Chapter 4: Mission Complete
The next morning starts early. Everyone is busy getting ready for the mission. Soldiers checking their guns and protection gear, doctors like John filling up their medical kits and Sherlock, he watches them. He has no doubt that John's mission will be successful, his mission starts after that.
For the first few miles Sherlock walks next to John, he has to tell him something and is thinking about the best way. "Captain, my mission will begin after we free the village, which means I have to leave soon after. I will just disappear. I have to get something and that will end up in your possession. Please do take care of it. You will know what to do as soon as it ends up in your hands." John is a bit confused about the wording but nods at the young man indicating that he understands and will fulfill his wish.
Sherlock stays in the background while the soldiers fight off the terrorist that had invaded the village. When the first start to flee, Sherlock sheds himself from his military uniform. He wears the same clothes as all the fleeing enemies underneath it. Without being seen Sherlock runs like the others. None of his companions, as you could call John's unit, notice him as he disappears with the others under bullets and grenades flying around them. Now he is in the enemy's area.
The village is freed, the villager are in far better condition than John had hoped. They need food and water, some medical attention but nothing untreatable. As the dust calms down and his soldiers settle down, John notices for the first time that Sherlock was missing. Only a few minutes later a corporal reports that the patrol had found his clothes.
John could only imagine what he is wearing now but his gut tells him that they had shot at him. As the Captain he keeps this information; the men under his command don't have to know that they shot at a friend. Whatever Sherlock has to get out of the terrorist hide out, it is important enough for the British government to get shot at.
They will stay here for a while to make sure this village can defend themselves or bring them to a safe location if they choose. Hopefully that's enough time for Sherlock to return, so the agent can go back with them and home afterwards.
John has grown to like the man. He doesn't understand how Sherlock did it in such a short period of time but John wants to see him again: the child that had been forced to grow up and was just a child as he started to do the work adults aren't ready for.
Getting access was easy from the point where Sherlock was standing. As always, he had no information about this place, but fleeing with the terrorists was a simple ticket inside their hideout: a castle built inside a cave or better rock wall. Sherlock suspects that some ancient culture had lived here centuries ago and left their home behind after their disappearance. Like a hermit crab, letting its old home behind when it grows too small and moves in into a new one, a bigger one.
Another point Sherlock can be thankful for, apparently this terrorist cell is bigger than he thought; he isn't suspected or stopped as he walks right through the main entry. It is probably helpful that he carries one of the village fugitives who is hurt. They point him in the right direction and Sherlock walks together with the semi-conscious man to their doctor, if you can call a butcher a doctor.
Sherlock is able to excuse himself quickly. The way down to the dungeon is a bit harder to find but he manages. The cells are full with people, starving, thirsty people in chains, beaten bloody and most of them unconscious. Sherlock focuses on his mission. He can't think about the other prisoners or the fact that he will be one of them in a few minutes. Quickly but quietly he checks the cells and finds what he is looking for in one of the last. A man, alone but conscious is inside, chained and hurt.
Sherlock makes quick work of the lock and the chains and lets the man down slowly to the ground. The exhaustion is all written over his body. The man is looking at him but doesn't fight. Ether he had learned that there will be more pain when he fights or he recognizes Sherlock as a friend. There is no time to figure it out. Sherlock pulls a second set of clothing out of his bag and helps the man to dress. Under the layers of fabric they could hide many prints of injuries and skin color.
"Listen, this is an order from your boss." The man´s eyes fix Sherlock´s. "I will get you out of here and at the door I have to leave you. There is a map in your pocket that shows you the way to a small village, a group of British soldiers are there. Find someone called John Watson and tell him I sent you. He will know what to do with you." Sherlock helps the man up to stand and slowly they walk back upstairs. In the still chaotic head quarters no one questions their movements. They still have some time.
"What will you do?" The man suddenly asks.
"I have to stay; it's a prisoner exchange without the negotiation.'." The man isn't sure the kid, and there is no other word for his rescuer, is telling him the truth. "It's my mission to get you out of here before I destroy the whole thing. You have valuable information and the government wants it. So we will make an exchange and I will continue my mission."
They reach the exit and Sherlock lets go of the man, who is looking at him. Somehow he knows what kind of mission it is. But he can´t stop it. The young agent had said that the government needs the information he keeps. "I can tell you what they need to know." He offers but the man just shakes his head. "At least tell me your name so I can tell this John Watson who sent me." The name is for his inner list to keep safe. Every agent has one with the names of friends or colleagues, people they couldn't keep safe or still need saving.
"Tell the Captain, Sherlock Holmes sent you." The man´s eyes grow big, even he has heard of this man, for years. "And tell him I´m sorry for lying, I won't come back. He doesn't have to wait for me." A sad smile appears on Sherlock´s face. Even if he survives he will never see the man again. They live in two different worlds and when Sherlock is allowed back in London he will stay. He loves the city and he wants to go home again.
Sherlock turns around and lets the ex-prisoner go, the man looks back once before he follows the map Sherlock had drawn for him. The next step is destroying every piece of communication and technology this place has to offer. Sherlock makes it to a surveillance room, and uploads a virus on the computer there. In a storage room he smashes every radio and phone he can find. This is not the kind of mission Sherlock enjoys. Destroying. Something barbaric, that everyone could do but the main mission is already completed. The agent that was a prisoner is free, he has to destroy everything he can find and then take his place in the cell. He is the payment no one had agreed upon for the prisoner exchange.
Without further difficulties Sherlock walks back to the dungeon and locks himself into the cell. They will come looking for the intruder soon. Sherlock waits patiently. They still have the injured colleagues' from the village, then they will notice the destruction and after looking everywhere they will find him and that's the point where Sherlock will start to suffer. Yes he could have left but he needs to find the real headquarters and for this they have to take him there. It will only work when this hideout, their base is compromised. So he only has to wait.
A sudden thought about John lets him hope the man isn't angry at him for lying and leaving like that. Sherlock couldn't imagine that a soldier likes to fire on his own people, even when that was the whole point of being there.
"Captain." The shout from his soldier is loud and urgent. John walks out of the house he had treated a young man in and walks to the man that had called him. Next to him sits a man that could have been one of the villagers when you look at the clothes but under the layers is a British man who had been hurt recently. After working in this area for a while John recognizes the sign of torture. His solder talks again. "This man said he was a prisoner and he wants to talk to you."
John stands in front of the man. "What's your name?"
"Richard Bride, Sherlock Holmes sent me to you. He said you would know what to do with me. I have to return home, to get important information to my boss." The man stops after that, that's likely everything he will tell him about his mission. Only one question is left.
"Where is Sherlock?" The guilt in the man´s eyes tells John everything he needs to know.
"He stayed, said he needs to finish his mission and he … he is the payment for me." John shudders. The young man is now a prisoner to finish some mission so he could finally go home. Not fair, but John knows he can't say it, in front of everyone. He sighs and lets the man be taken care off. This is the ´something´ Sherlock gave him. He needs to organize a transport and finish up here. They wouldn't find Sherlock in the mountains; the terrorist will give up that place soon. They have already waited too long.
"Hope you survive, I haven't shown you how beautiful this world can be."