Chapter 20: Smoking Out Vachir

Lord Vachir turned over his shoulder, looking up from his hand, as he heard a knock at the door.

"Enter."

The door opened, revealing Inspector Shifu and a handcuffed (or, rather, wing-cuffed) Shenlock Holmes. The peacock seemed totally unfazed at his own arrest, glancing about idly.

Vachir smiled.

"I beg your pardon, Lord Vachir," the Inspector said with a bow. "I know it's...unorthodox, but Mr. Holmes here, as you know, has been saying some serious things about you..."

Here, Shifu pulled at his robe, revealing a hidden pin in the shape of a sphinx.

"...And the Order."

Holmes stared...then he laughed.

"So!" he smirked. "The mystery of how you became an inspector has been solved-OOF!"

Holmes was cut short by a harsh strike to the stomach. He gagged, his cuffed wings clutching his torso in pain as he doubled over.

Shifu sighed, and smiled apologetically at Vachir.

"Sorry, Lord Vachir," he said. "I've been wanting to do that for a long time."

Vachir nodded.

"Thank you, Inspector," he said.

Shifu bowed again, and left, giving one last glance at Holmes before he shut the door.

Now, only two were left. Holmes and Vachir faced each other in silence for a moment.

"Well?" Vachir smirked. "What's on your mind, Mr. Holmes?"

"I'm curious, Vachir...did you help Tai Lung with all the murders, or just the one I stopped?"

Vachir's smirk didn't fade.

"How did you guess?"

"It's very distinctive, that gold horn of yours; I thought I caught a glimpse of it under your hood when you left the crypt."

Vachir rolled his eyes, moving towards the center of the room, where his desk was. Holmes, meanwhile, moved toward the fireplace, pacing back and forth as he went...because his back was turned, the rhino never noticed when the peacock kicked subtly at something beside the fireplace...

"Whatever the case, I must confess: I've been completely outmatched," sighed Holmes. "I could deduce very little from my investigation...but, then again, for me, nothing is more interesting than a case where all the odds are stacked against you."

"I guess it takes a strong animal to admit defeat," intoned Vachir, and reached down – pretending he'd dropped something – into his desk, pulling out a crossbow. He turned away from Holmes as he loaded it...

"I DID figure out the pattern though: pedestal, ox, eagle, and lion...the lion is the Emperor, isn't it? The most famous lions in China are his elite guards."

Vachir chuckled.

"Very clever...but it isn't MURDER, Mr. Holmes. It's MERCY. We are giving the weak masses a stronger leader. Don't you see?!" he exclaimed, whipping around, crossbow raised. "It's for their own-"

The rhino's smile faded, changing first to surprise, then anger. Half of the room was filled with smoke...he'd been so detached, he hadn't even noticed...and Holmes was nowhere to be seen.

"No," the detective's voice whispered from the clouds. "I don't see. However, that doesn't really matter; I just wanted to know the location of Tai Lung's 'final ceremony,' and now you've given it to me."

Vachir scowled, and slyly moved to a nearby window, opening it so the smoke could escape, always keeping his crossbow ready.

"I've told you nothing!" he spat.

"Not verbally, no...but your clothes and appearance say more than you can imagine: the mud on your sandals, from where you've been walking. The red brick dust on your cloak, hanging on the wall, from where you've been kneeling. The bandage on your hand, from when you were vowing. You and Tai Lung made the final preparations for your plan in the catacombs beneath the Emperor's palace about an hour ago. The Emperor and his council meet today; all members of the Order of the Jade Palace are on that council. It's the perfect time for the perfect crime."

With a sharp clatter, a pair of cuffs flew out of the now-thinning smoke.

Vachir looked down at the cuffs, then back up, as the smoke began to clear...still no sight of the peacock...

Vachir sneered, squinting in the gray clouds...

Where is he hiding...?

"It's too bad you made an enemy of Lord Tai Lung," he growled. "You would have made a good ally. But it doesn't matter what you know. We take power at noon, Mr. Holmes!"

"Well, then," came a voice from behind, "There isn't any time to waste, is there?"

Vachir whirled, firing his crossbow as a white figure sprinted for the window, and dove out, gliding over the water.

Vachir snarled in rage, throwing his crossbow down on the floor...

The peacock, meanwhile, swooped down onto a nearby, familiar boat...

"Hello, Shenlock," smiled Dr. Crane as the peacock sat down, wiping his brow.

"Ha Ha!" laughed Mantis. "What'd I tell you, army-boy?! Out the top window; no way he'd come out over the terrace."

"Yes, but that isn't the top window, is it, sailor-boy?"

"Oh? What would you call it?"

"Well...it's the middle window..."

The viper laughed and rolled her eyes.

"Anyway," Holmes snapped, "It's time to go. Inspector Shifu played his role perfectly, hiding the key within a firm punch..."

Here Holmes absently rubbed his sore stomach.

"Actually, I think he might have enjoyed it too much..."

"Did you get what you needed from Lord Vachir?"

"Yes. I...er...smoked him out easily, as well as literally. Thank goodness for closing chimney vents..."

"So, where to?" asked the viper.

"Mantis!" Holmes shouted. "Take us to the construction site of the new bridge; port side, 100 yards...there we should find a tunnel leading into the catacombs."

"Right!"

"Good, and hurry! We have a mere ten minutes before all of China becomes Tai Lung's playground..."