El 8
The Club had been stifling and loud. It was too crowded and men kept approaching her but it felt good to get out. She finally decided to call it quits when she was still only a little bit tipsy. She could feel him before she opened the door. She sighed and pushed it open. She kicked her shoes off without acknowledging him and headed for her kitchen.
She grabbed a soda and walked back into the living room. He was still sitting there with his hands folded neatly over his umbrella. She opened her soda and waited for him to talk.
"He knows you've been lying" said Mycroft
El shrugged she didn't really care what Sherlock knew or didn't know.
"Not really" said El
Mycroft snorted
"He will, my brother has a way of finding things out" said Mycroft
She privately agreed with him.
"You work at St Bartholomew's hospital now" said Mycroft
She nodded yes.
"Interesting" said Mycroft
He shifted and pulled something out from behind him. He flopped the stack on the table. She froze mid drink when she saw it was her passports. He glared at her.
"What do you want Mycroft?" said el
Mycroft spread out the passports on the table.
"What is your real name, Ms. Rayne?" Said Mycroft
She didn't answer him.
"What is it you want Mr. Holmes?" said el
Mycroft smiled at her and she felt absurdly worried. He flipped open the passports.
"you have quite the travel history, Burma, Tokyo, Sydney sri lanka, Moldavia, Uruguay, and Peru to just name a few. Even I am nowhere near as traveled, why so many places Ms. Rayne?' said Mycroft.
She noted absently that he was alone and she didn't detect his assistant anywhere nearby.
"You know why" said el
He shifted and rested both his hands on the handle of his umbrella. He was nervous it showed in the way he rubbed the top of his hand with his other one.
"Yes I do, I can help you Ms Rayne if you let me" said Mycroft
She shook her head no. that was a very bad idea and she quelled it as soon as it arose.
"I see" said Mycroft
He rose slowly to his feet
"Cannot blame a man for trying I suppose" said Mycroft
"As to what I want ms Rayne, you are in a unique position to help both of us. I would be most appreciative if you do so" said Mycroft
He gave her a level look and she swallowed because she knew exactly what he was implying. She could guess this was why he had left Athena at home. He moved closer and she stepped back some. He looked somewhat disappointed by the action.
"That would depend on what you want help with" said el
She eyed the man warily. She felt suddenly on guard for some reason and it had nothing to do with his proximity. He smiled at her as if he somehow knew what she was thinking. Which was absurd because she would know if he could do that. He was just simply unnerving.
"I had a unique opportunity to converse with Mr. Lazen, you do remember George, used to drive a cab" said Mycroft
She frowned at him.
"I can see that you do, pity he can't remember you or anything about that night. Bit odd that don't you agree" said Mycroft
He was fishing now but El didn't care. This had gone from annoying to feeling a bit like a former position she once held. Anger flared because there was no way she was going to let this man blackmail her back into that cage.
"Yes, a bit odd" said El
He tilted his head slightly and stared at her for a few seconds.
"As I said before George didn't remember you but he did remember whatever you told him to do, amazing skill I might add. Just how did you convince him to turn himself in? There was no evidence that Edward even had an accomplice, so he had no reason to even come forward. I have to admit I am a bit curious as to how you even knew he was working with Edward and more importantly what did you say to him to get him to surrender?" said Mycroft
She smiled because she knew he would never figure it out unless she told him. She had them both stumped and it was too deliciously funny to resist. She stepped forward
"What do you really want Mycroft?" said El
He calmly reached into his breast pocket and pulled out her current passport. He flopped it down on the end table next to him so it flopped open and you could see her picture.
"That is a forgery and I would be willing to bet the others in your bag are likewise" said Mycroft
She raised an eyebrow in surprise. So what if they are.
"So?" said El
"I will make myself quite plain Ms. Rayne forging a passport is a serious offence, one that would get you arrested had I spoken to anyone about it" said Mycroft
Ah so it was blackmail she reached out and tapped his mind. He was thinking of her as a potential employee.
"Is this the part where you tell me how much your silence is going to cost me?" said El
He smiled and she had the urge to slap that smug grin off his face.
"Exactly Ms. Rayne, so glad you can understand where I am coming from. It does get so tedious having to explain oneself" said Mycroft
She narrowed her eyes at him and briefly thought about making him forget the last twenty or so years of his life. It would serve the git right for trying to blackmail her.
"Please do not mistake my intentions, I do intend to compensate you quite well for your time" said Mycroft
He pulled some papers from his coat pocket and set them next to the passport. She frowned at them and gave him a quizzical look.
"these are all the forms that you would require to make that passport legal" said Mycroft
She gave him another confused look.
"Loyalty is important Ms. Rayne, my brother has yet to realize this, fortunately for him I already do" said Mycroft
He gave her a level look and she tilted her head and appraised him. She could detect no deceit from him but that didn't really mean he was telling the truth either. He worked for the government, she was certain lying was second nature to him.
"You're giving me this because I helped Sherlock?" said El
He nodded yes.
"exactly Ms. Rayne, The Holmes family always pays its debts, do consider this a down payment" said Mycroft
She frowned at him wasn't he supposed to be blackmailing her now?
"And the others?" said El
He smiled
"Those you will owe as a citizen of Britain" said Mycroft
She was shocked to say the least. She could have sworn the man had been trying to get rid of her. Now it looked like he wanted her to stay, possibly permanently.
"And Sherlock?" said el
Mycroft smiled.
"I will let it slip that you are a British national, mother fled to the states and all that" said Mycroft
"He would buy that?" said el
"He will, he knows how extensive one of my background checks are" said Mycroft
"And this favor to the crown?" said El
Mycroft inclined his head.
