A/N: this chapter is dedicated to Arty Diane. Thanks for the follow and as per requested here you go thanks for the suggestion :)

Chapter 73. Ants

"They are a special kind of ant." Tommy pointed out holding up his library book "Aunt Hilda said she had them shipped over from a special farm in Canada. Look it says here Queens have a much larger thorax and abdomen and usually colored black. They will be located around a lot of eggs."

"Oh, is that her then the big one. And what's a thor-thor ax?"

"Thorax see look." Tommy held up the book he had received with his ant farm. " I have a queen." Tommy pointed to a place in the small glass window where a very large aunt with wings was buried in her own sandy space. "Try looking with the magnifying glass I got. You can see the eggs. Did you know that ants will defend their home to the death. And they take to defending their young seriously too. It doesn't matter what the threat is, they are quite efficient. All of them work in a community, even the worker ants contribute to safeguarding the nest. When an enemy attacks everyone works together in a unit. "

"Woah! Cool." Hamish carefully tilted the plastic frame and glass not wishing to upset the sandy tunnels that the ants had worked so tirelessly to create.

"This is an awesome present. And it's not even your birthday. Why did Hilda get this for you?"

"She's sad that we're moving the Germany." Tommy was sitting cross legged against the brick wall of the garden.

"What? When?" Hamish looked up from the glass of the ant farm.

"At the end of summer." Tommy winced. "Dad is being stationed there. It's not fair but it's not like I have a choice. We keep moving. Being an army brat sucks." Tommy picked at the grass around him.

"Uncle Myc was going to ask if you wanted to come with us to Porthchapel Beach in Cornwall. We could really pretend to dig for buried treasure there."

Both boys looked crestfallen, "I don't know maybe grandfather can talk to dad and make arrangements. I don't even know German." Tommy flung the book away from him.

Hamish scooted over to his friend, "You'll miss my birthday."

"Sorry." Tommy replied. "If it makes you feel better I'll write everyday."

"I'm not great at reading or writing but I'll write back." Hamish sighed. "Well this sucks. We were going to go to the museum today but Uncle Myc had to work. Today is the worst day ever."

"Don't say that, we still have a map to make. Besides I bet I can come see grandfather over the summer next year. Then we can find our buried treasure."

"Oh! I forgot to tell you about my new uncle! He knows where we can find a real treasure." Hamish snapped his fingers.

"You have a new uncle?"

"Yes! I'll show you come on. He's a secret agent he's staying in the house. You've got to meet him." Hamish was on his feet vibrating with excitement his older friend was quickly gathering his ant farm and book.

Tommy was taller than Hamish because he was older by three years. Tommy never treated Hamish like a baby. They liked the same things, video games and bugs. Tommy was going to be a scientist, and Hamish thought his friend would be the world's best scientist ever. He was going to be Tommy's assistant if he wasn't a secret agent or worked for the yard. Science was fun, there was always something interesting when you added baking soda to water. Tommy had made a volcano explode. They made a mess but Royce hadn't been too angry.

Uncle Sherlock reminded Hamish of Tommy, Tommy was smart and tall.

They made it to the back of the house when the sound of a boom echoed from the distance. "Was that a firework?" Tommy frowned squinting towards the direction of the sound.

"Hey boys. Why don't you come inside."

"Dad?" Tommy glanced at his father who had been talking to Grandpa just near the entrance of the kitchen.

"Come on boys-" Tommy's dad kept his voice friendly but Hamish could see something was wrong. Tommy's dad looked a lot like Tommy. They had the same straight black hair but Tommy's dad kept his hair short. Hamish thought that his friend would be very tall when they grew up.

Tommy's dad was making Hamish nervouse the way his green eyes kept traveling towards the drive way. Another sound like fire crackers but closer had Royce lifting Hamish up and scooting Tommy into the kitchen. He locked the doors and hit something on the wall that Hamish knew to be the alarm.

Several men wearing dark glasses and black suits were entering Sylvie's domain, Hamish didnt see the older cook. He did recognize the men in suits as Uncle Myc's minions.

"Sir there's been a breach in the parameter. It's best we usher the children to the safe room. Until this is cleared up." One of the men, Charles was his name was speaking to Royce in a hurried voice.

"Wait, what about uncles?" Hamish worried looked to Royce.

