Case1 Four Families - Prologue
"Let 'Watson' be your surname, use 'H' from my Holmes as your middle name. The name is 'John'' ... John H. Watson" "
"Hey, wake up, Watson."
... This is the beginning of the story ...
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London's underground has the dark that never sleeps. The gathering of unique people has driven something that no one would expect in the next hundred years.
Everything happened, reaching for a future that no one can match, the name of that future is
'Free Man Hand' organization.
On a night when the moonlight or the starlight cannot reach darkness. A young man in a hat, wears a dark plaid coat stepped in with a dignified and familiar expression as if walking in his own home. A future that is hidden underground, he is involved. To be clear, he was one of the founders of this place.
There are three more steps left to reach the ground floor. But a group of workers carrying heavy loads on their shoulders was about to walk up. The young man hurriedly stepped down to open the way. The workers unloaded all belongings made this cramped place turn empty. This place would soon be abandoned because they had already managed to find a better place. 'If there is something better. Throw away the useless stuff' is the principle of this organization.
A young man walks into a small room. But because of the group of nearly ten people standing around something, this room looked narrow.
"Oh, that Mr. Holmes"
One of the people noticed him and called. Making him the focus of the entire room.
"Hey, I haven't seen you for a long time, Sherlock. How are you?"
"You should come here often, always investigating the case until I saw your face in the newspaper rather than in real life."
"Just now, James went back. Have you met?"
"Not at all, maybe we miss." A young man named Sherlock. Holmes feels guilty about not meeting with coworkers. "Unfortunately, I haven't seen James for a long time because ..."
"Busy in the case," the middle-aged man in the group continued.
"Yes, lately, I feel so tired that I want a partner to help me." Sherlock Holmes greeted the others while walked closer to see what other people are watching.
Until he saw it clearly, he blinked a little because he hadn't seen it in a very long time. Lying on an iron bed was the naked body of a silver-haired man. Eyes open, reveal the emerald green eyes, don't blink, don't roll eyes, just lying there without focus.
"WPP"
Sherlock Holmes calls the name of the Watson Prototype Project or the experimental Watson doll. One of the 'WATSON' projects, the perfect human weapon, they've been working on the underground.
"Yes, we decided to destroy it."
"Why?" Asked Sherlock Holmes. "The last time I came, 'he' was working well."
"Yes, but that is the last time it has awoken." the long-haired young man in a white robe sighed. "Suddenly, there were many flaws. In the end, it not moves like a real doll. It can't use it in a real mission and a waste of energy to carry it to a new place too. We can build a version that covers up flaws and is more perfect than the experiment version."
"It's best to destroy unnecessary thing." added another man on the same team.
Sherlock Holmes glanced at the body lying still on the metal bed. Instead, he thought that the silver-haired doll, referred to as the experimental version, heard every word they said. Despite being voted down, the eyelids didn't move or have slightest bit of shaking. If it's true as he thinks, the silver-haired doll might be preparing the mind and letting all go until it appears as though he has no thought.
Although it was called a flaw in others' eyes, Sherlock Holmes thought he was like a newborn baby. Green eyes reflect only the truth without prejudice.
If he had someone with such eyesight ...
"Wait!" Said the detective in a louder voice. "If you want to destroy it, give me WPP."
The words brought up the faces of everyone in the room with question marks.
"I was looking for a partner to help investigate the case. I'm sure he will definitely help with my work."
Sherlock Holmes remembered the performance test of this experiment version of WPP. He still remembered a determined look he had never seen before. The young man tried to use reason to persuade.
"If he doesn't wake up again, it was considered just a normal doll, but if he could get up again, I will be responsible for him. I assure you that no one will notice him as a doll."
Others in the room looked at each other. But no one objected. The young man then completely assumed that everyone agreed. Sherlock Holmes smiled with satisfaction. Before walking to the iron bedside, the face that seemed to have not been cut off from youth spoke to the motionless doll.
"Don't just lie still. From now on, you will have to go up and live with me in the world outside. First of all, you must have a name, it might not be a good idea to call WPP. Hmmm, let 'Watson' be your surname, use 'H' from my Holmes as your middle name. The name is 'John' ... John H. Watson"
He spoke to the doll everyone now sees as an ineffective doll then smiling.
"Hey, wake up, Watson."
What was given was a silent response from the lying body. Other Free Man Hand members make a facial expression that can be translated into words is 'It must be like this. The useless thing is useless.'
"It is permanently broken." Lester Ashton said, reflecting behind his calm eyes was disapproval. But he did not seriously object.
"Are you sure you will still take it with you Sherlock?" Asked Ashton.
"Of course ..."
Sherlock Holmes replied immediately. The confirmation was solid, but it bumped into the fact that getting a naked doll that didn't move out of the basement until at home was not easy. At least the detective was convinced that Watson's weight was greater than him. While thinking, an enthusiastic voice helped him figure out.
"Look, Mr. Holmes. Put on this dress for him."
"Rufus ..." Sherlock Holmes received an old shirt and pants brought from a fellow member.
Rufus went to rummage through the crate until he had found another someone black coat. Rufus walked back with a smile.
"My carriage waits outside. I took you home. This is less suspicious than hiring a carriage outside, right? "
"Thank you, Rufus." Sherlock said, but his eyes didn't smile. He felt distrustful of the sudden cooperation. Everyone else in the room thinks so too.
"Nothing," said Rufus, who knew what kind of eyes Holmes and the others looked at himself. "I think Mr. Holmes's idea is worth investing. If it doesn't work, I just got home a little late."
"Okay, since no one objected," concluded one member, "Sherlock Holmes, WPP, is in your care. Also, tell this to Moriarty too. We will be looking forward to hearing from you about the development of this doll."
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Rufus' carriage stopped in front of the house. Sherlock Holmes thanked his coworker and took the silver-haired doll's arm over the shoulder to get it off the wagon. The young man looked until the horse's footsteps far away. So, he dragged a body taller than himself to the door, let his head lie on his shoulders, careful not to let Watson slip.
As he was thinking about what to do next, a cold, low voice sounded in his ears.
"...what....your... intend..."
Sherlock Holmes smiling at the sharp green eyes. The weight that has always been over his shoulder has disappeared. Detective Holmes's expression did not show any surprise that the silver-haired doll suddenly spoke and returned to his feet as if the previous motionless was lying.
But the lie is close because Sherlock Holmes sensed that the Watson doll could still talk and move his body, but Watson decides destruction is the best way, so he chooses not to move, not responding to any trials.
The detective raised his head to look at the green eyes as he extended his right hand.
"I want you to be my partner."
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The story of the future is called a legend. Sometimes it starts with a simple event. As if fate has compromised a story. This is the beginning of the story of the great detective of the era and his partner.
Sherlock Holmes ... and ... Watson