SHERLOCK I, II, III & IV • #wattys2016

The Game is On

Being so close to the great detective, Evangeline found her mask slip away. His strong, stern, unchangeable face brought a weakness to her that she had never felt before. Even when she was in the presence of Moriarty, she never felt what she was feeling when she stood with Sherlock. Bringing a hand up to stroke his face, Evangeline’s breathing faltered.

Sherlock caught her hand and squeezed her wrist. “Don’t let your guard down—it isn’t becoming.”

“Mr. Holmes,” Evangeline trembled, tears trickling down her cheeks, “I never thought I’d have this moment.”

“Don’t play me,” Sherlock growled, tightening his grip on her until she bent under his strength.

Shaking her head and tears increasing, Evangeline cried, “You don’t understand!” she jerked her hand from his and sunk down onto the floor. “I’ve done everything, all of this—the Russians, the Americans, getting John Watson involved, I’ve done all of this so that I could see you.”

Sherlock scoffed pompously. “You’re pretty, but not convincing.”

Quieting herself, Evangeline replied in a colder voice, “Are you saying, you don’t believe my affections towards you? I begged, borrowed, stole, cheated, lied, gambled, killed, and even gave myself to the world’s most atrocious consulting criminal so that I could see you face to face.”

Tsking, Sherlock replied, “Not a very truthful way to win a man, don’t you think? I’m not flattered, if that’s what you think, and I’m certainly not interested. You can’t make me feel anything by just a kiss a few tearful words.”

“Then what do I have to do, Mr. Holmes, to win you?”

Sherlock chuckled and knelt down beside her. “If you think you can make me believe that I can trust you for a moment, you are very wrong. Any emotion you have towards me will not stop the submarine; will not stop me from saving John; and will not stop me from stopping you revealing whatever ‘message’ you’ll send to Lestrade.”

Leaning in, her blue eyes sparking with tears, Evangeline said sincerely, “I am willing to give you my heart, Mr. Holmes. I’ve admired you from afar for too long. I know we’re alike. I know I’m playing on the wrong team, but I know you can get me out of it.”

“Oh! Well, well, well, if you think I’m your savior, then you’re seriously off track. I’m not here to save you from your mistakes. In fact, I think I’ve figured you out.” Sherlock moistened his lips and smirked. “You’re a master of forgery. If all of this was planned, then, the math formula is a fake. The story behind the formula—how there was a young scientist killed and how it was a formula that had the Russians and Americans battling with each other—is also a scam. All of this was so that I would show up to help you get out of the trap you were in with Moriarty.”

Evangeline wiped the tears away and stood up. “Then why were you looking at the envelope if you knew this was all a fake? And what were you hoping to find?”

“Bored, mostly. And I was reading the lead smudge on the inside of the envelope, you know, the imprint of the formula.”

“And did you find it?”

Sherlock came up behind her and placed his hand lightly on her shoulder. “5 - 9 - 14 - 19 - 20 - 5 - 9 – 14. Simply spells ‘Einstein’, who discovered the formula E=mc2. We both know that that formula is connected with the atomic bomb. The code is a childish red herring, Evangeline, would’ve thought you would’ve done something more complicated.”

“It got you sniffing. Are you frustrated?”

“I want you to not send the message to Lestrade, please,” Sherlock asked in a low whisper.