Dancing with the Devil (part one)

Chapter 8: The Carl Powers Case

The now three flatmates took a cab to St Bartholomew's hospital after Sherlock announced that he needed more scientific equipment. On the way Astrid and John had a conversation about her job and her life in Manchester, all questions Astrid replied with the backstory that her and Seb had created over the weeks she had been preparing for the mission.

When they arrived, Sherlock headed straight in and through a corridor into a room, John and Astrid went in after paying the taxi fee. John showed Astrid into the same room that Sherlock had hurried into. It was full of lab equipment and Scientific apparatus. Sherlock was sat behind a desk looking into a microscope and occasionally glancing at a screen next to him.

"So, who do you think that it was?" I asked John who frowned, "The woman on the phone. Sorry, I couldn't help but overhear."

"Oh she doesn't matter, she's just a hostage. No lead there." Sherlock interrupted.

"I don't think Alexa was thinking about leads, Sherlock."

"Well, you're not going to be much use to her." The detective said flatly.

"Are you trying to trace the call?" Alexa asked, curious about the younger Holmes' progress.

"No. The bomber is to smart for that." He said and without looking up her spoke to John, "John, pass me my phone."

"Where is it." The doctor asked.

"Jacket"

Astrid had to hold in a laugh as Watson rolled his eyes and huffed around the bench to his friend. He reached his hand into Sherlock's pocket who growled something causing Astrid to smile. John looked at the phone and frowned.

"Text, from your brother." He informed.

"Delete it" Sherlock said, still not looking up

"Delete it?"

"Missile plans are out of the country now, nothing we can do about it"

"Missile plans?"

"Something to do with his brother Mycroft," John answered, "he's asked Sherlock to find out where they are."

"Jeez."

"Yeah, his brother, despite always reminding us that he's the smart one, isn't abke to always do things for himself."

"The plans aren't in the country anymore, he should know that there's nothing we can do." Sherlock half-heartedly piped in

John read the text and rolled his eyes.

"Well, Mycroft thinks there is, he's texted you eight times."

As the two continued to squabble like an old married couple, Astrid seamed to remember the name Mycroft. Jim had spoken about him a lot, lots to do with the British government. 

Astrid was snapped out of her thoughts when a small woman burst in through the door rushing to Sherlock's side.

"Any luck?" She said cheerfully.

"Oh yes," Sherlock replied, finally smiling.

Much to Astrid's surprise, moments after Sherlock had grinned childishly, a medium sized man wearing brown jeans and a baggy grey top came in looking clumsy. Astrid didn't believe what she was seeing, so much so that she didn't notice that her mouth had dropped into a round 'O' in shock of seeing her boss coming in on her mission dressed as some gay Sherlock obsessed boy.

He looked at Astrid and smiled before noticing the group of people huddled around a shoe.

"Oh, sorry, I didn't..." he stuttered.

"Jim! Hi! Come in, come in!" The consulting criminal closed the door  and went over to the small brunettes' side. "Jim, this is Sherlock Holmes."

Jim smiled in recognition and looked over to John, trying to disguise how obsessed he was with Sherlock.

"And, uh... sorry" the girl stuttered

"John Watson. Hi."

"Hi." Jim smiled at John before looking back at Sherlock, "So, you're Sherlock Holmes. Are you on one of your cases?"

"Jim works in I.T upstairs, that's how we met; office romance." She giggled and Sherlock briefly looked at Jim before looking back into the 'scope.

"Gay." He said flatly, and Molly frowned.

"Sorry, what?" She said looking hurt.

"Um, nothing, um, Hey" Sherlock smiled falsely at Jim who 'accidentally' pushed a dish off the table, he lifted it back up clumsily and John sighed turning away. Jim walked back to the girl and smiled back at the group.

"I'd better be off. See you at the fox, 'bout six-ish." He look down at his 'girlfriend' , who nodded enthusiastically.

"Bye."

"Bye"

"It was nice to meet you." Jim said and looked back at the detective who didn't reply.

"You too." John replied when Sherlock ghosted the man.

Jim headed for the door and looked at Astrid as he left, she frowned at the criminal who winked at her, unbeknown to the others in the room. He left the room and as son as the door shut the small brunette looked at Sherlock.

"What do you mean; gay? We're together."

"And domestic bliss must suit you, Molly. You've put on three pounds since I last saw you." Sherlock replied slyly.

"Two and a half." Molly replied furiously.

"Nah, three."

"Sherlock" John rolled his eyes.

"He's not gay, why do you have to spoil ...he's not-"

"With that level of personal grooming-" he stopped when the blonde sat in the corner interrupted him.

"Sorry, I don't want to interrupt, but is there a toilet." Astrid asked, itching to see Jim again

"Third door on the left." Molly replied angrily as Astrid turned and left out the door, hearing the faint noise of the three arguing back in the lab.

Astrid hoped to God that Jim was still there. She passed the third door on the left and went into a lobby, there was no-on there except the receptionist so she sighed and turned to head back to the others, however her path was blocked by the man she was looking for, still dressed in his embarrassing clothes.

"Looking for me." He said and Astrid jumped in shock.

"Um yeah."

"Shouldn't you be somewhere?"

"Yeah, the toilet."

"Well then, I wouldn't want you to get caught." he said and he began to walk back to the toilet.

"You really like to live on thin ice, don't you."

"I already told you, he won't know it's me."

"Nice accent."

He grinned and rolled his eyes when the lab door opened, "get in the toilet."

Jim pushed Astrid into the toilet who frowned as to why, until she heard lots of squabbling and crying from the other side of the door. Molly had come out and broken up with him, just like Sherlock was implying. She heard a slap and the noise of feet stomping out of the room, she left the toilet to find Jim with a slightly red mark on his face, he was grinning though.

"Well done," said the blonde, "very convincing."

"I'm glad you think so."

"Oh I do." She said as he smirked and turned to leave, "Jim."

He turned around.

"Yes dear?" he said childishly.

"It suits you" she smiled, and before he could ask anything else, she had disappeared back into the lab.