Glass - A Sherlock Fan Fiction

Chapter Twenty Three

CAM Global News' skyscraper ascended into the night sky like a mountain of glass and steel. John walked through the revolving doors and into the foyer, glancing over to a TV screen where CAM was broadcasting the latest news. 'JUDGE DIES OF HEART ATTACK AMIDST TRIAL.' He continued walking, stopping as he noticed the security barriers. He looked around before checking his watch.

"Magnussen's office is on the top floor, just below his private flat," Sherlock began as he appeared behind him.

John's eyes widened, he turned around coolly, not wanting to show he had been startled.

Sherlock glanced towards a set of lifts, focusing on the key card readers beside them. "But there are fourteen levels of security between us and him," he continued. "Two of which aren't even legal in this country. Want to know how we're breaking in?"

"Is that what we're doing?"

"Of course it's what we're doing."

He pulled a card from his pocket and got them through the barriers. They ordered coffees at the canteen and carried the cups as they walked through the building.

"Magnussen's private lift," Sherlock said as they stepped onto an escalator. "Goes straight to his penthouse and office. Only he uses it and only his card calls the lift. Anyone else even tries, security is automatically informed."

They stepped off the escalator. Sherlock held up the card. "Standard key card for the building. Nicked it yesterday. Only gets us as far as the canteen. If I was to use this card on that lift now, what happens?"

"Er, the alarms would go off and you'd be dragged away by security."

"Exactly."

"Get taken to a small room somewhere and your head kicked in."

"Do we really need so much colour?"

"It passes the time."

Sherlock stared at John, handing him his coffee. He took his phone from his pocket and pressed the key card against it.

"But if I do this... If you press a key card against your mobile phone for long enough, it corrupts the magnetic strip. The card stops working. It's a common problem; never put your key card with your phone. What happens if I use the card now?"

"It still doesn't work."

"But it doesn't read as the wrong card now. It registers as corrupted. But if it's corrupted, how do they know it's not Magnussen?"

John glanced around them. "Huh."

"Would they risk dragging him off?"

"Probably not."

"So what do they do? What do they have to do?"

"Check if it's him or not."

"There's a camera at eye-height to the right of the door. A live picture of the card user is relayed directly to Magnussen's personal staff in his office – the only people trusted to make a positive ID. At this hour, almost certainly his PA."

"S-so how does that help us?"

Sherlock allowed a slight grin. "Human error." He patted the breast pocket of his coat. "I've been shopping."

He approached the lift, John followed curiously behind.

"Here we go, then," said Sherlock as he pressed the card against the reader, causing the system to beep.

"You realise you don't exactly look like Magnussen..." said John.

"Which, in this case, is a considerable advantage," he replied, staring into the camera.