Her

Episode Three: The Hounds of Baskerville

"Bored!" Sherlock yelled, throwing his harpoon on the ground. I sighed and looked at John. "Where did you hide them?" John shrugged and got up. Sherlock raced over to me and got in my face, pulling my book down from my face. "You know where they are. Tell me!"
"No, Sherlock." I sighed. "You're doing so good. I can't be the one who breaks your streak." Sherlock groaned and threw around papers and such.
"WHERE ARE THEY?" He yelled. "MRS. HUDSON!! Please tell me, Ara. Please."
"No." I answered and kept reading. John watched as Mrs. Hudson came up and sighed.
"What is it now, Sherlock?" She asked.
"My stash. My secret stash. Where did you put them?!" He yelled at her.
"Oh Sherlock you know I don't mess with your things." She said. I heard my phone ring and I checked it.
"It's Mycroft, don't answer." Sherlock said. I ignored him and went outside.
"Yes." I asked.
"I was wondering if you could stop by the office today and pick up some things that you left here." Mycroft said.
"I can come now." I said.
"Good. Get in the car and I'll see you here." Mycroft said and I hung up just as the car arrived. I jumped in and sent a quick text to John. Poor thing had to babysit Sherlock. I put my phone in my pocket and smirked. That man was a handful. I had known him and lived in 221 with them more than a year and already I felt at home. I mean yes, Sherlock is a handful and John was always bringing home mysterious women, but it was still home to me. I had my brilliant job and my other job on the side. Solving crimes with Holmes was more exhilarating than I had thought. And, having Mycroft close was good too. I always thought he was a good man, despite what he had done to others in the past.
"We're here, ma'am." The driver said and I got out. I went into the Gentleman's club silently and walked nonchalantly into Mycroft's office.
"So, what is it this time, Holmes?" I asked him, sitting down in the chair across from him.
"I have some information on Moriarty." He said.
"What information? You probably already know most of it." I said and he shook his head.
"Not Moriarty specifically, Moriarty's network of criminals. I've found out from an anonymous source that Jethro Ryder is on that list."
"Jethro? Dammit." I whispered. "So you called me here to do something about it then."
"No, I called you here so that you could tell me what you know about Jethro. I need all the information I can on him." Mycroft answered, mixing his tea. I huffed and turned away from him.
"His secret goes till the grave, Mycroft. And, it's in another like me but not nearly myself." I answered in riddle. He nodded and stood up.
"Well, another time then. For now I guess I can call headquarters and see what I can do." He said.
"No one except one knows his secret." I told him. "That's all I know."
"Yes, I imagine so. Good day, Arabella." He said. I nodded and walked out with a frown on my face. Jethro was a good man with a dark past. If only he- My phone suddenly rang as I approached the car and I got in.
"What, Sherlock." I said.
"Go to Paddington Station. I already packed your bag. We're going to Baskerville." Sherlock said.
"What? Sherlock you packed my bag?" I asked in astonishment.
"Yes, now tell the driver Paddington Station and get a move on!" He said and hung up. I sighed and looked at the driver.
"Paddington Station, please."

We arrived in Baskerville around four in the afternoon and rented a car to drive to the inn we were staying at. Sherlock drove and John sat in the back. I sat in the passenger and looked at the countryside. It was beautiful, yet very mysterious. Sherlock noticed me looking and huffed.
"You always analyze the environment." He stated.
"I enjoy looking at my surroundings." I shrugged. "Nature always interests me."
"Hmm. I think it's more than that." Sherlock said.
"Sherlock, leave her alone." John said. Sherlock looked at John and then huffed.
"You're just mad at me because I hid your cigarettes from you." I smirked.
"No, I'm mad because you associate yourself with my brother." He answered.
"So you're jealous then?" John smirked.
"No!" He snapped and then sighed. "We're here." I jumped out of the Range Rover and walked towards the inn. I walked in and the man standing at the pub smiled.
