The Empty House

Watson paced sadly back and forth at Baker Street, mourning for the loss of his friend, Sherlock Holmes. As he looked at the instrument Holmes had always played, he remembered how Holmes would play it when in a good mood. Just then, Diana burst into the room. She heard the news from Watson and rushed over to Baker Street.

Diana: This has to be some joke! Holmes can't be gone!

Watson: I'm afraid it is true. I saw it with my own eyes.

Her eyes misted in tears, Diana collapsed on the window seat, sobbing silently. She couldn't believe it. The only man whom she cared for was dead, again. Watson sat in his chair, his own sadness affecting him.

Watson: I have now lost my best friend not once, but for the second time.

As Watson and Diana sat by the candle mourning in silence together, a gloved hand touched Watson's shoulder.

Watson: Holmes? Is that you?

Diana: No, it's only Lestrade.

Lestrade: Good to see you two.

Watson: I'm sorry but...

Lestrade: Come on, no time to waste. I've been stuck all night investigating a break-in at Sir Hargreaves laboratory.

Watson: I'm sorry, Inspector. I don't think I can face an investigation on my own.

Diana: Neither can I, if I was a detective.

Lestrade: Guys, the best thing for you to do is just that. We all miss him terribly, but the wheels of justice must keep turning. He'd want it that way. And besides, I have a need for Watson' particular training and Diana's sleuthing skills.

Watson: Pardon?

Diana: What?

Lestrade: I'll explain on the way.

When they got to the house, Lestrade led Watson and Diana to the bedroom of Ronald Adair.

Lestrade: Prepare yourselves guys. His name is Ronald Adair.

In the chair sat Ronald Adair himself, frozen alive.

Diana: Oh my gosh!

Watson: Oh dear! He's been frozen solid.

Lestrade: Pretty cold, huh? Whoever this perpetrator was, he's been taking lessons from Moriarty.

Watson: Is he...?

Lestrade: No. He's a Popsicle but he's still breathing. Lucky for him, he has a persistent mother. When he didn't answer any of her voice messages, she called us. The doctors say it'll take seven to eight hours to thaw out. No harm done. But someone sure didn't want him walking around for a few days.

Watson: We could wait to question him, but whoever did this must be long gone. Hmm. I assume the door was locked when you arrived.

Lestrade: You're right. The landlord let us in. How did you know?

Watson: Eyes and brains, Inspector, eyes and brains. The door's locks from inside indicating considerable usage. Since the door frame wasn't broken, it told me that someone had a key. And look at these numbers. They mean… they mean…oh, I don't know what they mean! I'm making a fool of myself! I'm not Holmes!

Diana: I agree. I miss Holmes very much.

Lestrade: You and me both, guys.

Then a constable entered, dragging an old man with a trench coat, hat, glasses, long white hair and a beard. The old man was carrying a suitcase.

Constable: Inspector, we found this character snooping around outside. Claims he has business with ice man.

Old Man: Move aside, young man. I'm a law-abiding citizen, you can't hold me up. (examines Adair) Hmm, not good. Not good, at all. (puts suitcase on table) He won't be needing those discs now, would he?

He took a blue disc out from the suitcase and put it into the computer.

Lestrade: All right. Hold it tight there, sir. I think I have a few questions for you.

The old man took the blue disc out of the computer and put in his pocket.

Old Man: Who me? Oh, forget about me. Well if I'm not needed here, I must be going.

Lestrade: Halt! The computer disc.

But the old man gave her a red computer disc instead.

Old Man: The young man likes to play games, he did.

Lestrade: So do you. The disc you put into the computer was blue. You're coming with us.

Old Man: Oh no, I can't. Much too busy. Here, take your own disc!

He took out a smoke bomb out from his pocket and threw it to the floor. Smoke flew everywhere. The old man ran out of the room before anyone could catch him.

Lestrade: (coughs) Be on the lookout for an old man in a trench coat, beard, long hair, detained for questioning! (coughs) All area units respond! Blast it! (coughs) Find him! I want a hairnet over this area now!

After that, the three walked back into Adair's room. But they were unaware of a mysterious figure across the street on top of the building.

