During lockdown murder cases (well at least complicated cases) decreased.
Sherlock is going insane, Mycroft and Lestrade team up and send him and John to Chester to solve a cold case. Naturally under supervision.
This time Lestrade makes sure Mycroft doesn't leave him alone with dumb and dumber. Mystrade.
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CHAPTER 1 - Trying to tame the Sherlockian Lion
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Author note:
Good to be here gang, getting the creative juices going. I'm in the midst of writing a full blown actual book but my brain wants to explode with the intensity of it all. So we are here trying to get cogs turning (again).
As per usual I'm having second couple syndrome therefore it's more centered around Mystrade, however if you want me to write a Johnlock centered version of this I will of course give the people what they want.
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Lestrade POV
"I am an essential worker! How am I not? I solve your murders, I do your job along with everyone's job in your so called department" Sherlock yelled angrily. Even over the phone his abrasive nature was evident along with the childish demeanor that accompanied his ever growing tantrum.
Lestrade sighed. He rubbed one of his temples with his spare hand, whilst with the other gripped the phone hard, half tempted to throw it into an office wall.
"You don't even count as an employee at New Scotland Yard as you always love to remind me." Reminded Lestrade. "You can't have it both ways! Also judging by the way you run after people I doubt you know what social distancing is."
Sherlock huffed. "Well then what am I supposed to do? I solved the cold cases you've sent in the first day, it's insulting that you thought it would take me any longer."
Lestrade was just about done. He had received the same phone call everyday for the past two weeks. It was simple, Sherlock wasn't considered an essential worker plus there were no open and shut cases. When everyone is trapped inside it doesn't take Sherlock Holmes to figure out what happened.
Lestrade then wished he had a flip phone still so he do a passive aggressive hanging up motion. Sadly, angrily stabbing the end call button with his finger had to suffice.
A few seconds later a message popped up from Sherlock's roommate/best friend/who knows.
"Please mate, he is driving my crazy, he has run out of things to do experiments on, so now he is doing experiments on me."
"And stop shipping, I don't mean that in a dirty minded way " A quick follow up message said, John's exhaustion and desperation seeping through the phone screen.
Lestrade laughed to himself. You know it's bad when everyone from the papers to their family members notices the tension but they seem oblivious. With these kind of matters though, those inflicted are normally the last to know.
Give them time.
He really should help Sherlock though, if not for Sherlock's sake for John's.
Running his fingers through his salt and pepper hair, he sighed and mentally prepared to call the more tolerable (and good looking in his book) Holmes.
Asking for help from Mycroft was logistically easily. Mycroft always made sure he had time for Lestrade and pretty much gave him any support required.
However, due to the recent, almost friendship like relationship that had formed Lestrade was even more on edge. What were the boundaries and why was his overthinking every little interaction?
"You are a grown man in his 40s and it's a phone call. Get a grip."
Not wanting to deep it any further, he pressed "call" on a not so minor Government official.
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Mycroft POV
If he has one more meeting about this devastating but frustrating virus, he will lose his mind. He was used to dealing with wars, political tensions, the Queen's corgis security detail, assassinations, not…this.
He didn't like this, not one bit. Anthea tried telling him to take a break but there is no rest for the wicked (or a weary and drained official).
Just has he had ended the zoom call with a deep sigh and the need for both tea and alcohol, his personal phone went off.
He didn't have many calling his personal phone. He put Sherlock on mute since COVID broke out, John would rather die than phone him, his parents were busy drinking wine and enjoying lockdown too much, which could only leave that admittedly charming DI.
Seeing the caller ID, he smiled for the first time that day.
"Detective, how may I help you on this fine day" he said, his voice tinged with sarcasm.
"Hey I thought we got past that! I'm Greg to you now!" Greg's muffled voice said with a small (and a tad nervous) chuckle.
He must be nervous about what he about to ask , Mycroft deduced. Weird considering at this point he would pretty much give him anything. Gregory should know this by now.
"Apologies Gregory, I've had a bit of a day. I can't say much, but I'd have you know some Government ministers never mentally left their teenage years."
Mycroft said, 100% serious. He was happy to receive a more genuine chuckle. It wasn't often he made people feel anything than off kilter.
