Jump Then Fall

Chapter 41

"I can't believe you-"

"C'mon Elsa, we don't have much time, and I am not going to leave you here all by yourself." He grabbed her hand and trotted out of the building.

"Sherlock, please-"

"Taxi!" A cab stopped and they stepped inside. Sherlock started tapping his thumbs against his knees, showing his nervousness.

"Sherlock listen to me-"

"Elsa, be quiet. Yes, take a left here."

She grabbed his hand and ran her thumb over his knuckles. He closed his eyes, enjoying Elsa's soft touch.

"Sherlock, what are we doing?"

A low growl escaped his lips. He took his hand back and wiped his mouth.

"You know perfectly well what we are doing. I have solved all of his puzzles and he is going to pay for hitting you." He pulled out a gun from one of his pockets.

Elsa rested her forehead against his arm. "Don't you see? He wants you to confront him,"

"I've made up my mind, Elsa."

The cab stopped and they stepped outside.

"This is what I just ran away from, and now you're bringing me back. It's even the same place..."

They held hands as Sherlock led them into the building.

"Brought you a little getting-to-know-you present. Oh, that's what it's all been for, hasn't it? All your little puzzles; making me dance- all to distract me from this!" He started waving around a memory stick. Elsa turned around when she heard someone enter the room.

"Evening. This is a turn-up, isn't it, Sherlock?"

"John?" Elsa quietly whispered.

"John. What the hell...?

"Bet you never saw this coming." Sherlock took a step towards John, a look of pure shock on his face. Before he could move any closer, John opened his jacket, revealing a bomb. "What... would you like me... to make him say... next? Gottle o' geer... gottle o' geer... gottle o' geer..." his voice broke.

"Stop it."

"Nice touch, this: the pool where little Carl died. I stopped him." John narrated, "I can stop John Watson too. Stop his heart." A sniper laser appeared on John's chest. "And maybe Miss Wiggens' as well."

Elsa looked down to see a laser aimed at her chest also. She looked to Sherlock in despair, knowing she shouldn't have come back here in the first place.

Sherlock swiveled around, trying to see something, anything. "Who are you?"

"How nice of you to bring Miss Wiggens back to me. I thought the little bitch had gotten lost..." the voice filled Elsa with dread, and she let out a small whimper.

"Don't you dare call her a bitch!"

"I gave you my number. I thought you might call," Moriarty walked out into the open, advancing towards them. "Miss Wiggens, darling, won't you come over here?"

Sherlock looked at her, but she had no choice. A sniper was somewhere, and had a gun trained on her. Slowly, Elsa backed up to Moriarty. He grabbed her wrist harshly, preventing her from getting out of his sight.

"Is that a British Army Browning L9A1 in your pocket, or are you just pleased to see me?"

Sherlock took the gun out of his pocket and aimed it at Moriarty. "Both."

Moriarty looked at Sherlock and dropped his head. "There's no way you would actually shoot," he stepped behind Elsa, using her as a shield. Tears welled into her eyes as she now found two guns trained on her and her wrist being tightly pulled behind her back. She glanced at Sherlock and softly mouthed the word no. Moriarty peeked over Elsa's shoulder. "Jim Moriarty. Hi!" He paused. "Jim? Jim from the hospital? Oh. Did I really make such a fleeting impression? But then, I suppose, that was rather the point...

"Don't be silly. Someone else is holding the rifle," Jim said as Sherlock looked to John. "I don't like getting my hands dirty." He glared at Elsa, but lifted her hand and started to play with it. She grimaced in disgust. "I've given you a glimpse, Sherlock, just a teensy glimpse of what I've got going out there in the big bad world. I'm a specialist you see... like you!"

Sherlock started quoting the TV catchphrase of Jim's. He pushed Elsa forward.

"Consulting criminal. Brilliant." Sherlock finally said.