InsaneJournal

Truth be told, the majority of Mycroft's attention had not been on the paperwork in front of him but rather on the well-being of his brother. Since learning of Irene Adler's untimely demise in the city the day prior, Mycroft had been torn on whether or not to attempt to contact Sherlock. Yes, it was true that they weren't precisely close, much less the sort of men to ever consider discussing feelings of all things. However, he did care for his younger brother and knew the man cared for Irene in his own way, even if Sherlock either didn't realize it or purposefully ignored that fact. It was just as Mycroft had finally decided that maybe he would contact John instead, if only to gauge how Sherlock seemed to be coping, that Pepper shot to her feet and drew the firearm she had taken to carrying as of late. Belatedly, he realized that he hadn't even heard the disturbance that had caused her to react in such a way and quickly kicked himself mentally for having allowed something - even his own brother - get in the way of such a thing.

Rising to his feet, he merely nodded at her suggestion. Already he was moving not toward the door but rather a bookcase in the corner, picking up one of his swords as he went. He wasn't the sort to use a firearm, really. He knew how, of course, but he considered the weapon to lack a certain finesse and much more preferred hand-to-hand combat with blades rather than the impersonal attack of a gun. Once he reached the bookcase, he finally glanced back at his assistant.

"Do make certain to stay close, my dear," he said simply - the closest he was willing to come to commenting on his concern for her safety as much as she was clearly concerned with his own. Then he turned to the bookcase and firmly pushed on of the old, dusty tomes inward a bit. An instant later there was a soft hissing sound as the bookcase seemed to separate from the wall. Mycroft quickly pulled it open a bit and stepped through the threshold provided, the lights within the room hidden behind the wall flicking on the second motion was detected within.

A secret passageway inside a state official's home was scarcely unheard of, even back on Earth, but Mycroft did have to admit that this one was certainly a bit more elaborate than most he'd encountered or heard of before. Yes, the entrance was certainly cliched, but the passageway itself was quite brilliant in its design. A singular room which anyone was capable of accessing was the first thing someone choosing to use the passage was led into. Immediately after that was another door which required the fingerprinted scan of the individual to open it. Only members of the staff, and anyone else Mycroft chose to personally add, were granted access to the tunnels beyond.

Truth be told, even he wasn't entirely certain how far the tunnels stretched. There were so many twists and turns, with dead ends and various other obstacles for anyone who wandered off the true path they were meant to follow, that it really was impossible to say. However none of that mattered at the moment. No, all that mattered to Mycroft was getting through that room and into the aforementioned tunnels as quickly as possible. Then it was merely a few miles to the other end where, if they were very, very lucky, safety would be waiting for them.

(Reply to this) (Thread)

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

Truth be told, Mycroft had considered setting the scanner to only pick up on his fingerprint. However, the thought of any of his employees needing a quick escape and unable to come by it because he was otherwise dispose had made him decide otherwise. The next time, however - and he was determined there would, in fact, be a next time indeed - he had every intention of creating an escape route that was solely accessible by his own fingerprint. And, should a threat as serious as the one they were facing once again arrive, he would therefore be better prepared.

Of course, what he planned on doing later had little to no impact on what had happened now. No, now they were currently dealing with a veritable infestation of reanimated corpses who had managed to find their way inside the tunnels. Had they been a bit further up the path, in the area where twists and turns ensured only the most knowledgeable stood any chance of finding their way out in one piece, they might have been better off. But as it was, they were still only a short distance into the winding tunnels and therefore ran a very real risk of being attacked long before the built-in programming could come to their aid.

Fortunately, Pepper was quite a good shot with a handgun and Mycroft was certainly no slouch with a blade. Years of fencing, taught by the best instructors money could buy in the hopes of helping him shed a few pounds during physical exercise that relied on the mind as much as the body, ensured that he could hold his own with a sword and could easily deal with the handful of zombies who drew a bit too close for comfort. There weren't many who wandered that near, of course. After all, as mention, Pepper was a virtual natural when it came to shooting and she managed to catch most of them before they got near enough to pose a real threat. But there were a few, here and there, who stumbled near enough to both of them. And, in those moments, Mycroft made quick work of them and then continued on to lead both himself and his assistant further through the tunnels.

It wasn't until they had reached a divide that he finally spoke. His tone was low and casual, almost as though he was discussing the weather rather than how they might hope to escape with their lives from the situation they'd found themselves facing. "Although the path to the right is the most direct course, I suggest we make our way to the left, my dear. It will be a bit difficult for them to follow us in that direction." He thrust his blade forward as he spoke as well, lip curling a bit in distaste at the suctioning sound that was made as he drew his blade from a too-close zombie's forehead.

(Reply to this) (Parent)