The Trouble With Sentiment

Chapter Twenty

Sherlock shot a glance over his shoulder. The young man behind them had halted in front of a closed restaurant, face lit up by his mobile. His body language was relaxed, the edges of his mouth curved. He thought he and his team were clever, that they had their prey right where they wanted them. He was wrong.

No one knew London like Sherlock. And his city always provided him with a way out.

"What's the plan?" Vivian asked.

Sherlock caught her hand. "Run!"

He yanked her to the right and into a hidden path which separated the two old buildings beside them. The tight space wasn't actually meant for people. It was an architectural flaw, one now used to their benefit. Sherlock ran with his shoulders twisted at an angle so he could fit. Vivian followed behind him, her hand tight in his. He felt his suit jacket snag on something sharp. He kept moving, and the fabric ripped free. The air smelled damp and dank. He didn't wonder why for long. The harsh sound of their feet pelting across stone turned to splashing. The ends of his trousers grew wet and cold, clinging to his skin. The passage darkened and narrowed further, slowing their angled run to a frustrating, sideways quickstep. Twice, he had to turn his head to the side to avoid scraping his nose on the uneven stone wall. A few of their pursuers would try to go around to the other side of the building to try and catch them there. What they didn't realize was that he didn't have any intention of going all the way through. His outstretched hand finally came into contact with cold, hard metal.

Sherlock guided Vivian's palm to it. "Climb."

"Right." A breathless laugh. "Will there be swimming next?" Her shoes scraped against the rungs of the ladder as she ascended it blindly. She paused. "Someone's coming."

The smaller framed young man had likely been the one to enter the passageway after them. "I'll take care of him."

"Fine, but if I don't see you in five minutes, I'm coming back for you." She scrambled up the ladder, and the sounds of her ascent faded away.

A moment later, the splashing of water echoed down the passageway. Sherlock waited, braced himself, and then a heavy weight slammed into his side. A grunt sounded, and the weight staggered back. The man's headlong rush told Sherlock their pursuer hadn't expected to catch up to them quite yet.

"You and your guest need to come with me, Mr. Holmes," the young man commanded.

"No, we don't."

"I'd hate for things to become impolite."

Amusement welled up inside Sherlock. Was he actually trying to intimidate him? This one was greener than Irish moss if he thought that was going to work. "What's your name, agent?"

"My name doesn't matter. You know my employer. That should be more than enough to ensure your compliance." The man's bewildered tone told Sherlock volumes. He was not only new, but startlingly innocent as well. There was still hope for this one.

"I do know who you work for," Sherlock said, "and I pity you. You have no idea what you're in for. Do yourself a favor and listen to me very carefully. This is obviously your first op. You were no doubt honored when you were chosen to lead it. Did you think you were special? You're not. This is a test -- one you are certain to fail. You can't win this fight. I'm smarter than you. I'm stronger than you. I'm better than you. In every way. You haven't got a chance. But you can choose how you fail and where it takes you. One way leads to freedom, the other to a lifetime of thankless servitude."

A long pause. The drip, drip, drip, of a leaking pipe filled the sudden silence. "I don't understand."

"You stand at a crossroads. Cease this farce of a fight. Tell your compatriots you couldn't find us. Tomorrow you'll be shipped off to another department and placed under a superior who won't treat you like an expendable pawn. It'll be the luckiest day of your life. Or you can annoy me, and I'll knock you out, handcuff you to the ladder, and make off with your boots. The evidence of your resistance will secure your position, and you'll never get another chance to leave."