"Here for your room?" He asked.
"Uh yes, we're under the name Holmes." I said.
"Ah yes, two rooms are available." He said.
"Two? You can't do three?" I asked.
"Nope. Only two available. We're a very busy establishment." The guy at the counter said.
"That's fine. Thank you." I said and took the two keys from him.
"Have a nice day." He said and I smiled. I walked out to Sherlock and John and saw that they were up and walking towards me.
"Got the room arrangements?" John asked.
"Yes. They only had two available, so-"
"Ara will share with me. John wouldn't want to share one with me or Ara." Sherlock said, taking one of the keys. John looked at me and I shrugged.
"It's all up to Sherlock in this situation." I said.
"Fine then." John huffed and Sherlock walked forward. I pulled John aside and said:
"It's not like he's a threat, John. He's harmless." I said and he smirked.
"Come on, Watsons. We have a job to do." Sherlock said. I grabbed my suitcase and we walked to our rooms. They were across from each other. We got into the room and I sighed. One bed, a desk, closet, TV, and a bathroom. I set my things down and Sherlock set his things down by mine.
"So what did you pack?" I asked.
"What you normally wear." Sherlock said. I opened the suitcase and found lots of clothes. Surprisingly, he packed a lot of what I call my "seductive" clothing.
"So I guess I know what my character is for this case. Am I going to seducing any men?" I asked with a smirk on my face.
"No, why? Did I pack wrong?" He asked, trying to read my face.
"No, but I get the gist of what today consists of." I said, pulling out my tight pants and high heeled boots. I also pulled out a tight shirt and my long dark gray jacket. I grabbed all my things and Sherlock looked at me.
"You're changing." He said.
"Yes. If we're going somewhere I want to change." I answered.
"We're going to Baskerville." He said, laying on the bed and closing his eyes. Privacy. I took off my blouse and pants and proceeded to change. Baskerville. I had once had access there long ago. I might still have it.
"Baskerville? Do you have something of Mycroft's to get you in?" I asked.
"Keycard." He answered and I frowned.
"Not a lot of time then."
"We'll have twenty minutes or less to see what's going on." He sighed. "Are you done yet?"
"No." I said, struggling with my hair. "Can you help me? I need you to put on a necklace while I hold my hair." He opened his eyes and smirked in amusement.
"Maybe you should cut your hair then." He said.
"Not an option." I snapped as he grabbed the necklace. I pulled my shirt down and pulled up my hair. Sherlock put on the necklace and examined it on me.
"John got you this." He said.
"Last Christmas." I answered. "You didn't get me anything."
"You didn't want anything." He said as I put on my coat and boots. I fluffed my hair and sighed.
"Well, maybe I did." I said and went into the bathroom. I did some sexy but professional makeup and came out. Sherlock was impatiently pacing around the room. He looked at me and huffed.
"Took you long enough." He said.
"A girl needs time to look this good." I smirked. "Come on. John's waiting." Sherlock huffed and followed me out to John's room. I knocked and John opened the door.
"Ara, are you really wearing that to Baskerville?" He asked.
"Yes, and since when have you been conscious of my outfit decisions? In fact, that applies to the both of you." I said, crossing my arms. John and Sherlock shrugged and I sighed. "Come on. Let's go." I walked briskly down the hallway and the boys followed. We got outside and someone whistled. Just as I had turned to say something both men had taken my arm and I smirked.
"I see." I said as I got in the passenger seat. "Well, is anything happens later let's count on Sherlock to be the boyfriend." Sherlock shot me a look and John chuckled lightly.
"Why me?" He asked, pulling out.
"Why you? Why Sherlock, you were all over me a second ago." I said playfully and he huffed. "Why do you think my darling Sherlock? John's my brother!"
"For the first time ever, I agree with Arabella in this situation." John said. "Just don't do anything too weird."
"I know how to be a boyfriend." Sherlock said in annoyance. "I've seen enough people to know how it works."
