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It had been a month since the death of Herlock Sholmes. Most people had moved on, but there was one man that couldn't, no matter how hard he tried. It was no surprise that Yujin was deeply affected by his partner's death; he was spending less and less time at Baker Street, and more time at work, far away from any memories of the great detective. Mycroft had ordered him not to touch anything belonging to Herlock, so his belongings sat where they were left last, waiting for a dead man to return from the depths of Reichenbach Falls.

Thanks to his efforts, though, the majority of Moriarty's gang had been arrested and prosecuted. All in all, things were looking up for London. However, despite a large criminal organisation being taken down, crime hadn't decreased. It was still ever growing. The presence of Herlock Sholmes would be missed in times like these.

There were still those that fought against this ever-growing problem. The carriage Genshin Asogi was in rattled over the various potholes on the streets of London. He gazed out of the small window, watching the raindrops fall. It had been a busy month for him and Klint van Zieks; they barely managed to catch a break with taking care of Moriarty's gang.

Klint, sitting opposite, let out a huff. He placed the files in his hand on the seat next to him. "I've been over everything, Asogi. All of the evidence related to the two of them was destroyed. We can't charge them with no evidence; the men will just have to walk free," he said.

Genshin turned his attention back to his fellow passenger. "I still think it's a good feat to have prosecuted the rest of the gang. Your promotion is secured now, correct? If they offend again, we'll catch them. They'll certainly be under close watch from now on, now that they're associated with the rest of Moriarty's gang." He let out a loose smile; his way of comforting the man opposite him.

"The entire point of this operation was to arrest every member of Professor Moriarty's gang," Klint lamented, "Mr Sholmes sacrificed his life for this operation. Yet, I have failed him. I was unable to-"

"Is that why you decided to come along with me today?" Genshin deduced, his eyes going wide. "When I mentioned that I was going to check up on Dr Mikotoba, you insisted on coming along. You've never been one to insist on joining me before. You... blame yourself for Mr Sholmes' death, don't you?"

The air in the carriage grew colder. "I introduced Mr Sholmes to Professor Moriarty - granted, I'm sure that he would've discovered his identity eventually. I allowed him to assist me in this operation, and he suffered greatly for it," Klint bit his lip before continuing, "Dr Wilson has informed me that Dr Mikotoba has been taking his death hard. The least I could do is apologise and thank the man for his efforts. If it wasn't for him, we would've never have known where Mr Sholmes stored the related evidence."

"Not to mention... the other thing," Genshin's voice turned into a low whisper. "We agreed that we would finally tell him. He has a right to know."

"That we know? Yes, you're quite right." Klint replied as the carriage pulled to a stop. He glanced out of the window and found himself smiling; the rain had stopped, and the skies were finally clearing up. Good; he was getting sick of the rain.

Baker Street had been oddly quiet with the absence of Herlock Sholmes. The street was empty as the two stepped out of the carriage. Genshin knocked on the door of 221B and stepped back to examine the windowsills of the first floor. It was usually full to the brim with plants, but some of the plants had clearly seen better days; they were in dire need of care. 

Mrs Hudson opened the door and smiled brightly the moment she saw the two. "Oh, I knew you'd come!" She chirped as she invited them inside. "Really, it's so good of you both to visit Dr Mikotoba. I've been telling him that he needs to see his friends again, but he claims he's too busy with work."

Genshin shut the door and followed the landlady upstairs, Klint trailing behind him. "Yes - how is he?" Genshin asked her, "I had heard that he was spending more and more time at work lately..."

"Between you and me, I think it's because he can't stand to be in a room where he's reminded of the late Mr Sholmes," Mrs Hudson whispered to them both, "His brother has ordered us to leave all of Mr Sholmes' belongings where they are. I don't understand it; maybe it's because he can't bring himself to touch them yet?"

"I believe Mr Mycroft Sholmes is a busy man himself," said Klint, "If he has felt grief, he keeps it to himself. He was offered a reduced workload, but he insisted that he would be fine."

Mrs Hudson led the two into Herlock and Yujin's suite. Yujin was waiting for them; he had prepared three cups of tea in advance. He jumped up out of his chair and ushered them inside. Genshin was surprised to see him so joyous, especially given the condition Mrs Hudson had previously described him to be in.

"Thank you, Mrs Hudson, we'll be alright now." Yujin assured her, quickly ushering the woman out. He returned to his seat as Genshin and Klint settled on the sofa. "It's good to see you both. I really can't thank you enough for taking time out of your morning to see me."

"I must say, I expected you to be..." Genshin trailed off before he could finish his sentence. If he mentioned anything saddening, it might ruin Yujin's good mood. "Has our visit brightened your spirits that much?"

"Of course it has!" Yujin beamed as he poured some tea for them both. "It means you must have some good news for me! My life has been... rather upsetting lately, and Mrs Hudson did say that I should try to stay positive. Did you manage to prosecute Moriarty's gang? Have you... finally found Sholmes'..."

Klint took a sip from his tea to delay a response. He knew exactly what Yujin was going to say, even if he couldn't bring himself to finish his sentence. Yet, he knew he was about to ruin his good mood. "I'm afraid that two members of Professor Moriarty's gang managed to escape prosecution. There's still no news on the recovery of Mr Sholmes' body, either-"

"We'll be keeping an eye on them, though," Genshin quickly jumped in, desperately trying to sprinkle in some good news. "I'm sure we'll be able to arrest them for something - it's only a matter of time before they offend again."

The positive aura from Yujin faded immediately. His shoulders slumped. He sank back into his chair and gave a small nod. "I... I see. I completely understand. But if there's no body, then his brother, Mycroft, said there wouldn't be a funeral. I can't even... say goodbye properly..."

Genshin shot Klint a look, now that he had successfully brought down his mood. "We know you've been through a lot, Yujin," said Genshin, "It has been rather tough on you. We're here to offer our support. Both you and Mr Sholmes aided in the capture of Moriarty's gang."

"We wouldn't have caught them if not for your help," Klint joined in, "Dr Mikotoba... Please accept my sincere apologies. I will take full responsibility for what happened. We were unable to capture Professor Moriarty in time, and as a result..."

"No - Sholmes knew what he was getting into," Yujin muttered, "He would tell me over and over about how he considered that case to be his crowning achievement; in all of his work, that was the one case he was proud to have played a part in closing. I just... I just wish it played out differently. Life can be terribly long when you're lonely - when you have no one else."

Genshin offered a sympathetic smile. "You have us, Yujin. You have little Susato back in Japan, too," he stressed.

"You know what I mean; I only have poor Mrs Hudson to keep me company," Yujin continued, "I've considered looking for a new flatmate, but Mycroft simply won't let me touch any of Sholmes' things... Ah, forgive me for rambling. You probably didn't come here to hear me rant and grieve."

"I believe that it would be beneficial to talk to someone about all of this, Dr Mikotoba," Klint replied, "However, I feel as if you should know that we... Asogi and I did have another reason for coming here. It's something that you should know."

