CHAPTER 10. BURN!

Sherlock could see the small flower shop from where he stood, he dashed back into the greenhouse, sliding down the ladder quickly, and sprinting down the underground passage it would be faster, smoke was starting to trickle down but he placed his scarf over his face and climbed up the ladder, no need for the flash light the orange flames consuming the empty stands and displays was light enough, Sherlock searched for any sign of Lestrade.

"Lestrade!" he choked. "Greg!" damn why hadn't he texted first before rushing in, for all he knew the DI could be outside. He heard something, his ears drowning out the crackle and snapping of the wood structure, his own beating heart and labored breathing, all of it blocked out.

"Help!" he made his way towards the back office. He could hear sirens in the distance.

"Sherlock!" John was yelling outside, he was about to run in when the familiar figure that was Sherlock burst from the flames like a bat out of hell, but he was holding someone up, and John went into Doctor mode.

"Jesus! Is he breathing?" Officer Daniels was asking, Sherlock couldn't reply he was too busy trying to breath himself.

"Yes, he's breathing." John announced. "Greg?" , he put a hand to his friends neck, his pulse was low. "Daniels! Officer Daniels! Focus" John snapped, the young man gave the doctor his full attention pulling his eyes from the unconscious DI. "I need you to put pressure on this, we have to slow the bleeding down.

"Someone shot him." Sherlock was standing looking around he didn't see any cars but someone was there, they had shot the DI and ran, where could they hide. John was coughing harshly as well, his lungs still not recovered from the greenhouse incident.

Sergeant Donovan and Anderson arrived just as the paramedics were loading the DI into the ambulance. Sherlock could see the DI was clutching something in his hand. He gently opened the clenched fingers, revealing folded up pieces of paper, not just paper photographs. Three, had been folded together in haste.

"Daniels!" Sherlock growled ignoring Sergeant Donovan's questions "We need to go to the hospital!"

"I agree, smoke inhalation can be dangerous."

"Not for that you twit-" Sherlock growled followed by coughing.

"Sherlock. He's right let the ambulance look you over."

"No time! We have to get to the hospital! Look!" Sherlock showed John the photos that Lestrade had been clutching.

~0~

"Doctor Hooper. Oh good you're up."

"Sam, whats wrong?"Molly had been practicing with her crouches, the hospital robe she wore was a few sizes too big so it kept tripping her up. She paused as the young forensics officer nearly burst through the door.

"We'll I've made a mess of things."

"What's wrong?" Molly was instantly concerned, he looked pale and nervous.

"Well it's the automated analyzer."

"Oh no Sam, that's brand new don't tell me it's broken."

"I dont know. And that old crone has no idea how to operate it. If I don't get these samples in I'm done. Anderson will have me running urinalysis on every addict and drunk we get in for processing, for the rest of my life!"

"Calm down Sam. It's fine. We can figure it out." Molly smiled easily putting a hand on her friends shoulder.
"I'll just pop down there. I have to practice on these anyway."

"Thank you Molly you are such an angel." Sam went to hold the door open for the young pathologist.
She looked stopped just outside her room.
"I should let the guys know I mean they were watching my room."

"Oh, didnt you hear, they caught the guy. So the PC's on guard duty were sent home."

"Oh, what a relief. Do they know who he was."

"I dont know I just know they were pretty excited."

"Funny, I wish they'd of said something."

"They probably didn't want to bother you."
Molly glanced again at her door and shrugged she followed Sam down the corridor towards the elevator. She thought she could smell camp fire, maybe he had a fireplace, if Sherlock were here he would say for certain.

"Are you ok going back down to the dungeons?" Sam hit the basement button for the lab as the elevator doors closed Doctor Howards had stepped out from the lift just across from the one the doors were closing on. Hicks thought he had a look of disapproval but he cold care less what an old gimp thought.