Sherlock Holmes in 2012: TIMELESS DUEL by Mohammad Bahareth Page A

you come to any conclusion on that point?”
    “There again, I had to recall our numerous conversations at the time we were embroiled in the affair that took place in Bohemia.” Irene paused, perhaps remembering some of the events of the time. “At one point, Sherlock mentioned that a hundred years from now, the world will have forgotten this episode in history and would have bridged the gap between our medieval traditions and the modern times that lay ahead of all of us.”
    “Do you think he is gone to a date a hundred years from now?”
    Irene held up a hand, indicating that she was not finished. “Patience, Mr. Wells., let me continue.”
    Wells lowered his gaze.
    “Let us take a hundred years as the basis for us arriving at a date when Sherlock could have landed, shall we?”
    Wells didn’t raise his head when he nodded again.
    “Very well. Then let’s assume that he wanted to land in 1990, but what could he possibly find during that year? Nothing extremely interesting, if you extrapolate the events that have possibly occurred in the previous hundred years. Trains are faster, man would have learned to fly, communications would have reached an interesting plateau, and perhaps all wars would have ceased for a time. Yet, there is one item that needs to grow still amid the thousands that are emerging-and that is oil production. We would have seen great advances in the discovery and the exploitation of oil pools, but the demand would have then reached a point where the producing countries need to bridle their reserves before our world runs dry.”
    “Are you saying there will be such a great need for petrol across the world?”
    “Absolutely, Mr. Wells, absolutely. I believe Sherlock was correct when he advanced that everyone will own and drive a motorcar by the end of the next century.”
    “But if you are correct in this assumption, why would you hesitate in going to 1990?”
    “I hesitate because, 1990, in my view, is only a turning point, and some twenty more years will be needed to sate the world of its hunger for oil and regulate its proper distribution.”
    “Would that be your own opinion, or did you deduce this from your conversations with Mr. Holmes.”
    “A little of both, Mr. Wells. Sherlock made mention on a couple of occasions that it takes an average of twenty years for any technological development to reach its peek. And I believe regulating oil distribution a hundred years from now would have become of prime importance. Therefore, if you put these two assumptions together, I would suggest that I should be able to find him in November 2010.”
    “November.? Why November, may I ask?”
    Irene tittered. “Do you recall Napoleon, Mr. Wells?”
    Appearing baffled, Wells said, “Yes, of course, but what has the Little Emperor, has to do with the month of November and our problem?”
    “Our British Government returned Napoleon’s remains to France and the vessel, the Belle Poule, arrived in Cherbourg on November 29.” Irene seemed satisfied with this stated explanation.
    “I still don’t see.”
    “Mr. Wells, please, open your mind. Sherlock is a master, an “Emperor” of his own trade, and what could be more fitting than he being “released” to his newly appointed and resting place than he doing so on the same date?”
    An hour later, Irene was comfortably installed in the seat of the second time machine. She was still in awe at the shape of it-a huge glass ball, could best describe the vessel in which she was going to travel.
    “Have you any other questions, Miss Adler, before you lower the lever that will seal the capsule?”
    “Just one, Mr. Wells; do you know how long it will take me to reach my destination?”
    “I could not be sure, but I calculated that it would only take you some minutes.”
    “Indeed! Therefore I will not have to worry about being hungry or tired, would I?”
    “Not at all, Miss Adler. Anything else?”
    “No, my dear Professor, nothing else. I should be