"Something we should've told you ages ago," Genshin added on.

Yujin raised an eyebrow. "I have a feeling that you're only telling me now because of the... state I was in when I returned from Switzerland. I can assure you, I can handle it, whatever news it is."

"We knew you had other things to worry about. We didn't want to stress you out even further," Genshin bit his lip before continuing. "It's, um, rather awkward, actually. Lord van Zieks, can you...?"

"After you we arrested Professor Moriarty's gang, he seemed to try and get his revenge through other means," Klint explained, getting straight to the point. "From what Asogi has told me, he witnessed one of Professor Moriarty's agents - one that we had yet to arrest - deliver a letter to his flat. The letter contained details of... of..."

Now that Klint had seized up, Yujin only grew more worried. "A letter? Containing what?" Yujin repeatedly asked them, looking frantically between the two for answers. "Genshin? Lord van Zieks? What did the letter-"

"I-It was about your relationship with Mr Sholmes," Genshin hissed, leaning closer to him so he wouldn't have to raise his voice. "It was nothing substantial, of course. It just... merely told the reader about... your..."

Klint raised his hand over his eyes and desperately tried to look anywhere else. "Listen to us, Asogi - we're acting like children. The point is, it contained rather sensitive information that would've caused upset if it wasn't contained."

"It would've at least started an investigation." Genshin pointed out.

"Yes, I'm sure the man is well aware," Klint noticed how confused Yujin looked and cleared his throat. "Apologies. Back to the agent - Asogi managed to chase him down as he reached his next stop, which happened to be my office. We apprehended the man and seized the letters before anyone else found out, but I'm afraid that we... both saw the contents of them."

"Wait a moment - let me see if I've got this correct," Yujin put down his teacup and leaned forward. "Genshin, you discovered an agent employed by Moriarty when they put a letter through your door. Said letter contained sensitive information in regards to my relationship with Sholmes. How much... information was on there?"

"That the two of you were together," Genshin replied, "Romantically. I-It also suggested that you were in violation of the law-"

Klint raised his hand and interrupted him. "Section 11 of the Criminal Law Amendment Act 18-"

"You don't have to state it, Lord van Zieks," Genshin placed a hand on Klint's shoulder to silence him. "Yujin is perfectly capable of understanding what I meant." 

"I see. So, you apprehended the man," Yujin recalled, "What did you do with the remaining letters? Is it possible that anyone else to found out?"

"No," Klint answered quickly, "We burnt the remaining letters. We were both in agreement that such a thing should be kept a secret. No one needs to know; besides, the letter was from Professor Moriarty, a known criminal. It's not exactly usable as evidence against you."

"I... thank you for keeping it a secret," Yujin lowered his head. "To be honest, I'm not surprised. Moriarty did say that he would tell people. In truth, I had wondered why he never made good on his threat. If you don't mind, I would prefer it if we never talked about thi-"

There was a loud, impatient knock at the door. Yujin sighed and went to answer it, only for the door to be flung open before he got there. A police officer marched into the room and headed straight for Klint, ignoring Yujin entirely.

Klint jumped out of his seat and raised a hand before the police officer had a chance to speak. "That was awfully rude of you! Apologise to Dr Mikotoba for your lack of manners - just because you're in uniform, it doesn't give you the right to go barging into people's homes!"

"S-Sorry, sir, but it's important!" The police officer stressed, "I was told to collect you immediately. There's been a murder down by Park Lane, and they want you over there. We've left you the necessary information in your carriage, so you're well-briefed of the situation before'and."

"What a shame - it appears our meeting will have to be cut short, Dr Mikotoba," Klint frowned. "Asogi, it looks like we're needed."

"Hang on; how about we invite Yujin along?" Genshin suggested, his eyes lighting up. "The man has seen many peculiar crime scenes as Mr Sholmes' assistant. It can't be an easy case to solve if they rushed to summon you. We could certainly use his medical knowledge, at least."

"Bring Dr Mikotoba along, hm?" Klint placed a hand on his chin and thought for a moment. "I suppose having an extra mind wouldn't do any harm. Three heads are better than two! Would you like to come along, Dr Mikotoba?"

At first, Yujin didn't know what to say. He wouldn't consider himself an expert; he had picked up some of Herlock's methods and attempted to use them previously, but he didn't think that he was much use. It felt wrong. The person that would've been guiding him along was no longer there. Yet, at the same time...

"I'll join you." Yujin replied, a determined look on his face. In the memory of a certain great detective, he would help solve this case. Even if it hurt him. 

----

Upon entering the carriage, Klint immediately began to read through the information given to him. He didn't get very far, though; something that he read made his heart drop. He stared down at the words in front of him, trying to make sense of it all.

Genshin knew that something was wrong the moment Klint stopped talking. "What is it?" He asked him, "Lord van Zieks, you haven't even told us the victim's name yet. Is it someone we know?"

Klint slowly nodded. "The victim in this case is one Ronald Adair," he muttered.

"Adair?!" Genshin exclaimed, "But that's... Well, I can see why they decided to summon you. Yujin, just so you're aware... Ronald Adair was one of the two members of Moriarty's gang that managed to escape prosecution."

"A member of Moriarty's gang? Murdered?" Yujin's eyes went wide. "What do we know about the man, Lord van Zieks?"

"He's the second son to the Earl of Maynooth. He lives with his mother and his sister at 427 Park Lane," Klint explained, "He was engaged to a Miss Edith Woodley, but the engagement was broken off a few months ago by both parties. We can only speculate as to why. We believed that he funded some of Professor Moriarty's work, yet the funds are untraceable; it's partially why he escaped prosecution."

"He's a fond lover of cards, too," Genshin continued, "He only plays for fun - the stakes are always low. Adair is - or was - a member of the Baldwin, Cavendish and Bagatelle Card Clubs. Do we have any other information regarding his death, Lord van Zieks?"

"It appears that he was playing cards at the Bagatelle Card Club on the day of his death," Klint read, "He died late last night, between the hours of ten and eleven-twenty. Earlier in the day, was playing a round of whist with a Mr Murray, Sir John Hardy and Colonel Moran. None of them reported a large loss of money. Asogi, do you recall any other details regarding his card playing habit?"

"I believe he was a cautious man, and usually rose a winner," Genshin recalled, "I discovered that he had a partnership with Colonel Moran, his fellow partner in cards. The two managed to collect a tidy sum of £420 following a particularly successful day of cards."

"That's certainly more than a tidy sum," Yujin noted, "What else do we know?"

"On the evening of the crime, he returned from the club at ten," Klint said, turning his attention back to his notes. "His mother and sister were out. A servant had lit a fire in his room before he returned, but had opened the window since it was smokey. No sound was heard until eleven-twenty, when his mother and sister returned."

Genshin leaned over Klint's shoulder to take a closer look at the notes. "Oh, that's very interesting... It looks like his mother attempted to say goodbye to Mr Adair, but found his door to be locked from the inside. When they finally forced the door open, he was found dead on the table. Strange; there's no note on the cause of death."

