The three of you left in a cab to go back to Sherlock's flat. I asked the cabbie to drop me off at my place first. I needed a shower, and a change of clothes.
After only about 10 minutes of Mrs. Astor and her worried examination I finally made it up to my flat. I slipped off my shirt and examined the wound. It could have been a lot worse. It wasn't too deep, just enough to require a few stitches. It scared me more than anything. While I was in the shower I had some time to relax and think about the case. Why did Zhi Zhu need to go see Soo Lin? She was out, done. But he needed her help with something stolen... She works with antiquities. It struck me. The Black Lotus must have been selling antiques, smuggling them out of China. But we know something was stolen, hence the 3 murders. It must have been something extremely valuable, otherwise they wouldn't make all this fuss. Then there was the books. Soo Lin had said that the cipher was based off a book. Meaning the book we need will be in both Lukis' and Van Coon's library.
Something else Sherlock had said earlier struck me. The numbers always come in pairs, the numbers have partners. This reminded me of something that happened on National Treasure, a movie I liked. Three numbers, one referred to a certain document, one to a line in it, and the last to the word in that line.These two numbers must refer to a page and a word on that page.
After this realization I quickly got dressed in a new shirt and some jeans. My hair was still a little wet when I stepped outside. I began the 5 minute walk to Sherlock's flat when my phone buzzed. I fumbled to get it out of my pocket when I ran into someone.
"Oh I'm so sorry." I said sincerely. Before me was a well dressed, handsome man, with a smile on his face.
"It's no problem, dear." He said, his accent sounded Irish.
"I'm sorry, you look so familiar. Do I know you?" I asked, returning the smile.
"I don't think so, it would be hard to forget a face like yours." He smiled, cheesy line but it was working.
"I just swear I've seen you somewhere..." I said, trying to place it. "Yes I have, oh at that Italian restaurant a little while back over on Northumberland Street."
"You know what, you're right. I do remember you. If I recall correctly, you were there with a guy. Is he your boyfriend?" The stranger asked.
"Oh no, no. He's just a colleague." I smiled awkwardly.
"Where are my manners... My names James. I work in IT at Barts hospital."He said sticking out his hand to shake mine.
"Adelaide Gregson. Small world, I'm at Barts a lot too. I work for Scotland Yard." I said, looking down to my watch.
"You look to be in a hurry, I'm sure I'll see you around some time. "He smiled.
"I'm sure I will." I waved goodbye as I continued down the street.
I finally read the message on my phone.
How's Sherlock doing? Haven't heard from you in a while.
MH
I rolled my eyes and smiled at their childish feud. I sent back a reply quickly.
He seems to be okay. We're working a case.
AG
He replied immediately.
Good. I heard you got shot, are you okay?
MH
This last text surprised me. It was uncommon for the Holmes brothers to care or show concern for anyone but themselves. I seemed to be the exception.
I'm not even going to ask how you found out. But I'm fine, just grazed me. A few stitches.
AG
Before I realized it, I was standing in Sherlock's sitting room, sending your latest text to Mycroft.
"Who are you texting at a time like this?" Sherlock said from behind a four foot tall barricade of books.
"Your brother." I answered.
"My brother? Mycroft doesn't text." Sherlock said, annoyed.
"Well he texts me. Does that mean I'm special?" I said, smiling in a cocky manner, just to bug him.
"I'm sure I won't have to catch you up on what you missed." Sherlock said, changing the subject.
"Expect not." I said, placing you bag and coat down on the couch.
"Go on then" Sherlock said, wanting me to show what I have deduced about the case.
"Soo Lin's brother needed her help because of her work with ancient antiquities. The Black Lotus has been smuggling them out of China and selling them here for a lot of money. Something valuable must have been stolen by either Lukis or Van Coon. The code is hidden in a book, one that both of them will own. The numbers come in pairs, so one for the page and the other for a specific word on that page." I said confidently.
"Help us look." Sherlock said with a smirk on his face. I smiled and obliged. I began looking through boxes and boxes, only to find a few matching books. I hadn't realized it, but it was now morning. You had worked all night.The only thing that brought me out of my work trance was the sound of John's watch alarm going off. John had to leave for work. Sherlock and I continued to look.
"A book that everyone would own." Sherlock began mumbling as he looked through his own bookshelf. I soon passed out on the couch, we had been looking for nearly 20 hours straight.
"I need to get some air. We're going out tonight." Sherlock's voice woke me as he talked to John, who had just walked through the door.
"Actually, I've got a date." John said, you sat up on the couch.
"What?" Sherlock asked.
"It's where two people who like each other go out and have fun," I told him, rubbing your eyes.
"That's what I was suggesting." He said.
"No, it wasn't." I said, standing up. John and I shared a look.
"Where are you taking her?" I asked John.
"Er, cinema." He answered.
"Ugh, dull, boring, predictable." Sherlock rambled as he walked across the room.
"Why don't you try this?" Sherlock said, handing a piece of paper to John. "In London for one night only."
"Thanks, but I don't come to you for dating advice." John said, and I laughed.
After John left I helped Sherlock look a little more but he seemed to be getting bored as well.
"Why don't we go surprise John?" He asked. I looked up to him confused.
"How do you mean?" I asked.
