"Alright Sherlock, fill me in, what are we doing here?" John said as they walked down the sidewalk. "Last night a couple was found murdered, they had been mugged on the street, had a couple of items stolen and left to die." The Detective said nonchalantly.
"But I'm guessing there's more to this 'Then Meets Thy Eye?'" John said, they stopped in front of an ally where the Lestrade, Donovan and rest of their gang were just packing up. "You see, I found that they were 'High School Lovers' who recently got back together, the man, Toby Glenworth, was trying to impress, so he decided to take her out to dine at the resort and-"
"Not to be a spoilsport, but could please skip the back-story?" John said seeing the body of both the man and woman being taken away. "Right, well anyways, instead of taking his limo home, he decided that walk her back, which was of course a stupid idea. Now John, before I go any further, did you find anything about these two?"
John shrugged, "Nothing unusual, both went to the same high school, she went back home to Italy after graduating and he went off to college. Toby then went on into the business world and has done a good job of staying out of any trouble, no affairs, scandals, nothing. And Miss...Angel, didn't come back to London till a couple days ago."
Sherlock nodded, "Just as I thought, completely ordinary. Well you see, it isn't the people who were killed that makes this so interesting, but the murders. Tell me, have you ever heard of the 'Black Diamond Snakes?"
The doctor pauses, then continues, "Black diamond Snakes?...No, never heard of it, why?"
"They're a gang that roams the back allies of the world, they try, and do, stay out of sight and keep a low profile. They just aren't in London, but they have a headquarter in almost every major city. But their ringleader is staying here in London."
"And you know this because...?" John was quite baffled about how much Sherlock knew about this gang.
"Homeless network, now let me finish will you?" Sherlock then continued on, "The resort the couple went to last night is called 'The Babylon Gardens', There are famous for having the finest of...everything. And I happen to that within the past few weeks, 3 members from each of there top 5 resorts have been murdered."
"So, what you're saying is, this gang who call themselves 'The Black Snakes' are attacking members of 'The Babylon Gardens' because...?"
"That's what we're going to find out." Sherlock now turned to Lestrade, "Do you have the address for me?"
"Sherlock, John," Lestrade nodded at the two of them, turning back to Sherlock he gave a sigh, "Yeah, I got the bloody address for you, but really Sherlock, couldn't you have just asked Mycroft? After all, he's a member there and I'm sure-"
Sherlock didn't let him finish, instead, a shark like smile grow upon his face. "Don't worry, Mycroft will get his turn, I just didn't want to ask too many favors from him. Come along John, we have work to do!"
Back at the flat, Sherlock was busy texting away on his phone while John sat down on the sofa, "Ok, What's going on? You said back there you were going to ask Mycroft for help, Which is obviously a lie, so tell, what's really going on?"
Without looking away from his phone Sherlock said in his deep voice, "I wasn't lying, I AM going to ask (text rather) Mycroft," as he said this, a smile, a shark-like, devilish smile made its way onto Sherlock's face.
"Sherlock, what are you planning to do with Mycroft?"
"Easy, I'm going to ask him to take a holiday. You know, rest, eat, enjoy himself, take it easy-"
"You going to ask him to take a trip to The Babylon Gardens!?"
Sherlock stop and stared at his friend, he looked like a child who had just been caught lacing his sister's shoelaces together.
"Sherlock Holmes! I don't care how much you dislike Mycroft that does not give you the right to use him! For God sake Sherlock he's your brother, and you were about to ask him to walk right into a death trap! Please tell me you're not serious!"
"But I thought you didn't like Mycroft?" Sherlock sitting in an awkward position in his armchair.
"I don't really, i mean...But I don't wish death upon him!"
Sherlock gave out a loud moan, "Fine, then there's only one alternative."
"Are what's that?" John asked nervously. If Sherlock was really willing to put his own brother in danger, what else might he do?"
That night, ex-army doctor John Watson found himself dressing up in front of a mirror in a suite at The Babylon Gardens.
Are you ready? -SH
John groaned, although he still didn't wish death upon Mycroft, he certainly wish to trade places with him.
Give me 2 minutes -JW
In exactly 2 minutes after he sent the text, there was a knock on the bathroom door. "You ready?" Sherlock yelled through the door.
"Give me a sec!" John yelled back,
"I gave you 2 minutes just like you asked! Hurry up!"
In a expensive looking dinning room Sherlock and John sat in silence, John looking at the menu, and Sherlock looking at each guest deducing each ones life story.
"How do you know they fall for it? John spoke up without looking from his menu,
"Fall for what?" Sherlock said turning back to his flatmate.
"How do you know the gang will go for us? I mean, out of all the people and...couples...How do you know they will target us?"
Just as Sherlock opened his mouth, the waiter arrived. "I'll have the chicken special, with a side of broccoli-"
But before John could say what he wanted to drink, Sherlock spoke for him. "and we'll have two glasses of wine."
"Very good sir, and what kind would you like?"
John went to spoke, but Sherlock again spoke for him. "The club special, he said with a wink and a fake smile"
"Of course, just wait a moment and I'll have those drinks right out!"
With the waiter gone the two were free to talk among themselves.
"Sherlock I don't want wine! I just wanted a water with a lemon! What do you seriously have against lemons!?"
"Nothing, but the gang members want you to have wine."
"What? Why? Are you trying to get me drunk!?" John, now really scared, all he wanted was a lemon, a nice sour lemon. But Sherlock should have been glad he didn't let John get his lemon, for if he had, and John heard what Sherlock was going to say next, he would has squirted the lemon in Sherlock's eyes.
"While you were taking your precious time getting ready in your bathroom I went and looked up where the Babylon Garden got each it's food,wheres from and all sorts when i found they get a special wine, reserved only for Diamond class members, that is imported from France. I also found that each one of the victims drank this wine the night they died. I also noticed that you had the chicken special, which contains a certain type of gravy which you dislike, so now Dr. Watson would like to tell me why you are forcing yourself to eat foods with which you disagree with?"
John looked around the room to make sure no one could hear them. "Look, I don't know how much money you got, but I do know it's not enough to get you into the Diamond class-"
"Us" Sherlock interrupted.
"What?"
"I got US into the Diamond Class, continue please" Sherlock without showing any expression.
"Right...Well you haven't got a whole ton of money and it isn't smart to go blowing it with buying expensive food and-"
"You're right"
"I am...?" John said confused.
"I don't have a whole ton money" Sherlock stopped and grinned. "But Mycroft does"
They two began to giggle, as Sherlock slipped up too show Mycroft's credit card in his hand. "Tonight I am Mycroft Holmes and you are a Mr. Peterson James head of very large business who is doing business with the Mycroft."
John opened his mouth to scold Sherlock, but soon lost all seriousness and broke out into laughter, which Sherlock soon joined him in.
"Your wine...sirs?"
"Thank you...Ummm...Mr...?"
"Fredrick, you may call me Fredrick" The waiter said as he place the two wines on the table. "Your orders will be out soon hot and ready!" he said as he turned and lefted.
Sherlock raised his glass "To Mycroft!"
John raised his glass as well "To Mycroft!"
And with that, the two clinched glasses, and it was only after that John realized that since Sherlock WAS Mycroft they had actually just drank to Sherlock.
