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A/N – This is usually the part where I apologize for taking so long to update again.
Well, it has taken a long time, but to switch things up, I'm not going to apologize. I've been incredibly, insanely busy lately, and I have been diligently working on this when I get the chance. I think you'll find this update worth waiting for. Therefore, no apology.
And this is usually the part where I say I've been reading Sherlock Holmes and Batman stories and pastiches and rewatching Batman and Sherlock Holmes movies for your benefit. Again to be different, I have been doing those things, but this time strictly for my benefit, or enjoyment, and not so much yours.
That much said, let's rejoin Sherlock Holmes and Bruce Wayne as they talk on one final adventure…
Sherlock Holmes & Bruce Wayne
in
"The League of Justice"
April 8th, 1936.
Sabrina Smith spun around in tight little circles, taking in the interior of Dr. Jamie Watson's cabin.
"So, what are the sleeping arrangements?"
"The arrangement is, you're going to stay out of my bedroom."
Sabrina grinned mockingly at Jamie, hissing like a cat and pawing the air.
"I guess I'll take the couch then," she finally said. She crossed to Jamie's sofa, marking her territory with her toe and then curling up in a ball on top of the cushions.
"Don't get too comfortable," Jamie said. "As soon as we sort everything out, you're gone."
"What a pity," Sabrina said. "I thought we'd get along so well, now that we're cohabitating. And I haven't had a sleepover in such a long time."
Jamie moaned in aggravation and stepped into her bedroom, closing the door behind her. Bruce Wayne, who had been watching the two girls' interaction with mild interest, headed for the door.
"Bruce! Where are you going?"
"Scotland Yard. Gonna talk to Stanley Hopkins. See if he's turned anything up about Gregson or Holmes."
Sabrina's smug expression changed drastically. Her eyebrows arched in alarm.
"What about Gregson?"
"He's been murdered. I think by the same person who has Holmes."
Sabrina jumped up from her cozy resting spot and threw her arms around Bruce.
"Bruce, I think I know who killed Gregson. But it's someone close to you. Someone you trust…"
Sabrina suddenly fell silent. Bruce turned around and noticed Jamie standing behind him, wearing a pink negligee and matching kimono.
Sabrina appeared nervous. Bruce's heart began to beat more wildly.
"Bruce, is something wrong?" Jamie asked.
"No. Nothing at all. Good night."
And then Bruce left.
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
At Scotland Yard, the desk clerk told Bruce that Inspector Stanley Hopkins was not in his bullpen.
"He's hardly been here at all, poor bloke," she confided in Bruce. "The Chief Inspector's death has him all in a tizzy."
She offered to leave a message for the inspector, but Bruce declined the offer, thanked her, and left.
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
At the William Wiggins Detective Agency, Bruce began to fold up his cot and push it into a closet when Ernie Stappleton entered.
"What's all this, Brucie?"
Bruce turned around and anxiously clasped his friend's shoulders. This only made Ernie more confused.
"Listen, Ernie, how well do you know Jamie Watson?"
"Not as well as you do, I suppose, but… What are you getting at?"
Bruce released Ernie's shoulder and took a few deep, heaving breaths.
"Has Wiggins uncovered anything about Sherlock yet?"
"Nothing. He's sent us to check out all of Holmes' old haunts, all of his old enemies…"
"What about his old friends?"
"What? You don't think…?"
"I don't know what to think right now, Ernie. Just tell me, what do you think about Jamie Watson?"
"She seems all right enough to me. I've only met her once or twice. Holmes talked about her a lot, but I've only seen him a little bit over the past year and before that not at all since I was a lad. You should know her better than I do."
"Look, Ernie. I don't think I can trust anyone right now. I can't stay here anymore."
"You can bunk at my place," Ernie offered. "I've got no one who would mind."
"Sounds good, but I'll have to meet up with you later. I've got some other things to take care of."
Ernie scribbled down an address and told Bruce he'd be expecting him there that night.
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
As Bruce wandered alone around the streets of London that night, he realized he'd made a mistake. He'd let Dr. Watson get to close to him. Holmes said several times throughout his notes that women caused men to be biased in their judgments. Bruce had failed to heed this advice, maybe even intentionally to spite his mentor.
First, he'd let Sabrina Smith manipulate him, and he'd perhaps even almost become an unwitting accomplice to the Golden Fox's criminal rampage. He'd also let Screamer Wiggins get under his skin and damage his relationships with some of the most important networks he'd formed to assist him in London.
And now, as Bruce pushed through the door of the nearest pub, he contemplated his relationship with Dr. Jamie Watson.
His stay in England had been pretty safe, even tedious, in the months leading up to his first being introduced to Watson. After that, things started going wrong. Holmes almost died repeatedly. And now he vanished.
And, Bruce thought as he ordered a pint of ale and some fish and chips, he'd been too stupid to see the connection. Too stupid until Sabrina Smith had warned him that he had trusted Jamie too much.
Bruce leaned back and tried not too think about his situation. He listened to the sounds of the pub as he waited for his food. Darts were thwack!-ing against a dartboard. Drunks were boisterously swearing and singing. And loud voices were speaking in German at a nearby table. Bruce could hear their conversation more clearly than any of the other sounds in the pub though, unfortunately, he had not yet learned to speak German. He could only make out the words "fuehrer", "Aryan", and "Reinchsdorf."
