Chapter 17: Phone a Friend~

"BY GOD, LET ME OUT OF HERE, OR I'M COMING THROUGH THE WALL! I'LL TEAR THE WHOLE BLEEDING BUILDING DOWN!" John screamed, beating his head against the bars, until his forehead began to bleed.

"John,stop! You're hurting yourself!"

"Yeah, WELL, THEY'RE GOING TO KILL HIM!" John shouted, tearing at the bars again.

"Baby..." Mary wrapped her arms around John's shoulders, that were beginning to sag from exhaustion.

It had been hours now since Sherlock and Mycroft had climbed into that car. Mycroft's agents had thought it would be a good idea to put the Watsons in protective custody. And while that may have been what their boss would have ordered ,if he were free, it was most certainly NOT a good idea; they were all on edge, John was scaring the daylight and the darkness out of them. Clearly Captain Watson and cages don't mix.

He bowed his head, with an angry growl, and let his wife steady him, watching as blood slid down his bars, and wished he could use it to slicken them,and pop them out of socket. Mary rested her face in the side of his neck. "We have GOT to get out of here!" he hissed.

"I know, but we have to be sensible, and not just try and bull-fight our way out."

"Oh, now you sound like HIM! Well, what should we do?"

John's heart felt like it was about to explode. Mary was sinking in thought..."Oh, I wish my dad were here! He would know..."

Suddenly, John's mobile was ringing...Mary looked at it, brows knitting perplexed.

"This better not be Mrs. Cluthridge, calling to complain about how much her prescription costs, because I can NOT deal with that right now!"John hissed, as Mary slid it out of his pocket, answered it,and held it up to his ear.

"Hello?"

"My name is Nigel Holmes, but you know me as Special Agent Alex Force, don't you, Captain Watson? Do you remember the day you saved my life?"

John gasped, at the miracle God had given him to prove that He was still alive, and still watching.

"Yes, yes I do, and I may need you to return the favor tonight ,sir!"

"No, I know what you're saying, but really it's me imposing on you.I'd save my sons myself, but I've busted my ribs. So, instead, I'm compelled to put my best man on it. Rather, my best man,and my best girl. Is Sherrinford-Mary, you call her Mary-is she there with you?"

"Yes, Daddy, I'm here!"she laughed, not having heard her father's voice in far too long.

He laughed ,delighted."Alright, I have the authorization to over-ride the lock on your cell-(don't ask how I know you're in one). I'll send a car for you; it will pull up by the rubbish bins outside. When you get to the warehouse where they are going to perform Sherlock's execution, I will feed Sherrinford a line of code that can over-ride Moriarty's little device, thus saving Sherlock's life. If Mycroft stalls, like I know he will, then you should have plenty of time, but be on the double anyway! John, I'm afraid you'll have to take this one open -handed, but that warehouse is chock full of old broken pipes and boards,and things you can manage with."

John grit his teeth, "Get me out of here, and I'll tear his head off with my teeth!"

The door burst open,and Mary chuckled, as she heard her dad say,

"I certainly hope you mean Moriarty,and not Sherlock, although ,I agree, it must be upsetting for you, the bargain he made. But I should very much like to see my child, being I had to leave him on death's door last time,and have regretted it ever since; so please be gentle. Could you put Sherry- Mary,sorry!, on the phone now?"

John handed Mary the phone, snapping into soldier mode, and she smiled, finding him infinitely more attractive that way...

"Hello, Dad! Long time, no see." she said into the receiver, as they escaped.