Crime scenes to anyone else are work to a Holmes they are one of the best places to observe and not just for studying crimes. It's the way people react to such a place or the way they choose to distract themselves like for example Donovan.

"Lestrade we already found the girl. Why'd you bring freak?"

"Don't worry, Sally just tying up loose ends. Scotland Yard can have the credit."

Paying little mind to Donovan taunting today Sherlock pushed right past the Sergeant who wasn't exactly the difficult person she normally was with him around. Lestrade suppose a certain amount of confidence in their work was pushed aside whenever they had to depend on Sherlock's knowledge over their own. God knows he had to let a large part of his ego go just to ask for help of the only Consulting Detective and add some humility anytime he's in one of his arrogant moods. A nod told John to follow after him inside while he had a talk with his people again. "All of you come over here. Look I know you don't like involving Sherlock in our business but this is a different situation. Turns out the other two men involved in this kidnapping are connected to something bigger and it's personal for him. In other words now would not be a good time to goad him into a confrontation and any of you that do will deal with the consequences on your own."

"How's it personal?" the question was asked by one of the newer girls who'd started only months before Sherlock's 'death.' You could say she never really had the chance to get an idea of him for herself before this which for her might be a good thing. Still it wouldn't do to tell them too much about his current situation.

"They're involved in the attempted murder of his brother."

"He has a brother?" This a simple question from Donovan was enough to stir mass conversation among the lot of them. He couldn't exactly blame them as everyone who knows Sherlock knows he is a hard concept to grasp by himself. To realize then that there's another walking around just like him let alone consider the notion that this second person might be even more advanced than Sherlock. The Holmes brothers were a concept no one in this world was ready to face. But ready or not the world had to adjust to them because they certainly were not going to accommodate anyone when they didn't have to. "An older brother and with the circumstances right now it would be best for everyone to do your very best not to do anything which might provoke him."

Mostly stunned nods and a few 'yes sir' but at least they're listening. I hope.

Lestrade's hard tone was easily recognizable as it traveled up from the steps outside. Not that the gesture isn't appreciated but Sherlock prefers his personal affairs to be shared at his discretion. John got the long talk about it after he began his blog and his flatmate had no problem criticizing him for the mistakes in relaying the information he is permitted to share. Honestly is it too much to ask that he not make everything about their life into some romanticized hero legend written in the form of gossip column? He deserve every harsh thought reflected his way. Some people might believe the better friend tells you what you want to hear but if that were the case he'd never improve and he needs to.

"Lestrade, nice of you to join us. Troops all set straight on my circumstances?"

"I'm sorry. I should have asked first."

"You were just trying to help. Can't be blamed you're only Human."

"Was that an insult?" Lestrade whispered to John.

"A critique."

"So yes." John answered.

What is that? Irritation? Irritation in John's voice. That wasn't there a moment ago. Why's it there now? Focus. Back to examining the floor. It's odd. Something's was spread on the floor and cleaned up.

The glow in the left hand pocket. His phone But who's calling? Not important now.

Tightening jaw line. Clenching his teeth. No. Stop, the floor. There was something here. Some sort of powder or sand spread on the tile.

Another glow. A fluxuation of the light. Not calling but a text. Blinking. Another text. He's really not happy about this.

"What?" John asked.

"What?"

"You keeping looking at me. What did I do?"

When he looked at the face. Too long then. Eye contact is always tricking to get it right. "Who's texting and why does it bother you?"

"Doesn't matter."

"It's making you irritable."

"No it's not!"

Poor job John. Not even convincing to Lestrade who's puzzled to say the least. Mycroft has two and half days to live and John's distracted with a personal problem. Have to fix that. "Harry?"

"No. Ellie."

"Ellie? I thought you were dating Caroline." Lestrade could have been a disapproving Uncle. Men tend to get like that after being cheated on. Women, well they tend to either scream or cheat themselves. Difficult understanding these types. They get nothing done and then both of them are wasting their time ignoring any children or other obligations they might have. Not really productive. God this Mycroft stuff needs to be finished. Wait which one was Caroline? For that matter when has he been dating? Could have sworn he was home. Of course might have been talking to the air after he left. That happens. Sometimes.

"Carrie moved to France."

"That's too bad. She was nice."

She was nice? "Lestrade, you met her?"

"Yeah, she and John were at the pub, what, couple months back, wasn't it?"

"When we were celebrating our four month anniversary. She told me she was leaving the next week."

