Several hours later, John was well rested, Sherlock had written a new piece, and Melody had cleaned the basement flat. Well, cleaned it as well as she could. She walked up the stairs to see her mother sitting at the table, sipping on tea.

"Everything is finished. I'm going to get a quick shower and then go out with the boys. Need anything?" Mel asked, putting the cleaning supplies in the broom closet.

"Oh, no,dear. You and the boys have a nice evening. Be safe." The woman assured her daughter.

Mel smiled and nodded, then got ready for their evening investigation. Once she was dressed and ready, she made her way up to Sherlock's living area. "Ready?" She asked, seeing the boys in their respective chairs.

They both looked up at her and nodded. "Ready." The boys said in unison.

They quickly made their way outside, noting that it was finally dark. Sherlock hailed a cab, and they made their way to the museum where they hoped to find Soo-Lin.

The trio waited until they were sure everyone was out of the building, then stealthily made their way inside. Sherlock led the way, silently taking them towards the source of the only noise in the building.

They approached the restoration room to see a small figure sittingat a desk. She had a small brass kettle of hot water and some green tea leaves, and she had catalogues and papers scattered across the workspace. Carefully she took the Zisha pot on her left and brewed the tea - sprinkling the leaves and delicately pouring in water.

Melody watched in fascination as the woman sloshed the tea around inside - coating the pot with the glaze. A sudden baritone voice startled her.

"Fancy a biscuit with it?"

She turned and dropped the pot in surprise causing it to nearly roll off the desk.

Sherlock rescued the pot as it began falling. Melody quickly approached, scolding him quietly.

"Centuries old. Don't want to break it." Sherlock said with a chuckle. He turned on the light, finally illuminating all of their faces.

Soo-Lin looked nervous, even a bit agitated.

"Soo-Lin, I'm Melody. This is Sherlock Holmes and John Watson. I hate to tell you something you probably already know, but we think you may be in danger." Mel said grimly.

They carefully explained to the woman everything they knew so far, gauging her reactions to all of the information.

"You saw the cipher? You know that he is coming for me." She finally said.

"You've been clever. So far you've managed to avoid him." Sherlock countered.

"I had to finish. To finish this work. But it is only a matter of time. I know he will find me."

"Who is he? You've met him before?"

Soo-Lin nodded. "When I was a girl, living back in China. I recognise his... 'signature'."

Mel took a moment to look around at what was on the desk. Books about ceramics and antiquities made up the biggest part of things. She chuckled when she saw an A to Z of London. It was a common book to have for those who weren't born in London.

"The cipher?" Sherlock's voice snapped her attention back.

"Only he would do this. Zhi Zhu." Soo-Lin explained.

"What?" John asked, his brows scrunched in confusion.

"It means 'The spider'." Sherlock explained as Soo-Lin unlaced her shoe.

She took off her sock and lifted her foot.

There, on her heel, was a small circular tattoo - a black lotus flower inscribed in a circle. "You know this mark?"

"It's the mark of a Tong. An ancient crime syndicate. Based in China." Sherlock confirmed.

"Every foot soldier bears the mark -every one who hauls for them." The woman confirmed.

"Hauls? You mean... you were a smuggler?" John asked in shock.

"I was fifteen, living back in China, in the Yellow Dragon City. My parents were dead. I had no livelihood. No way to survive day to day, except to work for the bosses."

"Who are they?" Mel inquired.

"They are called the 'Black Lotus'. They smuggle alcohol - cheap cigarettes. Noone thinks of searching the pockets of a school girl. By the time I was sixteen I was taking thousands of pounds worth of drugs across the border into Hong Kong. I'm not proud. I'm ashamed of how I lived. But I managed to get out. I managed to leave that life behind me. I came to England - studied; night school. They gave me a job here. Everything was good. A new life."

"And then he caught up with you?" Sherlock asked, almost sounding disappointed.

"Yes. I hoped after five years... maybe they would have forgotten me. But they never really let you leave. A small community like ours - they are never very far away. He came to my flat three days ago. He asked me to help him - to track down something that was stolen."

"You've no idea what it was?" Asked John.

