Imarsythia: Here's to another chapter. Thanks for reading and all that. I had almost deleted this from FF just from the lack of response. Also, check out our profile and Tumblr for some news.
It was the waiting that was the worst. Sherlock figured he could truly to narrow the number of ports down to no avail. Even looking into the shipping companies in the area had led to no search of illegal activity. Whoever was behind the ring was very thorough on covering their tracks. Sherlock's couldn't help but be impressed. It wasn't many people who could deter him. Then again, he gave himself a little leeway. This was a subject he had little to no knowledge. If someone would have told him that magical creatures were real to him a week ago, he would have laughed in their face.
To that aspect, Bill was a real help than he liked to admit. He wasn't like the other idiots he had to deal with at the Yard. He did tease Sherlock but it was never malicious or insulting. He offered for Bill to stay in Baker Street until the case was done. To his surprise, Bill agreed. Now more often than not as the days passed, he found himself making jokes back and laughing. It was a different and unlikely thing to happen to him with a person. Sherlock had even asked why he was being treated such a way. No one wanted to be in Sherlock's company for long.
The response that Bill gave was simple, made in passing while he forced Sherlock to eat the breakfast he was making. "You're a dick most of the time but a brilliant dick. You're just brutally honest. I don't mind it is all. Now pass me that egg, Nancy Drew."
Sherlock didn't pass him the egg as he wasn't going to eat in the first place. Still, a small warmth flowed through his chest at those words. Even the nickname was tolerable (even if he was better than some teenage girl) and the extended company. At the moment, Sherlock was researching any kind of clue that would put them on the right track. With the cross-referencing on books and the knowledge Bill had, he was gaining more data. It was just finding out the proper way to use it. All in all, it was still fascinating to learn about.
"How did you come to acquire all of this information? I doubt majority of the world would even consider documenting such a thing." Sherlock asked, typing away on his laptop.
Bill looked away from the show he was watching at the question. He was sitting sideways in the extra armchair and balancing a cup of lukewarm tea on his stomach. He figured that Sherlock was but obviously not.
"Huh? Oh that. A nice old Afghan woman told me a few things. She told me about the creatures she's seen and met. She also told me that most hide in plain sight and exist with who they want to. Here, I've compiled a book of everything I've learned. Most of book is blank but the creatures I've met have been more than willing to share with me. More often than not, they're surprised a human wants to talk to them." Bill said.
Placing his tea-cup on the table, he reached into his bag to take out said book. He tossed it over to Sherlock who caught it and put his laptop to the side. "Personally, I've only met two other people and that was in Kandahar. I had met a traveling merchant woman who was friends with an akheknu who was really nice compared to the stories. The other was an old man who owned a stable while I was on vacation in Normandy. His family had been in charge of taking care of the Horses of the Sun. They weren't too interested until I told I used was an army nurse."
Sherlock took in Bill's explanation as he looked through the book with a keen eye. The man had obviously bought a custom book binding (very expensive and well cared for, silver embossed lettering and soft blue pebble leather) to keep everything in. He ran his fingers over the title 'Mystical Beings' in Dari and English in the front. Thumbing through the pages, he read Bill's findings and small drawings of what he had met. By far, the most extensive entry was about the sandfolk. It was very tempting to read through it all but he wanted to do his own examination on John.
It was even hard to wrap his head around the smaller things he's investigated. The samples he had taken from the crime scene were no use since they were unknown substances. Even the blood he had gotten from Bill's house didn't show up in the police database. As a man of science, there had to be a reasonable explanation of everything. Sherlock needed to see physical proof for himself. He needed to touch one of the creatures with his own hands. It would be help him prove his own theories. Still, the book was being moderately helpful and he was going to put it to good use.
Sherlock gathered the book and laptop into his arm, going to his desk to work. He ignored Bill's warning of being careful with his book and focused on his research. Bill shook his head as he watched Sherlock go into 'work mode' and drop the conversation. Being with the detective for at least a week got him used to some of his strange habits. Sherlock was helping him get John back and would continue to aid as well as he could. He wouldn't say he was Sherlock's friend just yet. But, he could say they were going a sort of easy kinship. He would dwell on the thought later seeing as Sherlock could call him to do something ridiculous for him at any time. His experiment with the rat eyeballs a few days ago still made him squeamish.
"Going to make some tea. Want some?"
"I need to focus. Be quiet and go play one of your silly video games but turn the volume down."
Bill rolled his eyes as the command. "As you wish. Just be careful with my book."
With that, Bill left Sherlock to his own devices. He made sure to stay out his way (only once dragging the detective outside for lunch) since the man acted like he didn't need to eat. Other than that only distraction, Sherlock used Bill to collect books around the flat with the information he was gathering. He was one the verge of a discovery. He was so close to the answer he could taste it.
"Your book is devoid of any creatures that have wings. Even the ones you've found in Normandy are pulling through the power of Apollo and Helios's chariots." Sherlock said as he finished up a myth on a winged demon.
Bill startled at Sherlock's voice, dropping his water-glass on the floor. Ignoring the cursing directed at him, he waited for his answer.
"Warn a guy before you speak from the abyss." Bill bent down to clean the spill off the floor. "That's only because I haven't seen any. I'd assume that something with wings needs a big open space. Or, at least lived with someone who has a huge house and some private land."
"Living in the country? Tedious."
"Probably. Come on, Nancy Drew. Depending on how big they are, you need a private or enclosed space. You saw how far my house was away from the neighbors."
"To hide John even if someone spotted you? They would think it was just another person."
"Exactly. I don't need pe-" Bill found himself cut off as Sherlock leapt up from his seat.
The detective went to the bookcase and stared to throw books on the floor. He didn't explain what he was doing until he found what he was looking for. Turning to Bill, he turned the paperback in his to the back cover.
"Once again, your rambling has helped. This book on botany written by famed botanist, Penny Damaske. The book itself was boring but she talked about a large animal she called Chara who loved to fly in her garden. She never describes it in detail but says it 'one of a kind'."
Sherlock was becoming increasingly more excited as he rattled off his deductions. He just figured out where the robbers would strike next. Bill stared at him in confusion at the info. He wasn't speaking another language. It really was an easy concept to grasp. With an annoyed sigh, Sherlock threw the book into Bill's lap. He went to laptop to look up the woman's address. They needed to be on the move soon anyhow.
"She lives in a Liverpool suburbia area nowhere near any neighbors. Apparently, she jokingly said her pet was the size of a small horse. We need to get there to stop the smugglers." Sherlock said, saving the address on his phone.
He grabbed his coat, more than ready to go out. Bill scrambled after him with questions on the tip of his tongue. Sherlock barely bother explaining the details on a normal day. It would take far too long. They needed to get to Liverpool as soon as possible. Waving off a question, Sherlock told Bill to get his car so they could go. Bill gave him an annoyed grumbled but obeyed. He could tell that their time was running short. He just hoped that they got to the woman's house before the creature got captured.
