The Man With The Umbrella

- 39 -

At the South Bank of County Hall, inside the sea life London aquarium, Sherlock made his way along the blue-lit corridors and through the glass tunnels under the water. "Ladies and gentlemen, the aquarium will be closing in five minutes. Please make your way to the exits provided. Thank you." A tannoy announcement called.

Sherlock continued onwards until he reached an enclosed area with benches where people can sit and look at the various tanks all around. A woman sits on one of the benches with her back to him. "Your office said I'd find you here." Sherlock began as a way to break the silence.

"This was always my favourite spot for agents to meet." Vivian continued, looking forward into a tank of sharks and other small fish. "We're like them: ghostly, living in the shadows." She turned to look at him.

Behind him, fluorescent jellyfish swim in another tank. "Predatory." Sherlock commented. "Well, it depends which side you're on." She turns away to look into the shark tank again. "Also, we have to keep moving or we die."

"Nice location for the final act. Couldn't have chosen it better myself. But then I never could resist a touch of the dramatic."

"I just come here to look at the fish." She stands up and takes a few steps closer to the tank. "I knew this would happen one day." She turns to face him, her handbag hanging from her elbow. "It's like that old story."

"Mister Holmes, the younger, really is a very busy man. Would you mind cutting to the chase?" Amelia's voice drawled as she walked through towards the pair, opposite the way Sherlock had entered. "Hello, Sherlock." She waved shyly before clasping her hands behind her back. Sherlock nodded to her with a twitch of a smile on his face. "Where's Mycroft?" He asked. "Should be here soon. He won't be pleased, though." Amelia shrugged.

"You're very sure of yourself, aren't you? The pair of you." Vivian spoke aloud, rounding her eyes towards Amelia. Amelia pulled an affronted expression before sticking her tongue out and blowing a raspberry. "With good reason." Sherlock spoke with precision.

"There was once a merchant in a famous market in Baghdad." Sherlock closed his eyes and lowered his head a little. Amelia rolled her eyes in boredom of hearing the story before, meanly weeks ago by Jessica. "I really have never liked the story." Sherlock commented towards Amelia.

"And you think that you're just like the merchant in the story?" Amelia pondered with a soft voice. Vivian simply nodded. "I thought I could outrun the inevitable. I've always been looking over my shoulder; always expecting to see the grim figure of -"

"Death." Mary finished as she came into the room and stops at Sherlock's side a couple of feet away from him. "Hello, Mary."

"Hey." She then turns to look to Amelia, waving happily. "John?" Sherlock questions. No sooner later, John walks through. "I'm here." He speaks.

Sherlock claps his hands and gestures to Vivian. "Let me introduce Amo."

"You were Amo?" Sherlock looks round to her. "You were the person on the phone that time?" Mary asks. "Using AGRA as her private assassination unit, it would seem. I am curious though, why did you betray Mary and her team?" Amelia answers Mary and questioned Vivian.

"Why does anyone do anything?" Vivian asks the room. "Oh, let me guess. Selling secrets?" John asked, the trio smile at John's small deduction. "Well, it would be churlish to refuse. Worked very well for a few years. I bought a nice cottage in Cornwall on the back of it. But the ambassador in Tbilisi found out. I thought I'd had it." She looked towards Mary before returning her gaze to Sherlock and John. "Then she was taken hostage in that coup." She laughs. "I couldn't believe my luck! That bought me a little time."