Stereotypical (BBC Sherlock)

Chapter 21 - Muslims

The next day, Leddy came back to set up her laptop. We had run to the store to buy it and she had insisted she'd set it all up herself. I gave her my card and told her to get whatever she needed.

Meanwhile, Jules came by to help me look through the footage of the bombing. We sat in the kitchen, watching the bus camera. The footage was saved from the surveillance building and we just had to go through files of hundreds of buses to find it. Jules hit play. "The press is going insane. I'll show you why in a moment but people are blaming Muslims. Saying it's going to be like 9/11 or something and this is just the beginning."

I watched the tape. There was a boy sitting by the window. He kept looking around and shifting for a few minutes. Then he started looking in his bag. At first he seemed to be looking for something innocent but then he froze and started frantically searching. He started taking things out and talking to himself. People were staring at him. He looked up finally and looked out the window before the camera went out.

"Pull up the traffic cams."

Jules did so and I pointed to a cab that pulled in front of the bus. "That was us. I saw him. He was framed. The bomb was planted on him. I saw his face, there's no way he was planning this."

Jules pulled up the news. A video was played. A man stood before a red backdrop. He held a machine gun in his hands and glared at the camera. Most of his face was covered. A voice over translated what he said.

"Our soldiers prepare for war against the white filth that has ravaged our countries. We will not stop until every man has paid for what they have done against us. Young and old will fight. We honor Hamal Jafri for his courage."

The video ended and the reporter came on. "Officials were unable to source the trace of the transmission. However-"

I cut it off and shook my head. "I don't know. It doesn't feel right. Whether or not this is real, I don't think Hamal was in on it. He was used, poor kid. We have to talk to his family."

"Speaking of family. Have you called yours?" I sighed and Jules put a hand on my shoulder. "You need to tell them Jordan. They must be worried sick."

"I'm busy."

"Not too busy for your family. Call them and get it over with. I'll wait."

I grabbed my phone and called my sister, deciding she would be more calm about it.

"You're so dead." She muttered.

"What?"

"It took you four days to call! You've ignored all our texts. Mom isn't sure if she's worried or pissed."

"Abs, I just got home from the hospital yesterday. Our country is kind of going crazy and I'm assigned to stop the group that may be behind this. I'm not exactly sitting around staring at the phone and ignoring you."

"I'm not mad, I'm just glad you're okay. Mom though-" she stopped and I heard Mom yelling in the background. The phone was jostled and then Mom came on.

"Jordan! Oh my god, we've been worried sick! The whole family is so scared. Are you okay?"

I sighed. "I'm fine. I'm working from home, I'm resting often. The doctors say I'll be just fine in a little bit."

"You were stabbed!"

I buried my face in my hands. "I got caught in some glass, I wasn't stabbed. It's fine."

"The man who called said you'd lost a lot of blood a-and your cab flipped over and you were right in the explosion."

"Mom, Mycroft isn't given to exaggeration so you're taking this farther than he told you. I was near the blast. Yes, my cab flipped. Sherlock pulled me out and I got caught on some glass. I lost a lot of blood but they managed to fix me up without a transfusion. I have a mild concussion. It's not as bad as it sounds."