Body of Lies

Chapter One: Boom

A/N: Full credit for the cover belongs to: watsonsdick.tumblr.com/



"Holmes? What the bloody hell are you doing here?"

"I'm helping you to find the men who have John."

"Over my dead body."

"That would be completely agreeable to me, Commander Bond."

"You would like that wouldn't you, Holmes?" Bond adjusted his stance as he looked around the barren warehouse, taking in all the shadows, making sure none of them moved. "Besides, aren't you supposed to be dead?"

"I could say the same for you." Sherlock followed the others gaze. The tension reminded him of the standoff he had with Moriarty at the swimming pool. Except this man wouldn't hesitate to shoot him upon arrival. "Couldn't stay away, could you. Always the bleeding heart for M."

Bond glanced around again. "Looks like we have the same objective, then."

Sherlock narrowed his eyes at Bond.  "What the hell do you want with John Watson?"

Bond smirked. "Looks like Mycroft doesn't share all of his secrets with his little brothers."

"How are you-" Sherlock swallowed. "Wait, you said brothers…?"

Bond raised his brow in surprise and opened his mouth to say something, when a noise to their left caught their attention. Both men silently aimed their guns in the direction. It sounded like a small rodent scratching around, but neither man wanted to take that chance. Bond glanced at Sherlock as they nodded at one another.  Bond made a couple gestures and Sherlock pursed his lips.  He hated taking orders from anyone, but he knew that Bond would be the one to get them out, alive.  Nodding at Bond, Sherlock swept the area with his eyes and gun as Bond crouched and slowly walked in the direction of the noise.  The warehouse was large and damp and dark, and Sherlock hated that he had no where to take cover.  His back was against a cold steel wall; however, he was concealed in a shadow, and he kept his movements to a minimum.

Bond however had to move between shadow and light to reach his destination of a rather large piece of machinery that Sherlock couldn't identify.  Bond made a swift upward movement and almost as soon as he made a defensive stance, he relaxed and signaled to Sherlock that there was no threat. Sherlock let out the breath he didn't realize he was holding and swept the area with his eyes again.  Bond gave more signals and Sherlock nodded.  Drawing a deep breath, he crouched and ran along the wall, staying as much in the shadows as possible. He stopped before reaching the entrance to the warehouse.  The fading light indicated that the sun was starting to set, and he knew they wouldn't have very much time. Looking back at Bond, he saw the man running across the warehouse and duck behind another large piece of machinery.

'Damn,' Sherlock thought to himself.  He glanced around, then managed a look outside.  He saw four vehicles parked a relatively short distance away. An old Beamer was his, and he knew the black Mercedes was Bonds.  The other two were a black suburban and a Volvo.  So, where were the other parties? This was the warehouse he was given directions to-

       A gunshot cut through his thoughts as he cursed himself for over-thinking his situation and not paying attention to the here and now.  He saw a profile that was not Bonds, racing towards the spot where he had seen Bond disappear.  Another gunshot and the man went down.  Sherlock crouched and dodged machinery and large metal chains and hooks hanging from the ceiling. A movement to his right caught his attention as he glanced over in time to see the firing of a side arm and he dropped and rolled and stood and bumped into another human.  He turned with his gun cocked just as Bond whispered his name loudly, then:

"Vatican Cameos!"

Sherlock ducked just as Bond fired his gun.  The detective simultaneously swept his leg out and knocked a man over.  Just as Sherlock was straightening himself, the man recovered from the sweep and caught Sherlock in a tight sleeper hold.  His vision was starting to swim as he heard a man's voice.

       "Well, well, well," the voice had a slight Australian accent and Sherlock recognized instantly as his target, Sebastian Moran. "I suppose I should be flattered, with two of England's finest men after me. But since you two are in a jam, now, I only consider myself lucky. I'll make sure I tell M and Mycroft that you two send their love-"

       Before he could finish, a deafening explosion rocked the back of the warehouse, the force of the explosion knocking Sebastian into Sherlock, and the man holding him, onto their backs. The man was knocked unconscious, but Sebastian was disorientated as Sherlock tried to dislodge himself from the arms of the man who had him in the sleeper hold.  Sebastian, realizing where he was, smiled down at Sherlock and started choking him. Sherlock brought his knee up into the other man and Sebastian loosened his grip long enough for Sherlock to roll from underneath him.  A thick black smoke was starting to fill the air as Sherlock searched the area for his gun and for Bond.  He was tackled by Sebastian and cold clocked three times before being pulled off by James Bond.  Sherlock groaned and tried to clear his head of the pain as Bond and Sebastian threw punches at each other.  A gunshot ripped through the air as the smoke became thicker. Sebastian threw one last punch at Bond and ran for the warehouse exit.  Sherlock rose from his stupor and watched Sebastian's profile disappear into the black smoke.  He took off like a shot after the man.

"Holmes, it's not worth it." Bond yelled as Sherlock ran after Sebastian. 'Damn.'