"I could call up, get two more tickets." He suggested.
"A double date with John." I laughed, "I'm sure he'd love that."
"Yellow Dragon Circus in town for one night. The Tong sent an assassin to England. A killer who can climb, where else would you find that level of dexterity. Acrobats... Exit visas are scarce in that country. They would have needed a pretty good reason to get out." He said.
"You think this circus thing is a cover for the Black Lotus. Well it does fit." I said. I'd also love to see the look of surprise on John's face. "Sure, but I'll need to change."
Did Sherlock just ask me out on a date?
I got to the venue of the circus downtown with Sherlock. I was wearing a grey skirt with a black and white top and dark jacket. My heels clicked methodically on the pavement. I walked up to the ticket box where I saw John with his date.
"No we only have two tickets." John argued.
"Then I called back and ordered two more. Hello, I'm Sherlock, this is Adelaide." He said. We shook hands with John's date, her name was Sarah. She worked with John at the hospital. Sherlock suddenly took off down the hall, John followed suit. He didn't look too pleased to see us. Sarah and I went to the bathroom to freshen up before the show began. She was actually really nice.
We stepped into the room where the show would be. It wasn't much of a circus, the room was small and the stage was a circle of candles on the floor.
"You said circus, this is not a circus. Look at the size of this crowd Sherlock this is...art." John whispered to Sherlock.
"This is not their day job." Sherlock reminded him.
"No, I'm sorry I forgot. They're not a circus, they're a gang of international smugglers." John scoffed.
Someone began banging a drum, and the show began. A woman stepped out in traditional Chinese garments with her face painted almost entirely white.
She revealed what appeared to be a huge wooden crossbow sitting on the floor nearly 5 feet tall. A long stick with a dagger on the end pointed out of it. I glanced up at Sherlock's face. He was smiling like a child. He must have known the act.The woman plucked a feather from her headdress and placed it into a metal bowl at the end of the crossbow contraption. Suddenly the large arrow flew from the contraption and lodged itself into the wooden board across from it. The sudden movement scared me and I jumped and clung to Sherlock, my hands wrapping themselves around his arm. He looked down to me with genuine happiness. Something that I had never seen him do before. I smiled back, i loved seeing him like this.
Another person walked out onto the stage now. He had on a mask that reminded you of the huns from Mulan. They began locking him in chains and securing him to the wooden board that had just been skewered by the stick.
"Classic Chinese escapology act," Sherlock bent down and whispered in my ear, "The crossbow's on a delicate string. The warrior has to escape his bonds before it fires."
Just as Sherlock said, the woman placed a new arrow into the crossbow. She then pulled out a dagger.
"She splits the sandbag, the sand pours out. Gradually, the weight lowers into the bowl." Sherlock whispered again. The woman stuck the dagger into the bag and it all happened just as Sherlock predicted.
When it seemed like the warrior wasn't going to make it, he was free of the bonds and fell to the floor just in time. The arrow pierced the wooden board just above him.
"My God!" John and Sarah said in surprise. Everyone began clapping. I turned to see Sherlock's reaction, and he was gone. John had now turned around and was looking for him too.
"Where did he go?" John asked me.
"I have no idea, he was just here." I said.
Suddenly the lady began talking again.
"Ladies and gentlemen, from the distant moonlit shores of the Yangtze River, we present, for your pleasure, the deadly Chinese bird spider." I stopped looking for Sherlock when that last word hit your ears. Spider. Zhi Zhu. Dammit, Sherlock was right.
The acrobat came down on two red silks, spinning, and well, flying. I saw the curtains behind the stage part slightly. I knew he was back here. How the hell did Sherlock sneak backstage in about three seconds.
I heard some grunting and the curtains began to rustle slowly. I slowly started walking towards the curtains. Just as I was almost there, Sherlock came lying out from the curtain and fell onto his back. His attacker jumped down as well. I saw John running at the two of us. I tried to pull the assassin off of Sherlock but I wasn't getting anywhere. He swung back and his hand made contact with my face. I yelped and grabbed my cheek for a moment before returning to helping Sherlock.
The assassin raised his sword above Sherlock, ready to strike down. John lunged at him from the side, and knocked him to the ground. When he was down, one swift kick to the face was all it took. While he laid there unconscious, Sherlock removed his shoe. On his heel was the mark of the Tong.
"Come on. Let's go!" Sherlock yelled, grabbing my hand and dragging me behind him. John and Sarah were running behind us.
We made it to Scotland Yard and found DImmock.
"I send a couple of cars. The old hall is totally deserted." Dimmock said, annoyed.
"Look, I saw the mark at the circus. The tattoo that we saw on the two bodies, the mark of the Tong." Sherlock said.
"Lukis and Van Coon were part of a smuggling operation. Now, one of them stole something when they were in China. Something valuable." I told Dimmock, my cheek was starting to swell slightly.
"These circus performers were gang members sent here to get it back." Sherlock said.
"Get what back?" Dimmock asked.
"We don't know what exactly." I said quietly.
"You don't know. Mr. Holmes, I've done everything you asked. Lestrade, he seems to think your advice is worth something. I gave the order for a raid. Please tell me I'll have something to show for it. Other than a massive bill for overtime." Dimmock scolded, and there was nothing we could say.