The Game Is On - (Sequel To Triple Threat)

Chapter One

Here it is, chapter one :D  EEEP, I'm excited about writing this book, I really am, so please vote and comment your opnions on how I can improve :D  ~Crimson

Chapter One

Sherlock

“No.”

“But-“

“No.” Lana growled in frustration when her mum, Jo, repeated her firm “no”.  What really annoyed her was that her mum wouldn’t even let her explain.  Was it so irrational that she, a fifteen year old, wanted to go to school?  Ten years of being homeschooled had meant that Lana was cut off from most of society, due to the decisions of her very over-protective mother. 

I sat back in my armchair, watching the argument unfold.  Lana was wearing her mother down, but still Jo refused to agree.  It had been fifteen years, and we hadn’t heard a peep from Moriarty’s followers.  Naive John truly believed that they had let us go, but Jo and I knew better.  However, I supported Lana in her bid to get to school – she needed to actually see the world, not hear it from her mother’s sugar-coated opinions.  Jo never told Lana the truth, if it would in some way cause her any kind of pain or worry, instead she’d alter every detail to make even the most horrible story sound OK.  Like when Lana asked about her father, instead of telling her the truth (that her father had forced himself on Jo, whilst she had been kidnapped) she told Lana that her father had been moved away because of his work.  I had to work very hard not to shout at Jo when she’d said this; her constant lies really rattled me.  She claims she was doing it for Lana’s protection, but we all knew that sooner or later Lana would be independent of her mother, and she’d get one hell of a shock when she stepped into the world. 

“WHY NOT?!” Lana had raised her voice, which was a very rare occurrence.  John poked his head around the door to see what the commotion was, but when he saw Jo and Lana standing up, practically at each other’s throats, he sighed deeply and left the room again.  John married Jo seven years ago, and had acted like Lana’s father – in a way.  He would never tell her off, but whenever Lana and her mother got into a fight, John would support Jo.  Jo could’ve burnt the house down, and he’d still take her side. 

“You know why not.” Jo’s voice was calm, but there was an underlying tone of exasperation that only I picked up on.  Lana’s eyebrow rose slightly, challenging her mother.  There was a short pause, before Jo sighed deeply.  “You cannot go to school because it’s far too dangerous-“

“What am I going to do?  Learn too much so my brain explodes?!” Lana shouted back, the blood rushing to her angry face.  Jo groaned angrily, knowing she was fighting a losing battle.  Lana wouldn’t give up easily. 

“Don’t.” Jo said, her voice now surprisingly quiet.  I smiled slightly, knowing that Lana was really wearing her down.  I put my newspaper to the side, and sat up straighter, watching Jo and Lana.  I glanced at Lana who was now standing still, her eyes drifting to the floor.  She’d obviously run out of things to say, so we’d reached a sort of stalemate.  Getting bored of the silence, I sighed deeply and stood up next to Lana.

“Right, Jo, enough is enough,” I began, straightening out my jacket.  “You have to stop this.” I told her firmly.  I saw her face collapse – she hated having the fight 2 vs. 1. 

“Sherlock, not you too-“ She began weakly, and already I knew I’d won.

“Yes, Jo.  She is FIFTEEN, and hasn’t been to school.  How do you expect her to survive in the world when she’s an adult?  She’ll have no qualifications, no social skills – you are raising a sociopath!” I half shouted at her, in an attempt to make her see reason.  Jo was silent for a few minutes, looking between me and Lana.  She sighed deeply and leant back into the chair.