Christiane sat there on the couch, her legs folded underneath her for quite a while. Her and John were studying the case files. Well, John was studying. Christiane was bitterly glancing at. She knew all she could get from it. And she knew there was nothing more she would get. The rest was in Sherlock's head: his conversation with Mycroft, the results of that experiment, that meeting in that store front. All of it she was aggravatingly kept out of.
I know I hired him. But I thought we were working together on this. I wish he would at least fill me in! Does he do this to John all the time? Does he constantly think people are useless? I've already proven I'm not. He's so infuriating! So arrogant! Ugh!
Sherlock shot up from the table, "John, let's go!" John looked from Christiane to Sherlock.
"Wh-where are we going?"
"Leflux."
"What?! On what planet does that seem like a good idea?!" Christiane put her legs on the floor, leaning forward.
"I was hired to solve the case. I must investigate further. When I have done so, I will inform you of the results. I'm sure you already know the answer, anyway. You were much more involved in this case than typical clients."
Christiane's jaw fell open. She was speechless. Suddenly, she was just a client. John had met him by the door with the papers by this point. Sherlock's eyes met on Christiane's, and there was fire in his eyes. He took a few strides over to her on the couch and leaned very close to her ear, "flies, my dear." He gently closed her mouth and ghosted his teeth on her ear lobe. She jumped off the couch and slapped him across face. She looked mortified. "Oh, really, we're not going to do this again, are we?" He walked back to the door. He turned back to her, "You are welcome to wait here for our return. Feel free to freshen up." John was standing in the doorway with a warm, angry flush growing on his cheeks. His hands were balled in fists at his sides. "Come, John." Christiane flashed John a looked of help, and they were out the door.
John and Sherlock got into the cab to head to Leflux headquarters, and the doors barely closed before John's anger came out of his mouth.
"What the bloody hell was that?!" John shouted.
"What a ridiculous question, John. That should be obvious."
"Please. Explain, because I am apparently not seeing the situation clearly."
"Christiane and I entered into a carnal agreement." Sherlock explained it all very factually and distant. "I do thank you for offering her emotional comfort this afternoon. That is an area in which - you are aware -I am extremely lacking."
Sherlock took in John's appearance. Balled fists. Reddened face. Quickened pulse. Shallow breathing. Extreme rage. Urge for violence. Why? Christiane had been correct in John's affections for her. His desire to physically comfort her and soothe her made that apparent. And their sit-in lunch gave John an opportunity to further his affections. However, Christiane has sexual interest in me, not John. Correct? Suddenly, Sherlock had doubts. Perhaps the emotional connection with John was stronger than the intellectual connection with me. She instantly relaxed at his touch after the transaction this afternoon. She addressed him in matters of safety. According to Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs, it is a human's need for Safety and Emotional Security that must be met before Intellectual Stimulation and Actualization. John grants her the emotional security that I cannot. Clearly, I can grant her safety. Perhaps she does not sense that, though. John is a soldier and a doctor. Perhaps she sees him as more able to grant safety and well-being. Sherlock's eyes narrowed at John.
"There seems to be a conflict of interest here, John," Sherlock's voice was slow.
"Oh, I would love to see how this conclusion was reached," John crossed his arms in front of him.
"Christiane is clearly my sexual conquest," John clenched his jaws at the way she was referred to. "I offer her extreme intellectual stimulation. However, she may find greater security and emotional comfort in you than I can offer."
"Really?! Well, isn't that a ruddy ironic observation. Sherlock Holmes? Not capable of offering a woman an emotional connection? That's a sorry sod if ever I heard one."
"John, your sarcasm is not appreciated. I'm attempting to offer a compromise." Sherlock was jealous, however, it was appearing as if he just wanted to play with someone else's toys.
"A compromise?! Oh, this is going to be good." John leaned forward. They were nearing Leflux.
