The next morning, I arrived early and sat collecting my thoughts about the extraordinary amount of work I have done in but a week it seemed*. Poirot came on time by the second, and I was impressed how well kept he managed to keep himself despite the fact that I could deduce he had a very long and perhaps tempestuous night at the Plaza party. I thanked him for his punctuality and we began to have our first real conversation assuming each others as equals – in trade, if nothing else. He talked about his own past – that is, his fictional past – and I was thoroughly impressed by some of his amazing exploits around the world, including a particularly fascinating case where he uncovered a plot on a train. I offered to discuss my own history to him, but he said it was not necessary, for even in his fictional world I was myself still regarded as a fictional character, and he had read my many stories – or those stories which I presumed to be Watson’s accounts for the magazine. I admitted I found this to be rather confusing and slightly disconcerting, but I accepted it nonetheless.
Beyond fuller introduction, however, he discussed his own mysteriously arrival into our present day and I noted that his was very similar to mine, so indeed we likely had the same fate. He talked about his humble days in hiding under the rroof of rich widow named Madam Widdecombe, and I discussed my own sponsorship of the lad James Raikes (he incidentally had a brief encounter with the chap himself, as apparently Widdecombe is related to James. How strange!). As we provided our honest testimonies our observance of each other revealed that the incidents that led to our mutual encounter appeared more than inconvenient but in fact contrived, ominous and even malicious. It was clear that somebody who most likely cared not for our wellbeing wished for us to be fearful, distrusting and in retreat. I said since it was clear whoever did this act was not our friend, and that his intention was to keep us apart and working against each other, that the most sensible thing for us to do at the moment was to join forces and work together for our mutual safety. Luckily Poirot said that he had a case in Boston that he wished to research; a man who confessed to being a serial killer in a drunken mania but without proof to any crime committed in the area. Gladly I agreed to go with him and I told him I would meet him at the New York Grand Central Train Station.
I go back to my hotel, I pack my bags and I prepare to check out. All that I need to do is to indicate to my benefactor with a call that this is what I wished to do, and he surely he would agree. After all, why shouldn’t he?
Or so I thought.
Upon hearing my request he coldly impassionately forbade me to go to Boston and research this case with Poirot. I was in an utter outrage. I asked him why, wished him to provide his reasons after my thorough cooperation with him; he said only that as long as I wished to work with him and for him, he needn’t provide his reasons but his orders only. He only replied that I should enjoy my stay in New York, and with that he hung up. I scarce to believe I was ever treated so insubordinately in my life.
To make matters worse, I tried to rebook my hotel room, only to discover that the room where I was staying was already booked, along with every hotel room in the area, which meant that I had to move to a new hotel! And I had to go through the process of moving all baggage into a new hotel with vacancy and unpack, and in such a rage that I neglected the time. Upon seeing the time was close to five I rushed down to the station, hoping he was patient enough to tolerate lateness on my part, but as fast as I tried to get there it was for naught; it was too late. Poirot left without me, and without my explanation why. I fear he may think my gesture rude, and in truth I do not blame him.
So for now I am staying in New York. To make the best of the situation, I have decided to commit my energy to trying to deduce the reason for my being here, but it is a poor substitute; I know not where to start, nor what to look for. Unable to move and with nothing to do in New York, it might as well be a veritable concrete prison – my Scotland Yard.
I can only wish Poirot the best of luck in his case in Boston.
Poirot
*By a strange coincidence, I happened to catch a glimpse of that same lady who was attempting to enter into the ball the night before. She was wearing the same large flowing dress but it was well dirtied and she herself seemed to be in a great daze. She seemed to be eating some pastry and a coffee, looking into to the window of a jewelry establishment longingly.
It’s possible for you to still communicate with Poirot, if you at least wish to explain why you couldn’t reach him. Like we’ve said before, he shares a similar blog to yours, so all you would need to do is leave a comment on his like we leave comments on yours, that would probably be the easiest way to continue staying in contact with him.
This is his blog. http://belgianamongtheenglish.wordpress.com/
This page, http://littlegreycells.twwf.info/, also is a means to contact him, if you have an email of some kind.
As far why you’re being forced to stay in new york, I can not say for certain. Me and the rest of us currently have business at that plaza ourselves, which may be related to how you or Poirot crossed over to our world.
And the lady you saw may ALSO be in the same situation as you, another ‘character’ who somehow crossed into our world. I recommend you approach her and try to figure out who she is, but we believe she might be the fictional character Cinderella
Holmes, I have, previously, referred to the possibility of you encountering a strange girl in New York. Do you not recall my messages? I sent them to you the moment you arrived, and asked you to please keep an eye out for me.
