Sherlock Holmes & The Knights Templar

Chapter 3

As Sherlock made his way back to the hotel, he was glad that he had studied the layout of the city before they left London. Though Prague was picturesque, a person would not want to get lost in those dark winding streets. If Sherlock had been a superstitious person he would have sworn the city was haunted. As, he pulled his jacket around him and flipped up the collar Sherlock felt a little pang in his stomach as he thought of how John used to laugh at the dramatic way he wrapped his coat around him with the collar up. John. Each step Sherlock made took him further away from John. This was a new sensation, for Sherlock had never missed anyone before, except for Redbeard of course.

Sherlock had never felt so cold, and it was with great relief that he stood in front of his hotel. The structure had most likely been built in the 18th Century and the light from its cheerful windows beckoned Sherlock  to safety.  Quickly he went inside and ran up the stairs to his room. Slipping his card key in the lock, Sherlock opened the door. Mary stood all in black as she pointed a gun at him and Sherlock had no doubt the safety wasn’t on.

“If you’re going to shoot, do it,” Sherlock said wearily as he flopped down on a bed.

Mary stood for a moment, and then put the gun away. “You are going to have to text me before you open the door, or I just might accidently shoot you.” For moment Mary stared off in the distance, fantasizing about bullet hole through Sherlock’s heart. She sighed John would never forgive her. “You need to get dressed, Sherlock. We are going to meet our target at the ballet.”

“The ballet?” Sherlock queried.

Mary stared at Sherlock like he was an idiot. “Yes, you know the ballet, where people dance. Jeannie told me you love dancing, so hurry up.”

Sherlock thought he might refuse, but then one look from Mary silenced him. The ballet was Prokofiev’s Romeo and Juliet. At any other time Sherlock would have enjoyed the haunting music, however, it’s eerie foreshadowing for the doomed lovers only made Sherlock feel uneasy. At the break he and Mary were to go out for a smoke, and that’s where their contact would be. Sherlock smoked an entire cigarette before he finally whispered to Mary. “Where the hell is he?” As if in answer to his question a small, pale frightened man made his way in their direction. He walked up to Sherlock.

“Do, you have an extra cigarette?” he asked casually.

Sherlock nodded and handed him a cigarette. The man drew in a few breaths before he spoke.

“Has Doctor Watson already gone to join the order?” The man quickly looked around as he said it.

Sherlock nodded, “Yes, what does that have to do with the Little Infant of Prague?”

The man sighed with exasperation. “You have got to get him out of there. He is in terrible danger. The clothing that was stolen from the Little Infant is only a portion of the puzzle. The transmutation of Mori….” The man’s voice trailed off as a bullet struck him in the throat. He tried to speak, but only gurgling sounds came out. Mary pulled out her gun looking around, then she grabbed Sherlock and they ran. Sherlock could hear sirens in the distance and he couldn’t help thinking about the time he and John ran through London handcuffed together. As desperate as the situation had been, Sherlock had loved the feel of John’s hand in his.

He and Mary ran through the streets of Prague, only when Mary was sure they weren’t being followed did they stop to catch their breath. Sherlock’s lungs felt like they were burning as he gasped for more air. Mary was barely out of breath. She glanced over at Sherlock in irritation. “Are you ready to move? We can’t go back to our hotel, it’s not safe. We are going to have to find another way to keep in contact with John.”

Sherlock felt like he was out of the loop and he didn’t like it. “Mary, explain please.”

Mary sighed. “Well, as you know one of the outfits of the Little Infant of Prague was stolen. It was one of the oldest outfits, one which was said to have gold threads woven in it. These threads are said to have been made from the gold of Solomon’s mines. Many years ago the Rosicrucian’s believed that this particular gold had magical properties in it that could assist the alchemists in achieving transmutation.”

Sherlock was wrapping his head around the facts. ‘Transmutation, what sort of transmutation, from dust to gold?”

Mary locked eyes with Sherlock. “No, it wasn’t for the transmutation of gold. It was for transmutation of the human body.”

Sherlock looked away from Mary for a moment. The contact had been about to say something about transmutation. Mori… Sherlock and Mary didn’t say it aloud, however, the implication hung between them like a deadly spider. Mori…MORIARTY.

John followed his guide through the dark streets, eventually they came to a synagogue, and Sherwin led John to a door. Sherwin then turned to John. “John, I have to blind fold you from here on out.”

John was beginning to feel he was part of some cultic nightmare; however, he nodded his head in acquiesce as Sherwin slipped a blind fold over his eyes. John had never been good at trust exercises and this one was particularly daunting, as Sherwin led him through a maze of turns and steps. Eventually, they came to a stop and Sherwin removed the blind fold. John blinked several times as his eyes adjusted to the light. The room was nothing like he expected. His thoughts must have shown on his face.

Sherwin laughed. “Are you disappointed Dr. Watson? Did you think there would be men with dark robes and a sacrificial virgin on a candle lit slab in the middle of the room?”

John chuckled. “Call me John, and yes I thought the room would be a little more atmospheric.” John looked around him; the work area appeared to be just a basic science lab. Computers, beakers and containers crowded the sterile looking tables throughout the lab. Sherwin introduced to John to the six other inhabitants of the room. Once the introductions were out of the way, Sherwin showed John to a small room with a cot.

 “I am sorry the accommodations are not more spacious.” Sherwin apologized.

John waved him off. “They look a damn site better than the ones I had in Afghanistan.”

Sherwin looked relieved, and then he paused. “John, you have not been swore into the order yet, so you will need to stay in the living quarters. For now the lab is off limits to you. Oh, and I’m sure your cell phone won’t work down here, however, could you please had it over to me? You can have it back once you leave the complex. There is some reading material in your quarters and there is also a tablet with reading material on it in the kitchen.” John nodded, then reluctantly handed over his phone. “Oh, and John, if you have weapons on you I will need those as well.” John sighed and handed over his hand gun and a knife, he kept the small metal club he kept on him hidden in his shoe. After Sherwin left, John leaned back on his cot, wondering just what the hell he had gotten himself into this time.