Thanks for the reviews and patience. Love to hear everyone's thoughts. I don't own Sherlock - just my story and original characters.
Chapter 10 - Roadtrip
Sherlock quickly released Ava, wrapped his scarf around his neck, threw his coat across his thin frame, and raced down the stairs. John and Ava just stared after him and then at each other.
Ava smiled. "He does that all the time. Doesn't he?"
"Of course. He's Sherlock." John sighed lightly.
"And, that's why we love him."
John threw a sideways look at Ava. He paused a moment. "I'm not..."
"There's all kinds of love, John. Just because you're straight doesn't mean you don't love him."
John released a long breath. "True." His eyes gazed intently on the door.
"Oh, for goodness sake, John. Go after him. I'm not up for a round of chasing after Sherlock, but you go."
John hesitated. "I hate to leave you. You still seem tired."
"Don't worry about me. I'm just going to rest. I won't be good company anyway. I promise I'll be fine."
John smiled, patted Ava's shoulder, and headed for the door. His phone was already out of his pocket texting Sherlock to find out where he was going.
By the time John caught up with Sherlock, the detective was back at St Barts.
"What are you doing?"
Sherlock looked through the microscope. "X-raying the memory stick."
John just looked at him. "Why would Dwyer plant explosives or acid in it?"
Sherlock was impressed. John remembered how Irene had rigged her phone in case someone tried to unlock it without her consent. He had always loved the fact that John kept up with him better than most people.
"That's not what I'm looking for."
"What then?"
Sherlock sat back and looked at his blogger. "If Ava's looked through this thing for days on end and not found anything, the only other option is that Dwyer planted the information inside the stick on a memory chip separate from the drive of the device."
"But?"
"I don't see anything through the x-ray that looks abnormal." Sherlock rubbed his eyes, "And, I don't have anything else to go on."
"Hang on. You haven't even read the contents yet."
"No. Still don't have the password. I ran out of the flat before I could ask Ava." Sherlock paused. "Where is Ava?"
"Back at the flat. She was tired. She insisted that I come and help you."
"Quite right. But, I just don't like the idea of leaving her alone – so soon after last night." Sherlock retrieved the memory stick and started putting on his coat. "We should get back to her."
John looked at Sherlock and tilted his head.
Sherlock knew that look. "What is it, John?"
"Who are you? And what have you done with Sherlock Holmes?"
"What?"
"You never care about anyone else but yourself and the work. Now, you're . . ." John couldn't find the words.
Sherlock inhaled sharply. For a moment he was perplexed. Then he exhaled deeply and a little smugly. "You're jealous."
Now it was John's turn. "What?"
"You have to understand, John. Ava was the first person, outside Mummy and Mycroft, to not think I was a freak. She was my first. . . friend. My only other friend is you. I. . . care about you both."
"Oh, thanks." John's eyes went from Sherlock to the floor. He almost wished that he hadn't opened up that can of worms.
With Sherlock aware that John was content to let that conversation go, he walked out of the lab and John followed.
As they hopped into a cab, John ventured, "What do we do now?"
Sherlock glanced at him sideways – unsure of his intentions. Did he mean the case or his recent declaration that he cared? He hoped he hadn't given John the wrong idea. Sherlock still had no intentions of taking their relationship to a physical level.
John sensed his thoughts and emphasized. "With the case. What do we do with the case?"
"Oh, I need to get a better picture of this Dwyer and the GMO company he was working for."
"Ok. So we talk to Ava again?"
"Yes, but more than that. I need a look inside the offices and the factory."
"She said Dwyer posted information to an address in Stafford."
"Yes. He worked at Canston Chemicals in Stoke-on-Trent."
"How do you know that?"
"Ava would have wanted to stay close to Dwyer if the need to meet in person arose. Canston Chemicals in Stoke is the only GMO manufacturer in a twenty-five mile radius of Stafford. You'll need to hire a car, John."
John, as always was impressed with Sherlock's deductions, chose to keep his admiration in this time and simply said, "Oh. Ok."
Sherlock took the opportunity of the drive up to Stafford to go through the memory stick thoroughly on John's laptop. He spread his long legs out in the back of the Landrover and read the emails and reports Dwyer had saved to it.
John drove them in the rented car. Ava was bored in the passenger seat until she put a Florence and the Machine cd in to play. She started singing along to Rabbit Heart.
Sherlock started to complain but stopped himself as he looked up from the back seat. She seemed recovered from her night out in London except for her plastered hand. Her memory of the lyrics reminded Sherlock of how well she remembered things as a child. Many of her mannerisms made Sherlock think of the Avid he knew in his youth. He blushed to think that he had allowed himself to be aroused by her. But, he kept telling himself, that was before he had realized she was his cousin. Now he knew she was Avid, all those kinds of thoughts were shoved into the deepest cellar of his mind palace. And, the case presented to him helped tremendously in keeping them there.
John complained about the cost of taking the M6 Toll Road, but Ava assured him they didn't need to tackle the Birmingham traffic. Then taking the first Stafford exit, Ava directed John along a winding tour of B roads before telling him to turn into a little row of houses that backed onto Cannock Chase.
Ava let them into her house and started making coffee. John unloaded their bags while Sherlock sat down at Ava's kitchen table keeping his nose in the laptop. She brought the coffees to the table. John joined them, and they all enjoyed a well needed hot drink in silence.
Minutes later, Ava let out a long "Hmmm" sound.
Both men looked up at Ava. Sherlock noticed her flushed features – her blood rushing to her cheeks and lips.
"What's . . . wrong?" John took an unusual pause between words.
Sherlock turned to look at John. The doctor's face looked similar to Ava's.
A strange feeling twisted in the pit of Sherlock's stomach. "We've . . . been drugged."