I really sound like I'm begging here, but I still miss you guys.

Enjoy :D

Adele woke with a start. This was nothing new, of course, but the circumstances in which this had occurred definitely were. She felt a hand close around her mouth, stopping her from screaming. Her normal reaction would be to bite them, or just try to scream anyway, but her brain wasn't functioning at its normal speed anymore, and anything she did do would be badly timed and reckless.

'Good, Adele. Now, I'm going to let you go, and you won't try to yell. Understand?'

Adele froze. She knew that voice perfectly well, even after so long not recognising anything. Hammet. But Mycroft had him locked up, didn't he? She nodded slowly, and he took his hand away, grinning.

'Now, little Adele is going to listen very carefully, otherwise her friends won't be living much longer.'

Adele nodded again. She didn't have a clue of what else she could possibly do, considering that not only could she not move, but Hammet most likely had a gun.

'So, Adele, still alive? Now, that won't do, will it? I should have shot your dear friend, he might have cooperated. But you did give me some useful advice, back then. Through the head. But I'm not going to do that, just yet. No, I'm going to make you suffer, Adele Holmes, and then, when I've finished tormenting you with my constant threat, I'll turn on your friends. Each and every one of them, starting with the pawns, and working up to the king. Chess. And the best bit? You won't know when I'll start. Could be tomorrow. Could be next week. Could be next year. Now, I can give you a choice: Donovan? Or Anderson? Or, better, you could let me pick! In fact, let's save your drugged up little brain the trouble, and I'll choose. But I won't tell you which one. No. And do you know what? After them, I'll go for DI Molly, or Mrs. Hudson. The knights. And here's the good bit! Then, Adele, I'll get that little girl you called your friend at the school. Eliza, the bishop. You really shouldn't try to make friends, Adele. You're dangerous. Now, after Eliza, we can have a break, and then, suddenly, I'll move to the rook. John Watson. Should be fun. And finally, depending on how nice I'm feeling, I'll get Sherlock. Or you. The king, and the queen. And all the while, I'll give you a few riddles to solve. Simple ones, at first, and then I'll make the stakes higher. Higher and higher and higher. I'll give you a hint, Adele. You have to solve them. No one else. You. And if you don't solve them, I'll shoot. You know I will.'

Adele nodded again. Hammet began to back towards the door, sneering.

'See you soon, Adele. Very soon.'

As soon as he left, Adele began to think. How had Hammet gotten out? Mycroft had a record of letting criminals out when he really shouldn't, but surely Sherlock had some control over what Mycroft did? Hammet must have done Mycroft a favour, or something. But Mycroft wouldn't make the same mistake twice, surely? Bu then, it was Mycroft. Adele didn't have her phone, which was a drawback, and Mycroft would avoid her if he'd let Hammet out. It was possible that Hammet had slipped under the radar, and run for it, but Mycroft might have noticed by now. The only way to check was to go and ask personally, which was pretty much impossible.

Another question was Hammet's motives. What did he actually want to do? Get Adele? Sherlock? He seemed to change his mind every time she saw him. Couldn't decide? Or playing games? Probably the latter, but still.

And could she even trust herself? Adele had to look at the current situation: The amount of morphine in her system was so high that half the time she didn't even know what was reality. Chances were that she'd go back to sleep, and not remember most of what had just happened. She couldn't stay awake until Sherlock got there; Already, Adele was getting drowsy. She didn't even know the time, as the effort to raise her wrist to check her watch was too large. Realistically, would Sherlock believe her? He might guess himself, but Adele knew full well that he'd have trouble believing some of the finer details.

He'd said chess. He'd told her what he was going to do, really. Why? It was almost like Moriarty with the cases and Sherlock having to solve them, except that this was Hammet, and Adele had to solve some stupid brain teasers. What was the point? Why would anyone bother? Really?

So what would she do? Adele's brain was telling her to call Sherlock. Or half of it was. The stupid half. The clever half was telling her that she didn't have her phone, so she couldn't call him. Well that was helpful. Sort of.

Riddles? Seriously? Riddles were easy. Adel e had solved one when she was unconscious for God's sake. Unless these riddles were really difficult. But Hammet was an idiot. Hardly likely that he'd give her something she couldn't solve. He thought she was just a kid. Hopefully.

Thankfully, Adele didn't have to wait very long for Sherlock to make an appearance.

'I need to borrow your phone.'

As soon as Sherlock stepped into the room, Adele held out her hand expectantly. He stopped for a minute, shrugged, and handed it over.

'Why?'

'Use your powers of deduction.'

Sherlock was silent for a minute, as he frowned and surveyed the room. The only sound was the soft tap of Adele's typing;

Mycroft:

Check on Hammet for me. Reply within the next ten minutes. And then explain.

Adele

Sherlock had looked up suddenly, his expression furious. 'When was he here?'

'Don't know, couldn't even see my watch.'

'What did he say?'

'I can't remember all of it… Um, he said he'd get everyone… work his way up? And puzzles. Something about puzzles. Donovan and Anderson, that's who he's going to start with.'

'What else?'

'I can't remember.'

'Yes you can. Try.'

'He's going to send puzzles, and I have to solve them. Only me.'

Sherlock nodded, into thin air.

'That's all I remember.'

Sherlock's phone registered a new message. It was from Mycroft, hopefully with an explanation.

RE:

Concrete evidence required.

Mycroft

Sherlock held out his hand for the phone. Adele gave it to him. 'D'you think Mycroft let him out?' She asked.

'Depends. Did he mention Mycroft at all?'

'Erm, not that I remember.'

'Probably did, then. Mycroft is an idiot.'

'Tell me something I don't know.'

'Focus on the task at hand. Argh, this has completely disrupted my plans!'

'What plans?'

'I had plans, except this has completely disrupted them!'

'Will you explain them?'

'No. I'm going to see Mycroft.'

'Can I come?'

'The funny thing is, Adele, that even if you were at the flat, I still wouldn't let you.'

'What? Why?'

'Because I want Mycroft to retain some ability to speak. Actually, I'm getting John over here.'

'I'm sure he won't mind at all.'

'Why would he?'

Adele shook her head. 'I can't stand being in the same room as John for however long you're going to take. Also, I doubt that John can stand being in the same room as me for a prolonged amount of time.'

'It's either John or Molly. Take your pick.'

'John. Just not Molly. Anythingbut Molly.'