find Holmes plucking strings on a violin and staring at flies captured in a glass jar.

"Watson?" Sherlock questioned. It seemed he hadn't noticed Evelyn yet.

"Right," John stated in exasperation. "Let's go." Watson walked further into the room, while Evelyn stayed near the door, still remaining unnoticed by Holmes.

Holmes began walking around the jar, still staring at the flies. "What started merely as an experiment has brought me to the threshold of monumental discovery," the detective sounded excited. "Now, if I play a chromatic scale, there's no measurable response." He plucked the violin strings, demonstrating the scale and lack of response from the flies.

John sounded positively vexed though, as he exclaimed, "You do know what you're drinking is meant for eye surgery." The doctor held up the bottle to help show off his irritation. Holmes, however, ignored him and continued on his rant.

"But, now, and this is remarkable, if I change to atonal clusters," he demonstrated the sounds on his violin once again, "Voila! They fly in counter-clockwise, synchronized concentric circles. As though a regimented flock. Watson this is exceptional," he looked incredibly pleased with himself. "I, using musical theory, have created order out of chaos."

"Fascinating..." Evelyn finally decided to reveal herself. Holmes flinched ever so slightly, but noticeably that Evelyn saw and smirked just a bit. He then turned to face her.

"Ah, Doctor Turner, how nice to see you again, though I didn't think it would be so soon."

"Yes, well John is going to be the doctor overseeing the hanging of Lord Blackwood, and I requested to accompany him." Holmes looked at her in a bit of shock, but quickly regained a facade of neutrality. "However, are there any other scales that compel them to fly in a certain pattern?" Holmes began to speak, but was cut off by Watson.

"Don't encourage him, Evelyn. How did you lure them in though?"

"Excellent question. Individually, I've been at it for six hours," the detective explained, looking quite impressed with himself.

"And what happens if I do this?" John asked, took the top off of the jar, and tapped the glass with his cane. Immediately, the flies exited the jar, officially concluding Holmes' experiment.

"Right," Holmes nodded, looking incredibly disappointed.

"Clean yourself up," Watson ordered. "You are Blackwood's last request."