Summary: Based on the musical Les Misérables, with Sherlock as Marius and John as Eponine. When convicted murderer Val Johnson escapes prison and the daughter of a notorious European businessman goes missing, Sherlock and John travel abroad to investigate. Eventual Johnlock. (Set sometime pre-Reichenbach)

Author's Note: Please visit Pinterest dot com /adypose/ for some extras for this story (and all others I have published here). I also highly recommend watching the 25th anniversary concert of Les Misérables, which can be found on youtube. You don't have to watch it to get this story, it is just a really great musical. :D


"And now I know how freedom feels,

A jailer always at your heels,

It is the law!"

("Prologue," Les Misérables).


"I'm not interested," Sherlock snapped, hardly sparing Lestrade a look. "I'm not a bloody bounty hunter."

"Hear me out," Lestrade responded with a rather resigned sigh. "I think you'll find it interesting."

"I doubt that," Sherlock replied lazily, sitting in his chair. "You know who committed the murders already. There is nothing interesting in the crimes. All you need to do is find the guy."

"Yes, but you haven't heard the details yet," Sherlock began to protest, but Lestrade continued quickly. "The details of his escape from a high security prison, I mean."

Sherlock was bored out of his mind. He hadn't had a case in weeks and it was making him even more difficult to deal with than usual. John, who had been sitting in the corner of the flat listening, saw this as an opportunity to get Sherlock back to his normal, somewhat more tolerable, state and spoke before Sherlock had a chance to, once again, refuse the case.

"Sherlock, you've got nothing on. You might as well hear him out," he said, giving his friend a look that clearly meant 'that's an order.'

Sherlock sighed. He was quite certain whatever Lestrade had to say was going to be dull and mind numbing, but he respected John more than anyone guessed—plus, he did have a point—so Sherlock agreed to listen.

What Lestrade explained over the next few minutes proved Sherlock entirely wrong.


John felt his stomach clench as Letrade described the gory details of the murders committed by Val almost thirty years ago. The murders were apparently motivated by racial and sexual preference, as each victim was in either an interracial relationship or a same-sex/transgendered relationship. The murders were gruesome, but were almost overshadowed by the obvious signs of torture and abuse prior to death. It had caused quite the international outrage when (a few, very select and tame) details were released.

Discovering who the murderer was and capturing him had proven quite simple, but before Lestrade could relate those details, Sherlock let out a loud, impatient grunt and shot Lestrade a look that clearly said, if you don't tell me something interesting soon, so help me I will throw you out the window!

Clearing his throat, Lestrade continued, "his escape from prison was what I thought you might find interesting. He was being held in a high security prison in France, where three of the murders were committed, waiting to be deported to America, where he faced the death sentence, when one night he simply disappeared. No one knows how he did it. He was monitored at all times, under video surveillance, and wearing a locator, but no one has any idea where he went or why. This was twenty years ago."

Sherlock was beginning to look more alert, "so why bring it up now?"

"Well," Lestrade continued, happy to have gained Sherlock's interest, that isn't the end of the story. Five years later, a man was arrested, believed to be Val. However, in a rather dramatic gesture, Val showed up at the court on the day of the trial, giving himself up as the real convict. He was re-arrested and placed under, if possible, an even more secure watch. He escaped in less than three days."

"Hmm," Sherlock definitely looked interested now, "but that was still about fifteen years ago. I reiterate, why bring it up now?"

"Well," Lestrade continued, downright smug now, "about five years after his second escape, the daughter of his former boss, Javert, disappeared. She wad ten years old. Javert is a prominent European businessman and spent a fair amount of his resources trying to find her, but could never find so much as one clue. Then, a couple of months ago the murders began again. Javert has heard of you, due to your recent fame, and wants to employ you to find his daughter and bring Val to justice."

"What makes you think these new murders are connected?" Sherlock asked, ignoring Lestrade's smug smile.

"Val's... signature is quite clear. He likes to carve words into his victim's bodies."


"So," John glanced at Sherlock out of the corner of his eye after Lestrade had given the last remaining details, including the case file (which was quite thick) and left, "I guess we are bounty hunters after all?" he asked, grinning widely.

Sherlock looked annoyed for a second but, upon seeing John's grin, grinned back, laughing softly.

"I guess so."