CHAPTER 1. Stone, Straw and Wood
Moriarty glared at the list of names. "Why aren't all of these checked off?" he asked his man irritably. "My plan will not work if they aren't all working for me."
"Sir." The Beta shifted uncomfortably under the cool eyes of the Omega. It was rare for any Beta or Alpha to fear an Omega, but James Moriarty was an exception. A terrifying exception.
The Beta male was the commissioner's assistant. He glanced around the empty warehouse, adjusting his black tie, his palms sweating as he straightened his jacket "They-I mean, the six names aren't the kind to buy-"
"Then figure out another way to get them to comply, my dear," Moriarty suggested calmly and slowly as if speaking to a child.
"Sir-they wont accept money. They are honest men." The Beta didn't meet the Omega's cold glare.
"Well, I see I gave this to the wrong man. Why don't you run along, Dear, I'll handle these six myself."
"Sir-wait." The Beta tried to think of something. He caught movement of two large Alphas wearing dark suits start to move in on him from the shadows. "I can-"
"No, dear, I'll handle this. Never send a Beta to do a simple task." Moriarty snapped his fingers. "Boys, take out the trash. Don't leave any DNA this time. Really. Well, ta boys I'm off to school."
The Omega smiled brightly, placing a pair of round brown-framed glasses on, removing his tie, replacing it with a red bowtie. He sadly discarded his westwood jacket and exchanged it for a brown cardigan. Smiling, he skipped off, handing his jacket to one of his Alpha assistants, ignoring the sound of begging and then a choked gasped.
Tucked carefully under his arm the dark eyed Irishman held a book, "I do hope I'm not late for Story time." The slender Omega frowned. "I do love good old fashion fairy tales."
~0~
Lestrade greeted John as he walked up towards the already taped-off crime scene; a text book crack den, except the inhabitants had long since fled the scene. The old boarded up house looked ready to cave in on itself. John guessed it would leave just the brick foundation. He could only imagine what the inside looked like. He hoped the overdose wasn't another kid barely out of school, such a waste of young life.
"John. This is a first, looks like you beat him." Lestrade's warm voice broke the young doctor out of his dark musings.
"Well you're right. Mr. Cab-magnet must be losing his touch." John couldn't help but laugh. Sherlock always seemed so impatient when John arrived. Not everyone had a map of London implanted permanently in their super brain.
"Well might as well go up, I have three officers securing the area. I won't let forensics in until his majesty has had a go." Lestrade placed his hands on his hips nodding towards the dimly lit house.
"Probably best, he cant be too far behind me." John glanced again at the empty street, it was an odd feeling to beat Sherlock to a crime scene almost concerning.
"No, he never is." Lestrade couldn't help but tease his bother in law, it was true. It was a rare thing to see the doctor without his mate hovering close by. In fact Lestrade could easily visualize the undisguised displeasure that would cross his consulting detective's face upon arrival. The younger Holmes was quite possessive and unwilling to share space with other Alphas and John. The gray haired DI smiled, thinking to himself, "And they say Omegas are needy, clingy creatures."
"Oh, Mrs. Hudson wanted me to remind you to bring Alex around next weekend. She's taking the boys to the park, some kind of miniature carnival."
"That's right, Alex mentioned something. Odd, I thought he would have outgrown that sort of thing."
"Oh, I have a feeling the boys are up to something. I just haven't figured it out yet." John replied. "Siggerson finds carnivals to be dull and childish. I can see Lorry wanting to go."
"Well maybe the boys just want to tag along. You know how close the three are. And Alex hovers over them like a mother hen. Hard to believe none of them are blood related." John nodded humming.
"They have grown pretty close. I think Lorry has the other two wrapped around his finger. He is the only one that keeps Siggy out of trouble these days at school."
"Well, boys will be boys. And I can only feel for Siggy's teachers. That boy is an exact replica of his father. I give it another four years before he's turning up on my crime scenes." Both men laughed now. John glanced once more to the empty street before sighing.
"Well I'll get started then." John headed for the old house. He entered the main floor. There were two officers standing around a filthy living room. The floor boards creaked under the doctor's feet, he could see old newspaper and what looked like straw littering the floors. He could only imagine what the straw was used for. The distinct odor of animal and human urine and feces was strong. The two officers glanced in his direction irritably.
John had never seen them before, and this wasn't his first crime scene. He was glad Sherlock hadn't arrived yet. John knew his Alpha after five years together. Sherlock wouldn't appreciate the undisguised looks of interest the Omega was being thrown.
"Well hello, Love. Are you lost? Need someone to show you around?"
John rolled his eyes. Typical Alpha sentiment. "Where's the body?" he asked politely. This wasn't his first or last time dealing with chauvinists like this.
"I believe I asked you a question," the red haired constable replied, causing the other to tense slightly. "Or are you here looking for the bedroom?" The red head that said this took a step forward, not even trying to disguise the way he looked over the Doctor.
"You know, if all the Omegas are going to look like you and smell like you..." The man sniffed around John, causing the Doctor's fists to ball. "Then I don't mind this sudden flood of Omegas in the work place. We need more people to fetch our coffee and clean the equipment. Which are you? A coffee fetcher or..." The Alpha smiled hungrily. "Here to clean our equipment." John shook his head. Why must he constantly be challenged? He didn't need an Alpha to exert his dominance to feel safe. It just cut back on the ridiculous displays of supremacy by other pea-brained Alphas. He really didn't have the time for this but a lesson had to be learned. These two cops were young, maybe it would stick with them.
