Chapter 172: Return to Los Angeles
"Ring, ring, ring~"
Ron had just walked out of the building when the phone in a nearby phone booth suddenly rang. Ron ignored it and kept walking, but the ringing seemed to follow him.
Every time he passed a new phone booth, the phone would ring again, until a curious passerby tried to pick up the receiver, and Ron finally couldn't help but intervene.
"Give me that phone, it's for me. Yeah, that's right, it's calling me, but my friend likes to mess with me."
Ron shooed away the confused pedestrian and picked up the phone, speaking in an exasperated tone: "Mycroft, what the hell are you doing? If I remember correctly, the risk assessment report you wanted was sent to your email five minutes ago."
"Also, I think if you've got time to use street cameras to track me, you might as well track Owen, who just caused a shitstorm all over London."
"Owen is an operative who knows London intimately. He and his brother were born and raised here. He knows exactly where the cameras are and how to evade our surveillance. Otherwise, why do you think we invite outsiders like you into our country?"
Mycroft's voice was calm and authoritative.
Ron sighed. "Alright, thanks for the explanation. Any other orders, Mr. Director?"
"London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine."
"What?"
"If you're planning to visit Sherlock right now, I'm just letting you know he's not at 221B Baker Street at the moment. He's over at the LSHTM laboratory building."
"Hey, could you Holmes brothers please stop ignoring people's questions and just give a straight answer? Do you have any idea how annoying that is?"
The Holmes brothers were cut from the same cloth. Despite their completely different interests and lifestyles, their communication style was identical - a love of being cryptic.
If someone unfamiliar with them heard this kind of talk, they'd probably assume these guys knew everything. But that wasn't the case.
Anyone who knew Ron could predict his next move. Much as he hated to admit it, besides Mycroft and the wanted Shaw brothers, Ron only had one acquaintance in London - Sherlock.
"It's just professional habit. If you don't like it, we can communicate differently."
"Forget it. Thanks for the heads-up. Anything else?"
"A personal matter," Ron noticed Mycroft had clearly changed the tone of the conversation, presumably to keep his subordinates from listening in. "I'd like to ask if you could stay in the UK. I can offer you a very senior position at MI6. All I ask is that you help me keep tabs on Sherlock in your spare time."
"You see, I'm quite concerned about him. With his abilities, if his thinking ever becomes extremist, I think you understand the damage he could cause. This would undoubtedly put me in a very compromising position."
Look at that! A perfect example of being emotionally constipated! He clearly said he was worried about Sherlock's impact on his career, but in reality, he just wanted to show brotherly concern in his own awkward way.
With such a roundabout way of expressing himself, Ron really wanted to ask if he knew any other emotionally repressed characters from anime.
Of course, Ron had no right to criticize others. After "graduating" from Barney Ross's Expendables team, he had many options, but he chose to go to Los Angeles to work solo. It was hard to say he wasn't worried about Sheldon.
This was probably a common problem for all big brothers.
"You know that's impossible. I've got family to look after back home," Ron said, his tone softening. "Don't worry. Eventually, Sherlock will find someone who can tolerate all his arrogance and superiority complex. Then, the only thing you'll need to worry about is whether he's straight."
"Of course, that's just a minor concern. I can introduce you to my cousin Mitchell. He and his husband went to Cambodia to adopt a baby girl."
"I think the real apocalypse will come when your brother suddenly starts wearing a red cape and a weird ring, drawing circles in the air."
"It seems there's still much I don't know about Sherlock. Thank you for the insight, Ron. You can go find Sherlock now. Also, if I ever need that advice, I'll reach out."
...
The London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine is a prestigious graduate medical school affiliated with the University of London, specializing in public health and tropical medicine education and research.
It ranks ninth among all medical schools in the UK.
In the autopsy room on the basement level of the laboratory building, a handsome, sharp-featured man was whipping a corpse with a riding crop.
"Sherlock, something bothering you today?" Ron suddenly pushed open the door and walked in.
"Go back to Los Angeles." Sherlock looked up at Ron and made this seemingly random statement. He tossed aside the crop and turned to the female pathologist nearby, saying, "I want his bruising analysis in 20 minutes. Wait, did you put on lipstick? You clearly weren't wearing any earlier."
"Um, I just touched up a bit. Would you like some coffee?"
"Black coffee, two sugars, thanks." Sherlock walked out of the lab without even glancing at Ron, as if he didn't exist.
"I'll take an iced Americano, no sugar, thanks, ma'am," Ron said, confused, and quickly followed. "What do you mean, go back to Los Angeles?"
Do all Holmes brothers speak in riddles?
"If you're asking what to do about those terrorists now, my answer is return to Los Angeles."
"How do you know that's what I wanted to ask?"
"The deductive reasoning involved is far too complex for someone of your intellectual capacity. My advice is not to inquire further, lest you expose your fundamental cognitive limitations."
Sherlock strode ahead, completely turning his back on Ron, who had already clenched his fists.
So infuriating! If I didn't constantly need your help, even if your brother runs British intelligence, I'd definitely give you a beatdown, believe me!
"Fine, why should I go back to Los Angeles?" Ron rephrased the question.
Sherlock picked up some unknown chemical to conduct an experiment while answering, "Your presence has disrupted the terrorists' plans, so removing yourself from the equation will only make it easier for desperate fools to attempt various operations that defy the lower bounds of human intelligence. That's your opportunity."
(End of Chapter)
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