Sophia Holmes and the Duplicate Man (Sherlock's Daughter Fanfic) *Completed*

Chapter Thirteen - The Duplicate Man Part IV

"You never ring. What's wrong?" is dad's immediate response when he picks up the phone.

I give Strange a quick smile as he narrows his eyes at the voice on the video call. "Hello to you too. Everything's fine, I've just encountered something interesting and I want your view on it."

"Is that Sophie?" I hear John say, coming into view on the other end before dad shushes him.

"What is it?"

"Are you still working on that duplicate man case?"

Dad hesitates, and I can already tell from his reluctance to answer that he is. "Yes. Why?"

"Because I've just found another case of it. Dad, meet Doctor Strange."

I hand Strange the phone and watch gleefully over his shoulder at dad's reaction. John's mouth falls open and he looks back at dad.

"Mr Holmes," Strange says, giving a strained smile. "The photos didn't do your likeness justice."

John's expression of shock turns into a laugh as dad simply stares back. 

"So," I say, getting back into the frame. "Any theories?"

"None that fit with this development," dad says slowly, unable to take his eyes off of Strange. "Of course they say that there are seven people on Earth who look just like you."

"That's incorrect, actually," Strange interjects. "That is based on superficial features such as hairline, hairstyle and eyebrow shape. Before today, I would have said the chances of someone having an actual doppelganger is actually nought."

Dad looks like he's just been slapped in the face by being corrected and both John and I have to stifle a laugh.

"Two Sherlocks," John breathes. "God save us all."

I snort. "Okay, so just so we can rule it out: you definitely don't have a mysterious sibling that I've never met?"

Dad sends me a glare, knowing what I'm getting at. "It's never twins."

"Fine!" I say, putting my hands up in mock surrender. 

"So how come you didn't recognise him when he was treating you?" John asks.

I raise my eyebrows in disbelief at his question and Strange answers.

"I'm not sure whether you've uncovered a miracle of science that allows a patient to see while they are blind and under reconstructive surgery, but I usually find my patients can't see."

"Though thinking back, there was something familiar about your voice before you put me under," I say, turning to Strange. "But I must have been on about half a dozen drugs by then so not a lot of things were making sense."

"A bit like this then." I nod in agreement.

"Okay, if you have any other theories that fit, feel free to let me know," I tell dad and John, end the call and looking back at Strange. "I'm not sure we're going to get a logical answer to this. All my mind can think of is whether human cloning could be accomplished forty years ago."

"Unlikely. Dolly the Sheep wasn't even cloned until 1996."

I nod. "But we visited a facility a few years ago which may have achieved it even sooner. They didn't seem to find a problem with human cloning."

"Although you have to factor in that clones have a limited life span. And even if that wasn't the case, why would it be me or your father that was cloned? And wouldn't we know about it?"

"Yeah, I know, it's a stupid idea. I suppose I'll have to do some digging."

"I'd offer to help but I have a surgery in an hour and a Neurological Society dinner tonight."

"Alright, I'll talk to you tomorrow." He nods and heads off back down the corridor. I don't even know where to start, but I know one thing for sure: I'm not going to be able to catch up with Tony.