Chapter 10:

Disclaimer: I disclaim everything, I only claim the plot.

Warnings: Mention of blood and description of death, but nothing to bad, certainly not worth than in "Sherlock". Also that I lack any knowledge of the terrain around the tower and therefore depend on google maps...

Here you go again :) Enjoy!

Still grinning Hannibal looked at Face, nodding at him, telling him to start.

"All around the tower are two rings of walls, every entrance shut or guarded. On the left side high walls, a few trees, but not close enough to use them to get in. The walls are lined with some souvenir shops, restaurants and the toilets.

No other way in than trough the doorways on this side. No other entrances.

On the wall of the pay booth hung a shift schedule of the security firm, the doorways are well-guarded around the clock."

Hannibal's eyes shone with pride at his Lieutenants observing skills.

"On the right side it's the same, no entrance outside the doorways either. Some souvenir shops, one selling medieval clothing and toy weapons."

"So it seems there is no way in, except you are expected. Our killer had been dressed up as, or had been staff", Face deduced.

"Nice thinking, kid", Hannibal agreed. "But we can narrow that down: There are only two ways to get a crossbow in, without rising suspicion. Either you hide it, for that I would prefer a cleaning cart, so as a cleaner. Or you dress up as an employee of the shop that sells toy crossbows and swords for the kids. Most likely the last, because you won't even have to hide your weapon, only the arrows."

Smiling triumphantly Hannibal turned back to his audience. John gave him a small smile, before he turned his attention back to the bloodstains, Lestrade looked at them with wonder and something akin to admiration, while Sherlock looked completely unimpressed. His Captain just stood there, a few meters away, seemingly staring into space, nothing hinting if he was listening or not.

"Not bad", Sherlock admitted. "But I've got Gavin (Lestrade groaned at that) looking for any new employees in those work areas since yesterday", he added aloof. "The police is still on it."

"Sherlock, this bloodstains don't fit for our victim", John suddenly piped up. "The arrow from the crossbow went through and hit the wall, which would result in the victim sliding down the wall, bleeding all over the wall and then hitting the ground. Yet there is no blood on the wall, only on the floor."

"So our victim wasn't killed here, just as I thought. Someone manipulated the surveillance video", Sherlock summarized. He was pacing back and forth in the small room now.

"But if the victim was killed elsewhere and just brought here afterwards there wouldn't be this much blood! Someone else was killed here or deadly wounded and later smuggled out...", John said.

"...with a cleaning cart", Hannibal added, not smiling anymore.

"The second victim is roughly the same size as our first victim. It was stabbed, not shot, for there is no bullet hole in the floor. This victim was lying on the ground, when it died", John informed them further.

Sherlock was just about to enter his mind palace and store this new informations away and organize them, when Murdock spoke for the first time since, well Sherlock couldn't really remember when the pilot had spoken last.

"Whoever did it, came back yesterday evening and left us a letter."

They all stared at the pilot in shock.

Sherlock was the first to speak again: "Where did you find that?!"

"It was easy, it was hidden behind a loose stone of the wall, over there", Murdock explained, only a hint of satisfaction in his voice.

"How did you... Oh, obvious, stupid, stupid, stupid!" Sherlock couldn't believe he had missed THIS, he had been to distracted by the bloodstains, but still, he could have slapped himself for missing it, but somehow people found that strange and he had a feeling that John wouldn't approve this action.

"Care to enlighten us, buddy?", Face asked.

"There are faint footprints on the floor, they lead to that corner and back out", Murdock explicated. "They couldn't be from the policemen, that were on watch, because then there would be more of them. It had to be today, because they are still visible. There is a puddle just outside the door, someone stepped in it and left those footprints, it is only water, so as soon as they are dry the footprints will be invisible."

Lestrade didn't need to be told twice. A second later he had his camera out, taking pictures of the footprints. They were important evidence after all. Then he stormed out, to have a word with "the morons who let a stranger on the crime scene".

Sherlock found himself staring at Murdock again. He had underestimated the guy, he needed more data, there was so much about the other man, that didn't fit.

"So, what does the letter say?", his flatmate interrupted his thoughts.

Murdock gave it to them wordlessly.

It read:

Well done Sherlock, you solved the first mystery, but now you have to find the other victim.

I hope you don't mind I got the soldier friends of your little pet in, it keeps the game interesting.

Say Inspector Lestrade my greetings, he really should have a word with those "morons".

xxx

"Well, that is kinda creepy", John stated. "Do you think it's him?"

"Oh, yes", Sherlock answered, rage evident in his voice.

"Who?", Face asked.

"Moriarty."

Thanks for reading, I hope you liked it. Maybe I made Murdock a bit to observant, but I thought about the A-team episode "The rabbit who ate Las Vegas" writing this and in that episode you see, that Murdock is in fact very intelligent, maybe even the most intelligent of the team.

The next update won't be until the New Year, so I want to wish you all a happy new year at this point.

In the meantime I wanted to ask you guys for some help:

I have to write an article about my best friend for the graduation newspaper of our school. I have to write half a side about the best friend I could wish for, so I am really afraid to screw it up. Had anyone of you ever to write such a thing? What did you put in it? Third person or first person narrator?

I don't need help for writing it, there are enough things I could write about, just some direction about HOW to write it, WHAT should be in it in any case. So if you have any tips, please PM me.