Holmes' Halliwell Witch

Chapter 10: The Blind Banker: pt. 9

***Recap***

(Later, elsewhere in the museum, fingers reach through the gaps in a large grating at the bottom of a wall and carefully push the grating outwards. Moments after that, a shadow moves across the dimly lit display room, and a hand reaches into the glass case to take out one of the not-shiny teapots. The shadow moves away again. Not long afterwards, Soo Lin is in an almost-dark restoration room, pouring tea into the teapot on the desk in front of her.)

(She picks up the lid and carefully strokes it around the rim as, behind her, a very recognisable curly-headed silhouette appears on the other side of a window in the door. Unaware of this, she picks up the teapot and pours some of the liquid into a pair of cups. Pouring more of the tea into the tray on which the cups are standing, she swills the teapot around to cover the outside with the drips. A figure steps up beside her.)

Sherlock: Fancy a biscuit with that?

(Before he finishes the sentence she gasps in fright and turns towards him, the teapot dropping from her terrified fingers. Rose freezes the room but unfreezes Sherlock so he can catch the teapot. Once Sherlock has hold of the teacup, Rose unfreezes the room. He looks up at her.)

Sherlock: Centuries old. Don't wanna break that.

(He slowly straightens up and hands the teapot back to her. As she takes it, he reaches out and flicks a switch on the desk, turning on the lights underneath the surface. He smiles slightly at her.)

Sherlock: Hello.

***Now***

(John has now arrived and he, Rose and Soo Lin sit on stools on opposite sides of the table. Sherlock stands at the end of the table next to his mate.)

Soo Lin: You saw the cipher. Then you know he is coming for me.

Sherlock: You've been clever to avoid him so far.

Soo Lin: I had to finish ... to finish this work. It's only a matter of time. I know he will find me.

Sherlock: Who is he? Have you met him before?

Soo Lin (nodding): When I was a girl, living back in China. I recognise his ... 'signature.'

Rose: The cipher.

Soo Lin: Only he would do this. Zhi Zhu.

John: Zhi Zhu?

Sherlock: The Spider.

(Putting her right foot up on her opposite knee, Soo Lin unlaces her shoe and takes it off. On the underside of her heel is a black tattoo of a lotus flower inside a circle.)

Soo Lin: You know this mark?

Sherlock: Yes. It's the mark of a Tong.

John: Hmm?

Sherlock: Ancient crime syndicate based in China.

(John nods his understanding and turns back to Soo Lin.)

Soo Lin: Every foot soldier bears the mark; everyone who hauls for them.