6. Elementary

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221B. LIVING ROOM.
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The brothers are sitting opposite each other in front of the unlit fire, Sherlock still in his dressing gown. We can see a chess set between them. Sherlock sits back from making a move, his eyes locked onto Mycroft's.

"London. It's like a great cesspool into which all kinds of criminals, agents and drifters are irresistibly drained." Says Sherlock.

"Sometimes it's not a question of 'Who?'; it's a question of 'Who Knows?'" He completes.

"If this man cancels his papers ... I need to know."

Somewhere in London a man in his twenties or thirties with a shaved head is sitting on a park bench eating a sandwich. Near the bench, a scruffily dressed and rather grubby woman – presumably one of Sherlock's Homeless Network – takes photos of the man on her phone.

Elsewhere, a woman with a dog on a lead walks through a street market.

"If this woman leaves London without putting her dog into kennels, I need to know."

Another homeless woman photographs the dog owner and texts it to Sherlock.

"There are certain people – they are markers. If they start to move, I'll know something's up – like rats deserting a sinking ship."

"All very interesting, Sherlock, but the terror alert has been raised to Critical." Says Mycroft.

"Boring. Your move." Says Sherlock.

"We have solid information. An attack is coming."

He glances down towards the table between them.

"'Solid information.'A secret terrorist organisation's planning an attack – that's what secret terrorist organisations do, isn't it? It's their version of golf."

"An agent gave his life to tell us that."

"Oh, well, perhaps he shouldn't have done. He was obviously just trying to

"None of these markers of yours is behaving in any way suspiciously?"

He glances down again and makes a move.

"Your move." Says Mycroft.

"No, Mycroft, but you have to trust me. I'll find the answer. It'll be in an odd phrase in an online blog, or an unexpected trip to the countryside, or a misplaced Lonely Hearts ad." Says Sherlock.

He had only glanced down briefly before speaking, but there's a slight click as he moves his piece.

"Your move." Says Sherlock.

Mycroft glances down briefly before raising his eyes to Sherlock's again.

"I've given the Prime Minister my personal assurance you're on the case." Says Mycroft.

"I am on the case. We're both on the case. Look at us right now." Says Sherlock.

On the table in between them, there's a loud buzzing and a red light flashes.

"Oh, bugger!" Says Mycroft.

He angrily drops the small tweezers he was using in their game of "Operation." Not Chess. The chess set is actually on the coffee table in front of the sofa. Which Elisabeth is sitting on.

"Oopsie!" She says as she stands up.

Mycroft returns the piece to the board.

"Can't handle a broken heart – how very telling." Says Elisabeth.

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