"See? Sherlock's got it all under control." I said, crossing my legs. "Might as well put on the act now, Sherly."
"Don't call me that." He said.
"Okay, what about Sweet cheeks? She-She? Sugar Tits? Come on we need pet names!" I asked and John laughed as Sherlock's face got red.
"Holmes is fine." He said dryly.
"Ugh, fine. What about mine?" I asked with a smile on my face.
"Watson." He said. "Now stop being childish and put on a professional face. If you're going to be my girlfriend then you have to be Mycroft's too."
"What? Why?" I asked. "Oh... I get it." We approached Baskerville and I gently placed my hand on Sherlock's hand. John just sat up straight in the back seat and I smirked. Soldier John.
Sherlock rolled down his window and an officer came to him.
"Key card, please, and your name." The officer asked in a monotone voice.
"Mycroft Holmes." Sherlock said, handing him the access card that belonged to Mycroft. The took it and John frowned.
"It won't take them long before they figure out what you're not Mycroft." John said.
"Twenty minutes." Sherlock said. "Unless Ara has something up her sleeve that we don't know about."
"You never know. I work in mysterious ways." I smirked.
"Yes, like my brother does." Sherlock grumbled.
"Oh, you love it. Just admit that you like a little mystery now and then." I said in a seductive voice.
"Oh, cut it out, Ara." John said and I smiled.
"Welcome to Baskerville, Mr. Holmes." The officer said, giving Sherlock back the card.
"Thank you." Sherlock smiled and pulled up. We parked and John got out.
"You're right, Ara. I like some mystery once and a while." Sherlock said in a deep voice. I shivered internally and he got out. I waited for him to open my door, which he did, and we walked to the nearest officer.
"Welcome Mycroft Holmes." The officer said, saluting him.
"At ease, soldier." Sherlock said. The officer looked at me and froze.
"Cersei Wilder, head of S. It's a pleasure." The officer said, saluting me.
"Captain John Watson, Fifth Northumberland Fusiliers." John said, pulling out an ID and standing up straight.
"Sir. Major Barrymore won't be pleased, sir. He'll want to see you three." The officer said.
"I'm afraid we won't have time for that. We'll need the full tour right away. Carry on." I said.
"That's an order, corporal." John said sternly.
"Yes, sir." The officer said and I smirked.
"Head of Scorpion?!" John whispered in my ear.
"I didn't think they would recognize me." I shrugged.
"Oh my god Ara..." John said. Sherlock smirked and grabbed my arm.
"Then this would make sense then. Mycroft and the head of S were very close friends according to my sources." Sherlock said.
"You knew I was the head since Irene recognized me, just admit it." I said, following the officer.
"Of course I did, and that's why I picked out clothes that would fit what my sources described you as." Sherlock answered, sliding his card.
"You cheeky man." I smirked. We got into a lift and the officer pressed the floor one. Sherlock and I noticed the floor B and we arrived at the first floor. We suddenly became surrounded by animals in cages. A monkey jumped towards us and I didn't flinch. Sherlock noticed and smirked. He walked towards other cages and turned back to us.
"How many are kept here?" Sherlock asked.
"Lots, sir." The officer answered.
"Any escape?" I asked.
"They'd have to know how to use that lift, sir. We're not breeding them that clever."
"Oh, my bad." I said sarcastically. I noticed a scientist walking towards us and I frowned.
"Ah, who is this Lyons?" The man asked.
"Sorry, Doctor Frankland, I'm just showing them around. Routine inspection." Lyons answered.
"Well, be sure to not get stuck here. I was only supposed to be here one day to fix a leaky tap!" Frankland laughed. I smiled and watched him get in the lift. We followed and Sherlock swiped his card. It went through.
"How far does this lift go?" I asked Lyons.
"Far, ma'am." He answered.
"And what is floor B?"
