Anderson ↠ BBC Sherlock

act one; four

Phone in hand, Clara stared down at the message she had just sent. It could have been phrased a little better, and she was sure he wouldn't be particularly happy about her getting Scotland Yard on his case, but Clara was overall happy with it.

THE YARD WENT THROUGH KING'S CONTACTS. THEY WANTED TO GO AFTER MARNI, I SHIFTED THEIR FOCUS ONTO YOU. THEY KNOW WHO YOU ARE, AND THEY ARE AFTER YOU, it read. WOULD YOU BE WILLING TO COME IN AND PROVE TO MR. ANGEL THAT I'M SMARTER THAN HIM?

Sebastian hadn't replied yet, which was somewhat surprising. He was typically very good at responding immediately. Clara wondered if perhaps Holmes had already found him, and he couldn't reply—

Her phone buzzed, sharp enough that it almost slipped from her hand.

IS THIS AN ORDER?

Clara contemplated it for a second. It had been phrased as a question, originally, but— if he said no, then how could she prove that she was better then Holmes? Clara sent back, YES.

GIVE ME TEN MINUTES, he replied.

She frowned. As much as Clara had enjoyed mocking Holmes, she still knew that he was very, very smart. Was he smart enough that he could find him, in those ten minutes? Clara didn't want to risk it. FIVE, she corrected.

I'LL BE THERE.

Clara's frown was gone, pushed back in favor of a wide smile. Sebastian would be there in five minutes. He would no doubt he arrested on sight, which was a shame because Clara would have loved to spend a minute or so catching up, but Clara was rather curious to see how he would get himself out of jail. There was no man-eating tigers to help him out. Except, she supposed, there was: James Moriarty. But how would he be able to free him?

Clara couldn't wait to find out.

"What are you grinning about?" Lestrade asked her, returning to her side. "Sherlock's beating you, haven't you realized? He's out there searching, and you— you haven't even left the building."

"I didn't need to," said Clara, and held up her phone. "I don't recall ever saying that I deleted ex-colonel Sebastian Moran's mobile."

He stared. "You messaged him."

"Yes," confirmed Clara, and she laughed. She couldn't wait for Holmes' reaction. "We're friendly enough. He'll be here in," she paused, checked her mobile for the time, "four minutes, I believe."

"Not going to bother telling Sherlock?" Lestrade asked. He was clearly amused, even though he was trying to hide it.

"Oh, but that would ruin the fun, wouldn't it?" joked Clara. Her phone buzzed again, and she shifted her body away from Lestrade to hide the screen.

WHY IS MORAN GOING TO SCOTLAND YARD?

She fought off a grin, and this time, succeeded. MARNI DOESN'T WANT TO GET CAUGHT, AND HE WAS THE ONLY OTHER PERSON TO GO AFTER, Clara typed back, and then tapped send. She waited a second, and then added, I'M EAGER TO SEE HOW YOU'LL GET HIM OUT OF THIS.

Lestrade didn't seem to even notice, staring out at his colleagues. She wondered distantly what he was thinking about, but didn't care enough to ask.

HE'LL BE THERE IN TWO MINUTES, he replied. Clara waited for a moment to see if that was it. She wasn't disappointed. AND DON'T WORRY, the next text read, IT WILL BE ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL.

Clara smiled, faintly. ALL HAIL THE KING.

ALL HAIL THE KING, INDEED.

She looked over at Lestrade. "Two minutes," Clara said. "I'll give it fifteen, until Moriarty gets him out."