Marie jumped down from the helicopter, the last to jump, and landed beside Sherlock just as John slipped slightly on the wet motorboat wheelhouse roof.
He righted himself with a grunt, only for Marie to pull him down with her behind the roof antennae while Sherlock held himself upright on the roof just as the wheelhouse door opened and two sailors stepped out in yellow raincoats.
The sailors peered through the fog and rain, mixed with the sea spray, blinking in confusion up at Sherlock as he stood dramatically on the wheelhouse roof.
"Who the 'ell are you?" One of the sailors demanded incredulously, staring at Sherlock, and Sherlock answered quite calmly: "My name's Sherlock Holmes."
"The detective?" The other sailor asked, puzzled, and Sherlock smirked.
"The pirate." He answered, before John and Marie stepped out into view at last, both pointing their guns at the sailors.
The sailors quickly raised their hands in surrender as fear and shock played across their faces, and Marie rolled her eyes as Sherlock jumped dramatically off the roof towards the two men.
'He's such a child, sometimes.' She thought fondly, watching as Sherlock finally got to play the pirate he had wanted to be as a child.
Sherrinford Island was a mass of activity, all troops mobilized for secure lockdown after an unauthorized motorboat had 'crashed' into the rocks near the island; 'crashed' meaning purposefully driven onto the island.
And the Prison Governor had no doubt as to who was behind this lockdown. Not that it was all too difficult – after all, the perpetrator had left the two original owners of the motorboat tied up on the island beach, along with a message written in the sand: 'TELL MY SISTER I'M HERE'.
So it was as he ground his teeth in frustration that the Governor waited impatiently for his cellphone to connect as he strode through the Sherrinford facility while alarms blared overhead as all non-emergency personnel were evacuated while guards lined every corridor inside the prison.
"I need to speak to Mycroft." The Governor demanded the instant the person on the other side of the call answered their phone.
"He's in hospital." Sir Edwin replied, his voice sounding confused at the urgency in the Prison Governor's. "There was an explosion."
"Put me through to the hospital." The Governor retorted impatiently, but Sir Edwin shot back firmly, worry seeping into his voice: "He's not conscious. He's severely injured. No-one is even confident he's going to pull through."
"Where's his brother?" The Governor checked as he walked into the surveillance office. "Where's Sherlock Holmes?"
"Missing." Sir Edwin replied curtly through clenched teeth, but the Governor corrected sharply: "No, he's not; he's here."
The Governor hung up, tucking away his mobile into the inside breast pocket of his suit jacket as he walked over to his technicians, just as one called: "Sir, we found three more from the boat."
He pointed to the security screen, which showed John Watson, Marie Spencer Holmes, and a tall, elderly-looking gentleman dressed in yellow, fisherman's overalls, with bushy white hair covered in a woolly hat and a thick beard covering most of his face. They had their hands raised in surrender against the many guards pointing their guns at the pair, one of whom was also the one filming the situation for the Governor to see.
The Governor raised a brow as the elderly-looking fisherman said in an aggravated Southwest England accent: "He stole our boat! Him an' another fella, with guns!"
"Where'd you find them?" The Governor demanded, and the guard filming the footage answered in an Irish accent: "North side of the island, sir."
The Governor smiled slightly as he stared at the footage before he ordered: "Holding cell, now."
"Right, sir." The guard answered, and John and the fisherman were instantly ushered away while the Governor turned away from the screens.
Moments later
The Governor walked briskly into the holding cell, where John, Marie, and his 'elderly fisherman' friend were already seated at a plain wooden table beside a two-way mirror, while one, armed guard with a beanie pulled down passed his eyes (as all the guards typically dressed) stood by the cell door.
The instant, the Governor walked in, the man dressed in fisherman garb ranted in his thick accent: "This is a mistake. I'm the victim 'ere."
Standing, he jabbed a finger down to point at John as he continued in aggravation: "These two stole my boat. They're pirates!"
"Yeah, we really are." John agreed, straight-faced, and Marie nodded, but the Governor wasn't buying it.
Looking to the standing male, the Governor requested politely but firmly: "Please, sit down."
"I-I don't even know who they are!" The 'fisherman' complained, though he did as he was told and sat back down in his chair beside Marie.
John pulled a strange face while Marie's eyebrow twitched, before the pair looked back up as the Governor stated flatly: "He's Dr. John Watson, formerly of the Fifth Northumberland Fusiliers, and she is Rose-Marie Spencer Holmes."
The Governor looked down at the pair as he added pointedly: "What are you two doing here?"
"It's a hospital." John replied calmly, looking up at the Governor. "I'm a doctor, Marie's a chemist - any work?"
"It's not a hospital." The Governor replied sternly, before moving his eyes to Marie. "As I'm sure you were well aware."
Marie just smiled enigmatically back at him, her lips just curling enough to appear friendly while keeping her teeth hidden.
Keeping his eyes fixed on the pair before him, the Governor shifted slightly to hold out his facility pass towards the guard behind him as he ordered: "I want eyes on Eurus Holmes. Go straight to the Special Unit, deploy Green and Yellow Shift on my authority."