Also, I have some rather nasty suspicions. Your employer is NOT to be trusted. We have a lead on the identity of your previous employer, the Dutchman, and he is likely part of a malevolent group that may be responsible for your current situation. I find it likely due to his actions that this new employer is par of the same group. Do not cut of relations entirely with him, but keep an eye on him and PLEASE be careful. Things are getting very serious on my end, and I am afraid I do not have much time. Our site was attacked the previous day, and we have all been threatened for attempting to send you home. There is much I must get done, so please refer to my previous comment about this girl, which I will reproduce here in a moment.
I am sorry to hear about your rather unsuccessful meeting. I had rather hoped that something would come of it, but at the same time I suspected that it would fail.
You have done what you can, however, and I am very grateful for it. If Poirot cannot be convinced of the situation, we will just have to accept things and work with them as they are.
You should, for the moment, put aside concerns about your own existence. You are obviously as capable of free, unhindered action and thought as any other man. Whether one world sees you as fictional obviously does not hamper this ability, and therefore, is irrelevant except as a curiosity.
In any case, I wish you the best of luck in your new business in my home country. I’ll keep an eye out for another update, this one from my side of the Atlantic.
~Sicon112
Ah! I almost forgot! I shall keep you updated should any of the other Persons Of Interest that we are following arrive in your general area. As far as I know, the only New York related lead we have is a video of what we believe to be Cinderella appearing in the city. Unfortunately, the video was taken a good deal of time ago, and we have no follow up information.
The footage in question appears at the very end of this video, should you feel like looking at it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U9XZ6lOIeJw&feature=plcp
I am not requesting that you specifically look for her; that would be ridiculous. New york is huge and we have no evidence to go by. I am just preparing you to act in the case of a coincidence.
Should any other POIs enter your area, or you theirs, I shall inform you immediately, as some of them are rather unpleasant fellows.
Good day, Holmes!
Mr Holmes, does your benefactor ever call himself an Administrator?
Dear Mr. Sherlock Holmes, Esquire:
I am very sorry, upset, angry and saddened to hear that yet another chance failed- I was hoping to see the start of a wonderful friendship.
We are suspicious that your benefactor is one of these four we call the Cabel. They are four terrible people who have come together to, possibly, release fictional characters into our world.
Think of the hellish cruelty that lies in their twisted minds, their scheming, their plots to kill us all, to unleash fictional horrors like Dracula, Demons, Frankenstein’s Monster, Aliens from the darkest corners of Outer Space, and Cthulhu himself into our world, causing wars, chaos, destruction and possibly the apocalypse itself.
I suggest you take a look at these to see what they are up to, the fiends: we have suspicions that one of them is in fact your nemesis- Professor James Moriarty.
http://pheeble.twwf.info/?intro1
http://pheeble.twwf.info/?intro2
http://pheeble.twwf.info/?intro3
http://pheeble.twwf.info/?intro4
http://pheeble.twwf.info/?intro5
http://pheeble.twwf.info/?intro6
That is all we can give you as evidence of the group.
And apparently a TEACHER of all people has found out that fictional characters are being pulled out of their worlds.
http://fictionalthreat.twwf.info/
I do hope that you manage to contact Poirot soon and begin a friendship, like one with Doctor John Hamish Watson.
Sincerly, The Wild West Pyro
PS: Here is the link to Poirot’s blog, if you want to contact him.
http://belgianamongtheenglish.wordpress.com/
And his consulting website, to inform him of new cases.
http://littlegreycells.twwf.info/
The knights have gathered. Had it not been for the separation you could have both had the power to slay the dragon.
Do not grow weary Holmes. That is what HE wants.
Long story short, there’s a group of fictional people who have no desire to return to the other side of the Fourth Wall, calling themselves the Cabal. I’m sure you can understand their motives. We think that your client is one of them (hence his interference with the Sweeney Todd case in Boston), and that at least one or two others are in Boston, tracking Todd.
I’d suggest you attempt to track down and make contact with the young woman you saw previously–if nothing else, I expect it should prove an interesting diversion.
Expositingly,
Wysp
You shouldn’t leave the woman unattended. She could be hurt in a place like that. Or captured.
Seems you have a lot of work on your hands Mr. Holmes.
Mr. Holmes,
A friend of mine is in need of investigative services, but would probably not be very understanding about your mildly fictional nature. I would like to refer her to you, but don’t want to use the wrong name– should I use your real name, or some other pseudonym?
Many thanks,
Qara-Xuan