"Perhaps they want us to draw our own conclusions," Klint muttered as he glanced out of the window. "Ah, look - we're pulling up now. I'm sure we'll have the matter solved between the three of us."

There was already a crowd outside of 427 Park Lane. The large house was walled off, and there was a notable police presence outside. The carriage pulled up outside after the crowd was told to move. Klint stepped out and headed inside, Genshin and Yujin following close behind him. Nobody questioned their presence; something which Yujin could get used to.

They were led to the scene of the crime upstairs. The moment Yujin entered the room, the scent of decay flooded his senses. It was a scent he was familiar with. The sight of a dead body in a situation such as this was never a welcome one. In his work, it was different. When he was investigating a murder, however...

"Why hasn't the body been removed?" Klint snapped at the nearest police officer. "It's been at least nine hours since the body was discovered. No wonder why there wasn't a cause of death mentioned in the report - you haven't even removed the body from the crime scene yet!"

"W-We wanted you to get a proper look at the crime scene, Lord van Zieks!" The police officer stuttered, "I'll call 'em right away, don't worry! I'll get on it right now!"

Genshin placed a comforting hand on Klint's shoulder as the police officer scurried away, scared out of his skin. "Well, Lord van Zieks? I think you know what time it is."

Klint's face lit up immediately. "Klint and Genshin's first impressions! Let's start at the table. It is where the victim died, after all."

As the two of them strode over to examine the table more closely, Yujin couldn't help but to feel out of place. Klint and Genshin were already experts. Anything Yujin could contribute would've already have been caught by them. He wasn't even a detective - he was just a civilian in this. The only reason he hadn't been escorted out yet was because of Klint.

He watched in awe as Klint and Genshin began their deductions. Genshin snapped his fingers and pointed to the cluttered table in front of them. "There's a fair bit of money on the table - the total sum leading to... £220. With the money being left on the table, the motive can't have been robbery. Lord van Zieks?"

"The money is stacked into neat piles, and the victim appears to have been listing the names of his club members," Klint said as he leaned in close to inspect a sheet of paper near the victim. "It seems that he was interrupted whilst working out the losses and winnings from his hobby. Dr Mikotoba?"

Yujin jumped out of his skin upon being referred to. He hurried up to Klint and smiled politely. "What is it, Lord van Zieks? You're not inviting me to take part in your deductions, are you? I really can't see what I-"

"Can you take a closer look at the victim for us?" Klint asked him, "You are a doctor, after all. The body has yet to be properly examined with an autopsy, although, I doubt it will. Considering that our victim here is the son of an Earl, and... Well, I'd have to ask the House of Lords, and even then, it would be seen as a peculiarity. What can you gather just from looking at him?"

It was a matter Yujin knew all too well; the majority of bodies he had dissected in the past were usually those that had given up their bodies up for medical science, or those that had remained unclaimed (such as those that had died in hospital or in a workhouse). It was rare to dissect someone of a higher social standing. 

In this case, it was likely that an autopsy wasn't needed to see the fatal wound. The victim's head had been horribly wounded by a single bullet. He was so used to seeing blood by now that the amount of it that lay splattered round the room didn't impact him in any way. Yujin inspected the wound more closely before coming up with a response. "I can see a single bullet. Death would've been instantaneous. Here's an interesting tidbit, though - the bullet expanded upon impact. You'd be looking for a unique gun; I've never seen a bullet quite like this before," he said.

"An expanding bullet?" Genshin placed a hand on his chin. "If there was a weapon fired, no one heard a sound. There's no sign of any weapon that could've fired such a bullet in here. It can't have been suicide, then. Additionally, the door was locked from the inside."

"Expanding bullets are considered inhumane, even in times of war," Klint explained, a frown on his face. "There's talk of banning them entirely. Still, Asogi is right; there's no trace of the weapon here, and no one heard a sound. It is possible that the culprit locked the room from the inside, then fled..."

Noting the bullet's path, Yujin traced the bullet's trajectory and stopped next to the open window. "It's possible that the bullet was fired in this direction," he noted, "Perhaps the culprit climbed in through the window?"

Genshin leaned out of the window to take a closer look. "The wall surrounding the house is low enough to climb over. Someone could've entered and exited through here without alerting the servants," he suggested.

"I'm afraid that's unlikely," Klint leaned out of the window himself and pointed to the ground directly below. "There's a drop of about twenty feet, I'd say. The flowers directly beneath us haven't been disturbed. Neither has the grass below leading up to it."

"The victim himself must've locked the door, then," Genshin mumbled as he glanced at the outside wall of the building. "My climbing theory might be a bit too far fetched. There's nothing to grab onto, so climbing up the wall would've been nigh impossible. Did the culprit fire through the window?"

"It would've been a remarkable shot if so," Klint replied, "The culprit fired one shot and managed to hit his target. There's still the matter of no one hearing the shot..."

It was remarkable how the two bounced their ideas off of each other as they tried to deduce what went on. Yujin stepped back and admired them, noting the sparkles of life in their eyes when they suggested a new theory. It reminded him of someone he once knew dearly. He glanced down at his hands and saw them tremble. Evidently, it was too soon to force himself back into a situation such as this; it still reminded him too much of his dear partner. It still hurt. 

"I... I think I should leave," Yujin mumbled to himself.

Genshin turned to face him immediately. "Yujin? Are you quite alright? You've gone pale." He glanced towards the victim. "Is it the blood?"

Yujin shook his head. "I'm sorry. I don't think I... I'm not strong enough yet. It just... reminds me of..."

"You're free to leave," Klint said immediately, "Thank you for your help today, Dr Mikotoba. I'm sorry if I forced you into this. I thought that, maybe-"

"Please, don't concern yourself with me, Lord van Zieks," Yujin insisted as he turned towards the door. "You have a murder to solve. That should be your priority, not me."

Klint opened his mouth to raise an objection, but Genshin stopped him. "I think he just needs time. Leave him be; I'll check up on him later." Genshin whispered to him as they watched Yujin leave the room.

The crowds outside had only gotten worse. There was a man in round spectacles telling the crowd about some absurd theory about what had happened. It made Yujin walk away in disgust. Shaking his head, he turned to walk away, but bumped into someone behind him instead.

There was a clutter of books on the floor. Yujin turned to see an elderly man holding a single book in his hand. The rest of his books had been knocked to the ground when Yujin bumped into him. Yujin quickly muttered an apology and picked them up, noting titles such as 'Tomorrow Never Lies' and 'The Origins of Atropa Belladonna'. Whilst the first title appeared to be a work of fiction, the rest of the books the man had appeared to be academic works. 

With a snarl of contempt, the man turned his heel and walked back into the crowd once his books were returned to him. He evidently wasn't in the mood for an apology. Yujin brushed the odd encounter off and headed on his way. He didn't feel like going back to Baker Street at this time. Since it was still daylight, he could continue his research at the small office Dr Wilson had given him at work. The place was nearby, and it would do him well to clear his mind - or so he thought.

