Chapter Seven: Grave Discussions
By the time darkness had completely descended upon London, I was itching to go. It didn't matter where to, but suddenly the flat seemed too small to hold me. The city was achingly similar yet so different than when I had left it behind more than a decade ago. It was a reminder of the things which I had sought to forget and the family I had left behind. It was nearing midnight and Demetria was asleep in her room; I could see her shape beneath the covers through the open door, and the faint sound of her breathing was steadying to me, grounding me in the world as my mind pulled towards the past. With one last look around and a rapid note to my friend left on the counter, I slipped through the door of 221C and out into the night.
I forewent hailing a cab to walk, as I knew precisely the place which the coordinates pinpointed. I had been there more than once when I lived in London, seeing the sights and hoping that I might find a clue as to who I was. Nothing was discovered, and that resource was cut off from me when I left the country at fourteen.
As the cemetery's gates loomed ahead of me, I brushed a finger over the steel point of a blade which I had tucked into my sleeve. By no means would I call myself an expert at knives, but they were as comfortable in my palm as a gun was. My sanctioned training had never included the knives, but a serial killer a few years prior had been scrutinized for technique. I had watched him fight and seen how he worked before copying the method and adding my own ways.
The graveyard was closed for the night, but the fence was old and broken in places. One of these provided the perfect entrance for me, and I slipped between wooden slats edged in chain link and into the cemetery, making sure to avoid the stones which littered my path. The graves were sobering to me, as I had always hated walking for too long among the dead.
"Raven Holmes?" The voice that reached me was familiar, a sophisticated accent. I had heard it once before, from the odd man who had shown up at my door the day before. The government official with the suit and umbrella who had never given his name.
"You're the one who brought me here?" I questioned him, stepping into the small clearing. He smiled faintly.
"Indeed I am. Welcome to London, Miss Holmes."
He stood, and I noted the umbrella he had hung over his arm. An expression of sight confusion crossed my face; I still couldn't help but wonder why and for whom my help was needed.
"Please, have a seat. I am sure you wish to know why you are here and why I have been so secretive with you," the unnamed man stated, waving me to the bench. He remained standing and began to pace the footpath, words seeming to fail him for a moment. He did not mention the portion of writing at the end of his text, which was my reason for coming at the late hour.
"Quite so," I replied. "Please do explain."
He gave me an odd look and started to speak. "My name, which I recognize you have wanted to know, is Mycroft Holmes. It is my job to find people like you, the geniuses in a world of goldfish. You have been on my radar for a very long time, ever since I was first made aware of you. Your years at the FBI were of special interest, as I have only ever seen one other person with the same intelligence and skills take a similar career path. You now reside at the flat across from his.
"There have been reports of a threat to our security. Not a terrorist or cell, exactly, but a sort of network. I am afraid that I am not at liberty to discuss the details with you for the present time," he stated, seating himself beside me.
"As for the part of the message that I know brought you here, it has fallen upon me to inform you of your relatives. Believe me, it will be important for you to know."
"And the last part of your text to me?"
"Your family, your blood family, is alive and living here. I will give you information on them, but not tonight. Give me a few days and you will understand my hesitation," Mycroft averred. I did not understand his hesitation, but I could read that it was significant.
"You met me in a graveyard at midnight to give me no concrete details at all and tell me barely anything about the matter which I came here to learn about?" I questioned, anger seeping into my tone. He seemed to expect it, smiling.
"I wanted to give you a bit more information regarding your task, which is to help us eliminate the threat to our security. You are one of the most capable people I know for the job," he said. "As for the information, I am afraid that I cannot give it all to you here. The details of the case, like those of your family, will arrive within a few days."
"That's all you have to say?"
"Yes, for tonight. Expect a visit soon, Raven. And do try to stay in London for the time being."