Many thanks to textualdeviance for the input(that's still a beta yo) also thanks to everyone on twitter, lj and here for their encouragements and reviews. I hope you all are enjoying the story and aren't getting bored. PrehistoricCat, Evanstar_Este,lGlo, Tay, LC thank you for all the positive feedback. You lot are aces.

These lovely characters are from the brilliant mind of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle(and those blokes Moffat & Gatiss from Sherlock). I've just had a fiddle with them. (Especially Poor Watson, bless)

Come along now, there's more adventuring to be done.

Return to Baskerville

Chapter 11

General Cho had not wanted to make Moriarty angry. Cho knew exactly what happened to those that made the man angry. The General had just wanted to bolster his men. It had been so long since China had seen any real glory. The test in Uganda had been an overwhelming success. Now if he could just get more of the formula, Cho would take it to Beijing and show them what Imperialism was really about.

His outburst in the boardroom had jeopardised the plan. Moriarty was unstable at best, thought Cho, so what if he withdrew his help? Or worse still, the General wound up dead like so many others? Surely there were other venues for getting the formula. Cho made a decision that it would be best to sever ties with Moriarty, but how to remove himself without tipping the criminal off? His deliverance came when he received a call from the British Intelligence man. The British government obviously still didn't know that The Triad was behind the trouble in Uganda so this would work perfectly.

General Cho was playing both sides of the fence, a dangerous game he was all too familiar with. He would aid the government man in the capture of Moriarty, and then put this whole mess behind him until another opportunity with the formula arose. Little did the General know, he would never get that chance.

xxx

Sherlock was sat in the ambulance staring straight ahead, glassy eyed. His mind trying to compartmentalise all that was happening. John Watson, his partner, lover and best friend died in his arms. The memory of that would stay with him for the rest of his days.

"…Teeth missing? Mr. Holmes, sir? Did you hear me?" The paramedic had asked Sherlock a question.

"What?" said Sherlock, looking over to where the paramedic was sitting. Her name badge read 'Lucy', he noted. Single mother of one child, hair dyed. Was previously in an abusive relationship, is now dating paramedic partner Ben. Sherlock couldn't help it; his brain was in coping mode. The deductions came unbidden.

"I asked if Mister Watson had been missing any teeth prior to today," said Lucy.

"Doctor," corrected Sherlock.

"I'm sorry?" said Lucy.

"His name, it's Doctor John Watson." Sherlock looked over to John still form lying on the gurney.

"Yes, sir," said Lucy. She re-stated the question. "Was Doctor Watson missing any teeth before today?"

Sherlock's eyes turned to stone. "You mean before he was brutally tortured? No, he wasn't missing any teeth." Sherlock brought his hand up and began running his fingers across his lips. At least John's still alive, Sherlock told himself. They were able to start his heart and he's a fighter. John will make it. He has to.

"Will he be all right?" Sherlock asked Lucy.

"Well, Mr Holmes," said Lucy. Now that we have Doctor Watson stabalised, my partner Ben and I are assessing his injuries."

Sherlock sat quietly as the ambulance made its way to the hospital, listening to Lucy and Ben run through the litany of John's injuries.

"So then, continuing on. Missing teeth, one bicuspid, one molar, same side, lower right. Right eye damage, possible cornea separation. No pupil response." said Ben.

"Placing neck brace on victim," said Lucy.

Sherlock closed his eyes. Victim, he thought. Yes, John was now a 'victim'.

"Left shoulder dislocated, note previous wound with scarring," Ben continued.

"He was shot in Afghanistan." Sherlock said flatly.

Lucy noted it on the paperwork.

Ben began again. "Possible fracture of ribs seven, eight and nine on left side; could be responsible for respiratory failure and subsequent cardiac arrest. Breath sounds currently good, but note to check for pneumothorax."

"Lucy, help me roll him," said Ben reaching for Watson's legs.

Sherlock winced at the jagged red lines all along John's back.

"Looks like branching from an electrical shock. Ranging from upper to lower back." Ben stopped talking.

Both paramedics gasped as they noticed John's backside.

"Mother of God," whispered Lucy looking up at Ben.

Lucy was blocking Sherlock's view so he stood in the moving ambulance, placing a hand on the roof to steady himself. Looking over Lucy's shoulder, Sherlock could now see what had caused her outburst.

The detective had never seen anything so heinous in his life. Overcome, he sat back down, cupped his face in his hands and began to sob. Not John, he thought. Not John.

"Severe anal tearing visible. Further, more invasive exam needed to determine extent of damage." Lucy pulled some dressings down from a shelf and handed it to Ben to quell the bleeding.