----

Yujin had found himself spending more and more time in his small office as of late. Before his partner's unfortunate passing, he rarely used the place. It mostly remained empty, apart from the few books he liked to store there. Recently, however, it became filled with assorted objects. One example was a photograph on his desk, picturing the first picture he had taken with Herlock, just outside 221B. Sometimes, the frame was tilted down so he couldn't see the image. Today was one of those days.

He had barely been there for five minutes when there was a knock at the door. Surprised, Yujin got up out of his seat and opened the door. He was greeted by the elderly man he had bumped into earlier that morning. Yujin stood aside and watched the man limp into his office, stunned that he knew where to find him.

"You're surprised to see me, sir," he said, in a strange, croaking voice. He was holding a dozen books under his arm, yet he didn't put them down. He seemed perfectly happy to be holding them.

"You would be correct," Yujin replied.

"Well, I've a conscience, sir," he explained, "I was here for a routine check-up when I witnessed you enter this room. I thought to myself, I'll just step in and see that kind gentleman, and tell him that if I was a bit gruff in my manner, I didn't mean any harm. I'm much obliged for you picking up my books."

"It was really no bother," Yujin insisted, "Besides, it was my fault that I bumped into you. May I ask how you recognised me from afar?"

"I'm a neighbour of yours, sir," he said as he scanned the room, his eyes eventually settling on Yujin's desk. "You'll find my little bookshop in... Why, that's my photo frame! Why did you take it from my room when Mycroft specifically told you not to touch anything?!"

Yujin's heart dropped. He froze and stared at the elderly man in front of him. Just for a second, he could've sworn that... that his voice...

"Sh... Sholmes...?"

"Don't you 'Sholmes' me, Mikotoba!" The elderly man ripped off his beard and stood up to his full height, revealing none other than Herlock Sholmes, dressed in attire that didn't suit him at all. "When Mycroft said not to touch anything, he meant not to touch anything! Do you expect me to remember the exact position of where I placed that photo frame? It'll annoy me to no end trying t-"

He was cut off by a slap to the face. Yujin became overwhelmed by a fit of anger that passed as quick as it came, staring in amazement. The flesh before him was really there, if the pain in his hand said anything. Herlock was really there. Herlock was really alive. 

"How can it be you?" Yujin gripped Herlock's arm to check again if he was really there. "Am I dreaming? I... You're supposed to be dead! You died in the Falls! You never came back... if that's true, how can you be here right now? Why did you leave me for so long? You look even thinner and..."

"Whilst I will admit that I did deserve that slap, I can't answer all of your questions at once," Herlock retorted, although he quickly mumbled an apology when he saw Yujin's anger flare up again. "Ahem. Excuse me - I pictured this to go very differently. I will ask that you accompany me on some important business, first."

"No," Yujin shook his head. "You will explain everything, and I mean everything to me, first. You owe me more than an explanation. I'm willing to listen. First of all, how did you escape that chasm?"

Herlock took up a chair and lit a cigarette. "We have a hard and dangerous night's work ahead of us, Mikotoba. It would be better if I gave you a full account of what happened. I assure you, this is the one time where I wish things would've played out differently, and I deeply regret having to put you through this. I will tell you of everything that happened when you left on that fateful day, starting with..."

----

The moment Yujin had departed from the Falls, the Swiss boy that had acted as a messenger revealed his true intentions. Herlock stepped closer to the edge of the Falls to admire the view, only to hear a cry from behind him. The Swiss boy charged straight at him, intending to push him into the chasm below.

Herlock jumped out of the way, crashing down on the ground. The Swiss boy attempted to turn, but instead, his foot slipped on the damp ground. His legs gave out as he fell backwards, falling over the edge and down into the great chasm of the Falls.

Eyes wide with alarm, Herlock scrambled to look over the edge to see if the boy had managed to grab ahold of one of the rocks on the cliff. His eyes scanned the area, but all he could see was a vast void of water and rock. The boy was nowhere to be found.

Then, he heard the familiar click of a gun.

Herlock looked to his right and felt his heart drop. Professor Moriarty stood a few feet away from him with a gun pointed towards him, blocking his only exit. Herlock slowly stood up and raised his arms up in a surrender.

"Throw your revolver over the edge," Moriarty demanded as he stepped closer to him. "I know you have one hidden in your coat. Get rid of it."

He took a deep breath and withdrew his revolver, throwing it over the edge and into the chasm. "I suspect that you're here to kill me. That Swiss boy was one of your agents, correct? I knew that you had fabricated the letter in order to draw Mikotoba away," Herlock deduced, "It's rather nice of you to keep him safe for me."

"This is what happens when you cross me, Sholmes," Moriarty snarled, "You're going to die alone, far away from any of your allies. Your body will never be found. People will forget you. The only thing that they will remember is how I killed you."

"Might I make one final request?" Herlock flashed a nervous smile. It wasn't the first time a gun had been pointed to his head. "I would like to write one final goodbye to Mikotoba. That way, people will know what happened, hm? He's bound to come back here once he realises that the letter was a hoax."

At first, Moriarty was hesitant. "You can write your letter, but I will check the contents. I won't have you distorting the facts when we both know what's going to happen," he said.

Herlock quickly took up his notebook and pen and began to scribble whatever flashed into his mind. The time Moriarty was giving him wouldn't be near enough to write down every thought, so he focused on the more important ones. He also knew, deep down in his heart, that there was a chance that he might die.

When he realised that, he stopped for a moment. He had to write this letter taking that into account; he knew that. But, the thought of Yujin losing a loved one yet again hurt him more than accepting the fact that he could die. He didn't care about any harm that would come to him, but he cared if it would hurt his partner. He couldn't even say a proper heartfelt goodbye, just in case someone else found the letter first and read it. It was a good thing he had prepared a certain box back in Baker Street for a moment such as this.

With the letter complete, Herlock left the pages next to his alpenstock. Moriarty seemed to have ran out of patience. The man was inching ever closer to him with revenge-filled eyes. Herlock continued to step back, but he found that he was quickly running out of path. The path behind him stopped suddenly, slowly crumbling away into the vast chasm below.

"I notice that you intend to shoot me," Herlock chuckled nervously. "A man of your intellect should see how that is a truly awful idea. If you shoot me, everyone will hear it and come running, blocking any chance of escape. Not to mention the possibility of an avalanche. My revolver is currently over the Falls with every bullet loaded. Any fool will be able to tell that the shot didn't come from my gun, and someone else is responsible for my death. Do you like those odds, Moriarty? Perhaps you would prefer hand-to-hand combat."

Moriarty stopped advancing and frowned. "Hand-to-hand combat?" 

"You could push me off and call it an accident. That way, no one will arrest you for the death of Herlock Sholmes." Herlock lowered his hands and bit his lip. It was the only chance he had; his chance of survival would increase dramatically if Moriarty's gun was taken out of the equation.

