Shadowing Moriarty

[solvescases]

"Ah, it would seem we are in the right place," Sherlock said, stepping through the sliding door as the lights came on. "And we were expected."

The room was long with a computer console setup on the far left with a large viewscreen keeping track of video cameras set all along the outside. At the far end of the room was a large mechanical device, humming and glowing as it seemed to be charging up a large round metal ring attached with wires and hoses. Sherlock hurried into the room, cane in hand. "Stop him, quickly!" he said to Watson as he ran in with him. "He's already turned it on!"

The scientist at the controls turned with a nasty grin on his face before throwing the final switch. There was a loud crack from the machine, almost subsonic in nature, as a large rip in time and space began to form inside the metal ring. Sherlock leapt at the man holding the lever, grappling with it and Moriarty for control.

The mixed signals from the computer caused the dimensional hole to wobble and waver, lights flickering throughout the room as it drew more current. The tunnel inside collapsing around itself as it fluctuated. The two men still struggled at the controls for a moment longer, Sherlock trying to gain the upper hand by using a baritsu judo hold but suddenly there was a loud explosion as the machine gave way under the strain.

Everyone was flung aside as a ring of energy exploded out of the vortex, killing all the lights. When Sherlock was able to pick himself up off the floor, the emergency red lights were on. He was covered in dust and debris from the broken room and Moriarty was gone. "Blast it," he said under his breath, trying to brush himself off and find out what happened to Watson.

He quickly pulled the rocks and debris off of a lone figure, lighting a match from his pocket to see better. The match itself was practically a relic in amidst all the technology.

Comments

[shadow_ag]

When Watson walks off to retrieve the car, Lamont gives a cursory look around, finding a metal box for them to move the orb inside. He makes a nest of insulated wire to keep it from rolling around and settles it inside. The less hands-on he is with the orb, the less risk to his person.

He doesn't pause in his task while Holmes asks the question and he nods with a friendly smile.

"1935. Quite an impressive deduction for a man who dresses like it's the 1890s." Quid-pro-quo, though Lamont tends to be a bit more lighthearted about his inquiries. Satisfied with his task, he caps the box and stands while removing his gloves and putting them back into a pocket.

"If he tries again, we will want to secure this one, rather than bring it to the site of the other and double his chances of acquiring either." There's a coy smile as he thinks on a rather successful tactic he's used in the past, though it's questionable is a man of Moriarty's ilk would fall as easily for it. It's better to speak his mind though, than hold a potential plan to himself in this case.

"Unless you think there's a chance we could lure him into taking a device we could track." The technology he knew was old compared to this, but Lamont had still managed to plant a bug in a radio system which allowed him to listen in to the plans of his adversary until they caught on that he was too many steps ahead.

[solvescases]

Sherlock looks amused at the comment about his own clothes. "You observe where others do not. I am not easily impressed." He glances down at his long coat and cane. "Nor am I easily taken in by what's termed 'modern fashion'." Just because it was modern did not make it infallible, this Sherlock knew for a fact.

"Might I suggest, as I'm sure you were as well, a substitute energy source?" A decoy would be most effective. Sherlock hunts in the rubble before finding a light fixture and unscrewing the round glass from it's moorings. Watson may be able to make something of it for later.

The car is hovering just outside the broken wall as a woman with a badge hanging around her neck is running up. "Ah, Lestrade. Would you be so good as to take this back to the yard for safekeeping?" He hands her the box as she's obviously angry at him for going in before backup had arrived and letting him know that in so many words. Words that Sherlock does not fancy hearing right now. "Coming, Mr. Cranston?" he asks, stepping into the hover car.

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Lamont nods his approval of Holmes' idea, though he will need to rely on the man's resources to make the idea happen. He could certainly try to make a glass bulb glow, but it will not be the same as the one in his box. He doesn't know what he might have access to, or if he'll even know how to use it. The room with its wrecked computers is impressive enough, and disconnecting a few cables was hardly operating a complex machine.

The female officer amuses Lamont, but only because of the looks she gives Holmes. It honestly pleases him to see a woman serving, she certainly looks the part and since she clearly associates with Holmes, she must be quite capable. With a pleasant doff of his cap and a polite Officer, he follows Holmes and sits in the car where he can see Watson at the wheel. The less he dallies, the less likely that the officer will have a chance to notice he's armed and carrying a permit for a city a thousand miles away and a few centuries expired.

He's not certain what he was expecting for controls, but they're more airplane than car in design. At least the stick, the dash panel is far more simplified and he's almost disappointed it's missing many of the dials and gauges he's used to seeing. He imagines most of that must be controlled by something like the computer he saw earlier, it would be the only explanation in this strange future. He'll need to watch one in action, and fully functional at some point so he can better understand the challenges he'll be up against. As he sits in the back, closely watching their heading and Watson's actions, he finally speaks up.

