Page 191 - SHERLOCK transcripts

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MYCROFT (more softly): The damsel in distress. (He smiles ironically.) In the end, are you
really so obvious? Because this was textbook: the promise of love, the pain of loss, the joy of
redemption; then give him a puzzle ... (his voice drops to a whisper while he twirls the end of
his umbrella in the air) ... and watch him dance.
SHERLOCK: Don’t be absurd.
MYCROFT: Absurd? How quickly did you decipher that email for her? Was it the full minute, or
were you really eager to impress?
IRENE (from behind Sherlock): I think it was less than five seconds.
(Sherlock spins around to see her standing at the end of the cabin, dressed beautifully, fully
made up and with her hair perfectly coiffured. This is The Woman at her immaculate best.)
MYCROFT (ruefully to Sherlock): I drove you into her path. (He pauses momentarily.) I’m sorry.
(He lowers his eyes.) I didn’t know.
(Sherlock is still looking at Irene as she walks towards him.)
IRENE: Mr Holmes, I think we need to talk.
SHERLOCK: So do I. There are a number of aspects I’m still not quite clear on.
IRENE (walking past him): Not you, Junior. You’re done now.
(She continues down the aisle towards Mycroft. Sherlock turns and watches her go as she
activates her phone and holds it up to show his brother.)
IRENE: There’s more ... loads more. On this phone I’ve got secrets, pictures and scandals that
could topple your whole world. You have no idea how much havoc I can cause and exactly one
way to stop me – unless you want to tell your masters that your biggest security leak is your
own little brother.
(Mycroft can no longer hold her gaze and turns his head away, lowering his eyes.)

Some time later Mycroft has brought Irene and Sherlock to his residence/office. The older
brother sits at the dining table with Irene seated opposite him. Sherlock is in the armchair near
the fireplace a few yards away, half turned away from the pair of them. The fingers on his right
hand are repeatedly clenching while he listens to the other two speak. Mycroft points down at
the camera phone which is lying on the table in front of him. There is no aggression or threat in
his voice as he speaks to Irene.
MYCROFT: We have people who can get into this.
IRENE: I tested that theory for you. I let Sherlock Holmes try it for six months.
(Sherlock closes his eyes briefly, grimacing slightly.)
IRENE: Sherlock, dear, tell him what you found when you X-rayed my camera phone.
SHERLOCK (flatly): There are four additional units wired inside the casing, I suspect containing
acid or a small amount of explosive.
(Mycroft lowers his head into his hand.)
SHERLOCK: Any attempt to open the casing will burn the hard drive.
IRENE: Explosive. (She looks at Mycroft.) It’s more me.
MYCROFT (lifting his head and looking at her again): Some data is always recoverable.
IRENE: Take that risk?
MYCROFT: You have a passcode to open this. I deeply regret to say we have people who can
extract it from you.
IRENE (calmly): Sherlock?
SHERLOCK: There will be two passcodes: one to open the phone, one to burn the drive. Even
under duress you can’t know which one she’s given you and there will be no point in a second
attempt.
IRENE: He’s good, isn’t he? I should have him on a leash – in fact, I might.
(She gazes intensely at Sherlock but he remains turned away from her and can’t see her
expression.)
MYCROFT: We destroy this, then. No-one has the information.
IRENE: Fine. Good idea ... unless there are lives of British citizens depending on the information
you’re about to burn.
MYCROFT: Are there?
IRENE: Telling you would be playing fair. I’m not playing any more.
(She reaches into her handbag on the table in front of her and takes out an envelope which she
pushes across the table to him.)
IRENE: A list of my requests; and some ideas about my protection once they’re granted.
(Mycroft takes the sheet of paper from the envelope and starts to unfold it.)
IRENE: I’d say it wouldn’t blow much of a hole in the wealth of the nation – but then I’d be
lying.

Transcripts by Ariane DeVere (arianedevere@livejournal.com)