Slowly, Moriarty crept forwards and lowered his gun with the spirit of an elderly gentleman. In a flash, a burst of energy overwhelmed him and he charged towards Herlock. The man threw his long arms at him. The sudden outburst surprised Herlock; he was shoved back a few paces before he retaliated, shoving the man off of him.

Instead of clawing at him, Moriarty grabbed the back of Herlock's head and slammed him against the cliff. Herlock grunted and stumbled back, noticing the blood on the cliff. He reached up and felt the blood trickle down his face. Dazed, he squinted his eyes and tried to focus on the fight, raising his fists in defence.

His ears flooded with Moriarty's laughter. "Do you not think that I have done my research on you, Sholmes? I knew you would underestimate me, given my age. I also know all about your famed boxing skills. I ensured that I learned every possible countermove. You see, you don't require great strength to defeat another," he taunted him.

"Th-That may be so," Herlock mumbled as his vision came into focus. "But... you may have learned everything about me, but I guarantee that... you haven't..."

He stopped himself mid-sentence, which confused Moriarty a little. "What was that? I can hardly hear you - that bump on your head really did a number of you, didn't it?"

"You... down..."

"I beg your pardon?"

"I said, Yujin takedown!"

With a mighty cry, Herlock grabbed Moriarty's waist and flipped him over. It was a move that had been used many times on himself; he had picked it up somewhere along the eighth and fourteenth time that it had occurred. Moriarty's scream was drowned out by the sound of the rushing water as he was sent tumbling over the path into the vast drop of the Falls.

It was at that point that Herlock cursed himself for messing up his line; it should've been a Herlock takedown, surely? He'd have to remember that next time. 

He peered over the edge, but was surprised to see Moriarty still hanging on to a rock on the cliff. It wasn't stable - he could only last two minutes at most before the rock dislodged itself. Herlock stared down at the man in disbelief that he was still alive.

"Mr Sholmes, please," Moriarty begged with wide eyes, "You wouldn't murder me, would you? Don't you want to see me in the dock? Have me arrested and charged for my crimes? Help me, and I'll come with you back to England."

It was most likely that he was lying; people will say anything if it ensures their survival. Yet, against his better judgement (the head wound was impacting him more than he had assumed), he uncoiled a rope attached to his belt and threw one end towards Moriarty. "Grab on, and I'll pull you back up," he said.

As Moriarty reached for the rope, his grip on the rock became unstable. He quickly tried to grab ahold of the rope as the rock broke off, part of it tumbling into the chasm. Moriarty reached towards the rope as he began to fall, but the rope slipped through his fingers. With a horrible scream, he kicked madly for a few seconds and clawed the air. Herlock peered over the edge and watched him fall. At the bottom, Moriarty struck a rock, bounded off and splashed into the water, never to be seen again.

Herlock backed away from the edge and attempted to calm his breathing. It struck him how extraordinarily lucky he had been. Yet, he knew that this wouldn't be the only time that his life would be threatened. From the bottom of the path, he could've sworn that he heard a shout. Instantly, his mind jumped to the worst case scenario: Moriarty had come with a few of his agents to ensure that the job was done. 

He stood up and examined the rocky wall behind him. Even in his dazed state, he could see that there were a few footholds and a ledge, overviewing the path he was on. It would be impossible to scale the entire cliff, and to turn back now would only leave his footprints, which could be traced. His only option was to hide until Moriarty's agents disappeared. It was best that he should risk the climb.

The fall roared beneath him. As he began to climb, he could've sworn that he heard Moriarty's voice screaming at him from the abyss. If that was actually true, or if that was a side effect of the hit he took to his head, he didn't know. He had to focus on climbing; a mistake would've been fatal. More than once, his hand or foot slipped, and his heart would drop. He struggled upwards until he finally reached the ledge, where he could remain unseen.

However, he still felt incredibly dizzy. As he looked over to the falls, he felt his mind cloud over. A dark cloud swirled in front of his eyes, and he reached up to touch his injury. He smiled softly when he realised he was still bleeding. In the next moment, Herlock collapsed where he stood, fainting against the side of the cliff wall. 

When he opened his eyes again, the sun was beginning to set. He peered over the edge of the ledge to see that the path was now covered in multiple footprints, and that his alpenstock was gone. Yujin must've returned whilst he was passed out. Herlock scrambled for a plan when a huge rock, falling from above, boomed past him and fell into the chasm.

For a moment, he assumed that it was an accident; a coincidence. Looking up, he saw a man's head against the darkened sky, and another rock came tumbling down onto the ledge he was on. It narrowly missed his head. It meant one thing - Moriarty really hadn't been alone, and this man was intent on finishing the job.

Herlock scrambled back down towards the path in desperate attempt to stay alive. It was a hundred times more difficult than getting up; he had to avoid the rocks falling his way as he climbed down. Halfway down, he slipped, landing on the path, torn and bleeding. Under the cover of darkness, he fled into the mountains, only stopping when all his strength had left him.

----

"You can imagine the injuries I received during that event." Herlock lamented, taking a breath from his cigarette. He had almost smoked the entire thing whilst he was telling his story. "In order to evade my pursuers, I had to disappear and convince them that I had died fleeing in the mountains. I hadn't, of course; I collapsed outside of a small hamlet which kindly nursed me back to health. The next time the matter presents itself, I'll gladly show you my new scars!"

Yujin hung onto every word. He felt his heart sink at the mention of more scars being added to his ever-growing list. "What did you do when you recovered from your injuries?" He asked him.

"I contacted Mycroft and requested financial aid. I owe you many apologies for not contacting you sooner," he said, "Several times, I attempted to write to you, to say that I was alive, but I could never find the words. Not only that, but it appeared that your grief was enough to convince Moriarty's agents that I was really dead. If you started to act joyous, then it would've betrayed my secret. No doubt they would've tried to harm you to get to me."

"I would've been able to keep it a secret, Sholmes," Yujin insisted. 

"We both know that you're far too affectionate towards me to have done so," Herlock muttered, "It's why I was forced to turn away when you bumped into me earlier - we would've both been in danger if you recognised me. I had to wait in Florence for news regarding the prosecution of Moriarty's men. When I heard that two of them had escaped, I knew that I would have to wait longer until I was able to come back to you."

"You say that, Sholmes, but one of the men is still at large," Yujin pointed out, "Therefore, you're still in danger. Is it really so safe for you to be back?"

"I... I'll admit, I hastened my return upon hearing that one of the men, Mr Adair, died under strange circumstances," Herlock admitted, "I found the case interesting, and I... I missed you. Dearly. I missed hearing your voice in the mornings, I missed waking up to the smell of your breakfasts... I nearly drove myself insane just thinking about you. I won't ask you to forgive me just yet, but... I still find myself feeling affection for you."

Yujin felt himself smile. "I knew you'd miss me. You really are a softie, you know. I can safely say that this month has been the most horrid month of all my stay in London. If you do this again-"

"I-I wouldn't dream of it! Really!" Herlock cried, avoiding Yujin's harsh glare. "Please, allow me to explain the situation some more. You are correct in saying that I'm still in danger whilst the final man remains at large. Whilst you left to visit the crime scene, I visited Baker Street. Mrs Hudson went into hysterics upon seeing me. I am sure that I was spotted during my visit, but... I wished to see our suite again. It wasn't the same without you sitting opposite me, however. I had to disguise myself in order to investigate Park Lane myself, along with some... other matters..."