Watson: He was a sly one.

Lestrade: Exactly. I don't know he is, but I intend to find out.

Diana: But his voice sounded very familiar.

?: That's as close as you're gonna get, Yardies!

He prepared to fire, but Diana noticed his movement from the window. The strange man decided not to make his move.

?: Next time, Yardies. Next time.

A constable was taking pictures of the frozen Adair.

Watson: His door was locked from inside yet the young man was somehow frozen. Who could've done such a horrendous deed and why?

Diana: Hmm. Is there anyone who's acquainted with Ronald Adair, one who would want him frozen like an icicle?

Lestrade: That's what I intend to find out. We're going to the Halocade studio.

At the Halocade studio, Diana, Lestrade, and Watson questioned April first.

April: Ronnie Adair couldn't hit the side of a starship from the inside.

Lestrade: He's still got the higher score.

April: And I like to know how.

Lestrade: Sure, that's not just a sour grape.

April: Likely, I'm a lot better than he is. Ask anyone. The tournament doesn't need cheaters bringing the game down. (walks away)

Diana: Sheesh. I thought Ronnie would be popular with the ladies.

Lestrade: Well, April Murray is defiantly not the president of the Ronnie Adair fan club.

Then, Watson noticed the strange old man who had been in Ronnie's room with them.

Watson: Inspector! Diana! I believe we have company.

But when he glanced back to where the old man was, he was gone.

Watson: T-the old man? He was just here.

Lestrade: Who said robots were infallible anyway?

But Diana glanced behind her before heading off to question Moran, she saw the old man. He seemed to have noticed her watching him and he winked at her. Disgusted, Diana followed after Watson and Lestrade. They went inside Alienator's Attack game arena and questioned Thomas Moran.

Moran: No, I'm not happy! We almost lost the tournament because of Ronnie. And now I've got to play the final round by myself. Fortunately, I never miss.

Lestrade: The other team thinks he cheated.

Moran: I don't know about that. But I got to wonder he got off so many shots.

Lestrade: What do you mean?

Moran: I'm the fastest there is. And according to the game's computers, I squeezed off a thousand shots. Ronnie took almost 1500. That's impossible. You got to recharge every ten shots.

Lestrade: You mean he cheated?

Moran: You're the Yardie, you tell me.

Back at Ronald Adair's house, Diana, Watson, and Lestrade were trying to figure out what the numbers meant on the computer in Ronnie's room.

Lestrade: Look at this, I found another list of numbers. What do you make of it, Watson?

Watson: This is odd. The blasters power control cutoff switches has been by passed.

Lestrade: That's it, Watson! That's how Ronnie Adair cheated! We know the other blasters had to be recharged but Adair's blaster never ran out of power. He didn't have to have great aim, he could just keep shooting until he got a better score. Murray or Hardy must've figured out he was cheating and put him on ice for the rest of the tournament. They must really want to win. You two stay here and figure out what those numbers mean. I'm gonna have the lab boys check this for trace evidence.

Lestrade left the room. Watson and Diana paced the room thinking.

Diana: What do you think, Watson?

Watson: This all seems much too simple. Holmes always said never to accept your full conclusion. No matter how perfect it appears. 'Dig,' he said, 'discover the truth beneath the lies.'

Old Man: Lies! Lies you say! (enters the room) Oh, what do you know of lies, eh?

Diana: You again? I saw you at the arcade, and you were looking at me funny! Eck!

Watson: You've been following us, old man. Perhaps you're the guilty party!

Old Man: Me? The guilty party? Good heavens, Watson.

Then his voice suddenly changed as he whipped off the disguise.

Holmes: Haven't I always told you? Eyes and brains, man. Eyes and brains.

Watson and Diana gasped with surprise to see Sherlock Holmes standing before them.

Watson: Holmes! You're alive! Thank heavens!

Diana: Holmes!

She happily threw her arms around Holmes' neck, hugging him. A bit bashful about the hug, Holmes gently pushed her away.

Holmes: You've been mourning my supposed demise. I owe you both an apology, as I should've told you I was still alive.

