For John Watson

[howdull]

[Sherlock is still finding pieces of the melted laptop in the carpet.

It had actually been quite an ingenious booby trap to be devised by a fourteen year old boy with only household chemicals to work with but, as Sherlock surmised, rather overkill to keep his mother from finding his extensive porn collection. Not one of their more illustrious cases, but it had been quite entertaining to watch both the boy and mother's faces as he revealed that he did know the how and why. He lost interest after the mother started shouting and John started shouting and the whole thing turned tedious.

He rather thinks John won't actually be doing a full write-up of this one on his blog.

It's been two days since their last case and he's beginning to get more than a little antsy. Lestrade has sent him nothing, just a boring hit and run that he refused to even leave the flat for, and nobody interesting has appeared through the blog. Said blog he is currently scrolling through on John's laptop, having borrowed it again.

He did ask, it's not his fault John hadn't been in the room at the time.]

Bored, John.

[He doesn't even know if his flatmate is even in, but that's hardly a necessity for him to actually speak to John. Frustrated, he throws the laptop across the room to hit the wall, where it summarily breaks. Which is where he can be found whenever John appears, sulking amidst pieces of laptop, both from the melted one of their last case and John's poor broken one.]

Comments

[howdull]

If they are military police.

[They could just be more pawns of Caroline, or of Jim, whichever one of them was really running this show.]

I'll only interrupt if there's something pertinent to ask.

[jumpthegun]

It's a military base. They don't just let random people on.

[John has faith in those in uniform to properly vet anyone entering.]

[howdull]

[He sighs.]

I suppose it is only fitting that a moment of genius would be balanced by a period of moronic ideas.

[jumpthegun]

[John rolls his eyes and turns his attention out the window. Unless Sherlock engages, John will just watch the miles clip away as they head out of London. There's no real point in strategizing until they know what the charges are, and John doesn't have any particular ideas about what they can really do with regard to Caroline or Jim.

He's worried about Molly, Mrs. Hudson, Lestrade, Major Sholto and everyone else. It might not be productive, but he does go down the lost trying to sort out the rest of Caroline's alphabet.]

[howdull]

[Silence reigns in the car.

About three hours later, the car is pulling up before the military base and Sherlock winds down his window to greet the guard on duty at the gate.]

Good afternoon, Lieutenant, this is Captain Watson and I'm his legal counsel, we have a summons.

[The young officer takes the offered letter and scans it, before opening the gate.]

Park to the right, straight into the double doors for security checks and visitor identification.

[jumpthegun]

[John ends up dozing for part of the journey, but jolts awake when they pull off to the base. He gives the officer a smile before they head in and park.]

I don't actually have any ID, so they'll probably want to fingerprint me unless they're good enough to go off my photo. [He's not entirely sure why he's telling Sherlock this. Maybe as reassurance for himself. They head inside and are predictable asked for ID. John gives the woman checking them in an apologetic smile.]

I'm afraid my home was recently destroyed along with everything else I own. Can we do the verification some other way?

[howdull]

[The soldier on duty is a slender red-headed woman, she's not unpleasant but she's clearly very wedded to her duty and not inclined to be lenient at all.]

I'm going to need to fingerprint you, Captain. And you're the attourney, right? I need to see your card and some ID.

[Sherlock shrugs carelessly and produces his driver's license.]

Thank you, Mr. Holmes, now your ID from chambers.

I don't have one, I'm a self appointed representative.

[She frowns.] I'm sorry, due to this being a military base and matters of a confidential nature are being discussed, we only allow registered and authorised legal counsel. You'll have to leave, sir.

[jumpthegun]

I've been summoned for legal proceedings. I believe I am entitled to representation. Mr. Holmes is that representative. Is there no procedure in place for this? Mr. Holmes will sign a nondisclosure agreement if that's necessary. I can also provide character witnesses in the form of representatives from New Scotland Yard for him.

[Well, he can provide Lestrade... maybe Dimmock. John will easily comply with anything she wants him to do for fingerprinting, though.]

[howdull]

This is a military base, sir, not a small claims court. If you don't have proper representation and you want a lawyer present, then we can arrange that for you through Legal Aid.

[She's not authorised to let a random person in on this investigation. She produces a small scanner pad as she talks and indicates for him to press his thumb to the soft surface.]

[jumpthegun]

[John frowns and glances toward Sherlock before just giving in. He presses his thumb to the pad and sighs. Making this woman's life difficult isn't in him, especially when he's been in similar positions to her.]

