Pound for Pound by Tom

Gordy yousta pound the crap out of his little brother Martin. Deep into
high school Gordy had the weight advance over Martin. Two deployments to
Afghanistan tipped the balance in Martin’s favor. Not to be out done Gordy
got in touch with Berry Bond’s dealer and got seriously bulked on Anabolic
steroids. Martin enter a Tibetan monastery for a decade and exited a Tai
chi master. Gordy took up Transcendental Meditation. Martin became a Sufi
mystic. When perfect enlightenment was attained they vanished into the
east. Some say when you hear the rain pounding you can hear them laughing.

Against the Gathering Storm by Tom

Shoulder to shoulder they stood to hold the line. Mere children and
grandfathers, the last and least, to hold back the tide. They dropped
where they stood ever closing the ranks to hold the line. Pound as they
may the rage and thunder broke against that line. In the end the line held
strong, not one inch did they yield to the oppressors. And those that
stood and those who fell never were forgotten. We evoke their names and
call you now, to join in our glorious mission, protect this land, make a
stand, hold the line. Hold the line.

The Case of the Amber Rose of the Amazon – Part 37

Before his very eyes his grandmother both aged and shrank. Of all the places she could direct her eyes a single space turned them back with a blinding radiance of flaming truth. In less then a whisper she sighed,” I really can explain.”

At that moment Holmes gently broke in, “stay this shrift, we bare ill news. Both Mrs. Kane and Mrs. Brown are dead. Little joy is this except that they had plotted to do the same to your grandson and my comrade Dr Watson.

Watson suddenly realized after all these years Holmes could not envision his own death.

The Case of the Amber Rose of the Amazon – Part 36

“You have them” toned Sir Grant

Holmes laid the letters out before the 1st VP. As he reached for them Holmes raised a hand.

“Our original contract needs renegotiation”

Grant pulled back and flown.

“Oh you misunderstand my purpose, Not one pound more that we agreed do I ask. What has changed is Mr. Adams knows the full importance of these missives

Adams looked sadly at Mr. Grant, but forceful all the same.

“I believe an early retirement is in order,” sign the 1st vp sliding an envelop towards the detective.

“To the ship?”

“No we have a final visit.”

The Case of the Amber Rose of the Amazon – Part 35

Mr. Adams and Mr. Holmes, I will ring Sir Grant at once.”

A sleepy, but functioning Grant appraised the new dynamic before him. Nearly invisible Watson observer how much this man resemble Mycroft. Perhaps life in clubs rounded the edge of personality to the point the difference between the chair and member was of little difference.

This was the sort of man Holmes despised and at the same time the sort of man that at a drop of a hat would paddle down the Amazon to clear their name. Just one of the nearly infinite paradoxes that swirled around Holmes.

The Case of the Amber Rose of the Amazon – Part 34

The doctor handed Holmes both items then the detective handed the undergarment to Adams who’s face ware the signs of a man who had traveled halfway to some truth, but feared the arrive.

“To Mr. Grant,” said Sherlock already halfway down the stairs.

“What of the bodies,” cried the doctor moving after him with Adams in tow?

The three crossed in front of the Ford mansion then down the street to the Bachelor’s Club. In spite of the hour or more precisely because of the hour a middle aged man with retainer class written deep in his eyes meet them

The Case of the Amber Rose of the Amazon – Part 33

Holmes had gambled that one of these women if spooked would fire their gun. It was up to Watson to remove the one who flinched. So it was both women now lay on the floor.

“To your earlier question Mrs. Brown dispatch the Turk.”

“Devil take that woman.”

“I’m sure he has.”

“How can I repay you?”

“Your connections on the continent will aid us in the next episode of this adventure. Come with us to Paris.”

“I am your man.”

“Watson the letters and garment kindly.”

The doctor noted it was he who picked the pockets of the dead

The Amber Rose Of The Amazon – Part 32

As hoped Mrs. Kane adjusted her weight to track his motions, then a shoe brushing the floor always to the right. The good doctor ramrod military straight hadn’t moved a muscle. Holmes raised his cane causing Mrs. Brown to change her target; behind him he heard no readjustment.

In a swift single move Holmes dropped rolled and smashed the cane to the floor producing an echoing crack. This noise was follow with a louder crack and then a final crack.

As hoped Watson realized Holmes had placed himself exactly between the women. Neither woman knew the gun trained on them.

The Amber Rose Of The Amazon – Part 31

“What did Miss Stein pay you for your services?”

“That amount I now will keep in spite of a delay in execution. But its been a pleasure working for the Moriarty family.”

Even at his age Holmes still maintained the ability to slow his pulse and calm any emotional response. Not to say his mind wasn’t racing to very corner of his skull to weight out the danger those two words invoked. The Game had moved from a pleasant distraction to one of dire consequences. Had he known he would have been less caviler.

Slowly he moved to the right.

The Amber Rose Of The Amazon – Part 30

The undeniable click of a revolver sounded behind Holmes ear, a good 10 feet away.

“Yes Mr. Holmes why on earth would we carry such things,” said Mrs. Kane

“To give Mr. Adams there justification for shooting myself and my partner Dr. Watson. That is Mr. Adams gun is it not.”

“Not much escapes you, except this night. Sadly in the struggle our dear 3rd vice president expired.”

“Very tidy, and a pound of sorrow for Mrs. Ford.”

“Since I will be meeting my maker in moments, does a condemned man have a final request?”

A second trigger clicked “Ask.”