Sherlock - The Game Is On!

The Final Problem- Fifteen

Chapter Fifteen

Third POV

"Now, Howard." He walks closer and stares at the man on the left who has that name card around his neck. "Howard's a lifelong drunk. Pallor of his skin, terminal gin blossoms on his red nose and terror notwithstanding, a bad case of the DTs." Sherlock spitfires. "There's no way he could have taken that shot from three hundred metres away."

He walks across the window to face the man dangling between the other two. "So that leaves us with Alex. Indentations on the temples suggest he habitually wears glasses. Frown lines suggest a lifetime of peering."

"He's shortsighted, or he was. His recent laser surgery has done the trick." Mycroft adds, now peering close to the hanging people. Sherlock briefly glances to him before questioning: "Laser surgery?"

"Look at his clothes. He's made an effort." Sherlock looks at Alex's suit. "That's very good." John compliments softly. "Excellent. Suddenly he sees himself in quite a different light now that he's dumped the specs. Even has a spray tan. But he's clearly not used to his new personal grooming ritual." He zooms in on the man's dirty fingernails before spit firing again: "That can be told by the state of his fingernails and the fact that there's hair growing in his ears. So it's a superficial job, then." His tone becomes firmer. "But he got his eyes fixed. His hands were steady. He pulled the trigger."

He turns to the screen, pointing back towards Alex. "He killed Evans."

- - Are you ready to condemn the prisoner? - -

"Sherlock, we can't do this." Mycroft states. "The plane, remember?"

- - Sherlock? Are you ready? - -

Eurus asks firmly. Sherlock turns his head a little. John turns to look at him. Sherlock bites his lip for a moment, then speaks softly: "Alex."

- - Say it. Condemn him. - -

Looking grim, John turns to look at the man outside the window.

- - Condemn him in the knowledge of what will happen to the man you name. - -

Sherlock turns to face the window, looking into Alex's face. He pauses for a long moment. "I condemn Alex Garrideb."

Instantly the ropes holding the other two men release and they plunge downwards out of sight. The men inside the room look shocked.

- - Mind the gap. - -

Jim's voice talks over.

- - Congratulations. - -

Sherlock closes his eyes briefly, all three of them turn towards the screen.)

- - You got the right one. - -

As Sherlock walks slowly towards the screen, Eurus tilts her head towards the door to the right of the screen, which starts to slide open.

- - Now, go through the door. - -

"You dropped the other two. Why?" John booms.

- - Interesting. - -

"WHY?" John booms again, furiously.

- - Does it really make a difference, killing the innocent instead of the guilty? - -

She looks down thoughtfully.

- - Let's see. - -

She stabs a finger down onto the remote control lying on the desk. John turns to look out of the window just as Alex's rope releases and he plunges downwards. Jim's voice can be heard and his red-lit face appears on the screen briefly:

- - The train has left the station! - -

- - No. That felt pretty much the same. - -

Sherlock had been walking towards the open doorway but turns back and walks to stand behind John who is staring towards the window, his teeth bared, breathing heavily. "John." He warns softly. John turns to him, breathing harshly through his nose. "Don't let her distract you."

"Distract me?" John questions tightly. "Soldiers today." John looks at him for a couple of seconds, then straightens to his full height.

Captain Watson is back in the room.

Sherlock glances across to his brother who still looks disturbed by the whole business, then Sherlock turns and leads the others to the door. Mycroft walks slowly, sighing and rubbing one hand tiredly over his forehead.

About a hour later, Mary and Rosie, Irene, Eric, Mj and Anthea stood in my living room.

"Sorry Michelle, I don't know what you're talking about." Anthea was shaking her head side to side, unsurely. I looked towards her, squinting my eyes. She's telling the truth, partly.

"Sorry I'm confused. What's going on?" Mary asked, settling Rosie. "My safe house was rigged with bombs." Her eyes widen with discretion. "Do you know who did it?"

"Oh yes." I smile. "I know." I begin swaying gently side to side, smiling happily to myself. "Auntie Shelly?"

"Yes, Mj?" I crouch down and look to her. She looks to her parents before running closer to me. She moves her face to my ear and starts to whisper: "You're glowing." I look to her. "Is it noticeable?" She nods enthusiastically. "Yep!"

"My, my. Mj's a genius."

"Why?" Eric questions. "Because she noticed something that you lot did not." Sitting down, I place Mj and my knee, she cuddles close to me.