The Exception (sherlock x reader)

Chapter 18: Sherlocked

"You should screen your defence people more carefully."

"I'm not talking about the MOD man, Sherlock!" he went from disappointed to angry so quit it caught me by surprise, what had I missed? "I'm talking about you!" 

Me?  What could Mycroft possibly be referring too, I hadn't known about this project until two minutes ago.

"A damsel in distress," He laughed a bit, my confusion amusing to him as always. "IN the end are you really so obvious?Because this was textbook. The promise of love, the pain of loss, the joy of redemption. Then give him a puzzle and watch him dance." He was insulating that the Woman of all people had manipulated him?

"Don't be absurd."

"Absurd? How quickly did you decipher that email for her? Was it the full minute? Or were you really eager to impress?" His last words were seething with anger and resentment towards me.

Before I had a chance to defend myself, make him understand the game he was playing, a new voice came form the back of the plane accompanied by the clicks of heels on the floor.

"I think it was less than five seconds." I swiveled around to see her, standing there now with a full face of makeup, sharp red lips, and dressed exactly how you may expect a dominatrix to when going to collect her winnings from playing the government like a fiddle. 

"I drove you into her path," Moriarty stated somberly. "I'm sorry. I didn't know." Usually I'd be more intrigued or concerned by an apologise from my brother but my focus was far from him.

"Mr. Holmes, I think we need to talk." The women said, clearly soaking in the humiliation of the brothers.

"So do I-" I still could get us out of this. "There are a number of aspects I'm still not quite clear on."

"Not you junior, you're done now." Her words were harsh and emotionaless as she stepped past me, all attention on my brother. "there's more loads more," She explained. "On this phone I've got secrets and pictures and scandals that could topple your whole world. You have no idea how much havoc I can cause and exactly one way to stop me. Unless you want to tell your masters that your biggest security leak is your own little brother." The way she spoak evoked shame from Mycroft that I, of people, had caused this. I was fuming. 

~Time skip~

"We have people who can get into this," Mycroft tried to explain, trying to find every alternative avenue to avoid giving into the demands of Irene Adler, dominatrix. I stared at the fire in Mycrofts home, going through the events of our time together, searching each moment for a single clue about her passcode. She did love to give subtle hints and watch me dance. 

"I tested that theory for you," The Woman countered. "I let Sherlock Holmes try it for six months. Sherlock, dear, tell him what you found when you x-rayed my camera phone." She demanded.

"There are four additional units wired inside the casing," I spouted on command as I pictured what I saw back at the lab with Molly. "I suspect containing acid or a small amount of explosives. Any attempt to open the casing will burn the hard drive."

"Explosive," Echoed Irene. I kept my back to her. "It'smore me."

"Some data is always recoverable." countered Mycroft.

"Take that risk." But she knew he wouldn't.

"You have a passcode to open this. I deeply regret to say we have people who can extract it from you."

"Sherlock?"

"There will be two passcodes, one to open the phone and one to burn the drive. Even under duress you can't know whichone she's given you and there would be no point in a second attempt."