Eye Contact *ON HOLD*

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Sebastian took the group back to the reception area and excused one of the women. He opened a program on her vacant computer and flicked through some options until he reached a layout of the trading floor and surrounding offices, including Sir William's. Each doorway on the floor was marked by a dark red circle. Maggie examined the screen, realizing the program was a security system, designed to show each door's security statis. She assumed the red lights meant the doors were closed.

               

Sebastian pointed to a few of these lights. "Every door that opens in this bank gets logged here," he said. "Every walk in cupboard, every toilet."

               

Sherlock gazed at the screen for a moment. "That door didn't open last night," he murmured.

               

Sebastian shook his head, straightening up and closing the program. “There’s a hole in our security,” he said. “Find it and we’ll pay you - five figures.”

               

Maggie’s eyebrows rose at the price as Sebastian reached into the breast pocket of his suit jacket, pulling out a cheque.

               

“This is an advance,” he said, holding it out between his index and middle fingers. “Tell me how he got in, and there’s a bigger one on the way.”

               

Maggie fully expected Sherlock to take his cheque, but found him instead grimacing at the object his colleague was offering.

               

“I don’t need an incentive, Sebastian,” he said with barely - if at all - hidden annoyance. The detective then turned his back, walking quickly away. Maggie and John watched him go, but John suddenly turned back to Sebastian.

               

“Uh, he’s, uh, he’s kidding you, obviously,” he said to the banker in a quick tone. “Shall-shall I look after that for him?” he asked, holding out a wary hand.

               

Sebastian, who was still looking off in the direction Sherlock had left in, handed the doctor the cheque without hesitation as Maggie swept off to catch up with the consulting detective.

               

“Um, thanks,” John said, looking at the figure scrawled on the paper and widened his eyes. “Only an advance?” he hissed to himself.

               

“What was that?” Sebastian asked.

               

“Uh, nothing,” he said. “I’ll just, uh…” he trailed off, pointing in the direction the other two had gone.

               

“Right,” Sebastian said, nodding. As John began to walk away, however, the banker touched his arm. “Who is that?” he asked John, nodding in the direction where Sherlock and Maggie were standing by an elevator, the man’s mouth moving to form quick words. No doubt the detective already had a theory, and was telling the girl what he was thinking.

               

John’s eyebrows furrowed as he followed the executive’s gaze. Maggie didn’t look particularly impressed by whatever Sherlock was telling her, although she was nodding.