John and Sherlock, circled by police, raised their hands in surrender.

"Arrest these men," Moran said, gesturing towards an angry John and a stoic Sherlock.

The two were handcuffed, led out of the warehouse, and shoved into the back of a waiting police car. They watched as Donovan, Anderson, and Lestrade were brought out on stretchers and taken to ambulances.

"Dull, dull, dull," Sherlock intoned, resting his head against the police car's window, eyes closed. "Something about this still doesn't make sense. Moran cannot expect to retain his cover now that we've been arrested. Surely he knows that we have access to evidence against him. There's also a high likelihood that one of the kidnap victims will remember something that would point to him."

Sherlock closed his eyes in an effort to enter his mind palace, but John's voice interrupted.

"Well why would he draw you out of hiding at all? Why not just do what Moriarty instructed him to – kill me if you showed up?"

"Moriarty liked to 'play with his food', so to speak. If Moran has taken over Moriarty's network, perhaps there are new rules to the game..."

The sound of footsteps and jingling keys halted their conversation. The driver's side door opened and Moran got into the car.

"Well, it looks like we'll have an opportunity to find out," John added.

The car was silent as Moran situated himself in the vehicle, turned on the engine, and pulled away from the warehouse.

"So you've drawn me out – now what?" Sherlock asked, attempting to sound bored.

"Now the real fun begins, Mr. Holmes."

"You have a rather interesting idea of fun," John added hotly.

"Don't be anxious, Dr. Watson, you'll be fine soon enough. At least I think you will be. "

"Oh I suppose you're just going to let me go then?"

Moran looked at Sherlock. "Perhaps. It's really up to your friend here. You see, the police are soon going to discover that you were framed! You were never responsible for the police kidnappings. The culprit was an undercover agent of Moriarty's named Moran...with his accomplice, Sherlock Holmes."

John's eyes darted to Sherlock's, but he could not decipher what they saw.

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