A/N Hey guys sorry about the delay in update but I have been quite busy. Also sorry in advance for the terrible cliffy. Enjoy:)
Sherlock re-entered the room and saw John just standing there, staring down at the phone. Sherlock could see that his breathing and pulse had quickened and the colour had drained from his already pale face.
"What is it John?" The detective asked him. It took a lot to rattle John Watson, and to see him standing there almost going into shock scared Sherlock more than he cared to admit. Snapping out of his stupor, John looked up at Sherlock.
Gripping the phone, he spoke. "It's-"
"-Mary." Sherlock said before he could continue. John's face only confirmed his suspicions.
"I thought as much. Where is she?"
"The apartment. We have to go." John replied, fighting down the terror rising in his throat.
He raced out of the apartment with Sherlock at his heels.
"MARY, MARY ARE YOU IN HERE?" John called out as he entered the apartment. He knew however as soon as he looked around that something was wrong. The room was a complete mess. There where bookshelves lying on the floor, tables overturned and, John realised with a sinking feeling, bullet holes in the wall.
"Oh my god" He whispered, crouching down and covering his face with his hands.
Mary was gone.
He heard Sherlock enter the room having stayed behind to pay the cab driver. John heard the sharp intake of breath as he took in the scene. John, collecting himself, stood up and faced Sherlock.
"She's not here" He said, voice cracking.
"I know, I'm sorry John" Sherlock said "But I swear, no matter what it takes I will get her back"
John was about to reply when he heard Sherlock's phone buzz. He grabbed the detectives phone out of his hands before he had a chance to look at the message.
JW
I assume by now you know I have your wife. I suggest not contacting Inspector Lestrade if you ever want to see her alive again. I have sent an address to this phone. Meet me there. The two of you come alone or don't come at all. And remember, the clocks ticking.
JMS
John was again, staring shell shocked at the phone. Sherlock gently took the phone from him and read through the message.
"I have the address, are you coming?" He asked John. "I told the cab to wait out the front"
"It's a trap," John said, still slightly dazed.
"Obviously, now are you coming or not?" He asked again, already heading towards the door.
John nodded and followed him out, his heart pounding as he thought of where Mary might be.
Once they where back in the cab, Sherlock glanced over at John and noticed him wringing his hands.
"You know I meant what I said right? No matter what it takes I will get her back." Sherlock said, looking more sincere than John had ever seen him.
"I know, that's what worries me." The conversation ended and the two of them lapsed into a tense silence.
The cab stopped out the front of an office building that had people rushing in and out of it wearing suits and carrying briefcases.
"This can't be good" John muttered as he climbed out the cab.
"Indeed" Sherlock replied, buttoning up his jacket and turning up his collar as he made his way towards the front of the building. John had to jog to keep up with the detectives long strides.
'At least nothing too bad can happen' he thought to himself, relaxing a little. 'After all, it's a building teeming with people.'
Sherlock didn't stop until he reached the elevator on the opposite side of the room.
"Where exactly are we going?" John asked Sherlock quietly.
"Level 5, room 13. Doesn't that sound promising?" He replied with a small smirk.
The elevator opened and even more people poured out.
Once they where inside with the doors shut, John turned to Sherlock.
"Why would he he do this in a public building. Doesn't that make he's job even harder?"
"There's a bomb in the building." He replied simply, not looking particularly bothered by it.
"WHAT?" John yelped. "How could you possibly know that?"
He added.
"Think about it, the first case of Moriaty's we solved together. What was he doing?
"But that doesn't mean there's a bomb in the building." John replied, knowing he probably shouldn't doubt Sherlock.
"Well if you put all the clues together it's quite obvious. There's our first case with Moriaty, the crowded building and the message." He said in his matter of fact tone.
"Wait, what message?" John asked feeling just as confused as before.
"What else did you think 'the clock is ticking' meant?"
John realized, with a sinking feeling, that Sherlock was right.
"We need to get everyone out of here." He said remembering all the people that were in the building.
"If we do that the bomb will be detonated before we could get them to the door."