"In a few weeks' time I will need you to make yourself available to me, I will arrange a car to collect you at that time" said Mycroft
"Best have it pick me up elsewhere or Sherlock will get nosy" said el
Mycroft snorted
"My brother was born nosy, always getting into things mum could never... well you get the picture" said Mycroft
El was shocked that was the first time she had heard anything at all about the Holmes matriarch or Sherlock's childhood. She had to admit she was a bit curious.
"I have already taken that into account of course" said Mycroft
"So what is it you wish me to do?" said el
Mycroft smiled at her again. For some reason it was a bit less unnerving.
"Simply to talk to someone just like you did to Mr. Lazen" said Mycroft
"And this will remain discreet?" said El
The last thing she wanted was word getting back to him that she was working for the British government. He gave her a level look.
"You discretion and safety will be assured Ms. Rayne, you have my word" said Mycroft
"Very well then just text me when you have the details" said el
Mycroft grinned at her and hooked his umbrella on one arm. He nodded in her direction and headed for the door. She knew she shouldn't be so trusting but for some reason she believed him when he said he would protect her. He opened the door and she heard him make his way up the stairs. The outer door opened and she felt his assistant pick him up outside. With a sigh she flopped down on her sofa. Great that was just wonderful now she was being blackmailed into being a government agent. She picked up the paperwork. It was already signed and stamped all she had to do was fill in her name and address. It had her listed as being born abroad but with her mother as a British national.
For all she knew he could have been right. She honestly couldn't clearly remember the woman who had given birth to her. El looked down at the paper. It must have taken quite a bit of pull to get signed documents without a name at the top. She could write in bugs bunny at the top of the page and it would make him a citizen of Britain. She shook her head and leaned back. This was all way too much. The outer door opened again and she heard footsteps go up the stairs.
One step paused midflight and el frowned. Did Mycroft leave some telltale sign that he was here outside her door.
"Come on, Sherlock" said John
She heard the voices trailing off up the stairs and smirked. She picked up the top paper and stared at it. She had one of the Holmes brother's on her side at least. She was still wary about signing the documents because it would tie her here on a more permanate basis. Still it didn't mean she couldn't run if she needed to. It just meant she had a reason to eventually return. She set the page down and dug into her purse for a pen. She scratched her new name into the appropriate boxes.
Set the page down and stared at it with a mixture of trepidation and relief. Her pride wouldn't let her accept his help in this but friendship was a possibility. At least until it became too dangerous for any of them and she had to leave again. She finished signing the forms, finished her soda and headed for her room. She took a shower then climbed in bed and started to drift off.
The sound of horrendous screeching at three in the morning woke her up. With a groan she slid her feet into her slippers grabbed her robe and walked towards the front door. She exited her apartment climbed her stairs then theirs and knocked. She heard Sherlock holler for John to get the door and keep playing.
When John didn't come to the door she knocked again, this time louder. Sherlock kept playing and ignoring her knocks. Eventually John got tired of his childish game and opened the door.
"you're only going to make him continue if you keep on..." said john.
El didn't give him and chance to continue she walked right past john and into the apartment. Sherlock saw her approach and started to turn away to ignore her and continue playing. He raised the bow to the string and she could feel his smug thoughts dancing beneath his calm exterior. She held out her hand. Sherlock had looked her briefly in the eye before turning so she used it.
"Hand me the bow now!" said El
He hesitated bow held just above the string. She could feel him fighting her control. He tightened his grip on the bow but gave no outward sign that there was even a battle going on in his head. One he was steadily losing but not without giving it a good try.
"That's not going to..." said John
She made a shushing motion.
"Sherlock either hand me the bow or you will be following it and the violin out the window" said El
He lowered the bow and violin, then he and turned to her with an angry expression on his face. Fury flashed across the link and it shocked her into letting go. He staggered briefly and narrowed his eyes at her.
"You wouldn't dareā¦I am trying to think woman" said Sherlock
She stepped forward and Sherlock winced
John groaned and she heard him walk away. He slammed the door to his bedroom
"Well the rest of the world is trying to sleep Sherlock, it's three in the bloody morning" said El
He snorted and started to raise the bow again. She caught the errant thoughts about a Chinese symbol and recognized it.
"Think about what?" said El
He lowered his bow and glared.
"How about why my mysterious neighbor is in my apartment in nothing but her skivvies" said Sherlock The nature of his thoughts changed and he growled in frustration.
"That sounded very wrong" said El
She smirked at him and he glared at her, resting his bow on the back of his neck. She glanced around the room. It bothered her that Sherlock had somehow managed to resist her somewhat. Her gaze fell on the symbols.
"Why do you have the kanji for noodle soup on your wall?" said El
He opened his mouth to reply and then abruptly slammed it shut in shock.
"Huh?" said Sherlock
She pointed to the symbol in the picture. The door to John's room opened briefly.
"You can read Chinese?" said Sherlock
He sounded shocked and she was enjoying that somewhat.
He set the bow and violin down and moved towards the wall.
"And these others can you read them as well?" said Sherlock
He sounded hopeful so she relented. If it got him to stop thinking so loudly it was worth it.
"That one stands for a kitsune, a nine tailed fox and that one is garden, what are these from they sound like something out of a tourist guide?" said El
Sherlock stared at her in shock his mouth literally hanging open. He turned and started reaching for books so she headed for the door.
"Night Sherlock" said El
He grunted in response but he also didn't turn around long enough to notice, she had absconded with the violin and its bow.
