CHAPTER 10
Eventually finding the location of the Black Tramway, I followed Sherlock through the streets of London. Damn he ran fast! Luckily my job allowed me, or rather demanded me, to keep fit, so his long strides weren't too much of a problem. The tramway was only about twenty minutes away on foot, but luckily Sherlock seemed to know all the short cuts. That was how I found myself stood on a roof top, watching the detective jump the gap between buildings before he climbed down a fire escape. Swearing under my breath, I stepped back a little, taking a running jump before following him down the ladder and around several corners, finally reaching the Tramway.
Hearing voices inside, we slowed, Sherlock glancing at me and gesturing for me to stick to the shadows.
"Ladies and Gentlemen," the Opera Singer from the circus was taunting, "from the distant moonlit shores of NW1 we present, for your pleasure, Sherlock Holmes' pretty companion- in a death-defying act."
"Please…" John breathed as he watched Sarah, tied to a chair, get placed opposite the sandbag trick that I had been dragged away from previously. The Chinese woman placed an origami black lotus flower on her lap, retreating back to the sandbag, and piercing it.
"You've seen the act before." She taunted further, "How dull for you. You know how it ends."
"I'm not Holmes!" John insisted
"I don't believe you!"
"You should, you know!" Sherlock finally made himself known. The Lotus agents spun around, trying to find us as his voice echoed off the walls.
"Yeah!" I agreed, "Sherlock Holmes is a great deal more pompous. With a 'U'."
"Oi!" the man frowned, "Oh, and, a great deal more… what was the word, John?"
"LATE!" the man shouted. We rushed forward, Sherlock swinging a metal pipe at the largest smuggler. I rushed forward to help Sarah, but found a gun pointed right at my heart.
I stopped suddenly. "You really don't want to do that." I told her, eyeing the sandbag as it continued to rise. "That's a semi-automatic." I continued, gaze returning to the gun, "You fire it, the bullet will travel at a thousand metres per second."
"Well?"
"These walls have a radius of curvature of nearly four metres," Sherlock continued, "If you miss the bullet will ricochet."
"And who knows where? I'm pretty good at dodging bullets, it could hit anyone. It could bounce around the tunnel and hit you." I finished
"I have no intention of missing." the smuggler snapped
"Then you'll die within the day." I asserted.
"I'd take those glasses off." Sherlock added, "Can't shoot straight in the dark…" he lashed out and kicked over a burning barrel, one of the only lights in the tunnel. The flames were extinguished, and the two of us dived into the shadows. The smuggler fired, missing the both of us, it ricocheted, missing John by a hair. He swore loudly.
Zhi Zhu ran past me, flying at Sherlock, tying a lasso around his neck and chocking him. Sarah writhed in her chair, trying to get free as the weight nearly touched the release. John attempted to get closer to her, toppling over in his chair. I made a move, running over to his girlfriend and pushing her out the way just as the ballista released. The arrow flew through the air, conviniently striking Zhi Zhu in the neck, forcing him to release Sherlock as he fell to the floor, dead. Looking up, hoping to find the Opera Singer, I was disappointed to see that she had fled into the night, but then remembered that Jim would undoubtedly have her killed before the night was over for their business going wrong.
"I don't suppose there's a chance of a second date some time?" John asked Sarah who began to laugh, which quickly turned into cries.
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Waiting at the entrance to the tunnel, I checked my phone, having texted Jim to tell him what had happened. I watched as Sherlock and John spoke to Dimmock and Sarah was led off with a blanket over her shoulders. Eventually, the detective and the doctor walked away from the inspector, prompting me to join them in their trek back to Baker Street.
"So…" I started, "Holmes and Watson do it again."
"Couldn't have done it without you." Sherlock smiled, "Miss… Lancaster. You know a lot about crime don't you?"
"What can I say?" I laughed, "I have experience, Mr. Holmes."
"And you keep popping into my life unexpectedly." he stared down at me.
"It's only unexpected because you haven't worked it out yet." I teased, turning away, "See you soon, Sherlock. Don't have too much fun without me."
A/N: Please don't hate me for not updating in forever. I have so much planned for this story and I don't want to give up on it, but updates might take a while (hopefully not this long again, though)
Please review, favourite and follow if you haven't already, it always brightens my day :)
Again, apologies for the wait,
~ekg1997.