Title: Carpe Noctem
Fandom: Sherlock Holmes (ACD)/Spooks (MI5)
Rating: G
Length: 614 words
Summary: An AU in which Adam Carter and Lucas North are agents of ACD Mycroft Holmes, and currently on the trail of a traitor.
Also written forficlet_zone  'Angel' Challenge

"Well sir, what would you have us do?” Adam Carter asked.

Mycroft Holmes looked critically at his two agents.  “My brother confirms that it all points to Lord McLeod being a traitor.  But we still lack concrete proof.  We need to act promptly if we are to find anything.  McLeod leaves for the continent tomorrow and I cannot prevent his departure with what I have already got.”

“Mr Holmes believes there should be evidence in McLeod’s London home, and as he will be away tonight…”

“You are therefore suggesting gaining entry and looking for it, Mr North?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Very well.  Mr Carter, you will ensure we are aware of McLeod’s movements at all times.  We cannot afford for him to give us the slip.  And Mr North, carpe noctem.”

“Very good, sir.”  Both men left the office and departed to their respective tasks.

It was just after eleven when Lucas slipped into McLeod’s townhouse.  Mycroft had provided him with the layout of the house, so he made his way directly to the study.  Finding the safe wasn’t as difficult as he had expected, and it didn’t take long for him to open it.  The safe was full of papers, and Lucas quickly searched through until he found the ones they were particularly after.  There were others which would be equally incriminating, but he left them, taking only those of critical importance.

He was just closing the safe when he heard a drunk loudly hailing a policeman.  Hurriedly, Lucas placed the picture back over the safe and then slipped out through the same window he had used to enter the building, and walked briskly back to Mycroft Holmes office.

“Were you successful, Mr North?” he asked on Lucas’ return.

“Yes, sir.  There are other papers, but I couldn’t risk taking them all.”

Mycroft Holmes nodded.  “Very wise.  My brother should be here in a few minutes, we’ll wait for him.”

It wasn’t long before Sherlock Holmes arrived.  “Did you get what you were after?” he asked Lucas.

“Yes, sir.” Lucas replied, feeling rather confused.

“Good.  I held the constable up as long as I was able, but I could tell he intended checking the house out.”

“You were the drunk!”

“I was, with sparkling repartee, taken directly from the music hall.”

“Thank you, brother.  Mr North tells me McLeod is holding further documents.  We now have sufficient evidence to undertake a formal search.  We will arrange to arrive at the house at the same point as McLeod does and insist he opens the safe in our presence.”

At that moment there was a knock on the door and a young man entered.  “Message from Mr Carter, sir.  Lord McLeod has returned earlier than expected and is believed to be heading home.”

Mycroft Holmes stood up.  “There’s not a moment to be lost.  Sherlock, Mr North, get over there at once.  I will follow you.”

As the two men reached the McLeod house, Adam joined them.  Sherlock Holmes knocked on the door and as soon as the butler answered, said, “My names is Sherlock Holmes and I have an urgent message for his Lordship.”

The butler tried to prevent their entry, saying his Lordship was not to be disturbed, but he was no match for the three men.  Lucas led the way to the study, where they found McLeod furiously burning papers.  Whilst the other two restrained McLeod, Lucas raked out the half-destroyed papers.  McLeod was still protesting when Mycroft Holmes arrived, together with the Commission of the Metropolitan Police, who formally arrester McLeod.

After they had departed Mycroft Holmes turned to Lucas and Adam and said, “Congratulations, gentlemen, on a very good night’s work.”