"Unknown amount of blood loss, possibly severe. Cross and type upon arrival for blood transfusion." Ben said as he and Lucy rolled John back over.

Ben felt down each of Watson's legs. "Right calf hot to the touch, note check for Compartment syndrome."

Lucy looked over to Sherlock who was just staring straight ahead, tears streaming down his cheeks. "Doctor Watson has been through a terrible ordeal. He's very lucky to be alive."

xxx

Sherlock hadn't gone over the specifics of John's injuries when Lestrade arrived at the hospital just minutes after they hurried John off to surgery, but the Inspector knew it was bad. He could tell from the look on Sherlock's face. That was over four hours ago.

They sat in silence outside the operating theatre waiting for word. Sherlock suddenly said, "It was someone from Baskerville."

"What? That took John, you mean?" said Lestrade turning his head to face the detective.

"That tortured and tried to murder John, I mean," corrected Sherlock. "The same person is also responsible for the murder of that lad Fletcher back at Grimpen village." Sherlock sat back in his chair but still did not look at the Inspector.

"I'm feeling a bit out of the loop here Sherlock. I thought the Baskerville case had been solved? Why did you and John return?" Lestrade was in full detective mode now.

"John and I both felt there was something else going on, some questions that needed answering. It seems we were correct in our assumptions." Sherlock turned to face Lestrade, "Wouldn't you agree?"

Before Lestrade could answer the doors to surgery opened.

"Doctor John Watson," said the surgeon.

Sherlock and Lestrade rose from their chairs to greet her.

"Are you the family of Doctor John Watson?" she said.

Sherlock couldn't deduce what she was going to say. There was just too much clouding up his mind. "His sister is on her way," he replied.

"I'm sorry sir. I can only give information on the condition of Doctor Watson to his family," she said and she began to leave.

Sherlock could barely contain his anger. He grabbed the doctor by the arm and spun her around. "Listen to me carefully, Doctor." He leaned forward in his most menacing manner, "That man is my life. If you do not tell me this instant whether he's alive or not, I will go in there and find out myself. Do you understand me?"

Lestrade gently touched Sherlock on the arm. "Sherlock, she's just doing her job. She's required to inform only 'next of kin', it's the law." The Inspector regretted the words as soon as they came out of his mouth.

Sherlock was visibly shaken at Lestrade's words and backed away from the surgeon.

Lestrade continued on and removed his badge from his coat pocket, "Doctor, I'm Detective Inspector Lestrade, New Scotland Yard and this is Doctor Watson's partner Sherlock Holmes. Can you please tell us the condition of Doctor Watson?"

"He's stable," she said looking from the Inspector back to Sherlock.

Now addressing only Sherlock the doctor said, "We've repaired the tearing to his anal canal. Fortunately, it appeared to be a lot worse than it actually was, but there was a major loss of blood associated with the injury. The Doctor had what is called a Class III Haemorrhage. It appears he went into cardiac arrest that was brought on by his blood loss, alternating tortures and restricted breathing. We won't know until Doctor Watson awakens if he's suffered any hypoxic injury to the brain as a result. We've alleviated the compartment syndrome that was beginning in his leg. The branching on his back and the subsequent compartment syndrome in his leg indicates that he was electrocuted at some point during his torture. We were unable to tell if the damage to his eye was due to the electrocution or some other form of torture. His eye has been repaired though and should regain sight once it's healed. However, it should be noted that Doctor Watson may need to have the eye checked periodically as a preventative if the cause was electrocution. His shoulder has had to be fused for the time being so it won't slip out of the socket. With his previous injury we just want to make precautions that it heals properly. He'll need to have a bit of physical therapy once it's all healed but I believe he will regain the full range of motion in that arm."

"So he'll be all right?" said Sherlock, his tone much kinder.

"We'll have to monitor him over the next few days to make sure he doesn't have another arrest and that his brain functions are normal. I would also recommend that he see a psychiatrist, to help him deal with…" the surgeon broke off choosing her next words carefully, "…his trauma, but I'm optimistic that Doctor Watson will make a full recovery."

Sherlock looked away from the surgeon.

"Thank you Doctor," said Lestrade.

"Can I see him?" said Sherlock.

"We're not supposed to let anyone other than family in the recovery room," said the Doctor. Expecting another outburst from Sherlock she quickly added, "But I don't see a problem with letting you see him for just a few minutes. Come with me."

"I'll see what progress the authorities have made in Grimpen," said Lestrade.

"You might want to call Mycroft as well," said Sherlock as he was leaving. Let him know about John and find out if he's found Moriarty yet."

Once again Lestrade was left shaking his head. He really needed to be filled in on what was going on.

END CHAPTER 11