Face the Odds

Chapter 29: Compromised

Inside her cell, Eurus smiled at Sherlock as he pocketed his earpiece, before she said calmly: "Let's continue."

Eurus stopped a few steps from the edge of her glass prison, asking Sherlock: "Did they tell you to keep three feet from the glass? "

"Yes." Sherlock answered, not even looking at the stenciled warning reminders on each glass panel around Eurus's cell. He didn't need to be reminded, so he did not need to do something so trivial – instead, he kept his eyes on Eurus.

"Be naughty. Step closer." She ordered, and Sherlock raised his brows as he asked pointedly: "Why?"

"Do it. Step closer." She insisted, and Sherlock paused as he examined her.

Instead of complying, however, Sherlock asked abruptly: "Tell me what you remember."

"You, me, and Mycroft." Eurus answered flatly. She sighed slightly before adding: "Mycroft was quite clever. He could understand things if you went a bit slow but you... you were my favourite."

Sherlock took a small step forward, before bringing his feet together once more as he prodded: "Why was I your favourite?"

Eurus mirrored his actions, taking one step forward, closer to the edge of her prison as she answered almost breathily: "'Cause I could make you laugh. I loved it when you laughed. Once I made you laugh all night. I thought you were going to burst."

Sherlock smiled tightly, though his eyes were still fixed on Eurus suspiciously as she murmured: "I was so happy."

Sherlock took another small step forward, while Eurus continued: "Then Mummy and Daddy had to stop me, of course."

"Why?" Sherlock asked, and Eurus answered as she also took a step forward: "Well, turns out I got it wrong. Apparently, you were screaming."

She looked confused, thoughtful, but Sherlock took it in stride as he questioned without emotion: "Why was I screaming?"

But his mind answered for him, and Sherlock stiffened as he heard a dog whining faintly in the back of his mind.

"Redbeard." He realized, and Eurus tilted her head as Sherlock lowered his gaze slightly.

Desperately reigning in his emotions, Sherlock met her gaze again as he informed his sister: "I remember Redbeard."

"Do you, now?" Eurus challenged in a soft purr as she stepped even closer, and Sherlock mirrored the action as he demanded: "Tell me what I don't know."

The two siblings were very close now, almost face-to-face against the edge of Eurus's cell. Eurus's eyes were burning as she stared up at Sherlock while he looked down at her, meeting her gaze squarely though his hands twitched slightly, wanting to curl into fists against the wave of uneasy emotions inside him.

"Touch the glass." Eurus ordered suddenly, and Sherlock frowned at her.

************

Inside the Governor's office

"I put my trust in you, my implicit trust." Mycroft was saying angrily to the Governor. "As governor of this institute!"

"It's obvious when it all started." The Governor retorted. "Well, she was never the same after that Christmas. It's as if you woke her up."

"That is entirely beside the point." Mycroft snapped. "You had your orders and failed to act on them!"

"Listen to the tape." John ordered abruptly, removing his hand from his earpiece once more.

"Sorry?" Mycroft asked, frowning as he glanced at John, who insisted: "Do it now. Listen."