Mrs. Holmes [Book III]

Picnic Panic (II) {Susanna}

BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG!

Four bullets richochet from behind and I shove Sherlock back against the grass, landing on my front beside him, "Shooter!" I call out. Rosie starts crying and so does William as John, Mycroft, Brooklyn and Greg produce their guns and take aim. Molly takes William and Rosie, sheltering behind the DI and John. Sherlock grabs my shoulders.

"Are you okay, Susanna!!??"

"Um, yeah?" I reply. William's cries turn to wailing shrieks and my heart stops, "William! Rosie!" My body lurches but Sherlock back down as another spray of bullets targets our group.

"Stay down!!"

"But-!!"

John and Brooklyn fire off a few rounds. The DI yanks out his phone and starts barking into it, calling for backup. I cast my eyes around the park. Other visitors are panicking- stirred into a frantic mob as people start running for cover. Oh no! I watch as a couple bullets hit a stray escapee. He trips and falls to the grass screaming in pain, "No!"

There's a break and Sherlock throws me over him towards Molly, "Get out of here!" I don't have to be told twice and neither does Molly. I grab William, she picks up Rosie, and we make a mad dash for the wooded area. I take care to cushion William and protect his head especially, but in doing so I'm slower. I hear more gunshots and the adrenaline takes over, making me duck down and propelling me the rest of the way into the forest.

"Daddy!!!!" Rosie cries out. Molly holds her tightly and I turn to peek out at the scene. Sherlock's now joined the other three -his revolver gleaming in the summer sun- and has taken up his signature position beside John. The shots seem to be coming from about two hundred feet behind the tree we were under- angled from high ground, "DADDY!!"

"Hush, Rosie!" Molly gulps. I turn my attention to William, who can't stop wailing.

"Oh, honey, I'm sorry!" I apologize and hold him tightly, protecting him with my entire body, "I'm sorry, Hamish! Shh! Mummy is here!" Please keep them safe. Protect my friends and family.

I duck and scoot over to Molly, "What are we going to do!?" She asks as I slip into business mode.

"Hold William."

"What!?"

"Molly. Hold. William. Now," I instruct firmly. She nods and puts Rosie down, then takes William from me. I look back over the scene and register the telltale blaring of sirens enclosing on the park. As I observe the firefight from a better perspective, I track the bullets and their targets, "John..!"

The shooters, of which there are two that I can deduce, are throwing off the others by spraying everyone. But it's obvious from my vantage point that since I made it off the field, they're targeting John. They're here for revenge. That's the only possibility. And he doesn't realize he's the one they want!

I bite my lip hard. I can't let Sherlock lose John. They need each other. Debating my options, I notice a black and camo figure emerging from the trees to my right. No. Not on your life. I kiss William and hug Molly and Rosie before running at full speed to intercept. It hurts all over since I haven't run like this since last year, but the adrenaline, my instincts and my training officially take over and I can't feel anything.

I catch up to the figure and tackle him. My hands work quickly and I locate their gun as we tumble to the grass and start to wrestle. Luckily I took him by surprise, so I have the upper hand. I pluck the gun from his body and force him back against the ground, holding it to his chest, "Don't move or I shoot!" I order. Not request, not threaten. Order. To my surprise my opponent freezes underneath me, "Where are your associates!?"

He stammers and I press the tip in further. I have no intention to shoot him and kill him. That is a level I will never stoop to. But for the protection of my family and my friends, I will do what I must, "T-T-Trees-!" A deadly accurate bullet pierces his skull before he can speak anymore.

Their mistake. I know where they are thanks to that. I click off the safety and hop to my feet, sprinting to the group. I fire off a couple of shots in their direction and a small feeling of triumph sparks when the snipers halt the assault. Gun still raised in both hands, I run to the group and release my left one. With it I grip John's sleeve, "They're after you and me, John!" I say it low so that Sherlock doesn't hear. He's barking at Greg and Mycroft anyway.

The blonde army doctor's eyes widen, "Rosie? William?"

"With Molly in the trees. The force is almost here-" A bullet flies in between us and I hiss, "John!" If I haven't pushed enough people to the ground today, I throw myself full force against John to knock him down and out of the fresh spray. With him on the ground, I raise the gun again and lower myself to get a better angle before firing off a response that brings another respite, "Run. Run and stay with Molly, William and Rosie."

"No-!"

"Now, John!" I yank him up and shove him in their direction.

"You go, Susanna!" He protests, pulling me around. The respite ends and this time he pulls me down to shelter with him, "Bloody moron! Get back over there!" I purse my lips in defiance and pin his hand.

"No, John, they're after both of us. That would draw the fire towards them," He knows I'm right. We lock eyes for a split second before the sirens suddenly arrive, bringing with them armed response and medical transports, "The cavalry's here."

We watch as the force mobilizes and the two snipers descend from the tree they were perched in. They try to run for the trees but each are limping, Probably from me, so it's in vain. They're overtaken and slapped in cuffs, then loaded onto transport gurneys and rushed to the ambulances. So are the two other people who were shot, "I hope they'll be okay."

John pulls us up to our feet and I feel an unmistakeable pain. Not localized, not specific, just all encompassing pain. I look over the army doctor, dazed, and gape, "John, you're hit!"

He turns his eyes to me and goes paler than a sheet, "Susanna... So are you..."