"That's a shame. So how'd you meet Ellie, was it?"

Damn Mycroft. Damn John and Lestrade as well. Should have known better than to ask John about anything that could possibly be related to one of his relationships. If you can even call them that. That four months was his longest yet and each new one is worse than the last. Or stupider than the last. Yes, that's more to the point. A few back one of them even commented on how cute she thought the honey jar she bought John was. She then proceeded to explain that it was for honey. Because clearly having the word 'honey' printed on the front didn't establish that. It was a pointless gesture anyway considering John's allergic to honey. "Allergies."

"Sorry? What are you saying?" John asked.

"There was a powdery substance spread on the floor tiles. A light yellow tint with a very familiar scent. It's the Narcissus Flower ground into a fine powder."

"What does that have to do with allergies?"

"Mycroft is allergic to it."

"What does it do?"

"At first nothing but if he was exposed to it for more than two hours especially if he inhaled any it would cause his skin to peel."

"You mean like when dead skin dries out or when it burns and curls back?" John and Sherlock turned to Lestrade with surprise. "Like you haven't said worse."

"He's got a point."

"Maybe but that's Sherlock you're you." John said.

Lestrade was embarrassed but there was a certain amount of pride in him recognizing the difference. Of course telling him after the last compliment was out of the question. He's not the best on his best days we hardly need him worsened by overconfidence from what should be a simple nice job. "Can the two of you focus. This proves they were planning on bringing him here."

"They didn't so why does it matter?"

"Isn't it obvious?"

"Obviously not Sherlock."

"It should be."

"Well it isn't."

"Do you two need a moment?" I injected in earning a glaring stare from John and a puzzled look from Sherlock who was lost as usual on the hidden meaning. It might be a little juvenile to pick on them still it was far too amusing messing with John knowing how much it got to him. He thinks more about Sherlock's public image then the Consulting Detective does. "What's supposed to be obvious this time?"

"They kidnapped the girl to force Mycroft's hand."

"Force his hand?" The words were repeated slowly and deftly.

John to the left was trying and failing to grasp a possible line that connected the dots. His efforts failed and rather against his credit he kept trying to wrap his mind around it. Sherlock for his part was uncharacteristically patient as he waited in the vain hope John understood. This time however waiting like John's trying to understand was the wrong approach. After a long dead pause in which the only sounds were from the gossiping Scotland Yarders out front Lestrade spoke up.

"Uh, John maybe we ought to let this one go over our head."

John nodded his assent to which Sherlock gave an eye roll and in the opinion of this detective an over exaggerated sigh.

"I guess that means I have to explain." Sherlock stood center of the floor giving one last sweep over the yellow dust, "Mycroft's allergic to the yellow powder on the floor which means they intended to bring him here. The coma was an accident. They wanted to knock him out and put him in a coma instead. But that's not all because the powder would have only pealed his skin not kill him. It would have left him in a burning pain though. Which means the powder was intended as a means of torture. If they wanted to torture Mycroft then they want something from him and whatever it was resorting to this means they couldn't get it through negotiations. They needed another way to convince Mycroft to give them what they want and what's the number one way to get to Mycroft?"

"Umm , wouldn't that be, well, you?" His face might have been faced the other way but we could still tell the idea didn't strike him well. His body tensed up like it does right about the time he decides to start shooting off his mouth at Anderson.

Sure enough he about faced from his view of the window and had more than a little to say. "Can you two drop the pity? If you're going to say something then out with it and quit being sorry for it. Got it?"

"Otherwise known as playing Holmes."

The two of them broke into laughter. How they could shift so easily from serious to fun left Lestrade to marvel at the pair of them. All of the odd things that have come from knowing Sherlock and somehow the existence of their friendship was the strangest. There were times he'd swear John was ready to take off for good but for some reason the guy just went right back to Baker Street. No idea what madness the man had in his head but as it keeps Sherlock from getting into too much trouble it seems the better course to leave him in the fog as long as possible. That thought could certainly be seen as bad. Must be that exposure risk Mycroft had told him about. "How do you make Mycroft negotiate?"

"Hmm? Right. Mycroft has one big weakness and that's his public image or lack thereof."

"Come again?"

"The only way for Mycroft to hold his influence is if the general public doesn't know about him. Didn't you notice that even in the biography Moriarty manufactured it never mentioned a brother."

"I didn't think about that." John admitted.

"Of course you didn't. Why would you, you already knew. What's important is figuring out what the person behind this needed from Mycroft."