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
Bruce finished his greasy meal and headed back out onto the street, beginning his search for the address Stappleton had given him. He was almost there when a thought had occurred to him.
Bruce had learned of the Wiggins Detective Agency, with which Stappleton was affiliated with, around the same time he had met Jamie Watson. And that's when Holmes began dodging assassination attempts. And then Bruce realized another important thing. Sabrina had never said specifically that it was Jamie who Bruce shouldn't be trusting.
Bruce turned on his heels and began running as quickly as he could manage to Jamie's cabin.
I've got to know who Sabrina meant, he thought as he ran. She's got to tell me. I've got to hear it from her. Now. Before I lose my mind.
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
Bruce pounded on the door of the cabin. No one answered. He pounded again. Nothing. He continued pounding, and he also started screaming. The door opened. Bruce grabbed Jamie by the shoulders and shook her hard.
"Where is she?"
Jamie had smiled when she'd found Bruce at the door, but she was frowning now.
"Who? Bruce, what's going on?"
Bruce threw Jamie to the side and barged into her cabin. He began searching.
"Bruce, what's going on?"
"Where is she? Where's Sabrina?"
"Bruce, I don't know! I went to the market to get some food. When I got back she was gone."
The phone rang. Jamie answered and then handed the phone over to Bruce.
"Hello?"
"Mr. Wayne? This is Inspector Stanley Hopkins. Scotland Yard. I've found something by the Thames, in the spot where Gregson was killed. I need you here right away."
"Be there in an instant."
And Bruce was out the door in a flash.
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
When Bruce arrived at the meeting place, the first thing he noticed was Sabrina Smith, bound and gagged and lying on the beach. The second thing he noticed was a young man kneeling down beside her. The man stood and turned.
"Mr. Wayne?"
"Inspector Hopkins? Thank God you found her!"
"Yes, Mr. Wayne. I've been looking for her for some time now."
The third thing Bruce noticed was the firearm Hopkins was holding.
"I thought Scotland Yard officers weren't supposed to carry guns."
Hopkins smiled maliciously and aimed the gun at Bruce.
"That's right," he said. "We're not supposed to."
Bruce gasped.
"It was you. You killed Gregson!"
"Can't believe it took you this long to figure it all out."
"But why?"
"Because I hated him," Hopkins said, and he spat on the beach. "I gave my life to Scotland Yard, and he got the promotion I deserved! I couldn't support a family on a simple Inspector's budget. My wife left me. She took the kids with her… But when the fuehrer conquers the rest of the planet, I've been promised my slice of the world!"
"Hopkins, you're a Nazi? Wait a minute! Of course!" Bruce slowly took a tiny step closer to Hopkins and his gun. "Lady Morgan Barnswallow didn't fall and break her neck. We left you alone with Morgan and Sabrina, and you tried to silence them both. But Sabrina managed to run away and escape. You broke a lady's neck in cold blood. How disgusting! How very un-English of you!"
"Don't lecture me on what is and what isn't English, yankee!" Hopkins screamed.
Bruce took another baby step closer.
"So what happened next?"
"Gregson was always suspicious after that. Kept a close eye on me. He had to be got rid of. So I called Gregson and told him I had a lead on where his beloved Sherlock Holmes was, then I twisted his neck like I did the girl's."
"I can't believe you'd sell your soul to the devil like this."
"Shut up!" Hopkins said, and he grasped his gun tighter as Bruce continued to creep closer. "Don't come any closer!"
But Bruce did. Hopkins cocked back the hammer of the revolver. Then the bound Sabrina brought both her knees to her chest and thrust them away, sending both feet into the side of Hopkins' leg. Hopkins stumbled sideways, allowing Bruce to wrench the gun from his hand.
Bruce held the gun against Hopkins' head.
"Who are you working for?"
"Aldous Rhine."
"Aldous Rhine is dead! I watched him die! Who are you working for?"
"Aldous Rhine," Hopkins repeated.
Then Hopkins grabbed Bruce's wrist and twisted it hard. He grabbed the gun away. As his finger searched for the trigger, Bruce tackled him to the ground. The gun flew out of Hopkins' hand and landed near Sabrina.
Hopkins rolled on all of his weight and found himself on top of Bruce. He reached for Bruce's neck. Then there was a bang!
Sabrina had managed to get her tied-up hands on the gun and fire it at Hopkin's head. Hopkins collapsed.
Bruce untied Sabrina.
"I told you not to trust that guy!" she said.
"You could have been a little more specific," Bruce said through clenched teeth. He looked over at the late Inspector Stanley Hopkins' body. "There goes our one lead to Sherlock… and whoever's got him."
Bruce looked over his shoulder as he heard the sound of a noisy car engine. He saw the car, heard it hiss to a stop, and then saw Irene Adler step out.
"Mr. Wayne, the presence of yourself and your lady friend is cordially requested."
"Presence where?"
"How about you just get in the car and find out."
Bruce stood up and dusted himself off. He then offered a hand to Sabrina, helped her to her feet, and started to guide her away from Irene Adler.
Bruce heard Irene Adler's voice say his name. Then he turned and saw two muscular men holding guns step out of her car.
"I suggest you get it."
"Sure. Why not?" Bruce said with a sigh.
Bruce and Sabrina climbed into the car.
The inside of the car was more spacious than it looked. Sitting inside already were Dr. Jamie Watson and Ernie Stappleton.
A/N – And… To be continued…
In the meantime, please review.