The year is 2027 and little Eliza, daughter of Maddy and Mycroft Holmes is attending an exclusive girls only prep school.
Maddy adjusted the collar on Eliza's school uniform before grabbing her shoulders and giving her a hug. "Now your father and I will be out of the country, but we will only be a phone call away. If it's important, don't forget to call. Are you sure that you will be fine remaining at school for the break? We could drop you off at your grandmother's."
"No Mummy I'm fine. I have some studying to do anyway, and a project in biology."
"Good. Now keep warm, and remember what your father said. 'Be aware of your environment and keep your head in a crisis'. "
"What possible crisis could I have at school?"
"I don't know. That's why I mentioned it. Oh my sweet baby, I'm gonna miss you."
"Mummy, I'm not a baby. I'm almost fifteen!"
"But you aren't fifteen yet, so mind your elders and try not to burn down the school like your uncle Sherlock did."
"He didn't burn down the entire school Mummy, just the lab."
"Well, you don't burn anything. I know that you want to show everyone that you can be ... colorful like he is, but I want you to know that there is nothing wrong with being a nice, normal girl."
Eliza spit out a laugh.
"Eliza?" Maddy said giving her a stern look.
Eliza smirked. "Daddy says that none of us is ordinary, and Uncle John called me a genius, so how can I be a nice, normal girl?"
"Well I think that the meaning of 'nice' should be obvious, but if you don't know the definition, look it up. As for the rest, well... try to be a nice, normal genius then. When we get back, we'll take you home for the weekend before the new term starts. Are you sure you'll be okay?"
"Mummy, you're being suffocating."
"Alright, alright," she said leaning over to kiss the girl on the top of her head. "Bye, bye love." Maddy wrapped her fur stole around her, and after one long look, she left the room.
Eliza walked over to the window and peered out waiting until she saw her mother get into a long black car. She waved once and stayed at the window until the car left through the gate. Then she clipped on an earpiece and turned on her computer.
"Alright girls, Eli here. 'Operation Escape' is on!"
"Eli, are you sure that this is a good idea? The way that you describe that place it sounds like The Tower itself. You're not actually the prime minister's daughter, are you?" Theresa said.
"I told you, my dad's a minor government official. Basically they're worried someone will blackmail him into leaking information or helping someone break into the Bank of England, but as to name, my dad's nobody famous."
"But your uncle is. Isn't your uncle Sherlock Holmes?" Maria asked.
"Yeah, and that's why it is imperative that we leave no traces to follow. If my parents get a whiff that I am not where I am supposed to me, then they will come after us with the full force of Scotland Yard, so no one must know."
"Are you sure we can do it?"
"Now Rece, Who got us the tickets in the first place?"
"You did but..."
"Who figured out how to get Maria access to a car even though her parents threatened to take away her transportation pass?"
"You did but..."
"Am I or am I not a genius, Theresa?"
"You are, but..."
"Then don't worry! What could possibly go wrong?"
"Oh no!" Maria cried. "Why'd you have to say that. You know that means that it has to go wrong now."
"Superstition is the opiate of the ignorant, Maria. We have no time for it. Logic is what will get us to that concert, not luck. How often do The Infidels come to London? It's a once in a lifetime opportunity, and it would truly be a crime if we wasted the backstage passes that Theresa won. Those are priceless! Do you know how much they'd cost on the black net?"
"What's the black net?" Theresa asked.
"Oh you innocents."
"Who are you calling innocent, Miss Ivory Tower?" Maria countered. "Have you ever stepped out of that exclusive school without a body guard?"
"God yes, and it was horrid! My mother makes me work in a kitchen for the homeless twice a year. It's SO depressing. Would you like me to give you The Lecture about privilege? I've got it memorized by now. 'When I was just a bit older than you are now, I was homeless, and so you should never, ever look down on people simply because of their economic circumstances.' They always expect me to be perfectly tactful. and perfectly brilliant, and perfectly perfect. Sometimes, I just want to scream!"
"God Eli! did you have to do that over an open channel? I have eardrums you know."
"Sorry, Rese, so let's restate the plan?"
"Okay, I go to the White Owl Hotel reservation's site at ten thirty AM Thursday and reserve for the weekend the Grand Suite which is not really that grand and so usually goes unrented. I get my brother to get the keys for us for the cost of three packs of beer and not being at home at all for the weekend.
My Mum has already given me permission to go to the concert, but she will be up in Scotland getting drunk with her sister who has decided to go on a singles tour of the castles of Scotland in the hopes of finding some hunky guy in a kilt to..."
"Can we skip the extended monologues? I do need to pack. Next."
"Next, I will go to the suite and prepare for the three of us with my entire collection of bootleg Infidel vids, fizzy drinks, and snacks. You next M."
"So my parents have let me go to London to visit the design college there. Thanks for official looking invite, Eli. I will take the car and go to the college so that the register will show on the car log. Then I'll pick up some brochures. Snap a few selfies and go to the hotel. Now you."
"I have the note that says that I am to stay the weekend with my grandmother. I snatched an old one out of the files and changed the date. They won't question it. Best you don't know too many more of the details of my cunning plan. This isn't a completely secure channel despite the encription. Needless, I will come Friday. We stay overnight and program the car to drive us to the stadium on Saturday. And then we are off to see the Infidels!"
"But what if we get caught?"
"Rese, we have to try. Meeting the Infidels will be the crowning experience of our lives! Do you realize that in less than a week we will be meeting Guy, Gamon, Sathesh, and Tymon in person!"
"Ahhhhh! Tymon!"
Eliza pulled the earpiece away from her ear. "Didn't you just complain about screaming into earpieces?"
"I can't help but Squee, Eli. We're going to be meeting Tymon! He is so! Lovely! Do you think he'll let me have his shirt like he did for that girl in China?"
"Calm down, Teresa," Maria said. "We will have plenty of time to squee on Friday night. Well, I'm going to have to go now. The parents are home. Off out!"
"Off out, M!"
"Me too Eli. Mum's going to the store, and I need to slip the beer in the trolley while she's not looking."
"Won't she notice?"
"Nah. The checker is way fit. She never even looks at food. Off out."
"Off out, Ter. I'll message you first thing tomorrow morning."
"Right."
"Bye."
Eliza pulled off the earpiece and tossed it down on her desk before jumping onto her bed. She looked up at the ceiling where her poster of the Infidels stared down at her. They were so talented, so handsome, and so amazing! And very soon she would meet them in person. She closed her eyes, but she was too excited. She would listen to her favorite playlist twice before she would finally get to sleep.
