Sherlock: His Enigma Called A

The Poaching Poisoner (I)

"Not good."

"What is it?" Sherlock asked. Adelaide narrowed her eyes at her phone screen, "Adelaide?"

"I think this is for you." She answered and turned the screen around to face him. He liberated her phone from her hand to get a better look.

Come quietly and quickly. Or I strike Doctor Watson.

Sherlock darkened and then scowled as a second message came in.

Laboratory 4. Bring Miss Cavanagh.

"It's no doubt our elusive poacher, Adelaide."

"But what about-"

"John will be fine. I'll have him handle the Yard for us," Sherlock quickly texted John that he and Adelaide were checking the Research Centre before pulling her to her feet, "Aren't you coming? They said to bring you too."

"Doesn't it feel like it's going to be a trap, Sherlock?"

"If the poacher knows anything about me by now, they're perfectly aware that they can't take me by surprise. Come along."

Adelaide hesitated, "But-"

He turned his torso to look at her fully, "The poacher is here and they asked specifically for you, therefore you have or know something that they want."

"Laboratory four is where we house and research every toxic plant or animal that we keep. Including the Pitohui birds."

Sherlock grasped her wrist and gave a gentle tug, "If we don't head down there then we might not catch the poacher and figure out what their ultimate plan is."

"And if we aren't careful, they could easily kill us with any number of the toxins in that lab and wreak havoc before we could stop them. We can't just run in there. Don't you have a plan?"

Her mobile buzzed again.

Are you rejecting the invitation?

Sherlock handed the phone back to Adelaide and pulled her along, "Of course I do."

Adelaide stumbled but righted herself, ""A-alright, Sherlock." They slipped out of Hintze Hall and hurried to Lab Four. Along the way the detective went through his mental list of suspects and narrowed it down from eight people to three.

Adelaide took the lead, knowing the shortest route to the Lab. She had fallen strangely silent and Sherlock deduced that she was struggling to trust him completely. As they came to the door of Lab Four he exhaled and halted, pulling her to a halt. She looked up at him in confusion and he leaned down to whisper, "Just trust me, Adelaide."

Adelaide gulped and nodded. Then she swiped her pass card and unlocked the Lab. Sherlock went first and pulled her along behind him as they slowly entered the laboratory.

It was quite loud- a cacophony of animals squawking, croaking or screeching. Adelaide tensed, "They're frightened." She said lowly.

BANG!!

The sound of metal on metal rang out and Adelaide jolted. Sherlock turned his head towards the source of the noise and laid eyes on their poacher. As he narrowed his eyes at them the poacher smiled mischievously.

"Excellent. You made it."

Thank you for reading!! My oneshot book for #Sherlanna is up so please check it out!