Watson: But I thought…I saw you and Moriarty vaporized.

Holmes: Think, man. You saw flashes of light, that's all. Base your deductions on facts, never on assumptions.

Diana: But what really happened?

Holmes: Moriarty was almost subdued when a light from far off broke through the dark and momentarily blinded me. Suddenly I slipped on a patch of formed ice. Moriarty lunged for me and we both fell to what should have been our doom. I may have been temporarily blinded but my mind was still sharp, and my reflexes even sharper. But I had to convince Moriarty's accomplice that I had indeed perished at his hand. And so I hatched a most clever scheme. Alas, I wasn't the only clever one, as you shall soon discover.

Holmes, Watson, and Diana were riding in Holmes' coachcraft back to Baker Street.

Holmes: I presume you both do realize that one same man caused my supposed demise. Missed Adair's frozen condition, and the theft at Professor Hargreaves laboratory.

Watson: We do?

Diana: They are?

Holmes: Ice, my friends. Ice in July. I slipped on ice, cryogenic project stolen from Hargreaves laboratory. Connect the dots, you two.

Watson: And then Adair was found frozen like an icicle. I didn't put it together.

Diana: You mean we didn't put it together.

Holmes: That was because you both didn't pay attention to what was plainly before you. The ice I slipped on was created by the cryogenic projector, the blinding light was the projector's targeting light and it was obviously fired at me by an accomplice of Moriarty. But who that is remains to be seen.

Back at Baker Street, Holmes was busy setting up a wax bust replica of himself in front of the window and covered the bottom half with his cloak and placed another deerstalker cape on the bust's head.

Holmes: Now do you remember what Adair had on his computer?

Diana: There were numbers and words.

Watson: We haven't yet deduced their significance.

Holmes: That is because they are not just numbers, they are the game scores of Alienator's Attack. T78 for Thomas Moran score 78, R for Ronald Adair, J for John Hardy, and A for April Murray. Simple.

Watson: But what do they mean?

Holmes: That Ronald Adair was not cheating.

Watson: He wasn't?

Diana: What?

Holmes: It's elementary, my dears. Think, why would a man accused of dishonesty chart out the suspect game scores as well as inspect the gun he himself supposedly tampered with.

Watson: Does every criminal need a reason for his actions?

Diana: Every criminal does have a reason, Watson.

Holmes: There is always a reason if one searches deep enough. For example, what if the man actually innocent was trying to prove he had been set up to appear guilty? Now, come!

The trio ran out of the room and into an empty house across the street where Holmes turned on the lights. At that moment, a flash of light appeared from the window, breaking it, and right at the wax bust of Holmes. It was frozen solid.

Watson: Holmes! Your wax bust!

Diana: It was frozen over just like Ronald Adair!

Holmes: As I imagined. We have a fair view from this empty house. Come now! The game is afoot!

The three of them left the building and into the coachcraft.

Watson: But who shot at you?

Holmes: An expert marksman. But we already knew that, didn't we?

Watson: Hmm. Of course we did. You said the glare of light that blinded you came from far off.

Holmes: Excellent. Go on.

Diana: That Adair's apartment fronted the Thames, whoever froze him had to shoot him from the opposite shore, not a simple task.

The coachcraft landed beside the closed Halocade building.

Watson: But why have we come here?

Holmes: Because our ice wielding friend should have already arrived.

Once inside the building, everything seemed fine until the lights went out suddenly.

Watson: Holmes!

Diana: What the...?

Holmes: Steady everyone!

The figure of a man could be seen in the darkness. One of the games was turned on but the assassin froze it.

Watson: What was that?

Holmes: Just playing with the machines.

The trio ran into the Alienator's Attack room when the assassin froze the door, trying to freeze them. Seconds later, the door exploded and the assassin came into the room. Holmes, Watson, and Diana ran and hid.

?: No more games, Holmes!

The assassin searched the room for Holmes, until Holmes lunged at him. Startled, the assassin fired at the ceiling, creating icicles. A large icicle came down at Holmes, but Holmes rolled out of the way.

Watson: Are you alright, Holmes?