"I assume the 'other matters' are to do with this important business you mentioned earlier," Yujin deduced, "Do we really have to rush into things? My heart has been all over the place today. I thought you were dead, but then you appear right before me."

"Work is the best antidote for sorrow, my dear Mikotoba," he said, "I have a piece of work for both of us tonight that may very well save my life. Will you come with me?"

"Sholmes, I'll go anywhere with you," Yujin replied, although his smile soon turned into a frown. "But I really do think we should talk matters over some more. I also have some... news that might... should come to your attention."

"Oh?"

"Lord van Zieks and Genshin know about our relationship."

"Oh."

Yujin raised an eyebrow. "You don't sound too surprised. I thought you'd react a bit more. Even you couldn't have guessed that this would've happened."

"I had my suspicions that Moriarty would try to tell people once we destroyed his operation," Herlock mumbled, an embarrassed look on his face. "However, this is very... troublesome. I quite enjoy my working relationship with Lord van Zieks. This will make every encounter I have with him incredibly awkward."

"If it helps, they said they wouldn't tell anyone," Yujin reassured him and placed a hand on Herlock's thigh. "... You've definitely lost weight, haven't you?"

"D-Do we have to discuss my weight?" Herlock slapped his hand away. "I promise I'll eat more, Mikotoba! Why don't we prepare for this adventure? I've even given it a name! The Adventure of the Empty House!"

"We're... naming cases now?" Yujin let out a sigh; he'd have to check his own notes to see if his partner had given them ridiculous names. "If it's alright with you, I'd rather we chat for a while. I... have missed your voice. Tell me everything that you got up to whilst you were away. Do we have time for that?"

Herlock placed a hand on Yujin's cheek and smiled softly. "My dear Mikotoba, I think you'll find that we have all the time in the world."

----

It was around half-nine when they left. Herlock had arranged for some clothes to be dropped off (he claimed that he had grown tired of his disguise), and the two summoned a hansom. It was entertaining to see passersby turn their heads at the sight of the supposedly-dead great detective. Yujin felt it to be like old times as the hansom pulled away, his revolver in his pocket and the thrill of adventure in his heart. He really had missed this.

Herlock was stern and silent. As the gleam of the street lamps flashed upon his austere features, Yujin noted that his brows were drawn down in thought and his thin lips compressed. Whilst Yujin knew nothing about the wild beast they were going to hunt down in the dark jungle of criminal London, he knew that the adventure was going to be a grave one if Herlock was acting so serious. Occasionally, a sardonic smile broke through his ascetic gloom; Yujin couldn't say as to why.

The hansom stopped at the corner of Cavendish Square. Herlock stepped out, glancing left and right to check if they had been followed. Their route was a most peculiar one. Herlock led Yujin through a network of mews and stables, most of which Yujin never realised had existed. They emerged at last into a small road, lined with old, gloomy houses, which led them to Manchester Street, and then onto Blandford Street. Herlock turned swiftly down a narrow passage, passing through a wooden gate into a deserted yard, and then opened the back door of a house with a key. They entered the house together, and Herlock closed the door behind them.

The place was pitch dark, but it was evident that it was an empty house. Their feet creaked and crackled over the bare planking. In the darkness, Yujin had to follow the walls to gain a sense of direction. The wallpaper was hanging in ribbons, and dust coated every corner. Herlock's cold, thin fingers closed round Yujin's wrist as he led him forward down a long hall. Herlock suddenly turned right, leading him into a large, square, empty room, heavily shadowed in the corners, but faintly lit in the centre from the lights of the street beyond. There was no lamp near, and the window was thick with dust. 

Herlock put his hand on Yujin's shoulder and leaned in towards his ear. "Do you know where we are?" He whispered. 

Yujin stared through the dim window. "Surely... that's Baker Street, no?" He answered.

"Exactly. We are in Camden House, which stands opposite our own quarters," he said, "It commands an excellent view, no? Take a look, my dear Mikotoba, at our rooms, the starting point of so many of our little adventures. Take every precaution to not show yourself. We will see if my absence has taken away my power to surprise you."

Taking every precaution, Yujin crept forward and looked across at the familiar window. As his eyes fell upon it, he gave a gasp and a cry of amazement. The blind was down, and a strong light was burning in the room. There was a shadow of the man who was seated in a chair against the luminous screen of the window. There was no mistaking the poise of the head, the squareness of the shoulders, and the sharpness of the features. The face was turned half-round, and the effect was that of a silhouette. It was a perfect reproduction of Herlock Sholmes. In his shock and awe, Yujin threw out his hand towards Herlock to make sure that the man himself was standing right next to him.

Herlock was quivering with silent laughter. "Save that for later, will you, Mikotoba? As much as I have missed you, I don't think now is the right time for a display of affection. My clothes would get dirty. Well - what do you think?"

"It's... it's brilliant! From the shadow, you could hardly tell the difference from the real thing!" Yujin cried, looking back and forth between the window and the man next to him.

"Yes, it really is rather like me, isn't it?" Herlock said in a prideful tone, "Whilst I was in France, I came across a wax sculpting family known as the Tusspells. I asked them to make a bust of me made out of wax. The rest I arranged myself during my visit to Baker Street whilst you were away looking at the Park Lane mystery. You know, if my reputation continues to improve, I could always become a wax doll! The rent will be paid for months in advance - just think about all of the money we'd make, Mikotoba!"

"I can't believe I have to say this, but please don't dip yourself into hot wax for money, Sholmes," Yujin rolled his eyes at his partner's antics. "Why was this whole deception necessary, though?"

"No, my dear, I was merely thinking that I would stand still and... I-I'm getting off track," Herlock cleared his throat awkwardly before continuing. "Anyway, it's because I had the strongest possible reason for wishing certain people to think that I was there, when really, I was elsewhere."

"You thought the rooms were being watched?"

"I knew that they were being watched," Herlock explained, "They were being watched by the charming society whose leader lies in the Reichenbach Falls. You must remember that they knew, and only they knew, that I was still alive. Sooner or later they believed that I would come back to Baker Street. They watched continuously, and today they saw me arrive."

Yujin glanced out at the empty street outside and frowned. "I don't understand - I would've spotted them if anyone was watching. How did you know that you were spotted?" He asked him.

"I recognise their sentinel when I glanced out of my window. He is harmless enough - merely a street orphan - so he posed no direct threat," he said, "However, I cared a great deal for the much more formidable person who was behind him. The man was Moriarty's closest confidant, and the one that tried to kill me in the Falls. He is the most cunning and dangerous criminal in London, and managed to escape Lord van Zieks' clutches. That is the man who is after me tonight, Mikotoba, and that is the man who is quite unaware that we are after him. We must wait and keep an eye out until he makes an appearance."

