Chapter 7

The next move came faster than expected. Bomb threats were arriving at the MI5, one bomb exploded in an old warehouse down at the Thames. That all seemed to be random. In addition, Scotland Yard had to deal with five killings happening at the same time with the same method, but in different places. Again, the victims and places seemed to be randomly chosen, but not to Sherlock.

As he pinned a new map to the other free wall in the conference room and placed little post-it notes to all those places. He knew there was a connection. The four of them were standing in front of the map, looking intensively at the signs.

"Maybe these are not connected to Moran at all." Donovan stated tiredly.

"Yeah, it might only be an accident that all of this is happening today." Lestrade added. He really needed to sleep.

"No." Sherlock said. "There are no accidents in this game."

"You consider this a game?" John said angrily.

Sherlock tore his look away from the wall to face John.

"No, John. I don't. But Moran does." Sherlock stated decidedly. "Those people killed are killed because he sees them as a means to an end and the end is to get me out. Like Moriarty he doesn't care for them."

"But you care?" John asked.

"Not in the sentimental way, no. We had this discussion in the past, didn't we?" Sherlock said slightly irritated. Why did he have to go through this again. "It won't help them if I care, so I definitely will not make that mistake. But I surely don't want this to happen. These people died because he wants to get me and I hate it." Sherlock gazed at John, waiting for an reaction. But John looked away, eyes focused on the map once more. Sherlock did the same, concentrating at the connection that still eluded him. But then, everything felt into place.

"I know it." He yelled out. "I know it. I see the connection."

"What is it?" Donovan asked.

"These are all places connected to cases I solved during my time with you, John. The house where the woman in pink was found. The National Antiquities Museum where Soo Lin worked. All the place where Moriarty stripped bombs to those people. The house where the speckled blonde was found. The sweet factory where we found the kidnapped children. Moran knew that I would see that connection." Sherlock told them excited.

"Okay, all these are connected to you, but what does he want you to do. Where is the trap?" John asked.

"I don't know, yet." Sherlock stated. "We can forget these killings. They were just done to attract attention. The bomb threats are the key."

Silenced filled the room as Sherlock moved to the sofa placed in one corner of the room and lied down to think, pressing his hands under his chin in the prayer position. The other watched him, knowing that talking to him in this situation would be of no use at all. So they settled down and waited.

"It must be the National Antiquities Museum." Sherlock stated after minutes of absence.

"Why?" John asked.

Just as Sherlock wanted to start explain his deduction to John his mobile phone signaled an incoming message. He looked at it and jumped up.

"No, no, no. How did he do it?" He grabbed his jacket and the gun from the table and ran out of the room, John, Lestrade and Donovan ran after him.

"What?" John yelled. "What is happening, Sherlock?"

But Sherlock was already yelling at the stuff sitting in the open space office close by while simultaneously typing a message on his phone.

"Moran hacked himself in our phone system. He sent a fake message to my wife, telling her to meet me in front of the National Antiquities Museum. I need all teams to be there. It is a trap. There is no way I let him get Molly and Becky. And I want to know how he could send that message?"

"Molly?" John asked astounded.

But Sherlock didn't answer he was already on the way to the elevators and so the three of them just followed him.

Once in the elevator he spoke. "What do you think who I am married to?" Sherlock asked facing John. "He is using her to get me. She was placed in a safe house with an agent by her side but he somehow managed to send her a message on her safe phone, a message that looked like it came from my phone."

In the car park Sherlock ran to a car and they followed him. Nobody said a word until they arrived at the large square in front of the National Antiquities Museum.

"And now?" Lestrade asked.

Sherlock scanned the area, but couldn't see Molly. "Take a look around. Be careful. We split." And with that he walked of, just as two black vans arrived, obviously agents who instantly started to search the area as well.

And then Sherlock saw Molly, Becky on her arms, standing in front of the museum with the agent beside her. He ran up to them, yelling "It is a trap." And just as he was about reach her, several explosions rocked the square, one just at the fountain behind Sherlock threw him, Molly and the agent to the ground. They got up, dazed and confused. People screamed, smoke was everywhere.

"Are you okay, Molly?" He asked softly. "It is a trap. That message wasn't from me. We have to leave right now." Sherlock told Molly and the agent. He took his daughter from Molly's arms and grabbed Molly's hand in order to lead her back to his car.

"Okay." She said bewildered, but in the same moment two shots rang out, one hitting the agent in the head, the other hitting Molly in the back. Sherlock was just able to catch her body. They felt to the ground and Sherlock was trying to keep his clearly frightened daughter from hitting the ground.

"Oh god, Molly." He started searching for the wound. He instantly knew this was bad, really bad. There was an exit wound. He lung was surely shot through. He yelled for help, for an ambulance, for John and was surprised but glad as he saw that two paramedics were approaching him. It took him a second to realize that they couldn't be real, they were way to fast here. All his senses suddenly screamed - this is the trap. But just as he wanted to reach for his gun they were beside him and he felt the prick of a needle in his neck. Then his world went black.