Royce smiled easily "Nothing to worry about Hamish, Tommy. Follow these men to the secret room. Uncle has gone into the city. This is just another drill. Remember Hamish we've done this before."

The boy nodded "Be brave Hamish. You remember where the room is. Show Tommy." Hamish nodded he heard the sounds of fire crackers coming closer.

Tommy's dad was on the phone and the security men didn't wait they lifted Tommy and Hamish up and carried them towards the room that was hidden in the wall. It was in the library.

Tommy and Hamish were shut in and the two could hear the shouting from behind the metal door painted to look like a wall.

"Tommy?" Tommy neared his friend eyes on the door.

"It's alright, we're safe in here. No one can get in unless they have a code right? Just like in that spy movie we watched."

"What about my uncle and Royce and your dad?" the blond didn't care if his voice trembled. "And Hilda?"

"They know stuff. It's probably just a drill. Besides grandpa and my dad didn't look worried." Tommy placed an arm around his friend, not a hug because babies hugged. Tommy was just putting an arm on Hamish's shoulders.

"Why do you call him grandpa? I mean he's your dad's oldest brother, but you call Royce grandpa." Hamish hadn't really thought about that until now.

"Oh, it's a joke my dad started. Uncle Royce is the oldest and he helped raise my dad and my other uncles. So they call him old man all the time. My dad has always said 'this is your grandfather' I know he's my uncle but I don't have grandparents. Besides uncle Royce stopped minding a while ago. Does the telly work in here? Is that an xbox?"

"Yeah. There's food too." Hamish felt his hands shake when he pointed to the small fridge near the bunk beds. Tommy didn't say anything he only pulled his friend over to sit on the bottom cot, he switched on the telly and chose a game they could both play. He turned the television up to override the sounds of fire crackers, although something in him warned it wasn't fireworks but guns going off. He wasn't going to say that to Hamish, he was the oldest it was his job to be brave like his father,like a soldier.

Then the metal door opened and both boys jumped up frozen in place not knowing what to expect.

~0~

"Well Doctor it looks like I'm going to move you. We were going to do this little reunion here but it seems big brother has changed the plans. No worries working with James long enough has taught me one thing. "

"What's that? How to be a better psychopath? Obviously it wasn't how to dress." John's voice was hoarse and dry he'd already earned himself quite the pummeling for a near escape. He was now handcuffed to a metal chair in the middle of the room the wooden one he'd managed to break and therefore loosen the ropes binding his hands.

Unfortunately the Colonel or Moran as he introduced himself hadn't been too far away. John knew two of his ribs were broken and the side of his head throbbed where one of the thugs had hit him with a piece of the broken chair.

Now his little outburst rewarded him with another heavy hit to the face. He spit out blood feeling one of his molars loosen.

"Funny Captain. No. Fail safes and back up plans. I had someone put in place to bring me what I wanted. Mycroft thought he was the target so he's left chasing after little brother. And he's left his one and only nephew all by himself. My men are surrounding the house as we speak, little Hamish should be joining us shortly. Here he thought he wasn't going to go to the museum after all."

"You son of a bitch I'll kill you!" John growled trying desperately to move his arms, his whole body was restrained, his ankles were cuffed as well as hands. Still the anger John felt overruling any logic. Hamish was in danger, this mad man was going to hurt his son. He couldn't allow it, couldn't allow this bit of evil to touch on his only child's life. He'd promised himself, promised Mary he would be a good father.

"Oh, I'm sure you would. Funny thing Captain. You had such a shitty father, mine was no better. Why would you want to reproduce? I myself have no urge to set another Moran out on the world."

John didn't answer he was still straining at the cuffs, his mind racing to figure out something, this couldn't be it for him. How many times had he found himself in such dire situations he'd managed to figure-no. No. That's wrong Sherlock had managed to get them out of these types of things. But Sherlock wasnt here and Mycroft didnt even know John was missing.

Moran's mobile begin to ring he turned his back on his prisoner, John could see the man's shoulders stiffen and the old soldier started to swear into the phone. This caused the Doctor's racing heart to calm, he knew it had to do with Hamish. Knew that he could trust Mycroft, ha. Moran talked about fail safes well obviously he wasn't prepared for Mycroft Holmes. The Colonel was lucky that Sherlock wasn't alive, it were both Holmes then this idiot would have only hours to live.

