Brilliant {A BBC Sherlock Fanfic}

Chapter Twenty Two: A Lover on the Left, a Sinner on the Right

CHAPTER TWENTY TWO: A LOVER ON THE LEFT, A SINNER ON THE RIGHT

"Check the rest of the house." Amelia ordered, years of training start to kick in. "See how they got in. We need to know if there's more of them. She hoisted up the hem of her dress, retrieving her Beretta 92FS from a thigh holster.

She had received it while working in the United States-she wasn't entirely sure why the CIA had given it to her, but she wasn't going to pass on opportunity for a new gun, although getting it across seas had been rather painful, even with Mycroft's help on the paperwork. Pulling out a magazine from her blazer pocket, she loaded it, then turned off the safety, Irene watching in mild interest.

"Well," said Sherlock, flipping the phone in the air, "that's the knighthood in the bag."

Amelia raised her eyebrow. "Don't be cocky."

"Ah," Irene eyed the phone, mouth going drying as Sherlock nonchalantly tossing and catching it. "And that's mine." She stuck her hand out, taken aback when Sherlock ignored her and turned it on.

I AM _ _ _ _ LOCKED appeared on the screen, the phone demanding the password. Irene could hardly contain her smile.

"All the photographs are on here, I presume." Amelia said, letting out a heavy sigh.

Irene was quick to assure her. "I have copies, of course."

"No, you don't." Sherlock said as soon as Irene had finished speaking. "You'll have permanently disabled any kind of uplink or connection. Unless the contents of this phone are provably unique, you wouldn't be able to sell them."

She lowered her outstretched hand, realising that she was not going to be getting her phone back. "Who said I'm selling?"

"Well," Amelia nudged one of the bodies littering the floor, "why would they be interested? Whatever's on the phone, it's clearly not just photographs." She hesitated for a moment before turning on her Beretta's safety and tucking it away.

"That camera phone is my life, Ms Watson." Irene said, voice taking on a metallic edge. "I'd die before I let you take it." She leaned in, keeping Amelia's gaze. "It's my protection."

"Sherlock, Ames!" John called from upstairs.

Amelia caught the phone in mid-air before Sherlock could catch it. "It was." she corrected, turning it over in her hand. Amelia handed it back to Sherlock, "Go see what John wants. I need a moment."

Sherlock hesitated but then left the room, flashing a complacent smile at Irene.

"You're playing a dangerous game, Ms Watson." Irene warned her. "You'd best be careful."

Amelia pushed her hair away from her face. "And you're playing against a dangerous opponent." she replied. "What you makes you think you can win?"

Irene had Amelia's left arm before she could defend herself, yanking Amelia's blazer sleeve up to reveal the tattoo underneath. "I know what this means, Ms Watson." she hissed, eyes flashing.

Amelia laughed, but it was shaky and she didn't sound as confident as she wanted to be. "And, pray tell, what does it mean?"

"It means," Irene started, "you know who he is, and you know that he is more dangerous than any of us. Do not take his games so lightly."

She pulled her arm out of Irene's grasp and pulled her sleeve down with trembling fingers. "You're not telling me anything that I don't already know." said Amelia.

"If you know all of this, then you should be as far away from him as possible." Irene said. She revealed her right wrist where there was a small, nearly invisible tattoo of a spade symbol with an A in the centre done in white ink. Amelia wondered if Sherlock had noticed it, but upon reflecting on the events at a later time, she would realise that Irene Adler had cleverly kept her wrist hidden from Sherlock. "Don't make the same mistake I did, Ms Watson."