Bewitched crowed
(Part 3 of Moments with the violin)
"That´s the stupidest idea you ever had." Sherlock looked at John as his friend had suggested that they could break into a secured room with hundreds of poisoned people. "They will kill us as soon as the concentration of the poison gets a critical level in their bodies."
"And how do you suggest we get the Antidote to them. The last time it was only five people, now five hundred. We can save them. We only need them to listen." John looked at Sherlock with this look that tells him they will figure it out.
Sherlock sighs. "Alright, I will bring us in. You do the talking." John nods and follows the detective to the wastewater tunnels without questioning the route.
Armed with enough antidote for the prisoned and infected people and vaccine themselves to not get infected.
The beginning of all of this was an experiment. Not Sherlock´s fault. A Scientist from a weapon company was angry at his boss, developed a gas that let people become crazy, angry and violent. He let it in a conference room with his ex-bosses and watched them kill each other. Of course that got him and his gas a lot of attention and possible buyers.
Now the gas was sold and used in a much bigger environment. Down in a locked up subway station were hundreds of people who are infected. Mycroft's people got the antidote but it needed to bring to them and every single person needed his own injection, soon. Before they start to kill each other.
hat´s the reason why Sherlock and John making their way through the tunnels to reach these people.
"Why did you take your violin case with you?" Sherlock was holding on to it since they heard of the attack.
"Could get handy." A typical Sherlockian answer from his friend. John was a bit too busy with figuring out how to get the antidote to the people then thinking about Sherlock and his violin.
They found their way in through a services tunnel. What they found was worse than expected. The people in the office needed two hours to develop the first symptoms. It was only an hour ago that they were exposed and the people were screaming at each other. Fighting and other are beginning to hurt others. How should they get them to listen.
John walks to the closed person, a woman around forty, with brown hair and wearing a business suit. "Miss? I´m a doctor and you are poisoned and need to come with me so I can get you the antidote."
The woman didn't turn but pushed John with one hand away from her to continue her heated argument with another woman. Apparently one of them had slept with the others brother. Not Sherlock´s concern but he watches how John tries to talk to the people who looked at least effected but it had no use. They didn't listen to him and as the first one tried to push his friend, had Sherlock enough.
"John stop that." John looked around and caught the violin case Sherlock throw at him. "Hold that, I make them listen, you treat them."
Armed with his music instrument and only with that, drives Sherlock into the crowd, climbing on top of a rubbish bin and starts to play.
The song that came out was angry and nothing John had listened to before. It was as Sherlock would mirror the emotions and the mood of the people around him. The notes came out loud, it hurt John´s ears. Under the anger was fear and frustration, desperation.
The crowd didn't react to Sherlock´s play, it welcomes him as one of them. Sherlock played a few minutes before he starts to change the rhythm to something less angry, less violent. The melody fills the room and shadows the people. It surrounded them, the music changed to a slower tune. It felt more like a day in summer with flowers and sunshine and birdsongs as the music of the losing team in a football match.
Slowly, very slowly changes the crowd. The punching and kicking stops. The screaming and shouting get quiet and the people turn to Sherlock. Who now plays a soft tune, like a lullaby. With a quick look to John he signals him to start with the treatment.
The music didn't stop; it continues and gives the crowd a peaceful feeling.
It still took John over three hours to give everyone the antidote and Sherlock never stops. The people who had the antidote and start to understand what had happened to them didn't move ether. Everyone stayed and listened to Sherlock´s violin play.
The rescue team came in as the last one was healed. John was glad that the situation was under control but there was still a criminal in the run, with a very dangerous weapon.
As John and Sherlock step out in the sun, the violin safe in its case, John smiled proudly at Sherlock who said nothing and waves the nearest cab for them to go home.
Sherlock can bewitch people with his music and saved today more than one with this talent.