"Officer Lestrade works with you often?"

[solvescases]

Holmes tents his fingers under his nose in deep thought, his reverie broken by the question. "When it suits my needs. Lestrade's methods leave something to be desired, deliberate at best, but she does help when something needs to be kicked down or shot at."

That is quite unfair to her, Holmes. Without her insistence, you would not be around to help Scotland Yard after all. Watson reminds him as he turns a corner and merges into a line of air traffic.

"Mm, I suppose not," Sherlock conceeds the point. "Ever since the return of Moriarty, Scotland Yard has been in need of my help on more than one occasion."

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"A recurring adversary." Lamont states with a nod. He's not quite been around the 'vigilante' circuit back home to really gain any of those, and there's a certain part of him that's a little glad for it. Still, is speaks volumes to Moriarty's cunning and intellect that he's at large, and been a regular problem for a man like Holmes.

Lamont pauses in his conversation to carefully mind how Watson accomplishes the merging maneuver, and then returns his attention to Holmes.

"Seems to me she has a good measure of foresight to solicit your help." Lamont works regularly with Margo, and though she doesn't run his lab, she's one of the best on his staff and a good friend. He trusts her implicitly, and knows she does the best work. She's clever and spirited, and not afraid of danger when he calls for her. She doesn't know it yet, but in case of something happening to him, he's left the lab to her. At the thought, he wonders how being pulled to the future has affected his own time.

[solvescases]

"Or desperate, depending on how you look at it." Beth Lestrade could be as stubborn as her ancestors had been, but she was the best New Scotland Yard had, in Sherlock's opinion. Not that he would freely give it.

"New London will sleep better if Moriarty was finally put away where he belongs." Sherlock shifts in his seat as if deciding something. "Now, as to you my friend, its debatable that Moriarty had intended on bringing you here. But in the case that it was his plan all along...Watson, can you access any data on one Lamont Cranston from the year 1935?"

Accessing now...

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Lamont looks a little perturbed that Holmes would blatantly ask Watson to research him right there, but in a way it's also polite. Whatever information there is on Lamont, they will both be aware, and also know how much Moriarty might know about him if it was intentional.

Lamont keeps his eyes on the skyway, and an ear to Watson when he finally seems to return, though the whole while he seemed rather undistracted from his task of flying them safely. Quite a feat within itself.

Lamont Cranston, founder and owner of Cranston Research Laboratories. Specializing in chemical research for pharmaceutics, government and early forensic methods. Cranston was also the lead chemist. Hobbies included radio communications and he was a certified pilot. Member of American Chemical Society, and the Manhattan Cobalt Club. Officially listed Forensics Consultant for New York Police with reference as professional witness in multiple cases. Only police report details an unexplained disappearance in 1935, with no signs of foul play or intent to abscond. Presumed dead.

Lamont tears his gaze from the trip to look at Watson with a deep frown, clearly bothered by this news. Whatever Moriarty had done to bring him to the future, had left a scar on the past in the form of his disappearance. His expression darkens as he sits back in his seat at last, crossing his arms as he takes in the news. It doesn't bode well, for him or Moriarty. He's left friends behind and to think about Margo or Vincent worrying while trying to find him, and simultaneously keep his secret, leaves him troubled. He sits with his thoughts, preferring to keep them to himself.

[solvescases]

It does corroborate the man's story and the deductions Sherlock made about him. But it did not shed much light on the mystery itself.

Sherlock looks to the other man, being in the rare position of knowing exactly what he might be thinking at the moment. "Cheer up, Mr. Cranston," he says encouragingly. "There may be hope yet, if we can discover the method you were pulled from time, there may be a way to reverse it." The game was not over yet.

Since there were no obvious or not-so-obvious ties between Cranston and Moriarty, Sherlock can only conclude that the resulting time dilation was not part of his plan. "He may not even know you are here."

ugh short post sorry

[shadow_ag]

Lamont stays in his pensive state for only a moment longer before nodding. In that short moment he wonders how he might be able to take advantage of the situation to turn it in their favor. If Moriarty doesn't know he was brought here, or is at least unaware of his identity, he might have a card to play. Until then, he simply nods and adopts his usually pleasant nature again with a gentle smile.

"Quite right, Mr. Holmes. We should try to make the best of what's been presented to us. I will be interested to see the state of the next device, and it's protections. If we can keep it from this Moriarty, I would like to study it."

I can do shorter ha.....wait...

[solvescases]

Next device? Watson asks from the driver's seat.

"Of course, Watson. His first attempt failed, there's more than a good chance he will try again." Holmes commends Lamont for deducing that already.