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— So, now you can call me an idiot.
Grey haired head buried into hands. Pressure, which was so high the last few days, lay on his shoulders.
He wants nothing now. Nothing but keep these kids alive until they will find them. And he wants to find them so badly. But many days, many scenes, many lights and many days, many rains, many worries, many coffee’s cups, many sleepless nights — and he is going nowhere. He was desperate.
And he did not want to look into The Eyes, which follows him right now.
— You want to save them.
— Of course I want to! They are kids! And we can’t find that bastard!
— Hm. I see. Maybe... just... I helped you earlier, right?
Inspector opened his head and tried to focus on The Eyes.
It starts in an odd way and even now he is never sure that he is still normal. Calm voice frightened him once at the end of the long night at the Met. Voice — and eyes. It wasn’t a ghost, well, that’s what it said. It was a quiet voice — «Boring! Why are the police now so stupid? This is an easy case, I told you. Open and close case. Look here...» Lestrade listened to it, shocked, truly believing that now he had gone mad, but after all what The Eyes said came into one picture and suddenly the case, which looked so twisted and hard, became really easy. After a few hours the murderer was behind the bars, and Lestrade was in his office, trying to find The Eyes in shadows — it often rested in the shadows, and by night it could be anywhere in a dark office — and when he found it, he said quietly: «Thank you». «Nah, — he heard in answer. — It’s just so boring here... doing nothing. You can find me again, if you want some, — it paused, — a fresh eyes». Lestrade chickled, said good-bye and went home.
The Eyes helped him a few times more, but often they talked about many things. Lestrade found his new.. friend an interesting person, even if he wasn’t still sure that this wasn’t a trick played on his worn imagination. But The Eyes was a good person, even if it was a sarcastic cow many times. But it cares for some reason. It wants to do the right things — even when it says it just because it helped him not to die of boredom.
Many days he wasn’t at the office properly — after that kidnapping — and now he was tired and desperate, totally worn and tear.
— Yeah, you helped us, thank you, really... — he started and paused. — Can you help us now?
— Not from the office, but I can.
Voice was a bit insecure.
— How? Why are you so worried?
— You know? I can’t. Forget it. Let’s look at what we have from here. It would be a bit longer, but...
— Damn! We haven’t any time to wait! You can not be here? How? I think... you kinda tangled here.
— I can. But I can’t ask you about it. I.. You make this place not so boring. No one listened to me earlier. Many years! And suddenly — you... I can’t put that at risk.
— What risk are you talking about?
The Eyes closed and for many long seconds Lestrade was alone at the office. He started to worry.
— Hey, what will be with you if you leave this office? What can I do for you?
He was all ears and he caught it — a whisper.
— This will not be with me. I can’t put you on the line, Lestrade. I can’t risk losing you.
He started to laugh.
— Hey! I will be ok! Really! What could be wrong with me? But we really need to save these kids and stop that monster.
— Even if...
— Even if what?
The Eyes opened really close to his face and Lestrade made a scared noise.
— Whoa, mate, that was close!
The Eyes were really close to his eyes. And it was silent for a while. Lestrade started to get nervous.
— What?
— I can go outside that office and help you. But.. you see — I need transport.
— Like a cab?
— Like you.
Lestrade felt a cold chill on his spine.
— What do you mean?
— I need transport. Here I keeped myself in shelfs, shadows, old cases. But in another place I need a place to hide. Like a body. Like you.
— Well... like possess me?
— You can say that.
Lestrade paused. The Eyes closed and after a few seconds opened above the window.
— I can’t ask you about this favour. I understand. There is a risk for you. You have to trust me, and.. Well, let's be honest — you can’t trust the ghost.
Lestrade thought. For a year The Eyes helped him — only in case, but even went through bad days. He thought about these kids, frightened, in danger. He took a deep breath.
— You have my trust.
— What?
The Eyes opened in shock.
— I trust you. Let’s help these kids.
In a half-second before the dark came around him. Lestrade had a strange feeling, that greedy spark inside The Eyes when it flew into his body, was a really bad signal and probably he better not to trust eyes in the shadows.
After a short time he’s gone.
Light brown eyes opened on the face of the middle aged inspector. It was morning — bright rays coloured office into a golden chamber.
Man stretched his arms, body. Took a one deep and happy breath. He stood up and went to the mirror and looked at his face with a disgusting grin.
— No, no, no, my dear, we will not be so old fashioned.
He breathed and concentrated on the face.
Suddenly skull bones started to move, fashioning a different face, younger, with a different nose and thin lips. Hair moved like under the wind, changing its colour.
After five minutes in Lestrade’s office stood a young man with a greedy happy smile. He winked at himself, concentrated and for a blink of the eyes turned into Lestrade. Blink — and he was a young man with brilliant taste. He took a phone and sent a text. Grinned, turned into Lestrade and left the office.
It was close to midday, when Mycrift Holmes received a text. He finished reading short lines with a totally pale face.
«Come to play, Sherlock»
Mycroft’s face twitched in the direction of one of the rooms in his Mind Palace, covered with a big iron door. Bright light under the door started and became more and more powerful. Door started to melt.
— Brother mine! Give me a place!
— I can’t, — whispered Mycroft. — I can’t... I have my duty... I have a country to protect...
— Yes! — Light was brighter and brighter. — You can’t protect when he is freed! Who on Earth gave his body... Stupid policemen. Give me a place!
— I can’t! You will take all from me!
— Nope, my brother! I just need transport...
— I can’t..
— Don't be sissy! I want to play!
Brighter and brighter. Mycroft’s face was in tears. Holding that door was hard.
— I can’t, — he whispered. — I can’t hold on anymore...
Light came over him — white and cold.
«I smarter, dear Jim»
Sherlock Holmes sent text and smiled to himself, seated at his brother’s chair.