In media res is as good a place to start as any.

The Twentieth Hour

notes at the bottom

There were alarms going off.

This wasn't entirely surprising; alarms seemed to collect around Sherlock the same way that paperwork collected around Lestrade and state secrets cluttered up Mycroft's office.

The attack dogs, though? Those were new.

"The attack dogs are new, Sherlock," John panted, the barking getting louder as he wobbled at the top of the fence. Sherlock, annoying acrobatic git that he was, had neatly vaulted over the wrought-iron monstrosity like it was nothing and was standing at the bottom, brushing some invisible lint off his coat lapel.

With a much less dignified thump, John was standing beside him. And none too soon; within ten seconds three enraged hounds were barking at them from the opposite side of the fence.

They set off like bats out of hell and were six blocks away when the sirens. It was only then John thought to ask. "Did you get it?"

Sherlock grinned and pulled out a small object wrapped in a white handkerchief. With a theatrical air, he pulled it back, and-

"That's the Rose Trellis Egg," John said, with no small degree of amazement. "You're holding the Rose Trellis Egg. Shouldn't that be in a museum?"

"Technically," said Sherlock, savouring the moment like a true Thespian, "It is. Well, a very good fake is. But Interpol knew that Sergei Morofikiav enjoys the finer things in life, acquired legitimately or not." He pauses, studying the egg. "I'm not sure how we can get it to the Yard, though- do you think we can post it?"

John resists the urge to slap him for about four seconds.

"Ow! Or we could use a courier?"

They end up dashing in front of a police car and convincing the officer that they're government agents (not to far off the mark) and that they should take the Egg to New Scotland Yard immediately. As the car peels off, John catches sight of a falalfel cart.

Halfway through their snack, he turns to his partner-in-crime. "Sherlock?"

Sherlock is attempting to eat, text, and watch everyone nearby at the same time. "Mrffl?"

It's a bit adorable. John mentally files this under "things to consider when things are even moderately less insane," and presses on.

"If you every try and convince me to break into a known drug dealer's house to, as you so cheerfully put it, 'liberate a priceless artifact and really stick it to Mycroft," I will put every piece of glassware in the house through the dishwasher."

Sherlock looks nonplussed.

"Even the ones with experiments in them."

Now he looks horrified. "You wouldn't."

"If you don't start acting like that massive brain of yours has at least an ounce of common sense, I will." And with that, he turns his attention back to his pita.

Once their wrappers are in the bin and they're skulking away through the back alleys, something occurs to John. "How are we doing for time, anyway?"

Sherlock pulls out his phone. Or maybe not his phone. It's someone's phone. It's a phone, at least, and he'll make sure it's returned when the whole mess is over. "Right now, it's about twelve-thirty." As they begin to climb a fire escape, he grins. "Mycroft is going to be furious when he loses. But he won't be able to do anything. It," and here he finishes scrambling up onto the roof, "Is going to be glorious."

John can't help but burst out laughing at their situation. They are standing on a rooftop in them middle of the night, grinning like idiots and playing hide-and-seek with the British Government. He can't even write this up for the blog.

No-one is ever going to believe him!

First off, I want to say I'm sorry. I haven't been updating like I should; university, clubs, and general life only go so far as excuses, and I apologize to all of you for that.

Second, I want to thank you all for your likes, favourites, and reviews- it was a couple of recent reviews that really spurred me into action, and into getting this done.

Third, I hope you enjoy this, and the next few chapters coming up; I'm getting this all done at once and putting it up for all of you. As such, there won't be any notes in the next couple of chapters- I'll have a brief piece at the end of the last chapter, and that's it.

Thanks to all of you for sticking with me through this,

InkySpectacles.