The Blind Banker (Sherlock x Female!Reader)

Chapter 5: The Black Lotus

The three of you went back to the museum and met up with Andy again. "Two men who travelled back from China were murdered, and their killer left them messages in the Hangzhou numerals." Sherlock said to Andy.

"Soo Lin Yao's in danger. Now, that cipher--it was just the same pattern as the others, he means to kill her as well." You stated as Andy looks between you three, clearly upset.

"Look, I've tried everywhere: um, friends, colleagues. I-I don't know where she's gone. I mean, she could be a thousand miles away." said Andy.

Sherlock turns his head away in exasperation, and suddenly he focuses on the display case with the teapots. "What are you looking at?" John asked him. "Tell me more about those teapots." Sherlock addresses Andy.

"Th-the pots were her obsession. Um, they need urgent work. If-if they dry out, then the clay can start to crumble. Apparently you have to keep making tea." Andy said as Sherlock bends down to look more closely at the shelf.

"(Y/N), come here." He said and you approach his side. "Notice anything?" He asked you, quietly. You look at the pots and see what he was talking about. "Yesterday, only one of those pots were shining." You said as you and Sherlock stare at each other in the eyes. "Now there's two." You both said in unison.

Later that night, you, Sherlock and John lean against the wall as you see Soo Lin doing her thing with the teapot. Sherlock slowly comes up beside her and said "Fancy a biscuit." Soo Lin gasps in fright and drops the teapot from her fingers.

Luckily Sherlock has fast reflexes and grabs the pot before it falls on the floor. He looks up at her and said "Centuries old. Don't wanna break that." He straightens up and hands her the pot and you and John come up behind Sherlock and you flick the switch on the desk, turning on the lights underneath the surface.
"Hello." Sherlock said, smiling slightly at Soo Lin.

"You saw the cipher. Then you know he is coming for me." Soo Lin said. You, her and John were sitting on stools and you and John were sitting on one side while Soo Lin sat at the other side and Sherlock sat at the end of the table. "You've been clever to avoid him so far." Sherlock said to her. "I had to finish...to finish this work. It's only a matter of time. I know he will find me." She said, frowning.

"Who is he? Have you met him before?" You asked her. She nods as she said

"When I was a girl, living back in China. I recognize his....signature." "The cipher." Sherlock stated.
"Only he would do this. Zhi Zhu." She answered.
"Zhi Zhu?" John asked.
"The spider." You replied to him. Soo Lin puts her right foot up on her left knee and unlaced her shoe and takes it off.

On the underside of her heal is a black tattoo of a lotus flower inside a circle. "You know this mark?" She asked.
"Yes. It's the mark of a Tong." Sherlock answered. You and John look over at him and replies. "Ancient crime syndicate based in China."
You and John nod and turn back to Soo Lin. "Every foot soldier bears the mark; everyone who hauls them." She said. "Hauls?" John asked as she looks up at him and your eyes widen as you realize what she meant.

"You were a smuggler." You said as she lowers her gaze and puts her shoe back on. "I was fifteen. My parents were dead. I had no livelihood; no way of surviving day to day except to work for the bosses." She said.

"Who are they?" Sherlock asked.

"They are called the Black Lotus. By the time I was sixteen, I was taking thousands of pounds' worth of drugs across the border into Hong Kong. But I managed to leave that life behind me. I came to England. They gave me a job here. Everything was good; a new life." Soo Lin said as she smiles a little.
"Then he came looking for you." You said to her as she nods and swallows.