How had John been the assistant of a consulting detective for so long without learning some basic deductive reasoning of his own? Honestly, if and when they got out of this situation, Sherlock would be sitting John down and firmly going through a few home truths about what he should and shouldn't know. It was disgraceful.

There were a few ways this could go.

Naturally Moriarty would have anticipated Sherlock answering and immediately warning John, so there was probably a sniper or two watching the doctor's movements ready to take him out. That would be no good. He thought for a moment as he fiddled the phone from his pocket and drew it to his ear.

"You took your time, John," he said in the slight snap he always used when impatient. Hopefully John would at least be smart enough to pick up on their danger phrase. "In the time it took you to get here, the pope could have made a cameo from the Vatican to Westminster and back."