Soo-Lin shook her head. "I refused to help."

"So he sent you the cipher as a punishment." Sherlock realized.

Beat, Soo-Lin nodded gravely. "He is ruthless. A fanatic. He would strike down anyone. Even family - if they betrayed him."

"You knew him well? When you were living back in China?" Melody asked softly.

"Oh yes. He is my brother. Our parents died in the demonstrations. 1989. I was four years old. Liang a little older. Two orphans. We had no choice. We could work for the Black Lotus or starve on the streets like beggars. My brother has become their puppet - in the power of the one they call Shan - Black Lotus General. I turned him away. He said I had betrayed him. Next day I came to work and the cipher was waiting."

Sherlock reached into his jacket pocket and produced print outs - the ciphers from the bank, the library and the railway. "Can you decipher this?"

"They're numbers." Soo-Lin said bluntly.

"Yes."

"Here. The line. Drawn across the man's eyes. This is a Chinese number '1'."

"And this? '15'?"

"Yes."

"So. '1' and '15'. What's the code?" Melody asked.

"All the smugglers know it. It's based upon a book..."

The lights suddenly went out, causing Melody to give a small yelp and clutch Sherlock and John's arms. They all looked around in horror - no one out of place was visible. Just shadows. And then the sound begins - A distant drum beat.

"He's here. Zhi Zhu. He has found me." Soo-Lin said, fear obviously present in her voice.

John pulled Soo-Lin and Melody down on to the floor as Sherlock sprinted towards the sound.

"Sherlock, wait!" John yelled.

Hearing no response, he looked over at Melody, gaining her attention. "What is happening??" His asked.

"I wish I could tell you, John. Honestly, I have a terrible feeling. Something bad is going to happen." Mel said, her stomach twisting in knots.

The sound of a gun being shot caused Mel to jump.

"Go, John! Keep the bloody fool safe! I want both of you back unharmed!" Melody fussed, watching as he nodded then stood.

"Bolt the door after me." He said, running out the door.

Melody ran over to the door, fumbling with the bolt before finally getting it. She looked back to see Soo-Lin at the desk, looking over the photos Sherlock had left. If she could figure out the code for them, it woild make their investigation go so much more quickly. Melody heard several more gunshots and gasped quietly.

"Get in the corner of the room and hide. Don't move. I'm going out." Mel commaned, watching as Soo-Lin nodded and moved to the back of the room, hiding herself in a small closet.

Mel opened the door, only to come face to face with a black clad figure. She went to scream, but was kept from doing so by a hand roughly covering her mouth. She was picked up and practically slammed to the ground. A second hand wrapped around her throat, and she struggled to pull it away. Unfortunately, the mystery person was far stronger than she was, and her struggling was in vain as he had her pinned. Her vision blurred around the edges, and she knew she wouldn't last much longer. A few knees to the back made the figure grunt, but his grip never wavered. The man finally grew tired of the effort and slammed her head into the floor, effectively knocking her out. Melody's body went limp and he stood, stepping over her body and into the room.

Meanwhile, John and Sherlock were trying to figure out where the assassin had disappeared to. Until, that is, they heard a final shot ring out.

"Oh, my God. Soo-Lin." John whispered.

At the same time, Sherlock let out a small cry of Melody's name.

Both of them ran at lighting speed back to the staff office - the place was still dark.

John stopped dead in his tracks at the sight of Melody on the floor. Surely she wasn't...? He checked her pulse- it was there and he sighed in mild relief before looking up to see Soo-Lin. In her palm rested a black paper lotus flower. The little Zisha pot had rolled on to the floor and smashed.

Sherlock came swooping in behind John, looking at the body in front of him.

"Melody is alive, just unconscious. Soo-Lin is, uh, gone." John explained grimly.

Sherlock kneeled beside Melody, releasing a shaky breath. Her chest was rising and falling very shallowly, but it was too dark to tell much else. "Call for assistance. We need a medic and police here now."

Melody woke up only minutes before the emergency services showed up, her head pounding and her throat sore. She opened her eyes to see the lights on, Sherlock's face above her own. He was talking to John, both men's voices tense and obviously frustrated. She tried speaking, only for a weak raspy voice to come out. Sherlock's head snapped around from where he was talking to John and he looked at the woman whos head was resting in his lap.

