After The Reichenbach Fall

CHAPTER 48

"Let me show you the Appledore vaults."
Magnussen said and stands up then he lead the three of you across the room. He walks across to the wooden doors at the side of the room and then turns back to the others, putting a hand on the doors. "The entrance to my vaults. This is where I keep you all." He turns and takes hold of the door handles, then pulls the doors open.

When the doors open, you, Sherlock and John see inside the doors is nothing more than a small windowless room, painted white and brightly lit. It is no more than a few feet deep and the ceiling is about eight feet high. There are no shelves, no library stacks, no filing cabinets, no grotesque dolls, stuffed animals or sculptures. The only thing in the room is a metal and leather low-backed executive chair. As Magnussen slowly continues to turn around, your eyes quickly skim around the whiteness, then your eyes go back to Magnussen.

"Okay – so where are the vaults, then?" John asked.

"Vaults? What vaults? There are no vaults beneath this building." Magnussen replied, looking at him. He sits down on the chair, then gestures around the room. "They’re all in here." Magnussen leans forward and slowly raises the fingers of his right hand to touch his temple. "The Appledore vaults are my Mind Palace. You know about Mind Palaces, don’t you, Sherlock? (y/n)?" All you can do is to stare at him, you don't know what to say after realising everything whilst Magnussen continues, "How to store information so you never forget it – by picturing it. I just sit here, I close my eyes and down I go to my vaults. I can go anywhere inside my vaults, my memories. I’ll look at the files on Mrs Watson. Mmm, ah." He said, lifting his right hand as if lifting a folder out of the drawer. "This is one of my favourites. Oh, it’s so exciting."
You watch him with clenching fist as he moves his hands as if he is turning the pages inside the file. "All those wet jobs for the CIA. Ooh! She’s gone a bit ... freelance now. Bad girl. Ah, she is so wicked. I can really see why you like her." With both hands, he pushes his hands like he's closing an imaginary drawer. "You see?" He asked, opening his eyes then he looks at you then to Sherlock.

You were intimidated, because you know you're on the wrong side now.

"So there are no documents. You don’t actually have anything here." John asked.

"Oh, sometimes I send out for something if I really need it but mostly I just remember it all."

"I don’t understand." John said, shaking his head a little.

"You should have that on a T-shirt." Magnussen joked.

"You just remember it all?" John asked.

"It’s all about knowledge. Everything is. Knowing is owning." Magnussen replied, looking at you.

"But if you just know it, then you don’t have proof."

"Proof? What would I need proof for? I’m in news, you moron. I don’t have to prove it – I just have to print it." Magnussen said and stands up then he buttoned his jacket, "Speaking of news, the three of you will be heavily featured tomorrow – trying to sell state secrets to me. Let’s go outside. They’ll be here shortly." He walks out of the room and heads towards the glass doors. "Can’t wait to see you arrested."

You immediately follows Magnussen, leaving Sherlock and John.

"I want to know what my pressure point is." You calmly said as you walk beside him.

He smirks, "Irene Adler. She made a huge impact with you, (Y/N). What's with her?"

You shrug, "Nothing important."

"So, Sherlock is not important to you?" He said as he opens the door of the patio of his house.

You let him out first before you followed, "Sh-Sherlock?"