"We keep bins there. Just some extra space." He said and I nodded. Interesting. We went down to the next floor and Sherlock walked in front of us.
"So what is it you do here then?" John asked. I almost shot him a look but I kept my posture.
"I thought you would know, this being an inspection and all." Lyons frowned.
"Does he look like he knows everything, corporal?" I asked, giving him a commanding eye.
"No, ma'am." Lyons said sheepishly. "We do everything from stell cell research to curing the common cold, sir."
"But mostly weaponry?" John asked.
"Yes." Lyons said. I almost flinched as a monkey was being strapped down to a table and something was injected into it. Sherlock looked back at me and noticed the change in posture.
"Chemical, biological...?" John asked.
"One war ends, another one begins, sir. We are always prepared." Lyons answered. "This way, Mr. Holmes." Sherlock had begun to drift another way. Come on, Sherlock. Be smart. Sherlock swiped his keycard again and it went through. We had ten minutes tops. We entered another room and a woman scientist stood with two men around her. She was holding a monkey and it shrieked as she injected it with a serum. It thrashed and shrieked until it went unconscious. I raised an eyebrow and looked at her.
"Okay, Michael, let's try Harlow Three next time." The scientist said.
"Doctor Stapleton." Lyons said.
"Stapleton." Sherlock said thoughtfully. Bingo.
"Yes? And who are you?" She asked him.
"Priority Ultra, ma'am. Orders from the high. An inspection." Lyons answered her.
"Really? And the head of S is needed in an inspection?" Stapleton asked in disbelief.
"You will give me your highest respect, Doctor. We are awarded every courtesy." I said in my most intimidating voice I could conjure up. "You will tell me your role at Baskerville in detail." Stapleton snorted and set down her things and just looked at me.
"I do believe she said awarded ever courtesy, doctor." Sherlock said, giving her an ominous look.
"Not free to say. Official secrets, Ma'am. I'm sure you understand that." She said. Ooooo. Trying to use my own figure against me.
"You are very much free to say, doctor, and I suggest you remain to be that way." I said, narrowing my eyes. She sighed and looked at all of us.
"I have a lot of fingers in a lot of pies. I like to mix things up – genes, mostly; now and again actual fingers." She said, grabbing a bunny from a cage. Sherlock looked at it and widened his eyes.
"Stapleton. I knew that I knew your name." Sherlock smirked. Stapleton gave him a look and scoffed.
"I doubt it." She said and Sherlock rolled his eyes. He began writing something down and I frowned.
"People say there's no such thing as coincidence. What dull lives they must lead." Sherlock said in annoyance as he showed her a note he had written down. It read: BLUEBELL. I smirked and turned to her.
"Have you been talking to my daughter?" She asked.
"Why did Bluebell have to die, Stapleton?" Sherlock asked.
"The rabbit?" John asked and Lyons gave all of us a look on confusion.
"Disappeared from inside a locked hutch, which was always suggestive." Sherlock smirked.
"Oh, you reckon?" Stapleton asked, hands on her hip.
"It glowed in the dark, doctor." I said, turning off the lights. She stopped her look of annoyance and looked at me seriously. "I think we're done here, corporal." Lyons nodded and we walked away. Sherlock slid his card and it went through. I smirked. Mycroft was getting slow.
"I think that's it for now, corporal." Sherlock said. "Thank you for your time."
"That's it?" Lyons asked.
"Just a routine check, corporal. Nothing more." I said.
"I think the exit's this way, John." Sherlock ushered John and we briskly walked towards the exit.
"Did we just break into a military base to investigate a rabbit?" John whispered angrily.
"I believe so." I smirked. Just then Sherlock's phone buzzed. He looked at it and smirked.
"Twenty three minutes. Mycroft's getting slow." Sherlock smirked as he opens another door. There stood Frankland. Hmmm.
"Oh, hell again." Frankland said and then a military officer approached us.
"Why was I not informed, corporal?" The military man asked.
