The Surrogate Sister (a Sherlock fanfiction)

Chapter 8

It was late afternoon on a Friday. Two young men walked into the pub. They were students from the university nearby. Victoria recognized the shorter of the two. He was wearing a UCL sweatshirt, his backpack strap resting on his right shoulder. She had previously learned his name to be William Thomas Harrow, the son of Charles Lewis Harrow. Ava and Victoria were assigned to watch over this kid, hoping to find leads to his father. He tousled his curly, dirty-blonde hair as he looked around the pub with his light blue eyes. He wore his innocent smile, which she was warned to not trust.

William’s friend, however, she had never seen before. His grey beanie covered his ears, but failed to hide the straight, brown hair that was brushed to the side, out of his eyes. He, too, wore a UCL sweatshirt, but carried no backpack. He was only slightly taller than the other, but was much more lean and fit.

The two students made their way to the bar, laughing and joking around with each other. They sit at the bar, William placing his backpack on the stool next to him. The friend looked up and made eye contact with Victoria. He smiled and gazed at her with his warm, brown eyes. She couldn’t help but smile back.

------------------------------------------------------------------

“So, how do you two know each other again?” John asks, breaking the unbearably awkward silence.

“Old colleagues,” Victoria respond quickly, eyes still on Andrew’s.

Sherlock looks between the two and smirks, “There is a sort of Romeo and Juliet relationship between you two.”

“No,” Victoria snaps, and darting her gaze to Sherlock.

“Why would you say that?” John asks Sherlock, arms folded.

Sherlock’s eyes stay on Victoria’s. “You were working on a mission here not too long ago. I assume it be the one assigned by Mycroft.” She doesn’t respond, so Sherlock continues. “During that mission, you met someone unexpected, someone you weren’t supposed to meet, and you got,” Sherlock raises and eyebrow at Andrew. “Distracted.” The two remain silent, Victoria staring at Sherlock, Andrew at Victoria. Sherlock squints his eyes at Andrew, his mind at work, and then opens them in a sort of ‘a-ha!’ moment. “You are associated with The Eye of Re.” He studies Andrew for another moment. “You don’t want to be, which would be why you ran. However, someone just couldn’t let you go. Someone close to you. Family, perhaps?”

“My brother,” Andrew responds, looking at Sherlock.

“Are you done?” Victoria asks, glaring at him with hard eyes. Sherlock glares back, determined to argue with her if needed, but he notices the anger and hostility in her eyes. He grabs his hands behind his back, a sign of surrender.

Victoria turns to Andrew. “I need your help.”

“What with?”

Victoria’s eyes harden and she speaks in a low, serious tone. “I’m going to hunt him down.”

“What?!” Andrew’s eyes widen. “Are you serious?”

“He killed the people I love, Andrew. And to be honest, I'm really fucking pissed at this point.”

“But actions driven by vengeance never end well.”

“Well, it’s either him or me, and I'm done running.” Victoria glares at Andrew, her eyes foreign to him. They are the eyes of a killer. One who is determined and plans to show no mercy.

“I don’t know where he is,” Andrew says, hesitantly.

She raises her eyebrow.

“No, I really don’t.”