Her heart racing, shaking and the cold sweat from forehead showed hints in her fear and nervousness to speak became obvious to Sherlock that it might hard for Ms. Alidia Burns to confess anything in such time to make feel at ease but if she wanted his protection he needed to know the facts as soon he can help her to the best of her ability.
Alidia knew she was wasting time but her nerves were getting the best of her feeling that if she admitted the truth Sherlock would throw her out of 221b baker street not keeping his promises and lead to certain death. She was hungry tired and cold her strength nearly wipe out from the explosion but Sherlock wanted the truth after she promised him that. She was about to begin in telling Sherlock and John everything but before muttering a word.
Sherlock stood telling her "If you excuse me Ms. Burns I need to have a word with my colleague for a moment."
"Of course, Mr. Holmes." Alidia somewhat relieved she had a bit of time to compose herself.
Sherlock pulls John in the kitchen and immediately tells him,
"Ms. Alidia is completely useless to me."
John admits protests, "Give the young lady a break, Sherlock. She needs time and our help."
" I know that Doctor! That is why need to make sure we have strong and willing to open up on to us I mean look she is tired cold and hungry i can't have her like this totally useless. "
John looks Sherlock in the most curious way for he not seen his friend act in such matter since well the woman he just couldn't believe it was happening all so fast that is why John just could not help tease a bit.
"Do you like her, Sherlock"
" Excuse me, John this hardly the right time for jokes"
" I am not joking my friend just asking a simple question. "
" So here is a simple answer my friend, No, now go fetch Ms. Hudson this woman needs to be feed clean and well rested before I can even do anything with Ms. Burns.
Sherlock walks off back to Alidia to inform her of the plan John takes a witness to the interaction seeing him being a comfort to Alidia was such a rarity to see in his friend but was proud to see how much his friend was growing into a kind human being. So he left to hetch Mrs. Hudson to help with Alidia be strong and ready for sherlock's questioning for She will need it.
Ms. Hudson was the most accommodating woman she was ever she let clean soot off explosion from her in matter of twenty minutes while she taking shower. Ms Hudson certainly didn't ask no questions all she wanted to me know when took while handing me spoon to stir my tea was this one,
"All you need to know dear is that you are safe here and that Sherlock and John will make damn sure you are protected and safe from what ever it is you are hiding all they ask from you is your is your total honesty."
Alidia had no words but only actions to convey her gratitude towards Ms.Hudson was to hug her. Sherlock went down the stairs to check on mending process of Ms Alidia. Sherlock felt he could go to Ms Hudson anytime he felt compelled to. He walked in Ms Hudson's Flat went Straight Into the Kitchen he stop to see ms Hudson and Aildia in embrace and for a second he thought Alidia
caught his glance of him and he felt struck on an odd deja Vu that sherlock could not shake then he cough and asked Ms Hudson,
"Is our guest decent, me and John are ready to assess her."
Ms. Hudson walks towards him slaps him playfully on the arm and tells him,
"I AM Not Your Bloddy Secetary, But since you are concern about the Miss...
"I AM Not Concern Just Eager To Assess what needs to be done."
Sherlock passes a glance at Alidia who giggles at his and Ms Hudson's banter. For Second Sherlock Loses Control And smirks back at Alidia. Unfortantely, the Second Or Smirk does not last long enough for Sherlock to get back to serious mode as Sherlock tells Aildia,
"Since you are clean and decent now shall we proceed in helping you Ms. Alidia."
Alidia rubs her arms a bit cold she says "Better late than never, I suppose. Mr Holmes,"
Sherlock notice that Alidia is cold he start unbuttoning suit jacket as Sherlock says, "You are cold, Miss Burns let me take care of that,"
Alidia notice what Sherlock was going and She protests
"I am fine Mr. Holmes."
" Please, stop fussing you are cold you don't have a jacket i do. "
He takes off his Jacket and walks over to her wraps his jacket over body. Alidia takes her hand puts on top his hand he shutters backs away from her. She passes him and tells him thank you Sherlock takes a breath and follows behind her. Alidia wraps sherlock's suit around feeling warm already she bumps into John as he once again is speechless over kindness Sherlock is giving aildia he founds it surprising and assuring that he opening up to woman. John stops in front Sherlock as he asked,
"Are you alright? Sherlock"
" I am fine, John, on my game ready to help and figure the mystery that is Alicia Burns. "
" the mystery within the woman, yeah how about that for title for my next blog post. "
"John, as much as your blog helps us give us a good following until we actually solve this one no writing about it."