"Major Barrymore, is it? Yes, well, good. Very good. We're very impressed, aren't we, Mr Holmes?" John asked Sherlock. Sherlock's phone buzzed again and I shot him a look.
"Deeply, hugely." Sherlock answered and Barrymore looked to me.
"And why are you here, ma'am?" He asked.
"Business regarding M16." I answered. "Called to Scotland about prisoner Z."
"Ah, yes." Barrymore said. "Well, The whole point of Baskerville was to eliminate this kind of bureaucratic nonsense ..."
"Very sorry, Major." Sherlock said, walking towards the exit.
"Inspections?"
"New policy. Can't remain unmonitored forever. Goodness knows what you'd get up to." Sherlock said and looked to John, who had slowed down. "Keep walking, John."
"Sir! Security breach, sir!" Lyons said, checking his phone and then sounding an alarm. It locked all doors and shut off all the lights. Only a red light remained.
"What?" Barrymore asked.
"I just got the text." Lyons answered.
"Is that right?" Barrymore scoffed. "Ma'am, who are these men?"
"There's obviously been some kind of mistake, major." John said. Barrymore grabbed the security card from a man who came in and showed it to me.
"Clearly not Mycroft Holmes, ma'am." He said.
"Well then, I do believe that's a computer error then. It'll have to go on your record, major." I sighed.
"What the hell's going on here?!" Barrymore said in annoyance.
"It's all right, major. I do believe that I know these two men." Frankland said, appearing out of basically nowhere.
"You do?" Barrymore asked, narrowing his eyes.
"Yeah. I'm getting a little slow on faces but Mr Holmes here isn't someone I expected to show up in this place." Frankland chuckled.
"Ah, well..." Sherlock chuckled. Good. Play on.
"Good to see you again, Mycroft." Frankland said, holding out his hand. Sherlock shook it and I watched John try and mask his surprise.
"I had the honour of meeting Mr Holmes at the W.H.O. conference in ...... Brussels, was it?" Frankland asked.
"Vienna." I said.
"Vienna, that's right." He smiled. He didn't know that two years ago I was actually there in Vienna with Mycroft.
"This is Mr. Mycroft Holmes and his partner Cersei Wilder, major. There's obviously been a mistake." Frankland smiled. Barrymore nodded and the alarm turned off.
"On your head be it, Frankland." Barrymore said viciously. Lyons followed us as we walked out but Frankland stopped him.
"I can show them out. We have a lot of catching up to do." Frankland said.
"Yes, sir." Lyons said and we walked forward in silence. We got outside and Sherlock stopped walking.
"Thank you." Sherlock said.
"This is about Henry Knight, isn't it?" He asked. We all looked at him in shock. "I thought so. I knew he wanted help but I didn't realize he was going to contact Sherlock Holmes!" Sherlock grimaced and I smirked. I looked at him and he smiled.
"You do hide yourself well, Ara. The only reason I know that's you is because you're with Sherlock." He said. "Oh and don't worry. I know who you both are. I'm never off your website. I was expecting the hat though."
"That wasn't my hat." Sherlock grumbled.
"I hardly recognize you without it!" Frankland chuckled.
"It wasn't my hat." Sherlock grumbled.
"Oh and I love the blog, Doctor Watson!"
"Thank you." John said.
"The, er, the Pink thing."
"Yes."
"Oh and the aluminum crutch!" Frankland said happily.
"Uh huh." John said and I stopped him.
"So you knew Henry Knight then?" I asked. Sherlock gave me a silent thank you and I smiled.
"Well, I knew his dad better. He had all sorts of mad theories about this place. Still, he was a good friend." Frankland answered and saw Barrymore watching. "Look, I can't really talk right now, but here's my cell number. Call me anytime." He handed a card to Sherlock and Sherlock prepared himself to say something.
"Thank you for your time, doctor." I said and stopped Sherlock from doing any damage.