In silence, the two stood together in the darkness and watched the hurrying figured who passed in front of them. Herlock was silent and motionless; but Yujin could tell that he was keenly alert, his eyes fixed on the passersby. It was a bleak and boisterous night, and the wind whistled shrilly down the long street. Many people were moving to and fro, most of them muffled in their coats and scarves. 

Yujin could've sworn that he saw the same person once or twice. In particular, he noted two men that appeared to be sheltering themselves from the wind in the doorway of a house some distance up the street. Yujin tried to draw Herlock's attention to them, but he brushed him off, continuing to stare out into the street.

More than once, Herlock fidgeted with his feet and tapped rapidly with his fingers upon the wall. It was evident that he was becoming uneasy and impatient, as if his plans were not working out as well as he had hoped. When midnight approached and the street gradually cleared, he had resorted to pacing up and down the room in uncontrollable agitation. 

Noticing his impatience, Yujin was about to make some remark towards him when he glanced at the lit window. Again, gave a cry of surprise. He clutched Herlock's arm and pointed upwards. "The shadow has moved!" He exclaimed, noting how the back of the wax bust was turned towards them.

"Of course it has moved," Herlock shot back with a tone of impatience, "Am I such an amateur that I should put up an obvious dummy and expect some of the sharpest men in Europe to be fooled by it? We have been in this room for two hours, and Mrs Hudson has changed that figure eight times, or once every quarter of an hour. She works it from the front so that her shadow may never be seen. It's- Ah!"

He drew in his breath with a shrill, excited intake. Herlock became rigid with attention, his eyes wide in the dim light. Yujin looked outside to see what could've caused such a reaction; he noted that the two men he spotted crouching in the doorway were no longer there. All was still and dark. Yet, in that utter silence, Yujin heard that same note of suppressed excitement from Herlock. An instant later, he pulled Yujin into the blackest corner of the room and placed a warning hand upon Yujin's lips. The fingers which clutched him were quivering, yet the street still appeared to be lonely and motionless.

From the back of the house they were in, Yujin heard a door open and shut. An instant later steps crept down the passage - steps which were meant to be silent, but which reverberated harshly through the empty house. Herlock crouched back against the wall, and Yujin did the same, his hand closing upon the handle of his revolver. 

Peering through the gloom, Yujin saw the vague outline of a man a shade darker than darkness in the doorway. He crept forward, crouching, menacing, into the room. Yujin braced himself for the man to see them, but he realised that he had no idea of their presence; he was focused entirely on the window. Quietly, he approached the window and raised it for half a foot. He sank to the level of the window, and a dim light fell upon his face.

The man seemed to be beside in excitement. His eyes shone like stars, and his moustache was twitching feverishly. An opera-hat was pushed to the back of his head. In his hand he carried what appeared to be a stick, but as he laid it down upon the floor it gave a metallic clang. From the pocket of his overcoat, he drew a bulky object, and then he busied himself with some task which ended with a loud, sharp click, as if a spring or bolt had fallen into place. Still kneeling on the floor, he bent forward and threw all of his weight on some lever, resulting in a long, whirling, grinding noise, ending once more in a powerful click.

He straightened himself up, and Yujin spotted what appeared to be a gun in his hand, with an oddly shaped grip. The man opened it at the breech, put something in, and snapped the breech-block. Then, crouching down, he rested the end of the barrel upon the ledge of the open window and peered through the sights. There was a sigh of satisfaction as he aimed towards the shadow in the window. For an instant he was rigid and motionless. Then, his finger tightened on the trigger. There was a strange, loud whiz and a long, silvery tinkle of broken glass.

It was at this moment that Herlock sprang like a tiger on the marksman's back and knocked the gun out of his hands. With a convulsive strength, the man seized Herlock by the throat with rage-filled eyes. Yujin rushed to his aid and hit the man on the back of the head with his revolver. As he dropped to the floor, Herlock blew a whistle. In a desperate attempt to escape, the man leapt out of the open window and landed on the street below.

There was a clatter of footsteps and two policemen, along with Inspector Gregson, rushed into the room. "Where is he, then?!" Inspector Gregson cried impatiently.

Herlock and Yujin rushed towards the window and stuck their heads out. On the street below, the man had been apprehended by none other than Klint and Genshin. Whilst Genshin pinned him down, Klint waved at the two of them and gestured for them to come down to the street.

"He's down on the street!" Herlock exclaimed triumphantly, grabbing the man's weapon before Inspector Gregson could object. The group rushed down to join Klint and Genshin, the policemen ready to assist in holding their prisoner.

Klint turned to their prisoner with glee. "Well, Colonel, do you remember me?" He chirped, "I said I'd catch you again, didn't I? This time, I won't let you escape prosecution so easily."

A tremendously vile and yet sinister faced turned towards him. The man was breathing heavily, and he quickly focused solely on Herlock. "You fiend!" He muttered, over and over again, squirming under the iron grip that held him down.

Herlock arranged his crumpled collar and smiled. "Ah, Colonel... The instruments of darkness tell us truths, as the old play says. I haven't had the pleasure of seeing you since you tried to kill me. How the devil are you?"

"I think perhaps an explanation is require for poor Yujin," Genshin chuckled nervously. "You see, this man here is the last remaining member of Moriarty's gang. His name is Colonel Sebastian Moran, once considered to be the best shot in the army."

"It was Inspector Gregson that informed us of Mr Sholmes' plan," Klint explained, "If we could catch him in the act, we could get a charge that would stick. Asogi and I couldn't help but to come along to see it for ourselves - it's a good thing, too, considering he tried to escape out of the window."

"I can't say I was pleased about spending my night waiting for the Colonel to show," Inspector Gregson complained, "This day has been hectic, and it's all because of you, Sholmes! I know it's good that you're still alive and all, but did you really have to give us such a short notice?! I had to rush over to Park Lane to inform Lord van Zieks, and then I had to-"

"Yet you still managed to be here, Gregson, and I can't thank you enough," Herlock shot a snide look towards the Inspector. "I confess that you had one small surprise for me, Colonel. I did not anticipate that you would yourself make use of the empty house and this convenient front window. I had imagined you as operating from the street, where Gregson and his merry men were waiting for you."

Colonel Moran sprang forward with a snarl of rage, only to be dragged back. The fury upon his face was terrible to look at. "I don't have to answer to you, Sholmes. You're not the police; I've already been through this once, and I'm sure I can easily escape once again," he said.

With a frown, Herlock examined the gun in his hands that was used by the Colonel. "An admirable and unique weapon," he muttered, "It creates no noise and has tremendous power. It was originally constructed for Professor Moriarty by a German mechanic known as von Herder. I have been aware of it for years, but I never thought that I would witness it myself. Gregson, I would take extra note of the bullets-"

Inspector Gregson snatched the gun straight out of Herlock's hands. "That's evidence, Sholmes, and I won't have you tampering with it. The charge will be your attempted murder, you know."