The guard took the pass immediately, answering with a swift: "Sir."
The guard left the cell, while the Governor raised a brow before settling into the chair across from his three unwelcome visitors as he explained: "I'm sparing your blushes because we're supposed to be on the same side; and frankly, this is embarrassing."
The 'fisherman' remained looking down at the table with a frown while John stared right back at the Governor as he questioned casually: "Ooh, doing a cavity search?"
The Governor smirked before he stated: "The true art of disguise, according to your famous friend, is not being looked at."
His head turned to the 'fisherman' as he added pointedly: "But I am looking at you, aren't I, Mr. Holmes?"
The 'fisherman' lifted his head, eyeing the Governor as he answered flatly: "Yes, you are."
The Governor smiled triumphantly as he went on: "For someone who is famous for his intellect, you disappoint me, Mr. Holmes – you even sat down beside your wife."
"Well, not quite." Marie mused, and the Governor raised a brow at her as she met his gaze squarely. "But, I suppose that is the whole point of this façade, isn't it?"
She turned to look at the man beside her, raising her brow, and the Governor frowned while the 'fisherman' stood up once more and John turned to the Governor.
"See," John explained, "you should have been looking at the guy you just gave your pass to."
The Governor's eyes widened as the 'fisherman' took off his beanie with one hand, pulling off his white hair with it, while he removed the false nose and upper half of his beard with his other hand with a slight wince.
And the Governor gawked as Mycroft Holmes let his disguise drop on the table with a small, relieved sigh, before the man grinned down at the Governor as the latter could only gape at him in utter shock.
Marie meanwhile leant back in her chair, the smirk she had been suppressing the whole time now gracing her face, while elsewhere in the facility, Sherlock Holmes took the Governor's pass to get into a secured elevator leading deeper inside Sherrinford.
Several minutes later
"That's the trouble with uniforms and name badges." Mycroft sniffed disdainfully as he smoothed his hair, examining his once-more impeccable appearance in the two-way mirror.
"People stop looking at faces. You'd be better off with clown outfits." He turned back to face the Governor, giving the man a false smile. At least they'd be satirically relevant."
The Governor just stood with his head bowed, his arms behind his back in respect and defeat, while John added: "Oh, you'll find the real Landers on the north shore," the Governor nodded with a sigh, "tied up with two others."
"Two others?" The Governor repeated incredulously, looking at John in shock, and John mused: "Mm. Well, it was trial and error. We had to," he gestured to his midsection, "find the right waistband."
He nodded at Mycroft where the man was just smoothing his waistcoat, and the Governor looked between the two men before he spat: "This is insane! This is unnecessary!"
"No;" John corrected, "your security is compromised and we don't know who to trust."
"And that justifies dressing up?" The Governor shot back, but Mycroft answered loudly and sharply: "Yes it does!"
The Governor flinched slightly as Mycroft turned to him once more, his face cold and filled with fury as he snapped sharply: "It justifies dressing up or any damned thing I say it does. Now, listen to me: for your own physical safety, do not speak, do not indulge in any non-verbal signals suggestive of internal thought."
John raised a brow as Mycroft fired off angrily: "If the safety of my sister is compromised; if the security of my sister is compromised; if the incarceration of my sister is compromised – in short, if I find any indication my sister has left this island at any time, I swear to you, you will not."
Mycroft glared at the man as the Governor stood, ramrod straight and unmoving - as he'd been ordered. After another beat, Mycroft added in a much calmer voice: "Say thank you to Dr. Watson."
"Why?" The Governor asked, puzzled, and Mycroft explained flatly: "He talked me out of Lady Bracknell. This could have been very different."
The Governor blinked once, while Mycroft turned away and asked into his earpiece: "Marie, status report."
Outside the facility
"All's quiet outside." Marie replied as she scoured through the exterior of the island facility, keeping her eyes on both the building and the forested areas around it. "It seems all the guards are focusing their attentions on the beaches, looking for more 'intruders'."
"Good. Keep your eyes on them and report back instantly if you see anything worth noting." Mycroft ordered.
"You know I'm not actually employed by you any more?" Marie half-teased, and Mycroft replied dryly: "Yes; after all, you never cease to remind me."
Marie's lips twitched into a smile, but before she could answer, Mycroft was saying into his earpiece again: "Sherlock, are you in?"
Inside a lift inside the facility
"Just arriving at the Secure Unit." Sherlock answered. "Explain."
He turned as the elevator arrived, and he stepped out as the doors slid open while Mycroft explained over the earpiece: "A prison within a prison. Eurus must be allowed the strict minimum of human interaction."
"Why?" Sherlock asked softly as he walked down the passage, swaying from side to side to hide his normal gait, and Mycroft answered flatly: "Since you're determined to meet her, you're about to find out."
"She's dangerously compelling." Marie interjected, clearly impatient with Mycroft's enigmatic answers. "So Sherlock – be careful."
Sherlock didn't have time to answer, having reached the end of the passageway where two guards stood at attention before the Special Unit. In the distance, the sound of violin music could be heard; it sounded as though it were coming through a speaker, if the tinny quality was anything to go by.
