The Death Game

Chapter 9 [Part 1] The Great Game

-The very next day-

It was cold. So cold. Where we they? How did they end up here, in this locked room? Juliet slowly opened her sore brown eyes, looking around. She understood that Abygaëlle and her had been put in a small locked room. She sat up, her slender arms were bruised and her head hurt. She sighed, resting her head back on the wall behind her. It hurts. Everything hurts.

She opened her blurry eyes once more and took another look. On her left was a small bunk where her scientist friend rested, her arm tucked under her heavy head. Aby made a sudden movement and quickly sat up straight, holding the back of her hurting head with her small palm. She groaned and slightly opened her eyes slightly. The outside light filled the entire room with a blinding brightness.

All both girls could remember from the previous night was drinking, drinking too much and bumping into Jim from I.T at the pub. They probably had one too many drinks and ended up in this small and cold room. Outside the large metal door could be heard the sound of running feet and shouting men. What was going on outside? What in the bloody hell was all this loud racket for, at such an early hour in the morning?

The large metallic door swung open and a tall man in a black trench coat stepped in. He was wearing a loose, black office suit. He had his hands tucked into the deep pockets of his coat. His face looked as tired as his eyes who were a dark chocolate brown. The man seemed to be around his late forties, but he still looked rather young. His hair who was a mix of dark brown, grey and white, short and swept to the side. He stood tall, observing the two girls in the room, trying to hold back a loud laugh, instead only a low chuckle came out.

Before them stood Lestrade. Detective Inspector Lestrade.

''Good morning sunshines! It's a brand new day and the sun is high!'' Lestrade exclaimed with excitement.

Recognizing him, Juliet slowly stood up on her wobbly legs and holding her head with both head, she walked towards the detective in front of her.

''Could you perhaps whisper?'' mumbled the girl beside him with a rough voice.

''Not really!'' the man shouted sarcastically in the woman's ear who pushed herself away from him in an inhuman movement. At the same time taking Abygaëlle by surprise and making her stand up quickly.

''Come on loves, there's been an incident at Baker Street!'' Lestrade announced, following Juliet out the door and in the hallway. After staggering around for a few minutes before getting her head straight, Abygaëlle managed to quickly follow after them.

The Detective Inspector shoved both girls into a police car and jumped in the driver seat. 

Off to Baker Street they were.

-Central London, Baker Street-

After a few minutes of driving through the busy streets of London, they finally managed to get their vehicle parked next to the crime scene. A rather large and devastating hole could be seen in the building situated right in front of Sherlock and John Watson's flat. Sirens could be heard from miles away. Fire trucks and ambulances were scattered around the street. As the trio got out of the car, Lestrade went straight towards his agents at the scene. He gave them a small nod, to say they could go inside 221B.

Both ladies walked hurriedly up the stairs and barged their way into the flat. Three faces turned to look at them. John who was sitting in a chair, listening to the conversation between the other man, he seemed alert and on edge. Sherlock who seemed relaxed, was sitting in the large, grey armchair, holding between his skeleton-like fingers a violin. The third man though, was one Juliet didn't recognized. He seemed on his way to exit the flat. He held a fancy blue umbrella that he twirled around with his right hand. He was a tall yet chubby looking man with a round face and piercing brown eyes. His hair was thin and brow with a shade of red. He was wearing a brown waistcoat covered by a well fitted grey suit.

''Ah, ladies...'' Sherlock began, ''We betted on how long it would take you two to arrive... brother dear was just leaving, right Mycroft?'' he finished, spiting his words out like venom in his mouth.

''Enchanté.'' Mycroft said, slightly bowing before the ladies standing in the middle of the room.

''And he was just about to take his leave, right?'' the detective repeated, hurrying his brother out the door. The other Holmes was almost out the door before he turned back and faced his little brother.

''Take the case brother mine.'' he stated slowly, coming out slightly as a threat, ''You're bored and you know very well what happens when you're bored and out of case.''

''Yes, yes now off you pop!'' Sherlock spat out before quickly closing the door in the tall man's face. Letting out a sigh and closing his eyes, he rested his head on the door for a slight second. Turning back to the people in the room with him, he rolled his eyes and sat back down on his armchair. He took the violin in his hand and played an awful and irritating melody.

''Sherly, are you okay?'' asked Aby worried.

''Gas leak. I'm fine.'' Sherlock said, eyeing the scientist up and down, ''But you on the other hand, you need an Advil.''

''That wasn't a gas leak.'' Juliet quickly replied, turning her face back to John to examine the case file the man from before had given his brother and friend.

''Pardon me?'' the tall man asked, putting his violin down and standing up, inches from the girl's back.

''It wasn't a gas leak.'' Juliet puffed, turning back to face the lean man before her, ''There's not a gas leak in the world that can make little holes in the stone. Small stones projected at the same time as the explosion and managed to get stuck in the wall due to pressure? I don't think a lot of small rocks can make perfect, round holes in the stone of a wall.'' she explained, putting the shell of a bullet in his right hand, ''Not a gas leak Mr Holmes.''

The room felt silent for a few minutes, even Sherlock, the great detective of London. How could he have missed that? Such a small detail only visible to a child's eye. She was a child in a world full of monsters and nightmares. A child with an eye for details, murders and blood.

''Hamish.'' John said out of the blue, ''John... Hamish... Watson. If you're looking for baby names.''

A small smirk spread on Juliet's face, knowing she had proven the detective wrong made everything so much better. She turned her back to him, again taking the case file she had put back into the doctor's hands, she could feel a small smirk appear on Sherlock's face as well.

''So... what's the case?'' Aby asked peaking from behind Sherlock's side.

''Andrew West, known as Westie to his friends. A civil servant, found dead on the tracks of Battersea Station this morning with his head smashed in. Stupid as he is, my brother managed to loose a memory stick with important and oh so secret files. The MOD is working on a new missile defence system. The Bruce-Partington Program. The plans for it were on that memory stick. He thinks West took it.'' Sherlock explained in a monotone and bored voice, ''We can't possibly risk it falling into the wrong hands.'' he continued, imitating and mocking his brother.

Just as Sherlock finished his sentence, his phone started vibrating. Lestrade was on the other end, calling from Scotland Yard.

''How could I refuse.'' Sherlock smirked before hanging up the phone, ''Lestrade; I've been summoned. They've found a strong box in the middle of the remains of the building. A very strong box, and they require my help. Coming, John?''

Standing up from his seat, John took his coat and gently wrapped it around his shoulders, as did Sherlock. He turned around to face Juliet Waters who was standing still with her friend, in the middle of the living room of their flat. He gave her a smirk.

''You were right Miss Waters. It wasn't a gas leak.''