005 \\ Sherlock Holmes \\ [Video]

[could_be_dangerous]

[The contrast between Sherlock's usual appearance and his current one is sharp. He looks exhausted, the sort of utterly worn out that hides beneath a burning mania. He's disheveled, what little colour had once been in his face now utterly gone, and his eyes are glossy and feverishly bright. Not good, but who is right now?]

I've two words for the lot of you.

[If it weren't for the fact that his camera is strapped to his wrist, this would be where Sherlock grins and spreads his arms, invokes all the drama appropriate for the current situation. Under the circumstances he must settle for a grin that's manic but far from happy, the huff of a laugh, the sound all strained arrogance and guiltily repressed relief.]

Aerosol. Dispersal.

[He bites his lower lip, oh, oh, got it, must be.]

Saying it for years but nobody believes me: nothing new under the sun.

Comments

Re: video

[could_be_dangerous]

The Hound.

[Sherlock gives a dismissive gesture with his free hand, eyes closing and brow furrowing as though shooing something, as though asking for silence.]

Dartmoor. I had a case. Brilliant. Mysterious death, sightings of a monstrous dog on the moor. All in the vicinity of the Baskerville weapons research facility. Bioweapons. Chemical. Crowd control.

Aerosol dispersal, the sightings were all hallucinations, fear and stimulus. A chemical agent. Experiment run on the local populace, anyone stupid to wander out onto the moors.

I was dosed. It was like this, just like this; look: several of us attempt to escape and days later we all start going mad? It's... it had to be. Drugged; we've all been drugged, best possible explanation under the circumstances.

[He laughs, shakes his head.]

Brilliant. Not wholly original but it'll do.

[greenisnteasy]

[Bruce squints, focusing hard on Sherlock and what he's saying, but the details leading up -- Dartmoor, death, a dog -- all swirl around in his mind and confuse his already confused mind.]

Get to the point. [He snaps, then squeezes his eyes shut and fights back. Clearing his throat, he sits up straighter and tries to look normal.]

Drugs... [The theory makes sense, or as much sense as his mind can make of anything.] Drugs will wear off. Don't suppose you're in the frame of mind to test any of us.

[Implied, in a few brief seconds of lucidity: Bruce probably isn't.]

[could_be_dangerous]

That is the point.

[Sherlock waves an irritated, dismissive hand.]

No, shut up, yes I do; he's an idiot. They're all idiots. Test you, yes, if I can remember who you are and if we can trust the results, which--

[greenisnteasy]

Banner -- [Which isn't how he introduces himself. He tries again.] Bruce. Bruce Banner. [Smooth recovery, score one for the home team; unfortunately the victory doesn't last.]

You're an idiot. Who asked you anyway? You're not gonna touch me! Try it and get smashed!

[could_be_dangerous]

No. Yes. Obviously. I know who you are, I just... get the faces wrong sometimes, not immune.

[greenisnteasy]

I can rearrange your face if you --

[His communicator starts to beep, and Bruce blinks in surprise. His heart rate. Closing his eyes, he takes a slow, steady breath.]

We need to figure this thing out somehow. [He opens his eyes again, his expression grim.] Or we're going to be in a lot of trouble. There are quite a few... interesting people here, and all of us are flipping our lids at once.

[could_be_dangerous]

Mm. Aware of that. If it's chemical I've virtually no way of finding out what we're dealing with, exactly, or how to counteract it. If I'm right... wet rags, makeshift air filters; might work to keep most of it out. Might not.

Not sure I could trust my results even if I did perform tests.