"How could you possibly know that?" John asked not wanting to leave the people downstairs unaware if the danger they were in.
"John, it's my job to think like criminals. And your forgetting, this is not the first time I've dealt with this particular one."
John opened his mouth to respond. Before he got the chance however, the elevator stopped and the doors opened.
The two of them stepped out into a deserted hallway. From the looks of things, this part of the building was no longer in use, and hadn't been for some time. They walked along until they found room 13. Sherlock reached for the handle but as he went to turn it, John stopped him.
"Wait" he said, pulling his gun out of his back pocket. He held it out in front of him and nodded to Sherlock.
Sherlock opened the door and John entered first, still holding the gun in front of him. The room was completely bare except for a bright red line drawn through the carpet. On the other side of the room was a door that must've lead to another office. John crossed the line and tried the door, which was locked.
"Damn" he cursed.
Sherlock, who had been examining the back of the door, called out to John.
"Make sure you don't cross the line yet until we know..."
"Too late" John said realizing he had probably just made a huge mistake.
Sherlock's head snapped around and was about to cross the room, when a voice crackled to life over the loudspeaker.
"Nobody move." It said. "Dr Watson and Mr Holmes, how are you?"
John and Sherlock exchange looks across the room. The mans voice was rather charismatic and soft, almost like Moriarty's had been but with a harsher edge to it.
"Oh don't be like that, I wont bite. Hard" The voice said.
"What do you want?" Sherlock asked, surveying the room for cameras and speakers.
"I'm bored." The voice said.
John shuddered at the familiar words
"And unless you want the whole building blowing up, I suggest you do as I say. Now stay where you are."
"Where's Mary?" John asked looking around the room. as i expecting her to be in there somewhere.
"Oh she should be along any minute now."
As he said this, the door Sherlock and John had come through opened, and a man in a black suit pushed Mary into the room. The door slammed shut again and they heard lock click.
"Are you ok?" John asked Mary, unable to see any signs of physical damage. Mary nodded, and opened her mouth to say something, but as interrupted by the voice over the loudspeaker.
"Now that you're all here, let's have some fun." John and Sherlock exchanged another look. It really was unnerving, how much like Moriaty Sanderson was.
"You know of course there's a bomb in the building. You have seven minutes until it goes off, killing everyone in the building."
"Unless...?" John prompted.
"Unless you shoot somebody in the room" He answered. You could practically hear the smile in his voice.
"How do we know your not bluffing?" Sherlock inquired looking at a particular spot on the wall. Most likely the camera he had been looking for.
"And are you really prepared to test that Mr Holmes?" The voice asked.
John could see the gears in Sherlock's head as he tried to figure out a way out of this. He waited patiently. Sherlock always managed to get them out of these situations, and today, he hoped, was no exception.
"Vatican cameo" Sherlock said, and John could see the pain in his face. He realized what Sherlock meant and looked down at his gun. How could he do this. He'd shot men before, but he had never been forced to choose between his best friend and his pregnant wife.
"I'm so sorry John. I truly am."
"That's right boys. No way out of this one. Either John shoots someone or the whole building blows."
Mary, who had only just realized what was going on looked at John.
"I'm sorry John but you know what you need to do. If you kill me our baby dies too."
"I'm not going to bloody shoot my best friend." John said, feeling more than desperate.
"I'm afraid you don't have a choice John" Sherlock said. "Mary's right, you can't shoot her, and I swore to protect you."
"Sherlock just stop, stop it." John said, voice breaking.
"What?" He asked looking genuinely confused.
"You're so eager to sacrifice yourself. I"m not going to shoot you. I cant loose you again. You're my best friend."
Sherlock, for once was lost for words.
"Well isn't this touching. I'm moved, I really am. Two minutes." Sanderson said, completely deadpan and monotone now.
"The clocks ticking John, so whose it gonna be?" John stared between his best friend and his wife. He knew if he didn't pick soon the whole building was going to blow.
Unless you shoot somebody in the room. The words swam through his head, and he realized what he had to do.
Slowly he aimed the gun