"If there's anything I can do for Henry I will do it!" Frankland yelled. I nodded and we walked to the car.
"So was that really about the rabbit?" John asked. Sherlock flipped his collar and I adjusted my sleeves.
"Can we not do this?" John asked.
"Do what?" Sherlock and I both asked.
"You being all mysterious with your cheekbones and turning your coat collar up so you look cool." He turned to me and sighed. "And you with your adjusting sleeves and provocative looks you give to Sherlock to make yourself seem....sexy."
"I don't do that." Sherlock and I both said.
"Yes, you both do." John sighed. "Let's go." We got in and I assumed my normal position. I noticed the glare from John and sighed.
"I know, I never told you I was head of Scorpion. It isn't important. I just make ultimate decisions. I don't do anything too important anymore." I said.
"But you have a figurehead that poses as you." Sherlock said. "Cersei Wilder is a real person that pretends to be Ara for public announcements. Only high security people know who she is. That's why they recognized her. She addresses all of them every year at a specific date."
"Sherlock knew because he is nosy and looked through my things." I snapped and Sherlock smirked.
"They were out for me to see. You left them out for me." Sherlock said.
"Maybe l did, maybe I didn't." I smirked. "So, are we on our way to see Henry then?"
"Yes." Sherlock said. "Ara, be prepared." Why? Because Henry will respond to you more if he knows Sherlock's human. He is terrified, and needs all the human he can get out of Sherlock. Sherlock was telling me to be prepared for him to act like he was my boyfriend. I nodded to Sherlock and we approached Henry's house. We got out of the car and walked towards the house.
"Nice house." I said, getting out. Sherlock immediately walked next to me closely. Good boy. We knocked on the door and the man I presumed to be Henry opened the door.
"Hi." John said.
"Hi." Henry said. Wow. Very sick with fear. He was pale as a ghost.
"Can we come in?" I asked with a smile on my face. He immediately looked to me. He liked me. Good.
"Yes, come in. I'll make some tea." Henry said. We walked in the house and Sherlock politely took off my jacket for me. I smiled to him and he smiled back. We hung out jackets up and John did the same. We walked in and John gaped at the house.
"So, are you uh....rich?" John asked.
"Yeah." Henry answered.
"Right." John said as we kept walking. Henry made us tea and Sherlock and I sat down together. John stood behind us and gaped at the house.
"I don't believe we've met. I'm Ara, John's sister and Sherlock's girlfriend. It's a pleasure to finally meet you." I smiled.
"Girlfriend? You never mentioned having one on your website." Henry said.
"It's a recent thing. We haven't gone public yet." Sherlock said.
"In fact, we rather this stays between us." I said. Sherlock gave me a look and I frowned. What? Did he want to go public? Hmm.
"Or just our close friends, really." Sherlock said, holding my hand softly. I shivered as he did this.
"No problem." Henry said.
"So, anything new?" John asked.
"I've been seeing two words. "Liberty" and "in". I don't know what it means and I was hoping that you may know, Mr. Holmes." Henry said and looked at John. "You done?"
"Yes." John answered and Henry put the milk in the fridge.
"I thought going public might help, Ara." Sherlock said. Ah. Moriarty.
"Yes, I think that might help speeds things along, like maybe our deaths." I said. Sherlock opened his mouth to answer but immediately turned the other way.
"So, what's the plan then?" Henry asked.
"Well, the plan is to take you back into the moor..." Sherlock said. "And then see if anything attacks you."
"Take me there? At night?" Henry asked.
"We will be there with you." I said in a reassuring voice.
"That's your plan, Sherlock?" John asked.
"Got any better ideas John?" Sherlock asked.
"That's not a plan." John said.
"Listen, if there is a monster out there, John, there's only one thing to do: find out where it lives." Sherlock grumbled.
"Don't worry, Henry. We have this under control." I said, putting a hand on this. He looked at me with a little hope and I smiled.