I'd like a lawyer present, please.

[To Sherlock:]

There's that omelette in the car. Go and eat something. I'll call you when it's done.

[howdull]

[Sherlock doesn't look too impressed, but he knows when there are limits that he can test and when there aren't, so he nods and stalks back out to sit in the car.]

We'll have someone call to Legal Aid for you, in the meantime please follow me through here.

[She buzzes open a side door and leads him to an interrogation room. Dull grey, single table, two chairs, all bolted to the floor.]

Do you want a drink while we wait?

[jumpthegun]

[This looks welcoming.]

Water would be lovely. Thank you for that and the Legal Aid offer. Sorry for the trouble earlier. I know you're just doing your job.

[howdull]

It's fine, I'll get you some water. Hopefully a lawyer won't be long and then we can get this underway.

[She leaves him for a couple of minutes, making certain to lock the door while she's gone, before she delivers water for him and then leaves again.

It's another fifteen minutes after that when the door opens and a man in a General's uniform walks in, middle aged with dark skin and a Welsh accent.]

Captain Watson, I'm General Kurtam, Legal Aid are sending a lawyer but it could be another hour. Do you want to wait or are you happy to proceed without for now?

[jumpthegun]

[John stands at attention when the General enters and winces when it pulls his burns and ribs. He should probably wait for the lawyer...]

Do you expect this to take more than an hour, sir?

[howdull]

It's probable.

[There's the faintest hint of dislike in his tone and eyes, though he keeps himself mostly neutral. Men like Watson disgust him. The only way he can see this lasting less than an hour is if the man confesses fully and they pass him on to be charged.]

[jumpthegun]

[He thinks about Sherlock and the other people waiting. An hour is a long time for things to happen.]

We can proceed now, sir. May I ask what this is all about?

[howdull]

[He nods in acknowledgement and reaches over to press play on the tape deck set in place on the table for interview purposes.]

Date of September 17th, 2010, General Peter Kurtam interviewing Captain John Watson. Can you state for the tape that this is who you are, and that you have waived your right to legal representation until legal representation can be provided?

[jumpthegun]

This is Captain John Watson. I've waived my right to legal representation until it can be provided. I would also like to state for the record that I retain the right not to answer questions until that representation is provided.

[John is trusting when it comes to the military, but he's not a complete idiot.]

[howdull]

You stand accused of seven counts of serious war crimes in Afghanistan; including five counts of murder, two counts of torture, four counts of illegally detaining civilians, and inhumane treatment of both native civilians and captured enemy troops. You're also accused of fifteen counts of gross negligence as a medical practitioner, resulting in potentially up to seven deaths.

[He's not hopeful of the answer, but he has to ask.]

For the record, how do you respond to these accusations?

[His guilt is obvious, it's written plain all over the proof they have, but men like this never confess. Look at him sitting there as if he's done nothing wrong.]

[jumpthegun]

[John stares for a long moment. He knows he shouldn't laugh, but that's so patently ridiculous, it's difficult not to. He manages, though. Getting giggly here isn't really an option.]

That I'm innocent, sir. But I'm aware of a campaign by a woman named Caroline Matthews to systematically destroy my life that started about a week ago. So, I can't say I'm entirely surprised to hear you say that, either.

[howdull]

[He suppresses a sigh, this is going to be a long and unpleasant day. He pulls a briefcase up and onto the table and takes out a photograph. At first it looks like charcoal, but looking closer would reveal it to be a badly scorched corpse.]

Look closely at this picture, Captain, can you tell me what you see?

[It's hard to tell but there appears to be the remains of blackened dog tags with the letters WATS visible.]

[jumpthegun]

[John takes a long moment to examine it. He doesn't particularly care what evidence there is, given that he knows he's innocent. But it might be helpful to Sherlock or for some other part of their investigation.]

A burned body and blackened dog tags, sir.

[Just answer the question and nothing more. John's horribly tempted to put in a snide remark about whether he's going to be accused of impersonating himself now, as well, but just manages to refrain.]

[howdull]

Can you read what the dog tags say, please?

[There's slightly more bite to his voice now, though he still manages to keep it professional.]

[jumpthegun]

W-A-T-S, sir.

[John's own tone has grown progressively cooler. This isn't a conversation to get at the facts. The general appears to have already made up his mind.]

[howdull]

Thank you.

[He slides the photograph off to one side, still visible but no longer currently relevant.]

I would like you to tell me, in your own words, about the nature of being discharged, the date it occurred, how long you have been a civilian, and your current employment status.