Sherlock and John trudged up the stairs afer a long case. Sherlock paused on the 16th step and looked at the door. Sherlock noticed that the door was slightly ajar. He signaled for John to be quiet and pointed to the door. John got the message and pulled out his gu and nodded. Sherlock pushed the door open and saw a woman about his height with broad shoulders and short dirty blond curly hair.

"Who are you?" Sherlock asked voice flat and calm.

"You're the genuis Consulting Detective. Use those wonderful deductive powers I have heard so much about." The woman says just as calm as Sherlock's. Sherock looks at her for a second.

"You were recently brought back from Afghanistan or Iraq. Why is not a hundred percent clear. Possibly because of ingury, more likely you were pulled back. You were a rank or two lower than John."

"Amazing." She smiles and stands up. Upon standing the womans height is shown to be an inch higher than Sherlock's. John smirks and puts his gun away realizing who is in their flat.

"You can stand down Sherlock." John says calmly.

"But John she broke into our flat!" Sherlock whines.

"Yes but I know exactly who she is. Don't worry."

"Well then who is she!"

The woman coughs akwardly "Umm hello? Still here you know. I could answer that for myself."

"Yes you can." John answers before Sherlock can answer.

"My name is Marie. I was in Afghanistan with John not a rank lower but a rank higher. You are right I was pulled out to work some where else."

"Ah." Is all Sherlock says. Realizing he got most of it wrong.

"Now where is your bathroom I need to change into my work clothes."

John points her in the right direction and when she is the bathroom Sherlock holds out a wallet.

"Want to find out what rank she was before she was pulled out?"

"Sherlock we could into serious trouble for this!"

"Come on please!" Sherlock whined.

"Alright fine." Sherlock's face brightens and he opens her wallet to reveal her I.D. Sherlock does not move and remains rooted to his spot not moving.

"Well? What rank was she!" John says growning impatient. Final after a minute he groans aand snatches the wallet. His jaw drops when he reads the I.D. It says

"Marie British Secret Service." Under it was a signature and a symbol. John stares at the signature.

"Is that Mycroft's signature?" John asks slightly surprised. Sherlock just nods. In just that moment Marie walks into the room.

"Have you guys seen my wallet I must have dropped it on my way in." She looks up and sees John holding her wallet. "Give me that!" She hisses."I thought you knew better John." Sherlockk choosess this moment to talk.

"I was the one who pickpocketed you." Sherlock says in his matter of fact tone.

"Well you are damn lucky your brother is my boss or I would have to kill you." Marie says sounding frustrated. John chuckles. "What's so funny John?" Marie says without stopping her glareing at Sherlock.

"Kill him? People would notice." John says.

"Yes, but I have the means of covering it up." Marie says voice very threating. "Great and now I have to rearange my pockets to hold my wallet." Both Sherlock and John final notice what Marie is wearing. She is wearing a dark green tux and she has a sliver chain poking out of one of her pockets.

"I do hope you were not serious Marie." A voice says from the doorway.

"Hello Mycroft" John and Sherlock say in unison.

"Sir" Marie says voice flat.

"Please don't tell me you use your power in this way." Mycroft says voice flat and serious. "It would cause so much paper work."

"Of course not sir." Marie says voice sounding like business. "Only if I have to."

"Why are you here anyways Marie?" Mycroft asks.

"I was seeking your brother's help."

"Why?"

"I'm surprised you don't know sir."

"Just tell me"

"My team was kidnapped and I am eager to find them."

"We have our own intelligence team do we not?"

"Yes but from what I have heard Sherlock can out smart them at anything." Sherlock smirked.

"Fine you can include them. But if anyone other than yourself is ingured you will not enjoy the consiqences." With that Mycroft walked out of the room.

"Did you just put us on a case without our permission?" John asks slightly annoyed.

"Yes but I know you just had a case but I doubt Sherlock will refuse and it will be very dangarous and in extension you will come to protect Sherlock." Marie said in a matter of fact tone. "Plus I'm sure this will provide that extra adrealine you always crave. Come on you two grab your coats we are going researching." Marie grabbed her coat from the coat rack. It was almost like Sherlock's but was not made of wool and reached the ground completely. Marie dashed down the stairs with Sherlock and John right behind her. Marie hails a cab and climbs in.

"Come on boys we need to go. I will fill you in when we get to where we need to go."

Marie gives the adress to the cabbie quietly. When Sherock and John climb in and close the door the cab speeds off.