Sherlock - The Game Is On!

The Sign Of Three- Eight

Chapter Eight

I was jumping around, a few guards recognised me whilst they were marching back to the barracks. "Company, halt!... Right turn!" Echoes. We walk to the entrance, John gave his wallet to the duty sergeant. "We're here to see Private Stephen Bainbridge."

"He's on duty right now, sir but I'll certainly let him know when he's free."

"And when will that be?"

"Another hour." We turn ahead and walk towards a park past the gates. "Do you think they give them classes?"

"Classes?"

"How to resist the temptation to scratch their behinds?"

"Afferent neurons in the peripheral nervous system. Bum itch."

"Oh!" The boys paused for a minute. "So why don't you see him any more?"

"Who?"

"Your previous commander, Sholto." I turn my head to look at Sherlock. "Previous commander."

"I meant 'ex'."

"'Previous' suggests that John currently has a commander." I spoke. "Which he doesn't."

"Which I don't." John pointed out. "Course you don't. He was decorated, wasn't he? A war hero."

"Not to everyone. He led a team of crows into battle."

"'Crows'?"

"New recruits. It's standard procedure; Break the new boys in, but it went wrong. They all died; He was the only survivor. The press and the families gave him hell. He gets more death threats than you. However, I helped out where I could, he's safe." I answered. "Why have you suddenly taken an interest in another human being?" John asked. "I'm... Chatting." We turn to raise our brows to Sherlock. "Won't be trying that again."

"Changing the subject completely you know it won't alter anything, right, me and Mary, getting married? We'll still be doing all this. All three of us."

"Oh, good."

"If you were worrying."

"Wasn't worried." I look ahead, sat next to John's right whilst Sherlock was on his left. "See, the thing about Mary, she has completely turned my life around; changed everything. But, for the record, over the last few years there are three people who have done that... And the other one is..." We both turn only to see Sherlock's buggered off. "A complete dickhead?" I asked. John numbly agreed before we looked around the park again.

In the office, an officer called Major Reed sits behind his desk and looks at John's military ID card. He looks up at John who is sitting opposite him. "Can I ask what this is in connection with?"

"Private Bainbridge contacted us about a personal matter, sir." I stood beside John. "Nothing's personal when it concerns my troops. What do you really want?"

"I'm here on a legitimate enquiry."

"Press? Digging for some bloody Royal story or something?"

"No, sir, he's Captain John Watson, Fifth Northumberland Fusiliers. I'm General Phillips."

"You're both Retired. You could be a used car salespeople now, for all I know." I flipped my wallet out showing him my card, however he was still unconvinced about John. "I know you, don't I? I've seen you both in the papers. Hang around with that detective, the one with the silly hat. What the hell does Bainbridge want with a detective?"