SuperWhoLock: When the Shadows Rage

Episode 13: Brother Dear part 1

Sam dug his fingers into the edge of the table, listening to the phone ring...

And ring...

And ring.

And finally, there was the click of someone answering. "Is it done?"

Sam blinked, glanced at Dean. The voice was British. And maybe it was because of the tinny quality of the phone's speakers, but he could swear it sounded a little like...

Sherlock snatched up the phone. "Mycroft?"

"Sherlock?" There was a clear note of surprise in Mycroft's voice.

"Tell me why you answered the only phone number on Moriarty's cell," Sherlock snapped.

"Sherlock." The surprise was gone, and Mycroft's typical, sarcasm-laden drawl was back. "Really, how many times must we go over this? Moriarty is dead. You watched him die. You're beginning to worry me, brother dear."

"You listen to me, brother dear." Sherlock leaned forward over the table, fists clenched. "Stop playing games with me. There are lives at stake here, lives that I care about, and I would strongly advise not to toy with that. You know how I get."

Mycroft sighed loudly. "Yes, yes, unfortunately, your brother--and therefore I--know all to well how you get."

Sherlock stiffened. Dean caught Sam's eyes again, and the two brothers leaned forward, listening carefully.

"You and my brother," Sherlock repeated softly.

"Yes. Don't tell me you haven't worked it out yet. Really, I'll be so utterly disappointed if you don't know what's going on."

"Of course, it makes sense," Sherlock said. "You needed someone important, someone you could use to search out ideal individuals for your tasks on Earth. You took my brother. But when? How long has Mycroft been under your control, Shadow?"

The Doctor groaned. "Of course," he muttered."The sweating, the way he acted when we met with him."

From the phone came the sound of slow clapping. "Very good, Doctor. And Amy--is Amy there?"

Amy bit her lower lip. "Yeah, and what do you want?"

"Just to reassure you that Rory is in safe hands."

Her face drained of color. River reached across and grasped Amy's hand tightly, her knuckles whitening.

"W-what do you want?" John demanded. "And why us? Well, no, I get Sherlock and me, but why the Doctor and Amy? Why the Winchesters?"

"Out of all of us, the Doc would be the most likely to stop him," Dean said.

"Ten points to Gryffindor," Shadow-Mycroft said dryl,. "but Dean, Dean, Dean..." He clicked his tongue against his teeth. "Does this mean that the Winchesters haven't spilled their biggest secret?"

"What, that Sam's psychic?" Sherlock said.

"Hmm, so you know. Still, must be rather hard to hide the freak in the family, eh, Dean?"

"You listen to me, Shadow. You touch anyone, but especially my little brother, and I will come after you with a flamethrower and napalm. See if your damn tree spores can survive that!"

"You're so predictable that you bore me, Dean. Well, nighty-night, all, don't forget to check under your beds for my little Vashta Nerada cousins." Shadow-Mycroft snickered. "And don't mind the vampires in your closet."

"Mycroft?" Sherlock said, but there was nothing on the phone but the buzz of static. Sherlock's hand clenched around the phone, but he calmly set the device on the table.

"Mycroft," the Doctor muttered.

"That's a plot twist even I couldn't see coming," River said.

Sam looked down at the table, mind buzzing with too many questions. Why made sense. The Shadow had picked one of the most influential, yet low-key, men in the world to possess. How was fairly easy to guess at. As such an integral part of the British government, Mycroft probably had access to all sorts of alien technology that the Shadow could have hitched a ride on. But where was the Shadow, and what did he want--besides Sam's psychic ability? Why did he want Sam?

Ash's hand suddenly darted over his shoulder and picked up the phone. "Y'all are just sittin' around on your tushes like a pack of daises. C'mon, chop-chop, boys! What's the next step?"

"Trace the phone," Sherlock muttere in a dazed tone.

"Bingo," Ash said, pointing at him.

"My brother isn't stupid. He'll have the signal set up to bounce through cell towers, satellites. There's no way you'll be able to trace it."

Ash blew a raspberry and turned around, heading back to his room. "Sam, Dean, you guys owe me a pack of PBR for this."

Dean grinned at him. "Get that phone traced, and I'll buy you so much beer you'll be wasted for a week."

Ash whooped and slammed his door shut.

River stood up and brushed her hands together. "and on that note, I believe I'll pop back to your past and do a little saving of my favorite people." She winked at the Doctor as she tapped something on her wrist cuff. "Ta-ta, love."

With a bzzzzzt that reminded Sam of an old TV set turning off, she disappeared. As if that was a cue, everyone stood up, stretching and rolling their shoulders. No one looked happy, but Sam could sense a purpose in the group that hadn't been there yet. They knew who they were up against. They were taking steps to end this.

"So, what should we do now?" Jo asked Dean.

Dean grunted and brushed his hand through his hair. "I don't care what everyone else does, but I'm gonna sleep. Been runnin' on empty for a week now. The TARDIS is unlocked, right Doc?"

"Just walk right in."

"Right. Peace out, guys. Hopefully I don't see you until I've had a solid four hours."