Restless as ever Sherlock Holmes impatiently sat in his chair in the heart of his iconic study within the flat as 221b Baker Street with his pipe clenched between his teeth and wrapped up in his red robe as his friend and colleague, Dr. John Watson, slowly unwrapped the heavy gauze around Sherlock's recently mended dislocated shoulder. It had been four weeks since Sherlock had been abducted and tortured by Moriarty; and two additional weeks since Watson had been attacked by Moriarty's second in command.
But it was five weeks prior when the sick criminal had lured Sherlock into a trap and attempted to kill the detective by locking him away inside a burning manor. Watson had fortunately arrived in time to locate Sherlock and get his friend to safety. The deviant responsible for both Sherlock's abduction and Watson's assault had yet to be identified by either Scotland Yard, or Sherlock himself.
"Well, Watson?" Sherlock asked as the good doctor finally finished unwrapping his healed shoulder. There was only the faintest of a yellow hued bruise along Sherlock's collarbone. The swelling of the skin and muscle beneath had been reduced entirely and Sherlock had nearly regained all of his strength to that shoulder and arm. "Am I cleared for duty?"
"It appears so, yes." Watson gently lifted Sherlock's arm straight forward until the limb was evenly aligned with this shoulder. "Hold your arm out as level as you can." Watson instructed and he retracted his own hand and watch Sherlock's arm trembling slightly as the weakened ligaments in the shoulder fought to support the weight of Sherlock's arm. Waiting for sixty seconds to pass Watson nodded for Sherlock to relax his arm. "There's still residual weakness but as long as you don't do anything too strenuous I believe I can medically clear you."
"Splendid!" Sherlock pulled his pipe from his teeth as he excitedly rose from his chair. Moving past Watson Sherlock rushed into his private room and threw off his robe as he searched for clean clothes to wear. Calling out through his still opened door to Watson the enthusiastic detective announced his plans with renewed vigor. "And none too soon! I finally have a lead on the identity of the man who had nearly taken our lives."
"Oh?" Watson was genuinely surprised by the revelation. "And how did you manage that while you were laid-up here in Baker Street?"
"You forget Watson," Sherlock emerged from his room dressed in his three-piece gray suit; gray slacks, a white shirt, dark gray vest and gray jacket over top. "I have my irregulars to set about my business on my behalf when necessary."
"And your eccentric group of spies managed to discover what you could not?"
"In a crude sense, yes." Sherlock confirmed as he reclaimed his pipe and puffed thoughtfully as he looked to his friend with a vibrant curiosity beaming behind his eyes. "My sources have trailed our unnamed assailant to a decrepit hotel in the heart of the city. Rundown, located in a dangerous neighborhood filled to the brim with criminals and famous for its underground poker tournaments; yet this building still manages to elude the law and inspectors."
"The person or persons who own this hotel are bribing Scotland Yard?"
"Undoubtedly." Sherlock stated with the utmost confidence as he set aside his pipe and set to properly tying a dark green tie around his upturned collar. "Which of course means that this person or persons has very deep pockets. Pockets deep enough to hold the very same connections and resources that allowed the unscrupulous Moriarty to evade the law for so many years."
"Are we to confront this person?" Watson carefully rolled up the sleeves of jacket and shirt beneath along his right forearm to reveal the newly formed scarred courtesy of their unnamed foe's previous attack. "Are we to confront him on his own turf?"
"Indirectly, yes."
"You mean we'll be disguised?"
"Yes to the disguise," Sherlock tightened his tie and turned down his collar over it. "but no to the 'we'. It's much easier to maintain a disguise and false persona while working solo."
"But Holmes," Watson wisely protested the decision as he mentally assessed the duration of Sherlock's recent recovery period from both his physical trauma as well as his mental resolve. "you've only just healed from your injuries." Rolling his sleeves back to their proper positions he slipped his hands into his trouser pockets and took a stern pose. "Do you think it's a good decision to potentially put yourself in a dangerous situation without any one to watch your back?"
"I admit that I am taking a big risk, but I am certain that it will pay off."
"Very well. While I don't agree with your decision, I will respect it."
"Thank you, Watson. For tonight night I shall join the poker tournament and at long last be introduced to the owner of such a seedy establishment; and at long last place a name to the face of our most dangerous current foe."
"Until then we must inform Inspector Lestrade of our intentions." Watson urged cautiously as he watched his friend compose himself like a proper gentleman. "Scotland Yard can't be kept in the dark on this case."
"Quite right. We'll send a telegraph."
"Telegraph? Why can't we tell him this in person? It'd be much easier to communicate face to face rather than on a piece of paper."
"True. But according to my resources there has been a spy planted along our block to watch the flat. If we are to leave the sanctuary of our flat and show no sign of ill health then my ability to slip undercover will be surely tarnished, and additional security will be placed at the hotel."
"Then where are we going?"
"We are going to sit here and wait. I merely changed into my day clothes as I grew bored of appearing lazy or ill while my shoulder and stitches healed."
"I see."
"Try not to worry Watson. I'll ask for Mrs. Hudson to make a trip to the market and appear to be gathering supplies for our aid to fool the spy who will no doubt tail her. While out she will pass along my message to my contact stationed at said market and tonight I shall slip unnoticed into the shady underground and poker tournament. Our foe will be none the wiser of our recovery."
...to be continued...
