"So, Mycroft thinks that this…" John leant over Sherlock's shoulder to check the name. "MJN Air is going to be smuggling something out of the country?"

"Yes, to Zakatala. How many times are we going to go over this before you understand John. A charter airline, which I believe exists of a single aeroplane, a Lockheed McDonnell 312 to be specific, is going to be smuggling stolen goods out of the country and into Azerbaijan and Mycroft wants to us to stop them. Or at any rate, give him a chance to send someone over to retrieve them off us."

"Why does Mycroft care about smuggling? Not exactly a giant national threat. Is it?" John chose to ignore Sherlock's tone, knowing that any complaints would only make matters worse. Moving back into the kitchen to boil the kettle once again, he cradled his now empty mug in his hand.

"I don't know, and frankly I don't care. It would take far too long and far too much effort to try and figure out why Mycroft does what he does. It's a case and I need a case."

"Sherlock, you solved a case yesterday." John didn't even look up from pouring milk into the mugs as he spoke, so used to Sherlock that he could imagine the exasperated look he was being given.

"Exactly. Too long ago John, far too long."

"Fine Sherlock. What are we going to do then? You could at least tell me the plan this time. Unless me not knowing is part of the plan. If you even have a plan." John muttered the last sentence, speaking almost to himself.

"I heard that John. It was important for you to be ignorant of that specific plan because you wouldn't have been genuine otherwise. Also, I do have a plan. We're going to book the plane for a trip to Azerbaijan and it's likely that as a small business they're likely to double up to save on landing fees."

"Anything past that?"

"No John, nothing past that but surely you know me well enough to know that by the time we've boarded the plane I'll have furthered my plan and will be prepared for every eventuality."

John sighed, handing Sherlock his second cup of tea and wondered why he even bothered asking when he knew he was going to receive the same arrogant spiel he always did.

"So Douglas, where are we going?"

"Did Carolyn not tell you what we were doing today Arthur or were you just not listening?" Douglas responded from the driver's seat, turning to raise his eyebrows at Arthur in the seat next to him.

"Eyes on the road Douglas! I can't afford for you to crash my van!" Martin's eyes widened in panic.

"Oh relax Martin, I've been driving since before you could count to ten."

"Actually, Douglas, Mum said I could count to ten by the time I was two, that would mean you were driving before you even hit puberty." Martin sounded proud, sure that this time he has successfully beaten Douglas' trademark sarcasm.

"Well that would be a trick I suppose. Except I never hit puberty, I was born with everything just as perfect as it is now; my voice, my magnificent…"

"Alright, I don't need to hear about anything else. Nobody needs to hear about that."

"Hair, I was going to say my magnificent hair, on my head, but since you mentioned it…"

"Okay! We get it Douglas. You're a big manly man and you always have been." Martin slumped against the seat of the van.

"And always will be, might I add. Also, to answer your question Arthur, we're going to Coventry."

"Why?"

"Arthur, if you don't remember what we're doing in Martin's van, I'd love to hear your guess on the subject." Douglas rolled down the window, steering with one hand and was rewarded with a wince from Martin.

"Well, last time we went in Martin's van we were taking a piano to, I can't remember now, Ferret's Queen Maisie?"

"Ottery Saint Mary." Douglas corrected him but nodded, indicating he should continue.

"At least he remembered it was a woman's name this time." Martin chuckled, Arthur's stupidity making his own misfortune seem lighter.

"Yeah, Ottery Saint Mary. And we had jelly babies and a piano. And we fit one hundred otters on GE-RTI. And jelly babies are the same shape as piano keys and murray mints are the same shape as the holes in a recorder and Coventry sounds like cuddly and bears are cuddly so I think we're taking some recorders to Coventry and on the way we're going to talk about how many bears we can fit on GE-RTI. Which, by the way, I think will be less than one hundred." Arthur looked between Martin and Douglas, seeking confirmation for his theory.

"Okay, Arthur. Firstly, you helped us load the van. Were there any recorders?" Douglas turned back to Arthur, looking him in the eye while waiting for his answer.

"There might have been, everything was in boxes."

"Eyes on the road Douglas. And Arthur, the boxes were labelled. You carried the ones labelled clothes." Martin looked at Arthur, trying not to roll his eyes.

"Yeah but it could have been a trick."

"I don't think so somehow. Douglas, please concentrate on the road! One of us can open a mint for you!"

"Fine Martin. Fine! Here!" Douglas passed Martin the bag. "But I do agree with Arthur on one thing."

"What!? Really? What do you agree with him about?"

"That the amount of bears we could fit on GE-RTI would be less than one hundred."