Molly Hooper made her way through the crowds of people walking down the street. She kept her head down, but she remained on alert. There was no telling who could be keeping a lookout for her.
But who would regard her as that important?
Sherlock had.
She was scared, she wasn't afraid to admit it. Not because she believed Moriarty had returned from the dead. She had performed his autopsy. James Moriarty was dead; she knew that for an absolute fact. So who was behind the message that had been transmitted? Who and why, that was what had her worried.
Given today's technology it was easy enough to manipulate someone's features and voice, especially if there was enough footage of them.
And Moriarty had not been one to shy away from publicity, even when he was pretending to be Richard Brook.
As Molly made her way through the streets of London she made sure that she continually changed direction, sometimes even backtracking. She did everything she could think of to throw off any potential pursuer.
John, Lestrade and Mrs Hudson had been Moriarty's targets when he had had his final confrontation with Sherlock.
She had not even registered on his radar. He had completely misjudged her importance to the Consulting Detective. But since Sherlock's return, some of her involvement had inevitably come to light.
So she was now a possible target for anyone with a grudge against him.
And that would make for a very long list.
But given the decision to use Moriarty's features, Molly was certain that it had to do with the Consulting Criminal's network.
Sherlock had been confident that he had closed it down. Molly's teeth worried her bottom lip. But, still…
She had deliberately left her mobile etc. behind, in this way she hoped it would make it more difficult for her to be tracked. Though she was enough of a realist to acknowledge that if anyone was determined enough to find her they would.
But she was going to have to find somewhere safe. She couldn't aimlessly wander the streets indefinitely. She needed to find somewhere where she could stay until she could figure out what she needed to do next.
Molly knew that the logical thing to do would be to contact Lestrade, John or Mycroft. But she was doing her best in her own way to protect them.
As she changed direction yet again, her thoughts turned to Sherlock and the mission he had been sent on. The one from which he was not expected to return. She gave a silent prayer that he would remain safe wherever he was.
Molly wished with all her heart that he were here now to sort out this whole mess. And to rescue her if it came to that.
But that was just wishful thinking.
She was on her own.