The Other Side - BBC Sherlock Fanfiction

Chapter 11 - Suspicion

Angel

"Angie, I've sent you the plans." I hear Jim call up the stairs. I yell back a word of thanks and excitedly open up the plans.

At the top is a date two weeks from now and the title 'Operation Cameron' which clearly refers to the intended victim. Not the most creative of names. The document contains the details of everything from the site of the assassination down to the colour of shoelaces of the assassin. The intense detail is undeniably impressive. However, I can't spend all day gawping at it, I need to get it to Mycroft.

I load it onto a USB stick, sending it via the internet or over text message is too easily intercepted. I decide to pay him an unexpected visit at the Diogenes Club, where he will, no doubt, be. I hail a taxi and tell the driver where to go, he seems mildly surprised at this, I suppose you don't find a huge number of girls in jeans going to the Diogenes Club.

We pull up several minutes later and I pay him, not tipping him this time seeing as he didn't exactly go out of his way to make the journey comfortable. I had been tossed from side to side, as if on a roller-coaster, but it was really nothing compared to some of the high speed car chases I've been art of in the past.

I leave the cab and waltz into the club, straight past all of the old wrinkled men and towards Mycroft's office. I am surprised to see that it is not his usual assistant who stands texting outside the door, Anthea as she prefers to be called - a much better name than her real one, but a younger one. She has probably just left University and, judging by the bags sloppily covered by makeup, has not kicked the partying habit as of yet.

I raise my hand to the door knob but am stopped by the nasal voice of the girl

"Do you have an appointment?" I give her a withering look and place my hand on the handle. "I'm sorry but, you can't see Mr Holmes without an appointment." I throw her the bitchiest smile I can muster and open the door and walk in. "Sorry Mr Holmes, I tried to stop her but-"

"Oh do be quiet girl, make some tea or something." He butts in. I stifle a laugh but as the door closes behind the offended young woman I let out a snort.

"She seems lovely." I say sarcastically. Mycroft nods in agreement and motions for me to sit down.

"I assume that you didn't just come here for a chat?" He questions, knowing that I am not the type to socialise excessively. I present the memory stick with a flourish and he looks at it questioningly. "This better not be another one of your virus pranks, last time you almost blew up half of Russia." I smile at the memory but assure him that this is not the case. Still looking unconvinced, he plugs it in. He breathes a sigh of relief when all that comes up is a Word document. He begins to read, though, and the relief is replaced by concern. "Is this what I think it is?" I nod gravely.

He finishes reading quickly. He is, after all, a Holmes. Straight away he suggests that I help to avert this problem, a risky but achievable job.

I ask him one favour, that he gets in touch with the sniper and offers him a deal. The sniper takes the blame for tattling to the police but is put under witness protection. He won't have much choice but to co-operate seeing as otherwise he'll end up in prison. Jim, however, won't know about this until after the scheduled time.

During our plan-making I receive a phone call from Jim which goes as follows:

"Ang, where are you? I need your help, Atkins is being a nightmare."

"I just went out for some milk, bear with me, I'll be back in a minute." I hang up and look to Mycroft, who stares back expectantly. "That was the devil calling me back to hell." I tell him, not entirely sure whether or not I'm being sarcastic. I bid him goodbye and rush out of the door. I sprint down the road to the corner shop and buy a pint of milk, needing to stay true to my alibi.

When, ten minutes later, I open the front door I am instantly met by Jim saying "We already have milk. Why did you have to get milk if we already had it, Angel?" I stare blankly at him for a moment, processing what he just said. Oh no, I'm screwed.

"I, um, well. Do we? I thought we'd run out?" I stutter pathetically and add a nervous chuckle at the end in a desperate attempt to convince him.

"I checked the CCTV of Tesco. but you weren't even there." He continues, clearly not believing a word of my feeble excuse.

"That's because I wasn't at Tesco. Jim, they'd run out." I improvise, knowing full well that he won't buy it, at least it buys me some time though.

Jim

I don't buy it. Our fridge has at least two full cartons of milk and I know for a fact that Tesco. just had a delivery of new milk a couple of hours ago, I saw the van driving down the street.

I run through various explanations in my head, why would she lie to me? None of them seem plausible. I glance up to see her biting her nails nervously, as if waiting for my verdict. "What do you want me to say to you, Angel? That I'm sorry for not believing you? I don't think so." I choke out, a bundle of confused emotions threatening to pour tears from my eyes. I start to leave the room, wanting to escape as soon as possible. I'm quickly stopped.

"Wait! Jim, I'm sorry that I lied and that I can't tell you the truth yet but it's a surprise and you'll find out soon. I promise." I take a deep breath and decide, in that moment, to give her the benefit of the doubt. I give a curt nod of acceptance and leave her.

Despite my supposed forgiveness I know that something isn't right, from now on I'll have to keep a close eye on Angel. It pains me to think that she could be going behind my back doing God knows what. For all I know she could be fraternising with the police! I won't tolerate it, from now on I'm going to be watching her every move.