"Don't try to speak. Your throat is bruised, and you have a large bump on the back of your head. You were attacked, but you're alright now." He assured her.

She struggled to sit up, but John stopped her. "Medics are on the way. You need to stay there until we can get them to check you out a bit better." John said gently.

She looked over at him with worried eyes. 'Soo-Lin?' She mouthed.

John's face told her everything she needed to know. The nearly cried, but kept from doing so. If she had just kept the door locked and not tried to go out, Soo-Lin would still be alive right now.

The sound of sirens filled the air, and John stood from his place on the floor. "I'll bring them in here to look over her." He said.

Sherlock shook his head. "No. I'll bring her out. She doesn't need to see the body." He gently sat her up, then kneeled beside her. One arm went around her back, and the other under her legs as he picked her up. She wrapped her arms around his neck, keeping her gaze down as he carried her to the exit.

Sherlock, fired up after the encounter at the museum, John, angry and bewildered, and Melody, tired and in mild pain, sat in Dimmock's office.

"How many murders is it going to take before you start believing this maniac is out there? A young girl was gunned down tonight, Melody was nearly strangled to death- three victims in three days. You're supposed to be finding him..." John raged.

Sherlock raised a hand to stop him ranting - John's emotional tirade was not helping, and he could see Melody cringing in her seat. He looked pensive for a moment before speaking. "Brian Lukis and Eddie Van Coon were working for a gang of international smugglers. A gang called 'The Black Lotus'. Operating right here in London. Under your nose."

"Can you prove that?" Dimmock inquired.

The light in Sherlock's eyes said he could. He looked at Melody, scanning her face. "Are you alright to go to the hospital? I need a favor from Molly Hooper. "

She pulled out her phone and typed, then showed him her message. "Well, they told me not to fall asleep for at least the next twelve hours, so I suppose so."

Half an hour later, the group sat in the hospital canteen. Dimmock sat a hot cup of cocoa in front of Mel and she looked up with a smile. "Thank you." She mouthed.

Not only was she not allowed to sleep for at least twelve hours, but Hohn had placed her on total vocal rest sinc she insisted on continuing to help on the case while she was awake. She watched as Sherlock grabbed a tray to get her some food. He saw the opportunity to talk to Molly, who was on a break, clipboard in hand and lab coat on. She queued at the self-service cafe with a plastic tray. Sherlock joined the queue behind her.

"What are you thinking? The pork or the pasta?"

Molly jumped, then looked up at him with a pleasant smile. "Oh. It's you."

"This place is never going to trouble Egon Ronay. Probably ought to stick with the pasta - don't want to do roast pork. Not if you're slicing up human cadavers."

"Er... what are you having?"

"Don't do food when I'm working. Makes you tired, when you digest. Melody, however, needs something on her stomach. Probably pasta for her as well."

"Oh, right. You're working here tonight?"

"Got some bodies I need to examine."

"Some?"

"Eddie Van Coon and Brian Lukis."

Molly recognized the names and checked her clipboard. "Er... They're on my list. I did the post-mortems."

"Could you wheel them out again?"

"Well, the paperwork's already gone in..."

"It's just that with Melody getting hurt, we want to get this case solved as soon as possible." He said, knowing it would break her down.

"She got hurt?" The woman asked in concern, looking over to see Melody sitting at the table with Sherlock's scarf around her neck, but her jacket off.

"Someone very dangerous tried to strangle her. He knocked her out and left her on the ground, then killed another young woman." He explained. He had never been as genuinely scared as when he saw her body on the ground, not sure if she was dead or alive for a moment.

"I..I suppose I could pull them back out if it would help catch the person who hurt Melody." Molly said quietly.

After Molly and Melody both quietly finished their meals, everyone headed to the mortuary. Molly pulled the bodies out and laid them on the tables, still in their black body bags.

"We're just interested in the feet." Sherlock informed her.

"The feet?" Molly asked, obviously confused.