"What do you mean! It's just a kid! A four year old! Captured? Leave him! That fool can burn let Holmes have him. He doesn't know enough about the plan anyway! Dammit, don't be followed! Just come back, change of plans. I guess we can go with just the Doctor. We'll need to move and now! If you fuck this up it's you I'll have buried alive."

~0~

Tommy kicked at the door of the safe room, he kicked and shouted hoping someone would hear him. The man who had opened the door grabbed Hamish and shoved Tommy back in. Hamish had yelled for help and Tommy knew this wasn't part of the drill.

"Thomas!" He heard his father's muffled voice.

"Dad! They grabbed Hamish!" He yelled then the door opened his father was sweaty and out of breath the color of his shirt was wripped. "Dad?"

"Hey, shssssh. Where's Hamish?"

~0~

"Troy?" Hamish was trying to squirm out of the security man's hands.

"Shut up you little brat!" Troy growled holding Hamish tighter under his arm, this only made the boy struggle harder.

"Let me go! What are you doing!?"

"Getting paid you little shit! You made me lose my job. Ten years I gave this fucking government and they reward me with babysitting duty."

Hamish could hear the sounds of guns, he knew they had to be guns and they were in the drive way. Troy had shoved Tommy into the safe room and locked him in. Now Hamish was being taken to a car just at the end of the drive. He knew that it wasn't good if he got in. This man was bad he was taking him away from the house.

Hamish didn't care if the hand holding him was hurting, he was going to get away.

"Uncle Myc wont be happy."

"Uncle Myc isn't here is he? He's not as smart as he likes to think. He left just like we thought he would, him and his security team. Left a house full of staff and gardeners. Not much of a defense huh. I've already taken out the small security detail Mycroft had here. "

Hamish tried not to panic, but he worried that the gardener Mr. Plath was hurt. Mr. Plath always yelled at him and Tommy for running through the flower beds but he wasn't a bad man. He showed Tommy were all the best ant hills and worms could be found.

And Tyler and Brody they helped too with the grounds, what if they were hurt by the guns. Sylvie was in the house and she was older than gran maybe. And Royce, and what about Tommy's dad? Or the other security people. He felt tears starting to gather, it was hard to see.

Then an idea came to him "I'm going to throw up." He sobbed.

"I said shut it kid."

"I'm serious." Hamish tried to look convincing Troy dropped him on his stomach but kept a hand behind his.

"Don't you dare get it on me!" He growled, Hamish turned into the man and kicked as hard as he could at Troy's shins. It surprised the man enough he let go but Hamish didn't get far before Troy caught his arm roughly.

"I would stop right there if I were you. Let him go."

It was Royce, Hamish shivered never hearing that tone before.

"No chance old man." Troy had a gun and Hamish stopped struggling, he couldn't help but sob when Troy pointed it at the old butler.

"You made a mistake coming here. You and your men. Should have probably brought more." Royce didn't look scared and Hamish couldn't help but wonder if the butler was crazy.

"I brought enough. And I've got what I came for." Troy gave Hamish a rough shake.

"Can't let you leave with him though." Hamish turned to see Tommy's dad holding a gun to the back of Troy's head. He smiled down at the boy and winked.

"Who the hell-"

"Doesn't matter. Drop the gun you're surrounded and your men have been rounded up."

Hamish winced when his arm was let go, he could still feel the pressure of fingers but Troy had dropped his gun with cold glare. Tommy's dad didn't let the fired security guard talk instead he knocked the man out with a hit to the side of his head.

Hamish was looking at Tommy's dad and grandfather back and forth there were people yelling towards the back of the house. Royce smiled down at a trembling Hamish lifting him easily into his arms.

"You alright?"

Hamish was afraid to talk he just nodded his whole body wouldn't stop shaking. The four year old just held tight to the older butler his arms around the man's neck. "Tommy?"

"He's alright, just worried about you."

"I'm okay." He let a shaky breath out laid his head on the butler's shoulder squeezing his eyes shut.

Royce was on the phone "It's fine here sir, we've got it handled. Yes sir, Agent Plath and his two have secured the road in. Sylvie is a bit upset about the mess made in the kitchen cant say if the carpet in the study may need professional cleaning. He's secure here sir. Yes."

Royce pulled his head back to look at the trembling boy "Hamish, it's Uncle Myc he wishes to speak to you."

Hamish nodded taking the mobile. "Uncle are you alright?"