Herlock adjusted his tie with a prideful grin. "Oh? Is that all?"

Klint raised a curious eyebrow. "Whatever do you mean, Mr Sholmes? Is there another charge that we're unaware of?"

"Why, the murder of one Ronald Adair, of course!" Herlock pointed his finger upwards with delight. "I think you'll find that this very gun was the one that did the deed. He shot the man through the open window from a neighbouring house. That's the extra charge - and I will be glad to explain it to you, Lord van Zieks, if you can excuse the draught from a broken window."

Admittedly, Yujin had forgotten entirely about the Park Lane mystery. "I-I think our suite will be a tad messy, but it certainly beats the cold wind outside. If only I had time to clean up a little..." he muttered.

"It's settled; Mr Sholmes, Asogi and I will gladly see your deductions. Inspector?" Klint turned to Inspector Gregson with a smile. "I leave this man in your capable hands. Leave the Park Lane mystery to me - I'll ensure that we have all the evidence required to finally lock this man up for good."

----

It was true that 221B was messy; whilst Herlock's side was always disorganised to an extent, the broken window hadn't helped matters. The wax dummy stood on a small pedestal table with one of Herlock's old dressing-gowns draped round it. It was a perfect replication, although the bullet that struck through it had ruined the bust entirely.

Mrs Hudson beamed as they walked in. "I trust that everything worked out, Mr Sholmes? I carried out your instructions perfectly. Although, the bullet did give me quite a fright!"

"You carried out my instructions excellently, Mrs Hudson," Herlock replied, "Did you observe where the bullet went?"

Mrs Hudson nodded and placed a bullet in Herlock's open palm. "I'm afraid it spoiled your beautiful bust. It passed right through the head and flattened itself on the wall. I picked it up from the carpet," she said.

Herlock held it out for everyone else to see. "A soft revolver bullet. There is a genius in that - for who would expect to find such a thing fired from an air-gun? I think you should keep ahold of this, Lord van Zieks, for it may come in handy during the trial. We are much obliged for your help, Mrs Hudson. I believe I have some matters to discuss with the rest of you - don't worry, I shall explain it all rather brilliantly!"

Klint took the bullet and glanced over at the bust. "Only one bullet was fired for him to hit his target, just like before, as you claim," he noted, taking a seat. "We're all ears, Mr Sholmes."

"From what I recall, the man had a cards partnership with our victim," Genshin mumbled, "I can't see why two men from the same gang would turn against each other, though. They were the only two ringleaders left."

As Herlock took out his notes, Yujin couldn't help but to spy a particular note about the Colonel: 'The second most dangerous man in London', scribbled in Herlock's messy handwriting. "The man used to be a respected one - he was famed for shooting lions in India. Somewhere along the line, though, he became corrupted by Moriarty," Herlock read, "He later became his chief of staff, and used his talents to cause a multitude of unsolved murders. Do you recall, Mikotoba, how I was afraid of air-guns when I first mentioned Moriarty to you? The Colonel was why."

"Dr Mikotoba pointed out that the bullet was an expanding one," Klint replied, "With that, and the fact that no one heard a shot... Well, it can't have been anything else but that weapon we caught him with. It stumped us until we witnessed the weapon being fired for ourselves."

"It was rather unfortunate when he escaped prosecution," Herlock put down his notebook and sighed. "So long as he was free in London, my life would really not have been worth living. I couldn't shoot the man, and he escaped the dock. I had to wait until a chance presented itself for him to be arrested again. Then, I heard about the peculiar death of Ronald Adair. When I read the report, I knew that it must've been him - no one else owns a weapon that could've pulled a feat like that off. I knew that if I returned, he would try to kill me before I could deduce his crime. I warned Gregson about the attempt, and set up in a perfect spot to watch."

"The Colonel played cards with the victim, and even had a partnership with him," Yujin pointed out, "Genshin also mentioned that the two were a part of the same gang, so why would they turn against each other? You have yet to explain that."

"My dear Mikotoba, it is because of the partnership that he killed Adair," Herlock let out a dry chuckle. "He had played cards with him and followed him home, only to shoot him. Why? You might recall that the two of them had won a considerable amount of money. Money that was, on the Colonel's end, obtained by cheating. I propose that on the day of the murder, Adair discovered his cheating methods and threatened to expose him."

"The Colonel wasn't making any money from Professor Moriarty anymore, so the winnings from cards was all that he had," Klint deduced, "The victim was working out sums at the time of his death... Perhaps he was working out how much money he needed to return that had been won through cheating. He locked the door to ensure that no one would walk in on him working this out. Am I correct?"

"It is the same conclusions that I have reached, Lord van Zieks," Herlock answered, "Although, all will be proven or disproven during the trial; I believe that is your job. I have to say, though, you two don't seem the faintest bit surprised that I am alive..."

Genshin's eyes widened a little. "Oh, um.. to tell you the truth, Lord van Zieks insisted that Inspector Gregson told us everything when he caught wind of the operation. He kindly explained everything to us there and then. If anything, we were both relieved to hear that you had survived after all."

"I think we're all relieved," Yujin muttered, "I think things can finally return back to normal - Sholmes is free to devote his life to examining those interesting little problems which the complex life of London so plentifully presents.. or so he has told me."

Klint beamed happily at the two. "I suppose you two are free to resume everything, yes?"

Herlock immediately slumped in his chair. "I had hoped to avoid this. I was so caught up in my deductions that I had neglected to remember that you are both aware of..."

"Oh. Did Yujin tell you?" Genshin smiled awkwardly. "If you don't want us to mention it-"

"We won't ask any embarrassing questions!" Klint insisted, utterly unaware of the embarrassment he was causing. "You know, we support you and all! We'll keep it a secret! I think it's rather brave of you two to do such a thing, considering everything. I should know - although, I've never prosecuted cases such as that myself. You don't have to worry about me prosecuting you for it!"

Yujin covered his face to hide his embarrassment. "Um, we, uh, can't thank you enough for that, Lord van Zieks... It is a delicate subject, so if you would..."

"Stop talking about it?" 

"For the love of God, man, yes!" Herlock exclaimed at Klint, glaring at him through the gaps in his hands; like Yujin, he was covering his embarrassed face with his hands. "Let's pretend this never happened. Please. I would rather not ruin our working relationship by talking about our private life."

"Hang on - I have one thing that I would like to say to you, Mr Sholmes, considering what I now know," Genshin turned to Herlock with a sharp glare. He placed a hand on Karuma. "If you ever fake your death and worry poor Yujin like that again... I''ll kill you myself. Do you understand?"

"I second that," Klint added on.

Herlock squirmed in his seat. "I-I... I promise I won't do it again! Now, please stop glaring at me like that! I've dealt with vengeful criminals before, but I don't think I've quite seen a look like that...!"

It was entertaining to Yujin to see Herlock squirm under the pressure of his two friends. He burst out into a fit of laughter, which only annoyed his partner more. He was glad that everything was relatively back to normal; he wouldn't change it for the world.