In a flash John had the cop on his back, his boot pressed firmly into the Alpha's neck. "Listen, idiot, I'm not in the mood. I just pulled a double shift at the surgery, I've had to deal with a psychotic husband all week bringing body parts home, and a son that likes to tell his teachers exactly how he feels about their teaching methods. So, shall we move along here? I guarantee you don't want to push me. I was a soldier and I've had bad days, so I certainly know how to take care of idiots like you. I'm a Doctor so I would know just where to break and snap your bones so that it hurts more. Got it?" The other Alpha was too stunned to move. Both constables were caught off guard by the small Omega.
"Woah!" The dark haired constable held up his hands. "Calm down-"
"What the bloody hell is going on?" Constable Clarke hurried down the creaking steps. He'd just set up lamps in the main hall to help light the dimly lit house for forensics when they arrived.
"Sir, this Omega just attacked me out of nowhere-" the red head choked out trying to wiggle out from under the surprisingly strong hold that had him pinned.
John rolled his eyes and released the other man, turning to Clarke who offered his hand.
"Doctor Watson, or is it Holmes-"
"It's Watson, although Sherlock loves to tell everyone it's Holmes." The Omega shook Clarke's hand firmly. "How's Amelia? And the kids?" The two men ignored the sputtering and cursing of the red headed constable.
"Oh, she's baking up a storm; her sister's coming into town." Clarke grimaced. "I've been meaning to thank you for making that house call. You didn't have to-"
"Oh, no thanks needed. Amelia brought a year's worth of her famous homemade strawberry jam over, that was thanks enough! Good thing you have those kids to keep you in shape or you would be a fatter man, Constable. Amelia sure can cook. As for Finn, you know Siggy wouldn't show it but he was worried when his favorite footie player was home sick with an ear infection."
"Well all the same, Doc, thanks. Well, anyway, the body is upstairs, haven't touched a thing only set up lights as instructed by the DI." He glared at the two rookies in the corner. "As for you two I'll be telling the DI about your behavior. This is a consultant for the yard not to mention the Detective inspector's brother-in-law." Both men paled visibly. Their shoulders slumped and their eyes didn't meet the older Alpha's.
"It's alright, you know boys being well, being idiots. No need getting anyone on meter maid duty." John shook his head. "I better get a head start on the body, you know how Sherlock can be once-" John never finished what he was about to say. The world around him went completely dark.
He couldn't remember hearing the blast or feeling the floor fall out from under him. For a moment he thought he was back in Afghanistan, his ears ringing, the sand and grit saturating the air, the smell of fire, and the cries and groans muffled by his temporary loss of hearing.
Then the world came back. He tried to lift himself up from the cold hard floor he was laying on but something heavy weighed him down. He took a deep breath, coughing, pushing himself up. The heavy weight on his back slid off. He blinked. There was only darkness. The air smelled of firewood and sulfur.
Slowly his hands dug into his pockets, wincing at the sharp pain behind his right knee. Realizing he was on his knees, he found his mobile and, using the light, tried to make out his surroundings. The weight he'd pushed from him wasn't a weight at all but a constable.
"Clarke?" his voice came out hoarse and weak. He coughed, trying to clear his throat. "Clarke?" He crawled over. A shaking hand to the Constable's neck told him the man was alive, just unconscious. John clasped his eyes shut and thanked god or whomever watched over constables and doctors.
~0~
Sherlock cursed the idiot cabbie that seemed to take the long way here, he practically threw the cab fair at the man and slammed the taxi's door hoping that clearly showed his irritation to the non-English speaking man.
Just as the door met with the frame of the car there was an earth-shattering boom from behind him. The force of the explosion pushed him hard into the side of the solid vehicle.
Sherlock had slid to the ground and covered his head. After the dust settled he pulled himself up, coughing he slowly stood.
"Sherlock!" Lestrade came running up to meet him. "The ambulance and fire engines are on their way. Don't do anything stupid."
Sherlock didn't understand the DI's sudden brisk tone. Sure the house was on fire, obviously caused by the explosion. He took out his mobile to text John. Perhaps this wasn't going to be another dull case.
"I've already tried. It's no use. He wont answer." Lestrade turned from his radio. "Sherlock I'm sorry-"
The consulting detective felt lost. He searched his brother-in-law for any sign of head injury. The man's face was covered in dust and the smoke was starting to make both his and the detective's eyes water, but there was something else there.
"He got here before you did. He wanted to get a head start. I had three officers in there-"
"Who!?" Sherlock gripped his mobile, his heart started to pound in his chest. The smoke was making him feel nauseated. "Who?"
"John! Sherlock, John!" Lestrade was breathless. His face didn't hide the grief. The dark-haired Holmes turned back to the burning building, his hands shaking as he hit speed dial, trying his mate's mobile. Just as the DI had said, it went straight to voice mail.
"John!" Sherlock started to run towards the building, desperation and madness overcoming logic.
He had to get to him, his mate was trapped. The building had caved in on itself but John couldn't be dead. Sherlock knew he couldn't be. Right?
Several hands were gripping him. Pulling him back. The tall Alpha tried to wiggle free, cursing and yelling. He growled and swung but it was no use. He was forced to his knees, forced to watch, helpless, as the building continued to burn. His life was being consumed by those flames, his world was being turned to ash and he could only watch.