"If I am allowed to complete my sexual exploration, then that will be all the data I will need. I will admit that this woman makes it difficult for me to control my desires, and I want to know why. I want to learn how to regain my capacities. Once my experimentation is complete, you are free to pursue a relationship with her." To Sherlock, it made perfect sense. He couldn't have any carnal influence of John's skewing his results.
The cab pulled up to Leflux, and they got out at the curb.
"You have got to be fucking kidding! You're a blimy idiot! That's your compromise? That's a suitable compromise on a human being's affections? Sod off, Sherlock….Honestly…Do you really not understand that she's a woman?" John was shouting now as they were standing in front of Leflux headquarters not moving.
"Christiane is a perfectly logical, confident woman. She will understand the necessity for scientific exploration."
"It's a bloody ACT, Sherlock. She is not as arrogant as you. Did you see her on that couch? She is completely different with me. And you know what? She is not interested in you, anymore. You're too much of a damn machine. She may be a woman of science, but she has a ruddy heart!"
"That's utterly asinine, John. Clearly, she is still interested in a carnal relationship with me."
"She really does cloud your senses, doesn't she? That slap as we were leaving? That was horror. And do you know where she looked for help, mate? ME!" John turned to start walking towards the door of the office building. "And another thing: I kissed her in the flat before we went into that back room."
Sherlock's mind was a whirlwind of the day's events playing and replaying things he had missed. How?! How did I miss these things?! It's impossible. Was I so focused on the case that human subtleties were irrelevant to me? Damn….It's so obvious now….
Sherlock started walking into Leflux's lobby. John followed at a distance.
Sherlock was throwing on the charm to the receptionist. An act. Always an act.
"Hi. Richard Calloway called me to investigate falsified records. My name is Sherlock Holmes. If you would be so kind to show me to the records room, I'll be out of the way as soon as possible."
"Um, Mr. Calloway didn't say anything about that to me. Maybe I should page him."
"The quicker I get in there, the quicker I get out. It's a very hush-hush matter, and I don't think I'm even supposed to tell you." Sherlock was really layering it on thick. John rolled his eyes. "If you could just be a doll, and just buzz me in." Sherlock threw a wink at the receptionist. It nauseated John.
"Oh…Okay." She blushed and giggled, "Third floor, second door on the right."
"Thaannnk You," Sherlock leaned in to look at her name tag, "Carla." He threw another wink. He just used everyone the way he wanted.
They ascended to the third floor, and approached the appropriate door.
"John, I need you to keep watch." Sherlock snuck into the records room before John could respond. John crossed his arms and leaned against the wall. The coast was clear.
Sherlock was rooting through files in the records room, and occasionally would snap pictures of some paperwork. At the end of the long hallway, John spotted a few gentlemen in business suits walking towards him. He knocked on the records room door.
"Sherlock!" His voice was a sharp whisper, "Sherlock, get out here."
The small group of workers was approaching more quickly. Sherlock appeared behind John as he attempted to block the direct vision to the records room.
"Let's go," Sherlock said to John in a hushed tone. He took long, hurried strides towards the opposite end of the hall. John was not far behind. The workers started shouting out to John and Sherlock. They started to jog towards them as John and Sherlock darted down the nearest stairwell. With minor maneuvering, they were able to find the loading dock of the building. The general guideline was to head to the basement then find the outer wall of the building. There were workers on the dock, but they didn't care about the two men scurrying out of the doorway and skulking away from the building. They weren't paid enough to have that kind of company loyalty.
When they were far enough away to not be suspicious, Sherlock flagged down a cab.
When the cab pulled up, John put a firm hand in Sherlock's chest. "I'm taking this one alone. You need to think about the lives you're toying with, Sherlock. A brisk walk will help with that." Before he could protest, John got into the cab and had the cabbie drive off.
Sherlock was disgruntled. He didn't understand why everyone was so upset. He flagged down another cab – deliberately ignoring John's orders –and headed to Scotland Yard.