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

video

[greenisnteasy]

[Bruce isn't looking so hot either; most troubling, maybe, is the feral light in his eyes, at least until he talks and his voice is harsh.]

Stupid. Nothing can hurt me.

[Then he shifts, squeezing his eyes shut.] Stop it. No one's talking to you.

[Sighing, he opens his eyes again, and they're back to normal, if tired.] What's aerosol dispersal? I mean -- I know what aerosol dispersal is, but what was dispersed?

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.

[video]

[retrograding]

Aerosol? [ Squints. ] As in those spray cans? What, exactly, are we dispersing?

Re: [video]

[could_be_dangerous]

[Sherlock sighs, rolls his shoulders.]

Isn't it obvious?

A drug. Hallucinogen. Lowers inhibitions. I've seen something like it before.

[retrograding]

Not so much obvious, but it would make sense. [ He muses. Calmly: ] That means that I can safely ignore the voices, then. What a relief. Where have you seen it before?

[reluctantsword]

... you think we've been dosed with something? What?

[could_be_dangerous]

Dartmoor. Murder, possible ties to a weapons research facility. Some of the locals attested to having seen a monstrous dog out on the moor. My client saw it. So did I.

Not real. Stray dog, but the drug made us see it differently. Induce fear, provide a stimulus.

I hope I don't have to explain the possible military applications. Certainly not the possible crowd control applications – I suspect you're seeing them.

[Audio]

[onteamdyson]

Dispersal of WHAT?! Cray-cray juice and evil magic?

[could_be_dangerous]

Can't say. Not exactly.

Seen something like it before, though. Lowers inhibitions, induces a fearful state, hallucinogen takes over from there.

It felt like this. Not exactly like this, margin of error, might be wrong.

[He glances sharply to one side, and shakes his head. Not real. Not there.]

Might be. Don't think I am though.

Re: [Audio]

[could_be_dangerous]

Evil–

[Well, maybe.]

Exactly. Not exactly. Didn't I tell you about Baskerville?

[Audio]

[onteamdyson]

I was probably inventing new episodes of trashy reality TV shows in my head while you were, but it's possible!?

[villainized]

What's being dispersed, exactly?

Re: [Audio]

[could_be_dangerous]

Didn't then; you'd like this one. Monstrous dogs, weapons research... terror-inducing hallucinogens. Think it outweighs your otherwise outstanding ability to be an utter tosser.

[goodluckkobra]

Speak English, fucker.

[reluctantsword]

All the more reason I have to find Jja. She's--

[He stops. He's hallucinated before, but he was in a hospital and dying and full of medication. He's suddenly not sure of anything, doesn't know where he is or who he is.]

What do I look like? It's important. Describe me.

[thezerothlaw]

If you propose that the population as a whole has been drugged with some sort of compound, it would explain the irrational, threatening behaviour I've observed.

[Because, of course, he can't possibly have been affected by it.]

[onteamdyson]

Monster dogs? What kind of monster dogs-- wait, HALLUCINOGENS? Ha. Haha... yeah, right, that's what she wants you to think-- hey! Don't call me British slang I don't understand.

[thelittlestbub]

Wait... you're saying we've been drugged? Like, drugged?

You got proof?

[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.]

[plaidsamurai]

Is that what's got everyone going?

Seems I've been mostly immune, I guess.

video;

[weboflies]

It makes sense.

[As much sense as drugging a populace can be. Drugs do explain the things she's been seeing.]

[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]

Big. Tattoos. At the moment.

[Not that one can necessarily trust Sherlock's judgement on the matter at the moment. Then again... why would he be hallucinating this? It's not like seeing Moriarty. Or John. Seeing the things he fears.]

[could_be_dangerous]

Stop deserving it and I'll stop saying it. Yes hallucinogens, giant dog, I told you. Obviously not real. Client. Cracked, thought the hound was coming for him -- yes, I'm getting to that part -- pressure plates, in the ground, someone goes for a walk on the moor, steps on one, breathes it in, et voila! Chien énorme, ou autre chose; point is, I've been here before.