The Science of Deduction Does Not Extend to Relationships

Chapter 1: The Wild Card

Chapter 1: The Wild Card

            “Night Spence, have a good weekend!” I called out to my coworker and dear friend as I gathered up my coat and binder before heading out for the night.

            “G’night Lilly.  I’ll text you tomorrow, and tell your mum hi from me,” Spencer, my co-worker and close friend, called after me.

            “Will do!”  I made my way out of the office and started walking to my flat.  Usually I would get a cab from work, but it was a gorgeous night out, so I decided to take a stroll.  The London streets and sidewalks were ridiculously crowded being a Friday night, so I ducked into an empty side street, hoping to get home sooner.  As I made my way, I could hear footsteps, so I pulled out my pepper spray, and spun around expecting to find someone else there.  Suddenly, someone grabbed me from behind and covered my mouth with a cloth, successfully knocking me out.

            I woke up in what I thought was the back of a van.  Scratch that, I knew I was in a van, judging by the slight swaying and obvious movement indication a vehicle and the amount of space I had.  Before my eyes had adjusted to the complete blackness, I heard a voice.

            “Dear, dear Lilliana, now I wouldn’t move around too much if I were you.”  By then my eyes had adjusted to the darkness and I could make out a man in the back of the car.

I then looked down and noticed an intricate bomb strapped to my torso.  "Now if you don't do everything we say, a sniper will set off the bomb, causing you and everyone in the area to be killed," the man explained, handing me my coat and an earpiece.  "Now cover the bomb with your jacket and put the earpiece in." I did as was told and was led out of the van and to the locker room at some community indoor pool.  "Now wait here for instructions," the man commanded. "And remember what will happen if you don't follow our instructions exactly."

               After this I was left in the locker room for roughly fifteen minutes until I heard someone in by the pool.  A someone, mind you, with quite an intoxicating deep voice. 

               Seconds later another voice could be heard.  "This is a turnout, isn't it Sherlock?" After that, I didn't register anything, my mind was blank.  There was no way more than one person that had something to do with me had that name.  Not long after, the man who had kidnapped me joined in the conversation. 

               "Wait for my command," a gruff, unfamiliar, voice came through my earpiece.

               "Do you know what happens if you don't leave me alone Sherlock?  To you?”  Jim, I think he said his name was, asked.

               “Oh, let me guess, I get killed," Sherlock responded.

               "Kill you? Mmm, no, don't be obvious.  I mean I'm going to kill you someday anyway.  I don't want to rush it though; I'm saving it up for something special.  No, no no no. If you don't stop prying, I will burn you.  I will burn the HEART out of you."

               "I have been reliably informed that I don't have one," Sherlock shot back.

               "Now we both know that's not quite true.  Take my wild card, as I like to

call it, for example."

               "Wild card?" Sherlock asked, genuinely puzzled.

               "Walk out into view now" the voice came in my ear and I did as I was told.  Stepping into the room behind Jim, I turned to face the man I knew had to be Sherlock.  There was no doubting that the man in front of me holding a handgun was my childhood friend.  To the others it must have looked like Sherlock had no reaction to my entrance, but I knew better.  The slight clenching of his jaw was all it took for me to realize that he was completely caught off guard and pissed at my being dragged into this.

"Hi Sherlock," I repeated the man from the headset.  "Didn't plan to ever see me again, did you?"  When Sherlock didn't respond, the man had me continue.  "What shall we have the little...tramp (*my voice shook*)...say now?  Do you want her to confess her feelings for you...or would you rather the lovely Lilliana to finally tell you the truth?  That it was entirely your fault for the incident all those years ago?" my voice cracked as I said this and prayed that Sherlock could still tell when I was lying. 

               Jim then spoke up.  “Well I better be off.  It was so nice to finally have a proper chat.  I think you two have some, ah, catching up to do."

               "What if I were to shoot you now?" Sherlock asked Jim and the two of them went back and forth.   I really didn't pay attention to what they were saying because I was too captivated by Sherlock.  It had been years since we had last seen each other and he had matured into quite an attractive guy…okay, who was I kidding, he was hot.

               Next thing I knew, Jim was gone and Sherlock was kneeling in front of me, ripping the bomb off of me as gently as possible, having already removed the bomb from the other man.  He threw it away to join the first discarded one and stood up, holding my face between his hands.  "Are you alright?! LILLIANA are you alright!?!?" he demanded frantically. 

               "Never thought I'd see the day you'd call me Lilliana," I smirked shakily in response.  "Never thought I'd see the day when I'd see you again either though."  Sherlock hugged me, relieved. "We can talk about that later.  As long as you're alright."

               "Anyone care to...never mind, if it's important, I'll find out," the other man sighed.

               Disentangling myself from Sherlock, I shook his hand.  "My name's Lilliana

Morgan, but most people call me Lilly.  I grew up next door to Sherlock."

               "John Watson.  Sherlock's colleague and flat mate." I looked over to see Sherlock pacing around distractedly, scratching the side of his head with the handgun.

               "You okay?" John asked him.

               "And loaded gun AWAY from your head please," I added.

               "Yeah, yeah I'm fine," Sherlock responded and mumbled a sort of, not really, thank you to John for trying to allow Sherlock an escape.  The two shared some joke but I was honestly too much in shock from the evening's events to pay attention.  Looking down, however, John, Sherlock, and I noticed the laser pointers, signaling the rifles were back.

               "Sorry!  I'm SOOOO changeable!" Jim called, stepping back into the room.  "It is a weakness of mine, but to be fair to myself...it is my only weakness.  You can't be allowed to continue.  You just can't.  I would try to convince you, but everything I have to say has already crossed your mind!"

               Sherlock looked at John and I and we nodded in agreement, knowing what he was planning.  "And probably my answer has already crossed yours," he said, spinning around and pointing his gun at Jim.

               Suddenly, he aimed it at the bomb, and I tensed, ready and grabbed John's arm and the back of Sherlock's jacket in preparation.  Sherlock pulled the trigger and that was my cue to dive into the pool, dragging Sherlock and John with me.  Under the water, we were safe from the blast. 

I know I start where the show leaves off...so I hope you enjoy it!! More to come, but for my 'Love Isn't Easy' readers, don't worry, I'm still working on that one too! And if you haven't read it and like this story so far and Harry Potter (specifically Fred Weasley) you may want to.