"Weirdly enough, I ain't too surprised. I didn't know there where any adults in the Government…well maybe except for you My but you only have a [minor] position." Lestrade teased.
It was Mycroft's turn to chuckle. He could tell he put the tough copper at ease finally. How lovely.
"I'm guessing you didn't call so we could have a riveting conversation about my not so competent colleagues. Sherlock is continuing to be intolerable I'm assuming?" Mycroft replied.
"Two in one. I get to complain to you about your brother and I get an excuse to check in on you too" he replied cheekily.
Mycroft almost chocked on air. Was that flirting? It most certainly felt like it.
"I'm flattered. Rest assured you can contact me whenever you want." He said hoping he sounded as well put together as normal.
"Anyway, do you need me to simply listen to your issue or provide a solution?" He added.
"Solution, most definitely a solution" An impressed voice replied. He evidently didn't expect Mycroft to reply with almost as much vigor.
"We need to give him something to do or he will end up burning down Baker Street, or make John want to rejoin the military."
"Would going back to that traumatic environment be preferable to dealing with Sherlock?"
Mycroft then paused.
"Never mind, daft question. Don't worry I will find something. Maybe get him out of London too, he will have more room to maneuver like a free range chicken."
"Thanks My, I owe you one and so does your chicken brother." It was then Lestrade's turn to pause. "This means I have to go as well innit?" He half sighed.
"Well it was you who asked." Teased Mycroft.
"Yeah well, you need to make sure nothing is bad as Baskerville. Remember what you said last time?" Lestrade reminded.
Mycroft did remember. The Baskerville event was a bit unprecedented however he has promised the DI if anything even vaguely seems to be as dangerous, then he would accompany the DI. Quite why he agreed was maybe a little bit less than professional. Perhaps.
"I don't forget anything. I will give you my security clearance, you find a good cold case out of this dreary city, then we send the lunatic and his sidekick out into the world."
"Then we will follow in the shadows like we are in some great crime book huh?" Lestrade said, quite intrigued about the potential for an interesting
work week.
"Indeed Gregory. You will join my world of true discretion. I hope you enjoy it."
Mycroft hung up the phone.
He enjoyed saying that far too much.
John POV
"2 years ago a man in his early 20s, son to a senior official at MI6, broke down on an old road on the edge of Chester 5 miles away from his dad's countryside house. Called his dad to pick him up, but got tired of waiting and started walking to meet his dad half way. Then he was never seen again." Lestrade said proudly.
"Well Lestrade you tried" John thought. Sherlock will crack it in a minute and then it will be back to Baker Street and so back to finding strange tasting chemicals in John's English Breakfast Tea.
Inevitably the large shout of a sprawled out Sherlock on the couch next to him said "BORING! Honestly you insult my intelligence again Geoff and I'll get John to punch Anderson."
Dear Lord he didn't want to be dragged into this. Maybe an angel will come down to Earth and somehow make it a bit more interesting.
"That's not the full story." Smirked Lestrade through a zoom call.
"He was on the phone to his dad the entire time, and as his dad is an MI6 official the call was recorded as well as his dad hearing first hand what happened. But here is the thing…"
"There wasn't anything to hear" said Sherlock, sitting up fast.
Looks like John's prayers were being answered after all .
"Basically yeah. Everything was pretty normal. Except for the last 3 seconds when the son says [oh shit!, and then the call ends. The recording was enhanced and there where no sounds of any other people or animals.
Moving through a field makes noise and being attacked would have made quite the noise too. Even if they went for the phone first.
If it was a kidnapping, a ransom would have been made by now, and whilst the official worked for MI6 it was desk work mostly. Murder would make no sense."
"So I'm guessing no body found then."John asked, already wondering about gaining access to the autopsy report if it existed.
"None. He just vanished off the face of the earth." Lestrade finished.
Sherlock's eyes gleamed. "So either the official has some secrets that no one knew about or it was some strange rare phenomenon. Interesting"
John loved seeing Sherlock happy, seeing the life go back into his body like he had literally been dying from boredom. But he did wonder what the hell was going to happen considering what happened last time they where left to roam around an unknown place.
Little did he know that the same thought was running through Mycroft and Lestrade's brains too.
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Next Chapter due 02/04/2023. Go have a nap and a cookie, you deserve it.