" Why?! You did not have problem before it is alidia, or it is.. "
"What, john"
" You don't want to know your heart has soften once more a woman. "
"No, Ms. Burns has serious problem and I don't want people knowing of her till we both know for certain She will be safe now enough wasting time with non essential conversation and assess Ms. Burns situation."
Sherlock walks off sits his in thinking chair as John follows behind sits as he gets out his pencil and notepad to write the necessary information to look back during their investigation. Alidia waited silently for either John or Sherlock to ask her a question which she promised to fully cooperative and open no matter what even it puts her life or theirs at risk.
Sherlock for the first and on rare occasions decided to wait to first speak because he wanted to assess Alicia body language which was surprisingly calm and he wondered,
"Why so calm Ms. Burns."
" I am just safe and thankful to be here thanks for helping me I should tell you why I am here or you rather both ask me questions first. "
Sherlock tells her, "If you like but I already know why you are here."
" Sherlock bloody hell ? Nice could have told me earlier. "
"And waste good surprise i think not our Ms. Aildia burns is hiding from London black trade mob."
" How?!! Did you know? "
"Getting to that Aildia."
" Sherlock does this have to happen to deal you know who. "
"Mortiaty, he is dead."
John added, "I thought you were dead too and here you are any thing is possible sherlock."
Aildia burns asked, "Who is mortiaty?"
" See she has no clue!" Sherlock Shouts And Jumps Out His Chair Then Quickly Sits Back Down And Asks Aildia,
"NOW! tell us what the mob have on you that they need to kill you."
Aildia Sighed takes Breathe and begins to tell her horrid tale.
Two Days Earlier
It was dark cold night Aildia was walking home from a business dinner with her boss when she heard thunderstorms so she thought cutting through would save her extra minutes and get home quicker. Alidia was mid way through the ally till always stop at th intersection of the ally way. All she had to do was go straight for she could see her house straight ahead. Aildia was about to make her step forward to her way to home when she muffled noise coming from the left of the intersection.
She was going to ignore it the muffled noise turned into scream she shutters runs to the sound as she get out her phone to call 911 but not paying attention Aildia trips mashing her phone in the process. Alidia while on the ground hear the voices of three men talking.
One man was pleading for his life not to be taken he pleads
"Please, not me why me ?"
The one man hovers over the guy pleading, slaps him,
" Man up, your life is merely a pawn to take get The knight out hiding
The one other man said,
"The bishop, wants you to be the one to fish out what he needs The black knight, to come out he play, "
Aildia dragging herself to the other side of ally way she had the hard time getting up after the fall but she peek out her head to see horror that was about to come next.
The man who plead for his life asks
"Please, the bishop is insane he manipulated all of us and thinking we are doing good, but this all for a stupid game makes no sense, please we were friends once, Carter, Malcolm, the black knight, he can help us i know who he is it Sherlock Holmes. Please don't do this."
Malcolm kneels tells his friend
" I am sorry, Mark, my friend Sherlock Holmes can't save any of us not with Bishop In control. He asks us to flush, Sherlock Holmes, The Black Knight once and for all And this is the only way how. Your death will not be vain."
Malcolm gives Carter a nod, Carter reload his silencer. Malcolm stands up and starts walking away ignoring Mark's crying pleads not to die. But...
The shot was fired has Mark went down on the ground as he faces Aildia. He coughs out blood, Alidia holds her mouth down so she does not lose control and scream. She looks Marks telling her,
"Run," he coughs more blood but proceed to tell her, "Run to the black knight, Sherlock holm..." Then he was gone dead and gone. So with all the strength she had Alidia ran without noticing a shadow was following her, the shadow of the bishop .
"And that is how I arrived here now, the bishop must know what saw I don't know or why all i know is that this bishop wants to flush out and gone."
John stares at Sherlock who is now staring out of the window as if he was waiting for something. John, asks
"Is the body still out there,"
Then the police sirens whale as Sherlock sees the two police cars and Dec. lestrade come out of one of them. Sherlock smirks, and said,
"Looks like the body of Mark found and Ms. Burns you have John and I complete protection for the game is on!"
The end of chapter 2