Chapter 21 The Great Game, part 2.

First off: Thanks to SirSnikrs and A-D-E-E-E-R for their reviews!

Secondly: To do every single bit of The Great Game in one chapter would take me FOREVER to write. So it's being done in parts. Each "case" for Sherlock will be a single chapter. I hope y'all enjoy!

Devon sipped at lukewarm tea, Katrina slumped in a post-spaying vet trip haze and a cone at her feet, and listened to the voice in her headphones. Jim sat next to her, also wearing headphones and typing while sniggering at the woman's voice.

"I've…sent you…a little puzzle…just to…say hi." Devon flinched as the woman started sobbing again, went to remove the headphones but caught a glare from Jim that made her put her hands down. Jim heard something she didn't. He had an ear piece in one ear so he could hear what was said on the pink phone, "I-I'm not crying. I'm typing…and this…stupid…bitch…is reading it out." A fresh wave of sobs made sympathetic tears come to Devon's eyes. The line on Devon's headphones went silent except for the sobs, then the woman spoke again as Jim typed furiously with a maniacal grin, "Twelve…hours…to solve…my puzzle…Sherlock…or…I'm…going…to…be…so…naughty."

Devon had given the pink phone to one of the lower level workers in Jim's pocket and passed along the orders to have it sent to Scotland Yard's Homicide Division, then snuck into 221C Baker Street, almost getting caught by the landlady, to dump Carl Powers's trainers the day before.

She was relieved when Jim finally took off his headphones, and followed suit, hoping the sounds of the woman's sobs would go away soon.

"Keep checking that website, for me while I'm gone now, darling, I'm bored of this and I feel like having some…other fun." Jim stretched, then sauntered towards the office door.

"And I can't?"

"Not this type of fun. I have to get ready to go see Molly at work."

"Are you going to break it off soon or what? This whole you playing the dude from IT is really bugging everyone in the house, not just me and Dad."

"Keep that opinion to yourself, beautiful. I'll do what I want to do." Jim waved his fingers at her and vanished, "Oh, Devvie?" Jim leaned back in.

"Jim." Devon responded, squaring her shoulders.

"Can you have salmon ready for supper? I had to order the cook be killed after he tried feeding me raw chicken." Jim wrinkled his nose, "Couldn't tell if he was actually trying to poison me or if it was an accident. I had him killed anyways."

"I'm sure that was an accident."

"Anyways, salmon for dinner. With that butter sauce or whatever you make."

"Whatever you say." Devon looked away from Jim's face. Katrina looked up at her with dull eyes, sighed, and laid her head back down. Ichabod trotted in with a squeaky toy in his mouth, trying to get Katrina to play with him.

"Thank you, darling!" Jim vanished again and Devon breathed a sigh of relief.

"I wish I could tell you that you won't get hurt." She whispered at the headphones,

He returned a few short hours later, giddy as a schoolgirl, and told Devon about how he had forced Molly to introduce him to Sherlock, "He picked up on the acting gay! Gosh, he is good!" He skipped around the office, "Check his website! See if he's answered yet!"

"Jim, I doubt he's…" Devon pulled the website up on her phone, "Nothing yet."

"Check again! And keep checking until he responds!" Jim flounced off, singing to himself for a minute longer before shouting for Devon's attention, "One of your dogs just puked on the floor, Devon! Clean it up!" Devon scrambled to clean up Katrina's mess and put her to bed for the night.

Jim remembered she was supposed to be cooking, then demanded that she cook and check the website at the same time.

"You get a choice, I cook or I check my phone the way you want me to. Pick one, not both!" Devon snapped. Jim stood stock-still for a second before his expression darkened considerably.

"Did you just talk back, young lady?"

"I-I'm sorry, Jim!" She cowered as Jim raised a hand, "I'm sorry!" She stared at the floor, expecting a hit or a kick. Jim's shoes turned and he stomped out of the kitchen.

"Forget supper." He snarled and vanished to his office. Devon shakily reached for the stove knob and turned off the pan, then sank to the floor, listening for Jim to come back and change his mind.

A while later, he came back in cheering, holding his phone above his head and screaming like a fangirl, "He responded! Oh, he is smart!" He glanced around the kitchen, looking confused, and spotted Devon sitting on the floor, "Why are you on the floor? You don't belong there, love!" Jim hauled her up by her arm and hugged her tightly, "He's soooo smart!" Jim let her go and frowned suddenly, "Now I have to give him a new challenge. Who to suit up next?" Jim stared hard at Devon, "That guy that's always bugging you…what's-his-name…he'll do nicely." Devon bit her tongue and tried to not let him see her panic, "Opinion, Devvie?"

"He's…he's a good bodyguard, Jim. It'd be a…shame…to waste his life." Devon kept her eyes fixed on a spot in the countertop.

"Hmm. I guess so. I'll get the one that screwed up guard duty last week instead." Devon breathed a silent sigh and finally met Jim's eyes, trying hard to not let her relief show, "Go get a bomb ready. I think I'll stick you on this one."

"Me? Really?"

"Yes, it'll be a nice change of pace for you, won't it?"

"An excellent change of pace, Jim." Devon breathed.

"Good. I'll tell you where to go in the morning."

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