"Eyes on Eurus Holmes." Sherlock informed the guards in his false Irish accent as he removed his rifle and handed it over to one of the guards. "Governor's orders."
Inside the holding cell
"Answer yes or no." Mycroft ordered as he paced before the Governor. "Has there ever been – against my express instructions – any attempt at a psychiatric evaluation of Eurus Holmes?"
"Yes." The Governor answered quietly but firmly.
"I presume the tapes are in my office?" Mycroft noted rather than asked, turning towards the holding cell door.
"Your office?" The Governor repeated in confusion, and Mycroft replied over his shoulder as he walked out, John following him: "Cast your mind back. It used to be yours."
Outside
Marie watched as the guards milled around on the beaches, clearly having been ordered to maintain the perimeter but not thinking it was necessary. She had to agree – after all, there shouldn't be any other unexpected arrivals coming. At least not today – Mycroft and Sir Edwin would make sure of that.
Marie sighed quietly as she checked around the facility once more. Everything was going smoothly, as to be expected of a plan hatched by the two Holmes brothers and some input from her and John.
But Marie couldn't help the small twisting of her gut as she looked around.
It was too quiet.
Not that there was anything wrong with quiet… usually. But this felt like the calm before a storm, and Marie had long learnt to follow her gut instinct even if her eyes didn't consciously pick up on anything.
Something wasn't right here, she was sure of it. The question was: what?
Inside the Special Unit
Sherlock stepped onto the marked area on the ground before the elevator door that would go up to Eurus's cell. The lights above his head began to flicker before oscillating back and forth as they scanned him.
The violin music continued faintly beside him, coming from a computer where one of the guards was monitoring the screens. One of the other guards standing by the doors piped up as he glanced at Sherlock: "You 'aven't been down 'ere before, 'ave you? 'Silence of the Lambs,' basically."
"You what?" Sherlock inquired, still using an Irish accent, and the guard explained warningly: "Keep your distance; stay at least three feet away from the glass an' all that."
The lights above Sherlock's head switched to green, indicating he was clear, before they returned to the normal white. Sherlock glanced up at the lights and then across at the guard sitting before the computer screens, noting the man was wearing earphones wrapped around the back of his head.
"Why the headphones?" Sherlock asked as he started towards the elevator, feigning casual curiosity, and the guard answered bluntly: "She doesn't stop playin', sometimes for weeks."
Sherlock could just see Eurus on one of the computer screens, playing the violin casually yet beautifully despite all the security cameras watching her.
"Beautiful." Sherlock noted, meaning the music, and the guard replied flatly: "Kills you in the end."
"Aye." Sherlock agreed lightly. "Still beautiful, though."
Before getting into the elevator. As soon as the doors shut, Sherlock straightened up from his slouched demeanour, discarding the guard's thick coat and beanie on the floor before smoothing out his regular suit, hidden under the guard's garb.
By the time the elevator arrived at Eurus's cell, Sherlock was standing upright and looking like his regular self, down to his black suit with white button down and messy curls. Sherlock swallowed as the doors revealed Eurus, standing in her glass cell while playing her violin with her back to Sherlock.
The entire cell that made up the far side of the room was surrounded by thick glass, with the words 'Maintain Distance of Tree Feet' marked in white letters on each of the glass panels. The cell itself was bare, except for a single bed and a table with one chair, and what appeared to be a
She was still playing the eerily beautiful piece he'd heard upstairs, and Sherlock examined her slowly as he stepped forward.
The woman standing in the cell before him was unlike the woman he'd met, posing as Faith Smith, nor like the therapist he, John, and Marie had met. This woman had long, curly dark hair not unlike his own and his brother's when Mycroft had had longer hair. She was dressed plainly in a white shirt and slacks that were loose on her frame, but not enough to hinder movement, and completed with comfortable-looking white flats. Along with her pale complexion, she looked almost like a ghost.
It was as Sherlock took his third step that the lights in the cell and the area around it lit up, indicating his presence… and Eurus paused in her playing.
There was a beat of silence as Eurus Holmes stood stock still while Sherlock watched her, before Eurus resumed her playing, slower at first but soon she was playing as grandly as she had been before Sherlock's arrival; but the musical piece had changed.
Sherlock pressed his lips tightly together as Eurus played the familiar tune to her strange song, the song that had apparently haunted Sherlock's childhood.
Sherlock winced slightly as the tune brought back a faint childhood memory of running through the shallow waves of the ocean, while Redbeard played nearby, the dog shaking its wet fur slightly as it trotted about.
Sherlock blinked the vision away, refocusing himself in the present, and his left hand curled slightly into a fist, feeling the smooth silver of his wedding band in an effort to calm himself while Eurus continued to play, as though oblivious to him and yet very distinctly for him.
Sherlock watched his sister play for a while longer before he took another slow step forward.
The instant his footstep sounded, Eurus's playing suddenly sped up, becoming almost frantic as she played a rapid string of notes one after the other. Sherlock quickly stepped back to his original position, his own expression unchanged as he was somewhat unsurprised by the development while Eurus returned to her original playing.
*A/N I know! Two updates? But, it's summer and I figure we all deserve a break!
