Stereotypical (BBC Sherlock)

Chapter 26 - Choosing Sides

The target zones that were still intact were reopened. People returned to their homes, shocked and terrified. Ellis Island and anything within a hundred mile radius was gone. Whatever the earthquake had left standing, the bomb had destroyed.

Commissioner Ramsay was dead. He'd been assigned to the team on the island.

Leddy had been alive along with a few others.

All totaled, 7 out of 18 targets had been hit. We lost the Red Sea fault line entirely, the Sydney Opera house and Ellis Island. MI 6, the Eiffel Tower, and the fault line under Nepal and India went out with the bomb. The Eye only suffered the generator, it was assumed the bomb had been crushed. They hadn't found it in the wreckage yet. Every target country had gone dark when the generators started. Once they were all deactivated, news came pouring in from all over. Millions were dead. Thousands were injured. Hundreds were missing.

I somehow managed to hold myself together. I stumbled into my room at the hotel and eventually got myself to take a shower. I couldn't bring myself to eat so I went to bed. Or rather, I laid down and stared blankly at the wall all night. The next day, a plane came to pick us up.

I fell into my seat and promptly went to work staring out the window and attempting not to think. I couldn't think about anything but the last few days and so I'd decided to keep myself from thinking at all. Of course, this wasn't exactly possible. Still, it didn't keep me from trying for the entirety of the flight.

I wasn't sure if I was relieved to be back on British soil or simply relieved to be that much closer to my bed. By the time I'd unlocked my flat, I didn't care. I just wanted to sleep.

"Jordan!"

I jumped and turned. John hurried down the steps and hugged me.

"God, I was worried."

I managed a tired smile. "Have you ignored dear Sherlock to come see me?"

"He's fine."

I chuckled. "Go check on him. He was anxious to see you."

John gave me a skeptical look but took the queue that I needed to be alone. He went back upstairs and I went back to debating if I had the energy to shower.

.............................

"Wake up, Miss Close. Jordan? Wake up."

I shook my head tiredly and cracked my eyes open. A face hovered in my blurry vision. I blinked away the tired glaze and stared up at the Prime Minister.

I jumped awake. Was I at work? Had he been briefing me? "I'm so sorry, sir! I meant no disrespect, please continue."

He threw his head back and laughed. He stepped back. "Look around you, Miss Close. You're not where you think."

My brows furrowed and I sat up slowly. Metal rattled behind me and I turned, wondering what held my hands. Iron chain met my gaze, linked to the wall and holding me in place. I stared around me, taking in the stone walls and the heavy iron door.

"What the hell..."

Minister Strauss smiled and held his hands behind his back. "Awake now?"

"What is this?!" I twisted to look at the shackles on my wrists. I didn't pull; it wouldn't do any good. "Minister Strauss?"

He slowly lowered to his haunches with a low sigh. "We came in during the night and drugged you, if you're wondering how you got here. I want two things from you, Miss Close. I've worked hard for the position I hold. My plans have all been put to nothing because of you. Decades of work and one insignificant little girl screws them all up. So the first thing I want from you is," he rolled up a sleeve to reveal a circular tattoo on the bottom of his arm. "How much do you know about Nevermore?"