Holmes: For the moment.

They both jumped out of the way as more ice was fired at them. Holmes and Watson dodged several blasts of ice and hid. Somehow, Diana got separated from them.

Holmes: Moriarty took no chances. If he failed to destroy me, his accomplice would do it for him. Fortunately, they both failed.

Another blast of ice shot from beside them.

Holmes: At least for the moment.

?: (sees Watson's cape) You won't escape me, Holmes. Moriarty paid too much for me to let you live!

He fired at Watson, who escaped his blasts. Diana attempted to sneak up on the assassin, but she accidently kicked a small pebble down to his feet. The assassin turned and shot ice at Diana's feet, then froze the rest of her legs up to her waist.

Diana: Aaaah!

?: Come on out, Holmes. Unless you don't want your girlfriend turned into a popsicle.

Before he could freeze the rest of Diana's body, Holmes now confronted the mysterious assassin. He was actually trying to distract him so Watson could sneak up on him.

Holmes: Excellent aim! But then you are the best, aren't you? (dodges icy blasts) Playing video games is just practice for your real job, isn't it? (jumps and dodges more icy blasts) You want me! I am here for you!

?: Then it's over!

Watson jumped on top of the assassin, who fired at the ceiling again, created a large patch of ice. A lump of ice fell on Watson's head and he dropped to the ground.

?: You're right, Holmes! I don't need this game! But I won't leave without my prize!

He tried to blast at Holmes again, but Holmes lunged at him and tried to hold him down. Watson joined in.

Holmes: Hold him, Watson! We're almost there!

The assassin managed to free himself. Diana looked up and she saw that the ice on the ceiling was about to come down.

Diana: Look out!

The ice came down on top of the assassin while Watson shielded Holmes, and Holmes shielded Diana from the falling ice. Then Watson kicked at the ice that held Diana and it shattered. Diana was free, but she was shivering.

Holmes: Are you alright?

Diana: Do I look alright?! I'm freezing! I'm going to make a hot bath when I get home.

Watson: Well, who is our mysterious attacker?

Holmes: Surely Watson, there can be no doubt.

The assassin stood up, his face now seen clearly in the light. It was Moran.

Moran: Who I am no longer matters! You're all being put on ice until I can get out of this dump!

Watson/Diana: Moran?!

Holmes: Of course, my friends. He is the mercenary Moriarty hired and equipped to eliminate me. It is rather a complaint in a way.

Watson: But why would a mercenary play a halogame game?

Holmes: Target practice, of course, and being a professional his ego must've demanded his team had to win.

Moran: Unfortunately, Ronnie wasn't that good.

Holmes: Which is why he had to alter his blaster.

Moran: He needed the edge.

Holmes: And, of course, if your ruse was discovered, he would be blamed for cheating and not you. He went home and calculated the scores. He was going to show the rigged blaster to the judges, but you wouldn't allow that.

Moran: I like to win, and I always do.

Then Lestrade appeared, her ionizer aiming right at Moran.

Lestrade: Moran, freeze!

Moran: No! You freeze!

But Holmes whacked the projector out of Moran's hands with his cane and he yanked at Moran's feet to knock him down. He then pinned his cane on Moran's chest.

Holmes: Sorry Moran. The cold war is over.

Lestrade: I hope you'll enjoy playing your games in prison. I found your DNA all over that rigged blaster.

Later that night, Holmes took Watson and Diana to the spot where he and Moriarty fought.

Diana: You're kidding, right? Moriarty also survived the fall?

Holmes: Yes.

Watson: How do you know Moriarty is still alive and would still be hunting you?

Holmes: Elementary, my dear friends. Elementary physics that is. (picks up two rocks) Moriarty and I fell off the level at the same time. A physics stands both bodies should've hit the grid at the same time.

Watson: They did. I saw.

Holmes: (drops the rocks to the grid) Remember, I caught the bottom of the level, then dropped the rock to grid. Had Moriarty actually fallen, he would've hit the grid long before my rock. That you saw two flashes is proof his same instinct as did I. Now, come! Moriarty is still out there and this day has just begun.