"Do you mind if we just take a look at them?"

Molly unzipped the body bag to reveal that Lukis had the Black Lotus tattoo on his heel.

"Now Van Coon." Sherlock directed

Same routine - same tattoo on the heel.

Sherlock turned to Dimmock with a victorious smile.

"So?" The DI asked.

"So either these two men happened to visit the same Chinese tattoo parlour. Or I'm telling the truth." The curly haired man said, exhasperated.

Dimmock sighed. "What do you want?"

"I want every book from Lukis' apartment. And Van Coon's."

"Their books?"

"Just get them to me. Now if you'll excuse us, I would like to get Melody home. She's had a long night, and I would like to get home so that she and John may rest."

Sherlock's hand rested lightly on Mel's back as they walked out of the morgue, John following close behind.

One cab ride later, they arrived home.

John, visibly shaken by the events of the night, flopped down in a chair.

Sherlock made sure Melody was sitting comfortably on the sofa before sitting in his own chair. "It's not just a criminal network - it's a cult. Her brother's been corrupted by one of its leaders."

"Soo Lin said the name..." John trailed off.

"Yes. 'Shan'. 'General Shan'. In Chinese it means 'The mountain'."

John slid down in the chair - despondent. "We're still no closer to finding them..."

"Wrong! We know almost all there is to know. She gave us most of the missing pieces..." He paused for a moment. "Why would he go and see his sister? Why would he need her expertise?"

"She worked at the museum."

"Exactly."

"An expert in antiquities...Ah. Of course. I see."

"Valuable antiquities, John. Ancient relics of China, purchased on the black market. China's home to a thousand treasures - hidden after Mau's revolution."

"The Black Lotus is selling them." He grabbed John's laptop. This time John did not protest. Sherlock sat beside Mel and opened the computer, searching exactly what he needed. An image appeared on the computer screen. A logo that read 'CRISPIAN'S AUCTIONEERS. 1750-2010'.

Sherlock scrolled through a series of pictures of valuable antiquities up for auction, pausing on anything oriental - screens, ceramics, everything.

He settled on a picture of two Ming Vases when Melody began excitedlypointing at them, motioning about their size. Their shape was also unusual. The perfect dimensions to fit inside a suitcase.

Sherlock smiled, proud tht she caught it. "Check the dates. Look. Arrived from China a week ago. Anonymous. The vendor doesn't give his name. Two undiscovered treasures from the East."

"One in Lukis' suitcase and one in Van Coon's." John figured out.

They all looked at eachother, knowing they had found the answer.

For hours, Sherlock continued to surf the net on the laptop for Chinese antiquities sold at auction. John had Sherlock's laptop, doing the same. Melody sat in the middle, making a hand-written list of objects, writing the date next to each one. Anything brought into the country by an anonymous vendor.

"Here's another one. A month ago. Chinese ceramic statue. Sold for four hundred thousand." Sherlock said, Melody writing down everything he said.

"Look. A month before that. Chinese painting. Half a Million." John added.

Melody grabbed both of their attention and circled one word from each listing. "ANON". All of them were from an anonymous source.

Sherlock nodded. "They're stealing them back in China and - one by one - they're feeding them into Britain.

Melody reached to the table and grabbed a few things, then began flicking through Brian Lukis' pocket diary and the print-out of Eddie Van Coon's computer diary. She circled some of the dates in fluorescent pen and wrote them on a second list as the boys watched. She compared that list to her first one. The dates the Chinese items were sold at auction compared to the dates that Van Coon or Lukis went to China. As she thought, they tallied precisely - same pattern on each page.

"Every single auction coincides with Eddie or Brian Lukis travelling to China." John realized.

"So, if one of those men was greedy, when they were in China - if they stole something..." Sherlock mused.

"That's why he's come." Confirmed John with a sigh.

A knock at the door caused them all to turn and see Mrs. Hudson. "Are we collecting for charity, Sherlock?"

"What?" The man asked.

"A young man's outside with a crate of books."

Mel looked up at Sherlock and loked eyes with him. It was going to be a long few days. "Let them up." Sherlock said, his eyes finally looking up from Melody's.